Wood Thrush Notes: A Unique Cardinal, a Purple Sandpiper, the Resiliency of Songbirds

A Leucistic Cardinal

It seems like snow on the ground always brings new visitors to our feeders that we might not be familiar with. This last snow’s oddity was a familiar bird, but with an unusual twist. A partially leucistic female Cardinal! Not to be confused with albinism, which results in a total lack of pigment, leucism is a condition that can occur in animals that causes a reduction of pigmentation. It is caused by a defect in the cells responsible for pigment. There are two types of leucism; full and partial. In full leucism, there is a reduction in all pigments causing the animal to appear paler than normal. In partial, only some of the animal is affected, as is the case with this female cardinal. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has an excellent article on the differences between different pigment deviations that I will link to here.

Partially Leucistic Female Cardinal

Photo Credit: Eli Haislip

Purple Sandpiper

In addition to the partially leucistic Cardinal, I also had numerous White-throated Sparrows, a Song Sparrow, Dark-Eyed Juncos, House Finch, Purple Finch, Goldfinch, Mourning Doves, Carolina Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Tufted Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and Eastern Bluebirds at the feeders during the snow. These are all fairly typical birds that you can expect to see this time of year, depending on the habitat in which you live. However, there has been a much more noteworthy visitor to Davidson County this past week. At Snow Bunting Peninsula on Old Hickory Lake, a Purple Sandpiper has been consistently reported over the last week. The Purple Sandpiper was quite the unexpected surprise! These members of the sandpiper family have the honor of being the northernmost nesting shorebird, with breeding ranges as far north as Baffin Island, Iceland, Greenland, and the High Arctic. It is rare to spot these birds this far inland, even in their normal winter range of the coasts of Newfoundland in the north to the Carolinas in the south. I decided to make the trek from Bellevue this morning all the way up to Old Hickory Point (aka Snow Bunting Peninsula) on Old Hickory Lake in hopes that the bird would still be around. As I pulled into the parking area, I saw a group of individuals standing around with cameras and tripods, I knew I was in luck! I carefully made my way over to where the group was milling around, and there it was. An unassuming, chunky, robin sized bird, it stayed within 4 feet of the water’s edge the entire time I observed it, (About 30 minutes) while using its elongated bill to probe the mud and grass for worms and other small invertebrates. The industrial area around the Old Hickory Dam/ Old Hickory Lock just north of Madison is a far cry from the rugged beaches of Iceland, where they can be found year round, but this adaptable little wanderer seems to be doing just fine.

Purple Sandpiper

Photo Credit: Eli Haislip

 The Resiliency of Songbirds

While on the subject of birds adapting to different situations, all too often songbirds are underestimated and considered extremely delicate creatures in need of our help. The truth is they are quite resilient and often able to adapt to situations in their world. Habitat change and loss is the real danger to them. For several months now I have been watching a White-breasted Nuthatch visiting my feeding stations. When I first noticed this bird I immediately recognized that it was moving awkwardly, as if its balance was off, or was sick. This bird continued to visit feeders and I would see it most days when I had time to watch. My concern was the bird was sick but seeing it through binoculars revealed it was missing a leg. I really focused on this bird over the next few months and observed how it adapted to its situation. It could no longer cling to a tree trunk in the familiar nuthatch way, but would approach the feeding stations and fly upward toward a twig on a tree limb and grab it, hanging upside down to keep an eye on the platform feeder where it seemed comfortable feeding, waiting for an opening. It seemed reluctant to go to the feeder while many birds were there. Many months later this one-legged Nuthatch continues to visit my feeders and, aside from its missing leg, carries on as if unaware of its handicap. I will continue to keep an eye out for this Nuthatch and report back in a few months.

One-legged White-breasted Nuthatch

Photo Credit: John Carreau






Wood Thrush Notes: How Birds Survive Cold, Post Snow Stock

Birds and Cold Temperatures

With sustained winter temperatures and the arrival of snow showers, it is easy to look outside your window on a snowy January day and feel sorry for your feathered friends as they sit out in the elements, feathers puffed against the cold, seemingly staring back in at you. To this we say; “they are just fine!” The songbirds that call our backyards home are actually surprisingly hardy, and today we would like to try and help put your mind at ease if you are worrying about your avian neighbors.

Carolina Chickadee

Photo Credit: Eli Haislip

Birds are a good deal tougher than they may appear, and they have several adaptations to help them survive the cold. During the day, as many of you have noticed, they will consume a great deal of food. (The saying “eat like a bird” is pretty inaccurate!) As much as it may seem like it, they are not doing it simply to ensure that you visit us twice a week, or buy the 20 pound safflower! The real reason is because they must take in food to make up for the calories they expend both searching for food, and maintaining their core temperature. Us humans maintain an internal temperature of around 98.6 degrees fahrenheit. Our backyard birds, however, keep an internal temperature of closer to 105 degrees fahrenheit. This higher body temperature is good for cold weather, but it requires a lot of calories to maintain. For example, a chickadee may eat as much as 35% of its body weight per day just to survive!

White-breasted Nuthatch with Black-oil Sunflower Seed

Photo Credit: Eli Haislip

Another way they are able to combat the cold is with their feathers. Have you ever seen a bird on a cold winter day with its feathers puffed out? By doing this, they are expanding their layers of insulation, helping to more effectively block out the cold. If you have ever worn or used one, you know just how effective a down jacket or sleeping bag is. Now, imagine this paired with a body with a temperature that is 7 degrees warmer than our own?

Pine Warbler

Photo Credit: Eli Haislip

Okay, but what about at night? How do they survive bitterly cold nights? Different birds can accomplish this in different ways. Night time can be a balancing act for birds, as they are expending energy to stay warm in the colder temperatures, but not replacing the calories they burn in order to stay warm with the intake of more food. This is another reason that they feed so voraciously during the day. They must take in enough food to have an energy surplus; enough to cover their daytime body functions as well as enough to last them until dawn. Birds that are cavity nesting species, such as Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Eastern Bluebirds, and woodpeckers will find natural cavities to spend the night in, sometimes in groups. (In last week’s blog, we discussed how groups of as many as 8-12 bluebirds will all bundle into nesting boxes on cold winter nights to keep warm.) By sheltering in a cavity, these birds are already at an advantage. They are out of the wind, and, if it’s a small cavity, any body heat that escapes their layers of feathers will help to warm the small space and not be wasted. Some species, such as Black-capped Chickadees, will actually lower their core body temperature at night, entering a state of controlled hypothermia. This way, they can conserve energy by not keeping their core temperature at it’s daytime level. Non-cavity nesting species will look for areas that are sheltered from the elements, such as dense brush, bushes, or evergreens. While in no way comfortable by our standards, by puffing their feathers out and shivering to generate warmth, birds are quite capable of surviving even bitterly cold nights. 

It is also worth keeping in mind that many of our favorite feeder birds can also be found in winter hundreds, and in some cases even thousands, of miles further north than us. Our small Downy Woodpeckers, for instance, can be found year round as far north as Alaska and northern Canada. Even our little Carolina Chickadees can be found as far north as Ohio and Pennsylvania. All this being said, next time you look outside your window on a cold day and see a cute bird with its feathers puffed out and snowflakes blowing around it, don’t feel sorry for it! These impressive animals are perfectly adapted to this habitat and are doing just fine!

Seed Stock, Weather, and roosting pockets

While we were able to get two pallets of seed from our secondary seed source out of Kentucky before the snow hit, it might be worth giving us a call, or checking our website, to make sure we have the seed that you need! We will be open Saturday, January 11th, however depending on road conditions, our hours may vary slightly so if you are unsure, or driving from a ways away, give us a call first! All seed stock levels will be back to normal by early next week.

These small, natural woven fiber shelters offer small birds such as Carolina Chickadees and Carolina Wrens a place to seek shelter from cold and inclement weather. I have personally witnessed Carolina Wrens bundling into these small shelters before dusk on cold nights and before big storms move in. They are most effective if you can position them somewhere sheltered and protected, such as on a porch, patio, or carport. Eastern Bluebirds too will take advantage of nesting boxes to survive cold nights. Shortly before dark, they will pile into the box in numbers as high as 8-12 individuals and then use their soft, insulating down feathers and one another’s body heat to survive frigid nights. This is yet another reason we tell people that today is the best time to put up a bluebird box.

Roosting Pockets: Top Shelf $15, Lower $7

Winter Weather Thoughts

With the temperatures dropping and some proper winter temperatures just around the corner, we’d like to share a few winter weather thoughts!

While we feed suet year round, many people associate it as a cold weather feeding option. There is no wrong answer here, and birds will certainly flock to suet regardless of temperature. It is however possible this time of year to attract certain birds to suet (or out of the shell sunflower seed) that you would not ordinarily see at your seed feeders. When the high temperatures are below 45 degrees, insects become difficult to find, and thus it is quite common to see Eastern Bluebirds visiting feeders. Ordinarily, these insect and berry eaters would be unlikely to visit traditional feeding stations, but with cold temperatures it becomes quite commonplace to see them in small groups feeding on suet, out of the shell sunflower, or drinking at sources of thawed water. The same can also be said for Carolina Wrens, as well as Pine Warblers. On many icy winter days, I have witnessed them picking through the Woodland Blend at my platform feeder in search of the out of the shell sunflower seeds it contains.

Birds will also flock to sources of water on cold mornings. You can provide them with this via a deicer. These sit submerged in your birdbath, and with the aid of a built in thermostat, they will keep the water in your birdbath above freezing. It is, however, important to make sure that these stay fully submerged to keep them from overheating and breaking. While on this subject, we would like to remind you that water freezing in your cast stone or ceramic bird CAN and WILL crack the material, even if it is a fountain with running water. We like to remind folks that even Yellowstone Falls can freeze in the winter, and so too can your fountain. If you do not want to invest in a deicer and use a ceramic or cast stone bird bath or fountain, then please, empty the water out of it before it can freeze and crack.

Prices from left to right: $34, $74, $70

This week, we received a number of winter roosts. These small, natural fiber woven shelters offer small birds such as Carolina Chickadees and Carolina Wrens a place to seek shelter from cold and inclement weather. I have personally witnessed Carolina Wrens bundling into these small shelters before dusk on cold nights and before big storms move in. They are most effective if you can position them somewhere sheltered and protected, such as on a porch, patio, or carport. Eastern Bluebirds too will take advantage of nesting boxes to survive cold nights. Shortly before dark, they will pile into the box in numbers as high as 8-12 individuals and then use their soft, insulating down feathers and one another’s body heat to survive frigid nights. This is yet another reason we tell people that today is the best time to put up a bluebird box.

Prices from left to right: $27, $15, $7, $7




Midweek Notes: Bird Buddy/Birdfy Hardware

Bird Feeders with Cameras

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we fielded many questions each day in regard to whether or not we carry Bird Buddy/Birdfy camera bird feeders. While unfortunately we are still unable to carry these feeders, we DO carry the hardware needed to get these feeders up and running.

Erva 60” 1” Diameter Pole

This has been our most popular option thus far. These black, 5 foot metal poles are powder coated to prevent rust so they will last for years. They are also an ideal height. At 5 feet, they are tall enough that they can be squirrel-proofed via baffle, but short enough that the feeder can be easily reached in order to fill or clean it. The pole and feeder are supported by a ground stake that is hammered in to the ground, ensuring that it remains secure even in high winds or wet, muddy ground.

Pole Cost: $27

Erva Ground Stake

This is the ground stake we previously mentioned. These can easily be driven into the ground with the aid of a standard hammer, and with them going into the ground to a depth of 17.5 inches, they will keep your pole and feeder extremely stable. We like to tell folks, if there is a storm that blows this over, your bird feeder on the ground will be the least of your concerns. Once you have hammered it into the ground, simple slide your pole over the top and you are all set!

Ground Stake Cost: $13

Erva SB1D Squirrel Baffle

While all of the baffles we sell are 100% effective when used properly, this model is our favorite. The reason for this is the lower profile doesn’t gather as much mess from the feeder as the wraparound baffles can. To be effective, the included bracket needs to be mounted between 4-4.5 feet up from the ground. Then, the pole itself needs to be 8-10 feet away from anything solid that the squirrels can jump from. Now, with that being said, we understand that these feeders must be close enough to the house that they can pick up your WIFI signal. If that means that the previous measurements mentioned to ensure baffle success are unachievable, there is always safflower seed. While it is not as effective as a baffle, for most of the year safflower seed does help to deter squirrels, especially when fed on its own and not blended in with other seed.

Erva SB1D Baffle Cost: $39


Bird Bio: Loggerhead Shrike, the Sale Table Returns, a Word on Black-oil

Bird Bio: Loggerhead Shrike

Over the past weekend, I decided that it was past time I get out on the open road and do a little birding. I had the whole day off, the sun was shining, and the air was crisp and cool. I just had a gut feeling that I would get something interesting if I went out and made an effort.

I chose to focus my efforts on an area of relatively undeveloped farm land to the south of Franklin and Leiper’s Fork. The bird I hoped to find in this area was the Loggerhead Shrike. While these fascinating birds are in fact members of the songbird family, their feeding habits are more akin to raptors and birds of prey. They often scan for prey from elevated perches or whilst hovering, and once their target is spotted, things get interesting. For larger prey that cannot be eaten whole, they will actually impale their unlucky meal on sharp objects such as barbed wire fencing, honey locust and blackberry thorns, or any other sharp protrusions they can find. This may sound barbaric to us, but this is simply an effective method of food storage for when food is scarce (such as the depths of winter) or when energy demands are high. (While raising young.) During the warmer months of spring, summer, and fall, they will most commonly prey on invertebrates such as spiders, grasshoppers, and butterflies. During colder weather, when insects are scarce, their diet becomes more vertebrate based including mice and other songbirds. They have even been observed killing and feeding on frogs, lizards, snakes, turtles, voles, and ground squirrels.

Example of a Loggerhead Shrike Caching Food for Later

Photo Credit: Eli Haislip

Loggerhead Shrikes can be found from southern Mexico to southern Canada, typically frequenting open country, farmland, and scrub. On one interesting occasion however, while on a trip to Fort Walton Beach in Florida, I was making my way along the boardwalk through the dunes when I actually spotted a loggerhead shrike perched atop a tall plant not 25 feet away. I was happy to at least have my binoculars handy, but I was kicking myself for not bringing my camera and telephoto lens. In Middle Tennessee, the best bet for finding these birds is to search for them in relatively open farmland. Something to note however, and another reason to bring your binoculars, is this type of habitat is also frequented by our state’s bird, the Northern Mockingbird. I have been deceived on more than one occasion when I catch a flash of grey on a rural fence row only to realize on closer inspection that it is a mockingbird. The shrike is a relatively bulbous looking bird with a large head for its body size (hence the name, loggerhead) whereas the mockingbird is usually more slender in appearance. Be warned though, that a mockingbird with its feathers puffed out can look quite chunky and can lead to a false ID. This is why carrying binoculars is so important. Shrikes also have a distinctive black mask that gives them a slightly Machiavellian appearance.

Loggerhead Shrikes often nest relatively close to the ground, usually between 2 and 4 feet. Both male and female will gather nesting materials, but the female builds the nest. Clutch size is 2-6 eggs, and they will nest once or twice a year. Incubation ranges from 15-17 days and the nesting phase lasts 16-20 days. After this, the young fledglings will mimic adult behavior by impaling inanimate objects, practicing acrobatic chase maneuvers, and practice for when they begin hunting by carrying sticks or twigs in their beaks to simulate prey.

With all this in mind, you can now understand why I was hoping for a chance to observe one of these unique birds. I did not choose my area entirely on impulse. Several years ago, I had observed a shrike here and with them living at least 11 years, I just had a feeling I would see one. I made several slow passes up and down Gray Ln. in Williamson County, but with no shrikes. I did see two Northern Mockingbirds, and several American Kestrels, but my quarry continued to elude me. I was beginning to lose hope, and the thought of lunch was becoming too tempting to ignore. After one final pass, I decided I would get something to eat and pass back this way later in the afternoon. Turning right off of Gray Ln. and onto Bear Creek Rd., I hadn't driven a hundred yards when to my left, perched on the middle rung of a wood fence, was a Loggerhead Shrike! A quick check to make sure the coast was clear and I did a U-turn and pulled up alongside where I could observe the bird for a moment. A look through binoculars also reveals the sharp hook on the end of their beak that they will use to sever the spine of their prey. After allowing me time for several photos, the bird finally took off and flew to a tall tree further out in the field. I must admit, my lunch tasted just a little bit better after finally spotting the bird that I had set out that morning in search of.

Loggerhead Shrike on Bear Creek Rd. Williamson County

Photo Credit: Eli Haislip

The Sale Table is Back!

As we begin to catch our breath while the after Christmas dust settles, we have some items that are on sale while supplies last that we’d like to tell you about. ALL REMAINING Cobane glass ornaments and Mr. Bird seed ornaments are 50% off! We have more goodies on there as well, ranging from enameled bird pins to lavender sachets so check it out and get yours before it’s gone!

A Word on Black-oil Sunflower

As some of you may have noticed, the quality of some of our previous shipments of black-oil sunflower seed has not lived up to our usual standard. The reason for this is because our primary supplier of seed actually over ordered black-oil and they now find themselves with a surplus. While every year as we start to scrape the bottom of the proverbial barrel (or in this case, silo) we start to see a slight drop in quality, this year has been below the level that we are comfortable with selling. Because of this, we have switched to our secondary source of seed out of Kentucky and we are happy to announce that the seed is fresh and exceptionally clean. Instead of 25 pound bags, we currently only have 20 pound bags but the per pound price has been adjusted accordingly.