Wood Thrush Notes: Addressing Frequently Asked Questions

Addressing Some Frequently Asked Questions

This past week at the shop, it has felt like a switch has been flipped, and the spring questions and comments we’ve come to know and expect have begun coming thick and fast. Today, let’s take a few minutes together to address several of the most common.

They’re Eating Me Out of House and Home!

If the Wood Thrush Shop had an unofficial slogan, this would certainly be it. During May and June especially, it’s not surprising to hear this 15 or more times during the course of the day. But why, seemingly all of a sudden, have they begun feeding so voraciously? No, the birds don’t just want you to come in and spend more money with us. The reason they are “eating [you] out of house and home” is because this is the time of year when the majority of songbirds are involved in the nesting process. Whether they are nest building, laying eggs, or raising young, birds expend a tremendous amount of energy and calories during the breeding season. This is the main factor causing the uptick in activity at your bird feeders. No longer are the birds simply eating enough to get them through cold nights. They are now having to take in enough calories for themselves, AND multiple offspring.

Where Are My Hummingbirds?

If you’ve been wondering where your hummingbirds are, you’re not alone. The good news is, this is apparent lack of interest at our feeders is completely normal. While yes, hummingbirds first begin to be sighted in early April, peak feeding activity is not until months later. Keep in mind, hummingbirds did not travel thousands of miles just for our sugar water. They came here for one thing, and that is to breed and raise their young. Also, hummingbird numbers are still in a state of flux as some hummingbirds begin the nesting process, while others continue migrating through on their journey to the northern parts of their range. That first hummingbird you saw a few weeks ago could be as far north as Nova Scotia by now. It is not until July, August, and September when hummingbirds have all concluded nesting and raising young that they will begin to really turn their attention to our feeders. So be patient, and take comfort in the fact that you have NOT missed out on getting to see hummingbirds, because the best activity is still ahead of us!

Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Photo by Eli Haislip

A Bird is Knocking on My Window… Should I Let It In?

Okay, I’ll admit, nobody as of writing this has actually asked me if they should let a bird into their house. However, we have been addressing questions regarding birds pecking at windows almost daily the last few weeks. This behavior, known as “image fighting,” is the result of birds seeing their reflection on windows or car mirrors and then fighting the perceived intruder. While the sound of a bird fluttering against our window can be annoying for us at 6 AM, we assure you, this is far worse for the bird. As far as the bird is concerned, there is a rival in its territory that will not back down, and the bird will continue to expend time and energy to fight this “intruder.” Unfortunately, the longer this continues, the more ingrained this behavior can become, causing this to continue well past the normal breeding season. Fortunately, there are things you can do to stop this. Covering the EXTERIOR of the reflective surface with something such as a piece of cardboard, towel, or sheet for a few days can typically be enough to break the bird of the habit. If the window is in a spot where this is impractical, a few balloons (I recommend those Mylar birthday balloons that hold their helium for a longer period) positioned in front of the window can also be a good method. They will catch any slight breeze, causing them to move constantly. The bird will be unlikely to want to approach these large, foreign moving objects.

A male Pine Warbler image fighting its reflection in my car’s mirror. Simply covering the mirrors when the car isn’t in use is typically enough to put a stop to this behavior.

Video by Eli Haislip

Wood Thrush Notes: Bluebird Nestling Progress, More Mother's Day Gifts

Bluebird Nestling Progress

Today marks one week since our Back Alley Bluebirds hatched, and their progress is remarkable! Being able to observe the changes from day to day is one of the many reasons we encourage folks to monitor their nest boxes. Already, they have nearly doubled in size, and their feathers are beginning to grow in. They are also becoming increasingly loud. As I sit behind the counter writing this with the back door open, I am able to hear the high pitched peeps when one of the parents arrives on the box with a mouthful of juicy mealworms. If you have ever heard this sound coming from your box, this is the begging call of the babies. At this point in their development, they weigh a mere 0.6 oz. To put that into perspective, that’s the weight of three quarters! Their eyes are just beginning to open, and they are now able to raise their body up to beg for food. They may sound pretty helpless, and that’s because they still are at this stage. (They are only a week old, after all!) All this makes the next fact all the more impressive… By the next weekend, they will be fully grown, capable of flight, and ready to fledge the nest! Once the eggs hatch, it only takes the babies (or nestlings) 14-16 days to develop and leave the nest.

Baby Eastern Bluebirds after 7 days

Photo by Eli Haislip

Mother’s Day Gifts

Female Eastern Bluebird

(The mother of our bluebird babies!)

First and foremost, Happy Mother’s Day!

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, and we’ve got you covered if you are in need of any last minute gift items! For those of you who have travel plans, our lavender sachets make the perfect gift. I always place one in my luggage, giving my clothing a calming lavender scent I can enjoy after a long day in the car or longer day of dealing with air travel. They come in cardinal, bluebird, and hummingbird designs and are only $8 before tax.

Don’t let Mom become a mosquito magnet! Our Murphy’s Naturals Mosquito Repellent Incense can remedy that. I can guess what you’re thinking… “Does it really work?” Yes! We have now carried this product for 19 years, and we can say with certainty that they do in fact work. Our customer feedback has been positive, and all four of us use them at home to help when we are outside. Each pack contains 12 sticks, each of which will burn for upwards of 2 hours and can be put out a relit at a later time. Price before tax is $14. While you can easily put these in a flower pot or the ground, we also carry a ceramic incense stick holder for $12 for a nicer look!

Has the mother in your life ever expressed an interest in owning a waterfall? Perhaps you waited, held off, hoping she would change her mind and ask for a luxury car or an expensive piece of jewelry (hey, that’s the gift for any holiday if the commercials on TV are to be believed) but now it’s two days before the big day and she still wants that waterfall… Fall Creek Falls comes to mind, but on a Sunday? That will never do, Mom doesn’t want to spend her day in a crowd! What to do? If I haven’t lost you with my ridiculous hypothetical scenario, then you’re in luck! For this weekend, we are having a flash sale on our Alpine Waterfall Fountains! Regularly $500, this weekend take 25% off That brings the cost of having your own waterfall to only $375 before tax! Our supply of these fountains is extremely limited, so if you are interested we would strongly suggest calling ahead and we will hold one for you.

Also on sale this weekend, all hats and t-shirts will be 20% off the prices marked. In addition to these, be sure to leave your “blinders” at home, as we will have other items on sale that we won’t mention in the blog!











Wood Thrush Notes: Mississippi Kite in Bellevue, Mother's Day Gift Ideas


Mississippi Kite in Bellevue

Thursday evening, I was outside attempting to photograph a male Ruby-throated hummingbird. The hummer was not being cooperative, (it had in fact disappeared completely) and as a result I was left standing in my driveway holding an unwieldy camera and lens combination. Glancing up, I saw a raptor come in low and fast over the trees. My first thought was that it was probably a Sharp-shinned Hawk, although almost immediately, something about it seemed off. I raised my camera just in time to get a blurred silhouette of the back of the bird as it banked back over the trees and out of view.

Fighting the temptation to run inside to get my bird book, I was rewarded a few short moments later when the bird glided back into view. This time I was prepared, and I fired off a series of 5 or 6 quick photos. The bird flew in a few more tight circles just above the treetops before heading in a southerly direction, not to be seen again.

Zooming in on the image, I could tell that neither was this a Sharp-shinned Hawk, nor was it anything else I was familiar with. Right off the bat, the coloration wasn’t correct for any of our typical backyard hawks. (Cooper’s, Sharp-shinned, Red-tailed) The white fading to a light grey was entirely unfamiliar to me, as was the shape of the beak. After waiting for a while in hopes of it returning, I finally deemed it was safe to go inside and grab my Peterson field guide. Flipping to the section titled “Kites,” I quickly found my mystery bird. It was a Mississippi Kite!

The Mississippi Kite is a long distance migrant that spends the winter as far south as southern Brazil, Paraguay, and even northern Argentina! During the summer months, they can be found in the Great Plains regions of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas; along the Mississippi River as far north as Illinois and southeastern Iowa; and the Deep South portions Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. While they can be commonly found in far western Tennessee with established populations as far east as Jackson, they are uncommon in our part of the state.

Unlike most birds of prey, Mississippi Kite are actually colony nesters in the western portions of their range, sharing nesting sites in small woodland sections of prairie, often the remnants from abandoned homesteads. Also unusual for raptors, nestlings will preen one another and rearrange nest material together. Occasionally, yearling kites will hang around the nest of mated pairs, aiding them in nest protection, egg incubation, and even raising the chicks! For those of you that want to take a deeper dive on these fascinating raptors, I will link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology page I used for the information in this article here.

Mississippi Kite

Photograph by Eli Haislip

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Mother’s Day is just over a week away, and we are filled to capacity with gifts that are fun, gifts that are functional, and gifts that are somewhere in between! Here are a few gift ideas for the bird loving mom in your life:

Beautiful and functional Bluebird houses, Songbird designs Coaster stone sets and Glass Cutting boards for the kitchen, Corinthian Bells tuned Windchimes in six colors and sizes, Solar lanterns in Hummingbird, Dragonfly and Bee designs for accent lighting, Solar Tower Lanterns to add distinct light patterns to an outdoor space, Songbird T shirts, Fountains and birdbaths to enhance the garden or patio and attract birds, beautiful Ceramic Mushrooms, Courronne colorful glass plant rooters, Gift Certificates, Squirrel proof bird feeders, or make an appointment with us for a free on site squirrel proofing your feeders consultation. Yes, we actually do that, and are quite good at it!

















Wood Thrush Notes: Spring Birding, the Arrival of Grosbeaks, a New Chapter of the Tennessee Bluebird Society

Spring Birdwatching

We are in the peak of Spring Migration, and we have been taking full advantage of this at our local parks. This week, I decided to venture to someplace I often pass but rarely visit: Warner Park’s Deep Well Trail entrance. I was not disappointed! Aside from being a beautiful part of the park, with towering old trees and water bubbling out of the rocks, the birdwatching was excellent. I hadn’t yet left the parking area and already I had heard a number of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers chattering away, as well as a Wood Thrush! There were so many calls from everywhere, I decided that it was the perfect time for me to put the Merlin Bird ID app to the test.

For those of you who may not be familiar with Merlin, it is a bird sound identification app produced by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It is free to use, and works by using your smartphone’s microphone to listen to the bird in question before making an identification based on sound. We love the app, and it is a great tool to aid in learning bird songs and calls.

In addition to the Northern Cardinals, Tufted Titmice, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and Carolina Chickadees, Merlin also picked up Red-eyed Vireo, Hooded Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, and a new species for me, the Kentucky Warbler.

After a quick bit of research to know what I was looking for, I turned my attention to finding the Kentucky Warbler. I did not have to look for long; a brief flash of yellow through the undergrowth and two Kentucky warblers came streaking out. A few moments later, the victor returned to his honeysuckle patch and I was able to observe the other. A beautiful bird with an olive back and wings, fading to vibrant yellow on the breast and belly. A black cap, and black markings on the cheek going to the eye round out this striking bird.

Continuing on, I heard a great deal of commotion from the tree tops ahead on the trail. As I walked closer, I soon uncovered the source of the songbirds consternation. Two Barred owls, directly above the trail! Looking through my binoculars, I was able to see that a positively tiny by comparison Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was aggressively mobbing the Barred owl, swooping down and attacking the much larger bird. The owl finally had all it could stand and flew off into a dense cluster of vines and branches.

Barred Owl

Even in a park the size of Percy Warner, it can still be hard to get away from unwanted attention!

Photograph by Eli Haislip

I also paid a visit to one of my favorite locations, Gossett Tract in Cheatham County. This park consists of more open meadow habitat along the banks of the Harpeth River, and as a result, some of the birds I encounter here are different from the birds of the Deep Well portion of Warner Parks. For example, I saw numerous Indigo Buntings, Common Yellowthroats, and Prairie Warblers all singing. If you don’t mind the drive out there, it is well worth the visit!

Arrival of Grosbeaks

Beginning Monday of this week, it felt as though a switch was flipped, and with it the Rose-breasted Grosbeak sightings began to come in thick and fast. We’re not alone either; a brief glance at my email showed me that people throughout the state have been experiencing the sudden influx of R.B.Gs as well.

Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Photograph by Eli Haislip

For those of you who are not familiar with these beautiful feeder visitors, let us take a moment to fill you in. Each year these birds can be seen visiting seed feeders from early to mid April through mid May, before moving on to their northern breeding grounds. (A side note, but they are known to breed in the higher elevations of the Smokies in East Tennessee.) We see them again during Fall Migration as they make their way back to Central and South America, though they aren’t as common at feeders during this season. Fortunately for us, they are not difficult to please; safflower, black-oil sunflower, and our blends are all appealing to them. I see them most frequently on my platform feeders. Sightings continue to pour in, so keep your feeders filled and your eyes peeled!

Nashville Bluebird Club

The Tennessee Bluebird Society has a new chapter! For folks who are interested, we are pleased to announce the formation of the Nashville Bluebird Club, Nashville’s branch of the Tennessee Bluebird Society. The club’s mission is to encourage the appreciation of Eastern Bluebirds and other native cavity nesting species by creating and monitoring new and existing nesting box trails and using the data gathered to aid in conservation research. If this sounds like something you or somebody you know would be interested in, please contact Louise Merritt, one of the founding members, at louisemerritt42@yahoo.com for more details!

Male Eastern Bluebird

Photograph by Eli Haislip

Wood Thrush Notes: Courtship Feeding, Easter Gift Ideas, Lights Out Nashville

Birds Feeding One Another

In the past few weeks, you may have noticed birds feeding one another. If you were thinking that it seemed early for fledglings, you’re right! What we have been witnessing is actually a phenomenon known as courtship feeding. Birds use courtship feeding as a way to form and strengthen pair bonds, as well as to provide the female with much needed nutritional value without the expenditure of calories. This is important, as nest building and or egg formation/laying requires a great deal of energy. We most frequently observe this behavior in Cardinals, as well as House Finches, Carolina Chickadees, and Eastern Bluebirds.

Easter Gift Ideas

I’ve always enjoyed and looked forward to the fun, small gift items that come in Easter baskets. Fortunately, our store is filled with items that are perfect for Easter! For the little ones, finger puppets and our Audubon stuffed birds make great gifts. When squeezed, the latter makes the call of that species, so it is a great way for them (and you as well) to learn that specific bird’s call!

Wildflower seed packets, Birds of the Southeast playing cards, and our Shroomyz ceramic mushrooms also all make great Easter gifts! Mr. Bird’s Christmas seed wreaths and ornaments are one of our best-selling gift items year after year, but did you know that they also have a spring collection? We currently have their Wildfare Wreathes, Rustic Wren seed houses, and the Whoo-lio seed owl in stock. The seed owl and the seed wreath are both made entirely from seed, therefore there is nothing left over to store or find space for! The Rustic Wren seed house however has a wooden wren house beneath its coating of seed, and therefore after the seed is gone, you are left with a useable bird house!

Lights Out Nashville

Did you know that many neo-tropical migrants migrate at night? Species such as Indigo buntings, for example, are shown to even use stars to aid in navigation. That’s why during the migration months of March through May, and August through October we encourage folks to turn off outside lights that they aren’t in use, or to switch them to motion activated if possible. The bright lights can disorientate migrating songbirds, leading to confusion or worse, impacts. Simple acts like this go a long way towards helping birds in their long and challenging migrations!

Indigo Bunting

Photo Credit: Eli Haislip