Month: December 2013

The Twelve Days of birding (#2)

 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Photo courtesy Carol Wagg

 

On the Second Day of Christmas, my Gramma gave to me:

2 Feeders full of birds!

In June after my Kindergarten year, we visited my Grandparents in Ontario.  At home, we’re not allowed to have feeders up from April to October as they attract bears; at Gramma’s it’s OK.

She had a seed feeder and a nectar feeder up just outside the window by the breakfast table. Soon I started keeping a list of all the birds I saw there.  After this trip, I was hooked on birds!

Species seen at Gramma’s feeders, and on that trip in Ontario:

  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Mourning Dove
  • Blue Jay
  • Chipping Sparrow
  • American Robin
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • American Crow
  • Mallard
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  • Baltimore Oriole
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Turkey Vulture
  • Double-crested Cormorant
  • Canada Goose
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Black Duck
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • House Wren
  • American Goldfinch
  • House Sparrow
  • Northern Flicker
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Ring-billed Gull

The Twelve Days of Birding

Inspired by the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, I’m going to post one thing birding has brought me per day for each of the 12 days.

Golden Eagle

 On the First Day of Christmas, my teachers gave to me:

12 birds to go out and see!

In May of my Kindergarten year, two teachers gave us a sheet of 12 birds to go out and spot.  Some were easy – Black-capped Chickadee, Common Raven – and some a bit harder to find – Great-horned Owl, American Dipper.

I didn’t find all 12, but I did find 17 species in total – and so began my love of birds.

Thanks to Madame Lepage and Madame Sara for starting this!

Here’s the list of species that I saw in that challenge:

  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Canada Goose
  • American Robin
  • Golden Eagle
  • Black-billed Magpie
  • Osprey
  • Common Raven
  • Mallard
  • Blue Jay
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Mountain Chickadee
  • Pine Siskin
  • Common Merganser
  • Western Grebe
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Brewer’s Blackbird
  • Wilson’s Warbler

Pests of the feeders

Squirrels, Deer, Bears, Mink, Marten and Chipmunks, some of the pests of the feeder world.
They plunder, kill and feast on their ill-gained booty. Just how do you deal with them? There are a number of ways to counter them including the following:

Two options are you can either buy pre-made baffles or make them yourself.
1.   Stores you can purchase them at include Squirrel Stopper, Backyard Wild Birds and For The Birds Nature Shop to name a few.

2. To make them yourself, you can tie an old bag around the pole like shown: 

Or you can use a pylon in the same fashion.

I also find that shooting them with a water pistol is a very effective short-term strategy!

American (Pine) Marten
Pine (American) Marten

A Pine Marten that came to our feeders last year. He left with a stomach full of Clark’s Nutcracker, after staying a few days.

If you find out some other ways I would love to hear about them.