Think
of location when planning bird feeders
A good
influx of northern bird species have moved into our area. Three northern sparrow
species can now be found around feeders; the fox sparrow, white-throated and
white-crowned sparrows.
Still to come are the tree sparrows. Also found in good numbers are dark-eyed juncos, and a few purple finches are again coming to feeders.
The three northern sparrows mentioned above plus the juncos are mainly ground feeders. They scratch about amongst the leaves and other debris looking for weed seeds and bugs.
These sparrows are perfectly camouflaged and are difficult to spot at times. Look carefully for movement amongst the leaves, especially under your feeders.
Concluding the series on getting your bird feeders established for the winter, there are four main areas for placement of feed for birds; at ground level, table-top height, hanging and post levels and tree-trunk zones. If you can fill all four niches with some type of feeder, you will get a good variety of species.
At ground level, you will get juncos, redpolls, sparrows, mourning doves and cardinals. A split log or low platform will save you feed by keeping it in one place. Of course it gets covered when it snows, so you have to sweep it clean and start again.
Ground or near-ground feeders are popular for squirrels, but you can make a canopy from chicken wire with holes slightly smaller than the squirrel. If there are cats about, however, I wouldn’t advise a ground feeder.
For a mid-level feeder, an old table or trestle is great for putting a variety of food on. Most ground feeding birds as well as aerial feeders will sup at this height.
Some birds prefer the protection of hanging or post feeders. Most of these feeders can be made squirrel-proof. The bird store in Almonte has a great feeder called the “Squirrel Buster.” I have one now and it really works.
Woodpeckers and nuthatches prefer feeders hanging around tree trunks, their natural habitat. For all feeders, ensure there are bushes or brush piles nearby for escape routes.
Putting out a variety of feed brings a great variety or species. Sunflower seeds, either black or striped, are most popular.
The grosbeaks, chickadees, blue jays and nuthatches prefer these. As they break them open, they deposit bits and pieces on the ground for the ground feeders.
Cracked corn is great for mourning doves while small seeds, especially nyger, are great for finches. Buying the mixed bird feed produces a fair amount of waste, for research has shown most birds will only eat four out of the 10 kinds of seeds found in the mix.
A tray of nut shells can be picked over by several small species; unshelled peanuts are popular with the jays. Suet, a great source of protein, attracts many species. Grinding suet with other seeds, fruit, bread scraps etc. produces a good diet and can be stuffed into log holes, large pine cones and even in tree crevices.
Smearing peanut butter on tree trunks often brings in brown creepers. Have you any feed specialties you have had success with that I haven’t mentioned? Please call in.
The bird bath is a very popular spot these days. Lise Balthazar has one which is always being used. Recent customers taking a bath were fox sparrows and a yellow-rumped warbler.
She also sent photos of a Cooper’s hawk which has been traumatizing the blue jays lately. Lise spotted two tiny birds in the bush recently while walking on Iron Mine Road. They were very small and continually flitting around. From her description and blurry photo, they appeared to be kinglets.
We have two kinglets in our area during the summer, the golden-crowned and the ruby-crowned and both are migrating right now. They are boreal forest breeders.
On milder winters, the golden-crowned will stay around, but the ruby-crowned goes into the deep southern U.S. Both of these birds are smaller than chickadees and continuously flit around in bushes and lower trees.
Joanne Blondin, Lanark, sent photos for ID. Two were of a yellow-rumped warbler and the other one really fooled us, for it had a yellow blush on its belly. Research showed it was an adult male phoebe. Apparently they acquire this yellow blush in the fall and winter but molt it out during breeding.
I really enjoy getting your reports and photos. Keep them coming.
Still to come are the tree sparrows. Also found in good numbers are dark-eyed juncos, and a few purple finches are again coming to feeders.
The three northern sparrows mentioned above plus the juncos are mainly ground feeders. They scratch about amongst the leaves and other debris looking for weed seeds and bugs.
These sparrows are perfectly camouflaged and are difficult to spot at times. Look carefully for movement amongst the leaves, especially under your feeders.
Concluding the series on getting your bird feeders established for the winter, there are four main areas for placement of feed for birds; at ground level, table-top height, hanging and post levels and tree-trunk zones. If you can fill all four niches with some type of feeder, you will get a good variety of species.
At ground level, you will get juncos, redpolls, sparrows, mourning doves and cardinals. A split log or low platform will save you feed by keeping it in one place. Of course it gets covered when it snows, so you have to sweep it clean and start again.
Ground or near-ground feeders are popular for squirrels, but you can make a canopy from chicken wire with holes slightly smaller than the squirrel. If there are cats about, however, I wouldn’t advise a ground feeder.
For a mid-level feeder, an old table or trestle is great for putting a variety of food on. Most ground feeding birds as well as aerial feeders will sup at this height.
Some birds prefer the protection of hanging or post feeders. Most of these feeders can be made squirrel-proof. The bird store in Almonte has a great feeder called the “Squirrel Buster.” I have one now and it really works.
Woodpeckers and nuthatches prefer feeders hanging around tree trunks, their natural habitat. For all feeders, ensure there are bushes or brush piles nearby for escape routes.
Putting out a variety of feed brings a great variety or species. Sunflower seeds, either black or striped, are most popular.
The grosbeaks, chickadees, blue jays and nuthatches prefer these. As they break them open, they deposit bits and pieces on the ground for the ground feeders.
Cracked corn is great for mourning doves while small seeds, especially nyger, are great for finches. Buying the mixed bird feed produces a fair amount of waste, for research has shown most birds will only eat four out of the 10 kinds of seeds found in the mix.
A tray of nut shells can be picked over by several small species; unshelled peanuts are popular with the jays. Suet, a great source of protein, attracts many species. Grinding suet with other seeds, fruit, bread scraps etc. produces a good diet and can be stuffed into log holes, large pine cones and even in tree crevices.
Smearing peanut butter on tree trunks often brings in brown creepers. Have you any feed specialties you have had success with that I haven’t mentioned? Please call in.
The bird bath is a very popular spot these days. Lise Balthazar has one which is always being used. Recent customers taking a bath were fox sparrows and a yellow-rumped warbler.
She also sent photos of a Cooper’s hawk which has been traumatizing the blue jays lately. Lise spotted two tiny birds in the bush recently while walking on Iron Mine Road. They were very small and continually flitting around. From her description and blurry photo, they appeared to be kinglets.
We have two kinglets in our area during the summer, the golden-crowned and the ruby-crowned and both are migrating right now. They are boreal forest breeders.
On milder winters, the golden-crowned will stay around, but the ruby-crowned goes into the deep southern U.S. Both of these birds are smaller than chickadees and continuously flit around in bushes and lower trees.
Joanne Blondin, Lanark, sent photos for ID. Two were of a yellow-rumped warbler and the other one really fooled us, for it had a yellow blush on its belly. Research showed it was an adult male phoebe. Apparently they acquire this yellow blush in the fall and winter but molt it out during breeding.
I really enjoy getting your reports and photos. Keep them coming.
