Taking a Tip

Birding may be a solitary hobby, but collaborating with other birders often leads to great rewards - tips on birding hotspots, new bird sightings, more accurate identifications, testing new equipment, and more. I'm always happy to share my tips with others, but I'm afraid I'm not quite so connected into receiving tips myself, though I don't hesitate to ask for help when I need it. I have recently, however, begun watching the Utah Birds Hotline List from Birdingonthe.Net, and the sightings are enough to inspire and excite any birder after long weeks of little to see but the backyard flock. Mind you, I do love my backyard birds (I wouldn't have spent more than an hour cleaning feeders and refilling them in a snowstorm if I didn't), but a birder's heart flies through many skies and yearns to share them with many birds.

This morning, my husband and I headed out toward Utah Lake, turning along the west side of the Provo Airport dike toward the control tower. On a tip from the list, we knew a long-eared owl has been seen regularly in the area for the past couple of weeks, and I've been itching to add a new lifer to my list. We parked somewhat north of the tower, walking along the dirt road (none too easily in the mud and slush from the recent snowfall) until we came near to the tower. Just south of it we met up with a trio of birders and exchanged greetings, learning that the owl was still nearby. Indeed it was, and beautifully so! Finding owls can be a challenge as they're superbly camouflaged and not prone to either noise or movement that might make them more visible to birders, but if you know what to look for and watch for disturbed patterns in winter-bare branches, you just might add another to your life list, as I did today.

While the birding along the dike was not as prolific as one might hope, we did spot several species...

• Canada Goose - Several flocks flying overhead.
• American Coot - Happily swimming in small areas of open water.
• Great Blue Heron - Looking cold and forlorn in the field.
• Northern Harrier - Hunting beautifully over the field.
• Red Tailed Hawk - Both perched and hunting, as well as harassing the harriers.
• White Crowned Sparrows - Feeding along the road and flitting among the brush.

Even on a cold winter's morning when the lake is mostly frozen and the weeds are snow covered, there are birds to be had. I encourage everyone to take advantage of whatever birding resources you may have to learn where the birds are in your area, and head out to new locations to discover what you may. Whether you get a new lifer or not, the walk and the fresh air brings new life to the joys of birding.

Check out these winter birding tips for finding the best birds in the bitter cold!

Just When You Thought...

It's all well and good to enjoy birds in one's neighborhood, but it's not quite the same as having them visit your yard, your feeders, your birdbath. Just when I'd been lamenting the loss of the pine siskins and the emptiness of my backyard, the very next day I could hardly tear myself away from my binoculars with all the bird action. A generous flock of American robins descended on the property line trees to feast on the fruit, and they took turns sipping from my birdbath.

A closer look revealed other guests; several cedar waxwings were part of the flock, just as eagerly enjoying the feast, and a northern flicker stopped by to investigate one of the trees for a brief moment. It's a never ending lesson; you never know what may visit your yard, but you have to be looking to appreciate the guests. If I'd stayed in my office at that time, I'd never have known the brief burst of popularity my yard enjoyed.

There have also been a great number of European starlings romping through the neighborhood, flitting from one yard to the next en masse. While many birders don't enjoy European starlings because of their propensity to empty feeders and intimidate other backyard birds, I have to admire a bird with such lovely iridescent plumage and one with such a successful attitude and physiology to adapt to so many habitats and conditions with equal aplomb. They do love our neighbors' apple tree and its residual fruit, as do the American robins, but occasionally I'm fortunate enough to see the flock roost in the tree across the street, affording me a spectacular view from my office. When the ground thaws a bit in early spring they'll likely visit even closer, but they only seem to do so once or twice before the large flock disappears for the season.

I urge all birders never to take their birds for granted. They bring such joy and ask so little, what's not to love and enjoy?

Missing the Siskins

Looking out at my feeders and seeing how empty they are day after day can be disheartening in these coldest, grayest days of winter. Last winter I was inundated with tremendous number of pine siskins in the midst of their biennial irruption, but this year not a single siskin has graced my feeders. While they’re not particularly colorful birds, nor do they have pleasing personalities, their sharp territoriality and flashes of yellow were welcome and now are missed.

Too often we take for granted the birds at our feeders, assuming they will always be there to brighten our days. Just because they’ve vanished does not mean we’re doing anything wrong or that our yards are unattractive, but it can be a lonely lesson to remember that even the most common of backyard birds are still wild. If you just look, however, you may discover more birds around you than you think.

While the siskins may be absent, I’m still enjoying the rambunctious company of house sparrows and house finches whose ranks are regularly scattered by Spook and Dart, our ever watchful sharp shinned and Cooper’s hawks. The Eurasian collared doves drop by almost daily to visit my hopper feeders, and the dark eyed juncos are occasionally mingling with my backyard flock. American goldfinches and lesser goldfinches are rare but lovely splashes of yellow at the nyger feeders, and I’ve spotted American robins feeding in our neighborhood’s trees and poking around my bushes now and then. And just yesterday, I had to hastily find my peanut dish where it had been stored away and replenish it for a pair of hungry western scrub jays that quickly emptied it.

Just look around you, and you’ll be surprised at what birds are visiting your yard, even if some species are more conspicuous by their absence.

Resolving

While the past few months have been hectic and work-filled, I've still managed to make some time for the birds, though closer to home. One of my most successful efforts has been leaving our patio table out this winter rather than storing it in the garage. I've put my platform feeder on the cross supports beneath the table, effectively shielding it from snowfall, wind, and other inclement weather. The ground below also gets less snow thanks to the table's cover, giving ground feeding birds more of a chance to enjoy the seed.

While it took a day or two for the birds to really discover the feeder's undercover location, it's been more successful than I'd ever hoped, and daily there are hungry, feisty flocks of house finches and house sparrows taking advantage of the shelter and seed. Occasionally the dark-eyed juncos will join them, though the American and lesser goldfinches prefer the nyger feeders and the Eurasian collared doves prefer the more open hopper and platform feeder out in the yard.

It just goes to show that even if you can't make it out into the field, you can certainly enjoy the birds close to home. Too often we forget the fun behavior and colorful personalities of our most common birds, but they can be just as entertaining and amazing as any new lifer or rare vagrant.

Enjoying the backyard birds more is just one of the birding-related resolutions I've made for 2010. I do also want to travel more, acquire more lifers, and continue renovating my landscaping for a better bird habitat. Of course, more frequent blog posts will be a part of all this! Whatever your New Year's bird-related resolutions may be, I wish you very happy birding!

Do you need New Year's resolutions for birders? These ideas can help!

Return of the Jays

Western scrub jays are one of my favorite birds, and I put whole peanuts out for them frequently in the summer. For the past few weeks, however, the peanuts have sat forgotten in their small dish on the patio table, only occasionally being disturbed or vanishing, though each time I've missed the perpetrator. Walking outside to finish putting up Christmas lights earlier this week, however, I saw one lone jay hunkered in our neighbor's apple tree, just surveying the neighborhood. I immediately replenished the peanut supply, and within just a few minutes that jay and one of his friends were eagerly picking over the nuts and caching them wherever they could.

Too often, birders remove feeders long before they should, leaving birds one more food source short as winter approaches. I urge you to keep your feeders filled and fresh, even if you don't see the birds as often or if your favorite species seem to have vanished. They are around, even if they visit less or are more unseen, and different foods in a ready supply will be very welcome. Once they realize they can continue to count on you for a tasty meal, they may return even more frequently, as noted by the jays that have visited much more often in the last day or two - always picking clean the peanut dish I'm keeping filled.

Granted, many birds migrate and you won't see them again until spring, but in the meantime, why not share your backyard buffet with their winter cousins? Keep those feeders filled!

Sparrow Spa Day

Winter is slowly descending upon northern Utah, and despite warmer temperatures for the past few weeks the nights are positively chilly and I’ve had my birdbath heater in position for several weeks. After all, there’s nothing more pathetic than watching a house finch peck at a frozen birdbath and look at it as if puzzling why they can’t drink the ice, but fortunately my backyard flock of sparrows and finches has a ready supply of water.

Of course, they haven’t treated that water quite as I anticipated. Within days of putting out the heater, my birdbath became quite the spa getaway and the surrounding patio is frequently splashed from flocks of bathing birds - and splashed more because they are so skittish that no bath lasts longer than a few seconds. Now, it’s important to note that while the temperatures have been decidedly warmer than normal for late fall, the birdbath is in the shade on a north facing patio. The resulting 40 degree or lower temperatures there aren’t what I’d call perfect for a cooling dip at any time, but the birds, especially the sparrows, can’t seem to get enough. It’s hilarious to watch them juggle positions in the basin and along the rim of the birdbath, and I’ve seen as many as a dozen birds at once crowded around what becomes an increasingly shallow puddle.

Of course, this does mean that you’ll see me several times a week shivering on the patio as I refill the birdbath with a bowl from the kitchen – the outdoor spigots having been sealed for the winter some time ago. Cleaning the birdbath is also an ongoing necessity, what with the leaves, dirt, and other debris getting into it from so many eager bathers. Nonetheless, it’s a thrill to watch the birds enjoy their makeshift spa, and I can’t recommend enough that you get your own birdbath heater or fully heated model so you can invite your backyard flock for a fun spa day.

Not sure what type of birdbath to get? Learn how to choose the right birdbath for your backyard flock!

Up Front Feeding Fun

I had a birdfeeder epiphany a few weeks ago - all my feeders are in the backyard, and while I'm working studiously on upgrading the landscaping to create a bird sanctuary, it is obviously a long-term project and a slow process. Meanwhile, I have mature aspen trees, small blue spruce trees, boulders, and a few shrubs already in my front yard, but no birdfeeders. Why not?

Most people tend to put all their birdfeeders in the backyard because that is a center of outdoor activity for play areas, a grill, deck, spa, or whatever may be available, making backyard birding convenient for backyard feeders. While it is the same for us, I miss out on much of the bird activity because my office faces the front yard. So why, then, don't I have feeders in my front yard? Last weekend, I changed that by purchasing another feeder pole and wooden hopper feeder from Bill Fenimore at the Wild Bird Center in Layton (can I possibly recommend him enough?). Installing it was a hassle, as our soil is quite rocky and the pole is difficult to sink straight, but we managed.

For a day or two the feeder and its bounty of sunflower chips sat lonely and desolate. I was concerned that perhaps the busy street we live on was too much of a disruption that the birds wouldn't appreciate, but that was not to be. Within two days one female house finch had found the feeder, and the next day she returned with a male house finch and a male house sparrow. Today, the feeder's popularity has boomed and a boisterous flock of house finches and house sparrows was waiting turns to feed -- the nearby boulder, the small shrubs, and even my office windowbox became perches for hungry birds. The level of seed is dropping quickly, and I look forward to filling it. I may not have brought birds all the way into my office, but they're just a glance away.

If you only have feeders in one spot in your yard, I highly recommend adding more in different areas. Watch where the birds congregate - long before I considered adding feeders to the front yard, I'd seen the popularity of the blue spruce trees as flock hangouts. Check your bird activity, and plan accordingly to expand your own feeder selections. Happy birding!

Not sure which feeders to add to your yard? Give these easy feeders a try!

Storing Up for Winter

The weather is definitely cooling off, the days are getting much shorter, and there's a nip in the air whenever I go out to refill the feeders. Just as so many animals cache food for the winter -- even birds -- so too should birders be sure they're ready for the change in seasons. In the past couple of weeks, I have...

• Swapped out some larger capacity summer feeders for smaller, more sheltered winter designs
• Rigged a way to shelter my ground feeders beneath the patio table to keep them free from snow
• Installed my birdbath heater
• Inventoried my store of seed and added to the stock with extra millet and sunflower chips

At this point, I have more than 150 pounds of birdseed ready to go, of many different types: sunflower chips, millet mix, straight nyger, straight black oil sunflower seed, whole peanuts, cracked corn, and a nyger and sunflower chip mix. But where is it all? One of the landscaping improvements this summer was to add a birdseed shed at the edge of the patio, very conveniently located for refilling feeders. In it I not only stock my seed (all in appropriate plastic containers, transparent for easy choice), but also feeder and birdbath cleaning supplies, my filling cup, gloves, a pitcher to refill the birdbath, a broom for sweeping up the patio, and a step stool for reaching the higher feeders hanging from our gutter. I also have a bin that holds miscellaneous supplies, such as small cups, extra chains, and various accessories.

Storing birdseed and supplies properly can make a world of difference for enjoying refilling your feeders instead of making it into a chore. While not everyone will need - or want - a dedicated shed, if you find a way that works for you you'll be sure to keep the feeders filled and the birds happy all winter long.

Check out this article on storing birdseed properly for more tips!

Mountains of Lifers

It's easy for birders to assume that the waning autumn is a poor time to find new and unusual birds, particularly if you are not located along a major migration flyway. To my delight, however, I've discovered just the opposite. Twice in the past weeks I've been hiking in the mountains and been fortunate enough to add new lifers to my ever growing life list.

The most recent additions come with their own startling observations. First, I've added the first bluebird to my life list - the mountain bluebird. While driving past a field that had recently been plowed under, I spotted several birds flitting about a small stand of trees, and we stopped to investigate. The birds were perching, then diving to the ground and rooting for worms in the soft soil, which they'd then take back to their perch to feed upon. Watching carefully, the faint field marks of a pale eye ring, dusky blue-gray back, buff wash on the chest, and brighter blue wing edges and tail feathers were obvious, and the mountain bluebird was confirmed, specifically a flock of female birds. The most fascinating part of the sighting is that they were completely unafraid of my presence as I crept closer and closer, and they simply went about their business.

The second lifer I stumbled upon quite literally as we were hiking along Mt. Nebo in search of Devil's Kitchen, a rare and stunningly beautiful formation. After viewing the fabulous red rocks, we came back down the short trail and not five feet away was a juvenile dusky grouse - the bird's camouflage was most complete, but the mottled flanks, plainer back of the neck, and wide gray strip at the tip of the tail identified the bird quite well.

Both of these new lifers came upon me when I wasn't seriously birding - while I did have my field bag and binoculars available (as a serious birder always will), we were more interested in seeing the brilliant fall colors and the unique geological formations of our neighboring mountains. It just goes to show, however, that you're best off never stopping your birding habits - even in the autumn weather or on a short walk, you never know what new lifers you may find - or that may find you!