Winter Storms, Winter Foods

The past couple of days have seen nearly nonstop snow - light but relentless. The snow is only heavier in sudden flurries near the feeders, as the finches, sparrows, chickadees, and doves land, snatch a seed, snap at one another, shuffle for position, munch another seed, and abruptly yield position to another hungry bill.

Birds can easily find food in winter and there are many things winter birds eat, but there is no doubt that feeders are helpful and appreciated. Just before a storm, or during a lull in inclement weather, activity at the feeders is more than busy, it has a frantic, frenetic pace as the birds stock up, adding a few more calories to their diet before snow and cold keep them more confined. I feed a range of different winter foods to my backyard flock, including...

• Black oil sunflower seed
• Hulled sunflower seed
• Dried sunflower heads
• Cracked corn
• Peanuts
• Nyjer
• White proso millet
• Mixed seed

Without a doubt, the most popular item on the menu is the hulled sunflower seed - rich in fat and calories but easy to eat even with smaller bills. I have three large hopper feeders filled with these nutritious kernels, but they're all emptied every 2-3 days, and every bird seems to fight for a sample. I happily refill them, even tromping through snowdrifts, moving branches and covering myself in loose snow, and slipping into a gully to reach each feeder and increase its bounty. Depending on the time of day when I am able to tend the feeders, the birds may be visiting one before I even finish filling the others. I'm happy to do it, and always happy to see how popular it is. I've even recently stocked up, and have nearly 50 pounds of hulled seeds waiting to be served up - and in this weather, that will be soon enough!

Try these winter bird feeding tips to increase the bounty of both food and birds at your feeders!

Life in the Gutter

When we say someone's mind is in the gutter, they woke up in the gutter, or just feel like they're in the gutter, it's always a negative meaning - but for birds, a gutter can be a wonderful thing. After his adventure in the firebox, I wouldn't have thought my neighborhood northern flicker (or one of them) would want to be anywhere near my house again, but while it's not technically my house, he is dropping by occasionally to the neighbor's gutter. But why?

Gutters can be bountiful for birds. In summer, a gutter may have delicious insects, fresh water or nesting material collected in its corners. In winter, a bit of water may be there, as well as windfall fruit, nuts, or other food. This was a southeastern corner, and it's my bet that the bird was probing about for food, since she and her mate haven't been shy about visiting my heated bird bath whenever they need a drink.

Birds adapt. Take away the trees or stumps where they would hunt for insects, and instead they'll search chimneys and gutters. Remove snags perfect for nesting cavities and they'll investigate bird houses. Destroy habitat with development and they'll learn to seek out bird feeders and flowerbeds. Of course I'd rather see birds as "natural" as possible, but the birds in our backyard, doing what backyard birds do, are just as natural in their way. I just wish being in the gutter was as good for me some days as it is for my flickers.

Have fun with these 15 Fun Facts About Woodpeckers!

The Sparrow That Shouldn't Be Here

I have several platform and dish feeders on my covered deck, where I offer a variety of foods - millet, cracked corn, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and dried sunflower heads. A wide range of birds take advantage of this sheltered restaurant, most notably house finches, house sparrows, mourning doves, Eurasian collared-doves, California quail, and at this time of year, dark-eyed juncos. For the past few weeks, however, I've caught scattered glimpses of another visitor - a little brown job that looks the same as but different from my regular patrons.
 
It took a few views to verify the sighting, but a song sparrow has added my deck to its repertoire of fine dining. The breast spot, malar patches, longer tail, and warmer colors are all evident, though the bird is quite shy and always flits away as soon as it has been spotted, so it was difficult to see it clearly enough to be certain. Ever since that first quick view I've been trying to get a photo, and only managed when the bird hunkered down in our western neighbor's tree long enough for me to snap a shot.

It might be "just" a song sparrow, but its an interesting guest in my backyard, far from the wetter, marsh-like habitats this bird typically prefers. I do have one overgrown section of yard that I've seen it flitting to, and I intend to preserve that area of the yard and add to it (the less lawn to mow, the better). Who knows what other surprise guests might visit?

Learn how to attract new birds to your backyard!

My Empty List

The holidays were too hectic with packed schedules, illness, and deadlines, and unfortunately birding and birds fell by the wayside more than I would have liked. But as I settle in to 2013, I just know this will be a lucky birding year, despite the less than lucky connotations many people give to this year's numerals.

I'm going to make it lucky, and that starts with a list. I have a beautiful poster - The Birds of Utah Checklist - from the Utah DNR that I won for a great bird sighting (red-breasted merganser) during a field trip with the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival several years ago. That poster is framed without glass in my office, with the idea that I can use the checklist to mark off the species I've seen. Granted, it won't be a complete life list - there is no record of the Jamaican tody, green jay, or black vulture ever in Utah - but it will be a fun way to keep track of how many of Utah's birds I've seen, even if I haven't seen them in Utah.

Beginning the year I have a meager (or at least I consider it meager) 333 birds on my life list; as I haven't yet filled out my poster Utah list, I can't count those (watch for a future update) quite yet. But how many will I end the year with?

Let's get lucky, '13!

Learn how you can build your life list!

Ringing the Birdie Bell

We all have that one bird feeder we love; it might not be the most attractive, or the most popular, but it is just our favorite to watch. For me, it is my Birdie Bell, and it has hosted a wide range of species over the years. Most recently, a female downy woodpecker has discovered the molded seed bells it holds and practices her best impression of a bell clapper to munch.

Other birds that have enjoyed the musical treats of the bell include...

• Dark-eyed juncos
• Western scrub-jays
• House finches
• House sparrows
• Black-capped chickadees
• Lazuli buntings

 At times, more than one species will be busy on the bell, despite its smaller size, and they typically get along well as they wriggle into a good position to nick a seed or two. From my perspective, it is always entertaining to watch as a bird clings to the side and stretches to reach the seed, and some birds have cleverly figured out how to get inside the feeder and will perch as if in a jail cell while they enjoy a "last meal" easily and conveniently. Of course, escape is no problem!

It is harder to get out into the field in the winter, and this is the time of year when our feeders may provide most of our birding enjoyment. I hope you have a feeder to enjoy just as much as I enjoy this one!

Droopy

I love all my backyard birds and cherish the days an entire flock comes to feed (never mind the decimation to my seed stocks), but it's the birds I can recognize as individuals that really become noticeable and heartwarming.

One such individual has been visiting for a few weeks; a house finch I've christened Droopy for the right wing he holds more loosely (see the photo; poor quality, but the best I could get to show his affliction). I suspect some type of nerve damage is the culprit for this bird's distinction, as he shows no other signs of illness and is otherwise healthy and perky. Though often alone - and recent studies have revealed how house finches, in particular, are unforgiving of ill or injured birds - he feeds well and is quite mobile, hopping about the deck and flying without discernible difficulty, if the tiniest bit lopsided. He seems quite content to rest often, but perks up as needed when disturbed and is well able to stay out of harm's way.

Too often we only notice individual birds once they are too drastically ill to be helped - swollen eyes, excessive lameness, obvious pox, etc. - but occasionally we see a bird that can stand out to us. That recognition gives us the chance to learn that bird as an individual, to study its behavior and discover its quirks, to smile when we see it and to miss it when it doesn't visit. These opportunities are rare, but should be treasured.

All my birds are friends, but it is nice to have a friend known by name and one whose company I can look forward to recognizing. I haven't seen him about in a few days, but I wish Droopy well and look forward to his next visit.

Striking Out

This hasn't been a very birdy few weeks for me, as other issues have required focus and time to head into the field has been scarce. Still, when multiple reports of bohemian waxwings surfaced locally, pinning the birds in one spot less than an hour away day after day, I had to take the chance.

Unfortunately, the day I headed to "the U" (University of Utah) to scour fruit trees for the foraging flock proved to be quite chilly and windy, and very few birds were to be found. A flock of rock pigeons was calmly foraging on the ground and it was fascinating to watch them gradually make their way around President's Circle, taking startled flight with every car that passed. After wandering among buildings looking for other possible hideouts for the waxwings, I did find a particularly cooperative black-capped chickadee that was holding a free concert with his liquid warble, though he wouldn't deign to pose for photos. The only other bird in the vicinity was a lone American robin, the only bird perched in the branches where I'd hoped to find the waxwings.

Too often, we believe birds to be reliable fixtures whenever they've been regularly reported, but as a birding friend once told me, "birds have wings and they will use them." Obviously, the waxwings used their wings and didn't manage to fly into my sights, but I'll keep scanning the listservs in the hopes of another sighting to bring a spark of birding into my hectic schedule.

Time to Winterize

Indian summer can come unexpectedly in Utah, and cool nights can quickly be followed by warm days even in October and November. The clue I use to know when winter is truly on the way, however, is the first time the bird bath freezes. It did so several weeks ago but a crowded schedule kept me relying on morning sunshine to melt the water, until last week when an afternoon of winterizing was at hand.

Preparing my backyard for winter birds is more than just plugging in my heated bird bath. To be sure my birds are well cared for even in the coldest temperatures, winterizing includes...

• Removing the concrete bird bath and putting it in storage.
• Stacking the deck furniture in a sheltered corner.
• Moving deck feeders further under shelter to protect them from snowfall.
• Vacuuming the deck and under feeders to remove excess hulls and debris.
• Swapping my deck bird bath for the heated bath.
• Checking my bird seed storage for good quantities to last all season.

Of course, refilling the feeders is part of the task as well! With so many changes at hand, it often takes a few days for the birds to lose their wariness and return to the feeders, but they're now coming back in flocks - finches, juncos, sparrows, jays, magpies, and doves. The sharp-shinned hawk has buzzed the yard a few times, and without a doubt other birds have flitted by. Whenever they want a rest spot on a cold day, I'm ready!

Learn how to prepare your yard for winter birds!