FOR THE BIRDS

December 1999

By

Helen O'Shea

At My Feeders

A Boreal Chickadee arrived November 9 and has been an occasional visitor since then. The same day the 3 Chipping Sparrows, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Black-capped Chickadees scattered quickly as a Sharp-shinned Hawk swooped through the yard. Four Grackles arrived the next day and munched daily until the last week in November. The last date to see the Chipping Sparrow was November 10. It was frosty November 11 and two female Red Crossbills showed up. They were joined by several Blue Jays, 3 American Goldfinch, Mourning Doves, Black-capped Chickadees, and 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch. The next day I saw 3 dozen Snow Buntings between Mira and Louisbourg on Route 22.

3 Robins appeared November 15 to eat the rosehips. They lingered the entire day and were joined briefly by 8 Bohemian Waxwings. By November 17 the flock grew to a dozen and by November 24 the flock had increased to 33 near daybreak. At noon there were 75 Bohemian Waxwings eating rosehips, perched in the trees beside and house, and drinking water from the ditch across the street. A Raven has made a couple of appearances the first week of December and the largest flock of Mourning Doves, 13, arrived the same time.

Colourful Birds

The Northern or Baltimore Oriole has been a familiar visitor at area feeders through November and into this month. "The male is flame-orange and black, with a solid black head. The female and young are olive-brown above, burnt orange-yellow below; (with)2 white wing bars." Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds. Birders are keeping their fingers crossed that one might remain for the Christmas Bird Count on December 18. Quoting from the column of John MacInnis in the December 7 Cape Breton Post "…Richard Knapton, an ornithologist…is quite sure these are birds which nested in New England and New York state and, in a phenomenon called reverse migration, they migrated to the Maritime provinces instead of heading south." Richard Knapton teaches at UCCB and lives in Louisbourg.

Between November 13 to the 18 both Peter Chiasson and Warren Bagnell had a Baltimore Oriole at their feeders. In the middle of town Susann Myers also had a Baltimore Oriole and still had one visiting on December 6. These birds enjoy fruit in the form of red grapes and oranges, but occasionally eat suet or sunflower seed. The week of the Heritage Christmas, Margie and Donald Cameron and Jean and Dodie Bagnell reported a pair of Baltimore Orioles visiting their yards.

The male Northern Cardinal ". . . is an all-red bird with a pointed crest, and a black patch at the base of its heavy triangular red bill. The female is buff-brown, with some red on the wings and tail. The crest, dark face, and heavy red bill are distinctive. The immature is similar to the female, but with a blackish bill." Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds

Peter Chiasson and Sandy Anthony had a male Northern Cardinal at their feeder on Station Hill on November 17 and 18. It was feeding on the ground. On November 27, I received a call from Sherry Campbell of Catalone who reported a male Northern Cardinal near the feeder in her yard in the early morning. The last Louisbourg sighting was on November 23.

Speaking of colourful birds, Susann Myers has had a Yellow Breasted Chat since November 30^th. Bill and I saw it in a tree on Brian and Millie Harpell’s property on December 5. Hope it hangs around for the Christmas count.

Gooseberry Cove

On Remembrance Day, Ian Harte told me that he had seen a couple of immature Harlequin Ducks in that area. Susann Myers was there on December 5 and reported 7 Dovekies, 6 Black Guillemots, a Common Loon, a Thick-billed Murre, 2 Oldsquaw, 2 Common Eiders, and 2 Great Cormorants.

Carter Stevens reported a bird with a bright yellow breast that was calmly cruising around his house for two days in mid-November eating flies from the siding of his house. Was this the same Great-crested Flycatcher seen by Gwen Lunn in her yard November 2?

The arrival of White-winged Crossbills

While out for a walk down the path to Upper Warren, Bill and I observed a pair of White-winged Crossbills at the feeders of Jim Steylen on November 29. Pearl Magee reported a total of 8 White-winged Crossbills between November 27 and December 1. Richard Knapton reported 4 birds at his feeders on December 6 as did Susann Myers.

Pearl Magee has noticed that the sightings of the pair of Bald Eagles circling the Havenside area have decreased dramatically. She has a regular flock of 8 Black-capped Chickadees at her feeder, a Boreal Chickadee, a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatch, and a decrease in Blue Jays. This is good news considering how much seed they gobble.

Pearl had a Chipping Sparrow on November 9. Remembrance Day she saw a Gold-crowned Kinglet. On the 19^th a pair of Common Redpoll arrived.. A White-throated Sparrow came to her feeders at daybreak on December 3.

Chickadees and Other Birds

On November 20, while out for a walk in Point Pleasant Park, in Halifax, I had a Black-capped Chickadee land on my thumb as I was in the process of pointing at it. Others were at our eye level on tree trunks. Obviously many walkers must hand-feed these birds. Driving back to Louisbourg we saw several Ring-billed Gulls at the Canso Causeway as well as a couple of Black-headed Gulls. We counted approximately 400 Starlings, many lined up on the power or phone lines at the side of the highway and 75 Crows along the way. An immature Bald Eagle perched in a tree at Antigonish, and a mature Bald Eagle was at eye level beside the highway sitting on a stump as we exited Port Hawkesbury.

Sheila Fudge had another road experience on November 15. She saw a Bald Eagle in the middle of the highway eating raccoon road kill. It was almost struck by a truck coming around a turn and no doubt giving the driver a scare. It was Sheila who saw a Swallow-tailed Kite as she drove this highway a couple of years ago.

Winter feeding tips from Attracting Birds to Your Backyard, by Sally Roth

If Grosbeaks are fighting for space at your feeders, scatter some sunflower seeds on the ground as well for more peaceful feeding.

A salt block is a big draw for finches, who congregate in groups to peck at the mineral.

If you run out of niger seed finches are happy to eat millet or sunflower seeds.

Doughnuts are high-fat, high-calorie treats that are a good source of energy for birds. Chickadees, mockingbirds, jays, robins, sparrows, starlings all enjoy an occasional nibble of a doughnut. Either break the stale doughnuts into pieces and place them on a tray feeder, or hang them from a nail. You may have to impale it on a nail to prevent big birds from flying away with the entire treat.

Fruit at your feeders attracts birds in fall, winter and early spring. Blemished or overripe fruits are yummy for the birds—grapes, apple, orange are all appreciated.

To make peanut buttery bird treats, stir ½ cup of peanut butter into 2 cups of uncooked cornmeal or rolled oats. Spoon the mixture onto a tray feeder and stand back as chickadees, song sparrows, and woodpeckers flock to the feast.

If you have a large, open yard, cast-off Christmas trees make a great instant shelter for birds. Try staking the trees upright to metal pipes hammered into the ground. A few strategically placed trees near your bird feeders offer comforting cover, and will greatly increase the bird traffic at your feeders.

KEEP IT CLEAN

Good housekeeping is essential when you use bird feeders. Inviting dozens (or hundreds) of birds to gather in close quarters creates an unnatural situation where disease can spread like wildfire.

To make sure problems don’t start at your feeders keep you seed fresh. Damp or wet birdseed can sprout mold. This can infect birds when the fungus releases its spores into the air. As sick birds huddle at the feeders, their droppings contaminate seed and spread the disease to other birds.

If seed gets wet, scoop it out of the feeders and dispose of it. Let the feeder dry before you refill it. If old seed accumulates beneath your feeders, rake it up or cover it with a 2 inch layer of wood chips to prevent problems.

Once a month, scrub all feeders with a 10:1 solution of water and bleach and rinse them well with clean water. Again, let the feeder dry before you put fresh seed in it.

STORING BIRDSEED

Metal trash cans or other containers work well for storing birdseed, as will large pretzel and popcorn tins. To carry seed outside, use a plastic bucket with a handle, and keep a broom and dustpan nearby so you can clean up any spilled seed immediately.

Have a great holiday season.  '

Helen O’Shea

Extracted from © The Seagull, Helen O'Shea, For the Birds

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