eBirdseed.com Wild Bird Feeding Blog

• Video game machines that will be obsolete and discarded in just a few months.
• CDs and DVDs that will spin a few times at best.
• Ties for guys who really would prefer never see another tie as long as they live.

• Fill a feeder for a neighbor...
• Contact the local retirement home, fire department, police department, community center, etc., and see if you can’t help them experience the joy of bird watching.
• Things like thistle socks, bird seed coupons, suet, birding books, binoculars, disposable cameras, etc. makes for great stocking stuffers for both the birder, and the backyard birder to be.

Posted by CapeCodAlan at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (23)

• Good site for all things birds: Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Fun: eBird
• Useful for identifying birds: The USGS and And the USGS yet again!
• Very handy: The Idaho Museum of Natural History
• Great list of links to all sorts of info on natural resources: LACoast
• Impressive: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• And no list of this sort would be complete without: Audubon

Posted by CapeCodAlan at 9:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Posted by CapeCodAlan at 6:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What does it mean to be wild? Can a human even grasp the concept? We feed wild birds in our back yard. We put out food and they come and eat it. For a moment they interface with us -- the wild and the human come together. We identify, watch, admire, photograph, enjoy and appreciate the wild birds which allow us close enough to do so.

I have tried to understand what it is to be wild. But it's like a fish trying to understand how to live on land. In preparation for this post, I photographed some exotic birds (Senegal Parrots) which most likely were bred in captivity. They are totally dependent upon humans for care. They rarely fly. They are beautiful birds with unique personalities, however, they probably would not survive if returned to their habitat of origin.

The next day, I made a trip to the desert and photographed some wild birds. The desert is harsh and unforgiving. Yet, these birds seem to be healthy, active and thriving.

I many not understand "wild" but I do admire the wild birds. Most of them encounter humans by chance only from a distance, rely on us for nothing, present themselves for a brief moment, and, in the blink of an eye, are gone.

Black-throated Sparrow and White-winged Dove.

Thanks, and I welcome your comments.

California Kathryn
Fallbrook, CA

Posted by CaliforniaKathryn at 8:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by CapeCodAlan at 6:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Posted by CapeCodAlan at 3:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the past I've dealt with my lack of knowledge in identifying wild birds which I photograph by assuming the attitude, "Hey, I'm a photographer, not an ornithologist!"

Recently, I've realized that attitude just won't fly, so to speak. I received some inquiries (thank you!) on my last blog as to the identity of the birds posted, and I had to consult the experts. The experts are local members of the Audubon Society. One thing led to another, and I was invited to go on a field trip last weekend with the Audubon birders.

Now these are not your casual observers of wild birds. These folks are dedicated and serious. Very serious. Their knowledge of birds, their ability to locate and identify them sometimes from quite a distance is admirable, even amazing.
I saw them stand for the better part of an hour looking through a telescope or binoculars at the tiniest speck off in the distance, and exclaim,"It's a Virginia Rail!" The siting was of particular interest as this is an eastern bird rarely seen in these parts.

All in all, the group identified and cataloged 68 different species of wild birds that day. Most were out of my camera range to get truly sharp images, however, I managed to capture a few of them. Below are Say's Phoebe, a female Northern Harrier and a Black-necked Stilt.

Thanks, and I welcome your comments!

California Kathryn
Fallbrook, CA

Posted by CaliforniaKathryn at 8:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Posted by CapeCodAlan at 8:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We thoroughly enjoy talking with our customers when they call to place an order. Our customers are a varied group with all sorts of stories. One woman shared that she feeds our mealworms to her bat. We had to know more and luckily Gerri agreed to share her background with us.

Gerri Griswold has been a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for The State of Connecticut for thirteen years specializing in Connecticut’s Bat Species. She also carries a permit from the CT DEP to keep non releasable bats for Education and is licensed by the USDA as an Exhibitor.

Her grass roots work on behalf of bats has been supported by Bat Conservation International, the National Park Service, The Connecticut DEP, and the author of Bats in Captivity, Susan Barnard. Amanda Lollar, The Founder of Bat World in Mineral Wells, Texas and co author of Captive Care of Insectivorous Bats is also an enthusiastic supporter.

Gerri has been featured on the cover of The Weekly Reader and has co-produced a segment about bats for The Late Show with David Letterman. She has appeared on Lifetime Television. Every year Gerri and her wee cavalcade of “Am-Batsadors” deliver approximately 75 programs in classrooms, nature centers, and libraries throughout the State to hundreds of children and adults.

Posted by eBirdseed.com at 3:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In addition to being a backyard bird feeder and small business owner, I am also a geek and lover of all things creative. This morning, this animated short was brought to my attention.

When you have 3 minutes take a look at it. In a short period of time, in conjours up a variety of emotions.

If the window above doesn't work in your browser, look at it directly on YouTube here:

Kiwi movie

Click the Permalink below to post your comments. I'll be curious to hear others reactions to this video.

Gordon

Posted by eBirdseed.com at 3:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Posted by CapeCodAlan at 8:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

• Keep the unused suet refrigerated. It gets messy when it gets warm. Worse than that, it can turn rancid and make the birds sick.
• Carefully watch the eating habits of suet munchers. If they only eat a quarter of a cake of suet before it gets funky, only put out a quarter of a cake at a time. But be sure to store the remainder in an air-tight container, and refrigerate.
• Stay on top of the cleaning schedule. Clean the grease before it has a chance to soak into the brick or wood of your abode.
• Keep a cheap door mat under the suet feeder.
• Use the suet feeder in conjunction with a standard feeder that will catch the grease. (See below.)

• Using shelled feed is a great idea.
• Selection of the food is critical. The last thing you or your birds need is unwanted bird seed scattered all over your, (or worse yet) your neighbor's property.
• Make it a weekly if not daily routine to clean up around the feeder. Nothing quite puts a damper on feeding the birds like a big ol’city rat!
• Be sure that all seed is "sealed in steel". (That is to say that all stored feed is held in complete lockdown... See above concerning rats.)
• Giving your neighbor a small feeder and a little mix goes a long way towards avoiding hassles... Let's face it, feeding the birds is addictive. “Sun catchers”, books, etc. make nice gifts as well.
• Offer to clean up any messy windows or balconies caused by the birds. It's the right thing to do.

Posted by CapeCodAlan at 5:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I enjoy trips to the San Jacinto mountains every few weeks for the scenic drive and photographic opportunities. I've visited in every season -- last weekend, fall colors were evident!

The Nature Center there provides an excellent bird feeding station which attracts a great variety of birds. I've seen Pygmy Nuthatches, Western Bluebirds, Mountain Chickadees, Goldfinches, native Band-tailed Pigeons, Woodpeckers and many I'm not knowledgeable enough to identify.

The main feeder is a hollowed-out log filled with seed. A shingle roof provides cover.

There are various hanging feeders -- one for hummingbirds, several others which attract different types of birds.

There is a beautiful bird bath as well as several natural water pools.

The entire setting is in a peaceful wooded area in the San Bernardino National Forest. Visitors may watch the birds from a fenced deck area which juts out from the back of the nature center building.

In my opinion, it is an excellent bird feeding station, blending in with the surrounding wooded area. From the number of birds darting from tree to feeder and back, I'd say they're pretty happy with it also!

Thanks and I welcome your comments!

California Kathryn
Fallbrook, CA

Posted by CaliforniaKathryn at 1:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Posted by CapeCodAlan at 6:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

• First things first... The following suggestions are going to point you towards hand tools, (and perhaps even power tools). Always read and follow the tool manufacturers’ safety instructions, and always wear eye protection! And just because you don’t own such tools doesn’t mean that you can’t get the job done... Friends and family are wonderful things! Now onward...
• Just as in the case of hanging a feeder, the first thing you want to do is choose a good location for your birdfeeder. As in the last post, use the “Six Rule” as a minimum. (The feeder needs to be at least six feet away from the ground, vegetation, branches, tree trunks, etc.)
• Next, select a post type. (Remember that if the post is going to come in direct contact with the feed, it cannot be pressure treated.) As for length, you’ll need to be the judge of that. Suz and I plan on at least 24”, (usually 30”) of the post being underground, and we also take into account the hole that may have to be drilled into the top of the post to seat the pole. Depending on the application, the wife and I usually opt for a 6’ or 8’ pressure-treated four by four.
• Once you’ve decided on the appropriate post length, you’re probably going to want to cut it to fit. Use a square (or a sheet of paper if you don’t have a square) to uniformly mark off the cut line on all four sides of the beam, and then hack away. Don’t worry if you’re a little off... You can always /plane/sand/”Surform” to square and flat.
• If you want to mount the feeder directly on top of the post, as in our home-made crow feeder below, visit your local home center, hardware store, or lumberyard. The pros there will probably recommend alarmingly large screws of the "deck", "galvanized", or "stainless" variety. Use those screws in conjunction with a scrap support block, a small platter of AC plywood, weather-resistant glue, and some trim, and you’re off to the races!
  
  
  
• But if you’d rather plant the pole directly into the top of the post, boring a plumb hole into the end of a post is probably the most intimidating part of the project... But it really doesn’t need to be. Check out the photo below.
  
  
  All that needs to be done is:
  1. Find the center of the top of the post.
  2. Clamp the post in the true horizontal.
  3. Secure reference sticks on the top and side of the post.
  4. Using a slightly oversized bit, bore the hole using a traditional bit and brace or a power drill with a spade bit. Be sure to have a helper continually update you as to your orientation to the top and side reference sticks! (In the photo you’ll notice that the bit is slightly askew to the right. I’ll have to cant the brace back towards the left a tad without messing up the horizontal.)
  
  
• There... That wasn’t so bad. Now go dig your hole in the dirt! Suz and I like the old fashioned, manual, two-handled post-hole digger. (Obviously, we take precautions concerning gas lines, electrical wires and septic plumbing!) Once you have your hole, drop your post in and orient it “just so” such that it fits in with your yard and home. Fill the hole back in a few inches at a time using a simple torpedo level on all sides of the post to keep it perfectly upright. (The secret to filling in the post hole is to only fill in a few inches and then pack down the soil with something akin to a broom handle. Once you’ve really got the fill packed solid, and the post re-leveled and re-packed, then put in a few more inches of soil, and start the process again.)
  

Posted by CapeCodAlan at 7:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

• Probably the first thing you want to do is choose a good location for your feeder. The standard in the business is the “Six Rule.” That is to say that the feeder needs to be at least six feet away from the ground, vegetation, branches, tree trunks, etc. Quite simply, that greatly slows the squirrel menace. Additional squirrel baffles and spinner feeders may also be called into service. Note: As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the wife and I have avoided virtually all the squirrel hassles simply by giving them their own feeder. Once the squirrels grasp the fact that they have a wide-open trough, they completely ignored the other feeders. Besides – squirrels are just as cool to watch as the birds!
• If you decide to hang your feeder by rope, start the project with a quality rope. Quarter-inch nylon and polyester are both good choices. They’re strong, rot resistant, and stand up to the sunlight.
• Ok, so you’ve got your location and you’ve got your rope, but you’re probably looking at a tree branch that’s well beyond your reach. What to do? You could get out that old ladder and risk life and limb, (pun intended) trying to play “Tarzan Hangs a Birdfeeder”... But there’s a better way. (The following instructions apply to branches of 15’ in height or less...) Take a couple of old tube socks and slide one sock inside the other. Next fill the inner sock with eight to twelve ounces of seed. Finally knot the socks closed and tie your rope onto the end of the socks just below the knot, (see the picture below).
  
  Congratulations, in effect, you just made what we in the boating community call a “monkey’s fist”. A monkey’s fist is a heaving line complete with a weighted end. Now all you need to do is go outside, carefully uncoil your rope under the branch so that it doesn’t tangle, and heave the seed/sock over the branch. It will probably take a few tries, but the skill comes quickly.
• Alright, so now the rope is over the desired branch and the “Six Rule” is in play. In the process of filling the feeder, you’ve emptied the sock(s) into the vessel, Good! Now all you have to do is tie the feeder to the end of the line and hoist away... Not so fast Bucko! In my experience, this is where most people blow it. They tie the feeder to the bitter end of the rope using a square knot, or a granny knot, or some other marlinspike abomination, and then they hoist the feeder into position and go back into the house and eat pie. A month later, the feeder is on the ground, the owner is discouraged, and the birds go hungry. See below as to how to really secure a feeder by tying a bowline knot.
  
  
• Almost home... Finally, affix the other end of the rope to the base of the tree. The wife and I use a number of bungee cords as an anchor point. (Be sure to give yourself enough slack to lower the feeder for refills! (Once again, see the photo below.)
  
  

Posted by CapeCodAlan at 11:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Have you ever taken particular note of crows? My experience with them until recently has been merely observation. For a long time I did not even consider them worthy photographic subjects!

Often, I have looked up at a crow cawing from atop a building, a tree limb or light post and laughed. Crows can be amusing, even comical. They can be interesting. Here's a photo of a crow grooming another --

Since crows (actually, they are correctly called American Crows) have for some reason chosen to live in urban areas, they can be seen almost anywhere.

However, I did not know until reading Candace Savage's book, "Bird Brains," that crows are considered quite intelligent. Crows, ravens and jays are classified as members of the genus Corvus, and commonly known as corvids. As a group, corvids are said to be uncommonly smart.

When he used to visit my feeding area daily, I was amazed by a certain scrub jay's interaction with me -- how he seemed to trust me, how he waited until I came out and scattered seed, how he landed sometimes within arm's length of where I was standing, how he paused to present me with innumerable photo ops.

Now I know that crows and jays are related and, to quote Ms. Savage, "are beings that, within the constraints of their molecular inheritance, make complex decisions and show every sign of enjoying a rich awareness."

Even given his high degree of intelligence, interaction and decision-making, Mr. Scrub Jay was a unique bird. As the fall season advances toward winter, I've noticed changes in the bird population in general and in the backyard feeding station in particular. Although I knew there would come a day when Mr. Scrub Jay would no longer visit, I do miss him and will always remember him.

P. S. In my last blog, I misidentified the heron as a young Great Blue. The local Audubon birding experts tell me it's an adult Black-Crowned Night Heron. Since these birds are night feeders, that explains why it was so sleepy!

Thanks, and I welcome your comments!

California Kathryn
Fallbrook, CA

Posted by CaliforniaKathryn at 9:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

• The types of birds that normally eat at your feeders... For the wife and I, we see a lot of blue jays. And blue jays tend to be very picky birds who habitually scatter the “undesirable” seed all over the ground. (Thankfully, other birds such as red winged black birds aren't nearly so fussy!)
• How many "ground grazers" you have... (We have a bunch of mourning doves and grackles.)
• When you feed the birds... Different species feed at different times.
• Current weather/seasonal conditions... As the weather grows colder, you'll need to offer more fat in the birds' diet.
• What’s the typical number of days between rain storms for your region... (If excess seed sets on the ground and gets wet, you'll have... well... mush.)

Posted by CapeCodAlan at 6:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)