Bluebird Trail Underway!

 

Eastern Bluebirds
CheepShot, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It was a beautiful morning on Monday for installing some bluebird boxes.

Members of the Rolling Plains Chapter Texas Master Naturalist decided to establish a bluebird trail at various points along the city's Circle Trail. The city agreed to permit the project and several chapter members donated to purchase materials. We installed the first box a couple of weeks ago to provide some OJT to other chapter members. Today, we installed two more boxes. We have materials for at least five more boxes and will be installing them over the next couple of weeks.

Installing box 

The purpose of this project is primarily to provide nest sites for Eastern bluebirds and other cavity-nesting songbirds such as Carolina chickadees, tufted titmice, and tree swallows. In addition, we hope to raise awareness of the birds in our region among the general public. Chapter members will be monitoring the boxes throughout the nesting season and recording information about the numbers and types of birds who use the boxes in Nestwatch, a citizen science project through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

The chapter has funds to support approximately eight boxes this year, but intend to add more boxes as funds permit. The objective is eventually to have boxes in suitable habitat locations along the entire length of the Circle Trail (approximately 24 miles). 

If you would like to donate to this project, you can mail a donation of any amount to Rolling Plains Chapter TMN, 1300 Lamar St, Wichita Falls, TX 76301. If you would like to sponsor a box and have your name included on the box, make a $100 donation (which covers the entire cost of a box plus a little extra toward upkeep/repairs and the fund for future boxes).

I'm looking forward to seeing what next summer brings.

Good birding!

A Disappointing Start to Project Feederwatch

Hari Krishnan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Project Feederwatch started on November 1st. This is one of my favorite birding activities.

Admittedly, things always start a little slow as there is ample wild food available. But usually, I see something. I don't sit and watch my feeders for extended periods, but I do check them every time I walk by the window, which is often, since I serve as the dog butler, and their bladder must be the size of a peanut.

Not one bird the first week. Not one. You would think that I would at least see the level of bird seed going down. Nope. Even the squirrels left the feeders alone, even though they were running the dogs ragged. I feed the birds year around, so they know the food is there and usually partake. I feel a little better that some of my friends had similar outcomes the first week.

I was wondering if the issue could have been that I cleaned the feeders all at once just before the start of Feederwatch. However, I didn't use bleach and they were thoroughly rinsed and air dried before I put them back up. Usually, I do one at a time. Who knows? 

We are now in week 2 and I have seen two birds--a cardinal and a white-winged dove. I have heard a few other birds (robin, house finch, an blue jay) in the front yard, so I expect they will eventually make their way to the feeders. At least the level of food is going down this week.

They say patience is a virtue, but I have never been especially virtuous.

Good birding!

Birding Week

 

American Avocet
Qwexcxewq, CC BY 4.0 <via Wikimedia Commons

A friend, Debra Halter,  gave a very interesting presentation on bird migration to the Rolling Plains Chapter Texas Master Naturalist chapter this week. It was focused on tools scientists have used to learn more about bird migration and tools birders can use to track migration.  A timely topic. 

This was a good week for birds. It is migration season, and although I didn't see as many birds as expected, there were still some good migrants. And the weather was almost perfect. It was so nice not to have 100-degree plus weather.

On Monday, I was at Lake Wichita Park with some other Texas Master Naturalists and Craig Hensley, who is currently working with the National Wildlife Federation, on a monarch butterfly project. While he was putting tiny transmitters on the butterflies, I did see a few birds: double crested cormorant, great blue heron, snowy egret, white-faced ibis, belted kingfisher,  mallard duck, white pelican, Eurasian collared dove, northern yellow warbler, orange-crowned warbler, and great-tailed grackle.

On Wednesday, we started a new bird walk at Lucy Park through the Wichita County Health Department. There was a small group for this first walk, which is fine. We didn't see many birds: white-winged dove, American robin, great-tailed grackle, northern cardinal, yellow-billed cuckoo, eastern bluebird, red-bellied woodpecker, northern flicker, and great-tailed grackle. We watched a little warbler/vireo type bird, but couldn't get a good enough look to identify it. We'll continue to do these walks on the first Wednesday of each month at 8:30 AM in Lucy Park (unless there is ice on the roads in the winter--Penny doesn't do icy roads).

On Friday, we were doing environmental water testing at the Lake Wichita boat ramp, and there were a few birds. A large group of American Avocets was turning as a group feeding. In addition to these beautiful birds, I saw/heard red-bellied woodpecker, white-winged dove, house finch, northern cardinal, and great-tailed grackle.

Nashville warbler
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren, CC BY 2.0,
via Wikimedia Commons

On Saturday, which coincidentally was World Migratory Bird Day (second Saturday of May and October), I was at Lake Arrowhead State Park for the monthly bird outing. We had a good morning and the weather was beautiful. Bright sunshine, cool temperatures, and no wind. The best part of the morning was a Nashville warbler, a lifer for me! In addition to this exciting (to me) bird, we had several other species: great egret, snowy egret, great blue heron, greater yellowlegs, least sandpiper, killdeer, white-winged dove, double-crested cormorant, white pelican, kestrel, turkey vulture, ladder-backer woodpecker, northern flicker, northern cardinal, blue jay, eastern bluebird, house finch, Bewick's wren, Carolina wren, eastern phoebe, orange-crowned warbler, northern yellow warbler, scissor-tailed flycatcher, brown-headed cowbird, and great-tailed grackle. Debra said a barn swallow flew over our heads, but I missed it, so it isn't on my list.

This is a great time of year for birding! Get outside and see some birds.

Good birding!

It's About That Time! Project Feederwatch

Errol Taskin/Project Feederwatch

 One of the activities I enjoy every year is Project Feederwatch. I see on the website that I have been participating for 28 years. Whew!

This citizen science projects provides important information on changes in bird populations over time. The Feederwatch website provides a summary of various studies and articles which used the information Feederwatchers have provided. However, the best part of Project Feederwatch is that you have another excuse to spend time watching birds.

The next Feederwatch season starts on November 1 and runs through April. There is an $18 fee to participate (Cornell Lab of Ornithology members are $15). However, you get a lot of enjoyment from that $18. 

This is an excellent activity for shut-ins and children. You can watch the birds from your windows. There is a minimum 15-minute timeframe to participate, which is great for kids, but you can observe for as long as you like. This is also a good activity for schools and scouts. If you have a group of children and would like to take part, but the fee is a barrier, email me at txbirds@gmail.com, and I'll see what I can do to support you on this.

Good Birding!

A New Local Opportunity to Go Birdwatching!

Willcook3, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Exciting news! The Wichita County Health Department is sponsoring a bird walk to encourage better health. Not only does birdwatching get people outside and moving, it helps reduce stress. For those who have a hard time getting to Lake Arrowhead State Park for the monthly outing there, this will be more convenient.

Our inaugural walk will be at Lucy Park on Wednesday, October 7, at 8:30 AM. We'll meet up at the Sunset Drive entrance to the park. This will be a leisurely walk--after all, we're there to see the birds--and will last about an hour. There is no charge to participate. I expect it will be a small group. We plan to continue these walks every month on the third Wed. Hope to see you there!

Good Birding!

September Blah at Lake Arrowhead SP

Alan D. Wilson, CC BY-SA 3.0
via Wikimedia Commons

Although the bird outing was a couple of weeks ago, I am just getting around to telling you about it. September is usually a good month for birding at Lake Arrowhead SP. This month's bird outing did not live up to past experience. Usually, migratory birds are more abundant. That doesn't mean we didn't see any birds because we did. Just not in the numbers we have seen in the past. Not that I can blame the birds. Who wants to visit a place that has been 100+ degrees for weeks? Ugh!

This month, we had a new birder with us. A new birder is always a treat, because they are excited about every bird. For example, he was so enthusiastic about the killdeer. Killdeer are so common here that we see them and keep right on looking for other, less common birds. With a new birder, you see again how special a common bird is. I love having people come for whom birdwatching is a new interest. It was a relatively noneventful outing for those of us who go out every month, but in Bennie's case, almost every bird was new and exciting, making the morning more enjoyable for all of us.

My challenge was the western sandpiper. We don't get a lot of practice identifying shorebirds in our area. They pass through for a short time on migration, so there isn't a lot of opportunity to practice identifying them. And the peeps are especially tough. I wrote down the field marks and got out the books at home to differentiate the western from the semipalmated.

Our list for the outing: Killdeer, western sandpiper, greater yellowlegs, great egret, snowy egret, great blue heron, white-winged dove, ladder-backed woodpecker, Bewick's wren, northern cardinal, northern mockingbird, eastern phoebe, epidonax flycatcher (sorry, I wasn't able to get a good enough look to identify which one), red-winged blackbird, great-tailed grackle, and European starling.

Next month's bird outing at Lake Arrowhead will be on Saturday, October 10, 8 AM, at the admin building parking lot (near the fishing pier). There is a $4 entry fee, unless you have a park pass. October is usually an excellent time for migrants.

Good birding!

Summer Bird Feeding

Three birds feed at a tray feeder in Maryland.,
Mikey Lutmerding, Public Domain,
https://www.fws.gov/media/three-birds-feed-tray-feeder-maryland

Most people feed their birds only in the winter (except their hummingbirds, which are only here in the summer). After all, there is plenty of food available in the summer, right? In general, that is true.

I feed all year, although I do cut back on the number of feeders in the summer and feed less food. However, I do continue to feed my birds in the summer months.

Breeding season is tough for birds. Babies require constant food. They develop very quickly so they need a lot of protein and fats continuously. Most new songbird hatchlings need to be feed every 15 - 30 minutes. After a couple of weeks, the frequency goes down to 30 - 45 minutes, although the quantity of food does not. Let's say you are a cardinal parent. Most cardinals hatch 3 - 4 nestlings and may have as many as 4 clutches in the nesting season (I know the pair in my yard is on it's third clutch now). Not only do mom and dad spend all day running around catching insects for their young, they too have to eat.

Baby songbirds need protein--i.e., insects. They cannot eat seeds, and seeds don't have the type of nutrition they need anyway. However, their parents can eat seeds. It's an easy way for them to keep up their energy during this very trying time. Can you imagine the calories they are burning running around trying to find a meal and running it back to the nest for 4 babies every 15 minutes? In this heat? Summer feeding can give them a boost to get through the summer nesting season.

So yes, I feed in the summer. Besides food, I focus on keeping the bird baths full. If you don't have a bird bath, a large saucer or tray will do. Keeping that clean and full can be almost a full-time job when the weather is consistently above 100 degrees for days on end. One issue is bird seed tends to spoil faster in the heat. So, even though smaller bags of seed are more expensive initially, smaller bags help prevent having to throw food away, so it works out. It is also critical to keep the feeders clean. Ideally, you will want to clean them weekly.

A couple of weeks ago, I heard a baby cardinal in the back yard. I looked out my kitchen window and there was a male cardinal at the sunflower feeder, getting a snack. I did find the fledgling cardinal on the ground. Although the fledgling seemed to be searching the ground for food, dad was still helping him. At this point in life, the young birds can eat seeds. Dad took a sunflower seed and took it down to the ground for the young one. 

Give you bird parents a hand by providing some fast food this summer. Besides, it gives you the opportunity to watch your birds.

Good birding!