Showing posts with label birds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birds. Show all posts

Gloria's Birds: I think I can, I think I can...

Saturday, November 19, 2022

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

(Male Mallard hesitantly preparing to launch onto Lake Washington the other day.)

--Gloria Z. Nagler




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For the Birds: Tipsy Birds?

Monday, November 7, 2022

American Robin eating old berries Fermented? maybe....
Photo by Craig Kerns
By Christine Southwick

Have you ever seen a drunken robin or two, or perhaps a flock of impaired Cedar Waxwings? Quite comical. They wobble, they weave, they lay down, sometimes they hang upside down. And they sing off-key. As long as no loose cats find them, and said birds don’t fly into windows, the birds recover well.

A result of our wet spring was the loss of many early fruits. I had lots of serviceberry and crabapple fruits set, only to die from all the wet. And then the long hot dry spell caused the blackberries (which many people try to eliminate, but which local and migrating birds depend upon) to shrivel up and dry out. Fruits that robins, juncos, song sparrows, towhees, chickadees, wrens, and nuthatches depend upon are hard to find now. 

Band-tailed Pigeons eating berries while upside down--who knew?
Photo by Craig Kerns

The birds may eat any fruit they find. Mountain Ash, which bloomed a little later here, seem to have had successful crops. What fruits are still hanging could become fermented, especially after the first frost, so watch for drunken birds. Apples may also be suspect.

The main reason that our local birds delayed nesting this last spring was that the wet cold weather resulted in few bugs, especially very few caterpillars.

Fox Sparrows come to our milder winter area, and find
delectables in the leaves. Photo by Craig Kerns
This had a snowball effect-late babies, combined with the dry heat and smoke meant that parent birds were still tending some of their young into September, which meant they were catching bugs for their young and not coming to the feeders as often, which also caused the adults to change (molt) their feathers later, traditionally a time when they don’t come to the feeders much. 

People kept asking why their birds weren’t coming to their feeders and suet; now that the rains have arrived, they are back.

Female Anna's hummingbird drinking much needed
 nectar during cold weather. Photo by Craig Kerns
Backyard birds depend upon bugs all year long to survive. Baby birds are fed instant-energy caterpillars, spiders, mosquitoes, and other available bugs. Without these bugs many birds, especially the young ones, would die. 

With winter coming, spiders and other delectables are found under leaves, so keep some leaves on the ground for hungry birds. 

Bugs are best but suet can help fill in the void.

Sudden cold weather (for this area) means that you should put out suet now, for instant warming energy, keep the seed in your feeders dry, and keep your hummingbird feeders clean and liquid.

And watch for those tipsy birds…



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Gloria's Birds: Gisele had a sure-fire remedy for a crowded freeway...a flyover!

Thursday, November 3, 2022

 
Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

(Limited, of course, to creatures with wings:). The other Canada Geese were running from a sudden influx of "outsider" geese. Gisele was evidently too anxious to go with the flow, so she hopped a coupla times and then took flight. Funny how much the other animals are like us, eh?)

On the shores of Lake Washington the other day.

--Gloria Z. Nagler



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Birds in the Backyard: Foragers

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

 
Photo by John Wolfe

Photo by John Wolfe

The recent rains have made foraging a successful endeavor for our feathered neighbors - flickers included.



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Gloria's Birds: Pensive Towhee..

Sunday, October 30, 2022

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler
(I adore Spotted Towhees: Wing spots, orangey flanks, red eyes, what's not to love?)

--Gloria Z. Nagler



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Gloria's Birds: You'd better hop to it and press that shutter, photog; I sense something bad's gonna happen!

Monday, October 17, 2022

 
Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

(Jana, sitting for her annual portrait, had good instincts, I did snap in time, and no Steller's Jays were harmed in the making of this image:)

--Gloria Z. Nagler




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Gloria's Birds: Lookin' up

Saturday, October 15, 2022

 
Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight…

[Or, more likely in the case of a Steller's Jay: "Yikes, is that a hawk overhead? Or just a crow?" Ever vigilant: the wildlife code.]

--Gloria Z. Nagler



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Gloria's Birds: Julian's nosedive (beakdive?) took him nearly out of the frame,

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

 
Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

but he nonetheless selected this image for his résumé portrait... shows moxie, he said.

(Julian's a Steller's Jay diving to the seed tray:)

--Gloria Z. Nagler




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For the Birds: Fall Is a Time of Change for Birds

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

American Robin eating mountain ash berries
(easy yard tree) Photo by Craig Kerns
By Chris Southwick

Gone are the Osprey and the warblers; incoming are the Snow Geese and other wintering birds.

Early last week our neighborhood was filled with the sounds of several different species arriving from the north to stay for their winter season. 

Incoming Dark-eyed Juncos and American Robins were both heard in numbers. 

Resident chickadees, Spotted Towhees, and Song Sparrows, even Red-breasted Nuthatches and Northern Flickers greeted these seasonal residents with a mix of contact calls.

Fox Sparrow use leaves to uncover bugs.
Preferred winter shelter is a blackberry thicket.
Photo by Craig Kerns
The robins we see in the summer have mostly flown further south, replaced by these northern birds. 

Many of the juncos we see in the winter also flew from the boreal forests in Canada to enjoy our milder winters, adding to our resident junco population. 

In eastern parts of the US, juncos are called “Snow Birds” because they are only present in the wintertime there.

There’s a noticeable change in bird sounds; our year-round birds have switched from territorial songs to mostly contact, “Here I am” calls. 

 Our resident Bewick’s Wrens are still 

You can help our wintering birds by providing food, water, and shelter.

Save leaves and seed heads. Keep a thickness of leaves somewhere in your yard. These can still be neat (or not), but they do make a difference.

Dark-eyed Junco drinking water, a vital
commodity. Photo by Craig Kerns
Leave a patch of flower heads for the juncos and sparrows which prefer seeds and keep some of your leaves on the ground where bug-eaters like towhees, Fox Sparrows, and wrens can find the bug meals they need.

Fresh water is always needed and will draw many birds. 

Shelter, like varying heights of shrubs, bushes, and trees help protect from inclement weather, and offer escape routes from predators. 

A small brush pile is a welcome retreat, and even a small patch of blackberries offers perfect winter protection.

Red-shafted Northern Flicker, male, using much
needed tree for shelter and nesting.
Photo by Craig Kerns
Another helpful action that you can do to save birds—dim outside lights. 

Birds mostly migrate at night for safety from predators, and bright lights often confuse them, causing them to fly into windows, circle large towers of lights, and generally get exhausted and die. 

Smaller wattage, non-bright white, and lighting pointing downward helps.

And something else to look forward to: 

Snow Geese should arrive from Wrangel Island, Russia, to the Skagit farm area in late October. Add some Tundra Swans. 




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Gloria's Birds: What'd I tell you, photog; we White-crowned Sparrows BELONG on pedestals!

Saturday, October 1, 2022

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

(Right she is! I rarely see these sparrows and so was delighted when she posed for me:)

--Gloria Z. Nagler



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Gloria's Birds: Darn, said Jules, I was sure I put my phone right here in this pocket!

Monday, September 26, 2022

 
Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

(Proving that Steller's Jays don't have stellar memories:)

--Gloria Z. Nagler




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Birds in the Backyard: Courting couple

Sunday, September 25, 2022

Northern flickers
Photo by John Wolfe

The Northern Flickers are noisily courting. Their rat-a-tat-tats ring through the neighborhood.



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Gloria's Birds: Barely out of the nest, Suzy sometimes felt she was losing her head over the anxiety of the Unknown

Sunday, September 18, 2022

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

(Does kinda look that way! So hard to be young and on your own. Suzy is a fledgling Song Sparrow, wondering what to do next.)

--Gloria Z. Nagler



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Kids' Garden event at Kruckeberg October 1 and 2, 2022

Friday, September 16, 2022


FALL KIDS GARDEN OCTOBER 1ST and 2ND from 10AM - 2PM

In collaboration with the Edmonds Floretum Garden Club, Kruckeberg Botanic Garden is excited to offer a new Kids Garden event on October 1 and 2, 2022!

This time, it’s all about BIRDS! Learn how the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden cares for its feathered friends and ways you can make your home and garden bird-friendly this winter.

Photo courtesy KBG
This event features fun activities for youth and adults as well as a take-home craft, while supplies last.

This event is free and all ages!

Parking at the Garden is extremely limited, please consider carpooling or using alternate forms of transportation for this event!

For more information visit: www.kruckeberg.org/gardening-for-birds



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Birds in the Backyard: Flicker against a smoky sky

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

 
Photo by Jan Hansen

Even though this looks like a painting, it is a photograph, by Jan Hansen.

And yes, the sky was that color - a solid layer of smoke from wildfires. It does make a nice background.



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Gloria's Birds: Are you positive I'm in no jeopardy here, photog? asked Sidney Song Sparrow, nervously

Monday, September 12, 2022

 
Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

(Well, didn't look like a predator! Happily, no harm came to either bird. Sidney still trusts me:)

--Gloria Z. Nagler



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Gloria's Birds: Our neighborhood Barred Owl catchin' a few zzzz's before her nocturnal noshing...

Friday, September 2, 2022

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

...catchin' a few zzzz's before her nocturnal noshing

--Gloria Z. Nagler



 

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Gloria's Birds: Ya gotta admit, photog, right side up or upside down,

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

I'm the best lookin' bird in the yard!
(Steller's Jays are nothing if not self-assured!)


--Gloria Z. Nagler



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Backyard Birds: When an osprey takes up residence

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Photo by John Wolfe

An osprey has chosen the very top of our fir tree as the best place to enjoy its snacks.

Photo by John Wolfe

The crows always hope for some remnants.

Photo by John Wolfe
Ospreys like to perch at the top of very tall trees.

Story by Lee Wolfe




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Backyard birds: The pause that refreshes

Monday, August 29, 2022

 
Photo by Wayne Pridemore

Now this is the advantage of having a fountain in your yard - entertainment.



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