Showing posts sorted by relevance for query for the birds. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query for the birds. Sort by date Show all posts

For the Birds: Birds attacking innocent humans

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

American Crow dive-bombing Bald Eagle
Photo by Bill Anderson

By Christine Southwick

Now is a time that people find themselves under attack from crows and other local birds, seemingly for no reason at all.

Birds don’t go around attacking larger-than-life entities for fun. Life is hard enough for birds, without expending energy trying to drive away something that can possibly end their lives. So why would neighborhood birds, especially crows, owls, and even smaller birds, suddenly rise up and start warring with their neighbors, which they mostly ignored, or hid from before?

American Crow chasing Red-tailed Hawk
Photo by Craig Kerns

It is breeding time, and the parents are protecting their territories where the nests and nestlings are being fed and raised. Some species start protecting and driving off interlopers in their territories as soon as the eggs are laid, but most become vociferous when nestlings emerge from the eggs, and start making noises that predators recognize. Nests can be dangerous for survival, so many birds, especially crows and owls, have evolved to nestlings climbing out onto limbs or onto the ground, and finding a variety of hiding places. Crows often leave the nest before they can fly, so the parents scare away anything that might think a baby crow is fair game.

American Crow strafing Raccoon
Photo by Dasha Gudalewicz
The parents’ main job then is to feed them, and keep them safe. Anything that potentially will eat their babies must be driven off before the babies are harmed. Humans have historically hunted and eaten birds (I don’t know exactly which birds are in a “five and twenty blackbird pie”, but crows are quick learners).

Crows and owls are large enough and strong enough to hurt any one walking or running in that bird’s family territory, so we pay attention to these “random acts of aggression”. No one likes to have scrapes on their heads from an avian attacker.

Red-winged Blackbird chasing American Crow
Photo by Dasha Gudalewicz
So what is the answer? People need to stay out of the territory of the attacking bird, until the babies have flown away. That can be 10 to 28 days, depending upon the species. Crows often build nests high in street trees or yards, and this may mean detouring, for a period of time. As inconvenient as that may seem, being willing to regard this behavior as a sign of good parenting by detouring, acknowledges that birds have a right to live in our city too.

To avoid being “dive-bombed” by protective crow parents, here is a link where you can report “Crow Attacks”, and thus know where to avoid walking or running for the next couple of weeks.


For previous For the Birds columns, see Features on the main webpage.


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For the Birds: Baby Birds are still a Happen’ Thing

Friday, July 1, 2022

American Robin. by Elaine Chuang --
notice the gape (colored area at base of bill)
newly fledged - still begging for food
By Christine Southwick

Three Dark-eyed Juncos just hatched in my hanging fuchsia plant just a week ago. Oh, Happy Day!

Many local birds have second broods. This year because of the cool wet spring which made bugs and caterpillars scarce, many of our birds are trying again if their first brood didn’t make it, or not all the nestlings survived.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee by Craig Kerns
gape still showing--first bath?
Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees routinely have second broods. 

So do our local birds like juncos, Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, and Red-breasted Nuthatches. 

Our native woodpeckers, and raptors do not.

When birds leave their nest, they are the full size of their parents, unlike ducks and waterfowl. 

Indeed, most fledglings appear a little larger because their fresh feathers are fluffy, whereas their harried, overworked parents are somewhat bedraggled.

Now is the time to be watching for nests in tall weeds, young birds with extra color at the base of their beaks, and fledglings that have awkward flying, especially after taking their first couple of baths.

Dark-eyed Junco feeding fledgling
photo by Christine Southwick
It is so fun to watch the newly fledged babies following their parent, fluttering their wings, and loudly begging for food.

That only happens for the first few days. Then the parents start teaching their young how to feed themselves, often bringing their young to feeders, and suet.

Northern Flickers, Downy, and Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers will bring their offspring to my suet feeders. 

The parents start out hanging on the suet, getting a bill-full and flying over to the waiting youngsters, sticking the suet into their mouths. 

This is repeated until the parent thinks that they have had enough instruction, where upon they wait for the youngsters to come get their own suet. As with most youngsters, some “get it” sooner than others.

What are these birds? Juvenile junco on left,
juvie Spotted Towhee on right
Photo by Christine Southwick
The three leading causes of bird demises are:
  1. Loss of Habitat; Keep tall trees, plant native shrubs, trees and flowers-native plants support the bus that our birds need.
  2. Death by cats; Keep your cats inside, or build/buy them an indoor-outdoor run. Ground nesters, like Juncos, Towhees and Song Sparrows nest in tall grass, bases of ferns, or weeds until early August.
  3. Window collisions and other objects; Position your feeders either within three feet of your windows, or more than ten feet away. If you have a window that gets hit, put up window cling-designs, visual distractors, anything to break up the reflection of an inviting habitat.
See previous For the Birds columns here



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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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Caring for our Environment, Urban Forests and Trees

Friday, October 28, 2022

Boeing Creek Park photo by Melody Fosmore
By Melody Fosmore

Whether it’s your own backyard, neighborhood or neighboring park, the first step is to become aware of the environment around you. 

Why should we care? Because we are a part of this ecosystem, we all call home. Imagine if we had not enough trees to provide shade or filter the stormwater which runs through our watersheds and into the Salish Sea which in turn provides nutrients to our local sea life - or imagine the loss of birds which keeps the insect population in check or provide bird songs? Even when weather is changing, make time to visit nearby woods alone and spend time in quiet observation.

Illustration courtesy 
https://www.traversotree.com/mature-during-drought/
Wildlife
: Get to know the wildlife that comes into your yard or neighborhood. What birds, squirrels and other larger mammals do you see? 

Do you live near a bog or water – do you observe otters, beavers, snakes, frogs, salamanders or fish? Do you see or hear owls? Bats? 

All of these animals and amphibians need the ecosystem to survive and our trees play a major role in their survival. And frankly, so do we. 

If you are lucky to have tall trees on your property you can help with habitat diversity in your yard. 

Suggestions include having a good ground layer including some downed wood for hiding and nests; a shrub layer for the birds to hide; and a strong overstory with mixed species of trees including broadleaf trees as they provide the most food and nesting value for birds and squirrels. 

Also, try not to rake up all of your leaves as that provides nutrients for the soil and hiding places for our wildlife.

Flagging on cedar trees
photo by Melody Fosmore
Trees and water
: During the fall you will see ‘flagging’ on our cedar trees. This is a healthy part of the cedar tree's life cycle. 

However, the heat waves of the past couple of years have affected the health of our tall trees and you can help by watering these trees during the warmer and dry spells. 

Once a week, about an inch of water to the soil, under the entire canopy diameter, is adequate. No need to overwater – and don’t let water sprinklers hit the bark of trees, they can physically damage the bark, causing fungus disease, and algae, inviting insect trouble.

Are you seeing signs of tree stress? Trees gain their growth from the crown, and so it’s at the top of the tree where you might see distress. No new growth, or the tip dying back is a warning sign. The heat dome of 2021 is really showing up now in our tree canopy. Even with the rain now here, continue to water just to re-saturate the water table. Monitor your tall trees for hazard branches that may require removal and always consult an arborist before you take a tree down. There may be hope!

 
Wildlife snag
photo by Melody Fosmore
A Wildlife Snag: Do you have a dead or dying tree in your yard? Ask the tree cutter to leave a 10-15’ snag. Bats, pileated woodpeckers, even raccoons love these snags for food and nesting. Bats love snags for their daytime sleep. Birds and bats help keep our insect populations in balance. 

The snags may not look ‘pretty’ but they provide an essential service to our local wildlife. I personally have enjoyed many moments of observing all the animals and birds enjoying a snag in my yard. The pileated woodpeckers are especially wonderful to observe.

Nesting boxes: Birds love nesting boxes in safe locations high enough off the ground from predators (including house cats). The boxes will need to be cleaned every year. See the attached resource in the list below for safe ways to hang a birdhouse.

Root damage
photo by Melody Fosmore
A kind note about dogs and our parks
: I am a dog lover so I understand the joy of walking your dog in our open woods. 

However, please bear in mind their impact - dogs running through salmonid bearing streams don't just spread disease to the water, they also tear up the reeds where the fish lay their eggs. 

And, they can expose tree roots which then become non-functional and compromise the health of the tree. 

Best to control their footprint and keep our woods healthy. 

Keeping on the trail and not creating new trails also protects nesting, trees and the entire ecosystem. Leaving no trace and a light footprint protects our parks for all to enjoy.

Enjoy the bounty of our environment and remember - everything works together and mankind benefits from the ecosystem, not the other way around!

Resources:
Melody Fosmore is the Co-Chair of Save Shoreline Trees



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Costly turnovers contribute to Shorewood coming up short in loss to Edmonds-Woodway

Monday, October 15, 2018

The Shorewood defense makes a goal line stand


Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 F
Shorewood 7 10 0 0 17
Edmonds-Woodway 7 0 6 7 20


Edmonds District Stadium, Friday, October 12, 2018, 5pm
Record as of Game Final:
Shorewood (5-2 overall / 4-2 WesCo South)
Edmonds-Woodway (2-5 overall / 2-3 WesCo South)

By Aaron Bert
Photos by Lisa Hirohata

Winning a football game is just not up to the players on the field - it also comes down to preparation from the coaching staff - and in the matchup between the visiting Shorewood Thunderbirds and the Edmonds-Woodway Warriors - the Warrior coaching staff definitely put in a bit of extra preparation in film study and learned you don’t kick the ball deep to the T-bird kick returners.

It was an early kick-off at Edmonds District Stadium and the T-birds were looking to snag another victory on the Warrior’s homecoming night. Senior Joseph Williamson was lined up deep for Shorewood, but Edmonds-Woodway surprised the Shorewood front 7 and botched the kick to the right sideline where it sailed over the heads of the T-bird receiving team and the Warrior kicker recovered the ball. Edmonds-Woodway snagged the initial momentum and started the game on the Shorewood 38.

Edmonds-Woodway is a one dimensional team, with nary a passing attack. They play old school smash mouth football, lining up their extremely capable running back, senior #2 Cappasio Cherry (5’9/185) behind #7 junior fullback Ben Grimes (5’10/180) and a decent sized offensive line and mainly run off tackle or toss sweeps to the outside. Cherry has proved a workhorse all season carrying the load for Edmonds-Woodway, to include putting up 329 yards rushing last week against WesCo South leading Snohomish, and he proved no different this week against the T-birds. Teams have been successful in stymining the Warrior run this season - but as he proved against Shorewood, give him a chance - and he will make you pay.

Edmonds opened up the scoring by going 38 yards on the ground for a quick touchdown at 9:50 mark in the 1st quarter behind Cherry. It appeared as if Shorewood was caught off guard by the brute running of Cherry and it was taking two to three players to bring him down.

Shorewood bounced back on their next possession, starting on their own 20 - senior QB #4 David Snell (6’3/175) connected with his favorite receiver senior WR/DB #2 Jaro Rouse for a 69 touchdown pass, as Rouse - who is absolutely explosive in the open field, easily outpaced the Warrior secondary and raced into the endzone to even the score at 7-7 with 7:25 remaining in the 1st.

#8 Kevin Hirohata recovers an EW fumble

Edmonds-Woodway took possession on their own 34 and then began to do what you can only do when you are a running team - they began to grind the ball out - steadily marching down the field. On this possession they ran 8 run plays in a row for 9 yards / 22 yards / 4 yards / 3 yards / -1 yards / 5 yards / 4 yards / 1 yard / taking the ball down to the Shorewood 15. The T-birds caught a break - as the Edmonds-Woodway quarterback dropped back for a pass, he was pressured by Shorewood LB #31 Brandon Main (6’2/190) who forced a fumble and it was recovered by senior LB #8 Kevin Hirohata (6’/200) at the Shorewood 20.

In response, Shorewood demonstrated their own prowess in the running game, putting together a 15 play, 76 yard drive to take the ball down to the Edmonds-Woodway 4 where senior RB #3 Robert ‘Take it to the Bank’ Banks (5’8/160) came up short on 3rd and goal and Shorewood was forced to kick a 20 yard field goal. On the drive Shorewood converted twice on 3rd and long, to include a 24 yard strike from Snell to Rouse to keep the drive alive. Shorewood took the lead 10-7 with 7:37 remaining in the 2nd.

Shorewood shut down Cherry on the next two possessions, forcing the Warriors to punt and with 1:05 remaining in the 2nd, Shorewood started at their own 16 and took the ball down field 74 yards behind four straight passes from Snell to take a 17-7 lead into halftime. Snell connected with Rouse for 36 yards, Main for 13, Williamson was stopped for no-gain, and then Snell hit Williamson for the 35 yard touchdown.

The second half opened with Shorewood bending but not breaking and forcing the Warriors to punt. Edmonds-Woodway opened with 3 straight runs and it looked like they were finding their footing in the running game, until the EW QB #11 junior Read Carr (5’11/175) found SW senior LB #22 Kaden Graves (6’3/225) in his face and threw him down for a 13 yard sack. EW was forced to punt and Shorewood regained the ball at their own 35 for their opening drive of the half.

#22 Kaden Graves and #52 Tom Bert make tackle with help from #10 Matthew Bangsberg


Facing a 3rd and 17 at their own 34, T-bird QB Snell was flushed out of the pocket and attempted to make something happen, but his pass flew over the head of the Shorewood receiver and was picked off at the EW 20. The Warriors answered by driving the length of the field and Cherry punched it in for the score from the 2 to bring the score to 17-13 as the PAT was no good. EW milked almost 6 minutes off the clock in their 13 play drive. The T-bird defense did not have an answer this drive to the Warrior rushing attack as they ran the ball 12 times, averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

EW forced the T-birds to punt on their next possession and then once again, played a very focused ball-control game, scoring the go-ahead touchdown after starting at their own 20. Burning another 6 minutes off the clock, the Warriors used a combination of deep hand-offs to Cherry and fullback traps to spring for gains of 6, 8, 16, 11, 11, 10, 11 and 2 yards. EW capped the scoring by connecting on a wide receiver screen from the 9 to go up 20-17.

As Shorewood regrouped on the sideline - 4:43 remained in the 4th and it was more than enough time to mount another scoring drive. Shorewood started the drive at their 35 and Snell connected with Rouse for an 8 yard gain. Banks took the inside hand-off and gained the first down with a 4 yard effort. Shorewood was on the move. A solid run was negated on the next play as one of the Shorewood hogs was called for holding, backing up the ball to the SW 40. 

Shorewood shot themselves in the foot the next play with an illegal procedure call and then Snell was sacked dropping Shorewood into a 2nd and 26 at their own 31. With 2:55 remaining, Snell took the snap and sought to create some magic, looking to find one of his speedy receivers downfield, but EW had dropped 7 into coverage and the passing lanes were closed. Snell let the ball fly as he rolled to his right and it was picked off by the EW secondary. The comeback was over and Edmonds-Woodway ran out the clock.

#21 Dashawn Alexander runs back the kickoff


Game Final - Edmonds-Woodway 20 / Shorewood 17

Some takeaways:
  • Shorewood held EW running back Cherry to 58 yards in the first half
  • In the first half - Snell was 8/10 for 191 yards and 2 touchdowns
  • This is the 7th game in a row where the Shorewood defense forced a turnover
  • The loss is the 10th straight to Edmonds-Woodway, but was the smallest margin in the series history going back to 1996
  • Shorewood sits at the number 2 spot in the WesCo South behind division leading Snohomish
  • Shorewood plays Marysville-Getchell next week, but the game will not impact their standing in the South Division win or lose
  • Shorewood will play in the week 9 crossover game against a North Division opponent - since Shorewood will be playing the North Division #2 - it will determine the 3rd and 4th place seeding for the week 10 State 3A Playoffs
  • If Shorewood wins the week 9 crossover game - they will play the Pierce County League #3 finisher on November 2nd or 3rd
  • If Shorewood loses the week 9 crossover game - they will play the KINGCO League #2 finisher on November 2nd or 3rd
  • At 4 league wins to date - Shorewood has more league wins in the WesCo than they did between 2013-2017
  • Season success is still on the horizon with 3 games remaining, Shorewood can still match their best season ever at 8-2 from 1977 if they win out
Next game -

Friday, October 19, 2018 - 7pm, Shoreline District Stadium - Shorewood Homecoming
Shorewood 5-2 vs. Marysville-Getchell 2-5



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Help count birds for science during Audubon’s Annual Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, December 17, 2022

Friday, December 9, 2022

The Pilchuck Audubon Society invites birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts to participate in the longest running community science survey – the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC). 

On Saturday, December 17, 2022 birders and bird-enthusiasts will take part in this century-long project once again.

“Over the past few years we’ve made an effort to increase the number of people counting the birds in their yards and at their feeders. This is really important as so much of our count area consists of residential areas. 
"To get the full picture of how many birds we have and of which species, we need to survey more than just our parks,” says Brian Zinke, Executive Director of the Pilchuck Audubon Society.

Birders of all ages are welcome to contribute to this fun, nationwide community science project, which provides scientists and conservationists with a crucial snapshot of our native bird populations during the winter months.


Areas 1 and 9S are in King county

The Edmonds/South Snohomish County CBC is performed in a count circle with a diameter of 15 miles that is centered near Martha Lake in Lynnwood. This circle includes south Snohomish cities (but not Woodway), part of north Shoreline, and a large portion of Lake Forest Park.

In 2021, 101 people participated by counting birds in their yards at 71 locations. This was in addition to the 96 people who participated on field teams surveying our parks, greenbelts, and other places birds congregate. The yard counters detected 3,039 birds belonging to 49 species. This accounted for 11% of the birds detected on the count.

The yard counters found 100% of the Band-tailed Pigeons, 71% of the Anna’s Hummingbirds, 80% of the Hairy Woodpeckers, 52% of the Chestnut-backed Chickadees, and 73% of the Townsend’s Warblers. 

Overall, the yard counters had a significant positive impact on the success of the count. Complete results of the 2021 Edmonds/South County CBC can be found on the Pilchuck Audubon website.

To participate by counting birds in your yard and/or at your feeders, please confirm that you live within the count circle using the zoomable map on the Pilchuck Audubon website

If you’d like to participate or have questions, please contact Brian Zinke at director@pilchuckaudubon.org.

Each year, the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count mobilizes over 75,000 volunteer bird counters in more than 2,500 locations across the Western Hemisphere. 

The Audubon Christmas Bird Count utilizes the power of volunteers to track the health of bird populations at a scale that scientists could never accomplish alone. 

Data compiled in the South Snohomish and Northern King County area will record every individual bird and bird species seen in a specified area, contributing to a vast community science network that continues a tradition stretching back more than 100 years.

To date, over 200 peer-reviewed articles have resulted from analysis done with Christmas Bird Count data. Bird-related community science efforts are also critical to understanding how birds are responding to a changing climate. 

This documentation is what enabled Audubon scientists to discover that 314 species of North American birds are threatened by climate change as reported in Audubon’s groundbreaking Survival by Degrees: 389 Bird Species on the Brink. The tradition of counting birds combined with modern technology and mapping is enabling researchers to make discoveries that were not possible in earlier decades.

For photos of local birds, check the For the Birds columns of Christine Southwick.


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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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For the Birds: Bird Food – or Not

Friday, July 3, 2020

American Goldfinches on black-oil sunflower seeds
Photo by Christine Southwick
By Christine Southwick

People sometimes ask me what foods to feed birds. I also tell them what not to offer.

Do you have shrubs and trees for your birds to rest, feed, and evade predators? Is your yard mostly open, mixed shading, or heavily shaded with branches? This will determine the answer to the next question.

Which birds do you have, and which birds do you hope to invite?

The universal food for the most species of local birds is black oil sunflower seeds, unshelled or shelled.

Seed mixes draw in other species and will add extra nutrients that can help spring nesting birds and winter-time survival. They often need different feeders, but variety provides more places to feed.

Hairy Woodpecker female juvenile
(aged by red on top of head)
Photo by Craig Kerns

I always provide suet, year-round to help the birds with high protein food. Suet will bring in woodpeckers, plus you will be able to watch chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches cling to the suet holders while chomping away. 

In the summer one can buy suet that is no-melt.

There is also suet that has hot pepper that squirrels avoid.

Many people want American Goldfinches to come to their yards, and they go buy niger (thistle) seed, and then are disappointed when the goldfinches never come.

If your yard has heavy shade you probably won’t get goldfinches, no matter what food you offer.

American Goldfinches prefer open fields and shrubs but will feed from feeders that are out in the open, once they find it.

 Niger seed often spoils here in the Puget Sound area, due to all the rain and damp mornings.

Cedar Waxwing on serviceberry tree
stock photo
Cedar Waxwings love Serviceberry trees, and Black-headed Grosbeaks like grape jelly and orange slices. If you put out apple slices, take out the seeds-they have cyanide.

If you want to feed the ducks feed them cracked corn, NOT bread.

Bread doesn’t provide any nutrients— it just makes ducks and birds come close to you.

Shoreline Parks (and other parks in this area) do not permit the feeding of waterfowl and other animals due to leftover food bringing in varmints - plus it is not healthy for wildlife.

House Finch on seed mix
Photo by Craig Kerns
Fruiting native shrubs and trees will bring in birds and help compensate for the major loss of suitable habitat for migrating and resident birds and these plantings help pollinators too.

Moving water will also bring in birds for much needed drinks and baths.





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Backyard Birds: Winter food for the smallest of our feathered friends

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Juvenile female Anna's Hummingbird.
Photo by Patty Hale, November 2011

By Patty Hale

When the weather outside is frightful, smart folks bundle up. The even smarter ones head inside where it is warm and dry. While you are nice and toasty, there are many who must remain out in the weather singing the refrain, “Baby, its cold outside.”

The Anna’s Hummingbird which spends the winter in our area may need to depend on humans for its survival during this time of year. Please remember to keep fresh nectar in feeders. You can bring them in overnight if the temperatures remain below freezing, but just be sure to remember to get them back outside before dawn.

It is a good idea to have a couple of extra feeders on hand to rotate, so that there is always nectar available. When it is really cold, make sure there are two full liquid feeders, just in case.

If you have hummers at your feeders now, please do not stop feeding them. These little guys can not afford the extra energy expense looking for other food sources. They will perish in the process.


 “Female Anna’s Hummingbird” in winter.
Photo by Patty Hale, December 2008

The following information from About.com should help you in your efforts.

Classic Hummingbird Nectar Recipe
  • Combine one part white sugar and four parts water.
  • Heat the solution for 1-2 minutes to help the sugar dissolve and slow fermentation.
  • Allow the solution to cool completely before filling feeders.

Nectar Recipe Tips

Do not use honey, brown sugar, molasses or artificial sugar substitutes for any hummingbird nectar recipe. Honey and molasses (brown sugar contains molasses products) are too heavy for hummingbirds to digest efficiently and can ferment more quickly, creating a mold that is fatal to hummingbirds. Sugar substitutes do not have the caloric energy that hummingbirds need for energy.

While boiling will help slow the fermentation of the nectar initially, the nectar in hummingbird feeders is contaminated as soon as it is sipped by a bird. Therefore, it is not necessary to boil the nectar once the sugar has been dissolved.

The ratio of sugar and water can be slightly adjusted, but a solution that is too sweet will be difficult for the birds to digest and one that does not contain enough sugar will not be suitable to attract hummingbirds. The 4:1 water to sugar ratio most closely approximates the sucrose levels in natural nectar.

Hummingbird nectar must be completely cool before filling feeders. Hot nectar can warp or crack both glass and plastic hummingbird feeders and warm nectar will ferment more quickly.

Unused hummingbird nectar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. When making your own nectar, adjust the recipe quantity to only make enough for one week to eliminate waste.

Clean hummingbird feeders at least once a week and refill them with fresh nectar.

To Dye or Not to Dye
The use of red dye in hummingbird nectar recipes is a controversial issue. In the 1970’s some red dyes were found to be toxic. Today, red dyes found in food coloring and commercial hummingbird nectar are safe for both human and animal consumption, but the color is not necessary to attract the birds.

Many hummingbird feeders have red bases, feeding ports or other accents that will attract the birds without risking the use of unessential dyes. If you want to use red to attract more hummingbirds to your feeders, consider planting red flowers nearby to help catch the birds’ attention.



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For the Birds: Birds gotta sing

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Oregon Junco nestlings about two days old
They left by seven days
Photo by K. Wennstrom


Birds gotta sing--babies gotta learn…

By Christine Southwick

When I walk in my yard I hear lots of baby birds babbling. It is not the peeping sound that they make in the nest. Fledglings start out with almost a crying, insistent, “Feed Me”. Then they go into a babbling, learning bird-talk kind of sound. Babies learn by listening and mimicking the local male(s). Studies have shown that Song Sparrow youngsters (and probably other species) who heard two competing males learned faster, and had a local dialect. Like human babies, sometimes they get their song wrong.

Spotted Towhee male with young fledgling he just fed.
Photo by Christine Southwick

There are two basic types of sounds birds make: call notes, and songs.

Call notes are usually short: chips, clicks, piks, etc., and include their alarm calls. The chips or single notes are used to maintain contact with other flock/family members — the constant chatter of a foraging flock of bushtits is an excellent example. Alarm calls are not used to defend territory.  They are used to alert the birds within their territory of impending danger: hawks, cats, corvids, humans…

Our local chickadees only have one song, but they have a variety of calls that are used to convey info: the familiar “chickadee dee dee” can be both a contact call, or if delivered rapidly and repeatedly, an alarm call. The “fee bee” one hears in the spring has to do with courting and nesting.  And they have a quiet call just before they reach the nest.

Older Spotted Towhee fledgling feeding self
Photo by Christine Southwick

Songs are longer, with repeatable notes and melodies.  These are used to defend a territory or to attract a mate. Usually only males sing, although with some North American species, like the Northern Cardinals, both males and females sing.

Amazingly, the Cedar Waxwing has no discernible song — only high call notes. At the far end of the spectrum, Gray Catbirds have approximately 400 songs.

Female Spotted Towhee calling
Photo by Christine Southwick

There are clear notes, whistles, warbles, trills, and combinations. Additionally there are differences in pitch that make some birds easier to ID than others. For me, the Olive-sided Flycatcher has a distinctive pitch that allows me to identify it just from a call note, even before its “Quick, three beers”. And volume also is important. Did you know that the Pacific Wren (AKA Winter Wren) has ten times more volume than a crowing rooster?

Recently it has been found that baby birds and baby humans share the same gene type for learning language.  Maybe that is why birds and humans are known as “singing species.” (From the mouths of babes and birds: clues to language)

Christine Southwick is a Board member of the Puget Sound Bird Observatory and is their Winter Urban Color-banding Project Manager. She has completed the 40-hour class to become a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat Steward.

For previous For the Birds columns, click the link under the Features section on the main webpage.




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For the Birds: Little Brown Jobs

Monday, May 29, 2017

Savannah Sparrow
Photo by John Riegsecker

Little Brown Jobs                                 
by Christine Southwick

In the bird world, there are lots of brown-colored birds. These birds are usually briefly seen on or near the ground, making it hard to identify them without longer observation. Consequently many people in the birding community call these birds, “little brown job-ies”, or LJB’s.

Why so many brown, either striped or spotted brown birds do you ask?

Lincoln's Sparrow Photo by Barry Ulman
Camouflage! Most of our brown birds skulk in grasses or under bushes — where they blend right into the background.

Song Sparrows are the quintessential local, year-round brown bird, and if your yard has bushes, you probably have some.

Shoreline has many others:
Savannah Sparrows, Lincoln Sparrows, House Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows, Golden-crowned Sparrows, Swainson’s Thrushes, and Hermit Thrushes.

Most of these either just pass through during migration, or are commonly seen only in the summer. Our wintry-local Fox Sparrows are the darker Sooty Fox Sparrows which helps them blend into the darker brushy understory that they prefer.

Chipping Sparrow Photo by Jane Hadley

Most fledgling ground birds start out stripy-brown to help their survival odds: Spotted Towhees, Dark-eyed Juncos, White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows can all be hard to distinguish one species from another until they start getting their first-winter body feathers.

They all have stripy breasts, are smaller than robins, and don’t look like their adults.

So how does a person learn to identify one from another?

First thing to do is look at bird books. There are lots of good bird-ID books. For beginners, I recommend local regional books.

Juvie Dark-eyed Junco
Photo by Christine Southwick
It is too confusing to look for a bird that you thought you saw, and then look at the map for that bird, and find that it is usually east of the Mississippi River.


That being said, I still recommend Kaufman’s Field Guide to the Birds of North America for beginners — lots of great beginner tips.

Sibley Guide to Western Birds may be all you need for the western United States, but if you become like most birders, you will keep looking for that next book, that potentially favorite one.

There are several books about local birds, and the best place to find that book that suits you is either the Seattle Audubon store on 35th NE, or Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park.

The best lure for birds is dripping water. To keep them healthy, make sure you are not using pesticides or herbicides — poisoned bugs and plants will kill yard birds and their babies too.


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Ask the Bird Lady: Northern Flickers have taken up residence in my attic

Friday, January 20, 2017

Northern Flicker eating
suet from a feeder
Photo by Christine Southwick
Reader Melissa asks:

I have a problem and I could use some advice. The Northern Flickers have drilled holes in two of the eaves at the back of the house and they are living in the attic. They actually appear to be neat tenants and they seem to be keeping the other riff raff out, but they make a bit of noise and I'm not sure how much mess baby woodpecker's will make.

Would you just call a pest removal company?

I thought about buying two woodpecker houses and hanging them over the holes but I need a two story ladder.

Not sure what to do - I want to be humane so I think I need to do something before egg laying season....  Any thoughts?

Bird Lady Chris Southwick replies:

Thanks, Melissa for asking me. I do have a couple of suggestions.

First off, these flickers should not be eliminated. They are considered an indicator species by the National Forest Management Act, meaning that they are a bird that other species depend upon and can be watched to determine the health of a forest, and forest edges.

They are a primary cavity nester that other wildlife depend upon for their habitat needs.

First, the reason that the flickers have used the eaves is that the trees they need, their habitat, keeps shrinking.

Northern Flicker in bird bath
Photo by Christine Southwick
Every time a large tree is cut down, there are fewer places for the woodpeckers to roost and nest, and also for the smaller birds (like chickadees, wrens, bluebirds, swallows, kestrels, owls, even squirrels) that use the last years' holes for their nesting and getting out of the cold/wet winter weather.

Snags can be made out of any tree that seems dangerous, and by creating snags you can create/save nesting holes, storage areas for food, feeding perches, communication centers for birds, and many other uses that we as humans overlook.

Besides, it is easy to see fun birds, like brown creepers, nuthatches, several different woodpeckers, and other birds, on the trunk of a snag.  It is also easy to see the chickadees, wrens and other cavity nesters that take advantage of the woodpecker cavities.

So, that being said, putting up nest boxes for the flickers is a great idea. They would not be using your house if there were good alternatives. Ideally, I would put one up in the eave, blocking the hole they use the most, and fill the other hole with crumpled newspaper  (Don't ask me why, but crumpled newspaper deters all birds -- starlings, house sparrows, etc. -- I know it works).

If you can afford it, I would also put another nest box, facing the same direction as the holes in your eaves, on another close by LARGE tree.

If the tree is large enough, you could actually block both holes, and have them move into the nest box. Buy at either Wild Birds Unlimited in Lake Forest Park, or the Seattle Audubon Nature Store, or build your own (WDFW has plans).

Follow the directions, and remember to put some wood chips in the nest box (if you almost fill it up, starlings are less apt to use the box.

Here's some more info:




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For the Birds: White-crowned Sparrow—the serenader of parking lots

Monday, May 7, 2012


Puget Sound White-crowned sparrow (PSWS)
Photo by Whitney Hartshorne
By Christine Southwick

In April and May, parking lots are a place of serenading beauty:  one long note, followed by several trilled notes. The White-crowned Sparrow males are claiming territory, each loudly vying for a mate.  Since this species likes open spaces, it has adapted well to human expansion, often being heard in city centers that have trees and shrubs. In the Puget Sound area White-crowned Sparrows are here year-round.  Most are migratory, so like the American Robins, the ones we see in the summer probably are not the same ones we see in the winter.

The female will make her nest near the ground, in low shrubs, even in plants in garden nurseries.  All a seasonally monogamous pair needs is sufficient cover for the nest, and a nearby perch for observation.  The 3-5 nestlings will hop out of the nest 7-10 days after hatching, long before they can fly, since ground nests are so vulnerable to predators. Both parents feed their young, with the male often feeding them exclusively if the female sits on a second brood.

This nest was built in a Shoreline plant nursery on Aurora.
The owners sacrificed a tray of flowers so the birds would not be disturbed during nesting.
Photo by Christine Southwick

Here in the Puget Sound area, the sub-species that breeds here is named the Puget Sound White-crowned Sparrow.  You can tell it from the other subspecies by its yellow, not orange, bill, and the back pattern has blackish centers with tan edges. There is a difference in the song too, but I haven’t learned to distinguish between the Puget Sound White-crowned Sparrow and the Gambel’s with any accuracy yet. The Gambel’s White-crowned Sparrow passes through this area in the winter on its way to California. In the spring and summer, if you see a White-crowned Sparrow in western Washington, it will be a Puget Sound White-crowned Sparrow, with very few exceptions.

Parents watching over the nest
Photo by Christine Southwick
During breeding, white-crowned stay in pairs, in the winter they flock as they roam around looking for seeds in weedy patches.  This is another sparrow that has learned to use blackberry brambles for food and winter shelter.

So next time you are shopping, and you hear a long note followed by several others, look at the parking lot trees, or lamp posts.  Chances are you will spot the White-crowned Sparrow in plain view, who is serenading the area, and you will find that you step a little lighter due to music in the parking lot.

Christine Southwick is on the Board of the Puget Sound Bird Observatory and is their Winter Urban Color-banding Project Manager. She is a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat Steward, having completed their forty hour class. We're happy that she is sharing her expertise with us about the birds in our backyards.


For previous For the Birds columns, click on the link under the Features section on the main webpage.





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