Date: 4/18/21 11:37 am From: Pamela Moyer <silvereagle...> Subject: RE: [birders] Birding in the thumb
Fish point has a very clearly seen observation deck on the right side of Ringle Road. You can go on the deck, its open to the public and you can see forever, the birds will fly over you there, its awesome!
Happy birding!!
Pam SW Tuscola County
-----Original Message-----
From: Patricia Burden <tallerpat526...>
Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2021 12:47 AM
To: MiBirders <birders...>
Subject: [birders] Birding in the thumb
Hello all,
I want to take a day trip up into the Thumb sometime very soon. This request sounds pretty funny coming from someone who lives only an hour and a quarter from Port Austin, but I really haven't done much birding in the northern or western part of the thumb. That being said, I can't go anywhere that would require miles of hiking due to some bad back pain. So where are your best suggestions? And if you just say something like Fish Point, that doesn't help me since I don't know that area at all and haven't been there before.
I do have the Birding Michigan book and I will be checking that out, but if you have favorite or recommended places, I would love to hear about them.
Thanks!
Pat Burden
Melvin & Yale, MI
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/00af01d73481%24dd6b6ef0%2498424cd0%<24...>
I saw a junco today, but I had far far fewer juncos and tree sparrows,
both, this past winter than any time in the 30+ years that I have been
feeding the birds at this location (a bit west of Ann Arbor).
I'm guessing that climate change has meant that they didn't have to
fly as far south to find suitable habitat
On Sat, Apr 17, 2021 at 2:58 PM Lisa Lava-Kellar <lisalk...> wrote:
>
> Gosh, I haven't had any for about 3 weeks. And this year, for some reason, there are far fewer birds of most species visiting the feeders. Has anyone else noticed this?
>
> On Sat, Apr 17, 2021 at 1:02 PM <ibblazin...> wrote:
>>
>> And I still have two hanging around in Canton.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Caren <caren.shoemaker...>
>> Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2021 11:13 AM
>> To: Michael Parow <mlparow...>
>> Cc: <birders...>
>> Subject: Re: [birders] Junco Watch
>>
>> I still have a small flock in Holland
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> > On Apr 17, 2021, at 11:01 AM, Michael Parow <mlparow...> wrote:
>> >
>> > Since people have been interested in this, I still have 4 Juncos coming to my feeders in Pittsfield Township near State and Textile this morning. —mike
>> >
>> > --
>> > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> > ---
>> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<0CF9A6D8-0947-49EE-B88E-C4320867B8FC...> >>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DA3A8E0A-1B43-4DE9-ACD7-CB587D63566F...> >>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/007f01d733ab%2459da1e50%240d8e5af0%<24...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAKTXQU8z4Zq1h4pY1dHHdLbSGubm_SjdT%<3Dnrt2iB-iusnBnV8A...>
Date: 4/17/21 9:46 pm From: Patricia Burden <tallerpat526...> Subject: [birders] Birding in the thumb
Hello all, I want to take a day trip up into the Thumb sometime very soon. This request sounds pretty funny coming from someone who lives only an hour and a quarter from Port Austin, but I really haven't done much birding in the northern or western part of the thumb. That being said, I can't go anywhere that would require miles of hiking due to some bad back pain. So where are your best suggestions? And if you just say something like Fish Point, that doesn't help me since I don't know that area at all and haven't been there before. I do have the Birding Michigan book and I will be checking that out, but if you have favorite or recommended places, I would love to hear about them. Thanks! Pat Burden Melvin & Yale, MI
Date: 4/17/21 4:52 pm From: Eve Wilson <evew...> Subject: Re: [birders] Junco Watch
I’ve had juncos daily here in SE Ann Arbor continuing today
Eve Wilson
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 17, 2021, at 7:50 PM, jersadowsk via Birders <birders...> wrote:
One Junco in Lincoln Park this morning.
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Parow <mlparow...>
To: <birders...>
Sent: Sat, Apr 17, 2021 11:01 am
Subject: [birders] Junco Watch
Since people have been interested in this, I still have 4 Juncos coming to my feeders in Pittsfield Township near State and Textile this morning. —mike
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<D6D0EC8E-39AB-47B7-A2E5-2DCAD9FD24EA...>
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Parow <mlparow...>
To: <birders...>
Sent: Sat, Apr 17, 2021 11:01 am
Subject: [birders] Junco Watch
Since people have been interested in this, I still have 4 Juncos coming to my feeders in Pittsfield Township near State and Textile this morning. —mike
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<0CF9A6D8-0947-49EE-B88E-C4320867B8FC...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1296722819.2252094.1618703431503...>
When the first post came through that the juncos had left, I noticed that our usual flock was indeed gone. But the past couple of days, I've seen one junco pecking around the yard, so I'm guessing this one may be passing through. Either that, or one just doesn't want to leave..... -- Rosie Lemons <rmlemons...>
Date: 4/17/21 11:58 am From: Lisa Lava-Kellar <lisalk...> Subject: Re: [birders] Junco Watch
Gosh, I haven't had any for about 3 weeks. And this year, for some reason,
there are far fewer birds of most species visiting the feeders. Has anyone
else noticed this?
On Sat, Apr 17, 2021 at 1:02 PM <ibblazin...> wrote:
> And I still have two hanging around in Canton.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Caren <caren.shoemaker...>
> Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2021 11:13 AM
> To: Michael Parow <mlparow...>
> Cc: <birders...>
> Subject: Re: [birders] Junco Watch
>
> I still have a small flock in Holland
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Apr 17, 2021, at 11:01 AM, Michael Parow <mlparow...> wrote:
> >
> > Since people have been interested in this, I still have 4 Juncos coming
> to my feeders in Pittsfield Township near State and Textile this morning.
> —mike
> >
> > --
> > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> > ---
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Birders" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> > To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<0CF9A6D8-0947-49EE-B88E-C4320867B8FC...> > .
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DA3A8E0A-1B43-4DE9-ACD7-CB587D63566F...> > .
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/007f01d733ab%2459da1e50%240d8e5af0%<24...> > .
>
-----Original Message-----
From: Caren <caren.shoemaker...>
Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2021 11:13 AM
To: Michael Parow <mlparow...>
Cc: <birders...>
Subject: Re: [birders] Junco Watch
I still have a small flock in Holland
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 17, 2021, at 11:01 AM, Michael Parow <mlparow...> wrote:
>
> Since people have been interested in this, I still have 4 Juncos coming to my feeders in Pittsfield Township near State and Textile this morning. —mike
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<0CF9A6D8-0947-49EE-B88E-C4320867B8FC...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DA3A8E0A-1B43-4DE9-ACD7-CB587D63566F...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/007f01d733ab%2459da1e50%240d8e5af0%<24...>
> On Apr 17, 2021, at 11:01 AM, Michael Parow <mlparow...> wrote:
>
> Since people have been interested in this, I still have 4 Juncos coming to my feeders in Pittsfield Township near State and Textile this morning. —mike
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<0CF9A6D8-0947-49EE-B88E-C4320867B8FC...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DA3A8E0A-1B43-4DE9-ACD7-CB587D63566F...>
Date: 4/17/21 8:01 am From: Michael Parow <mlparow...> Subject: [birders] Junco Watch
Since people have been interested in this, I still have 4 Juncos coming to my feeders in Pittsfield Township near State and Textile this morning. —mike
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<0CF9A6D8-0947-49EE-B88E-C4320867B8FC...>
Date: 4/17/21 7:38 am From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> Subject: Re: [birders] Re: OT- article on bird migration and climate change
John,
This is a very confusing article. It appears to be a mash-up of opinions and uncited scientific references that run the gamut from spring arrivals to breeding season food sources to fall migration. It completely fails to explain anything to me. It cites a study published in the Journal of Avian Biology which uses bird banding data from some friends of mine in Kalamazoo. But their data (and the article) discusses fall migration stopover and refueling sites, while the Capital News Service article presumes to suggest this somehow relates to earlier spring migration linked to climate change. There is a reference (not cited) to a study that was published in The Auk in 2012 showing that Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are arriving earlier in the spring now than they did in the early 1900s. This paper DID correlate this change over more than 100 years to climate change. But there is a reference to a mis-match of hummingbird's food sources and their migrations. But the reality is that the majority of flowers that hummingbirds depend on bloom during their breeding season, not during spring migration. There is a vague reference to mis-matched nsect emergence timing, without citing sources, which likely refers to a well-known study in Europe where insects that some songbirds depend on to feed their young early in the breeding season (again, not during migration) are emerging earlier so they are not available when the birds begin nesting. The spring arrivals of some European songbirds has also shifted earlier, but not at the same pace as insect emergence, which is the real problem with climate change...not the timing of the birds, but the faster change in the insects. Spring migration of many songbirds is still based on hormonal changes for migration initiation. Weather only changes the pace of migration, and is not not the trigger, and I know of no study that addresses this. Certainly the cited paper in Journal of Avian Biology does not appear to address this or correlates it to climate change. There are other things mentioned in the Capital News Service article that are unrelated to spring migration, or even climate change. Overall it is a confusing mess that explains nothing to me in any convincing way.
Date: 4/17/21 7:17 am From: WayneF <waynef...> Subject: Re: [birders] Re: OT- article on bird migration and climate change
My theory is that birds start migration based on calendar but finish based on temperature. As they get close to the breeding ground, they linger if temperatures are low. So spring birding here is poor in warm springs, because they birds are rushing through.
If there are a series of warm years, as in climate change, they can learn (or evolve) to start earlier.
Wayne
> On Apr 16, 2021, at 10:37 PM, Patrick Baize <pkbaize...> wrote:
>
>
> I've been birding almost my entire life and all I'll say about that is it's been a long! I was always of the understanding that bird migration was always set by the length of daylight, that was the key for starting the migration north. There is absolutely no way that birds that have traveled into the far reaches of South America have the slightest clue as to what the temperatures are in the nesting grounds of Canada. Am I wrong in thinking that it's length of day as opposed to temperatures?
>
> Pat B. Howell, Michigan
>
>
> On Friday, April 16, 2021, 08:52:26 PM EDT, 'John Gannon' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>
>
> FYI,
> John
> Dexter Twp.
>
> https://greatlakesecho.org/2021/04/16/changes-in-migratory-bird-patterns-likely-caused-by-climate-change-study-finds/ >
>
>
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<9A3B1A9F-67B1-4731-B326-E88B037415BF...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1548229830.3066176.1618620736921...> > .
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<797185938.3256618.1618627050798...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<FC09332F-6663-4C3E-A8F2-D91A9E777BDD...>
Date: 4/16/21 7:37 pm From: Patrick Baize <pkbaize...> Subject: Re: [birders] Re: OT- article on bird migration and climate change
I've been birding almost my entire life and all I'll say about that is it's been a long! I was always of the understanding that bird migration was always set by the length of daylight, that was the key for starting the migration north. There is absolutely no way that birds that have traveled into the far reaches of South America have the slightest clue as to what the temperatures are in the nesting grounds of Canada. Am I wrong in thinking that it's length of day as opposed to temperatures?
Pat B. Howell, Michigan
On Friday, April 16, 2021, 08:52:26 PM EDT, 'John Gannon' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<9A3B1A9F-67B1-4731-B326-E88B037415BF...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1548229830.3066176.1618620736921...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<797185938.3256618.1618627050798...>
Date: 4/16/21 6:08 pm From: Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> Subject: [birders] (OT) Conservancy Farm - Garden Plots Available
Sandhill Cranes. Bluebirds. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Bobolinks. Meadowlarks. Henslow's Sparrows. These are just a few of the many bird species which birders come to the Conservancy Farm to see. If you'd like to be able to enhance that experience, we now have a few garden plots which are available at the Community Organic Garden.
Plots at the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy's Community Organic Garden are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A full plot is 20'x20', and half-plots (10'x20') are also available. Suggested donation is $30/plot.
The Community Organic Garden is a great place to grow your own veggies in a wonderful setting. The Conservancy Farm is located in Superior Township amidst over 1,000 acres of protected nature preserves and farmland, so there is always a great chance to view wildlife. Contact me by email if you might be interested in a garden plot. Additional information is available on SMLC's website at www.smlcland.org . Spring is here--make sure to get out and enjoy it!
Jack Smiley Volunteer Garden Coordinator SMLC Community Organic Garden
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<9A3B1A9F-67B1-4731-B326-E88B037415BF...>
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1548229830.3066176.1618620736921...>
On Thu, Apr 15, 2021 at 6:53 PM 'Maryse Brouwers' via Birders <
<birders...> wrote:
>
> A friend took this photo in Santa Fe, NM. He claims it’s a “yellow house
> finch”... I first leaned toward Goldfinch but am mystified by the sharply
> delineated brown neck and what may be a white eye ring (or a leaf...).
> Suggestions? Thanks
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<6E16B7D9-5874-4648-91BF-2FD30C95907B...> > .
>
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<6E16B7D9-5874-4648-91BF-2FD30C95907B...> > .
>
Date: 4/15/21 3:53 pm From: 'Maryse Brouwers' via Birders <birders...> Subject: [birders] ID help, lousy photo
A friend took this photo in Santa Fe, NM. He claims it’s a “yellow house finch”... I first leaned toward Goldfinch but am mystified by the sharply delineated brown neck and what may be a white eye ring (or a leaf...). Suggestions? Thanks
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<6E16B7D9-5874-4648-91BF-2FD30C95907B...>
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<6E16B7D9-5874-4648-91BF-2FD30C95907B...>
Any ideas of why they are so late this year relative to other years? Even with a good dose of warming weather?
Dody Wyman
Manchester
On Apr 14, 2021, at 7:38 PM, Patrick Baize <pkbaize...> wrote:
Good to know I'll be start monitoring my 14 box bluebird trail this weekend
Pat B. Howell, Michigan
On Wednesday, April 14, 2021, 05:47:32 PM EDT, Dody <dody...> wrote:
Today we discovered one bluebird egg in one of our eight bird boxes… whew! We haven’t seen any bluebirds this year where we usually have three nests by now.
Tree swallows are swarming around and investigating the other boxes. They are always welcome here, but we’re thrilled to have one bluebird nest this year!
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<8D91C5EA-DD34-4510-95DA-D9D32EBF1397...>
Today we discovered one bluebird egg in one of our eight bird boxes… whew! We haven’t seen any bluebirds this year where we usually have three nests by now.
Tree swallows are swarming around and investigating the other boxes. They are always welcome here, but we’re thrilled to have one bluebird nest this year!
Dody Wyman
Manchester area
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<9A3B1A9F-67B1-4731-B326-E88B037415BF...>
Join us for the Oakland Audubon Society's meeting and a program titled "Hawk Watching: A Novice-friendly Hawk Identification Experience" presented by Robert Pettit. Hawk watching is a thrilling type of birdwatching. Learn to identify hawks (birds-of-prey) in flight during their fall migration. This program highlights using binoculars, recognizing hawk types, learning flight characteristics, discovering flight ID clues, and comprehending migration mechanics. Learn how raptors behave in flight and hear about the raptor migration experience. Everyone is invited to attend, you do not have to be a member to participate.
One tap mobile +16465588656,,88123730785#,,,,*882652# US (New York) +13017158592,,88123730785#,,,,*882652# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 881 2373 0785 Passcode: 882652 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kGnIibhT8
Date: 4/12/21 2:54 pm From: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> Subject: [birders] Junco Watch...plus a rarely heard Barred Owl - both from near the Washtenaw/Monroe County line
A lone Junco under the feeders just minutes ago and the Barred Owl calls around 3:00 AM this morning - only the second time in 22 years that we've heard one call from the Saline River woodland behind our house.
JF, Petersburg Rd., Milan, MI
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72fe6%2463b10c90%242b1325b0%<24...>
Date: 4/12/21 10:12 am From: LaHaie, Ivan <Ivan.LaHaie...> Subject: [birders] FOY
Eastern towhees, eastern meadowlarks, and brown thrashers along the driveway easement the last three days. Meadowlarks have been around for a couple of weeks. Also field and chipping sparrows.
Also, as re: the junco post, I still have quite a few juncos in the yard, woods, and easement around the house.
Ivan Prospect Hill S. of Easudes
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<SN7PR18MB3967E4784CECC96F4B3DDDA99E709...>
Date: 4/12/21 9:56 am From: Lee Green <greenla...> Subject: Re: [birders] Junco Watch
The juncos started showing up in our yard here in Edmonton, Alberta about a week ago. (They’re summer birds up here.) They’re singing on territory already.
Lee A. Green, MD MPH
Professor Emeritus
Family Medicine
University of Michigan
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<5ED7E74C-058E-437C-B698-32D1D6FCBEAC...>
Date: 4/12/21 9:54 am From: April Campbell <adc14...> Subject: Re: [birders] Junco Watch
I still have them.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 12, 2021, at 12:51 PM, Diana Kern <dlkaamitwin...> wrote:
>
>
> Today is the first day I have not seen a Junco in either my yard in Ann Arbor or at my office in Scio Township. Not sure if they have fully moved north but no spotting at all today.
> Have A Great Day,
> Diana
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAB3jBLcaZxi58izTGGxDCh44-rnHaGYZbq%<2B5MzYnVbivSgbJFw...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<7D2517DE-F530-4A50-B394-1B3FFC5E3066...>
Date: 4/12/21 9:52 am From: The Seeker <the_seeker11...> Subject: [birders] First of year - Goldfinches
Two Goldfinches ( Male & female) showed up on my deck this morning for the first time this year.
P.S. Juncoes have left a few days ago.
M. Needham
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<884209733.640982.1618246328894...>
Today is the first day I have not seen a Junco in either my yard in Ann Arbor or at my office in Scio Township. Not sure if they have fully moved north but no spotting at all today. *Have A Great Day,* *Diana *
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<2146588447.183919.1618244666712...>
Date: 4/11/21 5:45 am From: 'Penny Swanson' via Birders <birders...> Subject: [birders] Lake St. Clair
A dozen or so double crested cormorants, numbers continuing to climb, and a Forster’s tern yesterday on coves along the lake. 30 or so common mergansers remaining fairly constant.plus the usual mallards and CA geese.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<73DA01B1-3E7C-4571-9FF7-E685995156E0...>
We still have good size flocks here in south Holland!!
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 11, 2021, at 8:42 AM, Warren & Sue <wsfaust...> wrote:
>
>
> Our feeder here in NE Ann Arbor has had a single Junco on 4/06 and on 4/10; we have had very few of them this past winter.
> There are still 2 Tree Sparrows here this morning (4/11).
>
> From: Anna walker [mailto:<awmtngal...>]
> Sent: Saturday, April 10, 2021 5:44 PM
> To: John Gannon
> Cc: Jack Smiley; birders Birders
> Subject: Re: [birders] Junco Watch
>
> Me too here in Hartland- 2 today-recent days up to 5!
> Anna
> Hartland
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>
> On Apr 10, 2021, at 4:52 PM, 'John Gannon' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>
> Still 5 this morning but in contrast to in the teens most of the winter. The last of the tree sparrows last seen a week ago.
> John
> Dexter Twp.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Apr 9, 2021, at 11:03 PM, Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> wrote:
>
> Today was the first day that I didn't see any Juncos in my yard. Is anyone still seeing any Juncos?
>
> They sure are cute little birds, but I won't miss the winter weather that they accompany!
>
> Jack Smiley
> Superior Township
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAJpB0PV0Cm65Usf_wdPBpPNWeXeSs7F9WkMHDFcw-iFDioWi%<3Dg...> > --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<281B874D-894B-42BA-A69F-4A78E323289F...> > --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CB855640-75EE-4FED-86E7-E0871A04031A...> > --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000301d72ed0%242b63e040%24822ba0c0%<24...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<74B3C097-A38F-4B92-A6E2-8BC3EE8CC505...>
Date: 4/11/21 5:42 am From: Warren & Sue <wsfaust...> Subject: RE: [birders] Junco Watch
Our feeder here in NE Ann Arbor has had a single Junco on 4/06 and on 4/10; we have had very few of them this past winter.
There are still 2 Tree Sparrows here this morning (4/11).
From: Anna walker [mailto:<awmtngal...>]
Sent: Saturday, April 10, 2021 5:44 PM
To: John Gannon
Cc: Jack Smiley; birders Birders
Subject: Re: [birders] Junco Watch
Me too here in Hartland- 2 today-recent days up to 5!
Anna
Hartland
Sent from my iPad
On Apr 10, 2021, at 4:52 PM, 'John Gannon' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
Still 5 this morning but in contrast to in the teens most of the winter. The last of the tree sparrows last seen a week ago.
John
Dexter Twp.
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 9, 2021, at 11:03 PM, Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> wrote:
Today was the first day that I didn't see any Juncos in my yard. Is anyone still seeing any Juncos?
They sure are cute little birds, but I won't miss the winter weather that they accompany!
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000301d72ed0%242b63e040%24822ba0c0%<24...>
Join us for the Oakland Audubon Society's meeting and a program titled "Hawk Watching: A Novice-friendly Hawk Identification Experience" presented by Robert Pettit. Hawk watching is a thrilling type of birdwatching. Learn to identify hawks (birds-of-prey) in flight during their fall migration. This program highlights using binoculars, recognizing hawk types, learning flight characteristics, discovering flight ID clues, and comprehending migration mechanics. Learn how raptors behave in flight and hear about the raptor migration experience. Become skilled in their identification, learn about their migration, beauty, and role in ecosystems. Complete your learning experience by visiting a hawk watch site to try out your newly learned skills. Everyone is invited to attend, you do not have to be a member to participate.
One tap mobile +16465588656,,88123730785#,,,,*882652# US (New York) +13017158592,,88123730785#,,,,*882652# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 881 2373 0785 Passcode: 882652 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kGnIibhT8
Me too here in Hartland- 2 today-recent days up to 5!
Anna
Hartland
Sent from my iPad
> On Apr 10, 2021, at 4:52 PM, 'John Gannon' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>
> Still 5 this morning but in contrast to in the teens most of the winter. The last of the tree sparrows last seen a week ago.
> John
> Dexter Twp.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Apr 9, 2021, at 11:03 PM, Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> wrote:
>>
>> Today was the first day that I didn't see any Juncos in my yard. Is anyone still seeing any Juncos?
>>
>> They sure are cute little birds, but I won't miss the winter weather that they accompany!
>>
>> Jack Smiley
>> Superior Township
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAJpB0PV0Cm65Usf_wdPBpPNWeXeSs7F9WkMHDFcw-iFDioWi%<3Dg...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<281B874D-894B-42BA-A69F-4A78E323289F...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CB855640-75EE-4FED-86E7-E0871A04031A...>
Still 5 this morning but in contrast to in the teens most of the winter. The last of the tree sparrows last seen a week ago. John Dexter Twp.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 9, 2021, at 11:03 PM, Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> wrote: > > Today was the first day that I didn't see any Juncos in my yard. Is anyone still seeing any Juncos? > > They sure are cute little birds, but I won't miss the winter weather that they accompany! > > Jack Smiley > Superior Township > -- > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAJpB0PV0Cm65Usf_wdPBpPNWeXeSs7F9WkMHDFcw-iFDioWi%<3Dg...>
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<281B874D-894B-42BA-A69F-4A78E323289F...>
> On Apr 10, 2021, at 2:32 PM, Dave Mendus <dmendus1528...> wrote:
>
>
> Still have Junco's here in Wyandotte this morning.
>
> Dave
>
>> On Fri, Apr 9, 2021, 11:03 PM Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> wrote:
>> Today was the first day that I didn't see any Juncos in my yard. Is anyone still seeing any Juncos?
>>
>> They sure are cute little birds, but I won't miss the winter weather that they accompany!
>>
>> Jack Smiley
>> Superior Township
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAJpB0PV0Cm65Usf_wdPBpPNWeXeSs7F9WkMHDFcw-iFDioWi%<3Dg...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAPeXbgKU0sB_wEHuFT%2BNgHSgsqJyyWuuE2fRyF%<3Dab2iOKukO9Q...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<439A6C16-0CD6-4DE6-ACE9-8C81040DB5C7...>
On Friday, April 9, 2021, 11:03:18 PM EDT, Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> wrote:
Today was the first day that I didn't see any Juncos in my yard. Is anyone still seeing any Juncos?
They sure are cute little birds, but I won't miss the winter weather that they accompany!
Jack SmileySuperior Township
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<102544302.514446.1618027106874...>
> On Apr 9, 2021, at 23:03, Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> wrote:
>
>
> Today was the first day that I didn't see any Juncos in my yard. Is anyone still seeing any Juncos?
>
> They sure are cute little birds, but I won't miss the winter weather that they accompany!
>
> Jack Smiley
> Superior Township
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAJpB0PV0Cm65Usf_wdPBpPNWeXeSs7F9WkMHDFcw-iFDioWi%<3Dg...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<9F634BBC-8985-4106-93E3-75FC5FBE5187...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<606A28CD-B868-4FB3-B9BD-70AF67C657E2...>
From Fred’s IPhone
________________________________
From: Paul Cypher <paulcypher...>
Sent: Thursday, April 8, 2021 5:56:34 PM
To: <birders...> <birders...>
Subject: [birders] Owl Box Strategies
All -
I thought I would take a few moments and share with you a series of strategies that I deployed here at our house to encourage nesting owls, discourage starlings, and monitor the whole process remotely.
In 1954, Looney Tunes released a cartoon titled “Designed for Leaving”. Daffy duck is a salesman and tries to sell a futuristic house to Elmer Fudd. There’s a reference in the cartoon where Daffy suggests that you don’t need to go upstairs anymore because you can bring the upstairs downstairs. Knowing the same strategy had to be in place for nesting boxes (bring the box to me instead of me going to the box) and knowing that I will not climb tall, thin ladders, I did a brief search on the Internet and found the plans I ultimately used.
Basically, a 4 x 4 post is in the ground and a series of 2 x 4s are utilized to get the box over 15 feet in the air. After pulling the cotter pin that keeps it vertical, I can “walk the post down” such that the box is now on the ground. Further, the nesting box is only attached to the post with a hinge at the top. As the post moves from vertical to horizontal, the box maintains a vertical position. In the event we ever get owls, the box can be lowered without jumbling up the nestlings. They can then be safely banded.
Using physics principles of fulcrums and levers, I can place weights on the short end of the post. This will assist me in returning the long post back to the vertical position.
The post was placed a fair distance from the tree line such that squirrels cannot make the jump from trees to box. Also, a squirrel baffle is in place. To the best of my knowledge, only birds have been on or in the box.
This past winter, I adopted a strategy of utilizing two security cameras. Manufactured by ReoLink, the Argus 2 cameras are ideal. One is placed inside the box pointing down, while the other is placed outside the box on a horizontal strut pointing back at the nest hole. Both cameras have their own solar panel. The interior is not National Geographic footage but it shows us exactly what’s going on. During daylight hours, the exterior camera is pretty clear. Unfortunately, at night time, the wood from the box seems to reflect the wave lengths of the night vision capabilities of the camera and the box turns a bright white. The image borders on obnoxious, but we can see what’s going on.
As the box is almost 40 yards from the house, running power was fundamentally stupid. This also compromised my ability to use hard wires to run the signal from the cameras to the house. So, both cameras are Wi-Fi capable. However, your average Wi-Fi signal can’t reach that far so I secured a directional Wi-Fi antenna. I now have 24-hour access to the interior and exterior of the box all from my phone using the ReoLink app.
Last year however, we had problems with starlings using the box. I figured out very quickly that I was not going to be dropping the box every week to remove starling nests and eggs like I did last spring. Further, I do live trapping to secure starlings and house sparrows. I won’t tell you what happens to them, but it doesn’t take much to figure out that there has to be a mechanism to keep the bird out of the box. No matter how many starlings you have in the trap, there’s always gonna be one wants to be in the box.
So, I designed a drawbridge-style door with nylon cord and pulleys. Basically, I can stand at the bottom of the post and pull the string to close or open the panel that blocks the nest hole. Overall, the motion is not unlike moving a flag up and down the pole.
Every morning, I close the box after I confirm, via security camera, that the box does not have an owl. Starlings can no longer enter. At sunset, I open the box by pulling the other cord. The fact that starlings and owls operate on opposing schedules allows us to get away with this. I think...
I also took care to use a series of eye hooks to guide the nylon cord around the edges of the box. This was to prevent fraying. The cord runs down the post and through a hole cut in the baffle. Routing the cord around the baffle would allow squirrels access to the top of the post, thus defeating the purpose of the baffle. The hole in the baffle is small enough where they cannot squeeze through. The cord secures at the bottom of the post around a simple cleat arrangement like one would find on a boat dock. In fact, it is one single length of cord.
A few months ago, we had an owl that spent some time in the box but we have not seen him/her since. I have managed to secure nighttime footage of a Great Horned Owl sitting on the box. This was part of my motivation to have a camera outside the box -who sits on it at night? (No pun intended)
I am not an builder, but I think I have a strategy that may actually get us somewhere. I can also say unequivocally that this is probably the most over-engineered thing you’ll ever see, but I can also say it was a lot of fun researching it and designing it. Realistically, the one thing I would change is the length of the 2 x 4 struts at the bottom of the pole that accommodate the weights. If I had left them longer, the weight that is placed on them could better assist me putting the post back to the vertical position. It’s all about the physics. Sure I can manage it, but when I am 110 years old, no way. Yes, I can retrofit a frame that would fit on the post that would accommodate more weight, but I’m not there yet.
I would also consider lowering the axle/fulcrum of the post. I’m 6 feet tall and it seems a bit high. I honestly don’t think a shorter individual (5’?) could manage this current arrangement.
I would be happy to answer any questions anybody might have. Feel free to contact me off list.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB2364DDD75C602AD2A3F7D396F9739...>
On Thu, Apr 8, 2021 at 5:56 PM Paul Cypher <paulcypher...> wrote:
>
> All -
>
>
> I thought I would take a few moments and share with you a series of
> strategies that I deployed here at our house to encourage nesting owls,
> discourage starlings, and monitor the whole process remotely.
>
>
> In 1954, Looney Tunes released a cartoon titled “Designed for
> Leaving”. Daffy duck is a salesman and tries to sell a futuristic house to
> Elmer Fudd. There’s a reference in the cartoon where Daffy suggests that
> you don’t need to go upstairs anymore because you can bring the upstairs
> downstairs. Knowing the same strategy had to be in place for nesting boxes
> (bring the box to me instead of me going to the box) and knowing that I
> will not climb tall, thin ladders, I did a brief search on the Internet and
> found the plans I ultimately used.
>
>
> Basically, a 4 x 4 post is in the ground and a series of 2 x 4s are
> utilized to get the box over 15 feet in the air. After pulling the
> cotter pin that keeps it vertical, I can “walk the post down” such that the
> box is now on the ground. Further, the nesting box is only attached to the
> post with a hinge at the top. As the post moves from vertical to
> horizontal, the box maintains a vertical position. In the event we ever
> get owls, the box can be lowered without jumbling up the nestlings. They
> can then be safely banded.
>
>
> Using physics principles of fulcrums and levers, I can place weights on
> the short end of the post. This will assist me in returning the long post
> back to the vertical position.
>
>
> The post was placed a fair distance from the tree line such that squirrels
> cannot make the jump from trees to box. Also, a squirrel baffle is in
> place. To the best of my knowledge, only birds have been on or in the box.
>
>
> This past winter, I adopted a strategy of utilizing two security cameras.
> Manufactured by ReoLink, the Argus 2 cameras are ideal. One is placed
> inside the box pointing down, while the other is placed outside the box on
> a horizontal strut pointing back at the nest hole. Both cameras have their
> own solar panel. The interior is not National Geographic footage but it
> shows us exactly what’s going on. During daylight hours, the exterior
> camera is pretty clear. Unfortunately, at night time, the wood from the box
> seems to reflect the wave lengths of the night vision capabilities of the
> camera and the box turns a bright white. The image borders on obnoxious,
> but we can see what’s going on.
>
>
> As the box is almost 40 yards from the house, running power was
> fundamentally stupid. This also compromised my ability to use hard wires
> to run the signal from the cameras to the house. So, both cameras are
> Wi-Fi capable. However, your average Wi-Fi signal can’t reach that far so I
> secured a directional Wi-Fi antenna. I now have 24-hour access to the
> interior and exterior of the box all from my phone using the ReoLink app.
>
>
> Last year however, we had problems with starlings using the box. I
> figured out very quickly that I was not going to be dropping the box every
> week to remove starling nests and eggs like I did last spring. Further, I
> do live trapping to secure starlings and house sparrows. I won’t tell you
> what happens to them, but it doesn’t take much to figure out that there has
> to be a mechanism to keep the bird out of the box. No matter how many
> starlings you have in the trap, there’s always gonna be one wants to be in
> the box.
>
>
> So, I designed a drawbridge-style door with nylon cord and pulleys.
> Basically, I can stand at the bottom of the post and pull the string to
> close or open the panel that blocks the nest hole. Overall, the motion
> is not unlike moving a flag up and down the pole.
>
>
> Every morning, I close the box after I confirm, via security camera, that
> the box does not have an owl. Starlings can no longer enter. At sunset, I
> open the box by pulling the other cord. The fact that starlings and owls
> operate on opposing schedules allows us to get away with this. I think...
>
>
> I also took care to use a series of eye hooks to guide the nylon cord
> around the edges of the box. This was to prevent fraying. The cord runs
> down the post and through a hole cut in the baffle. Routing the cord
> around the baffle would allow squirrels access to the top of the post, thus
> defeating the purpose of the baffle. The hole in the baffle is small enough
> where they cannot squeeze through. The cord secures at the bottom of the
> post around a simple cleat arrangement like one would find on a boat dock.
> In fact, it is one single length of cord.
>
>
> A few months ago, we had an owl that spent some time in the box but we
> have not seen him/her since. I have managed to secure nighttime footage
> of a Great Horned Owl sitting on the box. This was part of my motivation to
> have a camera outside the box -who sits on it at night? (No pun intended)
>
>
> I am not an builder, but I think I have a strategy that may actually get
> us somewhere. I can also say unequivocally that this is probably the most
> over-engineered thing you’ll ever see, but I can also say it was a lot of
> fun researching it and designing it. Realistically, the one thing I would
> change is the length of the 2 x 4 struts at the bottom of the pole that
> accommodate the weights. If I had left them longer, the weight that is
> placed on them could better assist me putting the post back to the vertical
> position. It’s all about the physics. Sure I can manage it, but when I am
> 110 years old, no way. Yes, I can retrofit a frame that would fit on the
> post that would accommodate more weight, but I’m not there yet.
>
>
> I would also consider lowering the axle/fulcrum of the post. I’m 6 feet
> tall and it seems a bit high. I honestly don’t think a shorter
> individual (5’?) could manage this current arrangement.
>
>
> I would be happy to answer any questions anybody might have. Feel free to
> contact me off list.
>
>
>
>
>
> Paul Cypher
> New Boston, MI
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<96909256-2DCE-444D-8FA3-815728372D38...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<96909256-2DCE-444D-8FA3-815728372D38...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
I thought I would take a few moments and share with you a series of strategies that I deployed here at our house to encourage nesting owls, discourage starlings, and monitor the whole process remotely.
In 1954, Looney Tunes released a cartoon titled “Designed for Leaving”. Daffy duck is a salesman and tries to sell a futuristic house to Elmer Fudd. There’s a reference in the cartoon where Daffy suggests that you don’t need to go upstairs anymore because you can bring the upstairs downstairs. Knowing the same strategy had to be in place for nesting boxes (bring the box to me instead of me going to the box) and knowing that I will not climb tall, thin ladders, I did a brief search on the Internet and found the plans I ultimately used.
Basically, a 4 x 4 post is in the ground and a series of 2 x 4s are utilized to get the box over 15 feet in the air. After pulling the cotter pin that keeps it vertical, I can “walk the post down” such that the box is now on the ground. Further, the nesting box is only attached to the post with a hinge at the top. As the post moves from vertical to horizontal, the box maintains a vertical position. In the event we ever get owls, the box can be lowered without jumbling up the nestlings. They can then be safely banded.
Using physics principles of fulcrums and levers, I can place weights on the short end of the post. This will assist me in returning the long post back to the vertical position.
The post was placed a fair distance from the tree line such that squirrels cannot make the jump from trees to box. Also, a squirrel baffle is in place. To the best of my knowledge, only birds have been on or in the box.
This past winter, I adopted a strategy of utilizing two security cameras. Manufactured by ReoLink, the Argus 2 cameras are ideal. One is placed inside the box pointing down, while the other is placed outside the box on a horizontal strut pointing back at the nest hole. Both cameras have their own solar panel. The interior is not National Geographic footage but it shows us exactly what’s going on. During daylight hours, the exterior camera is pretty clear. Unfortunately, at night time, the wood from the box seems to reflect the wave lengths of the night vision capabilities of the camera and the box turns a bright white. The image borders on obnoxious, but we can see what’s going on.
As the box is almost 40 yards from the house, running power was fundamentally stupid. This also compromised my ability to use hard wires to run the signal from the cameras to the house. So, both cameras are Wi-Fi capable. However, your average Wi-Fi signal can’t reach that far so I secured a directional Wi-Fi antenna. I now have 24-hour access to the interior and exterior of the box all from my phone using the ReoLink app.
Last year however, we had problems with starlings using the box. I figured out very quickly that I was not going to be dropping the box every week to remove starling nests and eggs like I did last spring. Further, I do live trapping to secure starlings and house sparrows. I won’t tell you what happens to them, but it doesn’t take much to figure out that there has to be a mechanism to keep the bird out of the box. No matter how many starlings you have in the trap, there’s always gonna be one wants to be in the box.
So, I designed a drawbridge-style door with nylon cord and pulleys. Basically, I can stand at the bottom of the post and pull the string to close or open the panel that blocks the nest hole. Overall, the motion is not unlike moving a flag up and down the pole.
Every morning, I close the box after I confirm, via security camera, that the box does not have an owl. Starlings can no longer enter. At sunset, I open the box by pulling the other cord. The fact that starlings and owls operate on opposing schedules allows us to get away with this. I think...
I also took care to use a series of eye hooks to guide the nylon cord around the edges of the box. This was to prevent fraying. The cord runs down the post and through a hole cut in the baffle. Routing the cord around the baffle would allow squirrels access to the top of the post, thus defeating the purpose of the baffle. The hole in the baffle is small enough where they cannot squeeze through. The cord secures at the bottom of the post around a simple cleat arrangement like one would find on a boat dock. In fact, it is one single length of cord.
A few months ago, we had an owl that spent some time in the box but we have not seen him/her since. I have managed to secure nighttime footage of a Great Horned Owl sitting on the box. This was part of my motivation to have a camera outside the box -who sits on it at night? (No pun intended)
I am not an builder, but I think I have a strategy that may actually get us somewhere. I can also say unequivocally that this is probably the most over-engineered thing you’ll ever see, but I can also say it was a lot of fun researching it and designing it. Realistically, the one thing I would change is the length of the 2 x 4 struts at the bottom of the pole that accommodate the weights. If I had left them longer, the weight that is placed on them could better assist me putting the post back to the vertical position. It’s all about the physics. Sure I can manage it, but when I am 110 years old, no way. Yes, I can retrofit a frame that would fit on the post that would accommodate more weight, but I’m not there yet.
I would also consider lowering the axle/fulcrum of the post. I’m 6 feet tall and it seems a bit high. I honestly don’t think a shorter individual (5’?) could manage this current arrangement.
I would be happy to answer any questions anybody might have. Feel free to contact me off list.
Paul Cypher
New Boston, MI
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<96909256-2DCE-444D-8FA3-815728372D38...>
On Thursday, April 8, 2021, 11:31:40 AM EDT, Ann Alvarez <annra.new...> wrote:
I wonder if we are headed into a bad tick year.Had one walking on me in Chelsea in March 14, and this week in Pittsfield Township we have found three walking on people and one embedded on an escaped cat. 😕
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 8, 2021, at 7:38 AM, Susan MIller <smiller179...> wrote:
I’m sorry to report an early tick, probably in Dolph. It was quite small so I’m guessing it was a deer (Lyme) tick.
Sue Miller
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DBC5CBC6-6BCB-4AC3-AB1E-DD84AC713D02...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<74057687-B701-4F45-948D-46B7AEC5642C...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<890910147.42039.1617914609076...>
Date: 4/8/21 8:31 am From: Ann Alvarez <annra.new...> Subject: Re: [birders] deer/lyme tick
I wonder if we are headed into a bad tick year.
Had one walking on me in Chelsea in March 14, and this week in Pittsfield Township we have found three walking on people and one embedded on an escaped cat. 😕
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 8, 2021, at 7:38 AM, Susan MIller <smiller179...> wrote:
>
> I’m sorry to report an early tick, probably in Dolph. It was quite small so I’m guessing it was a deer (Lyme) tick.
>
> Sue Miller
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DBC5CBC6-6BCB-4AC3-AB1E-DD84AC713D02...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<74057687-B701-4F45-948D-46B7AEC5642C...>
Date: 4/8/21 4:38 am From: Susan MIller <smiller179...> Subject: [birders] deer/lyme tick
I’m sorry to report an early tick, probably in Dolph. It was quite small so I’m guessing it was a deer (Lyme) tick.
Sue Miller
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DBC5CBC6-6BCB-4AC3-AB1E-DD84AC713D02...>
Date: 4/7/21 8:54 pm From: Jeff Moore <jmo.jeffmoore...> Subject: [birders] memorial gatherings for Jeff
Hello, everyone, [image: ��][image: ��][image: ��]
This is Jeff's wife, Peg, writing from Jeff's email account. Some of you I
have never met, and I so apologize for this less-personal group email, but
I wanted to let you know that Jeff passed away on February 21st of
(primarily) lymphoma. If this is the first you are hearing of this,
*please* read his beautiful obituary linked to at the bottom of this email.
And for those of you who knew Jeff well--or even medium or a
little--especially if you aren't on Facebook and haven't been in touch with
someone you and Jeff knew in common--I wanted you to receive this message
below about the memorial gatherings we'll be holding for him.
Also, there are many people--perhaps you--who have **soooo kindly** reached
out to me through email and cards and to whom I've not yet replied but
sincerely hope to before *too* long!!! To these people, for now, THANK YOU
with all my heart!!!
Please feel free to share the info below with anyone you feel would like to
join us in honoring Jeff. No RSVP needed, though for Michigan, we're hoping
to get somewhat of a general idea.
With appreciation for **you**!
Peg
[image: Gathering Image.jpg]
Josh, Beth, June, and I will be hosting *two* gatherings in Jeff's honor:
IOWA:
(INDOORS)
Saturday, June 5
2:00 Visiting
4:00 A focused time of honoring Jeff, followed by more visiting.
(No food is planned.)
Stonebrook Community Church
Ames, IA (link below)
MICHIGAN:
(OUTDOORS--bring your own food and beverage if you want [no alcohol,
please]; definitely your own lawn chair and/or blanket.)
Saturday, September 11
Rain date: Sunday, September 12
4:00 Visiting
5:00 A focused time of honoring Jeff, followed by more visiting.
Willowicke Inn
Williamstown, MI (link below)
At both locations, we will be following the state's, city's, and venue's
current COVID guidelines for masks, social distancing, etc. If you have
questions about them, feel free to check in here when the date is closer.
I will be wearing "dressy casual" (lol, whatever that is!) in Iowa.
I will be wearing "casual" in Michigan.
I will *not* be predominantly in black.
[image: ��][image: ��][image: ��]
(*You* may wear whatever you like! Just come and be comfortable! [image: ��]
)
If you haven't seen Jeff's wonderful obituary, *please* go to the Lynch and
Sons Funeral Directors website (WALLED LAKE location, link below). [image:
��]
Josh, Beth, June, our families, and I would love to see--even meet--anyone
who would love to come honor Jeff! [image: ��]
THANK YOU SO MUCH, each and every one of you who has already upheld us in
so many BEAUTIFUL ways these last months! We feel it and are so profoundly
grateful!
On Wed, Apr 7, 2021 at 7:37 PM Susan Horvath <shorvath...> wrote:
> The screech in the entrance is a familiar sight! We have noticed that, in
> the event of a major snowstorm, s/he sits at the entrance and lets the
> snow/ice accumulate on its body. Always makes me wonder if it likes being
> snowed on, or if it is intentionally protecting its home from a big
> snowdrift inside... or maybe another bird or 4-legged creature trying to
> get away from the weather...
>
> On Tue, Apr 6, 2021 at 7:54 PM Kent Martin <kjmluthier...> wrote:
>
>> I had to go back 5 years to find a photo of my original "wood duck" box.
>> I don't know who deserves credit for the design.
>>
>> [image: Owl in Nest Box]
>>
>>
>> Kent
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 4/6/2021 5:44 PM, Susan Horvath wrote:
>>
>> Here is the most heavily fortified of my wood duck boxes. We started
>> completely unprotected. Then added flashing on the trunk both above
>> and below. That worked pretty well for a number of years. But of
>> course the tree keeps growing and eventually started popping the
>> nails... which seemed to give the squirrels toe-holds. Doesn't seem to
>> have impacted the health of the tree at all (cottonwood poplar).
>> Multiple iterations of adding flashing to the box itself.
>> A second box almost the same amount of flashing. 3rd & 4th boxes
>> somewhat newer, and somewhat smaller, have the flashing on the boxes
>> themselves but not around the trunks. One, so far, is secure. The
>> other is not. Have seen both flying and gray squirrels this year in
>> the insecure box.
>> We usually, but not always, have a resident screech during the winter,
>> but only in the larger 2 boxes. We are aware of only 2 actual nestings
>> over the 30+ years. This winter's screech hasn't been seen in a couple
>> months.
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 7:26 AM Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> <fkaluza...> wrote:
>>
>> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
>>
>> From Fred’s IPhone
>> ________________________________
>> From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <shorvath...>
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
>> To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...> <birders...>
>> Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <shorvath...>
>> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>>
>> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
>> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
>> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
>> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
>> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
>> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
>> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
>> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
>> in one of the boxes!
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <ajf-jlf...> wrote:
>>
>> Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
>>
>>
>>
>> As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
>>
>>
>>
>> And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
>>
>>
>>
>> Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
>>
>>
>>
>> Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
>>
>>
>>
>> A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
>>
>> January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
>> February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
>> March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
>>
>>
>>
>> As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
>>
>>
>>
>> The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
>>
>>
>>
>> Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
>>
>>
>>
>> I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...> >>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...> >>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
>> www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
>> "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
>> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit
>> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<a8ca6e1f-45f7-fd8e-c5e0-6660aeeb5ed0...> >> <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<a8ca6e1f-45f7-fd8e-c5e0-6660aeeb5ed0...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> .
>>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUa%<2BFh2SU2TNuQrMeHWUc5vaXb8PESWvAFiVW9mfB58CLw...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUa%<2BFh2SU2TNuQrMeHWUc5vaXb8PESWvAFiVW9mfB58CLw...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
Date: 4/7/21 4:37 pm From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
The screech in the entrance is a familiar sight! We have noticed that, in
the event of a major snowstorm, s/he sits at the entrance and lets the
snow/ice accumulate on its body. Always makes me wonder if it likes being
snowed on, or if it is intentionally protecting its home from a big
snowdrift inside... or maybe another bird or 4-legged creature trying to
get away from the weather...
On Tue, Apr 6, 2021 at 7:54 PM Kent Martin <kjmluthier...> wrote:
> I had to go back 5 years to find a photo of my original "wood duck" box. I
> don't know who deserves credit for the design.
>
> [image: Owl in Nest Box]
>
>
> Kent
>
>
>
>
> On 4/6/2021 5:44 PM, Susan Horvath wrote:
>
> Here is the most heavily fortified of my wood duck boxes. We started
> completely unprotected. Then added flashing on the trunk both above
> and below. That worked pretty well for a number of years. But of
> course the tree keeps growing and eventually started popping the
> nails... which seemed to give the squirrels toe-holds. Doesn't seem to
> have impacted the health of the tree at all (cottonwood poplar).
> Multiple iterations of adding flashing to the box itself.
> A second box almost the same amount of flashing. 3rd & 4th boxes
> somewhat newer, and somewhat smaller, have the flashing on the boxes
> themselves but not around the trunks. One, so far, is secure. The
> other is not. Have seen both flying and gray squirrels this year in
> the insecure box.
> We usually, but not always, have a resident screech during the winter,
> but only in the larger 2 boxes. We are aware of only 2 actual nestings
> over the 30+ years. This winter's screech hasn't been seen in a couple
> months.
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 7:26 AM Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> <fkaluza...> wrote:
>
> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
>
> From Fred’s IPhone
> ________________________________
> From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <shorvath...>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
> To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...> <birders...>
> Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <shorvath...>
> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>
> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
> in one of the boxes!
>
> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <ajf-jlf...> wrote:
>
> Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
>
>
>
> As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
>
>
>
> And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
>
>
>
> Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
>
>
>
> Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
>
>
>
> A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
>
> January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
> February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
> March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
>
>
>
> As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
>
>
>
> The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
>
>
>
> Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
>
>
>
> I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
>
>
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<a8ca6e1f-45f7-fd8e-c5e0-6660aeeb5ed0...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<a8ca6e1f-45f7-fd8e-c5e0-6660aeeb5ed0...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
Date: 4/7/21 4:19 pm From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> Subject: Re: [birders] Pole mounted nest boxes
And opossums! Today we found the carcass of one of our recently returned wood ducks. A naturalist who happened to be visiting said that the manner of death indicated opossum behavior that he'd encountered before. sigh...
On Wed, Apr 7, 2021 at 12:09 PM 'THOMAS HODGSON' via Birders <birders...> wrote: > > I have mounted my kestrel, screech owl and wood duck boxes on 4x4 posts with predator guards. No problem with squirrels, or predators. If I could just get rid of the starlings! > > -- > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1E50A92C-BE80-4530-ADFD-FBBC161E0E70...> > > > Sent from my iPhone > > -- > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1E50A92C-BE80-4530-ADFD-FBBC161E0E70...>
Date: 4/7/21 9:09 am From: 'THOMAS HODGSON' via Birders <birders...> Subject: [birders] Pole mounted nest boxes
I have mounted my kestrel, screech owl and wood duck boxes on 4x4 posts with predator guards. No problem with squirrels, or predators. If I could just get rid of the starlings!
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1E50A92C-BE80-4530-ADFD-FBBC161E0E70...>
Sent from my iPhone
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1E50A92C-BE80-4530-ADFD-FBBC161E0E70...>
Date: 4/7/21 7:43 am From: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> Subject: RE: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
As the initiator of what has become a lengthy thread, I've been reading everyone's input with interest, but have not had time until now to add my bit to the squirrel-related questions that followed.
I am convinced from Thomas Hodgson's observation and several online sources that the only way to keep the squirrels out is to mount the duck boxes on stand-alone, metal wrapped poles well away from the nearest tree. The eight boxes that I am tending now - four on our own stretch of river bank and four more each at water's edge in four area parks and preserves - have all had their squirrel nesters at one time or another. I regard the boxes as general habitat improvements, and really don't care whether the products of their nurseries are furred or feathered.
I do try to get out each spring to service the boxes by removing unhatched duck eggs from the previous season, repairing torn roofing material, removing wet or otherwise unwelcoming bedding, and inspecting them for other needed maintenance. There have been occasions when those intrusions have been ill-timed, and I've found unexpected clutches of duck eggs already inside -- on one occasion with 10 Hooded Merganser and 6 Wood Duck eggs making up a mixed clutch. Another time, there was a dead Hoodie hen inside, the apparent victim of a fox squirrel mom who stood her ground with deadly consequences to the intruding duck. And on at least three occasions over those decades, I have found mother squirrels inside with their own broods enjoying wonderfully warm blended bedding consisting of the wood chips I provided, down from an earlier duck nesting, and chewed leaves prepared by the squirrel mom.
Interestingly, in each of those cases the mother squirrel exploded out of the nest box as I felt around for rotten eggs, ran up the tree (knowing not to try going down past the collar of stovepipe I put in place below every box - holding it in place with bungee cords to avoid driving nails into the trees) and disappeared. In every case, the mother squirrel returned to her nest roughly 30 minutes later, only to re-emerge from the box with a furry ball in her mouth, and move quickly by what clearly appeared to be a pre-planned aerial evacuation route to a secondary nesting site from a few trees away to perhaps 100 yards away. The feat was repeated until the entire brood of three or four babies had been moved. Predictably, mother squirrel returned one last time as if to be sure she had not left a baby behind, and sometimes took a few minutes to rest on the roof after her taxing work, before leaving her first nursery for the last time.
I've observed those unintended evictions with wonder and a strong feeling of guilt each time, but have rationalized the disruptions as simple aberrations of events that could as well have been precipitated by an invasion of the nest space in an unprotected tree by a wandering raccoon or other predator. I've further felt that the provision of human-made nesting spaces has been beneficial to the overall diversity of the local ecosystem, compensating in a very small way for the many thousands of one-time natural tree cavities that have been removed by "civilization's" relentless conversion of woodland to farmland, yards, homes and other human structures.
John, near Milan
From: Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> Sent: Tuesday, April 6, 2021 6:24 PM To: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>; John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...> Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
Wow. That's a monster Sue! Ahhh, the lengths some of us go to in order to help the critters. Nice job.
Here is the most heavily fortified of my wood duck boxes. We started completely unprotected. Then added flashing on the trunk both above and below. That worked pretty well for a number of years. But of course the tree keeps growing and eventually started popping the nails... which seemed to give the squirrels toe-holds. Doesn't seem to have impacted the health of the tree at all (cottonwood poplar). Multiple iterations of adding flashing to the box itself. A second box almost the same amount of flashing. 3rd & 4th boxes somewhat newer, and somewhat smaller, have the flashing on the boxes themselves but not around the trunks. One, so far, is secure. The other is not. Have seen both flying and gray squirrels this year in the insecure box. We usually, but not always, have a resident screech during the winter, but only in the larger 2 boxes. We are aware of only 2 actual nestings over the 30+ years. This winter's screech hasn't been seen in a couple months.
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 7:26 AM Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> <mailto:<fkaluza...> > wrote: > > When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I've got scads of squirrels around here. > > From Fred's IPhone > ________________________________ > From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <mailto:<shorvath...> > > Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM > To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <mailto:<ajf-jlf...> >; Birders UM <birders...> <mailto:<birders...> > > Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <mailto:<shorvath...> > > Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long) > > We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so. > Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the > first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year, > March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind! > There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an > extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens. > Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple > years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side > in one of the boxes! > > On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <mailto:<ajf-jlf...> > wrote: > > > > Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house. > > > > > > > > As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house. > > > > > > > > And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on. > > > > > > > > Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers. > > > > > > > > Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes. > > > > > > > > A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows: > > > > January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days) > > February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days! > > March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20] > > > > > > > > As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault. > > > > > > > > The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately. > > > > > > > > Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers! > > > > > > > > I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story. > > > > > > > > -- > > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org <http://www.glc.org> > > --- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> <mailto:birders+<unsubscribe...> . > > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%246 5d15290%243173f7b0%<24...> > > -- > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org <http://www.glc.org> > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> <mailto:birders+<unsubscribe...> . > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%3DLX_ <bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...>
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/001b01d72bbc%245abbebb0%241033c310%<24...>
Date: 4/6/21 7:27 pm From: Juliet Berger <juliet.berger...> Subject: [birders] Washtenaw May Bird Count, May 8, 2021
Hello Birders and Friends, Please consider helping out with the upcoming Washtenaw May Count, on Saturday, May 8th. Birders fan out across Washtenaw County on this date (which is also eBirds Global Big Day, and Global Migratory Bird Day) township by township and count all the birds. We use eBird to track out count and thus contribute to Citizen Science. We need many volunteers to accomplish this goal, and we usually have a blast doing it! We have many local parks in Ann Arbor, as well as routes throughout the County that need your help! I'm the compiler for the whole count, and area leader for Ann Arbor and Lodi Townships. Please contact me if you are willing and able to help out! Those fully vaccinated by May 8th can carpool with others outside their households for this event. I'm looking forward to hearing from you about birding the Washtenaw May Count!! Good birding, Juliet Berger Washtenaw May Count Compiler
ps Details will soon be on the WAS Website, www.washtenawaudubon.org
Date: 4/6/21 6:50 pm From: 'Penny Swanson' via Birders <birders...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
Well done box mounting.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 6, 2021, at 5:44 PM, Susan Horvath <shorvath...> wrote:
>
> Here is the most heavily fortified of my wood duck boxes. We started
> completely unprotected. Then added flashing on the trunk both above
> and below. That worked pretty well for a number of years. But of
> course the tree keeps growing and eventually started popping the
> nails... which seemed to give the squirrels toe-holds. Doesn't seem to
> have impacted the health of the tree at all (cottonwood poplar).
> Multiple iterations of adding flashing to the box itself.
> A second box almost the same amount of flashing. 3rd & 4th boxes
> somewhat newer, and somewhat smaller, have the flashing on the boxes
> themselves but not around the trunks. One, so far, is secure. The
> other is not. Have seen both flying and gray squirrels this year in
> the insecure box.
> We usually, but not always, have a resident screech during the winter,
> but only in the larger 2 boxes. We are aware of only 2 actual nestings
> over the 30+ years. This winter's screech hasn't been seen in a couple
> months.
>
>
>> On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 7:26 AM Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
>>
>> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
>>
>> From Fred’s IPhone
>> ________________________________
>> From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
>> To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...>
>> Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
>> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>>
>> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
>> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
>> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
>> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
>> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
>> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
>> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
>> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
>> in one of the boxes!
>>
>>> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> wrote:
>>>
>>> Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
>>>
>>> January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
>>> February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
>>> March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>>> ---
>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...> >>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CAMrXOUY2s0VmoQTHg9Ony8tjPpdQwzXdG8OMh540tJNgOeB-iA...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<C6CCFEFE-BDF4-4A0A-BF68-46BFA7993597...>
Date: 4/6/21 6:25 pm From: 'THOMAS HODGSON' via Birders <birders...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
I have my wood duck, screech owl and kestrel nest boxes on 4x4” posts with predator guards, so no squirrel problems, but fight a constant battle with starlings. Any suggestions?
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 6, 2021, at 5:44 PM, Susan Horvath <shorvath...> wrote:
>
>> squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
>>
>> From Fred’s IPhone
>> _________________________
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<07D949B1-AC73-472E-861A-1458853E7DFD...>
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1814BBAA-0CEE-4BF5-A43D-1EE45B61F636...>
Date: 4/6/21 4:54 pm From: Kent Martin <kjmluthier...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
I had to go back 5 years to find a photo of my original "wood duck" box.
I don't know who deserves credit for the design.
Owl in Nest Box
Kent
On 4/6/2021 5:44 PM, Susan Horvath wrote:
> Here is the most heavily fortified of my wood duck boxes. We started
> completely unprotected. Then added flashing on the trunk both above
> and below. That worked pretty well for a number of years. But of
> course the tree keeps growing and eventually started popping the
> nails... which seemed to give the squirrels toe-holds. Doesn't seem to
> have impacted the health of the tree at all (cottonwood poplar).
> Multiple iterations of adding flashing to the box itself.
> A second box almost the same amount of flashing. 3rd & 4th boxes
> somewhat newer, and somewhat smaller, have the flashing on the boxes
> themselves but not around the trunks. One, so far, is secure. The
> other is not. Have seen both flying and gray squirrels this year in
> the insecure box.
> We usually, but not always, have a resident screech during the winter,
> but only in the larger 2 boxes. We are aware of only 2 actual nestings
> over the 30+ years. This winter's screech hasn't been seen in a couple
> months.
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 7:26 AM Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
>> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
>>
>> From Fred’s IPhone
>> ________________________________
>> From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
>> To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...>
>> Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
>> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>>
>> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
>> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
>> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
>> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
>> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
>> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
>> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
>> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
>> in one of the boxes!
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> wrote:
>>> Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
>>>
>>> January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
>>> February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
>>> March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>>> ---
>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...> >> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<a8ca6e1f-45f7-fd8e-c5e0-6660aeeb5ed0...>
We have found that when an established pair of phoebes comes back there is
little singing, they just get to work right away.
Janet Hinshaw, Librarian ph: 734-764-0457
Wilson Ornithological Society fax: 734-998-0038
University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
Research Museums Center
3600 Varsity Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108-2228 USA
On Tue, Apr 6, 2021 at 8:13 AM Dody <dody...> wrote:
> Wow, same here! We’ve been wondering where our bluebirds are! The
> exception is that on March 28 “our” phoebes were back and immediately
> started working on their nest. The other strange things is that they
> arrived silently. We are usually first aware of them when they give their
> loud call announcing they are home!! No calling this year.
>
> Dody
> Manchester
>
> On Apr 6, 2021, at 1:30 AM, Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
>
> Yes Bruce. Titmice, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers and Chickadees were all
> looking eagerly and singing for mates a few weeks ago and everything has
> stopped cold the last couple weeks. Even the last couple days which were
> warm did not bring a return of activity.
>
> From Fred’s IPhone
> ------------------------------
> *From:* 'Brucemac1' via Birders <birders...>
> *Sent:* Monday, April 5, 2021 2:31:45 PM
> *To:* <birders...> <birders...>
> *Subject:* [birders] Unhurried seasonal nesting
>
> It seems, this Spring, that the usual urgency to find a nest site, build a
> nest and get on with raising their broods, is missing...???
>
> Robins are here but have yet to get serious about getting started. Same
> with our Eastern Bluebirds. They're present, looking at nestboxes, but have
> yet to begin nest construction. Even the pesky house sparrows are dragging
> their wings and don't seem to be all that interested, ....yet..?
>
> Last year, the female Bluebird built her nest in a single day, April 1st.
>
> Anyone else notice the lack of urgency...??
>
> Bruce Macd... SW Ontario North shore of Lake Erie
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<933584518.694846.1617647505083...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<933584518.694846.1617647505083...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB2364102FA485C17D106CD896F9769...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB2364102FA485C17D106CD896F9769...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<5B0C4F74-B15B-4070-951E-84DE21CF165C...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<5B0C4F74-B15B-4070-951E-84DE21CF165C...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
Date: 4/6/21 3:47 pm From: Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> Subject: [birders] Comings and Goings...
I saw my first-of-year Tree Swallows today at the Conservancy Farm. I still have a number of Juncos at my feeders. Two Red-breasted Nuthatches are still around, too. it won't be long...
Date: 4/6/21 3:24 pm From: Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
Wow. That’s a monster Sue! Ahhh, the lengths some of us go to in order to help the critters. Nice job.
From Fred’s IPhone
________________________________
From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
Sent: Tuesday, April 6, 2021 5:44:42 PM
To: Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...>; John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...>
Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
Here is the most heavily fortified of my wood duck boxes. We started
completely unprotected. Then added flashing on the trunk both above
and below. That worked pretty well for a number of years. But of
course the tree keeps growing and eventually started popping the
nails... which seemed to give the squirrels toe-holds. Doesn't seem to
have impacted the health of the tree at all (cottonwood poplar).
Multiple iterations of adding flashing to the box itself.
A second box almost the same amount of flashing. 3rd & 4th boxes
somewhat newer, and somewhat smaller, have the flashing on the boxes
themselves but not around the trunks. One, so far, is secure. The
other is not. Have seen both flying and gray squirrels this year in
the insecure box.
We usually, but not always, have a resident screech during the winter,
but only in the larger 2 boxes. We are aware of only 2 actual nestings
over the 30+ years. This winter's screech hasn't been seen in a couple
months.
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 7:26 AM Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
>
> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
>
> From Fred’s IPhone
> ________________________________
> From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
> To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...>
> Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>
> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
> in one of the boxes!
>
> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> wrote:
> >
> > Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
> >
> >
> >
> > As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
> >
> >
> >
> > And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
> >
> >
> >
> > Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
> >
> >
> >
> > Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
> >
> >
> >
> > A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
> >
> > January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
> > February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
> > March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
> >
> >
> >
> > As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
> >
> >
> >
> > The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
> >
> >
> >
> > Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org<http://www.glc.org> > > ---
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org<http://www.glc.org> > ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB2364560BB44CB7F7C8E4A1B4F9769...>
Date: 4/6/21 2:49 pm From: Dan Fox <dfoxmi...> Subject: Re: [birders] Unhurried seasonal nesting
Bluebirds never left Fenner in Lansing.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 6, 2021, at 5:30 PM, Patrick Baize <pkbaize...> wrote:
>
>
> My daughter who lives in Ingham County Michigan has already found a Killdeer nest with 4 eggs! and at Kensington Metro Park I observed 3 different Red-bellied Woodpeckers working on nesting cavities.
>
> Pat B. Howell, Michigan
>
>
> On Tuesday, April 6, 2021, 05:22:47 PM EDT, Dody <dody...> wrote:
>
>
> For the first time I can remember in about 30 years, the tree swallows have shown up before the bluebirds… They were investigating different boxes today.
>
> Dody
>
>> On Apr 6, 2021, at 11:55 AM, 'THOMAS HODGSON' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>>
>> Yes, my bluebirds are behind schedule. Poor winterberry and flowering crab fruit crops last year may have reduced food availability.
>>
>> Imagine that birds take longer to reach breeding condition when food is in short supply.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On Apr 6, 2021, at 11:38 AM, 'George Hammond' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>>>
>>
>
> Southeastern Michigan had almost no precipitation from mid February until March 24, then got the month’s average in just a few days. March was significantly warmer than average too. Jan and Feb also had substantially below average precip. I suspect that the dryness has slowed down plants and insects. The National Drought Monitor lab says we are still in a state of “moderate drought” https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?Midwest >
> Maybe reduced/delayed insect hatch is slowing down the songbirds, and lower water levels have changed the timing for the waterfowl?
>
> George
>
>> On Apr 6, 2021, at 8:57 AM, Penny <dorfdoom...> wrote:
>>
>
> It makes me wonder if there is an adequate food supply. I don’t think birds try to raise young if there’s not enough food but what could affect both water and dry land? I hope activity will pick up.
>
>>> On Apr 5, 2021, at 2:31 PM, 'Brucemac1' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>>>
>>
>> It seems, this Spring, that the usual urgency to find a nest site, build a nest and get on with raising their broods, is missing...???
>>
>> Robins are here but have yet to get serious about getting started. Same with our Eastern Bluebirds. They're present, looking at nestboxes, but have yet to begin nest construction. Even the pesky house sparrows are dragging their wings and don't seem to be all that interested, ....yet..?
>>
>> Last year, the female Bluebird built her nest in a single day, April 1st.
>>
>> Anyone else notice the lack of urgency...??
>>
>> Bruce Macd... SW Ontario North shore of Lake Erie
>
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<835034B8-7F84-475D-9604-5E1B3F1CD228...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<30D364B5-84E7-453D-B107-84D5554BC3A9...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<67BDDAF2-6D4D-4E03-B3B0-C6A5951D76FE...> > --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1790011901.96185.1617744596272...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<664679B6-4F36-4C17-8789-262B8C4C1745...>
Date: 4/6/21 2:44 pm From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
Here is the most heavily fortified of my wood duck boxes. We started
completely unprotected. Then added flashing on the trunk both above
and below. That worked pretty well for a number of years. But of
course the tree keeps growing and eventually started popping the
nails... which seemed to give the squirrels toe-holds. Doesn't seem to
have impacted the health of the tree at all (cottonwood poplar).
Multiple iterations of adding flashing to the box itself.
A second box almost the same amount of flashing. 3rd & 4th boxes
somewhat newer, and somewhat smaller, have the flashing on the boxes
themselves but not around the trunks. One, so far, is secure. The
other is not. Have seen both flying and gray squirrels this year in
the insecure box.
We usually, but not always, have a resident screech during the winter,
but only in the larger 2 boxes. We are aware of only 2 actual nestings
over the 30+ years. This winter's screech hasn't been seen in a couple
months.
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 7:26 AM Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
>
> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
>
> From Fred’s IPhone
> ________________________________
> From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
> To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...>
> Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>
> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
> in one of the boxes!
>
> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> wrote:
> >
> > Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
> >
> >
> >
> > As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
> >
> >
> >
> > And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
> >
> >
> >
> > Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
> >
> >
> >
> > Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
> >
> >
> >
> > A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
> >
> > January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
> > February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
> > March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
> >
> >
> >
> > As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
> >
> >
> >
> > The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
> >
> >
> >
> > Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> > ---
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...>
My daughter who lives in Ingham County Michigan has already found a Killdeer nest with 4 eggs! and at Kensington Metro Park I observed 3 different Red-bellied Woodpeckers working on nesting cavities.
Pat B. Howell, Michigan
On Tuesday, April 6, 2021, 05:22:47 PM EDT, Dody <dody...> wrote:
For the first time I can remember in about 30 years, the tree swallows have shown up before the bluebirds… They were investigating different boxes today.
Dody
On Apr 6, 2021, at 11:55 AM, 'THOMAS HODGSON' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
Yes, my bluebirds are behind schedule. Poor winterberry and flowering crab fruit crops last year may have reduced food availability.
Imagine that birds take longer to reach breeding condition when food is in short supply.
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 6, 2021, at 11:38 AM, 'George Hammond' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
Southeastern Michigan had almost no precipitation from mid February until March 24, then got the month’s average in just a few days. March was significantly warmer than average too. Jan and Feb also had substantially below average precip. I suspect that the dryness has slowed down plants and insects. The National Drought Monitor lab says we are still in a state of “moderate drought” https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?Midwest Maybe reduced/delayed insect hatch is slowing down the songbirds, and lower water levels have changed the timing for the waterfowl?
George
On Apr 6, 2021, at 8:57 AM, Penny <dorfdoom...> wrote:
It makes me wonder if there is an adequate food supply. I don’t think birds try to raise young if there’s not enough food but what could affect both water and dry land? I hope activity will pick up.
On Apr 5, 2021, at 2:31 PM, 'Brucemac1' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
It seems, this Spring, that the usual urgency to find a nest site, build a nest and get on with raising their broods, is missing...???
Robins are here but have yet to get serious about getting started. Same with our Eastern Bluebirds. They're present, looking at nestboxes, but have yet to begin nest construction. Even the pesky house sparrows are dragging their wings and don't seem to be all that interested, ....yet..?
Last year, the female Bluebird built her nest in a single day, April 1st.
Anyone else notice the lack of urgency...??
Bruce Macd... SW Ontario North shore of Lake Erie
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<835034B8-7F84-475D-9604-5E1B3F1CD228...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<30D364B5-84E7-453D-B107-84D5554BC3A9...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<67BDDAF2-6D4D-4E03-B3B0-C6A5951D76FE...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1790011901.96185.1617744596272...>
For the first time I can remember in about 30 years, the tree swallows have shown up before the bluebirds… They were investigating different boxes today.
Dody
On Apr 6, 2021, at 11:55 AM, 'THOMAS HODGSON' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
Yes, my bluebirds are behind schedule. Poor winterberry and flowering crab fruit crops last year may have reduced food availability.
Imagine that birds take longer to reach breeding condition when food is in short supply.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 6, 2021, at 11:38 AM, 'George Hammond' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>
> Southeastern Michigan had almost no precipitation from mid February until March 24, then got the month’s average in just a few days. March was significantly warmer than average too. Jan and Feb also had substantially below average precip. I suspect that the dryness has slowed down plants and insects. The National Drought Monitor lab says we are still in a state of “moderate drought” https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?Midwest <https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?Midwest> >
> Maybe reduced/delayed insect hatch is slowing down the songbirds, and lower water levels have changed the timing for the waterfowl?
>
> George
>
>> On Apr 6, 2021, at 8:57 AM, Penny <dorfdoom...> <mailto:<dorfdoom...>> wrote:
>>
>> It makes me wonder if there is an adequate food supply. I don’t think birds try to raise young if there’s not enough food but what could affect both water and dry land? I hope activity will pick up.
>>
>>> On Apr 5, 2021, at 2:31 PM, 'Brucemac1' via Birders <birders...> <mailto:<birders...>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> It seems, this Spring, that the usual urgency to find a nest site, build a nest and get on with raising their broods, is missing...???
>>>
>>> Robins are here but have yet to get serious about getting started. Same with our Eastern Bluebirds. They're present, looking at nestboxes, but have yet to begin nest construction. Even the pesky house sparrows are dragging their wings and don't seem to be all that interested, ....yet..?
>>>
>>> Last year, the female Bluebird built her nest in a single day, April 1st.
>>>
>>> Anyone else notice the lack of urgency...??
>>>
>>> Bruce Macd... SW Ontario North shore of Lake Erie
>
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> <mailto:birders+<unsubscribe...>.
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<835034B8-7F84-475D-9604-5E1B3F1CD228...> <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<835034B8-7F84-475D-9604-5E1B3F1CD228...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<67BDDAF2-6D4D-4E03-B3B0-C6A5951D76FE...>
Date: 4/6/21 1:35 pm From: Eric Arnold <eba...> Subject: Re: [birders] Unhurried seasonal nesting
On Tue, Apr 6, 2021 at 11:38 AM 'George Hammond' via Birders <
<birders...> wrote:
> Southeastern Michigan had almost no precipitation from mid February until
> March 24, then got the month’s average in just a few days. March was
> significantly warmer than average too. Jan and Feb also had substantially
> below average precip. I suspect that the dryness has slowed down plants and
> insects. The National Drought Monitor lab says we are still in a state of
> “moderate drought”
> https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?Midwest >
This seems to be a bit earlier now than the timing in years more or less
recently passed, which brings it more in line with the following gem of
English literature (from 1392); note in particular the bird reference in
lines 9 & 10 by which I hope to justify my offering to this list on this
occasion:
"Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour,
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breath
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram his halfe cours yronne,
*And smale foweles maken melodye,*
*That slepen al the nyght with open eye,*
So priketh hem natur in hir corages;
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages,
And palmerers for to seken straunge strondes,
To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;
And specially, from every shires ende
Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,
The hooly blisful martir for to seke,
That hem hath holpen what they were seeke."
(Italics mine)
So get out there to enjoy it with a pilgrimage to a favorite spot & enjoy!
(Sorry — I couldn't resist. The timing was too perfect! Sorry for the
Middle English...)
Date: 4/6/21 8:56 am From: 'THOMAS HODGSON' via Birders <birders...> Subject: Re: [birders] Unhurried seasonal nesting
Yes, my bluebirds are behind schedule. Poor winterberry and flowering crab fruit crops last year may have reduced food availability.
Imagine that birds take longer to reach breeding condition when food is in short supply.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 6, 2021, at 11:38 AM, 'George Hammond' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>
> Southeastern Michigan had almost no precipitation from mid February until March 24, then got the month’s average in just a few days. March was significantly warmer than average too. Jan and Feb also had substantially below average precip. I suspect that the dryness has slowed down plants and insects. The National Drought Monitor lab says we are still in a state of “moderate drought” https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?Midwest >
> Maybe reduced/delayed insect hatch is slowing down the songbirds, and lower water levels have changed the timing for the waterfowl?
>
> George
>
>> On Apr 6, 2021, at 8:57 AM, Penny <dorfdoom...> wrote:
>>
>> It makes me wonder if there is an adequate food supply. I don’t think birds try to raise young if there’s not enough food but what could affect both water and dry land? I hope activity will pick up.
>>
>>>> On Apr 5, 2021, at 2:31 PM, 'Brucemac1' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>>>>
>>>
>>> It seems, this Spring, that the usual urgency to find a nest site, build a nest and get on with raising their broods, is missing...???
>>>
>>> Robins are here but have yet to get serious about getting started. Same with our Eastern Bluebirds. They're present, looking at nestboxes, but have yet to begin nest construction. Even the pesky house sparrows are dragging their wings and don't seem to be all that interested, ....yet..?
>>>
>>> Last year, the female Bluebird built her nest in a single day, April 1st.
>>>
>>> Anyone else notice the lack of urgency...??
>>>
>>> Bruce Macd... SW Ontario North shore of Lake Erie
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<835034B8-7F84-475D-9604-5E1B3F1CD228...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<30D364B5-84E7-453D-B107-84D5554BC3A9...>
Date: 4/6/21 8:38 am From: 'George Hammond' via Birders <birders...> Subject: Re: [birders] Unhurried seasonal nesting
Southeastern Michigan had almost no precipitation from mid February until March 24, then got the month’s average in just a few days. March was significantly warmer than average too. Jan and Feb also had substantially below average precip. I suspect that the dryness has slowed down plants and insects. The National Drought Monitor lab says we are still in a state of “moderate drought” https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?Midwest
Maybe reduced/delayed insect hatch is slowing down the songbirds, and lower water levels have changed the timing for the waterfowl?
George
> On Apr 6, 2021, at 8:57 AM, Penny <dorfdoom...> wrote:
>
> It makes me wonder if there is an adequate food supply. I don’t think birds try to raise young if there’s not enough food but what could affect both water and dry land? I hope activity will pick up.
>
>> On Apr 5, 2021, at 2:31 PM, 'Brucemac1' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>>
>>
>> It seems, this Spring, that the usual urgency to find a nest site, build a nest and get on with raising their broods, is missing...???
>>
>> Robins are here but have yet to get serious about getting started. Same with our Eastern Bluebirds. They're present, looking at nestboxes, but have yet to begin nest construction. Even the pesky house sparrows are dragging their wings and don't seem to be all that interested, ....yet..?
>>
>> Last year, the female Bluebird built her nest in a single day, April 1st.
>>
>> Anyone else notice the lack of urgency...??
>>
>> Bruce Macd... SW Ontario North shore of Lake Erie
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<835034B8-7F84-475D-9604-5E1B3F1CD228...>
It makes me wonder if there is an adequate food supply. I don’t think birds try to raise young if there’s not enough food but what could affect both water and dry land? I hope activity will pick up.
> On Apr 5, 2021, at 2:31 PM, 'Brucemac1' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>
>
> It seems, this Spring, that the usual urgency to find a nest site, build a nest and get on with raising their broods, is missing...???
>
> Robins are here but have yet to get serious about getting started. Same with our Eastern Bluebirds. They're present, looking at nestboxes, but have yet to begin nest construction. Even the pesky house sparrows are dragging their wings and don't seem to be all that interested, ....yet..?
>
> Last year, the female Bluebird built her nest in a single day, April 1st.
>
> Anyone else notice the lack of urgency...??
>
> Bruce Macd... SW Ontario North shore of Lake Erie
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<933584518.694846.1617647505083...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<A070F4C4-339D-417E-ABBC-D1309EFDF87B...>
Wow, same here! We’ve been wondering where our bluebirds are! The exception is that on March 28 “our” phoebes were back and immediately started working on their nest. The other strange things is that they arrived silently. We are usually first aware of them when they give their loud call announcing they are home!! No calling this year.
Dody
Manchester
On Apr 6, 2021, at 1:30 AM, Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
Yes Bruce. Titmice, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers and Chickadees were all looking eagerly and singing for mates a few weeks ago and everything has stopped cold the last couple weeks. Even the last couple days which were warm did not bring a return of activity.
From Fred’s IPhone
From: 'Brucemac1' via Birders <birders...>
Sent: Monday, April 5, 2021 2:31:45 PM
To: <birders...> <birders...>
Subject: [birders] Unhurried seasonal nesting
It seems, this Spring, that the usual urgency to find a nest site, build a nest and get on with raising their broods, is missing...???
Robins are here but have yet to get serious about getting started. Same with our Eastern Bluebirds. They're present, looking at nestboxes, but have yet to begin nest construction. Even the pesky house sparrows are dragging their wings and don't seem to be all that interested, ....yet..?
Last year, the female Bluebird built her nest in a single day, April 1st.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<5B0C4F74-B15B-4070-951E-84DE21CF165C...>
Yes Bruce. Titmice, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers and Chickadees were all looking eagerly and singing for mates a few weeks ago and everything has stopped cold the last couple weeks. Even the last couple days which were warm did not bring a return of activity.
From Fred’s IPhone
________________________________
From: 'Brucemac1' via Birders <birders...>
Sent: Monday, April 5, 2021 2:31:45 PM
To: <birders...> <birders...>
Subject: [birders] Unhurried seasonal nesting
It seems, this Spring, that the usual urgency to find a nest site, build a nest and get on with raising their broods, is missing...???
Robins are here but have yet to get serious about getting started. Same with our Eastern Bluebirds. They're present, looking at nestboxes, but have yet to begin nest construction. Even the pesky house sparrows are dragging their wings and don't seem to be all that interested, ....yet..?
Last year, the female Bluebird built her nest in a single day, April 1st.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB2364102FA485C17D106CD896F9769...>
I’ve noticed things are different this year, too. I live on Lake St. Clair and several weeks ago, as usual, the Canada Geese were jockeying and fighting for a place to nest on my breakwall. Usually there would be six nests going by now. There are none. Interest has waned. No more fighting or competition. The mute swans are also still present and it seems they should have settled in somewhere. There have been a couple waves of migrating ducks, who came and went. All else seems to be timely.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 5, 2021, at 2:31 PM, 'Brucemac1' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>
>
> It seems, this Spring, that the usual urgency to find a nest site, build a nest and get on with raising their broods, is missing...???
>
> Robins are here but have yet to get serious about getting started. Same with our Eastern Bluebirds. They're present, looking at nestboxes, but have yet to begin nest construction. Even the pesky house sparrows are dragging their wings and don't seem to be all that interested, ....yet..?
>
> Last year, the female Bluebird built her nest in a single day, April 1st.
>
> Anyone else notice the lack of urgency...??
>
> Bruce Macd... SW Ontario North shore of Lake Erie
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<933584518.694846.1617647505083...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<7DD146E3-CC98-4E2B-9A8F-D52835EC17A1...>
Date: 4/5/21 11:31 am From: 'Brucemac1' via Birders <birders...> Subject: [birders] Unhurried seasonal nesting
It seems, this Spring, that the usual urgency to find a nest site, build a nest and get on with raising their broods, is missing...???
Robins are here but have yet to get serious about getting started. Same with our Eastern Bluebirds. They're present, looking at nestboxes, but have yet to begin nest construction. Even the pesky house sparrows are dragging their wings and don't seem to be all that interested, ....yet..?
Last year, the female Bluebird built her nest in a single day, April 1st.
Anyone else notice the lack of urgency...??
Bruce Macd... SW Ontario North shore of Lake Erie
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<933584518.694846.1617647505083...>
Date: 4/5/21 7:53 am From: LaHaie, Ivan <Ivan.LaHaie...> Subject: [birders] Wood Ducks and YB Sapsucker
A bit of a late post, but both of these were in the woods around the house last week. The wood ducks were in a pair the first time I saw them, but there were three the second time.
Ivan Prospect Hill S. of Easudes
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<SN7PR18MB3967A230031971A3E2C987EA9E779...>
Date: 4/4/21 7:26 am From: Dody <dody...> Subject: Re: [birders] Southern flying squirrels definitely live all over Michigan
Can you give me a primer on how to tell the difference between southern and northern flying squirrels? I though all we had around here were southern ones.
I’m sorry to be so off topic. A quick answer and I’ll leave this subject!
Thanks,
Dody
On Apr 2, 2021, at 11:57 AM, Ellen Weatherbee <eew...> wrote:
Southern flying squirrels have taken over much of the state, crowding out the northern flying squirrels, except in remote places like islands. We have southern flying squirrels at our cabin on Patterson Lake (southern Livingston County) and northern flying squirrels at our shack on Drummond Island (eastern Chippewa County). Ellen.Jack.Nellie (woof woof) 🍄🦌🐾🐾
On Apr 2, 2021, at 10:41 AM, Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
Thanks for searching Kent. Yes, I guess wrapping the tree a few feet below the trunk with some aluminum flashing AND finagling a baffle or skirt above the box should work so long as it forces the usurpers far-enough outward that they could not drop down onto any part of the box. I know that any weakness in the design will be exploited. Any upturned or folded edge or crease, any vertical crack or any nearby twig can be caught by a claw or used as a place to gain momentum and swing onto a box and will be leveraged by squirrels. I also want to be cautious about damaging the trunk by retaining perpetual shade and moisture against it. It’s not an easy task. Probably no way to stop flying squirrels but (sadly) I don’t think they live around here.
From Fred’s IPhone
From: Kent Martin <kjmluthier...>
Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021 3:53:09 AM
To: <birders...> <birders...>
Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
I recently retired a box - built from plans found online back in 2012 - which featured a pyramid-shaped cap overhanging the box by about 3" on both the sides and front, with both box and cap covered by sheet metal. It hung on a large oak tree, with the trunk being the only means of approach by 4 legged critters. Our neighborhood is infested with squirrels, but they never got into the box. The only issue I had was when Pine squirrels tried to chew through the bottom of the box, which was not covered with sheet metal. I also had to discourage starlings from nesting in it several times.
The searching wood ducks that prompted this project never returned, but screech owls successfully raised 2 broods in the box, and roosted there in several other years. Last summer a storm damaged the tree, and it was taken down. The box was showing some wear at that point, so I built another, using the same design, but scaled down a bit. It is again occupied by a screech owl.
I can't locate the plans or pictures of the box at the moment, but am still searching.
On 4/1/2021 7:26 AM, Fred Kaluza wrote:
> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
>
> >From Fred’s IPhone
> From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <mailto:<shorvath...> > Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
> To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <mailto:<ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...> <mailto:<birders...> > Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <mailto:<shorvath...> > Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>
> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
> in one of the boxes!
>
> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <mailto:<ajf-jlf...> wrote:
> >
> > Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
> >
> >
> >
> > As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
> >
> >
> >
> > And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
> >
> >
> >
> > Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
> >
> >
> >
> > Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
> >
> >
> >
> > A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
> >
> > January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
> > February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
> > March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
> >
> >
> >
> > As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
> >
> >
> >
> > The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
> >
> >
> >
> > Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org <http://www.glc.org/> > > ---
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email tobirders+<unsubscribe...> <mailto:birders+<unsubscribe...>.
> > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...> <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...>.
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org <http://www.glc.org/> > ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email tobirders+<unsubscribe...> <mailto:birders+<unsubscribe...>.
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...> <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...>.
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org <http://www.glc.org/> > ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> <mailto:birders+<unsubscribe...>.
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB23644DA8A340E2FCC25B335AF97B9...> <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB23644DA8A340E2FCC25B335AF97B9...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<F8E7AE97-6193-4B1F-BC92-C71A19E11D00...>
Date: 4/3/21 8:33 am From: 'pat j' via Birders <birders...> Subject: [birders] Watch "Outbreak Sickens 19 People in 8 States"
I saw this today, and thought all of you that have feeders may be interested in this. Apparently people are getting sick as a result of salmonella that they got from handling their feeders. It's being transmitted by the birds that have salmonella. On another site I saw a recommendation if you are going to continue feeding to make sure to thoroughly sanitize your bird feeders once a week. It would also be a good idea to wear disposable gloves and a mask when performing any tasks with your feeders.
Stay safe, Patrick J.
From The Weather Channel Android App: https://weather.com/science/nature/video/salmonella-outbreak-linked-to-bird-feeders?pl=pl-the-latest Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<149122517.60569.1617463989297...>
Date: 4/3/21 8:05 am From: Susan Cybulski <susan...> Subject: [birders] Pileated Pair in Bird Hills 4/2
Yesterday afternoon while walking in the center of Bird Hills Park in Ann Arbor, we spotted a pair of pileated woodpeckers working the trees and calling to each other. So magical! I haven't seen these biggies in the downtown Ann Arbor area in my recollection, although I've seen people post about their presence here occasionally over the years.
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<c6438418-5cff-4e1e-8b59-1e0befcdc51en...>
Date: 4/2/21 2:33 pm From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
Yes, it makes sense that those nicely wooded areas in Ann Arbor would have
Flying Squirrels. It is surprising to hear of one around M-39 and Grand
River Avenue, but I suspect that this is a very rare occurrence in a place
like that...which is like hundreds of square miles of
urban/suburban/residential area in the Tri-County area.
On Fri, Apr 2, 2021 at 4:22 PM Laurent Fournier <poecile.cinctus...>
wrote:
> I concur with George. I am a nocturnal runner, and I have seen Flying
> squirrels at Leslie Science Center (actually called Black pond woods), and
> at Mary Beth Doyle Park. Admittedly, I probably run about 1000 miles a year
> at night in Ann Arbor parks, and that's not a lot of sightings for the many
> hours I spend in the woods at night. I have seen many more owls than flying
> squirrels for sure.
>
>
> Laurent
>
> On Fri, Apr 2, 2021 at 3:44 PM 'George Hammond' via Birders <
> <birders...> wrote:
>
>> Hi birders,
>>
>> A UM mammalogist has told me that flying squirrels are much more common
>> in urban and suburban areas than is generally known. They are sufficiently
>> nocturnal that people just don’t see them. The iNaturalist site doesn’t
>> have many records of them, but one was found on the grounds of the Leslie
>> Science and Nature Center in Ann Arbor, next to Black Pond Woods, and
>> another one was found in the Rosedale Park historic district in Detroit,
>> near Grand River Ave and the Southfield Highway, quite a developed area.
>>
>> So more of you may have flying squirrels visiting your feeders in dark of
>> night than you know.
>>
>> George
>>
>> On Apr 2, 2021, at 12:26 PM, Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> wrote:
>>
>> There are large urbanized areas in southeastern Michigan, and other
>> parts of the state, and agricultural areas where there is no appropriate
>> habitat for flying squirrels.
>>
>> On Fri, Apr 2, 2021, 11:56 AM Dody <dody...> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Fred,
>>>
>>> I’m not sure where you live, but we’re between Manchester and Clinton
>>> and have plenty of flying squirrels. We put a very small handful of
>>> peanuts on our deck railing out for them just after dusk and have had three
>>> at a time. They have very differing personalities - one will just sit and
>>> eat even if we turn on the light. The other two are not quite so sure.
>>>
>>> Dody
>>>
>>> On Apr 2, 2021, at 10:41 AM, Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
>>>
>>> Thanks for searching Kent. Yes, I guess wrapping the tree a few feet
>>> below the trunk with some aluminum flashing AND finagling a baffle or skirt
>>> above the box should work so long as it forces the usurpers far-enough
>>> outward that they could not drop down onto any part of the box. I know
>>> that any weakness in the design will be exploited. Any upturned or folded
>>> edge or crease, any vertical crack or any nearby twig can be caught by a
>>> claw or used as a place to gain momentum and swing onto a box and will
>>> be leveraged by squirrels. I also want to be cautious about damaging the
>>> trunk by retaining perpetual shade and moisture against it. It’s not an
>>> easy task. Probably no way to stop flying squirrels but (sadly) I don’t
>>> think they live around here.
>>>
>>> From Fred’s IPhone
>>> ------------------------------
>>> *From:* Kent Martin <kjmluthier...>
>>> *Sent:* Friday, April 2, 2021 3:53:09 AM
>>> *To:* <birders...> <birders...>
>>> *Subject:* Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>>>
>>>
>>> I recently retired a box - built from plans found online back in 2012 -
>>> which featured a pyramid-shaped cap overhanging the box by about 3" on both
>>> the sides and front, with both box and cap covered by sheet metal. It hung
>>> on a large oak tree, with the trunk being the only means of approach by 4
>>> legged critters. Our neighborhood is infested with squirrels, but they
>>> never got into the box. The only issue I had was when Pine squirrels tried
>>> to chew through the bottom of the box, which was not covered with sheet
>>> metal. I also had to discourage starlings from nesting in it several times.
>>>
>>> The searching wood ducks that prompted this project never returned, but
>>> screech owls successfully raised 2 broods in the box, and roosted there in
>>> several other years. Last summer a storm damaged the tree, and it was taken
>>> down. The box was showing some wear at that point, so I built another,
>>> using the same design, but scaled down a bit. It is again occupied by a
>>> screech owl.
>>>
>>> I can't locate the plans or pictures of the box at the moment, but am
>>> still searching.
>>>
>>>
>>> On 4/1/2021 7:26 AM, Fred Kaluza wrote:
>>>
>>> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even
>>> if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is
>>> enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around
>>> here.
>>>
>>> >From Fred’s IPhone
>>> ------------------------------
>>> *From:* Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <shorvath...>
>>> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
>>> *To:* John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <ajf-jlf...>;
>>> Birders UM <birders...> <birders...>
>>> *Cc:* Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <shorvath...>
>>> *Subject:* Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>>>
>>> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
>>> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
>>> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
>>> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
>>> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
>>> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
>>> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
>>> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
>>> in one of the boxes!
>>>
>>> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>
>>> <ajf-jlf...> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this
>>> morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is
>>> interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a
>>> trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two,
>>> this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a
>>> starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair
>>> spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop
>>> behind the house.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously
>>> against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study
>>> window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence -
>>> with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at
>>> least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved
>>> once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes
>>> higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting
>>> tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three
>>> of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank
>>> immediately behind our house.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a
>>> breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks'
>>> feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a
>>> slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated
>>> for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the
>>> area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after
>>> their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and
>>> handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the
>>> Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second
>>> male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in
>>> the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe,
>>> but still unmated drakes.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word
>>> for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
>>> >
>>> > January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
>>> > February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the
>>> break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
>>> > March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days,
>>> beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days,
>>> starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and
>>> non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust
>>> search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another
>>> sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and
>>> around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the
>>> house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range
>>> of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both
>>> color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger
>>> squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the
>>> season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those
>>> non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We
>>> have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing
>>> squirrel activity lately.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife
>>> equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that
>>> there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck
>>> boxes. But that's another story…
>>>
>>>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
>> www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
>> "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
>> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit
>> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CC677069-198B-45E2-9754-F9D0288F037A...> >> <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CC677069-198B-45E2-9754-F9D0288F037A...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> .
>>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CAAdQ1g-xgsUrskairx1efHLiF01c5-mz2MBB8m6XnhwNo9-36A...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CAAdQ1g-xgsUrskairx1efHLiF01c5-mz2MBB8m6XnhwNo9-36A...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
Date: 4/2/21 1:22 pm From: Laurent Fournier <poecile.cinctus...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
I concur with George. I am a nocturnal runner, and I have seen Flying
squirrels at Leslie Science Center (actually called Black pond woods), and
at Mary Beth Doyle Park. Admittedly, I probably run about 1000 miles a year
at night in Ann Arbor parks, and that's not a lot of sightings for the many
hours I spend in the woods at night. I have seen many more owls than flying
squirrels for sure.
Laurent
On Fri, Apr 2, 2021 at 3:44 PM 'George Hammond' via Birders <
<birders...> wrote:
> Hi birders,
>
> A UM mammalogist has told me that flying squirrels are much more common in
> urban and suburban areas than is generally known. They are sufficiently
> nocturnal that people just don’t see them. The iNaturalist site doesn’t
> have many records of them, but one was found on the grounds of the Leslie
> Science and Nature Center in Ann Arbor, next to Black Pond Woods, and
> another one was found in the Rosedale Park historic district in Detroit,
> near Grand River Ave and the Southfield Highway, quite a developed area.
>
> So more of you may have flying squirrels visiting your feeders in dark of
> night than you know.
>
> George
>
> On Apr 2, 2021, at 12:26 PM, Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> wrote:
>
> There are large urbanized areas in southeastern Michigan, and other parts
> of the state, and agricultural areas where there is no appropriate habitat
> for flying squirrels.
>
> On Fri, Apr 2, 2021, 11:56 AM Dody <dody...> wrote:
>
>> Hi Fred,
>>
>> I’m not sure where you live, but we’re between Manchester and Clinton and
>> have plenty of flying squirrels. We put a very small handful of peanuts on
>> our deck railing out for them just after dusk and have had three at a
>> time. They have very differing personalities - one will just sit and eat
>> even if we turn on the light. The other two are not quite so sure.
>>
>> Dody
>>
>> On Apr 2, 2021, at 10:41 AM, Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
>>
>> Thanks for searching Kent. Yes, I guess wrapping the tree a few feet
>> below the trunk with some aluminum flashing AND finagling a baffle or skirt
>> above the box should work so long as it forces the usurpers far-enough
>> outward that they could not drop down onto any part of the box. I know
>> that any weakness in the design will be exploited. Any upturned or folded
>> edge or crease, any vertical crack or any nearby twig can be caught by a
>> claw or used as a place to gain momentum and swing onto a box and will
>> be leveraged by squirrels. I also want to be cautious about damaging the
>> trunk by retaining perpetual shade and moisture against it. It’s not an
>> easy task. Probably no way to stop flying squirrels but (sadly) I don’t
>> think they live around here.
>>
>> From Fred’s IPhone
>> ------------------------------
>> *From:* Kent Martin <kjmluthier...>
>> *Sent:* Friday, April 2, 2021 3:53:09 AM
>> *To:* <birders...> <birders...>
>> *Subject:* Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>>
>>
>> I recently retired a box - built from plans found online back in 2012 -
>> which featured a pyramid-shaped cap overhanging the box by about 3" on both
>> the sides and front, with both box and cap covered by sheet metal. It hung
>> on a large oak tree, with the trunk being the only means of approach by 4
>> legged critters. Our neighborhood is infested with squirrels, but they
>> never got into the box. The only issue I had was when Pine squirrels tried
>> to chew through the bottom of the box, which was not covered with sheet
>> metal. I also had to discourage starlings from nesting in it several times.
>>
>> The searching wood ducks that prompted this project never returned, but
>> screech owls successfully raised 2 broods in the box, and roosted there in
>> several other years. Last summer a storm damaged the tree, and it was taken
>> down. The box was showing some wear at that point, so I built another,
>> using the same design, but scaled down a bit. It is again occupied by a
>> screech owl.
>>
>> I can't locate the plans or pictures of the box at the moment, but am
>> still searching.
>>
>>
>> On 4/1/2021 7:26 AM, Fred Kaluza wrote:
>>
>> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even
>> if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is
>> enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around
>> here.
>>
>> >From Fred’s IPhone
>> ------------------------------
>> *From:* Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <shorvath...>
>> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
>> *To:* John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <ajf-jlf...>;
>> Birders UM <birders...> <birders...>
>> *Cc:* Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <shorvath...>
>> *Subject:* Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>>
>> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
>> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
>> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
>> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
>> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
>> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
>> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
>> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
>> in one of the boxes!
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>
>> <ajf-jlf...> wrote:
>> >
>> > Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this
>> morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is
>> interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a
>> trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two,
>> this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a
>> starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair
>> spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop
>> behind the house.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously
>> against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study
>> window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence -
>> with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at
>> least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved
>> once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes
>> higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting
>> tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three
>> of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank
>> immediately behind our house.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath
>> after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and
>> another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a
>> slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated
>> for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the
>> area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after
>> their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and
>> handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards
>> - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male
>> tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the
>> corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but
>> still unmated drakes.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word
>> for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
>> >
>> > January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
>> > February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the
>> break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
>> > March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days,
>> beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days,
>> starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and
>> non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust
>> search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another
>> sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and
>> around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the
>> house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range
>> of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both
>> color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger
>> squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the
>> season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those
>> non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We
>> have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing
>> squirrel activity lately.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife
>> equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that
>> there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck
>> boxes. But that's another story…
>>
>>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CC677069-198B-45E2-9754-F9D0288F037A...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CC677069-198B-45E2-9754-F9D0288F037A...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
Date: 4/2/21 1:20 pm From: Patrick Baize <pkbaize...> Subject: [birders] merlin and an Ipod
does anyone know if the merlin app can be downloaded to a Ipod? reply off board if you'd like
Pat B. Howell, Michigan
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1276157897.383569.1617394819032...>
Date: 4/2/21 12:44 pm From: 'George Hammond' via Birders <birders...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
Hi birders,
A UM mammalogist has told me that flying squirrels are much more common in urban and suburban areas than is generally known. They are sufficiently nocturnal that people just don’t see them. The iNaturalist site doesn’t have many records of them, but one was found on the grounds of the Leslie Science and Nature Center in Ann Arbor, next to Black Pond Woods, and another one was found in the Rosedale Park historic district in Detroit, near Grand River Ave and the Southfield Highway, quite a developed area.
So more of you may have flying squirrels visiting your feeders in dark of night than you know.
George
> On Apr 2, 2021, at 12:26 PM, Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> wrote:
>
> There are large urbanized areas in southeastern Michigan, and other parts of the state, and agricultural areas where there is no appropriate habitat for flying squirrels.
>
> On Fri, Apr 2, 2021, 11:56 AM Dody <dody...> <mailto:<dody...>> wrote:
> Hi Fred,
>
> I’m not sure where you live, but we’re between Manchester and Clinton and have plenty of flying squirrels. We put a very small handful of peanuts on our deck railing out for them just after dusk and have had three at a time. They have very differing personalities - one will just sit and eat even if we turn on the light. The other two are not quite so sure.
>
> Dody
>
> On Apr 2, 2021, at 10:41 AM, Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> <mailto:<fkaluza...>> wrote:
>
> Thanks for searching Kent. Yes, I guess wrapping the tree a few feet below the trunk with some aluminum flashing AND finagling a baffle or skirt above the box should work so long as it forces the usurpers far-enough outward that they could not drop down onto any part of the box. I know that any weakness in the design will be exploited. Any upturned or folded edge or crease, any vertical crack or any nearby twig can be caught by a claw or used as a place to gain momentum and swing onto a box and will be leveraged by squirrels. I also want to be cautious about damaging the trunk by retaining perpetual shade and moisture against it. It’s not an easy task. Probably no way to stop flying squirrels but (sadly) I don’t think they live around here.
>
> From Fred’s IPhone
> From: Kent Martin <kjmluthier...> <mailto:<kjmluthier...>> > Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021 3:53:09 AM
> To: <birders...> <mailto:<birders...> <birders...> <mailto:<birders...>> > Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>
> I recently retired a box - built from plans found online back in 2012 - which featured a pyramid-shaped cap overhanging the box by about 3" on both the sides and front, with both box and cap covered by sheet metal. It hung on a large oak tree, with the trunk being the only means of approach by 4 legged critters. Our neighborhood is infested with squirrels, but they never got into the box. The only issue I had was when Pine squirrels tried to chew through the bottom of the box, which was not covered with sheet metal. I also had to discourage starlings from nesting in it several times.
>
> The searching wood ducks that prompted this project never returned, but screech owls successfully raised 2 broods in the box, and roosted there in several other years. Last summer a storm damaged the tree, and it was taken down. The box was showing some wear at that point, so I built another, using the same design, but scaled down a bit. It is again occupied by a screech owl.
>
> I can't locate the plans or pictures of the box at the moment, but am still searching.
>
>
>
> On 4/1/2021 7:26 AM, Fred Kaluza wrote:
>> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
>>
>> >From Fred’s IPhone
>> From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <mailto:<shorvath...> >> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
>> To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <mailto:<ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...> <mailto:<birders...> >> Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <mailto:<shorvath...> >> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>>
>> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
>> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
>> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
>> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
>> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
>> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
>> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
>> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
>> in one of the boxes!
>>
>> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <mailto:<ajf-jlf...> wrote:
>> >
>> > Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
>> >
>> > January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
>> > February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
>> > March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CC677069-198B-45E2-9754-F9D0288F037A...>
Date: 4/2/21 11:43 am From: Beverly Wolf <bev_wolf...> Subject: [birders] Sandhills
Over the last 3 days there have been about 9 flocks of 30 or more Sandhills flying over us at Presque Isle Harbor (Lake Huron) - most were very high, but one flock started to circle before we lost sight. While we've had a few in the area, these numbers were startling to us. And we love it!
Bev Wolf
Presque Isle
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<483928097.153254.1617389016739...>
Date: 4/2/21 9:26 am From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
There are large urbanized areas in southeastern Michigan, and other parts
of the state, and agricultural areas where there is no appropriate habitat
for flying squirrels.
On Fri, Apr 2, 2021, 11:56 AM Dody <dody...> wrote:
> Hi Fred,
>
> I’m not sure where you live, but we’re between Manchester and Clinton and
> have plenty of flying squirrels. We put a very small handful of peanuts on
> our deck railing out for them just after dusk and have had three at a
> time. They have very differing personalities - one will just sit and eat
> even if we turn on the light. The other two are not quite so sure.
>
> Dody
>
> On Apr 2, 2021, at 10:41 AM, Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
>
> Thanks for searching Kent. Yes, I guess wrapping the tree a few feet
> below the trunk with some aluminum flashing AND finagling a baffle or skirt
> above the box should work so long as it forces the usurpers far-enough
> outward that they could not drop down onto any part of the box. I know
> that any weakness in the design will be exploited. Any upturned or folded
> edge or crease, any vertical crack or any nearby twig can be caught by a
> claw or used as a place to gain momentum and swing onto a box and will be
> leveraged by squirrels. I also want to be cautious about damaging the
> trunk by retaining perpetual shade and moisture against it. It’s not an
> easy task. Probably no way to stop flying squirrels but (sadly) I don’t
> think they live around here.
>
> From Fred’s IPhone
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Kent Martin <kjmluthier...>
> *Sent:* Friday, April 2, 2021 3:53:09 AM
> *To:* <birders...> <birders...>
> *Subject:* Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>
>
> I recently retired a box - built from plans found online back in 2012 -
> which featured a pyramid-shaped cap overhanging the box by about 3" on both
> the sides and front, with both box and cap covered by sheet metal. It hung
> on a large oak tree, with the trunk being the only means of approach by 4
> legged critters. Our neighborhood is infested with squirrels, but they
> never got into the box. The only issue I had was when Pine squirrels tried
> to chew through the bottom of the box, which was not covered with sheet
> metal. I also had to discourage starlings from nesting in it several times.
>
> The searching wood ducks that prompted this project never returned, but
> screech owls successfully raised 2 broods in the box, and roosted there in
> several other years. Last summer a storm damaged the tree, and it was taken
> down. The box was showing some wear at that point, so I built another,
> using the same design, but scaled down a bit. It is again occupied by a
> screech owl.
>
> I can't locate the plans or pictures of the box at the moment, but am
> still searching.
>
>
> On 4/1/2021 7:26 AM, Fred Kaluza wrote:
>
> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if
> I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is
> enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around
> here.
>
> >From Fred’s IPhone
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <shorvath...>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
> *To:* John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <ajf-jlf...>;
> Birders UM <birders...> <birders...>
> *Cc:* Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <shorvath...>
> *Subject:* Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>
> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
> in one of the boxes!
>
> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>
> <ajf-jlf...> wrote:
> >
> > Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this
> morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is
> interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a
> trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two,
> this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a
> starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair
> spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop
> behind the house.
> >
> >
> >
> > As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against
> the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window.
> During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many
> visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a
> half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once,
> each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes
> higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting
> tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three
> of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank
> immediately behind our house.
> >
> >
> >
> > And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath
> after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and
> another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
> >
> >
> >
> > Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a
> slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated
> for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the
> area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after
> their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and
> handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
> >
> >
> >
> > Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards
> - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male
> tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the
> corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but
> still unmated drakes.
> >
> >
> >
> > A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word
> for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
> >
> > January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
> > February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the
> break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
> > March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning
> 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting
> 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine
> birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
> >
> >
> >
> > As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust
> search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another
> sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and
> around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
> >
> >
> >
> > The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the
> house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range
> of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both
> color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger
> squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the
> season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those
> non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We
> have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing
> squirrel activity lately.
> >
> >
> >
> > Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife
> equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that
> there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck
> boxes. But that's another story…
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> > ---
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Birders" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> > To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...> > .
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...> > .
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB23644DA8A340E2FCC25B335AF97B9...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB23644DA8A340E2FCC25B335AF97B9...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<393ba1a0-a999-8473-bf04-fc2d40d7ebfc...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<393ba1a0-a999-8473-bf04-fc2d40d7ebfc...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB2364C73873B9140A4E3893A7F97A9...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB2364C73873B9140A4E3893A7F97A9...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<73389855-7F42-4145-937B-EECF86F67973...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<73389855-7F42-4145-937B-EECF86F67973...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > .
>
Date: 4/2/21 8:57 am From: Ellen Weatherbee <eew...> Subject: [birders] Southern flying squirrels definitely live all over Michigan
Southern flying squirrels have taken over much of the state, crowding out the northern flying squirrels, except in remote places like islands. We have southern flying squirrels at our cabin on Patterson Lake (southern Livingston County) and northern flying squirrels at our shack on Drummond Island (eastern Chippewa County). Ellen.Jack.Nellie (woof woof) 🍄🦌🐾🐾
On Apr 2, 2021, at 10:41 AM, Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
Thanks for searching Kent. Yes, I guess wrapping the tree a few feet below the trunk with some aluminum flashing AND finagling a baffle or skirt above the box should work so long as it forces the usurpers far-enough outward that they could not drop down onto any part of the box. I know that any weakness in the design will be exploited. Any upturned or folded edge or crease, any vertical crack or any nearby twig can be caught by a claw or used as a place to gain momentum and swing onto a box and will be leveraged by squirrels. I also want to be cautious about damaging the trunk by retaining perpetual shade and moisture against it. It’s not an easy task. Probably no way to stop flying squirrels but (sadly) I don’t think they live around here.
From Fred’s IPhone
From: Kent Martin <kjmluthier...>
Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021 3:53:09 AM
To: <birders...> <birders...>
Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
I recently retired a box - built from plans found online back in 2012 - which featured a pyramid-shaped cap overhanging the box by about 3" on both the sides and front, with both box and cap covered by sheet metal. It hung on a large oak tree, with the trunk being the only means of approach by 4 legged critters. Our neighborhood is infested with squirrels, but they never got into the box. The only issue I had was when Pine squirrels tried to chew through the bottom of the box, which was not covered with sheet metal. I also had to discourage starlings from nesting in it several times.
The searching wood ducks that prompted this project never returned, but screech owls successfully raised 2 broods in the box, and roosted there in several other years. Last summer a storm damaged the tree, and it was taken down. The box was showing some wear at that point, so I built another, using the same design, but scaled down a bit. It is again occupied by a screech owl.
I can't locate the plans or pictures of the box at the moment, but am still searching.
On 4/1/2021 7:26 AM, Fred Kaluza wrote:
> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
>
> >From Fred’s IPhone
> From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
> To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...>
> Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>
> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
> in one of the boxes!
>
> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> wrote:
> >
> > Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
> >
> >
> >
> > As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
> >
> >
> >
> > And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
> >
> >
> >
> > Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
> >
> >
> >
> > Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
> >
> >
> >
> > A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
> >
> > January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
> > February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
> > March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
> >
> >
> >
> > As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
> >
> >
> >
> > The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
> >
> >
> >
> > Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> > ---
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...> > --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB23644DA8A340E2FCC25B335AF97B9...> --
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<393ba1a0-a999-8473-bf04-fc2d40d7ebfc...> --
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB2364C73873B9140A4E3893A7F97A9...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<D400F35D-4087-4CC3-9DCB-AAE0D2AAF20B...>
Date: 4/2/21 8:56 am From: Dody <dody...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
Hi Fred,
I’m not sure where you live, but we’re between Manchester and Clinton and have plenty of flying squirrels. We put a very small handful of peanuts on our deck railing out for them just after dusk and have had three at a time. They have very differing personalities - one will just sit and eat even if we turn on the light. The other two are not quite so sure.
Dody
On Apr 2, 2021, at 10:41 AM, Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> wrote:
Thanks for searching Kent. Yes, I guess wrapping the tree a few feet below the trunk with some aluminum flashing AND finagling a baffle or skirt above the box should work so long as it forces the usurpers far-enough outward that they could not drop down onto any part of the box. I know that any weakness in the design will be exploited. Any upturned or folded edge or crease, any vertical crack or any nearby twig can be caught by a claw or used as a place to gain momentum and swing onto a box and will be leveraged by squirrels. I also want to be cautious about damaging the trunk by retaining perpetual shade and moisture against it. It’s not an easy task. Probably no way to stop flying squirrels but (sadly) I don’t think they live around here.
From Fred’s IPhone
From: Kent Martin <kjmluthier...>
Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021 3:53:09 AM
To: <birders...> <birders...>
Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
I recently retired a box - built from plans found online back in 2012 - which featured a pyramid-shaped cap overhanging the box by about 3" on both the sides and front, with both box and cap covered by sheet metal. It hung on a large oak tree, with the trunk being the only means of approach by 4 legged critters. Our neighborhood is infested with squirrels, but they never got into the box. The only issue I had was when Pine squirrels tried to chew through the bottom of the box, which was not covered with sheet metal. I also had to discourage starlings from nesting in it several times.
The searching wood ducks that prompted this project never returned, but screech owls successfully raised 2 broods in the box, and roosted there in several other years. Last summer a storm damaged the tree, and it was taken down. The box was showing some wear at that point, so I built another, using the same design, but scaled down a bit. It is again occupied by a screech owl.
I can't locate the plans or pictures of the box at the moment, but am still searching.
On 4/1/2021 7:26 AM, Fred Kaluza wrote:
> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
>
> >From Fred’s IPhone
> From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <mailto:<shorvath...> > Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
> To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <mailto:<ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...> <mailto:<birders...> > Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> <mailto:<shorvath...> > Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
>
> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
> in one of the boxes!
>
> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> <mailto:<ajf-jlf...> wrote:
> >
> > Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
> >
> >
> >
> > As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
> >
> >
> >
> > And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
> >
> >
> >
> > Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
> >
> >
> >
> > Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
> >
> >
> >
> > A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
> >
> > January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
> > February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
> > March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
> >
> >
> >
> > As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
> >
> >
> >
> > The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
> >
> >
> >
> > Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org <http://www.glc.org/> > > ---
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email tobirders+<unsubscribe...> <mailto:birders+<unsubscribe...>.
> > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...> <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...>.
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org <http://www.glc.org/> > ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email tobirders+<unsubscribe...> <mailto:birders+<unsubscribe...>.
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...> <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...>.
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org <http://www.glc.org/> > ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> <mailto:birders+<unsubscribe...>.
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB23644DA8A340E2FCC25B335AF97B9...> <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB23644DA8A340E2FCC25B335AF97B9...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<73389855-7F42-4145-937B-EECF86F67973...>
Date: 4/2/21 7:41 am From: Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
Thanks for searching Kent. Yes, I guess wrapping the tree a few feet below the trunk with some aluminum flashing AND finagling a baffle or skirt above the box should work so long as it forces the usurpers far-enough outward that they could not drop down onto any part of the box. I know that any weakness in the design will be exploited. Any upturned or folded edge or crease, any vertical crack or any nearby twig can be caught by a claw or used as a place to gain momentum and swing onto a box and will be leveraged by squirrels. I also want to be cautious about damaging the trunk by retaining perpetual shade and moisture against it. It’s not an easy task. Probably no way to stop flying squirrels but (sadly) I don’t think they live around here.
From Fred’s IPhone
________________________________
From: Kent Martin <kjmluthier...>
Sent: Friday, April 2, 2021 3:53:09 AM
To: <birders...> <birders...>
Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
I recently retired a box - built from plans found online back in 2012 - which featured a pyramid-shaped cap overhanging the box by about 3" on both the sides and front, with both box and cap covered by sheet metal. It hung on a large oak tree, with the trunk being the only means of approach by 4 legged critters. Our neighborhood is infested with squirrels, but they never got into the box. The only issue I had was when Pine squirrels tried to chew through the bottom of the box, which was not covered with sheet metal. I also had to discourage starlings from nesting in it several times.
The searching wood ducks that prompted this project never returned, but screech owls successfully raised 2 broods in the box, and roosted there in several other years. Last summer a storm damaged the tree, and it was taken down. The box was showing some wear at that point, so I built another, using the same design, but scaled down a bit. It is again occupied by a screech owl.
I can't locate the plans or pictures of the box at the moment, but am still searching.
On 4/1/2021 7:26 AM, Fred Kaluza wrote:
When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
>From Fred’s IPhone
________________________________
From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...><mailto:<shorvath...> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...><mailto:<ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...><mailto:<birders...> Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...><mailto:<shorvath...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
in one of the boxes!
On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...><mailto:<ajf-jlf...> wrote:
>
> Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
>
>
>
> As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
>
>
>
> And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
>
>
>
> Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
>
>
>
> Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
>
>
>
> A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
>
> January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
> February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
> March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
>
>
>
> As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
>
>
>
> The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
>
>
>
> Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
>
>
>
> I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
>
>
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org<http://www.glc.org> > ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...><mailto:birders+<unsubscribe...>.
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB2364C73873B9140A4E3893A7F97A9...>
Date: 4/2/21 12:53 am From: Kent Martin <kjmluthier...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
I recently retired a box - built from plans found online back in 2012 -
which featured a pyramid-shaped cap overhanging the box by about 3" on
both the sides and front, with both box and cap covered by sheet metal.
It hung on a large oak tree, with the trunk being the only means of
approach by 4 legged critters. Our neighborhood is infested with
squirrels, but they never got into the box. The only issue I had was
when Pine squirrels tried to chew through the bottom of the box, which
was not covered with sheet metal. I also had to discourage starlings
from nesting in it several times.
The searching wood ducks that prompted this project never returned, but
screech owls successfully raised 2 broods in the box, and roosted there
in several other years. Last summer a storm damaged the tree, and it was
taken down. The box was showing some wear at that point, so I built
another, using the same design, but scaled down a bit. It is again
occupied by a screech owl.
I can't locate the plans or pictures of the box at the moment, but am
still searching.
On 4/1/2021 7:26 AM, Fred Kaluza wrote:
> When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out?
> Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in
> the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads
> of squirrels around here.
>
> >From Fred’s IPhone
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
> *To:* John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM
> <birders...>
> *Cc:* Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
> *Subject:* Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
> We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
> Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
> first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
> March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
> There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
> extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
> Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
> years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
> in one of the boxes!
>
> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>
> wrote:
> >
> > Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this
> morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots.
> What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually
> starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course
> of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a
> ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted
> at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the
> 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
> >
> >
> >
> > As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously
> against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my
> study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last
> sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene -
> she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different
> trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than
> 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at
> least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half
> dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest
> boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
> >
> >
> >
> > And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a
> breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks'
> feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
> >
> >
> >
> > Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began
> a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has
> abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of
> woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of
> Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for
> the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on
> the bank daily for all comers.
> >
> >
> >
> > Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the
> Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a
> second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all
> interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and
> usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
> >
> >
> >
> > A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new
> word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
> >
> > January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
> > February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the
> break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
> > March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days,
> beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5
> days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the
> corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
> >
> >
> >
> > As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust
> search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another
> sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and
> around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
> >
> >
> >
> > The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of
> the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a
> full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray
> and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern
> Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often
> raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't
> help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting
> the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our
> four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
> >
> >
> >
> > Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife
> equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator
> that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck
> boxes. But that's another story…
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org <http://www.glc.org> > > ---
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Birders" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> > To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...>.
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org <http://www.glc.org> > ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAMrXOUbAb%<3DLX_bpS4MY7kbmr7XtWqAtqS7WG4muspSEXWDvNog...>.
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at
> www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> <mailto:birders+<unsubscribe...>.
> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB23644DA8A340E2FCC25B335AF97B9...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB23644DA8A340E2FCC25B335AF97B9...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<393ba1a0-a999-8473-bf04-fc2d40d7ebfc...>
Date: 4/1/21 4:26 am From: Fred Kaluza <fkaluza...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
When mounting boxes to trees, how do you guys keep squirrels out? Even if I baffle the trunk of a supporting tree, branch overlap in the canopy is enough to invite intruders from above. I’ve got scads of squirrels around here.
From Fred’s IPhone
________________________________
From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 11:16:58 PM
To: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...>; Birders UM <birders...>
Cc: Susan Horvath <shorvath...>
Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
in one of the boxes!
On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> wrote:
>
> Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
>
>
>
> As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
>
>
>
> And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
>
>
>
> Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
>
>
>
> Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
>
>
>
> A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
>
> January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
> February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
> March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
>
>
>
> As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
>
>
>
> The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
>
>
>
> Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
>
>
>
> I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
>
>
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org<http://www.glc.org> > ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB23644DA8A340E2FCC25B335AF97B9...>
Date: 3/31/21 8:17 pm From: Susan Horvath <shorvath...> Subject: Re: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
We have 4 screech/woodduck boxes 15' or so up trees... 25 years or so.
Last year was first time all boxes were in use by wood ducks. Also the
first time we managed to see a fledge. Our first sighting this year,
March 25: 2 pair flew in together... with a 3rd pair right behind!
There's got to be some site fidelity going on... and maybe they're an
extended family. We've known for years that egg-dumping happens.
Clutch sizes are just too large. We added Blink cameras a couple
years ago.... and managed to catch 2 females incubating side by side
in one of the boxes!
On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 10:53 AM John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> wrote:
>
> Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
>
>
>
> As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
>
>
>
> And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
>
>
>
> Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
>
>
>
> Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
>
>
>
> A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
>
> January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days)
> February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days!
> March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
>
>
>
> As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
>
>
>
> The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
>
>
>
> Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
>
>
>
> I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story…
>
>
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...>
Date: 3/31/21 5:01 pm From: Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> Subject: [birders] Incredible Migration Story of a Great Blue Heron
Last fall, a GPS-tagged Great Blue Heron flew for 68 hours (just 4 hours shy of 3 full days!) non-stop for 2,030 miles from Quebec to Georgia over the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. I had no idea that they could fly for that length of time or distance--non-stop. Wow.
Thank you to all: Allen and those who emailed me privately. I had been leaning in that direction but wanted to be sure.
Red-breasted Nuthatches and Juncos are still visiting my feeders.
On Wed, Mar 31, 2021 at 4:11 PM Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> wrote:
> Before looking at the photos, the description sounded pretty good for > Golden-crowned Kinglet, and indeed that is what the bird in the photos is. > They are cold-hardy despite being insectivores, with some overwintering in > much of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. So the description of its death is a > bit odd. > > Allen T. Chartier > Inkster, Michigan > Email: <amazilia3...> > Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mihummingbirdguy/collections/ > Website/Blog: http://mihummingbirdguy.blogspot.com/ > > > > On Wed, Mar 31, 2021 at 4:07 PM Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> wrote: > >> Any thoughts on this? >> >> >> ---------- Forwarded message --------- >> From: Jan BenDor <jan...> >> Date: Wed, Mar 31, 2021 at 2:54 PM >> Subject: Fwd: Bird >> To: Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> >> >> >> My phone sent this before I had a chance to create the email. I saw this >> bird drop from a tree, move briefly on the ground, and then, sadly, it >> died. The closest I can come to an ID on the Cornell web site is a golden >> winged warbler, but this bird had no gold patch on the wings, only a half >> patch on its head. There is some faint yellow on the back as on a golden >> wing female. Very curious. Could it be one of the hybrids between the >> golden and the blue winged warblers? >> --Jan >> >> -- >> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at >> www.glc.org >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Birders" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to birders+<unsubscribe...> >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAJpB0PVie-9R15s_b81FiLYWiKOFhugEb10Y6kG%<3DK7mFy6yM9Q...> >> <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAJpB0PVie-9R15s_b81FiLYWiKOFhugEb10Y6kG%<3DK7mFy6yM9Q...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >
Before looking at the photos, the description sounded pretty good for Golden-crowned Kinglet, and indeed that is what the bird in the photos is. They are cold-hardy despite being insectivores, with some overwintering in much of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. So the description of its death is a bit odd.
On Wed, Mar 31, 2021 at 4:07 PM Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> wrote:
> Any thoughts on this? > > > ---------- Forwarded message --------- > From: Jan BenDor <jan...> > Date: Wed, Mar 31, 2021 at 2:54 PM > Subject: Fwd: Bird > To: Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> > > > My phone sent this before I had a chance to create the email. I saw this > bird drop from a tree, move briefly on the ground, and then, sadly, it > died. The closest I can come to an ID on the Cornell web site is a golden > winged warbler, but this bird had no gold patch on the wings, only a half > patch on its head. There is some faint yellow on the back as on a golden > wing female. Very curious. Could it be one of the hybrids between the > golden and the blue winged warblers? > --Jan > > -- > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at > www.glc.org > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Birders" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to birders+<unsubscribe...> > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAJpB0PVie-9R15s_b81FiLYWiKOFhugEb10Y6kG%<3DK7mFy6yM9Q...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAJpB0PVie-9R15s_b81FiLYWiKOFhugEb10Y6kG%<3DK7mFy6yM9Q...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . >
---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Jan BenDor <jan...> Date: Wed, Mar 31, 2021 at 2:54 PM Subject: Fwd: Bird To: Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...>
My phone sent this before I had a chance to create the email. I saw this bird drop from a tree, move briefly on the ground, and then, sadly, it died. The closest I can come to an ID on the Cornell web site is a golden winged warbler, but this bird had no gold patch on the wings, only a half patch on its head. There is some faint yellow on the back as on a golden wing female. Very curious. Could it be one of the hybrids between the golden and the blue winged warblers? --Jan
Date: 3/30/21 9:17 am From: April Campbell <adc14...> Subject: [birders] Butler’s Garter Snake
County Farm today
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<6D772F11-5A01-41DE-9BFE-D121C6BE155C...>
Sent from my iPhone
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<6D772F11-5A01-41DE-9BFE-D121C6BE155C...>
Date: 3/30/21 7:53 am From: John Farmer <ajf-jlf...> Subject: [birders] The search is on! (very long)
Here along the Saline River near Milan, MI, the trees are alive this morning with multiple Wood Duck pairs in search of nesting spots. What is interesting today is that whereas the housing search usually starts as a trickle and then slowly grows to a flood over the course of a week or two, this year's search has begun en masse, as if a ribbon has been cut or a starting gun fired. Anne and I have counted at least four different pair spread out among the trees over the 100-yard length of the river's loop behind the house.
As I write, a hen has just left her partner perched precariously against the off-plumb trunk of a hackberry not thirty feet from my study window. During the three minutes it took to write that last sentence - with many visual digressions to follow the changing scene - she moved to at least a half dozen different branches in different trees while he has moved once, each small flight by both not more than 20 feet at a time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower in the trees, at least once back to the starting tree, but all within sight of a half dozen natural tree cavities and three of the four tree-mounted nest boxes I maintain on the river bank immediately behind our house.
And now, that pair had dropped to the river's surface to catch a breath after their uneasy stands on perches hardly designed for ducks' feet, and another pair has taken their place as the frenzied game goes on.
Just minutes later, that pair, too, returned to the river and began a slow paddle upstream together. It appears that the nesting urge has abated for today, as attested by the apparent total withdrawal of woodies from the area now. And by the low flight of a pair of Mallards back upstream after their first of several stops to check for the single cob of corn and handful of loose kernels that I leave on the bank daily for all comers.
Those comers at this time of year include - in addition to the Mallards - a pair of Canadas, a pair of Hoodies , sometimes with a second male tagging along to create a triangle (but with none at all interested in the corn, of course), and up to five Woodie hens and usually a few wannabe, but still unmated drakes.
A quick check of my daily records shows that our anatine (my new word for the day!) visitors for the year have been as follows:
* January - Mallards (19 days) and Wood Ducks (3 days) * February - (the river was frozen over for the entire month until the break-up on the 28th) we still had Mallard drop-ins on four Feb days! * March - Mallards (22 days beginning on 3/1), Woodies (17 days, beginning 3/6), Hoodies (10 days, beginning 3/1), Canada Geese (5 days, starting 3/9), and [Great Blue Heron also non-consumers of the corn and non-anatine birds! (3 days starting 3/20]
As we consider what may account for this morning's unusually robust search by the Woodies for nesting cavities, we're wondering if another sector of the wild community that has entertained us all winter at and around our feeders may have prompted the full-on assault.
The diurnal diners at our feeding station just beyond the back of the house include not only the expected array of birds, but also a full range of sciurid cousins. Just yesterday we had Fox, Red, Gray and Black (both color phases of the Gray) Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunk. The two larger squirrel species - Fox and Gray - often raise their first broods of the season in the duck boxes, and we can't help but consider that those non-avian competitors may be affecting the Wood Ducks' united front. We have noted that at least two of our four duck boxes have been seeing squirrel activity lately.
Might today's unusual mass search for nesting space be the wildlife equivalent of a fair-housing demonstration? Or, at least an indicator that there is an acute need for more birthing centers!
I'm heading out to fill the feeders and should also check the duck boxes. But that's another story.
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000001d72574%2465d15290%243173f7b0%<24...>
For the past couple of weeks, we've heard a Barred Owl calling late in the afternoon, say 4ish. I'm a novice birder, but I'm confused by an owl vocalizing during the day. Is this common?
Date: 3/30/21 7:08 am From: April Campbell <adc14...> Subject: [birders] Neighborhood art
Someone was inspired to paint a snowy and hang it in their yard a few blocks from me. Awesome’
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<5DA32D77-3B0D-49BC-8FD4-9B215EE08E45...>
Sent from my iPhone
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<5DA32D77-3B0D-49BC-8FD4-9B215EE08E45...>
On Mon, Mar 29, 2021 at 9:19 PM Juliet Berger <juliet.berger...> wrote:
> I assume she means Dolph Nature Area in Ann Arbor. > Juliet Berger > > On Mon, Mar 29, 2021 at 4:55 PM Susan Kielb <sdkielb...> wrote: > >> Hi Carol, >> Could you please add general location for this observation? Thank you! >> Susan Kielb >> >> > On Mar 28, 2021, at 10:53 AM, Carol Furtado <carolfurtado2...> >> wrote: >> > >> > Hi >> > Yesterday walking at the bog walk extension by the lake ,I heard a pine >> warbler in the big pines. There also were phoebes and 3 varieties of frogs >> vocalizing. Hepatica edged the walkway. Perfect spring hike >> > Carol >> > >> > Sent from my iPhone >> > >> > -- >> > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at >> www.glc.org >> > --- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "Birders" group. >> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >> an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> >> > To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<A5BE9B38-8D2B-476A-9364-48A59E92F19E...> >> . >> >> -- >> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at >> www.glc.org >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Birders" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to birders+<unsubscribe...> >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<EE68EE83-5A23-41EC-AC20-769E8503CE55...> >> . >> > -- > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at > www.glc.org > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Birders" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to birders+<unsubscribe...> > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CABVs24%2BPpM%2B6tqE1dbFzukcthsn%3DvGgvgXoEBD9wOhuFBwa%<3Dyg...> > <https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CABVs24%2BPpM%2B6tqE1dbFzukcthsn%3DvGgvgXoEBD9wOhuFBwa%<3Dyg...>?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . >
I assume she means Dolph Nature Area in Ann Arbor. Juliet Berger
On Mon, Mar 29, 2021 at 4:55 PM Susan Kielb <sdkielb...> wrote:
> Hi Carol, > Could you please add general location for this observation? Thank you! > Susan Kielb > > > On Mar 28, 2021, at 10:53 AM, Carol Furtado <carolfurtado2...> > wrote: > > > > Hi > > Yesterday walking at the bog walk extension by the lake ,I heard a pine > warbler in the big pines. There also were phoebes and 3 varieties of frogs > vocalizing. Hepatica edged the walkway. Perfect spring hike > > Carol > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > > -- > > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at > www.glc.org > > --- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Birders" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send > an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> > > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<A5BE9B38-8D2B-476A-9364-48A59E92F19E...> > . > > -- > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at > www.glc.org > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Birders" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to birders+<unsubscribe...> > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<EE68EE83-5A23-41EC-AC20-769E8503CE55...> > . >
I never knew this! I love the knowledge that this list brings to us!
Sent from my iPhone
> On Mar 29, 2021, at 12:34 PM, Juliet Berger <juliet.berger...> wrote:
>
>
> I was once told by our founder and former admin, Bruce Bowman, that summer is the only season where we don't have Hermit Thrushes in Southeast Michigan.
> They regularly overwinter in small numbers in our area, even in the UP, and also are common spring and fall migrants. The do breed in the Northern Lower Peninsula, and farther north. I have heard them singing their haunting song in Kirtland's Warbler territory, during the season.
> How fun that you had one wintering in your yard! Congrats,
> Juliet Berger
> Washtenaw Audubon
>
>> On Mon, Mar 29, 2021 at 11:09 AM Patricia Burden <tallerpat526...> wrote:
>> Hello all,
>> We have had a Hermit Thrush in and around our feeding station since
>> the 1st of March. it generally visits our heated birdbath, but will
>> often feed on the ground under the suet feeders. We have a decent
>> sized brush piler in the middle of our feeding area and when the
>> weather was inclement, it often took refuge down inside it. At first I
>> didn't think much of it because I know they are one of the few
>> thrushes to be around past summer, however, I know I have also been
>> birding on days when they are moving through during migration. So I am
>> wondering, is this bird more likely to be an early migrant or one that
>> has over wintered here?
>> Pat Burden
>> Melvin & Yale, MI
>>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAD76NUETEo%3D6rMLvqjhFf-_cWuPz_mFMjROAWdFO_faT1%<2BVBxg...> >
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CABVs24LTwv8HO29ESsuX4GzYBVu5xnC9O4%<2Bcy1AD2V0wFWVpag...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<3DE5124C-226F-4E14-8A74-BF24F3AB4431...>
Date: 3/29/21 3:17 pm From: 'Penny Swanson' via Birders <birders...> Subject: Re: [birders] Migration program on npr today
An excellent program and worth listening to.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Mar 29, 2021, at 3:48 PM, ddarm ddarm <ddarm...> wrote:
>
>
> Scott Weidensaul gives another great program on Terry Gross today. Here is a link:
>
> https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/ >
> Deaver D. Armstrong
> <ddarm...>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<5FB283BC-F352-4A6D-859D-F25AF6466354...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<2C067B64-F8EB-4398-8AA9-99522DB08B0C...>
Date: 3/29/21 1:55 pm From: Susan Kielb <sdkielb...> Subject: Re: [birders] Pine warbler
Hi Carol, Could you please add general location for this observation? Thank you! Susan Kielb
> On Mar 28, 2021, at 10:53 AM, Carol Furtado <carolfurtado2...> wrote: > > Hi > Yesterday walking at the bog walk extension by the lake ,I heard a pine warbler in the big pines. There also were phoebes and 3 varieties of frogs vocalizing. Hepatica edged the walkway. Perfect spring hike > Carol > > Sent from my iPhone > > -- > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> > To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<A5BE9B38-8D2B-476A-9364-48A59E92F19E...>
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<EE68EE83-5A23-41EC-AC20-769E8503CE55...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<71170170-98DE-452F-B23D-0899EA9C0808...>
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<5FB283BC-F352-4A6D-859D-F25AF6466354...>
I was once told by our founder and former admin, Bruce Bowman, that summer is the only season where we don't have Hermit Thrushes in Southeast Michigan. They regularly overwinter in small numbers in our area, even in the UP, and also are common spring and fall migrants. The do breed in the Northern Lower Peninsula, and farther north. I have heard them singing their haunting song in Kirtland's Warbler territory, during the season. How fun that you had one wintering in your yard! Congrats, Juliet Berger Washtenaw Audubon
On Mon, Mar 29, 2021 at 11:09 AM Patricia Burden <tallerpat526...> wrote:
> Hello all, > We have had a Hermit Thrush in and around our feeding station since > the 1st of March. it generally visits our heated birdbath, but will > often feed on the ground under the suet feeders. We have a decent > sized brush piler in the middle of our feeding area and when the > weather was inclement, it often took refuge down inside it. At first I > didn't think much of it because I know they are one of the few > thrushes to be around past summer, however, I know I have also been > birding on days when they are moving through during migration. So I am > wondering, is this bird more likely to be an early migrant or one that > has over wintered here? > Pat Burden > Melvin & Yale, MI > > -- > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at > www.glc.org > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Birders" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to birders+<unsubscribe...> > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CAD76NUETEo%3D6rMLvqjhFf-_cWuPz_mFMjROAWdFO_faT1%<2BVBxg...> > . >
Date: 3/29/21 9:19 am From: 'NAPBirds' via Birders <birders...> Subject: [birders] The 2021 Ann Arbor Breeding Bird Survey
Dear Birders and Friends,
This year, again, we hope to recruit more Breeding Bird Survey volunteers for Ann Arbor area parks and properties. We have a good many excellent birding parks available! The survey is done using eBird to document our data, and requires at least an intermediate level of knowledge of all Southeast Michigan breeding birds, by sight and sound. It's a fun way to keep birding during the summer months, when birding tends to slow down with the end of songbird migration, and to make an impact on our knowledge of bird reproduction in our area. Citizen science is useful to scientists! Much of our understanding of bird migratory pathways in North America comes from eBird data.
Lots of local birders in the Ann Arbor area participate in the BBS, so come along and join our Team.
We'll have a Zoom BBS Kickoff and Training on Thursday, April 15 from 7-9:00 pm that all are invited to attend. Please message me so I can sign you up to receive the Zoom link. Don't delay, as the BBS Kickoff is only 2 weeks away. Formal surveys start on May 25, so you'll have plenty of time to get familiar with your parks and our survey protocols. There are very few COVID related concerns for conducting the surveys, as they are all outdoors, and mostly away from other people.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you!!
Good birding,
Juliet
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM8PR09MB6296897F917A64E9ABB24965927E9...>
Hello all, We have had a Hermit Thrush in and around our feeding station since the 1st of March. it generally visits our heated birdbath, but will often feed on the ground under the suet feeders. We have a decent sized brush piler in the middle of our feeding area and when the weather was inclement, it often took refuge down inside it. At first I didn't think much of it because I know they are one of the few thrushes to be around past summer, however, I know I have also been birding on days when they are moving through during migration. So I am wondering, is this bird more likely to be an early migrant or one that has over wintered here? Pat Burden Melvin & Yale, MI
Date: 3/28/21 5:52 pm From: Mag Tait <magtait1...> Subject: Re: [birders] Lake St. Clair
I love those beautiful , noisy birds!
Sent from my iPhone
> On Mar 28, 2021, at 2:46 PM, 'Penny Swanson' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>
>
> FOS male belted kingfisher returned to cove this morning. I believe they nest nearby.
> Penny
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<6E9890B5-632F-4534-AB5C-D48CD3379510...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<5A97D588-A487-41B7-8AEA-6417610E15C6...>
We have used permethrin treated socks, pants, hats and shirts (spray it yourself and purchased) for two years and have had no ticks at all. Also keeps chiggers off.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Mar 28, 2021, at 2:59 PM, Ron Gamble <rongamble...> wrote:
>
>
> All-
> Ticks, lyme disease, etc. get more attention in the SE MI region now.
>
> April is a high risk month for engaging with an adult deer tick (due to 2 year life cycle), i.e. potentail lyme disease carrier. We’ve already had one adult female, found attached, but not engorged here…
>
> If you’re interested in ticks, their biology and ecology, I find the archived links at this site very informative:
> https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/education-events/ticktalk-with-tickreport-webinars >
> I formerly pooh-poohed the permethrin-stability on treated clothing (we treat our own), but after last year, I’m confident it helps reduce ticks adventuring onto me.
>
> Ron G.
>
>
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000c01d72404%246e2b0060%244a810120%24%40net.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<82C992B2-C098-4906-893D-4F1E4688AF3C...>
Date: 3/28/21 11:59 am From: Ron Gamble <rongamble...> Subject: [birders] OT: Ticks and management
All-
Ticks, lyme disease, etc. get more attention in the SE MI region now.
April is a high risk month for engaging with an adult deer tick (due to 2 year life cycle), i.e. potentail lyme disease carrier. We’ve already had one adult female, found attached, but not engorged here…
If you’re interested in ticks, their biology and ecology, I find the archived links at this site very informative:
I formerly pooh-poohed the permethrin-stability on treated clothing (we treat our own), but after last year, I’m confident it helps reduce ticks adventuring onto me.
Ron G.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/000c01d72404%246e2b0060%244a810120%24%40net.
Date: 3/28/21 11:46 am From: 'Penny Swanson' via Birders <birders...> Subject: [birders] Lake St. Clair
FOS male belted kingfisher returned to cove this morning. I believe they nest nearby. Penny Sent from my iPhone
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<6E9890B5-632F-4534-AB5C-D48CD3379510...>
Date: 3/28/21 7:53 am From: Carol Furtado <carolfurtado2...> Subject: [birders] Pine warbler
Hi Yesterday walking at the bog walk extension by the lake ,I heard a pine warbler in the big pines. There also were phoebes and 3 varieties of frogs vocalizing. Hepatica edged the walkway. Perfect spring hike Carol
Sent from my iPhone
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<A5BE9B38-8D2B-476A-9364-48A59E92F19E...>
Date: 3/27/21 10:26 pm From: thegarlicks <thegarlicks...> Subject: Re: [birders] What Killed These Bald Eagles? After 25 Years, We Finally Know. — The Atlantic
Fascinating! Thank you.
--Diane Garlick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Deaver Armstrong" <ddarm...>
To: "BIRDERS@UMICH" <birders...>
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2021 8:50:15 AM
Subject: [birders] What Killed These Bald Eagles? After 25 Years, We Finally Know. — The Atlantic
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> .
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1D12F5AE-E31D-4A85-9C30-948CD44F3B30...> .
Yurok Tribe will create a captive breeding facility in Redwood national park for birds that could be released as...
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM6PR14MB2364364DEE38E96A0A84D1ACF9609...>
Date: 3/27/21 5:50 am From: Deaver Armstrong <ddarm...> Subject: [birders] What Killed These Bald Eagles? After 25 Years, We Finally Know. — The Atlantic
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1D12F5AE-E31D-4A85-9C30-948CD44F3B30...>
Date: 3/25/21 5:52 pm From: Susan MIller <smiller179...> Subject: [birders] non-bird: enviro-mich listserv
Does anyone have information on the enviro-mich listserv or any newer incarnation of that listserv? I would like to post information on a draft EGLE permit (and opportunity for public comment) intended to authorize a proposed large housing development (at Wagner and Waters) to discharge wastewater and “authorize an increased loading of pollutants to an unnamed tributary to Rouse Drain, which will lower the water quality….”
Thanks very much
Susan Miller
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<7FB60AD1-B99C-45A0-A0B5-FF9892E2C2CC...>
Date: 3/25/21 1:22 pm From: 'Edwin Sanchez' via Birders <birders...> Subject: [birders] Amblin’ Ambystoma Night at Hudson Mills is FULL
Hello All,
The park staff has asked me to inform you that tonight’s program (see earlier message) is fully registered.
And due to Covid restrictions, walk-ins cannot be accepted.
Should the salamanders be on the move tonight, there are many woodland vernal pools outside of the park system that are be worth investigating in the next week or so.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<BF5986E0-7F74-40DE-B57E-6D386434AF50...>
Of course, Spring peepers, chorus frogs, snapping and Blanding's turtles and the occasional garter and watersnake can be up and about (hunting sals).
Enjoy this special seasonal event and hope for rain!
Eddie Sanchez
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<29624FF4-B86A-4FF0-94F5-6A8B2427324A...>
Date: 3/23/21 2:55 pm From: 'Penny Swanson' via Birders <birders...> Subject: Re: [birders] Spring has arrived in Presque Isle
Congrats!
Sent from my iPhone
> On Mar 23, 2021, at 10:46 AM, Beverly Wolf <Bev_Wolf...> wrote:
>
>
> This morning I checked my feeders and suet. They went up for the winter for the first time because we had just moved into our home permanently late last year. I bemoaned having no birds. We live between a fen and the shore of Lake Huron, limestone being the bedrock. We had a few chickadees these past months. Suddenly, yesterday we had crows on the ground, picking through the leavings of the red squirrels, and staring at the suet and feeders - apparently trying to figure out a way to take advantage of a free meal. They eventually gave up and left. Then two downy woodpeckers siddled up on either side of the hanging buffet. I was pretty excited. But today has been a bonanza. I had a Lincoln's sparrow feeding on the ground, and then another! Then the bright red of a lone cardinal, followed by a pair of tufted mice! Next 7 redwing blackbirds arrived. Wow! I can't believe they found the feeders, but I am overjoyed to have them as guests for dinner. I hope they hang around and become regular dinner partners as we are fairly isolated on these beautiful shores of Presque Isle Harbor. Happy spring, all!
>
> Bev Wolf
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<2066535966.191221.1616510802100...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<371C48FE-6A26-421B-869B-95B122076C0A...>
Date: 3/23/21 7:46 am From: Beverly Wolf <bev_wolf...> Subject: [birders] Spring has arrived in Presque Isle
This morning I checked my feeders and suet. They went up for the winter for the first time because we had just moved into our home permanently late last year. I bemoaned having no birds. We live between a fen and the shore of Lake Huron, limestone being the bedrock. We had a few chickadees these past months. Suddenly, yesterday we had crows on the ground, picking through the leavings of the red squirrels, and staring at the suet and feeders - apparently trying to figure out a way to take advantage of a free meal. They eventually gave up and left. Then two downy woodpeckers siddled up on either side of the hanging buffet. I was pretty excited. But today has been a bonanza. I had a Lincoln's sparrow feeding on the ground, and then another! Then the bright red of a lone cardinal, followed by a pair of tufted mice! Next 7 redwing blackbirds arrived. Wow! I can't believe they found the feeders, but I am overjoyed to have them as guests for dinner. I hope they hang around and become regular dinner partners as we are fairly isolated on these beautiful shores of Presque Isle Harbor. Happy spring, all!
Bev Wolf
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<2066535966.191221.1616510802100...>
Date: 3/23/21 4:01 am From: Phil Bugosh <peb729...> Subject: [birders] Tonight, Tuesday March 23, 7:00 pm OAS Zoom Program. Poweshiek Butterflies and the NOHLC, Everyone is invited
Poweshiek Butterflies and the NOHLC. Tuesday, March 23, 2021 with a 7:00 PM start time. The site will open at 6:30 PM. See the Zoom invitation at the end of this email for details to log in. Don't miss the Oakland Audubon Society's meeting and a program titled "Poweshiek Butterflies and the NOHLC" presented by Sue Julian. The NOHLC (North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy) is entering Phase 2 of the acquisition of the Poweshiek Preserve in Davisburg Michigan. This land is part of the same wildlife corridor as Davis Lake Overlook and is home to just under 100 critically endangered Poweshiek Butterflies. The protection of this natural land is just one small action and part of a global effort to address biodiversity decline. Join Executive Director, Sue Julian, as she provides updates on the health of this little butterfly and how it's setting an example for pollinator preservation around the nation. Everyone is invited to attend, you do not have to be a member to participate.
Upcoming Programs: Apr. 13 - Robert Pettit - Hawk Watching: A Novice-friendly Hawk Identification Experience Apr. 27 - Sarah Mabey - Extraordinary Adaptations: Bird Migration
One tap mobile +16465588656,,83191912870#,,,,*347770# US (New York) +13017158592,,83191912870#,,,,*347770# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 831 9191 2870 Passcode: 347770 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbkIrvj6c3
> On Mar 22, 2021, at 3:42 PM, <billdhg...> wrote:
>
>
> I just use a web search for "2021 Hummingbird migration" and see where they are. As of today, they have been sighted at the Mississippi/ Tennessee border. I put mine out when they get to mid to upper Ohio, usually mid April.
> Bill
>
> On Monday, March 22, 2021, 03:31:14 PM EDT, Penny <dorfdoom...> wrote:
>
>
> I have heard in the past that birders should put up their hummer feeders in March. Is that generally true? Or is there a minimum temperature that should be used as a guideline?
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<23965124-FE02-45E4-823D-2758960FA8B2...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CD0A65B1-4F95-4F93-A508-564ED4F9CEA9...>
I always recommend putting hummingbird feeders up in southern Michigan around April 15. The typical first arrival has been around April 10. By April 25 they are becoming more numerous, and by May 1-5 they burst on the scene in numbers.
On Mon, Mar 22, 2021 at 3:31 PM Penny <dorfdoom...> wrote:
> I have heard in the past that birders should put up their hummer feeders > in March. Is that generally true? Or is there a minimum temperature that > should be used as a guideline? > > -- > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at > www.glc.org > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Birders" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to birders+<unsubscribe...> > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<23965124-FE02-45E4-823D-2758960FA8B2...> > . >
I just use a web search for "2021 Hummingbird migration" and see where they are. As of today, they have been sighted at the Mississippi/ Tennessee border. I put mine out when they get to mid to upper Ohio, usually mid April. Bill
On Monday, March 22, 2021, 03:31:14 PM EDT, Penny <dorfdoom...> wrote:
I have heard in the past that birders should put up their hummer feeders in March. Is that generally true? Or is there a minimum temperature that should be used as a guideline?
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<23965124-FE02-45E4-823D-2758960FA8B2...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1214917767.2552103.1616442119256...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<C9C2B7FE-5C15-4605-B168-4736BF57CC95...>
I have heard in the past that birders should put up their hummer feeders in March. Is that generally true? Or is there a minimum temperature that should be used as a guideline?
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<23965124-FE02-45E4-823D-2758960FA8B2...>
From the web:
"The active ingredient in Preen Garden Weed Preventer, Weed Preventer Plus Plant Food and Preen Mulch Plus is trifluralin, used to control broadleaf weeds. Although rated as having low toxicity to humans, this herbicide is highly toxic to aquatic wildlife and should not be applied so heavily that runoff occurs.May 26, 2018"
Preen's Grass and Weed Killer, designed for use between pavers and the like, contains the controversial chemical glyphosate.
The main chemical in products such as Preen Garden Weed Preventer is trifluralin, which can irritate eyes and skin. It is harmful to fish and other aquatic life as well, and it should not be used near waterways, ponds, storm sewers or even driveway drains.
On Monday, March 22, 2021 Su Clift <coffeebeansu...> wrote:
Does anyone know if it’s safe to use Preen or Snapshot in areas where birdseed is spread on the ground?
Su Clift
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<C8E26AE2-087A-4EFB-8A3C-47DA59D737FA...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<679470444.3925876.1616439809373...>
The Organic version uses Corn Gluten Meal as it's main ingredient, but it will also prevent your garden seeds from germinating, so you may want to move the feeders to where it doesn't matter what grows there.Bill
On Monday, March 22, 2021, 08:42:46 AM EDT, Su Clift <coffeebeansu...> wrote:
Does anyone know if it’s safe to use Preen or Snapshot in areas where birdseed is spread on the ground?
Su Clift
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<C8E26AE2-087A-4EFB-8A3C-47DA59D737FA...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<2076228785.403630.1616438643026...>
Date: 3/22/21 10:19 am From: 'Janet Damian Lapko' via Birders <birders...> Subject: Re: [birders] Preen
It’s a poison. Don’t
Sent from my iPhone
> On Mar 22, 2021, at 8:42 AM, Su Clift <coffeebeansu...> wrote:
>
> Does anyone know if it’s safe to use Preen or Snapshot in areas where birdseed is spread on the ground?
>
> Su Clift
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<C8E26AE2-087A-4EFB-8A3C-47DA59D737FA...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<9F48AE33-31B7-411C-B02E-2F1E14941AB2...>
Date: 3/22/21 5:42 am From: Su Clift <coffeebeansu...> Subject: [birders] Preen
Does anyone know if it’s safe to use Preen or Snapshot in areas where birdseed is spread on the ground?
Su Clift
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<C8E26AE2-087A-4EFB-8A3C-47DA59D737FA...>
> On Mar 21, 2021, at 8:00 PM, Jack Smiley <jackrsmiley...> wrote:
>
>
> I saw two Mourning Cloak butterflies yesterday--one at Miller Woods in Plymouth Township and one at the Secrest Nature Preserve in Superior Township.
>
> I also saw Harbinger of Spring, Erigenia bulbosa, at Miller Woods. That was a first for me.
>
> Springtime!
>
> Jack Smiley
>
>> On Sun, Mar 21, 2021 at 4:37 PM Mag Tait <magtait1...> wrote:
>> We saw a Mourning Cloak and a Crescent butterfly in Brighton Rec this afternoon.
>> I have no idea if that is early but I usually see Spring Azures before any others and I have yet to see one.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CB2C7B3C-03B1-42F8-8ACA-C0767FCBADEA...> >
> <P1030947.JPG>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<A25E6D3B-A7D3-44E8-93CD-D1D36EE52BA5...>
I saw two Mourning Cloak butterflies yesterday--one at Miller Woods in Plymouth Township and one at the Secrest Nature Preserve in Superior Township.
I also saw Harbinger of Spring, *Erigenia bulbosa*, at Miller Woods. That was a first for me.
Springtime!
Jack Smiley
On Sun, Mar 21, 2021 at 4:37 PM Mag Tait <magtait1...> wrote:
> We saw a Mourning Cloak and a Crescent butterfly in Brighton Rec this > afternoon. > I have no idea if that is early but I usually see Spring Azures before any > others and I have yet to see one. > > Sent from my iPhone > > -- > Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at > www.glc.org > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Birders" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to birders+<unsubscribe...> > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CB2C7B3C-03B1-42F8-8ACA-C0767FCBADEA...> > . >
> On Mar 21, 2021, at 4:26 PM, 'Melissa Pappas' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
> Yes! Spring is here. FOTS phoebe has arrived and is calling lustily from the yard.
>
> Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<409582502.371078.1616358367800...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<978566F8-4F6C-4F65-A4BA-89245642F79B...>
We saw a Mourning Cloak and a Crescent butterfly in Brighton Rec this afternoon. I have no idea if that is early but I usually see Spring Azures before any others and I have yet to see one.
Sent from my iPhone
-- Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CB2C7B3C-03B1-42F8-8ACA-C0767FCBADEA...>
Yes! Spring is here. FOTS phoebe has arrived and is calling lustily from the yard.
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<409582502.371078.1616358367800...>
Date: 3/21/21 3:41 am From: Phil Bugosh <peb729...> Subject: [birders] OAS Zoom Meeting/Program Tuesday, March 23, 7:00 pm. Poweshiek Butterflies and the NOHLC, Everyone is invited
Poweshiek Butterflies and the NOHLC. Tuesday, March 23, 2021 with a 7:00 PM start time. The site will open at 6:30 PM. See the Zoom invitation at the end of this email for details to log in. Don't miss the Oakland Audubon Society's meeting and a program titled "Poweshiek Butterflies and the NOHLC" presented by Sue Julian. The NOHLC (North Oakland Headwaters Land Conservancy) is entering Phase 2 of the acquisition of the Poweshiek Preserve in Davisburg Michigan. This land is part of the same wildlife corridor as Davis Lake Overlook and is home to just under 100 critically endangered Poweshiek Butterflies. The protection of this natural land is just one small action and part of a global effort to address biodiversity decline. Join Executive Director, Sue Julian, as she provides updates on the health of this little butterfly and how it's setting an example for pollinator preservation around the nation. Everyone is invited to attend, you do not have to be a member to participate.
Upcoming Programs: Apr. 13 - Robert Petit - Hawk Watching: A Novice-friendly Hawk Identification Experience Apr. 27 - Sarah Mabey - Extraordinary Adaptations: Bird Migration
One tap mobile +16465588656,,83191912870#,,,,*347770# US (New York) +13017158592,,83191912870#,,,,*347770# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 831 9191 2870 Passcode: 347770 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbkIrvj6c3
Date: 3/19/21 5:48 pm From: Terry Hoenle <terry_hoenle...> Subject: Re: [birders] Interesting hummingbird paper
Thanks so much for your input, Melissa! That's disappointing, I was hoping for an easy bee solution. More flowering plants & shrubs it is!
Terry Hoenle
Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/ghei36> ________________________________
From: Melissa Pappas <ftknoxfox53...>
Sent: Friday, March 19, 2021 2:37:46 PM
To: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...>; Terry Hoenle <terry_hoenle...>
Cc: BIRDERS@UMICH <birders...>
Subject: Re: [birders] Interesting hummingbird paper
Yes, I have tried them. I really don't much care for them. Not only does it keep the insects out, it hinders the hummingbirds and I don't like anything that makes it difficult for them. They will just go elsewhere.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned at all, is gardening for hummingbirds. Even if you have a very small space, you can use planters and plant flowers that hummingbirds use. Not only do most wasp-types ignore the flowers, it is helpful for bees and butterflies.
Melissa Pappas
Hamburg Township, Livingston County, MI
"One can get in a car and see what man has made. One must get on a horse to see what God has made." ~ Author Unknown
On Friday, March 19, 2021, 01:31:41 PM EDT, Terry Hoenle <terry_hoenle...> wrote:
I just noticed that Amazon sells something that attaches to a hummingbird feeder to prevent bees from entering the feeder holes. It's called the Aspects 384 Nectar Guard and attaches to the underside of the cover inside the feeder. Might be worth a try! Does anyone have experience with this contraption?
Terry Hoenle
Rochester Hills & Gladwin
________________________________
From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...>
Sent: Friday, March 19, 2021 12:57 PM
To: HUMBAND <humband...>
Cc: HUMNET-L <HUMNET-L...>; BIRDERS@UMICH <birders...>
Subject: Re: [humband] Re: [birders] Interesting hummingbird paper
I have been using 12-ounce saucer-types (don't know the brand any more) for several years, although I wish the ports had slits instead of the 1/8 inch holes that the yellowjackets squeeze through.
On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 11:55 AM Lanny Chambers <lannychambers...><mailto:<lannychambers...>> wrote:
Rather than repel, try a feeder that doesn't reward wasps and bees with an easy meal. HummZinger and similar bowl-type feeders let you keep the syrup level out of these insects' reach. I never have bee problems with my 8-ounce HummZingers. The worst bee attacters are Perky-Pet bottle feeders, which maintain their syrup level just inside the feeding port. Plus, they are prone to constant dripping, and the fake flowers on some models collect the runoff for easy access. Perky-Pet bee "guards" are useless and dangerous, suspected of causing bill breakage. Perky-Pets are designed to attract humans, not birds.
The only potential drawback of an 8-ounce HummZinger is its capacity, which in busy yards may not last all day. So hang more of them. They're also very sturdy and easy to clean; some of mine are over 20 years old. If your hummers don't find them immediately, hang an empty Perky-Pet nearby as bait.
Lanny Chambers
Fenton, MO
> On Mar 19, 2021, at 09:49, Allen Chartier <amazilia3...><mailto:<amazilia3...>> wrote:
> I don't think that there is a feeder that will repel wasps, hornets, or yellowjackets.
Humband is a private forum restricted solely to licensed hummingbird banders.
To post messages, address your email to <humband...><mailto:<humband...>.
To send a message to the moderators, address your email to <humband-moderators...><mailto:<humband-moderators...>.
For Humband archives (beginning October 2015) or to change your subscription status (e.g. set vacation digest mode, or to unsubscribe) go to: http://www.freelists.org/list/humband
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CH0PR18MB412990BA9C4190CEFD50E1E7FD679...>
Date: 3/19/21 11:37 am From: 'Melissa Pappas' via Birders <birders...> Subject: Re: [birders] Interesting hummingbird paper
Yes, I have tried them. I really don't much care for them. Not only does it keep the insects out, it hinders the hummingbirds and I don't like anything that makes it difficult for them. They will just go elsewhere.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned at all, is gardening for hummingbirds. Even if you have a very small space, you can use planters and plant flowers that hummingbirds use. Not only do most wasp-types ignore the flowers, it is helpful for bees and butterflies.
Melissa PappasHamburg Township, Livingston County, MI
"One can get in a car and see what man has made. One must get on a horse to see what God has made." ~ Author Unknown
On Friday, March 19, 2021, 01:31:41 PM EDT, Terry Hoenle <terry_hoenle...> wrote:
I just noticed that Amazon sells something that attaches to a hummingbird feeder to prevent bees from entering the feeder holes. It's called the Aspects 384 Nectar Guard and attaches to the underside of the cover inside the feeder. Might be worth a try! Does anyone have experience with this contraption?
Terry HoenleRochester Hills & Gladwin
From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...>
Sent: Friday, March 19, 2021 12:57 PM
To: HUMBAND <humband...>
Cc: HUMNET-L <HUMNET-L...>; BIRDERS@UMICH <birders...>
Subject: Re: [humband] Re: [birders] Interesting hummingbird paper I have been using 12-ounce saucer-types (don't know the brand any more) for several years, although I wish the ports had slits instead of the 1/8 inch holes that the yellowjackets squeeze through.
Allen T. ChartierInkster, MichiganEmail: <amazilia3...>: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mihummingbirdguy/collections/ Website/Blog: http://mihummingbirdguy.blogspot.com/
On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 11:55 AM Lanny Chambers <lannychambers...> wrote:
Rather than repel, try a feeder that doesn't reward wasps and bees with an easy meal. HummZinger and similar bowl-type feeders let you keep the syrup level out of these insects' reach. I never have bee problems with my 8-ounce HummZingers. The worst bee attacters are Perky-Pet bottle feeders, which maintain their syrup level just inside the feeding port. Plus, they are prone to constant dripping, and the fake flowers on some models collect the runoff for easy access. Perky-Pet bee "guards" are useless and dangerous, suspected of causing bill breakage. Perky-Pets are designed to attract humans, not birds.
The only potential drawback of an 8-ounce HummZinger is its capacity, which in busy yards may not last all day. So hang more of them. They're also very sturdy and easy to clean; some of mine are over 20 years old. If your hummers don't find them immediately, hang an empty Perky-Pet nearby as bait.
Lanny Chambers
Fenton, MO
> On Mar 19, 2021, at 09:49, Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> wrote:
> I don't think that there is a feeder that will repel wasps, hornets, or yellowjackets.
Humband is a private forum restricted solely to licensed hummingbird banders.
To post messages, address your email to <humband...>
To send a message to the moderators, address your email to <humband-moderators...>
For Humband archives (beginning October 2015) or to change your subscription status (e.g. set vacation digest mode, or to unsubscribe) go to:http://www.freelists.org/list/humband
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<BL1PR18MB4136D4A4B053D9316F56004BFD689...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<1214666182.1817974.1616179066462...>
Date: 3/19/21 10:31 am From: Terry Hoenle <terry_hoenle...> Subject: Re: [birders] Interesting hummingbird paper
I just noticed that Amazon sells something that attaches to a hummingbird feeder to prevent bees from entering the feeder holes. It's called the Aspects 384 Nectar Guard and attaches to the underside of the cover inside the feeder. Might be worth a try! Does anyone have experience with this contraption?
Terry Hoenle
Rochester Hills & Gladwin
________________________________
From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...>
Sent: Friday, March 19, 2021 12:57 PM
To: HUMBAND <humband...>
Cc: HUMNET-L <HUMNET-L...>; BIRDERS@UMICH <birders...>
Subject: Re: [humband] Re: [birders] Interesting hummingbird paper
I have been using 12-ounce saucer-types (don't know the brand any more) for several years, although I wish the ports had slits instead of the 1/8 inch holes that the yellowjackets squeeze through.
On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 11:55 AM Lanny Chambers <lannychambers...><mailto:<lannychambers...>> wrote:
Rather than repel, try a feeder that doesn't reward wasps and bees with an easy meal. HummZinger and similar bowl-type feeders let you keep the syrup level out of these insects' reach. I never have bee problems with my 8-ounce HummZingers. The worst bee attacters are Perky-Pet bottle feeders, which maintain their syrup level just inside the feeding port. Plus, they are prone to constant dripping, and the fake flowers on some models collect the runoff for easy access. Perky-Pet bee "guards" are useless and dangerous, suspected of causing bill breakage. Perky-Pets are designed to attract humans, not birds.
The only potential drawback of an 8-ounce HummZinger is its capacity, which in busy yards may not last all day. So hang more of them. They're also very sturdy and easy to clean; some of mine are over 20 years old. If your hummers don't find them immediately, hang an empty Perky-Pet nearby as bait.
Lanny Chambers
Fenton, MO
> On Mar 19, 2021, at 09:49, Allen Chartier <amazilia3...><mailto:<amazilia3...>> wrote:
> I don't think that there is a feeder that will repel wasps, hornets, or yellowjackets.
Humband is a private forum restricted solely to licensed hummingbird banders.
To post messages, address your email to <humband...><mailto:<humband...>.
To send a message to the moderators, address your email to <humband-moderators...><mailto:<humband-moderators...>.
For Humband archives (beginning October 2015) or to change your subscription status (e.g. set vacation digest mode, or to unsubscribe) go to: http://www.freelists.org/list/humband
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<BL1PR18MB4136D4A4B053D9316F56004BFD689...>
Date: 3/19/21 9:58 am From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> Subject: Re: [humband] Re: [birders] Interesting hummingbird paper
I have been using 12-ounce saucer-types (don't know the brand any more) for several years, although I wish the ports had slits instead of the 1/8 inch holes that the yellowjackets squeeze through.
On Fri, Mar 19, 2021 at 11:55 AM Lanny Chambers <lannychambers...> wrote:
> Rather than repel, try a feeder that doesn't reward wasps and bees with an > easy meal. HummZinger and similar bowl-type feeders let you keep the syrup > level out of these insects' reach. I never have bee problems with my > 8-ounce HummZingers. The worst bee attacters are Perky-Pet bottle feeders, > which maintain their syrup level just inside the feeding port. Plus, they > are prone to constant dripping, and the fake flowers on some models collect > the runoff for easy access. Perky-Pet bee "guards" are useless and > dangerous, suspected of causing bill breakage. Perky-Pets are designed to > attract humans, not birds. > > The only potential drawback of an 8-ounce HummZinger is its capacity, > which in busy yards may not last all day. So hang more of them. They're > also very sturdy and easy to clean; some of mine are over 20 years old. If > your hummers don't find them immediately, hang an empty Perky-Pet nearby as > bait. > > Lanny Chambers > Fenton, MO > > > On Mar 19, 2021, at 09:49, Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> wrote: > > I don't think that there is a feeder that will repel wasps, hornets, or > yellowjackets. > Humband is a private forum restricted solely to licensed hummingbird > banders. > To post messages, address your email to <humband...> > To send a message to the moderators, address your email to > <humband-moderators...> > For Humband archives (beginning October 2015) or to change your > subscription status (e.g. set vacation digest mode, or to unsubscribe) go > to: http://www.freelists.org/list/humband > > >
Date: 3/19/21 9:56 am From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> Subject: Re: [humband] Re: [birders] Interesting hummingbird paper
Jim,
One of my hummer-hosts does this, walking around and vacuuming up from her
48 feeders! I have very rarely seen honeybees on hummingbird feeders. I
suspect that all the other stinging insects are much more aggressive so
they stay away. One exception was when I had a couple thousand honeybees on
one saucer-type feeder that likely was a swarming event which does not
occur very often where they could get at feeders (unless you have a
bee-keeper in your neighborhood).
Date: 3/19/21 9:53 am From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> Subject: Re: [birders] Interesting hummingbird paper
Janet,
In my experience, the vast majority of the insects that visit hummingbird
feeders are non-native yellowjackets, but native Bald-faced Hornets are
also frequent. The saucer-type feeders are harder for the wasps and hornets
to feed on, but sometimes they end up crawling into the feeder and floating
(until they're dead) in the sugar water. There are some saucer type feeders
with slits instead of holes.
Date: 3/19/21 8:42 am From: Penny <dorfdoom...> Subject: Re: ADMIN: no cat discussions Re: [birders] Owlet removed
Owls are not the only birds that leave the nest and spend time with their parents feeding them on the ground. I noticed it with robins many years ago, too.
Penny
> On Mar 18, 2021, at 4:38 PM, April Campbell <adc14...> wrote:
>
> What a hot mess as they say.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>>> On Mar 18, 2021, at 4:17 PM, 'NAPBirds' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>>>
>>
>> Kevin Smythe DVM has it at Morrison Animal Hospital in Garden City.
>> I’ve left several messages for him. Please don’t bombard him. He has his hackles up about our strong response to this owl situation. I don’t think any more calls by citizens will persuade him to release the owl until he is good and ready.
>> Thanks,
>> Juliet
>>
>> Juliet Berger | Ornithologist | <NAPbirds...>
>> City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation
>> 3875 E. Huron River Drive | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 48104 | 734.794.6627 Office
>> http://www.a2gov.org/NAP | http://www.facebook.com/ann.arbor.NAP >>
>>
>>
>> From: Dody <dody...>
>> Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2021 4:07 PM
>> To: NAPBirds <NAPBirds...>
>> Cc: April Campbell <adc14...>; Mary Wise <auntyem...>; Bonnie J Shirley <bonnie.shirley...>; Juliet Berger <juliet.berger...>; Diane Constable <oakwoodfcr...>; Carol Poulos <cpoulos...>; Joann Green <joanngreen628...>; Birders <birders...>
>> Subject: Re: ADMIN: no cat discussions Re: [birders] Owlet removed
>>
>> This message was sent from outside of the City of Ann Arbor. Please do not click links, open attachments, or follow directions unless you recognize the source of this email and know the content is safe.
>>
>> One more P.S. If anyone knows where the first owlet wound up, it would be fantastic to have it returned to the nesting area. Doesn’t have to be in the nest or even in the nesting tree. Just on a branch out of harms way sometime around dusk. The parents will immediately pick up where they left off. Hasn’t been so long that they would abandon it.
>>
>> Dody
>>
>> On Mar 18, 2021, at 2:48 PM, 'NAPBirds' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>>
>> From what I’ve learned from Owl guardians at Eberwhite, the Humane Society of Huron Valley recently agreed to call Natural Area Preservation, as directed on our signs, before sending any rescuers out to any owl nest.
>> Thanks all.
>> Ps I just heard from a concerned observer that the remaining owlet is out of the nest in a tree several yards away from the nest tree and enclosed area. This is a natural process and is normal in owl fledging, including being on the ground. Let’s give them space and don’t call rescue or rehab unless the owlet is clearly injured, which we don’t expect it to be. If there is a clear injury, let’s call the River Raisin Raptor Center, as Dody has been clear with this group that they will not take a raptor for rehab unless it is injured, not just because it is out of its nest or on the ground.
>> Thanks,
>> Juliet
>>
>> Juliet Berger | Ornithologist | <NAPbirds...>
>> City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation
>> 3875 E. Huron River Drive | Ann Arbor | Michigan | 48104 | 734.794.6627 Office
>> http://www.a2gov.org/NAP | http://www.facebook.com/ann.arbor.NAP >>
>>
>>
>> From: April Campbell <adc14...>
>> Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2021 12:32 PM
>> To: Mary Wise <auntyem...>
>> Cc: Bonnie J Shirley <bonnie.shirley...>; Dody <dody...>; Juliet Berger <juliet.berger...>; NAPBirds <NAPBirds...>; Diane Constable <oakwoodfcr...>; Carol Poulos <cpoulos...>; Joann Green <joanngreen628...>; Birders <birders...>
>> Subject: Re: ADMIN: no cat discussions Re: [birders] Owlet removed
>>
>> This message was sent from outside of the City of Ann Arbor. Please do not click links, open attachments, or follow directions unless you recognize the source of this email and know the content is safe.
>>
>> LOL! My bad. Had no idea. Any clue why Humane Society dealt with owl? They usually punt on most wildlife calls. Hopefully, they’ve reached out to Audubon.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mar 18, 2021, at 12:27 PM, Mary Wise <auntyem...> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Oh No!! The DREADED CAT THREAD!!! Please no discussions about cats. We don't want flames lighting up SE MI so brightly that it can be detected by the rover on Mars. This has been in the list rules since the beginning of time.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Mary
>>
>> On Thu, Mar 18, 2021 at 12:11 PM April Campbell <adc14...> wrote:
>> Oh, well. The Humane Society appears to have dropped the ball on this one. Why they became involved with removing a healthy owlet from the wild instead of calling someone knowledgeable about wild birds is baffling to me. But, they’re all in on maintaining feral cat populations! Don’t get me wrong. I love cats. I’ve spent a fair penny taking feral kittens to them for neutering, but I’ve been unimpressed with their reluctance to socialize kittens who were as young as 9 weeks! They told me they were too old! Returning these kittens to the neighborhood to kill wildlife or be killed was my only option as far as they were concerned. Total rubbish. I socialized them myself and adopted them out. Exasperating.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mar 18, 2021, at 10:48 AM, Bonnie J Shirley <bonnie.shirley...> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Just a note: I went to view the remaining owlet (and also staked the fence up that had been trodden to the ground). When I was there, a woman was talking about how she had been the one to call the Humane Society and to "rescue" the owlet. In fact, she stated that she had called twice. The few other people around said that she had "saved" the owl because it had fallen out of its nest! I guess the sign did NOT do much or any good, unfortunately, or no one is reading it. Too bad.
>>
>> Bonnie Shirley
>> Database Engineering
>>
>> From: 'NAPBirds' via Birders <birders...>
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2021 4:12 PM
>> To: Dody <dody...>; Juliet Berger <juliet.berger...>
>> Cc: Diane Constable <oakwoodfcr...>; Carol Poulos <cpoulos...>; Joann Green <joanngreen628...>; April Campbell <adc14...>; <birders...> <birders...>
>> Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [birders] Owlet removed
>>
>> Thank you Dody! Your ethical methods are to be commended!! It is good to hear that you are one of the helpers!!!
>> Best
>> Juliet Berger
>>
>>
>> Get Outlook for iOS
>> From: Dody <dody...>
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2021 2:14:41 PM
>> To: Juliet Berger <juliet.berger...>
>> Cc: Diane Constable <oakwoodfcr...>; Carol Poulos <cpoulos...>; Joann Green <joanngreen628...>; April Campbell <adc14...>; <birders...> <birders...>
>> Subject: Re: [birders] Owlet removed
>>
>> This message was sent from outside of the City of Ann Arbor. Please do not click links, open attachments, or follow directions unless you recognize the source of this email and know the content is safe.
>>
>> Juliet, I really appreciate your call for everyone to learn more about wildlife and respect not only the animals but their habitat. Since you put rehabbers in the category of Humane Society staff and presumably the public, I want to clarify that not all rehabbers are negligent. I am dismayed that a local rehabber would willingly take this owlet.
>>
>> Please please understand that River Raisin Raptor Center, fully permitted by both MI and F&W would never take a healthy young bird from the wild. We’ve been rehabilitating raptors for more than 30 years and network all over the country. We are also very active with the International Wildlife Rehabilitator’s Council and the National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association. I apologize for tooting our own horn, but I felt the need to defend our reputation in case anyone lumps us with the not so respectable rehabbers.
>>
>> Thank you everyone,
>>
>> Dody Wyman
>> River Raisin Raptor Center
>>
>> On Mar 13, 2021, at 2:15 PM, Juliet Berger <juliet.berger...> wrote:
>>
>> https://www.winonadailynews.com/news/local/international-owl-center-warns-leave-baby-owls-alone-unless-they-need-help/article_d312ebd1-dfa9-5cd5-8643-d82a8f91b8e4.html?fbclid=IwAR3JluPmElcKzXtsd3m6YKTTqgZ3-9MpTwqBWozSbIrppY_7Vq78t7GSvR0 >>
>> Please help us get the word out. Owlets on the ground do not need our help! They are fledglings and can use their beaks and talons to climb into a bush or tree. Their parents know where they are. The parents are feeding and protecting them. Humane Society of Huron Valley removed this owl, and they have been notified of best practices by several owl experts.
>> We would like their staff to respect the welfare of Owls and follow DNR rules to not remove owls unless they are sick or injured. Same for any rehabbers involved. Same for all wildlife.
>>
>> Best,
>> Juliet Berger
>> Washtenaw Audubon Society
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Mar 13, 2021 at 1:51 PM Diane Constable <oakwoodfcr...> wrote:
>> I hope the owls will be safe and away from photographers who dont have the wellbeing of birds in mind. I see way too many photos of these owls-and other birds- who are obviously in stress/defense mode and people oooh and aaahhh at the photos of an 'animated' bird -no it is scared and trying to defend it's life, family, and home.
>> Some (NOT ME) photographers go as far as to entice the bird into 'action' shots and/or bait it with food to get the 'wow' photo all the time stressing or offering food that can be very detrimental to the bird.
>>
>> Diane Constable
>> <oakwoodfcr...>
>>
>> On Sat, Mar 13, 2021 at 1:27 PM Carol Poulos <cpoulos...> wrote:
>>
>> The owlet was “rescued” a second time and is currently in a rehab center. A person who does not understand normal owl behavior called for help for this owlet twice this year. This is the third year one of these owlets was unnecessarily taken from the nest. Please encourage people to completely stop posting about these owls on social media.
>>
>> Sent from Mail for Windows 10
>>
>> From: Joann Green
>> Sent: Saturday, March 13, 2021 1:24 PM
>> To: April Campbell
>> Cc: <birders...>
>> Subject: Re: [birders] Owlet removed
>>
>> The owls are in a different tree further away this year. I have been told that one baby was out of the nest for some reason but was rescued and placed back in the nest. A friend saw two babies in the nest a few days ago, one much smaller than the other. I have not gone to see them.
>>
>> On Sat, Mar 13, 2021 at 10:27 AM April Campbell <adc14...> wrote:
>> I understand one of the owlets was removed from Island Park after well meaning, but ignorant people called a critter control type outfit. Perhaps it’s best to remove the nesting tree, as these poor creatures are harassed incessantly each year by the locals. I stopped photographing them two years ago because it attracted too much attention. What a shame if this has happened. The nest was splashed all over social media.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<0116A080-F2D4-4BBF-BBF1-080EB8573901...> >> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CAKXeaN-D20_MjttC_Z1SNNSNarhqOnn6SCTpAf3NaGkD9mhidg...> >>
>>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<604d0413.1c69fb81.c7717.6d13SMTPIN_ADDED_MISSING...> >>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<CADMMhgKnSmoLsDDWUprD44Hcde3JQzNQvUPFVhXZQXD2Z1mAeA...> >>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/CABVs24Kw_Hu%3Dh%2Bu7dsrMWjNVS8zU0Yj-D2u3qL%<2BvPPVP4CKX7A...> >>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<D556EF8F-7B16-40DD-8072-D74CE46A07FC...> >> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email tobirders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM8PR09MB6296F1468DEC7F45A442B03F926A9...> >> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email tobirders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<E51A5F4D-4109-4570-9B6C-09C7CA6541B9...> >>
>> --
>> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
>> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<DM8PR09MB629627FB1A291DED67956AC992699...> >>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<C27AC9A5-E2ED-4637-B435-12DDDD6D2B55...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<9A74178C-D2BF-49A7-871E-EEBDEEF0FB13...>
Date: 3/19/21 8:34 am From: Janet Hinshaw <jhinshaw...> Subject: Re: [birders] Interesting hummingbird paper
Since hornets etc are important parts of our ecosystem I don’t like the idea of trapping them. We haven’t had problems with them early in the season, only later in the summer. We will try bee guards (the basket shaped ones) and see if that works well. We don’t use the flower shaped ones early in the season because the orioles rip them off. Having jelly feeders just for them, and the red-bellies helps keep them off the hummingbird feeders. They do attract wasps later in the summer though. Remember tanagers eat wasps and hornets! We have them around but not enough to keep the hornets away! Also catbirds will use jelly feeders.
Janet
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<0E342D6E-C8CB-42DB-9EAA-B97C5ACD5EB3...>
Date: 3/19/21 7:49 am From: Allen Chartier <amazilia3...> Subject: Re: [birders] Interesting hummingbird paper
I don't think that there is a feeder that will repel wasps, hornets, or
yellowjackets. Some years are worse than others. A wasp trap seems to be
the best strategy, which tends to catch mostly yellowjackets, most of which
are non-native.
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<B221A99F-4825-4E71-B4CB-559086F6BF83...>
Date: 3/19/21 4:23 am From: <juliet.berger...> Subject: Re: [birders] Catbirds
Unfortunately, American Beautyberry is not native in Michigan.
Best,
Juliet Berger
Sent from my iPhone
> On Mar 18, 2021, at 9:32 PM, G M ARCHAMBAULT <gm72125...> wrote:
>
>
> American Beautyberry, an Alabama native, is a guaranteed magnet for Gray Catbirds here in central Alabama, fyi. IT may be native to your region. I'd check. If it is winter hardy there, I'd get some because the iridescent purple berries are very showy and the birds gorge on the fruits. Best -Ken Archambault, Birmingham, Alabama
> On Thursday, March 18, 2021, 04:08:01 PM CDT, 'Edie Britt' via Birders <birders...> wrote:
>
>
> I love the little gray catbird. Up until last summer I had one or two families nesting in my blue spruce in the backyard. Last summer....nothing.
> Can anyone recommend ways to attract these talkative little fellas back to my yard? Food/Seed, bushes. Etc
> I'll have my small fountain going this year, maybe that will help?
> Thanks.
> Edie.
>
> --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<823724623.2681303.1616101674298...> > --
> Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<473383143.2758646.1616117556697...>
--
Birders is a service of the Great Lakes Commission. Visit us at www.glc.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Birders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to birders+<unsubscribe...>
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/great-lakes.net/d/msgid/birders/<AAEF7CF5-9220-47A2-BBCA-DF6FD3AE5F8A...>
