Looking Ahead to Changes

Friends, I must close up shop for about ten days so will suspend posts whilst I deal with some business.  When I return to this page, I hope to have some updates on changes.  Will Junior grow up more? (shown)  Will the catbirds have migrated?  Will the Blue Jays and Grackles have found lusher pastures?  Will the young cardinals molt?  So many changes are possible in mid to late August and I cannot wait myself for what there is to see!  Stay tuned...I'll be back with that news!

Water Garden Birds

Since I installed a little water garden in the backyard (merely a half barrel wrapped in fabric, with a lizards tail plant) I have seen interesting bird traffic.  Everything from cardinals to grackles to Blue Jays, Downeys, Red Winged Blackbirds, and this cute young Red Bellied Woodpecker have been by for a drink.  And of course it is a squirrel magnet as well.  Critters are drawn to good dependable sources of water and my little garden has perhaps created an entirely new draw for birds that might have avoided the other bird baths.  It will be very interesting to see how this plays out into the autumn.

Fairly Quiet So Far

One of the nasty parts of spring, at least around here, is the racket raised by Red Bellied Woodpeckers.  They have found that their territorial "calls" are greatly enabled by metal gutters and flashing.  And we are normally vexed by these insane birds.  However, in 2014, I have yet to hear any important noisemaking.  Either the birds are good at doing this business when I am away or the newer generations have not figured out how neat it is to beat on a house.  I hope for the latter and am enjoying the relative peace and quiet!

There are Woodpeckers

There are not many species actively working the feeders this winter, but among the more reliable are those most feeder-oriented woodpeckers: the Red Bellied (shown) and the Downy.  I see them a great deal at the suet feeders here.  At this time of year they're both fairly quiet and unassuming, flying in and barely making a splash.  (The Red Bellieds become more pesky in April!) and between them they're doing a pretty good number on the suet cakes.  I am sure Hairys come by but much less often and I need BirdCam to really spot them.  And I am sure there are Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers around the area but they're as quiet and invisible as can be -- except that is, where they drill holes in selected Sweetgum trees.  Well enough, a few woodpeckers are welcome and keep up the variety.  There are, indeed, woodpeckers.

Strange Red-Bellied Behavior

In the course of recent weekends I have noticed a peculiar habit formed by one of the area Red Bellied Woodpeckers.  I expect to see these characters working suet and peanuts.  But this one has a serious fondness for sunflower seeds.  Or at least, it grabs seeds and makes a lot of trips.  It may be that the bird is caching seed someplace.  Strange stuff: I have never seen this sort of thing before.  I can't say the RBW is taking a lot of seed but it is having an impact during the times I have watched: seemingly dozens of trips.  I am going to need to research this new and interesting behavior!

Junior Woodpecker

The arrival of our first juvenile Red Bellied Woodpecker each year always seems like an Ugly Duckling story.  After all, these juveniles are bad ugly!  I am reminded of buzzards.  In time they take on the handsome feathering of an adult.  On the plus side this seems to be the one species of young that don't seem to beg for a meal.  They get that suet feeder figured out and go right at it.  Our new juvenile should be well fed around here and stay visible all summer.  Even if it is a buzzard...

What The Heck??

I must confess, I have seen many odd things with the backyard bird community.  But this is a new behavior for me.  Looking at today's BirdCam output I was startled to see a Red Bellied Woodpecker, picking sunflower seeds, from a tube feeder.  These characters rarely pick for seeds (I do see Downys do it a bit more often) and I can't ever recall seeing an RBW at a tube feeder.  There is plenty of suet to be had, so perhaps our friend here needed a little change of diet.  One really never knows what goes on in their minds.  So another "myth" busted.  Will wonders never cease!

Reliable Woodpeckers

Most of the suet eating birds seem to be taking a break for the fall.  Oh, sure, there is the occasional Bluebird, Mockingbird, White Breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, and Carolina Wren.  But in October Ol' Reliable would be my buddies from Team Red Bellied Woodpecker.  The photos I extract from BirdCam show RBW after RBW after RBW.  I'd almost believe one or two of them live there if it weren't for the timestamps.  It is curious how attached these birds are to this one food product every season of the year.  They never tire of hot pepper suet!  Must be even tastier than insects.  I imagine we'll see this sight straight for another month.  Then it will get interesting on the suet feeder!

Fast Learner

Junior, the young Red Bellied Woodpecker, has turned out to be a fast learner.  Given a tough challenge with a tasty reward, this bird has pretty much mastered getting at suet from underneath.  Almost every photo taken the past two days shows Junior in the right position, and enjoying the food product.  This must be a young-dog issue as I have seen no adult birds pull off the trick, at least not yet.  I'm afraid this feeder needs to be up longer.  We need to fully discourage the grackles, and I am not persuaded that they've moved along.  Until then, Junior has the place more or less as often as it wants.

One Persistent Juvenile



One of the more entertaining aspects of the new stand-in suet feeder has been the reaction of the various species.  As has been reported here, the small birds (wrens, downeys, chickadees) immediately grasped the idea.  The big birds (grackles, Blue Jays) have been absolutely stymied.  (which was the plan all along).  That leaves the murky middle.  And I am keen to see if any are strong enough to take on the challenge.  This juvenile Red Bellied Woodpecker is trying its hardest to be a success story and get access to the tasty suet.  But it has been a struggle. In the past two days I have seen two apparent moments of triumph.  However, this is a very tough position for a woodpecker and it will take a lot of time for the young one to perfect the technique.  Will be interesting to watch.

Still Begging

Junior, the young Red Bellied Woodpecker, is quite capable of fending for itself.  But the bird is still young enough that when mom shows up, it's back to the begging routine.  And in some photos I picked up from Tuesday, that's what was taking place.  I can't tell for certain, but it looks like Momma just gulped down the bit of suet and took off.  Serves Junior right.  The little birdy stuff needs to end!  But it did make for a hilarious-appearing encounter.

Junior, 2012 Edition

Every year I have branded the young Red Bellied Woodpecker on site as "Junior", and the 2012 edition has now been photographed with the help of BirdCam.  I am sorry, but this juvenile is probably the homliest looking fledgling we have around these parts.  I can't quite get over how much like a buzzard this bird looks.  But we do have a fondness for Red Bellieds, even if they hammer on the house.  And my parade of young birds continues.  We are up to nine successful species!  I hope to share a photo of one of the other new finds tomorrow...stay tuned.

Smashing Away

There are now a lot of birds working the various suet feeders here.  I'm seeing all of the usual suspects (wrens, bluebirds, Pine Warblers, catbirds), plus grackles, thrashers, and robins.  And it seems most of all, the mainline backyard woodpeckers.  The Red Bellied (shown) and Downy species appear to be making suet decimation a professional activity.  They're out there all day!  Plainly their protein demands are way up, and natural supplies are not keeping pace with their needs.  I'm hoping this translates into young ones.  Otherwise the horrifying sight of woodpeckers smashing suet cakes to powder would be a little too much to bear!  It will be a long spring...

Not Knocking?

While a good deal of breeding season activity is afoot: singing, displaying, nesting...and so forth. I am puzzled at the lack of one behavior.  And this time it's a behavior I do not want.  (Underlined for emphasis).  That would be the peculiar territorial signals made by the Red Bellied Woodpecker.  In this suburb, that is largely in the form of hammering on pieces of houses, be they chimney caps, gutters, or siding.  This year, so far, I have heard nothing.  I was on the premises two solid days this week and am certain no hammering took place.  How can I be so lucky? Perhaps the danger lies ahead.  We can only wait and see.  I cross my fingers.  No knocking... No hammering.  Please.