Nesting Season Begins In January For Many Birds

By Scott Shalaway
BLUE SKIES and 60 degree temperatures--so far winter has felt more like spring.

The birds sensed it, too. Bluebirds, Carolina Wrens, White-throated Sparrows and cardinals have been singing enthusiastically. There's almost always a January thaw, but I don't ever remember it being this mild for so long.

(Eastern Bluebird checks out nest in tree cavity)

Finally, as I write this, the temperature has dropped into the 20s and it has been snowing all day. I enjoy snow and cold temperatures--in moderation. One reason I enjoy January is that winter weather pulls birds into the yard like a magnet. During mild spells, birds subsist on natural foods--weed seeds, berries, nuts, insect egg cases and cocoons. They visit feeders occasionally, but they seem to prefer natural foods when they're available. That's my standard answer to all who write wondering what happened to their winter birds.

But when temperatures plunge and snow flies, birds flock to the feeders. Wednesday morning I filled the finch feeder and the sunflower kernel feeder, and I scattered about 10 pounds of black-oil sunflower seeds on trays and on the ground. Before I even finished, chickadees, titmice, juncos and Goldfinches swooped onto the feeders, and a flock of shyer cardinals waited in the thickets for me to leave. In less than five minutes hungry birds surrounded the feeders waiting their turn. It finally looked and felt like January.

Another reason I like the first month of the year is that it marks the beginning of the nesting season for birds. It may sound odd that any bird would begin nesting just as winter is getting under way, but Great Horned Owls do. Pairs have been hooting and courting in the woods since Thanksgiving. Crisp fall nights seem strangely quiet when the local pair wander out of earshot.

For the last two weeks a pair of horned owls have been dueting in the woods. The song is a series of muffled hoots. The male, though smaller than the female, has a deeper voice, so it's easy to detect a breeding pair. Great Horned Owls are the "hoot owls" people sometimes hear, but seldom see. Listen for a series of five to seven simple hoots. A five-syllable song may suggest the phrase, "Don't kill owls, save owls!"

By mid-January, Great Horned Owls have usually claimed an old crow or Red-tailed Hawk nest. They don't bother building their own. Sometimes they will choose an old tree cavity, if there's one big enough within their territory. Older females may lay eggs by the end of the month, though many probably delay egglaying until February.

Clutch size averages two to three eggs, and incubation takes about 35 days. The female does most of the incubating. During the nestling period, both parents provide a steady supply of rabbits, rats, mice, opossums and skunks for the owlets. When hunting is good, great horned owls store uneaten food in the nest. If the extra food freezes, great horns thaw it by "incubating" it. Young Great Horned Owls begin climbing branches near the nest at about five weeks of age; they begin to fly at nine to 10 weeks.

There are probably two reasons Great Horned Owls nest so early. First, they're big enough to stay warm and find enough food. Second, young owls need as much time as possible to learn to hunt so they can be independent for their first winter. Mastering the art of predation requires lots practice. That means young horned owls must leave the nest about the same time most birds just start nesting.

Though nature in winter has much to offer, the best part about January is that after three months of ever shorter days, photoperiod begins to lengthen. It's just a minute or two each day, but those minutes add up. Increasing day length is the only absolutely reliable indicator that winter won't last forever.

Yes, I enjoy winter -- perhaps it's because I have no choice. But I'm no fool. January's longer days inevitably lead to those twin sisters we call April and May. –Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Popular Native Plant Guide

TRADITIONAL landscaping and lawn and garden care pose a serious threat to native plant communities and wildlife habitat.

The use of native plants in landscaping and habitat enhancement and restoration has grown exponentially in recent years, as communities, schools, businesses, watershed groups, organizations, governments, and many others are enhancing and restoring habitat, solving ecological problems, reducing maintenance, or just beautifying surroundings. This is especially true in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

It quickly became apparent that an accurate and definitive reference to appropriate native plant species was needed to guide these projects and assure that they are successful and environmentally beneficial.

So in late 2003, the Chesapeake Bay Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service completed production of a long-awaited publication, Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Within three months of printing, all 15,000 copies of this 82- page guide had been distributed through requests. Rave reviews and continued demand spurred the coordination of a second printing.

Grants were secured from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Chesapeake Bay Trust toward a second printing More than thirty-five partner agencies and organizations stepped up to support the project, providing for 35,000 new copies. With this second printing, an immense number of landscape designers, conservation educators, master gardeners and novice gardeners can utilize conservation landscaping.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To receive a free copy of Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed contact: Mary Cordovilla, Chesapeake Bay Field Office, 410- 573- 4591, mary_cordovilla@fws.gov. The guide is also available online at www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/chesapeake/ thanks to partners at the Plant Conservation Alliance.

* * * * *

FINALLY, THE DAY HAS ARRIVED!
Our new WindStar Wildlife Institute Internet web site, American Wildlife Blog and redesigned WindStar Wildlife Garden Weekly e-Magazine are ready for your enjoyment after many months, many headaches, and much money.

We hope you enjoy the new products and services and will participate in the American Wildlife Blog that replaces the "Wildlife Habitat Forum" on the old web site. Now, it will be easier to post messages and you can also share your favorite nature photographs.

Still in the planning is our new American Nature Shop At WindStar that will be hosted on eBay where more visitors can find our web site and our wonderful products. There will be more photographs by Michael Smith who took the "Mad Bluebird", one of the most commercially successful nature photos ever taken. Also, photographs from other nature photographers will be featured. The complete line of "Mad Bluebird" products from flags to travel mugs and WindStar's own hats, caps, shirts and jackets will also be available. We hope to have the American Nature Shop At WindStar up and running within a month.

Look for the Grand Opening announcement!

A Close Encounter That
Put The 'Wild' Into Wildlife

By Tom Stienstra
HALF MOON BAY, CA--The morning started quiet and routine. But what followed was a wildlife encounter that few could ever imagine.

In a canyon near the town of Half Moon Bay, the farmer unlocked a gate, and drove his van onto his ranch, just as he has done thousands of times in the past 25 years. It was dark and damp, just Jan. 12, and with the road muddy, he drove slow and planned his day of work as he went. (Bobcat hunting for food by Tim Duru)

The farmer, known as AC for Alex Cozzolino, then rounded a bend and caught the first sight of a Bobcat--tangled and snared in wild blackberry vines, hanging about 5 ft. off the ground on a steep slope on the side of a hill.

"His bottom feet were free, hanging, but his head and arms were stuck," AC said. "I couldn't believe what I was seeing, then I realized he was hung up."

It appeared that the Bobcat had been climbing up the steep slope, about 10 ft. high, when the footing gave way and it fell into the vines and became trapped. "The first thing I wondered was, 'How do I release him,' " AC said. "Then you think, 'I can get this guy out, no big deal.' Grab the cat, let him loose and goodbye."

Cozzolino is an avid outdoorsman, an angler, hunter and wild-game cook. As a longtime resident of the San Mateo coast and as a farmer who grows 40 different types of cut flowers, he has had thousands of routine wildlife encounters in the wilderness-like coastal canyons. "The world's a stage anyway and you sometimes watch what goes on around you."

Lock-grip Bite
To free the Bobcat, AC figured he'd secure the animal with a paralyzing grip from his right hand on the back of its neck. "I was untangling him and he was heavier than I thought, about 15 pounds, and I lost my grip a little bit, and he turned to his left and bit me in the hand, right in the thumb joint. He dug those teeth into my hand and wouldn't let go."

The adrenaline was pumping so hard that AC said he didn't feel a thing--in full alarm, he just wanted to avoid any more bites. "He's got me, and you could see his eyes looking into my eyes, like 'Now what are you going to do? Not so smart now, are you? I ain't letting go.' I was totally stuck."

By now, AC realized the bite was a deep wound. The fear of rabies became paramount. He would have to capture the Bobcat and have it tested, he figured. "So I reached around with my left hand and put a death grip on the back of his neck," AC said. "I squeezed really hard, and that froze him. Once he froze, he released my hand."

He held the Bobcat with his arms extended, trying to keep it from clawing him in the face or biting him again, and then carried it toward his van. While the Bobcat hissed and snarled, AC managed to open the door, climb in, and get the vehicle started and moving back to the ranch house. He held the Bobcat between the steering wheel and the door.

"He tried to bite me again and took a big chunk out of the steering wheel. Then he wouldn't let it go. When I opened the door and I pulled him off the steering wheel, then he took another bite out of the steering wheel. I just didn't want my face to get ripped up."

Trip In Dog Kennel
At the ranch house, AC's son, Anthony, came running out to see his dad parrying with the Bobcat and shouted, "What the hell is that?" "What does it look like," AC responded, as only a father can to a son, then added, "Get the dog kennel."

While AC kept the Bobcat at arm's length, his son returned with a portable dog kennel and positioned it so AC could drop the Bobcat in and lock the cage. That plan worked and the Bobcat was secured. AC then called Kaiser hospital to report the incident and learned that Bobcats almost never carry rabies and could be released (coyotes, raccoons and skunks, in comparison, are far more likely carriers).

By now, AC's hand was starting to throb and blood was running down his wrist to his forearm. But he had one more thing to do before heading to the hospital. "We took the Bobcat back where I'd found it, stood the kennel on end and poured him out," AC said. "At first, he just sat there, like he was in shock. Eventually, he skedaddled about 4 or 5 ft. into a bush and again, just sat there." Eventually, the Bobcat disappeared back into the canyon wildlands.

It turned out the wound was worse than AC had figured. It required surgery, cutting and reattaching a tendon, and doctors also had to deep-clean the wound. I met with him the following day and he had a giant bandage wrap on his hand and a smile on his face--and agreed to tell the tale only after extensive cajoling.

The Bobcat, meanwhile, is back to his daily life, prowling the canyons, hunting rabbits and birds. "The Bobcat made out better off than me," AC said with a laugh. "He got a hand sandwich and a steering wheel dessert." –San Francisco Chronicle

Kathy (New Zealand) says:
Looking at your website, I was interested to learn that naphthalene will repel small rodents. My husband has recently built an aviary in our garden and it has created a lot of interest amongst the local cat population. After several sleepless nights caused by chasing away inquisitive "moggies", in desperation I filled a couple of socks with mothballs and laid them on the ground outside the aviary, hoping that the smell will deter closer inspection on the part of the cats. Questions: (1) Will this harm the cats in any way? I don't want them around, but I would not hurt them. (2) Will the smell of mothballs affect the budgerigars? The birds sleep high in the aviary, about 6 ft. from ground level. I have found commercially produced repellents to be useless. I spent $15 on a bottle yesterday and the cats walk right through the sprayed area. Please advise. Our only other alternative is to board the budgies up every night.

To respond to this subject or others or simply view messages, go
to the Wildlife Habitat Forum on WindStar's web site. Register and tell
us your favorite wildlife stories, answer or ask a question and our
naturalists and visitors will try to provide you with helpful answers.
This is a great place to pass on those tips you have learned over
the years about attracting wildlife to your property or photographing
or just watching them.

Sleepy Eyes!

Janice Beglinger took this Northern Hawk Owl photo on January 10, 2006 in Orleans County, NY. The owl has become a celebrity of sorts. He made the front page of the Batavia Daily News. It's believed he arrived about a month ago. The day Janice went to see this life bird, he posed for an hour or so in a tree above the road. She says it was a real thrill to see such a beautiful bird so close.


IF YOU HAVE an unusual or excellent photograph of wildlife that you would like considered, send a jpg to wildlife@windstar.org and put "Photo of the Week" in the subject line.

Real-world Combos of Pesticides Highly Lethal to Frogs

FROGS EXPOSED to a pesticide mix similar to what's found on the average farm die in greater numbers than those dosed with just one pesticide, a new study shows. In new research in the online edition of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, scientists at UC-Berkeley exposed tadpoles to individual pesticides, and found that about 4 percent kicked it before they matured into frogs. But when the tadpoles were exposed to a mix of atrazine and eight other pesticides -- a combination that mimicked conditions on a real-world Nebraska cornfield -- the mortality rate rose to 35 percent. The chemicals suppressed their immune systems, making them vulnerable to infections and illnesses, and increased their transition time from tadpole to frog, lowering their survival chances. The researchers conclude that pesticides are likely playing a major role in the massive global decline of amphibian species. Frogs to humanity: Get us organic farming -- stat! – Daily Grist

(Bullfrog)

How Birds Stand
The Chill of Winter

IT’S BARELY DAWN. A tiny bird hops along the branch of a dogwood tree.

The frosty morning air doesn’t seem to bother this little chickadee. Other songbirds flit around. Cardinals, Blue Jays and Downy Woodpeckers join Carolina Chickadees and a host of other songbirds that winter here. Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures patrol the winter skies.

(This amazing photograph of the 'Mad Bluebird' huddled up in the cold by Michael Smith is one of the most commercially successful nature photographs ever taken)

Many birds, of course, leave the Chesapeake to winter in warmer areas. But birds that can switch from an insect diet to a seed diet can stay put throughout the winter. To survive cold weather, birds have developed some remarkable adaptations.

One of obvious feature that sets birds apart from other animals is their feathers. Birds’ bodies are covered with an outer layer of fairly stiff but flexible contour feathers and an under layer of fluffy down feathers. The contour feathers provide protection against wind, rain and snow. The down feathers act as a layer of insulation.

But even this sometimes isn’t quite enough. Some birds puff themselves up as they wait for their turn at backyard feeders. Puffing is a warming mechanism. Because birds control the position of their feathers through muscular movements, they create and trap larger pockets of warm air near their skin, enhancing insulation.

To minimize heat loss from unfeathered legs, the arteries and veins in the legs of many birds lie in contact with each other to retain heat. Arterial blood from the heart is warm, while venous blood is cool. Heat is conducted from the warm arteries to the cool veins.

Nearly one million waterfowl from northern breeding grounds fly to the Chesapeake region each year. Tundra Swans, Canada Geese, Mallards and a variety of other ducks find that the winters here suit them just fine.

They’re often seen preening. Most birds have an oil gland at the base of their tail. In preening, secreted oil is rubbed with the beak or bill over the feathers, creating a shield that blocks wind and repels water. Waterfowl and waterbirds also have fleshy feet with little blood circulation so they are less sensitive to cold. The inner core temperature of a duck or gull standing on ice may be 104 degrees Fahrenheit but the temperature of their feet may be just above freezing.

All of these adaptations help keep our avian friends around during the chilly winter months. Americans do love their winter birds, spending on average $2 billion dollars feeding a year to feed birds. And why not? Birds add to color and life to an otherwise naked, grey landscape, helping us to chase away those winter blues. –U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

NOW IS THE TIME TO
Take Your Wildlife Knowledge
To A Higher Level!

If you love to feed, photograph, or
watch wildlife, try this revolutionary
new way of learning and become a Certified Wildlife Habitat Naturalist.
It features 14 of the nation's top ecologists, photojournalists, horticulturists, naturalists, and wildlife professionals in WindStar's eNetInstructor training that synchronizes video, audio, text, hundreds of photographs and resource information to deliver a "virtual training seminar" over the Internet whenever you want. We already have individuals certified in: NY, MN, CO, AZ, NJ, VA, KY, MD, GA, TX, CA, FL, TN, AL, IA, SC, NE, OK, MA, OH, KY, MO, WI, MI, NH, OR, CT and Saskatchewan.

(Baby Bobcat by Mike Anich)

YOUR DONATION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
If you like receiving WindStar Wildlife Garden Weekly, using the web site and the many other services provided by WindStar Wildlife Institute, perhaps you might want to make a donation. Work is underway to create a new Master Wildlife Habitat Naturalist and a youth e- Learning course, relaunch the web site and build a workshop shelter. Funds are needed to make these possible. Your donation is tax deductible and can be made by going to: http://www.windstar.org/support/index.htm, mailing a check to WindStar or calling 800-324-9044. All gifts are appreciated.

Evergreens Are
Winter’s Greenery

LIFE STILL ABOUNDS in winter even though most trees are bare, flowers are gone and many birds have migrated.

It is the evergreens that remind us of this. Ignored most of the year, and out dressed by their deciduous cousins who dazzled us with blazing autumn hues, evergreens now take center stage. Their greens and blues feed eyes hungry for color. (Fog clears the evergreens in Olympic National Park by Don Paulson)

Evergreen is a term applied to plants that do not lose their leaves at the end of the growing season. Plants that do lose their leaves are known as deciduous.

It is not the cold that causes trees and shrubs to lose their leaves but the threat of desiccation. When the ground freezes, a tree is unable draw more water through its roots. Due to the low humidity of the air, a tree would dry out if it retained its unprotected leaves. Deciduous plants shed their leaves annually in order to conserve water.

The leaves of evergreen trees and shrubs have a thick often waxy covering that prevents loss of water. The leaves or needles remain alive and on the plant throughout the winter. Evergreens often sport berry-type fruit and seed-holding cones.

Because they retain their leaves year-round, evergreens, including pines, firs, spruces, cedars, hemlocks and hollies, are invaluable to wildlife for winter cover. The berries, seeds and needles provide important food for resident birds and the few mammals that venture out in the winter sun.

Food and Habitat
Pines, spruces and firs provide food for birds like the black-capped chickadee, Carolina chickadee, cedar waxwing, evening grosbeak, American goldfinch, ruffed grouse, dark-eyed junco, blue jay, rufous- sided towhee, house finch, purple finch, evening grosbeak, white-breasted nuthatch and Eastern meadowlark. Mammals, such as white-tailed deer, chipmunks and gray squirrels, feast on seeds and needles.

Hollies provide excellent shelter for many species. The fruit is eaten by birds like the common flicker, gray catbird, cedar waxwing, mourning dove, ruffed grouse, Northern bobwhite, gray catbird, blue jay, mockingbird, white-throated sparrow, rufous-sided towhee and cedar waxwing. Raccoons and white- footed mice also consume the berries, while white- tailed deer may graze on the leaves and twigs.

Junipers and eastern red cedars are particularly attractive to cedar waxwings, purple finches and Eastern mockingbirds. Hemlocks give protection to black-capped chickadees, Carolina chickadees, tufted titmice, cardinals and dark-eyed juncos. The waxy fruit of common wax myrtle is favored by tufted titmice, common flickers, finches, white-eyed vireos, black-capped chickadees, Carolina chickadees, gray catbirds and rufous-sided towhees.

Benefits for People, Too
Evergreens help people too. If placed strategically around buildings, evergreen trees actually conserve energy. While other trees are bare, the evergreen foliage acts as a wind break. By intercepting cold winds, evergreens can help reduce heating costs. Evergreens also help muffle sounds and reduce the noise pollution reaching a home in the winter months.

Evergreens are not only good for the eyes but great for the soul. Wreaths, pine roping and trees deck not only halls, but schools, streets and malls. We chase away dreary winter doldrums by decorating our lives with them.

To find out what evergreen trees and plants are suited for your property check the Native Plants for Wildlife and Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed at www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/chesapeake/ or order a copy of the publication by contacting Mary Cordovilla, Chesapeake Bay Field Office, 410- 573- 4591, mary_cordovilla@fws.gov0

Bluebirds Chase Away Blues

YOU MAY HAVE heard that bluebirds won’t come into the center of a town. But Vince K., who lives only a block from downtown Latimer, IA, has had bluebirds through November. “It started last fall,” Vince writes, “when we went to cut some wild asparagus along the country roads. The asparagus had gone to seed and was covered with red berries. We set the stalks in our garden and propped them up with wooden stakes, intent on providing food for cedar waxwings. To our surprise, we saw four bluebirds eating the berries one morning. We were further surprised when the two adults and their two juveniles stayed until the end of November, enduring all kinds of weather. They made good use of a heated birdbath and ate chopped peanuts in our feeder.”(Male Eastern Bluebird watches Tufted Titmouse take spirited bath by Tom Patrick)

In Milan, GA, Mrs. Dallas W. enjoys watching the Eastern Bluebirds that frequently visit her birdbath and often perch atop her seed feeder. “One autumn morning I saw a bluebird go inside the feeder, pick up something and fly away,” she relates. “A few minutes later, it came back and did the same thing. I know bluebirds don’t normally eat seeds, so I reached for my binoculars to see if I could figure out what was going on. It turns out the bluebird was after the dried cherries in a new feed mix I had just purchased. Now I always add a handful of dried cherries or raisins to my seed, and the bluebirds keep coming.” –Birds & Blooms

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NEWS SOURCES

This week's news contributors are:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, http://www.fws.gov
Environmental News Service, http://www.ens.lycos.com
Associated Press, http://www.ap.com;
Daily Grist, http://www.gristmagazine.com
Leisa's Images, http://www.leisasbackyardhabitat.com
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, http://www.post-gazette.com
Birds & Blooms Newsletter, http://www.birdsandblooms.com

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