WindStar Wildlife Institute Blog

Battle of the Feeder Bullies

I HAVE A small, covered gazebo feeder outside my office window.  During this particularly bad weather, I have kept it filled with a commercial “woodpecker blend” that contains nuts, sunflower seed (with and without shells), tree nuts, and bits of dried fruit–in other words, a veritable feast. 

It has been hosting birds ranging in size from finches and chickadees to jays and flickers (who sometimes take a break from the suet feeders to grab a peanut or two).  But this morning there has been a war outside my window, and it seems the usual tenants to have been evicted.  (Northern Mockingbird by Texas Parks & Wildlife)

A Northern Mockingbird has found the feeder.  We seldom have mockingbirds–our yard isn’t open enough to suit their lifestyle preferences.  But it’s been cold, and icy, and all birds do what they must to survive.  So, he’s moved in for the duration.  I imagine the mix in the feeder is particularly appealing since there are few shells (which his thin, straight bill is poorly equipped to deal with).  And in the absence of insects, and with the rapidly declining fruit crops lost to the ice, my feeder is a haven. 

He seems to come for an hour or so at a time, usually in the morning, and again mid-afternoon.  He feeds for a few minutes, then rests on top of the pole, feathers puffed out and wings twitching intermittently, ready to display his white wing patches to intimidate (or merely startle) any bird brave enough, or foolhardy enough, to try to feed.  And so it goes, until he takes off in search of better fare.

While the mockingbird is in residence, the little guys simply leave.  A Tufted Titmouse flew in toward the feeder, saw the mockingbird there, and took off for a nearby branch to watch and wait.  A Northern Flicker was genuinely startled when he flew in to feed.  Despite his obvious size advantage, and that remarkable bill, attitude won to day, and the mockingbird chased him to the ground in a flurry of flapping wings. 

The jays inspire attacks without fail.  In part I suspect it has to do with their size; they are larger, more obvious, and more threatening to the food supply, so they have to go!  They are also more aggressive in their own right, often chasing the other birds away when they come to feed.  In quieter days, they act as feeder bullies in their own right, so they took it a bit hard when the mockingbird arrived.  As I watched, one perched on a branch over the feeder, calling in reinforcements.  They showed up, one, then two, then seven, but despite the hue and cry, the intruder remained bully-in-chief.

Note:  interestingly, the squirrels, who have been banished from the feeder with a baffle and must content themselves with feeding on the ground, are left unmolested:  I guess there really is honor among thieves.

Barbara R. Jones
Former Wild Bird Center Owner
Tabernacle, NJ

Winter’s Wonderful Waterfowl

AS WINTER continues its icy grip on much of the country, many of us grow tired of the cardinals, titmice and juncos that frequent our waiting feeders.

For those who live near the coast, a special treat lurks just offshore and is awaiting anyone with a pair of binoculars and a little free time. Diving ducks, loons, grebes and auks are all migrating southward from the frigid artic in search of food and warmer temperatures. These waterfowl can be observed from Maine to the Carolinas throughout the winter months and into the early spring in New England. (Common Loons) 

All of these birds have made a spectacular comeback in recent years and continue to increase in numbers year after year.  These floating fowl are often mistaken for ordinary seagulls and mallards from a distance, however a pair of binoculars will often reveal something altogether different.

They often take refuge from the brutal winter seas in inlets, coves and harbors but they can also be readily observed just offshore in the open ocean. I have spent many warm winter days observing these birds from piers, jetties and causeways here in Massachusetts. Many of the diving ducks are adorned in their flashy winter plumage while loons, auks, and grebes take on a somewhat drabber appearance.

All anyone who is interested needs is pair of binoculars, warm clothing, and a good field guide to get started. A quiet place with a good vantage point is best, however I have witnessed many species floating near busy causeways and bridges all along the coast. Most of these waterfowl have superb eyesight and can spot the casual observer from great distances.

Automobiles often make great blinds for observation since they don’t seem to associate cars with humans. Patience often pays off when watching these birds and multiple visits to the same locality may also be worthwhile as the winter progresses. I think many of us would agree that a day spent birding; especially one that is filled with exciting new sightings is sure cure for those winter blues. Good luck!      

Barry J. Merluzzo, MCA
WindStar Certified Wildlife Habitat Naturalist
Peabody, MA

The Chimps Appeared To Be Talking!

YOU DON'T think animals can talk? Then how do you explain the fact that some chimpanzees have been taught American Sign Language and can actually understand more than 100 different words and signs?

Can wildlife and our pets talk? Yes, absolutely, I am convinced they can communicate. Oh, it might not be the same kind of "vocabulary" that we humans use, for we mostly draw upon words to get our ideas across. Dogs and cats can't really speak--or can they?

I think it can be argued that they occasionally use their voices to make a statement. How about a dog's growl? Sure, that's telling you, or maybe some other dogs, "Stay away." It's the same thing with a cat's hiss, and, at the opposite end of the spectrum, that soft, happy purring noise our family felines sometimes make.

They're talking, maybe not with words, but they're definitely getting some notion across to the listener. It's surely communication as much as our old smoke signals, Morse code or today's e-mails carrying an instant message.

We have two cats. These aren't your litter-box, scratch-my-ears-in-your-lap type pets, but rather feral animals we take care of, give their shots to and feed. Both have been neutered, and they've been hanging around our house now for years getting two square meals every day.

They each enjoy a mixture of canned and dry cat food in the morning, and then dry rations again late every afternoon. During the past two weeks, with this really cold weather, we've put them in carrying cages each night and brought this duo inside where it's warm. They fight us a little on that, but not too much. I think they really enjoy it inside where it's cozy on these bitter cold nights.

A few days ago, another cat showed up. This was a bigger, dark-colored, tigerlike cat, and he (or maybe she) has a thick black stripe down most of the back like a skunk's.

I call him/her "Stinky" because of it. Stinky isn't very friendly, and generally runs away from the porch or driveway as soon as somebody comes outside. The second day I saw him, I carried a little dry cat food out and put it down in the driveway.

A few minutes later, the food was gone.

The next morning, I prepared three bowls of food instead of the usual two. I put two, following normal procedure, on our porch for our two cats, and walked the third one down the driveway a bit for our new friend.

Stinky ate it readily.

The next morning, I did the same thing.

The day after that, when I opened the front door an orange tabby, one I had never seen before, was on the porch and shot up and over the rail and down into the front yard when I came outside.

A few seconds after that, I saw that orange cat and Stinky walking slowly down the driveway, side by side. What's going on with that? How did that orange pussy find out about the free meals here? I'm guessing Stinky must have told.

How? Is there a kitty bulletin board someplace where maps to meal locations are posted, or do hungry feral cats just talk to one another about banquet feasts available in the area during some late afternoon get-togethers?

Honeybees that discover a good source of flowering plants come back to the hive and do a little dance to show the other workers how to locate the same place. Whales are said to "sing" to other whales over distances of sometimes hundreds of miles.

I know our dog Honey can stir up the other two dogs living in this house at 5:15 a.m. every day, and convince everyone it's now time to go out.

Yes, animals can talk. There's no doubt in my mind about that.

Jim Kundreskas
Outdoor Writer
Lake Anna, VA

Birds Reduce Body Temperatures To Survive Cold

WHEN Andrew Dolby and his students at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia capture local songbirds and fit them with radio transmitters, they are often surprised by what they find.

The birds, "hot rods of the animal kingdom" by day, are almost torpid by night. Some reduce their body temperatures so much that they stretch "the definition of warm-blooded," Dolby said.

The technique is one of several that resident birds use to survive the winter. Northern Cardinals, Carolina Wrens and Tufted Titmice can't come in from the cold, so they adapt.

Dolby, associate professor of biology at the University of Mary Washington, will speak this weekend in Stafford County at Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont about birds' ability to weather the weather.

One cold-weather technique he'll talk about is how birds fluff their feathers."They heat the air up and that provides an insulating layer," Dolby said.

Birds also limit blood flow to their legs and feet, in effect isolating the rest of their bodies from their chilly extremities.

Birds store fat, and they also cache food during times of plenty. Blue Jays bury acorns and chickadees hide seeds in bark. They harvest the larder when the weather turns bitter.

Birds are more likely to travel in flocks in winter, even mixed-breed flocks, to better spot food and guard against hawks. Dolby and his students have learned that wintering birds also perform a nightly hypothermia.

As part of their studies, students capture songbirds with nets, then use surgical glue to attach temperature-sensitive transmitters.

The birds don't range far after release, so the students step outside their dorms at night and measure the birds' body temperatures. Dolby expected to see temperature drops of 8 degrees Fahrenheit--the birds' way of conserving energy.

But some birds wintering overnight on campus have recorded 17-degree drops, or more than 15 percent of their daytime body temperatures. Contrast that with their day jobs, when they flit about endlessly, searching for food.

Dolby compares wintering birds to elite athletes. Both are skilled at converting fuel and oxygen into usable energy.
"They are among the top physiological performers," Dolby said.

Birds have a high metabolism and rapid heart rates, and their lungs are not closed sacs, like humans' lungs. Instead air flows through them to reserve sacs. This allows them to extract oxygen on the intake and exhale.

And to fuel all this action, birds consume enormous quantities of food. To say that someone "eats like a bird" is not a compliment, Dolby said. The human equivalent of a bird's bash? Six cheeseburgers.

Jim Hall
Freelance Star
Fredericksburg, VA

Deer Share Habitat With Family

EDITOR'S NOTE: A friend recently sent me this article and a number of photos.  I do not know the location and couldn't find out.  Even though it is best to keep wildlife wild, I felt I should share their story with you:

OUR HOUSE was built in the deer's natural habitat in a remote rural area. Well worn deer trails cut through the property's abundant pine and sage. The oldest deer we've met (we call her Mama Rose) walked right up to us when we first arrived, sniffing and looking us over. We live in the middle of their foraging route, and so it seems okay to sometimes give them a few organic almonds out of our hands.

That's what we had on us when we first met Mama Rose, and the habit's stuck. Rose and her kin obviously think the yard belongs to them as much as anyone else, and they are just taking advantage of the wealth of natural foods growing everywhere. They especially like clover flowers, but it's amazing to see the variety of tasty flowers, leaves, twigs, nuts and berries they'll eat. They stay away from herbs and herbal flowers, but on occasion we've seen young deer eating the sweet medicinal berries of the Juniper tree.

Food is of course a major concern, but we also think they visit because they like our company. Often we see deer we don't know nibbling in the yard, but nearly every day some or many of Rose's extended family come by. All of the deer are likely to lay down on the grass and hang out, whether we know them well or not. Many of them know us personally, and while often running into the yard to greet us with their quiet enthusiasm, they will also swiftly shy away from strangers.

Although notoriously skittish, able to leap meters in the air in an instant when startled, a few deer we know, most notably Eva and her kids, will let us touch them as if we were family, letting us scratch them or pick something out of their fur. Eva even enjoys a hearty backrub! We've certainly learned a lot about how to act around them so as not to disturb them. We think they appreciate our efforts in fitting into their neighborhood.

Idaho Does Not Like Moose Molesters

SANDPOINT, ID--There could be a whole slew of convicted wildlife molesters in Sandpoint, if residents don't stop trying to photograph five roving Moose on the loose.

Just the other day, a crowd of people were following a Moose walking down a city street--among them a woman pushing a baby stroller, the Bonner County (Idaho) Daily Bee reported recently.

"I'm afraid we going to have an individual hurt if people don't get it in their heads that there's nothing we can do about it and to leave the Moose alone," Sandpoint Police Chief Mark Lockwood told the newspaper.

If the humans don't back off, police may start issuing citations for "molesting wildlife," he warned.

"We are constantly being contacted by the public who report overzealous individuals attempting to photograph wildlife in the city limits," the chief told the Daily Bee.

Out of their habitat, the Moose are already stressed and Lockwood said all he wants to do is ward off a possible catastrophe.

"Sooner or later Bullwinkle is going to stomp somebody," he warned.--UPI

Wildlife Photographer Falls To His Death

DAVID BOYNTON was a teacher and photographer who thrilled in sharing his love of nature with his students.

But he fell to his death last week in an area his wife says was one of his favorite spots.

For the past 35 years he has been photographing Hawaii’s natural environment, with photographs appearing in dozens of local and national publications.

Sixty-one-year-old Boynton was reportedly hiking along a cliff trail on Kauai's Na Pali coast on Saturday. Friends called for help Sunday morning when he didn't return. Crews found his body about 300 ft. down at the base of the Kokee Falls.

Boynton has been a teacher for 36 years. Friends say he hiked regularly down the rugged Na Pali cliffs to photograph sea turtles on a remote beach. He was best known for his photography, which was featured in two books, "The Kaua'i Movie Book" and "Flowers: Images from Hawaii's Gardens."--AP

Backyard Bear Gives N.J. Woman A Scare

MAPLEWOOD, NJ--The last thing Lorraine Grossman expected to see as she gazed out the kitchen window of her daughter's home was a 211-pound bear.

"I was making a pot of coffee, and I turned around and there he was in the window looking at me," said Grossman. "For a minute I didn't realize there was a glass between him and me."

The scream Grossman let out was loud enough to startle the wandering bear, who turned tail and scurried some 40 ft. up a tree. More than 50 neighbors gathered to watch and the beast soon grew tired. As the bear gave a lazy yawn, the crowd cooed loudly in appreciation.

"He's really kind of cute," said Joanne Penaluna.

The bear remained wedged in a web of branches until it was shot with a tranquilizer dart . The bear hung on for 10 minutes before dropping neatly into a taut net set up below. The bear, a male estimated to be 2 or 3 years old, was released at a state wildlife-management area.

"It's not something you get to see every day," said Pete Samek, who hoisted his 5-year-old daughter, Lucy Rose, on his shoulders. "Bears falling out of trees." --AP

Money Authorized for Emegency Feeding of Wildlife

DENVER, CO -- With up to 2,000 deer and Pronghorn Sheep unable to find food because of a series of storms that left deep snow that hasn't melted, the Colorado Wildlife Commission authorized up to $160,000 for emergency feeding in southeastern Colorado.

An aerial survey found distressed animals in small clusters of 50 to 100 in a belt stretching from Burlington south to Lamar and west to Trinidad, Division of Wildlife southeast regional manager Dan Prenzlow said.

"Initially we were using food to lure animals away from highways, train tracks and haystacks," said Prenzlow. "Now we are feeding some of those same groups of animals that are struggling to survive because severe winter conditions have not loosened their grip in southeast Colorado."

Two December blizzards left drifts up to 10 ft. deep, covering watering holes, stranding drivers and isolating many farms and ranches.--AP

A Welcomed Visitor

THE BLACK and yellow garden spider(Argiope aurantia) is a welcomed visitor to my garden in the late summer. I love its colorful patterning as it sits motionless on its web that it has carefully attached to  the surrounding flowers. I know this large 1- ½“ spider is a female, as the male is much smaller and does not have the coloring like that  of the female . 

The male will often sit at the far edge of  her web, waiting for the right time to mate, but because she could easily eat him, he often will make his own ,smaller web, near hers. If you take the time to watch, you may see her “bouncing” her web back and forth, as a possible means of having it stick to an insect that is near, or entangling one that has  just landed on it. There is some speculation that the vibrating web makes the spider look more menacing and may be done when she feels threatened.

Orb spiders, like the black and yellow spider, can make webs of different sizes and thickness. My garden spider makes a web that is about 2 ft.  in diameter and it is usually located in a nice sunny spot that is protected from the wind. In the middle of the web, is a zig-zag pattern called a stabilimentum, and often this is where I will find her resting, with head pointed toward the ground. The stabilimentum may be useful in stabilizing the web, in camouflaging her, or in attracting insects. The true purpose is unknown and I have read where it may help in preventing birds from flying into and ruining the web.

When prey, such as small insects, hit the web, the spider runs over and encircles it with silk, often leaving it for a midnight snack. She may need this snack later on, as every night she will eat some or all of the web and then make a new one.  Since the silk in the web contains bits of amino acids, this may be her way of recycling some of the nourishment.

After mating with the male, 2 to 3  papery, brown eggcases are laid in the fall, usually off to the side of  the stabilimentum.  The female will eat less and less and soon die. These eggcases , made of  thick silk , contain up to 1,400 eggs .  The eggs hatch in the fall into tiny miniature spiders, and these babies will overwinter in their protective home til spring, when they finally leave their home. Many of these baby spiders may end up feeding returning hummingbirds in the spring, but by late summer, I will be on the lookout again for the beautiful female.

When late fall comes around, I like to think of those eggcases  and their fate, and decide to leave my plants where they are, rather than tidy up my garden. By summer, I’ll be glad I did.

Jan McIntyre
WindStar Certified Wildlife Habitat Naturalist
Nashua, NH