Crooning Cardinals

For the past two days, this handsome devil has been perched in the cedar tree in my yard singing his little heart out.  While "Old Man Winter" has yet to decide whether he plans to stay or go, this colorful crooner has already set his sights on Spring and the female he was pursuing at the feeder.  The courtship ritual of cardinals can be quite entertaining...especially if there is more than one suitor involved.

Cardinals are quite easy to attract, especially when offered their favorite seeds (black oil sunflower and safflower).  They are most comfortable visiting a hopper-type feeder, or in my case, a fly-thru platform feeder.  If you don't already have a feeder in place, I highly recommend it.  Male cardinals have a very endearing mating technique of feeding seed to his potential mate.  If he is successful, he will continue this activity throughout the nesting and incubation process.  While the cardinal is already one of my favorites, this TLC shown by the male to his mate makes him even more attractive!

The link below provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology provides additional information on the song of the Northern Cardinal.

Cardinal Song - Courtesy Cornell Lab of Ornithology

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Are You Ready for Bird Watching?

Now is the time to make sure you have all your bird watching tools ready to go at a moment's notice.  When that rare warbler is roosting on a branch outside your window is not the appropriate time to be searching for your digital camera or binoculars.  It is also not the time to discover that your camera battery needs a charge.

Throughout the Spring migration, I like to keep both my binoculars and digital camera within close proximity of my windows or back door.  I have found that the camera can be an invaluable tool for making proper identification of unknown species.  Even if you are unable to get a good "in-focus" picture, don't be disappointed.  It is often just as satisfying when you can make an identification by cropping and enlarging a poor quality pic.  As long as you can make out the distinguishing markings, you should be able to determine  which bird you captured on film.  Also, chances are very good that if you have food and/or a water source nearby, they will be back for a second photo op!

If you don't already have a good field guide, I suggest getting one or all of the following:

• Sibley Field Guide To Birds of (Eastern/Western North America)
• Peterson's Field Guide To The Birds (East/West)
• National Geographic Field Guide To The Birds Of North America

Field Guides on Amazon.com

I just happen to have a copy of each of these, as well as a few "vintage" versions of the Peterson's guide.  When in doubt, it is always helpful to be able to consult the pictures from another field guide.  

Don't limit yourself to making identifications and taking pictures in and around your home.  During the peak of the migrations, you will most certainly find both a field guide and a camera sitting on the passenger seat of my car.  You never know when that special sighting is going to present itself.

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Birdscaping

“Birdscaping” is the careful process of native plant selection, combined with other key elements to create an interactive landscape that works in harmony with nature. 

During the spring and fall migrations, thousands of unique birds pass through North America en route to their nesting grounds.  Unfortunately, many of these beauties have a diet that consists mainly of fruit and/or insects, so they are not attracted by traditional bird feeders.  Applying the elements of Birdscaping will increase the odds of attracting these and other unique species of birds and butterflies to your home. 

In addition to enhancing your viewing opportunities, a well-planned habitat can quickly become a favorite nesting location for migratory birds and a permanent residence for year-round species.  The addition of fruit-bearing plants also provides needed sustenance during the long winter months.

It is well documented that making a connection with nature provides a multitude of health benefits to humans.  Why not take the extra time to make choices that everyone (birds and humans) can enjoy! 


See lists below for trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses to attract your feathered friends.

Trees/Shrubs

•         River birch

•         Crabapple

•         Red Cedar

•         Mountain Ash

•         Juniper

•         White Oak

•         Beech

•         Hawthorn

•         Dogwoods

•         Viburnums

•         Serviceberry

•         Winterberry

•         Cotoneaster

•         Coralberry

•         Chokecherry

•         American Elderberry

•         Sumac

Perennials & Grasses

•         Coneflower (Echinacea)

•         Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

•         Aster

•         Columbine  (Aquilegia)

•         Gay feather (Liatris)

•         Cardinal Flower (Lobelia)

•         Cat Mint (Nepeta)

•         Little Bluestem grass

•         Big Bluestem grass

•         Bee Balm (Monarda)

•         Garden Phlox

•         Shasta Daisy

•         Goldenrod

•         Coreopsis

      •         Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)

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Tracking Spring Migration

Original watercolor by Belinda Abendschein, Copyright 2002

While the half a foot of snow that fell overnight might discourage thoughts of Spring, some of our favorite migratory birds are already making their way north. About the time that cabin fever sets in each year, I log onto my favorite migratory tracking website Journey North.  I love this program because it recruits K-12 students and teachers to participate as citizen scientists and report their sightings of various migratory species.  The general public is also welcome to participate, and I have often given reports of the first common loons that make their stop here at Tichigan Lake each March.

In addition to bird species such as hummingbirds, orioles, robins and red-winged blackbirds, the site also follows the migration of monarch butterflies, singing frogs, gray whales and much more!  So even if the landscape is still looking pretty bleak in your neck of the woods, log onto Journey North and click on the migration maps.  You too can get excited about Spring and be ready when your favorite visitors start winging their way to your neighborhood!

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Preparing for Spring!

Spring is an exciting time, especially here in Wisconsin.  In addition to the activities of our resident species, we are also privileged to experience a large number of migrating species (especially warblers), as they work their way north to the boreal forests. Don’t wait until the hummingbirds and orioles arrive to make your preparations.  Many birds are already making their way north as early as late February/early March.

•         Put out nesting boxes for cavity-dwelling birds (chickadees, wrens, woodpeckers, bluebirds, swallows, owls, wood ducks).  A good resource for nest box specifications:   http://www.sialis.org/nestboxguide.htm 

•         You can also help nesting birds by providing clean, natural nesting materials (string, animal hair, twigs, straw).  Tip:  Place these items in an empty suet cage.

•         Get a good pair of binoculars and a great field guide.  Recommended field guides include:  Peterson’s, Sibley, National Geographic.  Also, a great resource for beginners is “Birds of Wisconsin” by Stan Tekiela.  The photos are arranged by color to help make identification easier for those who are still learning the various species.

•         Have feeders cleaned and adequately filled with a good quality seed/suet.

•         Make sure you have a water source available.  If possible and weather permits, a moving water source will get the most attention. This is important to attract insect/fruit eating species.

•         Have a camera available for those “surprise” visitors.  Nothing is more frustrating than having that “rare” visitation, and you can’t capture the moment.  It also makes it easier to make proper identification if you can go back and review a photo.

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Baby It's Cold Outside

We have had a relatively mild winter thus far in Southeastern Wisconsin, but temperatures are going to dip tonight.  Don't forget to plug in those heated birdbaths if you have one.  If you don't, it's not too late to run out and purchase one.

During these cold spells, finding open water sources becomes more difficult for birds.  Providing them with a good source of water and fresh seed in feeders will certainly increase the activity at your birdbath and feeders.

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Take a Walk (or Paddle) on the Wild Side

Loon Family on Sea Lion Lake


Backyard birding can be very rewarding, but sometimes it pays to go beyond the lot line and seek out other locations. I have recently found that paddling my kayak in local waters allows me a unique opportunity to view species (especially water fowl) that would never find their way into my backyard.

This past weekend, I loaded the kayak into the back of my car and headed to our cabin in Florence County.  This is a pretty remote area, and the only remaining county in Wisconsin without a traffic light.  I was able to paddle three different lakes in and around the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, as well as the Pine River (which has been designated as a "wild river").  The birding was exceptional, having observed king fishers, mergansers, bald eagles, ospreys and a family of loons. I got some incredible photos, but the biggest thrill was the unexpected visit by a young bear.  As I quietly floated down the Pine River, I heard a disturbance in the woods. The black form quickly made its way down the slope and proceeded to enter the water as I passed by.  I could not believe my good fortune and even managed to snap some pictures as well.

My advice is to take some time before the cold weather returns to venture out to some of the beautiful "natural" areas available here in Wisconsin and in other states. Remember to always have your camera ready...you just never know what may cross your path!



Black bear on Pine River Oxbow



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