http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/index/ en mollye@comcast.net Copyright 2011 2011-12-09T06:34:13+00:00 http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/hummer_cozies_affordable_way_to_keep_nectar_from_freezing/ http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/hummer_cozies_affordable_way_to_keep_nectar_from_freezing/#When:05:34:13Z We are pleased to offer Hummingbird Feeder Cozies, an affordable way to keep your hummingbird feeder thawed during the day. No electricity required and easy to use! Hummer Cozies are hand made in Washington State! by Michele Dupraw Hummer cozies come in different sizes and colors, with two Little Hottie Handwarmers that work for 8 hours.  It’s a great way to keep that feeder thawed during our freezing days!  Affordable, attractive, and easy to use (no electricity required), this is sure to be a popular item this season! There are two styles available: Wrap-Around Cozy —comes in various sizes and is made to velcro around a jar-style hummingbird feeder (illustrated above). Pocket Cozy —velcro it to the base of a saucer style feeder, such as a Hummzinger Hummingbird feeder (illustrated below). Hummingbirds 2011-12-09T05:34:13+00:00 http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/meet_michele_dupraw/ http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/meet_michele_dupraw/#When:03:43:03Z Michele Dupraw has worked for the Backyard Bird Shop since 2000 and has been feeding birds since childhood. She photographs and writes about her backyard at http://www.naturenutnotes.com.  Michele Dupraw can usually be found at our Beaverton Backyard Bird Shop, offering her expertise and enthusiasm to backyard bird and insect lovers alike.  Not only is Michele well versed in bird, squirrel, and bat-related information, she’s our number one expert on Mason Bees! She’s an indispensible member of our team, and a great naturalist and writer as well! Meet our Website Contributors 2011-12-09T03:43:03+00:00 http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/northern_flicker/ http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/northern_flicker/#When:22:49:33Z The Northern Flicker is one of the most striking birds observed in our backyards. Article by Mark Fitzsimons Photo by Steve Berliner A Northern Flicker’s bold markings, a combination of black bars, spots and chest bib on a golden brown background make it easy to identify. We are often first aware of its presence when we hear a high piercing “kee-yer” or a series of laugh like “kwick-kwick-kwick-kwick-kwick” calls.  This may be followed by the distinct ratatatatat drum roll sound of bird beak on wood or metal.  Flickers beat on wood or other materials for three reasons: drumming, cavity excavation, and foraging. Since drumming is used for communication, it’s usually done on a surface with good acoustic properties in brief, fast paced volleys. Both males and females drum; it attracts other birds to the location and is followed by territorial or courtship interactions. Drumming typically occurs from mid-March through June.  The growth of cities has reduced the availability of snags (dead or dying trees) needed by flickers to excavate their nesting cavities and they also have to compete with Starlings for them.  Place a Flicker Nest Box in your yard as a suitable alternative!  Though a woodpecker, its feeding behavior can be very un-woodpecker like; over 75% of its diet consists of insects and 50% of that is ants.  It spends much of its time on the ground foraging and after eating, it will often preen its feathers with ants held in its beak.  The ants secrete formic acid which acts as a deterrent to pests and parasites.  Flickers also delight us with visits to our Suet and Premium sunflower seed feeders.  Observe them carefully; you may see one of the much less common eastern sub-species during migration or in the winter.  Instead of red feather shafts under their wings and tail, these flickers sport bright yellow ones! You may also see hybrids between the two sub-species that have red “mustaches” or chevron shaped patches of red feathers on the back of their necks.  Meet the Birds 2011-11-08T22:49:33+00:00 http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/fat_chance_for_backyard_birds/ http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/fat_chance_for_backyard_birds/#When:17:25:35Z Low fat diets may be good for people, but not for birds! Birds metabolize fat more efficiently than seed, so it helps birds maintain their high body temperatures. In the wild, birds scavenge animal fat from carcasses. Suet is a fancy name for fat!  It’s the term used for the energy-rich kidney fat from cattle.  Suet cakes can be made of that fat, or from lesser fats like tallow or even soybean oil (vegetarian).  An earlier generation of backyard bird watchers could purchase suet from butcher shops and set it out for birds.  Today it can be difficult to find, and tough to deal with since raw suet spoils easily.  It’s easiest to buy commercially-prepared suet cakes with rendered suet – the impurities have been boiled away to prevent spoilage. Many Birds Eat Suet: Insect-eaters: Bushtits, Downy Woodpeckers, kinglets, warblers, kinglets and wrens Seed-eaters: Chickadees, nuthatches, Northern Flickers When you shop for suet: Check the ingredients!  For the highest quality, highest energy content fat, look for kidney beef suet.  Less costly alternatives include tallow and shortening.  Additional ingredients may make the suet more attractive:  nuts and peanuts appeal to Northern Flickers, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, and chickadees.  Berries and sunflower seeds appeal to almost all birds.  Insects are a very attractive protein source, especially in the winter when fewer insects are available to backyard birds.  Watch out for too many filler seeds with too little suet, though:  it’s the way manufacturers reduce the cost of a suet cake, but a seed-filled suet cake will not provide as much fat, may not be as attractive to suet-eating birds, and may not last as long since it’s more likely to rinse away more quickly in the rain. Suet Feeding FAQs Q: What kind of feeder do I use? A: A suet cage, vinyl suet bag or even mesh produce bag will suffice.  You can even smear it on a pine cone, or press it into tree bark.  A good bet is a feeder designed to prevent unwanted visitors like starlings or squirrels. Q: Where do I place a suet feeder? A:  Some feeders hang from the branch of a tree, others are designed to lean against a tree trunk or post, so woodpeckers can brace their tails for balance.  There’s even a hanging suet feeder with a “tail board” built in. Q:  What do I do if starlings try to take over my suet? A:  Try a starling-resistant feeder.  Those require birds to hang upside down to feed – easy for most songbirds to do, but difficult for starlings. Q:  Can I feed birds, but not squirrels? A: First, choose a suet with no nuts or seeds.  Oregon Suet Block is a great choice, with high quality fat and insects for protein!  Second, consider a squirrel-proof suet feeder that allows birds to feed but excludes furry visitors! Make Your Own Suet 2 lbs. lard 6 cups cornmeal 3 cups wheat flour 4 cups oatmeal 2 cups peanut hearts or sunflower chips Soften the lard.  Stir in other ingredients a little at a time until mixture is quite thick.  Freeze in tuna cans or plastic tubs about 4” x 4” or smaller.  Suet cakes can be hung frozen (they’re less messy to handle this way), and they fit nicely in wire suet cages. … Originally published by Audubon Society Suet, a Food for all Seasons: Winter brings cold days that increase birds’ energy needs.  Finding enough food to maintain their high body temperatures requires extra effort.  Insects are scarce, so suet is an excellent substitute. Spring is nesting season for Northwest songbirds.  Some bird parents know how to make the most of a suet feeder!  Watch chickadee and other bird parents make trips between the suet feeder and their birdhouse, feeding their offspring a quick meal. Summer fledglings, still learning to find food, entertain with their antics.  Watch for full-sized birds tagging along with adults, flapping their wings and squawking for mommy to feed them! Autumn brings shorter days and fewer insects.  Feeder action increases as insects become scarce. Bird Feeding 2011-11-03T17:25:35+00:00 http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/what_seeds_seed_lovers_love/ http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/what_seeds_seed_lovers_love/#When:04:06:09Z It’s true, black oil sunflower seed is the best choice for attracting the widest variety of birds. It's also true that going beyond black oil sunflower may bring new “diners” to your feeders. Here’s a tip: one type of seed per feeder reduces waste and mess. Birds rifle through seed mixes, dropping everything but their favorite. Another tip: don't buy "wild bird seed mixes" with stuff in them that Portland area birds won't eat -- like milo, for example. Backyard Bird Shop takes pride in offering the cleanest, freshest seeds you can buy for the best price you can find them!Black Oil Sunflower American Goldfinch Band-tailed Pigeon Black-capped Chickadee Black-headed Grosbeak Chestnut-backed Chickadee House Finch House Sparrow Mourning Dove Northern Flicker Pine Siskin Purple Finch Red-breasted Nuthatch Steller’s Jay Scrub Jay Song Sparrow White-breasted Nuthatch Nyjer"Thistle” American Goldfinch Brown-headed Cowbird House Sparrow Mourning Dove Pine Siskin Purple Finch Song Sparrow Sunflower Chips American Goldfinch Black-capped Chickadee Brown-headed Cowbird Chestnut-backed Chickadee House Finch House Sparrow Mourning Dove Pine Siskin Peanut Pieces Black-capped Chickadee Chestnut-backed Chickadee House Sparrow Northern Flicker Scrub Jay Steller’s Jay Cracked Corn California Quail Duck Mourning Dove Ring-necked Pheasant Rock Dove Scrub Jay Steller’s Jay White Proso Millet Brown-headed Cowbird California Quail House Sparrow Mourning Dove Oregon Junco Pine Siskin Red-winged Blackbird Ring-necked Pheasant Song Sparrow Varied Thrush White-crowned Sparrow Suet Bushtit Black-capped Chickadee Chestnut-backed Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Whole Peanuts Scrub Jay Steller’s Jay Bird Feeding 2011-11-03T04:06:09+00:00 http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/bird_houses_and_roosting_pockets_attract_cold_weather_use/ http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/bird_houses_and_roosting_pockets_attract_cold_weather_use/#When:16:00:23Z Introduce a Roosting Pocket or Roost Box to your backyard to help birds stay warm and protected through autumn and winter. by Steve Jaggers Shelter on a cold night can be very inviting to backyard birds to help them get out of the rain or wind, or simply to stay warmer.  Your spring nest box, if cleaned out, may be discovered and utilized during colder months.  Or you can introduce a Roosting Pocket or Roost Box to your backyard, to help birds stay warm and protected through the colder, darker days of autumn and winter.  I have observed a Bewick’s Wren using my Roosting Pocket these last few days in early October. The Roosting Pocket is simply hung on a fence in my side yard.  The wren arrives around dusk and spends the night safe and sheltered. I do not know how long it has been using this spot.  I became aware of its new night roost at least 5 evenings before I made this photograph.  I happened to hear the bird calling as it approached the site.  I know it has been at least 5 nights in a row that it has used the Roosting Pocket. Bird Houses and Nesting Information 2011-11-01T16:00:23+00:00 http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/new_feeder_heater_available_itll_change_your_life_and_that_of_your_annas_hu/ http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/new_feeder_heater_available_itll_change_your_life_and_that_of_your_annas_hu/#When:15:46:03Z Finally! Thanks to local inventor Bob Saunders, and his "hummingbird fanatic friend", Marie Wheeler, Backyard Bird Shop now offers a Hummingbird Feeder Heater, which can make life easier for you and your Anna's Hummingbirds on frigid days. by Molly Evans Photographs by Bob Saunders This morning I woke up to frozen hummingbird feeders.  I ran out in my bathrobe to bring them both in,  dashed around the kitchen preparing nectar, thawing out my feeders, refilling them with LIQUID nectar and finally returning them to my yard.  I heard one hummer clicking at me furiously, as if to say, “You of all people should be more on top of this issue!” And, thanks to Portland inventor Bob Saunders, and his muse, Marie Wheeler,  I will be on top of this issue after today.  I’m going to visit one of my 7 favorite Backyard Bird Shops and purchase Bob’s new Feeder Heater. Marie introduced Bob to a need that only Pacific Northwest backyard birders face:  a way to keep hummingbird feeder nectar liquid on those winter days that see temperatures plunge into the 20’s and lower.  Marie and some of her “hummingbird-fanatic friends”  looked at various designs that Bob came up with, and suggested changes and improvements.  . The result?  Bob’s patented, Feeder Heater is a high-quality unit from which almost any hummingbird feeder can hang!  It keeps your humming bird feeder from freezing in cold weather (down to about 15 -20 degrees F., or 12 - 17 degrees below freezing.)  Just locate the Feeder Heater near an outdoor electrical outlet, and then suspend your hummingbird feeder below. In most of North America, hummingbirds migrate away in the fall, to spend the winter in warmer climates.  But Anna’s Hummingbirds remain in the Portland/Vancouver area 12 months of the year.  We have all noticed the increase in bird feeder activity when it is cold and icy here – I see a tremendous number of chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers, wrens and other birds at my seed and suet feeders on those days.  But unless we keep our hummingbird feeders flowing with nectar, there is little we can offer to help sustain our Anna’s Hummingbirds. I’ve heard from staff members and customers who’ve tried out Bob’s new Feeder Heater that not only does it keep the food liquid, it also provides a space for the birds to warm themselves.  As a nice bonus, the birds look incredible under the light; their iridescent feathers explode in color under the light of the feeder heater! Hummingbirds 2011-11-01T15:46:03+00:00 http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/winter_hummingbirds/ http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/winter_hummingbirds/#When:06:08:38Z Here in the northwest we have Anna's Hummingbirds that stay here year round. How do these little tiny birds survive in the cold weather? Here is some interesting info about them. by Michele Dupraw • When it is cold, hummingbirds can go into a state of torpor that allows them to conserve energy. It is almost like sleeping. During torpor, the tiny bird’s body temperature can drop almost 50 degrees. The heart rate may slow from 500 beats per minute to fewer than 50, and breathing may briefly stop. They are able to lower their body temperatures by 95%, just above the level of hypothermia. Awakening from torpor takes about 20 minutes and happens about 20 minutes before dawn. • Hummingbirds drink nectar but nearly 50% of their diet is made up of insects. Even during cold weather, there are insects that are active that they can eat. • There are over 330 species of hummingbirds in existence and more are being discovered in tropical regions occasionally. • Anna’s Hummingbirds have only been in this area (north of Baja California) for the last fifty years or so. It is believed that the planting of more exotic species has made it possible for them to live here throughout the year. • There is not a commercial no-freeze hummingbird feeder available on the market, but come to one of our shops and we’ll help you develop something to help you through the few, freezing winter days in the Portland area! Sources: Journey North Hummingbird, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, All About Birds http://www.learner.org/jnorth/humm/index.html http://www.naturalsciences.org/funstuff/faqs/hummers.html http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Annas_Hummingbird.html#coolfacts Hummingbirds 2011-11-01T06:08:38+00:00 http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/the_birds_of_autumn/ http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/the_birds_of_autumn/#When:03:29:32Z Autumn signals time to say “goodbye” to many fascinating birds that migrate to warmer climates. Gone until spring are Rufous Hummingbirds, Vaux Swifts, Barn, Violet Green and Tree Swallows, and many American Robins. They’ve migrated south because the supply of nectar and insects diminishes in a Pacific Northwest winter. Autumn is also a time to say “hello” to birds that migrate to the Pacific Northwest in search of seeds and soft ground for probing. Illustration of Spotted Towhee on Ground Feeder by Genece Klein Coming to our region for the cold months are members of the sparrow family—interesting birds like White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows and Slate-Colored “Oregon” Juncos. We also welcome SpottedTowhees, Varied Thrushes, and Pine Siskins, as these birds return from breeding grounds at higher elevations.  As numbers of insects dwindle, bushtits frequent our suet feeders. How to recognize our newly arriving guests?  For the members of the sparrow family, watch the ground!  Sparrows, juncos, towhees and thrushes all feed on or near the ground much of the time.  They will all eat grass seed, which is why millet is a good food to include in your food court for birds: *  White-crowned Sparrows are 6-1/2 to 7-1/2” long,  have a clear grayish breast and puffy crown striped with black and white.  *  Golden-crowned Sparrows are similar to White-crowned Sparrows, but without the head stripes.  Instead the sport a dull yellow central crown stripe.  *  Spotted Towhees are smaller and more slender than a Robin, and is usually on the ground rummaging among the dead leaves.  The male’s head and chest are black with white spots, its sides robin-red, its belly white, its eyes red.  The female is similar, but more brown than black.  *  Varied Thrushes are similar (and related) to the American Robin, but with an orage eyestripe, orange wing bars, and a wide black (male) or gray (female) band across the rusty breast. How to recognize our newly arriving guests? For the members of the sparrow family, watch the ground!  Sparrows, juncos, towhees and thrushes all feed on or near the ground much of the time.  They will all eat grass seed, which is why millet is a good food to offer them.  * White-crowned Sparrows are 6-1/2 to 7-1/2” long, have a clear grayish breast and puffy crown striped with black and white.  * Golden-crowned Sparrows are similar to White-crowned Sparrows, but without the head stripes.  Instead the sport a dull yellow central crown stripe.  * Spotted Towhees are smaller and more slender than a Robin, and is usually on the ground rummaging among the dead leaves.  The male’s head and chest are black with white spots, its sides robin-red, its belly white, its eyes red.  The female is similar, but more brown than black.  * Varied Thrushes are similar (and related) to the American Robin, but with an orage eyestripe, orange wing bars, and a wide black (male) or gray (female) band across the rusty breast. Autumn Bird Feeding Tips: Fall is an excellent time of the year to “open the restaurant” to your feathered friends. Most songbirds’ diets are heavy on insects and spiders during spring and summer.  Insects are highly nutritious, abundant, and easily captured in those months.  During fall and winter, however, non-migratory songbirds must eat fruits and seeds instead, because insects become much less abundant. What should be on the menu? Like Hamburgers and Vanilla Ice Cream: Like some foods that virtually all Americans are willing to eat, Black Oil Sunflower Seeds are the “old standbys” that virtually all seed-eating birds enjoy.  These seeds have a high meat-to-shell ratio, and they’re nutritious and high in fat.  Their relatively small size enables even small birds like chickadees and nuthatches to handle and crack them.  Cornell Lab of Ornithology and other experts confirm that black oil sunflower seed is the favorite of the majority of birds that visit a feeder. Specialties:  The table on this page is based on studies conducted by Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  It shows, by bird species, seeds that are both preferred and readily eaten.  Dried, whole-kernel corn is a favorite food for jays, pigeons, doves, quail and pheasants.  Cracked corn, is liked by blackbirds, finches and sparrows.  White proso millet is eaten by sparrows, blackbirds, pigeons and doves.  Niger, or “thistle”, is a sterilized relative of thistle seed that is loved by goldfinches and pine siskins.  Peanuts are another food that many backyard birds will eat. High Energy Foods: As the weather gets colder, insect-eating birds like chickadees, woodpeckers and nuthatches really go for suet or peanut butter.  Suet is beef fat, and since plain beef suet becomes rancid fairly quickly, many of our customers select from a wide variety of suet cakes available at Backyard Bird Shop.  The suet cakes we sell have suet which has been “rendered” (the impurities have been boiled away) and mixed with either seed, fruit, or even insect larvae, to add to the overall nutritional value of the bird food.  To feed peanut butter, mix it with corn meal or oatmeal to make it easier to handle, and insert into peanut butter feeder holes, or spread on tree trunks or branches.  Fruit Lovers: Birds who eat very few, or no, seeds, like American Robins, thrushes, bluebirds and waxwings , are often interested in fruits like raisins or currants which have been soaked in warm water until soft.  Tanagers, orioles and robins come to fresh fruit.  Backyard Bird Shop offers “fruit feeders” that allow you to either place the fruit inside a wire basket, or impale it on a skewer, to make it easier to offer to backyard birds. How to Serve: The least wasteful method of feeding a variety of seeds is truly to offer one seed per feeder.  In fact, if you fill a feeder with a seed mix, you’re likely to observe many birds kicking out the smaller seeds to get to the prized sunflower seeds!    Bird Feeding 2011-09-06T03:29:32+00:00 http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/vauxs_swift1/ http://backyardbirdshop.com/index.php/site/article/vauxs_swift1/#When:21:52:39Z Chapman School in Northwest Portland houses the largest known roost of migrating swifts in the world! Hundreds of bird watchers visit the school during September to watch up to 35,000 Vaux Swifts swarm into the chimney at dusk. Illustration by Genece Klein Every September, Chapman Elementary School students scan the horizon while they’re out on the playground, watching for dark little birds to start circling above them.  In the afternoon and early evening, thousands of Vaux Swifts fly in noisy circles overhead.  Then, at sunset, the birds dive gracefully into the school’s tall chimney, seemingly being poured, or vacuumed, in!  There they cling, safe from predators while they sleep. Vaux’s Swifts spend much of their lives in the air, foraging, drinking, courting, and collecting nesting materials on the wing.  They eat also eat tons of flying insects!  Vaux’s Swifts are here in Oregon from late April, when they arrive to nest and raise their young, through summer and into early autumn. During September large groups of swifts congregate as they prepare for their long migration south to Central America and Venezuela. Because there are fewer and fewer natural options, these migrating swifts use chimneys to roost in during the night.  Once a group of swifts locates an appropriate roosting site, they are likely to return year after year. Chapman School in Northwest Portland houses the largest known roost of migrating swifts in the world!  Hundreds of bird watchers visit the school during September to watch up to 35,000 Vaux Swifts swarm into the chimney at dusk. For years the chimney at Chapman School was part of the school’s heating system.  Sometimes students and teachers had to bundle up to avoid switching on the furnace, and possibly causing the deaths of thousands of birds.  School children, Audubon Society of Portland, and other bird lovers raised $75,000 to purchase a new heating system and decommission the chimney. Now the chimney is dedicated to the Swifts, and Swift Watchers from all over the world! For more info:  Visit Audubon Society of Portland’s info on Vaux Swifts and their chimney roosting, and click here to read about September Swift Watch! Meet the Birds 2011-09-01T21:52:39+00:00