Email
Print
Fresh faces are going places this winter
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: November 19, 2008
Late in the fall, you might notice a few new faces join the crowd at your bird feeder.
They are our short-distance migrants, songbirds that nest "up North" in the summer -- sometimes even in northern Canada -- and then return to winter in our warmer climate where there are still insects and seeds galore.
In that group are the Dark-eyed Junco, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Pine Siskin, and the White-throated and Song sparrows. For safety's sake, they join mixed flocks of permanent residents such as the American Goldfinch, House Finch, Cardinal and Nuthatches.
All feed in relative harmony until breeding season draws near and it's time to return to their favorite nesting sites. Some people call these species "Snow Birds" because they appear to be fleeing the snowy North.
For nature lovers, each season brings fresh delights and the appearance of these Snow Birds always brings a smile to my face. That's why I'm prepared with fresh seed and water in sparkling clean feeders and bird baths.
Don't forget to shovel or rake the old seed hulls and debris out from underneath your feeders regularly. This prevents the spread of disease, especially among your ground-feeding birds such as the sparrows and juncos.
And in winter, I bring out my homemade suet since I don't have to worry about it going rancid quickly.
The Carolina Chickadees, delightful little clowns that they are, get a special kick out of the suet and spread the word to all their friends when it arrives.
Also, don't forget that your hummingbird nectar feeder is not just for summertime use. Last winter I got a special visit from a Black-throated Blue Warbler, a Neotropical Migrant that stopped for some "R & R" on its way back to South America. These warblers are known to sip from nectar feeders, as are woodpeckers.
Another reason to keep your nectar feeder handy is to lure a Rufous or possibly even a Calliope hummingbird found wintering in the Carolinas.
Both the Rufous and Calliope spends its summer in the Rocky Mountains. While the Rufous has become more common here each winter, a sighting of the Calliope, called a "vagrant" if spotted in the Southeast, will make you the envy of the bird-watcher set. It's best to contact the Audubon Society if you spot either bird hanging out in your yard this winter.
Other birds interesting to observe in the fall and winter are the Mockingbird, Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Crow and Starling.
Fall is when the Mockingbird stakes out it territory -- usually one with plenty of berries and fruit -- by continuous singing of other birds' calls and also by aggressive chasing-off of other bird species. Once they've made their wishes known, they are quiet the rest of the season.
While mockingbirds are generally solitary, robins, crows and starlings hang out with their friends in large flocks during the winter. It's fascinating to see a flock of seemingly hundreds of birds land in the trees along the road and commence to chatter: just another day in our Carolina winter paradise!
Mooresville's Julie Higgie is a Habitat Steward with the NC Wildlife Federation and a naturalist at Latta Plantation Nature Center. She can be reached at jchiggie@yahoo.com
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
