by Sparrow Nut
2. October 2011 14:08
1) Reduce or eliminate pesticide and
herbicide use. By using fewer chemicals in and around your home you will help
keep birds, pets and your family healthy
2) Help keep ALL water clean: patch bare
areas in your yard with native grasses to prevent erosion, sweep sidewalks and
driveways instead of hosing them down, and use a funnel when you fill your
lawnmower. The pollution that flows from your yard into local streams can have
a harmful impact on the environment.
3) Let your yard get a little messy!
Leave snags for nesting places and stack downed tree limbs to create a brush
pile, which is a great source of cover for birds during bad weather.
4) Attract hummingbirds with sugar
water, made by combining four parts hot water to one part white sugar, boiled
for one to two minutes. Never use honey, artificial sweeteners, or food
coloring. Clean hummingbird feeders with a solution of one part white vinegar
to four parts water once a week.
5) Make your windows visible to birds to
prevent collisions. Put up screens, close drapes and blinds when you leave the
house, or stick multiple decals on the glass (decals need to be no more than
two to four inches apart to be effective).
Find many more ideas at
AudubonAtHome.org or look them up on Facebook at ~facebook.comlAudubonAtHome.
These helpful hints
were submitted by DMAS member Sharon Stilwell.
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by Sparrow Nut
4. June 2011 10:50
Those really hot days of summer can really drain your energy. It is tempting to sit in an air-conditioned room rather than go outside to look at birds. Nesting birds must provide for their young even on those hot days. Insects are plentiful this time of year, so it's a good time to find protein-packed food to feed their offspring. Most birds are most active during the cooler hours of the morning and then again in the evening. During the hottest parts of the day, they take refuge in a shady spot and may be hard to see. A few birds seem to thrive on the heat and persistently sing all day long. Dickcissels sing their repetitive songs from the grasslands even in the afternoon heat. Indigo Buntings are another species that never seems to mind the heat. Vireos can also be persisitent singers no matter what the temperature. Soaring birds like Turkey Vultures take advantage of thermals to search for carrion, which is just as active during the middle of the day as any other time!
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by Sparrow Nut
9. March 2011 14:45
Now is a good time to start looking and listening for displaying American Woodcocks. These strange long-billed, short-legged shorebirds can be found in areas of young trees bordering openings. The males fly from the ground to perform an aerial display beginning just after dark. During the display their wing feathers make a twittering sound and the birds make vocal chirps. They then land on the ground where a female may be waiting to mate. During the day, woodcocks are camouflaged among leaf litter on the ground and rarely seen unless they are accidentally flushed. A good place to observe these birds displaying is at Terra Park in Johnston.
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by Sparrow Nut
13. December 2010 01:25
The tradition that started 110 years ago will continue later this week--the Christmas Bird Count. Before the turn of the last century, in the days before bag limits, it was a tradition to compete in a "side hunt" on Christmas day--teams would try to shoot more birds and mammals than the opposing team. Concern was growing about bird populations, and the early conservation movement was forming. Frank Chapman, an ornithologist involved with the newly formed Audubon Society, proposed an alternative bird census. On Christmas Day in 1900, twenty-seven participants took part in the first Christmas Bird Count in twenty-five counts, mostly in the Northeastern U.S., with 90 species being recorded all together. The count, now known officially as the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, has become a tradition , continuing and growing over the years. The count period has been extended over a period from December 14 to January 5. Many dedicated counters participate in several counts each year. Others may have never birded before, and are drawn into birding through this experience. There are now tens of thousands of volunteers who participate in thousands of counts each year, and counts take place throughout the western hemisphere. When we were in Ecuador last summer, our guide told us about the Mindo Christmas Bird Count, where local children covered the part of the count circle in town on foot and by bicycle. Their portion of the circle found over 100 species. Some of these children are aspiring bird guides who will have gained valuable experience identifying birds, in addition to learning the value of conservation by counting birds.
Christmas Bird Counts provide a long-term data set that is valuable in tracking trends in bird populations. While some counts have been taking place for over 100 years, new counts are forming every year. Any place you might find yourself for the holidays is likely to have a Christmas Bird Count nearby. For dates and contactd information on counts taking place throughout Iowa, visit the Iowa Ornithologists' Union web site at http://www.iowabirds.org/birds/CBC.asp. For more information on counts throughout North America, visit the Christmas Bird Count web site at http://birds.audubon.org/get-involved-christmas-bird-count. There is a $5 fee for taking part in Christmas Bird Counts to cover the costs of data compilation. Data are posted to an Audubon Society web site open to the public http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count.
For some of us the holidays aren't complete without participating in at least one Christmas Bird Count. Although conditions can be difficult, it is fun to challenge yourself and others to see how many species you can find. Some people still treat this as a competition to find as many species as possible, or to find the most unusual species. It is remarkable how many species can be found with enough people out there looking, and the unusual species that turn up in count circles. If you've never done it before, give it a try this year!
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by Sparrow Nut
21. November 2010 08:39
With Thanksgiving happening this week, it's time to appreciate the Wild Turkey. While most Thanksgiving dinner tables will feature its domesticated relative, the tradition of a turkey dinner came from times when much more food was provided by hunting wild animals. Perhaps the most well-known admirer of the Wild Turkey was Benjamin Franklin, who campaigned for it to be the national symbol. It fell just one vote short in Congress. Such large birds are charismatic and have many admirers, both hunters and non-hunters.
A turkey flock regularly travels through our neighborhood, and the story is that the former owners of our house had an offer on the house a year before we bought it, but turned it down because of a comment from the would-be buyer about hunting turkeys. We have a flock of 14 that has been seen off and on since this summer, and they have been coming more regularly this fall. The flock appears to be made up of two broods with their mothers, who have been joined recently by a few more, including at least one tom. They feed on seed beneath our feeders and in a neighbor's yard where seed is spread on the front walkway. They also drink from our bird bath--standing on the ground and stretching their necks to reach the water.
Wild Turkeys prefer oak savanna or woodland edges, with acorns being an important food source. They also feed on all kinds of grain and other seeds, berries, other plant parts, insects, and the occasional frog, lizard, or snake. Although they spend most of their time on the ground, Wild Turkeys can fly and often roost in trees at night. Large oaks with spreading branches provide excellent roost trees, another reason oak savanna is one of their preferred habitats.
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by Sparrow Nut
24. October 2010 13:13
It's not one of those spectacles like Sandhill Cranes along the Platte River, or warblers along the Gulf Coast in the spring. But fall migration of sparrows is something we can witness here in Iowa, when plants are turning brown and the weather turning cool. Many of our breeding sparrows have already left, but northern populations of species like Vesper and Song Sparrows are moving through. Species like Nelson's and LeConte's Sparrows migrate through Iowa between the northern prairies and their wintering grounds in the southern U.S. American Tree Sparrows nest in the Arctic, and return to the Midwest to winter. Swamp, Harris's, White-throated, White-crowned, Clay-colored, and Savanna Sparrows are some of the other species that can be found here in the fall. Observing all these sparrows involves a little more effort than watching ducks. Most skulk among grasses or shrubs. Finding them requires patience and luck. Skill may be involved in "pishing" or making noises that attract some birds to come out for a look. Lapland and Smith's Longspurs, which are related to sparrows, prefer short vegetation and use camouflage to hide among the dry grasses. They are most easily found by having several people spread out and walk across fields of short, sparse grass to flush out the birds. To those who haven't tried it, this may not sound like a lot of work to see little brown birds. But the subtle beauty of these birds can be appreciated by those who get good looks at sparrows.
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by Sparrow Nut
20. June 2010 13:54
Nesting season is a busy time for birds. A bird must find a mate, build a nest, lay eggs, incubate, then care for the young. At least if they're lucky enough to get that far. But remember that to be "successful" from an evolutionary perspective, all a bird needs to do is replace itself before it dies. So even if the nest fails (the eggs or young don't survive), the bird has a chance to try again, sometimes several times in a season. This year I noticed three American Robin nests that I was able to observe at close range. One nested on the tire of a vehicle. The vehicle was not driven to protect the nest. Although it was sheltered from the rain, just about the time the eggs should have hatched, a predator got the nest. It was found knocked off the tire one morning. While I don't know for sure what the culprit was, it could have been a raccoon or opossum. Another nest was on top of a light fixture on a building. One morning there were broken eggs on the ground beneath the nest--they had been knocked out of the nest but not eaten. Since there were many House Sparrows nesting in the area and one immediately began nesting on top of the robin nest, I'm pretty confident that the invasive House Sparrows destroyed the eggs. Another nest was right outside my bedroom window. We had watched the robin incubating 3 eggs, then saw the young nestlings begin to grow. The adults often sat on the rim of the nest, and the female spent the nights there. One night just after I fell asleep at 10:00 I was awakened by a robin alarm call just a few feet from my head. I looked out the window, but couldn't see anything in the dark. A few minutes later I heard squealing that lasted a couple minutes (which seemed like an eternity), then eventually stopped. The next morning the nest was tipped sideways and was empty. I'm not sure what kind of predator it was, but it was a silent nocturnal mammal capable of climbing into a shrub. While each of these nest failures was sad for me to witness, I had to remind myself that these are American Robins, one of the most adaptive of North American species. They are found in almost any kind of environment. Their association with humans may be to their advantage in many situations, but it this case it didn't serve them well. In each of these cases the birds shifted to another area and re-nested in a location unknown to me, so I won't see how they fare.
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by Sparrow Nut
7. May 2010 11:23
Migration is an amazing event in the bird world. We are fortunate to be in an area where so many birds pass through on their way from their wintering grounds to their breeding grounds. Some stop to nest here in Iowa, while others keep going, making Iowa a true flyover state. One of the tantalizing things about migration is that it is so ephemeral. Birds may be here for a few hours to a few weeks to re-fuel on their way north. Often their fate lies with the weather--the wind direction and speed, rainfall, and availability of food. Most songbirds and shorebirds make their long flights at night, and spend the day searching for food. They are less prone to predation that way, and often the wind is calmer. They take off once it's dark and as the sky begins to brighten, they look for a place to spend the day. They prefer a tailwind or no wind at all, and a north wind or rainstorm may keep them in place until the weather changes. You can actually see birds taking off and landing on weather radar. If there aren't a lot of clouds in the sky, the colors you see may represent birds. Go to
http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=DMX&product=N0Z&overlay=11101111&loop=yes for Des Moines area bird migration. If you check it after sunset or soon after sunrise, you may see an expanding circle in the evening (birds taking off) or a contracting circle in the morning (birds landing). As birds go up or down they break the radar beam and show up as blips. The more birds there are migrating, the more intense the color will be. For a national view, look at
http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/index_loop.php . This will show birds taking off or landing as the sun rises and sets in their part of the country. It can be fascinating, and give you an idea of how many birds are out there migrating.
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by Sparrow Nut
26. March 2010 17:09
OK, so there's still a possibility it could snow again, but spring is officially here and the birds know it. After a long, cold, snowy winter, it is welcome relief to hear American Robins and Northern Cardinals singing from almost anywhere in Central Iowa in the morning. Eastern Meadowlarks are claiming their territories in the prairies, and Red-winged Blackbirds are spread out along the highways. Turkey Vultures are being seen, there are reports of Eastern Phoebes and Tree Swallows arriving, and waterfowl have been migrating through for a few weeks. From now through early June there will be new species coming through weekly. Some will be returning to nest in Iowa, while others continue on to breed north of us. A few species, such as American Tree Sparrows, Lapland Longspurs, Snow Buntings, and Northern Saw-whet Owls, actually choose to winter here in Iowa and will be returning north to nest, so we will soon bid them farewell. Resident species are thinking about nesting. Cavity nesters like woodpeckers, chickadees, and nuthatches can get an earlier start due to the extra protection they get from the weather in their sturdy nest sites. Tough birds like Bald Eagles and Great Horned Owls begin nesting in the dead of winter and are fully involved in nesting now. Spring doesn't last, so get out there and experience it throughout the season!
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by dthompson
1. January 2010 06:13
We held the Des Moines Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, 12/26. The purpose is to tally all birds within a 15-mile diameter circle and report the results to the National Audubon Society. This is very useful in monitoring bird population trends. The Des Moines circle is centered at 63rd and University. It basically runs from Saylorville Dam to Lake Colchester (north of Norwalk) and the I-80 rest stop to the fairgrounds. The Des Moines CBC has been held since 1948.
The weather and holiday plans limited the number of participants this year, but we still had a respectable total of 63 species. The Des Moines river and Maffitt Reservoir had open water, so that helped our waterfowl count. Here are the count totals:
Cackling Goose (2); Canada Goose (5733); Trumpeter Swan (7 - record high); Gadwall (1); Mallard (679); Pintail (1); Redhead (2); Ring-necked Duck (2); Common Goldeneye (45); Hooded Merganser (5); Common Merganser (39); Ruddy Duck (1); Ring-necked Pheasant (7); Wild Turkey (56 - record high); Pied-billed Grebe (1); Great Blue Heron (1); Bald Eagle (56); Sharp-shinned Hawk (2); Cooper's Hawk (2); Red-tailed Hawk (53); Rough-legged Hawk (1); Kestrel (4); Merlin (1); Coot (4); Ring-billed Gull (10); Herring Gull (3); Rock Pigeon (387); Eurasion Collared-Dove (7); Mourning Dove (49); Great Horned Owl (3); Barred Owl (4); Long-eared Owl (3); Belted Kingfisher (2); Red-bellied Woodpecker (35); Downy Woodpecker (62); Hairy Woodpecker (16); Northern Flicker (7); Pileated Woodpecker (1); Blue Jay (64); Crow (359 - didn't count the downtown roost, so #'s lower than usual); Horned Lark (10); Black-capped Chickadee (64 - record low); Tufted Titmouse (19); Red-breasted Nuthatch (2); White-breasted Nuthatch (44); Brown Creeper (6); Carolina Wren (7); Robin (18); Starling (167 - didn't count the downtown roosts, so #'s lower than usual); Cedar Waxwing (27); Tree Sparrow (96); Song Sparrow (12); White-throated Sparrow (9); Harris's Sparrow (3); White-crowned Sparrow (2); Dark-eyed Junco (260); Lapland Longspur (4); Snow Bunting (1); Cardinal (148); Red-winged Blackbird (7); House Finch (37); Goldfinch (90); House Sparrow (270)
Many thanks to those who participated in the field and to those who reported feeder birds.