IT’S TIME FOR SPRING CLEANING

            As spring appears, watch for that first "cardinal kiss". See the male, with a great air of ceremony, gently offer his mate a freshly hulled sunflower kernel. To accept his gift, she tilts her head so that he can pass it from his beak to hers. The scientific term for this is "mate feeding". To some eyes, however, it's a kiss!

            It's time to help the birds prepare for the busy season to come. Two easy ways to help are to:

1. Offer nesting material.
2. Save your eggshells

            Gather nesting material from your household bounty. Cotton threads and yarn should be no longer than 6 to 8 inches. Experiment with different colors of yarn. Thin scraps of cloth, feathers from an old down pillow, butchers’ twine, hair from both your brush and your dog's brush will be well received.

            Put the materials in a suet cage near feeders, nest boxes, or in the crook of a tree. Do not use dryer lint, as it may contain harmful chemicals. It also retains too much water to be useful for nesting purposes. Dog hair is a favorite nesting material for the titmouse, chickadee and nuthatch. Our titmouse looks like it has a Santa beard as it tries to take off with a beak full of white dog hair. Watch the birds fly away with their building materials and you could discover where they are setting up housekeeping.

            If you are a gardener, you probably already save eggshells to create a barrier against slugs. Eggshells are also an excellent source of calcium for birds.

            Around the turn of the century, bluebirds were as common in backyards and parks as robins (they both belong to the Thrush family). In fact, the first settlers called them “Blue Robins”. However, starlings and house sparrows began competing with bluebirds for nest sites. Later, as housing projects greatly decreased natural habitat (trees, posts with nest cavities), bluebird populations were severely affected.

            Various national and regional bluebird groups organized to restore this delicate bird. Awareness of the urgency to act spread quickly. Trails of bluebird houses sprang up in the countryside, numbers of books were written and a lot of people began talking about what must be done to save the bluebird.

THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT

            You don’t have to live out in the country to attract Eastern Bluebirds. Customers living within a mile or so of The Wildlife Authority regularly attract them. However, you must have the right habitat in your yard. Bluebirds prefer open fields and may take up summer residence in the grassy areas of the urban backyard if you provide a nestbox on a pole in an open area. Many bluebirds over winter in our forested areas and maintain a diet of berries when insects are not available. By the end of February, they begin to actively search for nesting sites.

            Well made cedar bluebird houses no closer than 100 yards apart are effective. Place your house 10 feet or so from trees to reduce competition from other species. We have found that placing the house on a metal pole, five feet above the ground with a tube baffle is very effective at keeping predators away (squirrels, snakes, raccoons and cats).

            Eastern Bluebirds eat ground insects in the summer. So you want to avoid pesticides and maintain an open area around the nestbox that has low-cut vegetation. They also need nearby limbs or posts on which to perch while watching for insects. When they spot a delicious cricket, beetle or caterpillar they swoop down to grab the meal for their babies and themselves. Want to learn more? Come into The Wildlife Authority for a copy of the Stokes Bluebird Book. We also have a large selection of bird houses, poles and baffles (see coupons below)!

            Many of our customers supplement feeding by offering live mealworms (which are actually immature beetles). At almost 20% protein, they are great nutrition for the birds. You can refrigerate them for weeks without any special care. Mealworms are especially helpful on cold rainy spring days when insects are scarce. Come in and try some in your yard today. We also have mealworm feeders that restrict access by other birds so the bluebirds get “their fair share”.

MARCH

-         Look for returning Eastern Phoebes. Offering a nesting shelf may entice them to take up residence.

-         Juncos and White Throated Sparrows start to sing before heading northward. Listen for the Junco’s bell-like trill and the White Throat’s “Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody” song.

-         The Purple Martin Scouts arrive mid month. The first Barn and Tree Swallows return in late March or early April.

-         Eastern Towhees return toward the end of the month. Watch for them on the ground under your feeders. Listen for their song “Drink your tea”.

-         Chipping sparrows (our summer sparrow) return to feeders in late March.

APRIL

-         Orchard and Baltimore Orioles arrive toward the end of the month. They can be attracted with orange halves and nectar feeders.

-         House Wrens arrive from mid month on. They are the easiest bird to attract to a nesting box.

-         The uncommon Red-headed Woodpecker is seen most often in late April.

-         Watch for the bright blue Indigo Buntings at your thistle feeders. They also like millet and sunflower chips.

-         Gray Catbirds arrive in late April. Grape jelly is a favorite treat.

-         Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers can be seen all month. They migrate north for the breeding season.

-         Watch for Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at feeders, especially during rainy weather when insects are hard to find.

Wildlife Authority Hours: OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sunday, 12 noon - 4 p.m.