"Nuisance Birds"

One of the most common questions I receive from people who are not avid birders like me, is how to deal with so called "nuisance birds" at feeders. My first response is always the same. "Why do you consider the bird undesirable?" The answers are mixed but mostly refer to the fact that they scare away the "pretty birds", or that they eat too much seed, or that they are too noisy and come in large numbers. So, I thought I would talk about some of these birds that are referred to as a nuisance by bird feeding enthusiasts.

Probably the most common bird that people wish to discourage from their feeders is the European Starling. Even as much as I love birds, I always have ambivalent feelings regarding this species. These birds are everywhere in the USA and are truly a global bird, found in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa as well as Europe. Rumor has it that 100 of these birds were released in Central Park in 1890 and that the population in North America is now 150-200 million birds. These birds are considered to be a nuisance because they are flocking birds and they roost in great numbers in trees and man made structures resulting in noisy chattering and high volumes of waste concentration. In Indianapolis last year, the city council approved a plan of killing several European Starlings as they were wintering over at a local power plant and were creating perceived unsafe conditions for workers and residents. In fact, several cities are taking similar measures. And there are some web sites with instructions on how to kill them.

Any time a suet feeder is hung around here, you can count on Starlings to invade it. They love suet! So, are these birds absolutely of no value? Depends on who you ask. The evidence suggests that they do provide an agricultural benefit by consuming crop damaging insects. However, they also are aggressive competitors for nesting sites with other birds. Their abundance and existence are the fault of man interfering with their lives and now they are paying for it.

In Memory of John - my Dad.

Today would have been my fathers birthday, had he not passed away in 1965. It gives me cause to think of him and appreciate his love for nature which he passed on to me. Dad loved to fish. He loved being out in nature and loved taking my brothers, my mother and me with him. Some of my fondest memories in life involve all of us hopping in the car heading out to Cutsinger bridge - Dad's favorite local fishin hole. Mom packed a picnic basket with some sandwiches, and Dad would stick 5 cane poles in the back window of the car with the tips hanging out the front drivers side. He would bait my hook (and my moms) and we'd throw our lines out in the water and we'd sit and watch the bobbers float along with the current. Being a little antsy, I was soon bored if the fish weren't biting and that's when my Dad would call my attention to the nature around us.

I remember one such occasion on a spring morning. I was bored and Dad was calling my attention to the blossoms on the dogwood trees and we would watch them fall and land on the water and float away. As we were looking at the blooming trees, he pointed out some movement. At first I didn't see it, but then the flittering of the bright green leaves was unmistakable. I asked him what it was, and he said to me, "Babe, that's a Brown Thrasher." I was amazed that he knew the name of the bird! So, I started asking him the names of any bird I saw - he knew most of them, or at least he recited names to me. Mallard ducks, Buzzard, Crow, Tree Swallow, Robin, Woodpecker, Bluebird, he knew so many! I asked him what his favorite bird was and he told me it was the Brown Thrasher because it was the first bird he had ever looked up in a book.

To this day, when I see a brown thrasher, I always think of Dad. Happy Birthday, John H Smith. Thank you!

Cedar Waxwings

I spotted a small flock (about 25) Cedar Waxwings in the woods yesterday. From far away, I wasn't sure what they were as the flittered from tree top to tree top, but after putting the binoculars on them, it was obvious! Their black masked faces always make me smile. The first thought I had was, are these Bohemian waxwings instead of Cedars? Doing a little research though, it was obvious these were Cedars. Bohemian waxwings are more northern and western in their distribution. Also, the Cedar is slightly smaller and has different plumage markings. Waxwings main diet consists of wild berries - almost 80% of thier intake. But, that is also one of their biggest vulnerabilities. Sometimes, particularly when warm days follow a frost, the berries can become toxic and the poor waxwings eat them anyway and succumb to alcohol poisoning. Some fun facts...they got their name 'Cedar' waxwing because of their attraction to the blue berries produced by red cedar trees. The name "waxwing" comes from the waxy red appendages found on the tips of the wings. Waxwings nest in late summer when berries are abundant to feed their young. Waxwings are frugivorous (fruit eaters) and are often seen passing berries via their beaks from one bird to the next down the line on a branch - quite friendly!