FALL AND THE STELLER’S JAY

FALL AND THE STELLER’S JAY

Written by Colin Bartlett

The first day of fall is this Friday September 22 and a sure sign that fall is in the air is the call of the Steller’s Jay which has begun to echo about the neighbourhoods. Usually we can expect to see jays visiting our backyards beginning as early as late August and in the past couple of week’s sightings of Steller’s Jays at backyard feeders have been reported. Just this past week I heard the jays around my neighbourhood in the hospital area and one has stopped by for a few peanuts.

The Steller’s Jay is not a Blue Jay, they are two different species. The Blue Jay is lighter in colour, and a little smaller than the Steller’s Jay. Also the Blue Jay is seen east of the Rocky Mountains and the Steller’s are seen only on the west side of the Rockies.

Usually you will here the Steller’s Jay before you see it and it is easy to identify a Steller’s Jay by their load call of shack-shack-shack but they are also good mimics of other bird’s calls. Other than identifying the Steller’s Jay by its call, you can identify it by beautiful deep blue on the back with a black head, chest and a large crest which can be raised and lowered at will. Just above the bill the Steller’s Jays on the island have a light blue marking compared to those on the mainland that have a white marking. As for size they are a little bigger than the American Robin at eleven inches and have a wing span of about seventeen inches.

Steller’s Jays can be one of those birds that you either love or hate. When they first return it is great to see a new species in the backyard but sometimes they can be a little too cheeky and pushy. According to the pecking order of birds, those who get to eat first, the jay’s rank high because of their size. To keep the jays from scaring off the other birds and from hoarding all the food, wrap your bird feeder with a 2x2 stucco mesh or chicken wire. It sometimes takes a little time for the smaller birds to get use to the wire around the feeder but they will be able to get through to the feeder and it will help deter the jays. Once you have done this place another feeder out away from the main feeder, giving the larger birds their own feeding area.

Jays feed on a wide variety of food from insects to small vertebrates, fir cones and other natural seeds depending on the region. As for the backyard bird feeders the Steller’s Jay prefers peanuts, whether in the shell or shelled, sunflower seeds and suet. They will also take table scraps but this is not recommended. Jays also hoard and cache away food for the winter just in case of rough times, and yes they do know where they have stored the seeds, but they do not need to use their cache of seeds when there is a steady supply of food at the bird feeder.   

Birds are energy efficient, and will weigh each shell and take only the ones that are heavy. To observe this place out six to ten peanuts in the shell for the Steller’s Jays along a deck railing or on a table and watch as the jays pick each peanut and checks the weight. They are looking for the heaviest peanuts, which should provide the biggest seeds and most nutrients. Although the jays will take the heaviest peanuts first, in the end they will take all the peanuts.

Last fall there were many reports about the disappearance of the jays were not to far away, they were up in the woods feeding on the bumper crop of natural seed last year. This year we will have to wait and see what the jays are up to and if we will see many around and for how long. Although the Steller’s Jay may seem to be a bit of a bully around the feeders they are a colourful bird to see and create a lot of activity around the backyard.

Good birding!!

How to Feed the Birds But Not the Squirrels

How to Feed the Birds But Not the Squirrels

Squirrels will look at your bird feeder and will come up with options A - Z of how can it get the bird seed, and we have compiled our favourite tips of how to deter squirrels from eating all of your bird seed. 

Shepherd Hook Squirrel Baffle

This style of baffle is meant to be mounted around a shepherds hook base to prevent squirrels from climbing up the shepherds hook and having access to the bird seed. These can be found made of plastic or metal, and usually have a smooth surface so the squirrel cannot get any traction and climb over the baffle.

Photo: A Shepherd Hook Squirrel Baffle works great for preventing squirrels from being able to climb up your shepherds hook

When using squirrel baffles you do need to make sure that there aren't other objects close to the bird feeder that would allow a squirrel to bypass the baffle. These baffles work best approximately 8 feet away from any shrubs, trees or other objects that a squirrel can jump from.

Photo: Oh no! This squirrel was able to get around the squirrel baffle because there was another shepherds hook that it could climb instead and then jump over to the bird seed

Hanging Squirrel Baffle

This style of squirrel baffle is meant to be hung above the bird feeder to prevent the squirrel from climbing down to the bird feeder. Like the previous style of baffles, these can be found made of plastic or metal. When shopping for this style of baffle the key is to have a smooth surface and that the baffle is unstable if any weight is applied to one side. Having a slippery, unstable surface prevents the squirrel from being able to climb around the baffle.

Photo: A hanging squirrel baffle is great at preventing squirrels from climbing down to your bird feeder

Cayenne Pepper

Adding cayenne pepper to your bird seed is a great option to deter squirrels and other furry friends from eating your bird seed. There isn't a go-to ratio of how much cayenne pepper to add to your bird seed, and each squirrel is different. Cayenne pepper is harmless to the birds, and due to the fact that the birds can only taste sweet, sour and bitter, the addition of a little spice will not deter them from eating your bird seed.

To use cayenne pepper we recommend portioning out the bird seed you plan to use that day and placing it either in a re-sealable bag or container. Add cayenne pepper to this container and after closing the container shake it to distribute the seasoning evenly. This method of squirrel deterrent works best only if all the seed is coated in cayenne pepper. If you just put cayenne pepper on the top layer of seed, the squirrel quickly learns to dig past this layer and eat the un-coated seeds underneath.

This method can take some trial and error before finding the exact ratio that works for your squirrels. Another tip we have learned from customers is to make sure any sources of water aren't near the feeder when using cayenne pepper. This is because many squirrels realized that after encountering the spicy cayenne pepper, drinking water allowed them to return to the bird seed quicker than if it wasn't available.

Hot Pepper Suet

Hot pepper suet is a great option if squirrels are eating your suet. This product has cayenne pepper mixed throughout each individual cake. These suet cakes work excellent at preventing rodents from eating any pieces of suet that might fall to the ground if you have messy birds.

Photo: Hot Pepper Suet Cake

Squirrel Buster Bird Feeders

This style of bird feeder comes in various sizes and designs to suit your yard. They work due to a spring mechanism that is triggered by the weight of the squirrel. Because birds have hollow bones, even large birds don't close the feeding ports but a small squirrel will. Many of these options also come with adjustable springs, to allow you to decide how sensitive you want the mechanism.

Sheet Metal/ Stove Piping Around Wooden 

If your bird feeder is mounted to a wooden post the easiest way to deter squirrels is by making it difficult for them to climb up the post. This can easily be accomplished by wrapping the wooden post in either sheet metal or stove piping, as these are surfaces that squirrels are unable to grip easily. When using this method for deterring squirrels you need to make sure that the metal is positioned high enough so that the squirrel is unable to jump from the ground and grip a wooden surface beyond the sheet metal.

Photo: Sheet metal or stove piping wrapped around your wooden posts prevents squirrels from being able to climb up to your bird feeders

Nanaimo bird report, July 23, 2017

Nanaimo bird report”

Explore Nature ---Go Birding

To report your sightings call the birdstore at 250-390-3669 or e-mail

thebirdstore@shaw.ca

Please remember when reporting a sighting please leave your name and phone number with the date and location of the sighting.

Sunday Bird Walk, July 23, 2017:

The Sunday bird walk went to the Plummer Road side of the Englishman River in Parksville. The morning was sunny but there was a strong wind off the Strait of Georgia. A Cedar Waxwing was spotted at the top of a tall Fir tree at the beginning of the walk.  A Black Oystercatcher, fifteen Long-billed Dowitchers, a large number of Least Sandpipers and Western Sandpipers, two Semi-palmated Plovers and several Killdeer were seen on the mud flats. Four Black-bellied Plovers were feeding along the tide line. Mew Gulls, Bonaparte Gulls

and California Gulls were seen on the Strait.

Semi-palmated Plover: Ralph Hocken Photo:

Fourteen birders including visiting birders from Alberta and California saw and heard the following thirty-four species:

Common Merganser

Great Blue Heron

Bald Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Black Oystercatcher

Long-billed Dowitcher

Least Sandpiper

Western Sandpiper

Semi-palmated Plover

Black-bellied Plover

Killdeer

Belted Kingfisher

Mew Gull

Bonaparte Gull

California Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

Eurasian-collared Dove

Bushtit

Anna’s Hummingbird

Northern Flicker

Northwestern Crow

Violet-green Swallow

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Swainson's Thrush

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Orange-crowned Warbler

Spotted Towhee

Song Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

House Finch

American Goldfinch

Purple Finch  

Cedar Waxwing: Ralph Hocken Photo.

Tuesday July 18.

Sixteen Common Nighthawks were seen over McLeary Street and Kennedy Street in Nanaimo.

Six Common Nighthawks were seen over Meridian Way in Parksville.

The Tuesday Birdwalks will resume on September 5/17

The Sunday Birdwalk on July 30, 2017 will be going to the Nanaimo River Estuary in south Nanaimo. Meet at the Birdstore at 9:00 a.m. or at the end of Raines Road at about 9:30 a.m. 

Good birding

Neil Robins

THE BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE

314 Metral Drive

 Nanaimo B.C.
V9T-2L8

Phone: 250-390-3669

Fax: 250-390-1633

Email: thebackyard@shaw.ca

Blog: www.thebirdstore.blogspot.com

Enjoy Feeding the Hummingbirds Without the Ants/ Wasps - By Nicole Renaud

Feeding hummingbirds is a summer tradition for many people. Most people only see hummingbirds in their yards for a couple months each year before they migrate southwards to escape the winter cold. For those of us that live on the West Coast, we get to enjoy Anna's Hummingbird year-round. A common problem that comes with feeding hummingbirds is the fact that ants and wasps also love the nectar, and these insects can make feeding hummingbirds feel like a nuisance. This article will help you select the best hummingbird feeder for your needs and that fits your yard.

Bird Feeder and Bird Bath Cleaning

The last couple of days we've had concerned customers asking us about this CBC news story:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/bird-infection-atlantic-canada-1.4199049

We just wanted to let everyone know that the parasite that is infecting the birds on the Eastern Coast has only been found in Eastern populations and not Western bird populations.

Although the parasite isn't found on Vancouver Island we continue to recommend cleaning your bird feeders and bird baths regularly to maintain the health of our local bird populations.

 

 

Bird feeders: Remove old seed (especially if it has gotten wet) and dispose of it. Use a solution of nine parts water to one part bleach or vinegar (a 10% bleach/ vinegar solution) to disinfect your feeders. Repeat the cleaning process once a week for all bird feeders, or a minimum of once a month. Please also clean your suet feeders regularly.

 

 

 

Plastic feeders: submerge them in the solution after taking them apart, give them a good scrub, a good rinse, and then let it dry thoroughly before adding seed and putting them back outside.

Cedar feeders: we recommend placing the diluted bleach solution in a spray bottle and after removing the seed, use the spray bottle to distribute the bleach solution on all surfaces of your cedar feeder. The bleach solution will evaporate within approx. 12 hours and then its safe to add seed to your feeder again. If you have any extra grubby spots on your cedar feeder, make sure to scrub these off/ remove them prior to adding fresh seed to your bird feeder.

SUET, ADDING DIVERSITY TO YOUR FEEDING STATION - By Colin Bartlett

Adding a suet feeder to a bird feeding station is thought of as a winter addition, but anytime is a great time to add suet to your feeding station. I have suet available year round which is very beneficial for the birds and for our viewing pleasure.

So a great addition to any backyard feeding station is a suet feeder. Suet is a wonderful food source for many birds, and the most common birds that are attracted to suet are chickadees, nuthatches, Bushtits and woodpeckers. A few other species that will also visit the suet are, Bewick's Wren, Townsend's Warbler and a rare visitor an over wintering Orange-crowned Warbler. Dark-eyed Juncos have learnt and adapted to hang on to the suet cages, just like the woodpeckers.

European Starlings also feed on suet and can become a problem. There is a way to discourage starlings from the suet and that is by providing the suet so the birds are only able to access the suet from the bottom or upside down. This can be accomplished an Upside Down Feeder or by turning a suet feeder sideways or horizontal and leave the suet in the plastic container with the open side facing downing. Woodpeckers, Bushtits, chickadees, wrens and nuthatches naturally hang upside down to feed, where starlings cannot, so we thought. These feeders may not eliminate the starlings but they will discourage them so there are only a few trying to use the suet feeder.

Why is beef kidney suet good for the birds, because of the high energy available for the birds. Beef kidney suet is fat from the kidneys of cattle and sheep which have a greater density and high in calories. Another type of fat that is used for suet is tallow. Tallow is a soft fat with fewer calories and dissolves easily in the rain and heat. Using beef kidney suet is the best for the birds as it helps the birds replenishing their energy stocks quickly especially during the colder weather and shorter daylight. Some of the favorite types of suet are peanut butter, sunflower suet, and insect sue, all very high in protein. Suet that is full of wild bird seed is not a favorite of the birds as they are feeding on suet for the energy and the bird seed is just a filler to use less suet. If squirrels are a problem at your suet feeder try using Hot Pepper suet, as birds do not have taste buds but squirrels do.

If you would like to try your own suet, here is a recipe from local author Bill Merilees and his book Gardening For Wildlife. The recipe is called Woodpecker Mix and the ingredients are; 1 part peanut butter, 2 parts melted suet, 2 parts cornmeal, and 4 parts finely ground cracked corn or u may substitute fine hulled sunflower seed. Mix all these ingredients together and stuff into the holes on a suet log or make into balls or squares and cool in the refrigerator before hanging in your suet feeder.

There are many ways to hang or place out your suet, from onion sacks to tail prop suet feeders. Suet can be hung out in an onion sack for the smaller birds to feed on. For the larger birds it is better to use a suet feeder, making it easier for the larger birds to hang on. There are metal suet cages which all birds can use but can be difficult for the larger Northern Flickers and Pileated Woodpeckers. Another style is the tail prop suet feeder which is design for the woodpeckers and allows the woodpeckers somewhere to brace their tails while feeding. If you have seen a woodpecker on the side of a tree, you may have noticed that they always trace their tail for support. The tail hook suet feeder makes this easier for them and all birds to feed.

When hanging your suet feeder make sure it is in a location that is easy for the birds to see and use the suet feeder. Also make sure the location is easy for you to see the feeder and birds as we feed the birds to help them and also to enjoy watching them. Check that the location of the feeder is away from low ground cover and hedges were a predator may be able to hide and attack the birds.

Feeding suet is a simple and clean way to attract birds to your backyard year round.

Good birding.

SQUIRRELS - Written by Colin Bartlett

What a cute little creature our native Red Squirrel. These small reddish brown squirrels are native to Vancouver Island and are not a common guest in most backyards. Over the last few years though they have been reported at more backyard bird feeders within the city limits.

There is only the one native squirrel on Vancouver Island, the Red Squirrel, but many years ago a few of the Eastern Grey Squirrels made their way to Victoria. Since then the Eastern Grey Squirrel has been venturing northward invading Duncan, Chemainus and working towards Ladysmith. There are a few of the grey squirrels around Nanaimo and north of here but the population of those few will be growing very soon.

So what is the problem with having the Eastern Grey Squirrel around? The main problem is that they are an introduced species to the west and like other introduced species, such as starlings and House Sparrows, they end up taking over food sources for many different native species as well as territory, possibly limiting the breeding of native species of both birds and mammals.

The native range of the Eastern Grey Squirrel is the eastern United States and Canada and into parts of Manitoba, but have been introduced into the western provinces and states. The Eastern Grey Squirrel was introduced to Vancouver and expanded to take over the lower mainland. Since their introduction to the lower mainland the native Red Squirrel has almost disappeared from the area.

As for size our native Red Squirrel is a small squirrel compared to the Eastern Grey Squirrel, with a total length of approximately 30 centimeters. Their body and tail colour is a solid rufous or reddish-brown with a bit of a grey colour on the belly. Another identification marking to look for is a white-eye ring. The Eastern Grey Squirrel is larger in size than our native Red Squirrel at about 45 centimeters in length. By their name it is assumed that they are grey in colour, which some are but they also come in other shades like black, brown and a mixture.

The Red Squirrel is also territorial and that is why we only see them one at a time, and they are very vocal especially when someone or something is in their territory. As for the Eastern Grey Squirrel their territories tend to overlap and they work together in groups finding food.

The Eastern Grey Squirrel is aggressive and has a great chewing ability allowing they to break into hard seed cones and also wood and some plastics. When it comes to bird feeders the Grey Squirrel can easily chew a larger opening to get to the birdseed quickly, but some manufacturers now use polycarbonate plastic and metal parts in their feeders to keep the squirrels from destroying them. Usually our Red Squirrel is not as aggressive and just eats what it can get.

A few things that can be done to prevent the squirrels from stealing all the birdseed or destroying a feeder, is to place a squirrel baffle, above your hanging bird feeder. This prevents the squirrel from climbing down or jumping on to your bird feeder. Some squirrel baffles also work on small posts to keep the squirrel from climbing up. Even with a small thin metal post, a squirrel or other rodent can shimmy up the post. To stop them place a larger diameter tube around the post, such as a four to six inch p.v.c pipe about 4 feet tall, so they are unable to shimmy up. If using a wood post, wrapping some sheet metal around the post up near the bird feeder will also work. As good as squirrels climb they also can jump a good distance, so place the bird feeders in an open area where the squirrels cannot jump onto the feeder from a tree branch.

Another option is to give the squirrel a place of their own to feed, away from the bird feeders but where you can still enjoy them. A supply of black oil sunflower seed or peanuts is their preferred seed.

At some point in time a squirrel will visit your backyard feeders and there are two ways to deal with it, battle them or understand how they operate and use baffles on the feeders and maybe let them have their own space, so you can watch them and the birds and not lose the battle with the squirrels.

Happy birding!!