Our Feathered Friends

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Tweet By Ray Pope A sad farewell was in order for my little Bluebird family this past Saturday. I first noticed the little ones peeking out the opening in the nesting box on Friday. This past week Mama Bluebird had been very busy taking the meal worms that I had provided just three feet away from their home to the hungry youngsters, which probably helped speed up the leaving process. Mom and dad decided it was time to bring them out of the nesting box so they stopped bringing food to them which required the babies to come out of the box if they wanted something to eat. While I was placing mealworms out, the female must have put two and two together to associate me with the worms getting there. Every time I walked by the makeshift feeder she would fly down to see if I had left anything. Anyone that would like to go the extra mile when it comes to helping out their Bluebirds should purchase mealworms. I bought mine at Garrs Rental and Feed store in Mt.Juliet. By Ray Pope A sad farewell was in order for my little Bluebird family this past Saturday. I first noticed the little ones peeking out the opening in the nesting box on Friday. This past week Mama Bluebird had been very busy taking the meal worms that I had provided just three feet away from their home to the hungry youngsters, which probably helped speed up the leaving process. Mom and dad decided it was time to bring them out of the nesting box so they stopped bringing food to them which required the babies to come out of the box if they wanted something to eat. While I was placing mealworms out, the female must have put two and two together to associate me with the worms getting there. Every time I walked by the makeshift feeder she would fly down to see if I had left anything. Anyone that would like to go the extra mile when it comes to helping out their Bluebirds should purchase mealworms. I bought mine at Garrs Rental and Feed store in Mt.Juliet. Purple Martins are still flying about in the field behind my house, but so far I have no takers for the new house I put up around the first of March. They say that most people will not get Martins the first year. Another daily visitor to my feeders is the Song Sparrow, which is a ground feeder. That is one reason that I ask you to scatter a little seed under your feeders. The Song Sparrow ( Melospiza melodia ) is a medium sized true American sparrow. The adult bird has brown upperparts with dark brown streaks on the back and white underneath with dark streaking and a brown spot in the middle of the breast. The face is gray with a streak through the eye. Their favorite habitat is brushy areas and marshes. I hear them singing in the brushy area behind the house. Its vocals consist of a few long bright notes then short notes and trills. Thoreau describes it as "Maids, Maids, Maids, hang up your teakettle-ettle-ettle.” Song Sparrows breed over much of the United States in gardens, bushy fields, stream borders, and swamps. The female usually conceals her first nest of the season in a clump of grass and later she weaves her grassy cup in a bush. She alone incubates the three to five brown-spotted greenish eggs which hatch in twelve days. With her nest so close to the ground, it falls victim sometimes to snakes, cats, rats, or foul weather such as the floods back on May 1and 2. Should her brood fail, she quickly builds another nest to complete her cycle of egg production. There is usually two broods each year. Another problem is brood parasites such as the Brown-headed Cowbird. One Song Sparrow was seen feeding no fewer than five young cowbirds. I got a chuckle from watching a baby Mourning Dove sitting underneath the feeders eating the seeds that is scattered on the ground. A male Brown-headed Cowbird flew in close to the little one which ran to it with its beak open wanting to be fed. It was funny to see the expression on the Cowbirds face as he backed off away from the starving little one. Finally the parent Doves flew in and was almost attacked by its own baby wanting food. It seemed to me that he was doing a good job of eating by himself. There are two species of Doves that call my backyard, the lunch counter. Mourning Doves are plentiful around here with the twice as large Eurasain Collared Dove sometimes picking on his smaller cousin. I will fuss at him through my open back window when he tries to run the others away from the prime spots where I place out food especially for my ground feeders. Jim Henderson called early Sunday morning wanting the formula for Hummer nectar. Jim had bought some of the mix, with water packs sold in stores and the birds were ignoring it. I still preach mixing your own sugar water by mixing 1 part sugar to 4 parts hot water and NO food coloring. Don't forget to let the juice cool down before placing it in the feeder. Jim also has a large flock of Goldfinch visiting his feeders, which are filled with Nyjer seed that cost more than regular seed. You can purchase a slightly cheaper Goldfinch food at Garrs in Mt. Juliet which Roy Garr has in stock. Ask for Purina Wild Bird Chow, "Finches Feast". You can also special order it through Edwards Hatchery on East Market Street here in Lebanon. That is the only food in my Finch feeder and they really go for it. I would love to hear from you as to what’s lurking about in your neighborhood and at your feeders. You can reach me C/O The Wilson Post or call me at 615-547-7371 or write me at 606 Fairview Ave. Lebanon TN, 37087 or e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it