5 Easy Ways To Help Birds Beat the Heat

     I thought it would be appropriate to post about a topic such as this on a day like today where temperatures across much of the country are soaring into triple digit figures. In the southeast, all time record highs are expected upwards of 108 degrees.  If you've ever heard the saying "hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk," well I bet you probably would be able to do that in these kinds of temperatures. While we are inside complaining that it is too hot with our fans or air conditioners blasting, let us remember that our avian friends are not so fortunate to have this kind of technology. They do have a higher body temperature than us humans, but they still must find a way to make it through this extreme heat.  There are 5 easy ways that we can help birds beat the heat.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

 Help Birds Beat the Heat

 1)  Provide Extra Bird Baths - even if you typically have one bird bath, try to make a few more.  On a scorching day, competition for bird baths will increase dramatically.  One can easily do this by flipping over the lid on your garbage can and filling the lid with about 3 to 4 inches of cold water.  Make sure you check on your bird baths every few hours if you can. On really hot days, the water will evaporate so make sure to refill.  If the water has not evaporated, check it to see if it is warm.  If it has warmed up a lot, dump out the old water and replace it with colder water.


2) Let The Birds Know Water Is Near - try to get a mister or dripper for your bird bath. Any moving water will help to attract birds that are flying over your backyard who may not realize that there is a chance for them to cool down a bit.


3)  Bird feeders - try to fill bird feeders with seed and not food that will go bad like suet.  Feeders are extremely helpful to birds trying to conserve all the energy they can.  Remember that they have to feed their little ones as well.  If you are feeling like it is necessary you can "upgrade" your choice of seed for the duration of the heat.


4) Strategic Placement of Feeders and Baths -  If it is possible, put feeders and/or baths in the shade.  It will keep the birds cooler!  Also, try to leave some space between the feeder and the bird bath.  Often birds will drop seeds and droppings in the bath if too close.  Makes for a fun clean up.


5)  Provide Multiple Shade Sources - whether it is natural shade from a weeping elm tree, or a weather guard purchased from your local nature shop, shade sources are extremely helpful to wild birds.  Why not plant some more trees in your backyard?  There's nothing wrong with thinking about the future.  We want to make sure our avian friends are around for our grandchildren to enjoy. 

What do you all do to help birds beat the heat?  Please share in the comments section below.

Fly Me to Dry Tortugas

 

A Motivational Monday.....on Tuesday.  

     Off the coast of the Florida Keys lies a National Park that many people may not even know about.  It is made up of a group of small islands and is called Dry Tortugas National Park.  What is most interesting about this place is its inaccessibility.  There are only two ways for you to get there.  Don't even think about taking your car over!  You'll make it all of about ten feet off of Key West unless you are able to steal a duck boat (not recommended).  Hopefully you all appreciate my dry humor since we are exploring the Dry Tortugas..

     If you want to get there, you have a couple of options.  You can take a boat (either the ferry that goes there or you can charter a boat yourself) or if you are feeling adventurous and you want to spend a little bit of extra cash you might want to opt for the seaplane to Dry Tortugas. Personally, I would lay out the money for the seaplane.  How many times in your life can you say you had an opportunity to ride in a seaplane?

Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas National Park courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

     The main feature of this park is the structure that stands on one of the islands, called Fort Jefferson.  It is the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere made up of over 16 million bricks...and believe it or not, it remains unfinished!.  There is plenty of history available on Fort Jefferson here if you are interested.

     Another reason to visit Dry Tortugas National Park is the chance to see  coral reefs that are every color of the spectrum just along the edge of Fort Jefferson.  All you'll have to do is get some snorkel gear.

     Birdwatchers have their chance at a slice of heaven here at Dry Tortugas, especially in the Spring.  You might call this place something of a migration paradise.  It is a great stopover location for birds that are making the long journey north from South America.  A different post will be spent diving into the birding population at this National Park.  

Check out this great video below.  You can get an idea of how amazing this place is and you can get a quick look at the seaplane.  Hopefully I will get a chance to visit sometime soon.

Thank you everyone for visiting!

 

Pileated Woodpecker vs. Snake

 

DING DING DING     

 

In the blue corner, weighing in at 11 oz hailing from the eastern woodland forest, the pileated woodpecker!
....and in the red corner the gigantic green snake!

     I was browsing youtube for some videos of birds.  One of my favorites that I haven't had the opportunity to see as of yet (but heard countless times) is the pileated woodpecker.  In this video, a huge snake has made its way into the nest of the woodpecker (100% presumption).  The mother has come back to the nest and is now trying to salvage her eggs or hatchlings from the massive snake.

     I love the way the bird is determined to defend its home and its eggs even if it means a fight to the death.  It is this displayed characteristic that makes me smile as I watch this video. I don't completely understand why it makes me happy but maybe it is just the beauty of instinct.  There are so many dangers that birds endure in the wild and predators are just one aspect that they have to deal with...   

     It would have been incredible to see this altercation in person.  If anyone knows what kind of snake this is, please leave a comment and I will make sure to stay as far away from it as possible!  I have an intense fear of snakes....  Thanks everyone for visiting!


Pileated Woodpecker vs. Snake video

A Helpful Bird Watching Game

     I've only been birding a little more than one year and in that short span of time I have already witnessed swift changes in the technology that allows us to have an easier time identifying birds, sharing our observations, and organizing ourselves in the field. I am not one to use huge amounts of technology while actually birding, but once I get home I do enjoy it.  There is something about carrying the Sibley Guide book with me.  It is emblazoned with my struggles and is a symbol of my journey thus far.  The book tells a story of my adventures just from a quick glance.

     To make a long story short....times are a-changing.  the resources are at our fingertips like never before.

A Fun Birding App

    
     I wanted to share with everyone a helpful app I was fortunate to come across last weekend.  This app is a little different than most because it a birding app that is helpful and FUN.  It is a bird watching game called birdJam Twitch.  I know I'm a little late.  The app was released in 2009 but I was not on the scene at that point.  Nor does the game show any age.  It is just as useful as it was when it was released then.

     BirdJam Twitch is a fun way for birders to practice their identification skills when they do not have the time to be out in the field.  This bird watching game can be bought for $4.99 on the iTunes app store and I recommend it to each and every birder who has access to this platform.  Keep an eye on the price because it fluctuates.  I was lucky enough to get it for $2.99

     The game focuses on the identification of North American birds.  Before you start playing the game, you are able to pick a skill level varying from level 1 to level 10.  Next you need to pick a category of birds you are going to be identifying.  You have the option to pick a setting such as the forest, fields & grasses, marshes, and urban.  You can further divide these settings by opting for east or west depending on which location you would prefer to focus on. 

     If you do not want to pick your group by habitat, you have another option. You can select the type of bird you want to practice identifying.  BirdJam Twitch offers the following groupings to toy around with: Ducks and Geese, Shorebirds, Sparrows, Warblers.  If you want to get particular about location, again, you can opt for east or west for any of these groups.

     After you make these choices you can start to have some fun.  You get three minutes to identify as many birds as possible. A black screen appears and then small pixels start to fill the board, revealing small sections of the bird.  The lower the difficulty level, the larger the squares are that reveal the bird.  Along the bottom of the screen is where you choose which bird you think is being revealed.  If you are wrong, it lets you pick again but your bonus points at the end of the round will be affected.  What is good about this game is that it lets you review each bird that you got wrong at the end of the round.  This makes it a worthy learning tool.

     At the end of the round, your points are totaled based upon how many birds you answered correctly in the allotted time.  Bonus points are awarded for getting birds correct on the first try.  There is a high score list and you can submit your score for the category you chose to play.

 

 The Verdict

    
     The only thing negative I have to say about the game is the lack of variety of photos for each species.  There is essentially one photo for each because the system will mirror an image every so often to make it seem different.  Also the game sticks to showing photos of adult males (in the dimorphic species).  It would be much more challenging to throw in photos of juveniles and females.

So if you are tired of sitting and studying your field guide or your Crossley ID Guide, go ahead and make this purchase on iTunes. I would highly recommend it.  The game has good replay value and I think everyone could get something out of it. 

Hummingbird Nest Video

Saw the link to this video on the Bird Watchers Digest website.  Thought you all might enjoy :)

Hummingbird Nest !!!

Fallingwater on Motivational Monday

This Motivational Monday takes us to southwest Pennsylvania. Located approximately 50 miles outside of Pittsburgh is Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece, Fallingwater.  It's construction was completed in 1939.  If you have never heard of Fallingwater, it is an architectural wonder.  It actually has a waterfall flowing through the house!  How would you all like to be sitting in your living room with your feet up on the ottoman, watching crystal clear water flow through your house?  You could even return that nature ambiance maker.

It is always great to start off the week with something fun and inspirational.  I hope this post about Fallingwater inspires people to go out and do whatever it is that they want to accomplish. Don't let anyone tell you it can not be done.  If they do, go out and prove them wrong.  Go and defy the odds and build your own house across a 30 foot waterfall. 

Visit Last Week's Motivational Monday

Fallingwater  -  Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Bird Symbols in Flags

United States Flag - Wikipedia

Since today happens to be Flag Day, I thought it would be fun to write a post on bird symbols in flags from around the world.  Yes, I understand that Flag Day is for Old Glory but why can't we have some fun and have a look at some flags that we aren't familiar with?  Let's make it an Avian Flag Day.  Note: not every single flag with a bird symbol is mentioned below.  Some have been omitted.

Flag of Albania - Wikipedia

 Our first flag with a bird symbol is the daunting flag of Albania. The bird of the Albania flag is the blaring insignia of a double-headed eagle.  It is said that Albanian nationalists used this bird as a symbol of independence from the Ottoman Empire during their struggles in the late 19th and 20th centuries.

Flag of Ecuador - Wikipedia

 The Ecuadoran flag with birds is one of my favorite bird symbol representatives. It shows us the image of a perched Andean condor on the country's coat of arms.  It is considered the National Bird of Ecuador and is watching over the nation with its wings outstretched, symbolizing the power and courage of the country.  Notice that the bird is also on the lookout, ready to attack immediately if necessary.

Flag of Egypt - Wikipedia

The flag of Egypt bears the national symbol, the Eagle of Saladin. Saladin was a sultan in the 12th century who recaptured Jerusalem for Egypt and Syria from the Crusaders.  There is a detail on this flag that one may not have noticed at a quick glance.  At the base of the bird symbol, there is a scroll with some Arabic text written across it.  The text translates to "Arab Republic of Egypt."

Flag of Guatemala - Wikipedia

Of all the flags with bird symbols that we are exploring for Flag Day, this one has to be my favorite.  The flag of Guatemala proudly dons the Central American country's national bird, the Resplendent Quetzal.  This tropical bird was considered divine in Aztec and Mayan lore. It is a symbol of liberty to the Guatemalan people because it is said that when it is caged, this bird often kills itself.

Flag of Kiribati - Wikipedia

I am sure some folks do not even know the location of Kiribati.  You can find this group of islands in the Central Pacific Ocean near the equator.  This flag with birds shows one of my favorite avian friends that I have seen in person, the Frigatebird.  I had the pleasure of watching a great Frigatebird soar over the Gulf of Mexico in such a graceful manner yet filling the air with its dominating presence.  The Frigatebird on this flag is meant to represent freedom, power, and command of the sea.  An appropriate bird symbol for Kiribati.

Flag of Mexico - Wikipedia

One of my favorite flags of all the world is the Mexican flag.  That image in the center of this flag with birds is the story of a nation.  The bird symbol of the eagle is perched upon a prickly pear cactus with a snake in its mouth and in the grasp of its talons.  Legend has it that the Aztec people were told by their Gods to search for and build their city where this same event was to occur.  It ended up being the site for the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan (present day Mexico City) which was built over Lake Texcoco.

Flag of Uganda - Wikipedia

 Located inside of the white sphere on the flag of Uganda is the national symbol, the Grey Crowned Crane.  It represents the diverse wildlife found in this African nation, as well as its gentle nature being a reflection of the Ugandan people.

Hope everyone enjoyed this Flag Day themed post on flags with bird symbols. I thank you all for visiting and for your support.  If you learn something before you close out this page then my goal has been accomplished.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_style_of_national_flags#One_bird

http://archive.audubonmagazine.org/features0803/greentravel-webexclusives.html

  

The Story of the Purple Martin House

Purple Martin housing at Cove Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Stamford, CT  -  John Field / Naturefied

  
      I can recall when I first started birding a little more than one year ago....

     I was walking the trail at Cove Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Stamford, CT.  I peered out and saw a strange looking gadget standing alone in the center of a treeless, flat area.  It was not yet within range for me to determine what it was.  As I inched closer to it, I began to squint my eyes while perusing my memory cache....I was convinced that it was a portable light for folks that decide to stay out in the sanctuary past bedtime!  You know...owlers?

     As I got close enough to make out the top of the gadget I noticed that there were small openings in the gourd-shaped thingamajigs.  Not only were there small openings, there were birds inside of these openings.

"Oh!  It's a sweet looking bird house!"  

     At the time, I had no idea what a Purple Martin was and I had no idea about the unique relationship that exists between humans and the Purple Martin.  It is funny to look back on this experience but I am sure some of you might be able to relate to it.  Since then, I have done a bit of reading on the subject and would like to pass some of this great information on to all of you.

Purple Martins at Cove Island Wildlife Sanctuary - Stamford, CT - John Field / Naturefied

   

 A Relationship is Forged Between Man and Bird   

     East of the Rocky Mountains, it is said that Purple Martins, the largest swallow in North America would disappear if humans stopped providing them with their gourd-shaped habitations. It has not always been this way, of course. 

     Native Americans used to hang hollowed out gourds from trees in close proximity to their villages.  Eventually, the Purple Martins began to make their nests inside of these gourds as opposed to holes in trees made by woodpeckers and other hollowed out natural cavities. 

 

You Scratch My Back And I'll Scratch Yours

    The Purple Martins took advantage of their new homes and their close proximity to the Native American villages.  You ask why was this advantageous to the birds?

• The presence of people near the gourds was enough to keep a number of Purple Martin predators out of the vicinity of the nesting sites. 
•  The gourds provided much needed space that natural cavities could not offer.

Purple Martin @ Cove Island WS - John Field

This allowed their species to flourish without many hiccups.  As the Purple Martins recognized the benefits of nesting close to humans, more and more of them began to set up shop in these new dwellings.  They began participating in a "behavioral tradition shift." Many, many years have passed and the Purple Martin has now adapted to this environment.  At this point it is all that they know.



The Native Americans who attracted the Purple Martins by hanging up their carved dwellings had an idea in mind too.  Why would they have these birds hanging around their village if they did not serve a purpose for them?  I have read a few theories as to why the Native Americans attracted the Purple Martins year after year.

• They posed as scarecrows and kept pests from damaging crops
• They are able to act as a warning signal to notify those of unwanted visitors to the village
• Martins chased Vultures from meats and hides that were curing outside the village

I am sure there are many more reasons as to how these birds were helpful to the inhabitants of the villages.  Just use your imagination!  I bet they were wonderful company and a spectacle at times.

 The Purple Martin In More Recent Times

     When the Europeans arrived in the "New World" they continued the practice of creating houses for Purple Martins.  All they did was change up the material a bit.  The idea diffused from the Native Americans to the Europeans. 

     The creation of and maintenance of the Purple Martin house has continued up through today which is why we have approximately one million people who try to attract Purple Martins each year in their own yards.  There are many unique styles of Purple Martin houses available and some of them are quite beautiful.  If you are able to attract a Martin, or a Martin colony, they should return year after year as long as you keep the nesting area tidy.  The problem that Martins are facing is very harsh competition for nesting from the House Sparrow and European Starling, two non-native species.

The video above shows a fantastic setup of the Purple Martin Houses.  Look how many this person was able to attract!  And you can enjoy watching them gang up on Mr. Squirrel.  Hope you all enjoyed this post and most of all I hope you have learned as much as I have! 

Your comments are always appreciated.  Thanks for visiting!

For more information on this incredible species and how you can take measures to secure their future, please visit http://purplemartin.org/main/mgt.html.

Resources

http://purplemartin.org/main/mgt.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Martin

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Purple_Martin/id
 

Endangered Animals State by State

 The first step to solving a problem is to recognize what the problem is....

Which Endangered Animals Inhabit Your State ? ?

A Great Smokey Mountain National Park Monday

Great Smokey Mountains National Park

Everyone grab your coonskin hats.  This is the United States' most visited National Park, nestled between the states of North Carolina and Tennessee.  I made a visit here about a year and a half ago.  The fall colors of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park were out of this world.  It reminded me of an outdoor kaleidoscope.

If you decide to go, make sure to visit Clingman's Dome!  It is a short hike on a paved trail with staggered benches for those worried about accessibility and difficulty.  The observation tower at the end of the haul is well worth your effort.  

 And if you are lucky, you will wake up, take a short drive, and be treated to something that looks like this...
The sea of clouds makes its way through the crevices created by the Great Smokey Mountains. 

Great Smokey Mountains National Park - Photo Credit John Field - Naturefied

The Smokeys are also known for their abundance of Rhododendron. Credit John Field - Naturefied

If you missed last week's Motivational Monday

 

Hope everyone has a great Monday and enjoy the Great Smokey Mountain National Park photos!

A Bird Migration Marvel

Northern Wheatear - Courtesy of Wikipeda

Reading about birds and their pan-global migration patterns makes my head spin.  Especially the Northern Wheatear. Each year, this little guy pictured above flies from the Arctic where it spends the summer months to the Sahara Desert in Africa where it passes the winter season.  And we complain about our commute to work!  Thanks to technology, scientists were able to find out more information regarding their migration pattern.  The power and determination of birds never ceases to amaze me....

Read about it here

The Wild Horses of Assateauge

Wild Horses of Assateauge Island - courtesy of NPS.gov

Assateague Island is a top birding destination for many, but it offers much more magic to its visitors besides the Atlantic Flyway stopover that it is for our migrating winged friends.  A lot of you may or may not know that Assateague Island National Seashore offers its visitors the chance to see wild horses running free on this barrier beach island off the coast of Virginia and Maryland.  This post aims to answer some burning questions about the mysterious wild horses of Assateague.

 

Where can I see wild horses in the United States?

 One can view wild horses at the Assateague Island National Seashore, a barrier beach island located off of the coast of Virginia and Maryland. 

 

How many horses are there total?

There are approximately 300 wild horses of Assateague.  A herd of 150 exists on the Virginia side and another herd of 150 makes its way on the Maryland side of the island.  There is a fence that divides the Virginia side from the Maryland side of the island.  These herds are divided into smaller groups of two to twelve horses that occupy certain territories.

 

Are Assateague Island's wild horses really wild?

No.  The horses seen on Assateague Island are actually considered feral even though they live in a wild environment.  This means that the horses seen on the island are actually descendants of domesticated horses.  The "wild horses" were able to adapt to the conditions found on the island in order to survive.  This has to tell you something about the type of animal we are dealing with.  To be able to make due with what they have is astounding.

 

Where did the horses come from?

Well, that really depends on who you ask.  Some say that a Spanish galleon sank off the coast of Assateague Island in the 1600s and the horses were able to swim to shore.  Others say that early colonial settlers allowed their horses to roam free and graze at this location.  There is no hard proof for either theory at this point in time.    

 

What kind of role do humans play in the lives of the wild horses?

•  Each year on the last Wednesday in July, the wild horses of Assateauge on the Virginia side swim across Assateague Channel to Chincoteague Island where they are auctioned off.  This is done to control the rising number of horses which could be detrimental to the island's ecosystem and the future of the herds. 

• On the Maryland side of the island, some of the female horses are given contraception via dart gun which controls the birthing levels.  The vaccine is not harmful to the horses.

• A team employed by Assateague Island National Seashore is in charge of making sure that visitors do not get within 10 feet of the horses.  It is forbidden to feed them.  If you are caught doing either, you'll be slapped with a $100 fine.
  
  
  
  

  

  Wild Horse of Assateague on Shoreline - Courtesy of Wikitravel.org

  
  
  

Sources

http://www.nps.gov/asis/naturescience/horses.htm

http://www.assateagueisland.com/wildlife/pony.htm

http://www.assateagueisland.com/ponyswim/ponyswim.htm

Motivational Monday in the Golden Triangle

Here at Naturefied, we like to start the week out with a punch! Motivational Monday will be a series of photos of a given location in the world. Most are places that I dream of visiting and experiencing. Hopefully this will provide some extra motivation to all of you to get through the difficult day and week ahead.  It is always good to remember how to dream and to hope to make that an eventual reality.  All of the hard work that you do, whatever it may be, does pay off.  I hope that you all get to experience many of these wonderful places for yourselves.  If you are not able to at this point in time, do not fear.  One day you will make it there.

So let's get started!!!

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Read about all of Angkor UNESCO Heritage Site

Angkor Wat in Cambodia © Getty Images

Angkor Wat architecture - courtesy of photodarma.net

Angkor Wat architecture - courtesy of photodarma.net

The Poconos Birding Adventure Part 2

     After our hike at the Lacawac Wildlife Sanctuary, my fiance and I realized it was getting a little late and we wanted to hit one more birding destination recommended by NEPA Audubon.  We put in a few places in our GPS to see how close we were to some of the local hot spots.  Finally, we decided we would take the thirty five minute drive north to Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife Sanctuary located in White Mills, PA.

I was drawn to this place for one reason and one reason only.

Bobolinks.  I love Bobolinks.  Not only do they have the most awesome song of any North American bird I have ever heard, but the male's color pattern during the breeding period is spectacular.

       I've never seen a male Bobolink in person and this was my first chance to do so.  Dorflinger-Suydam has a long stretch of a grassy meadow landscape near the entrance.The Bobolinks love this type of environment. 

     After being flushed by a car, the Bobolink pictured above flew out into the field not far from the edge. We crept up as close as we could to try and sneak a photo because our camera is amateur and needs to be close to get a decent photo.  I was surprised at how close he let us get to him.  We got within approximately 30 feet.  I thought for sure he would be afraid because a car from a couple of hundred feet flushed him easily. We snapped a few pictures.  He was posing for us for a few minutes, perched on some tall blades of grass.  Another car drove by behind us and he finally flew away.

   Most would find this Wildlife Sanctuary a wonderful place to spend an evening.  The biggest difference between this one and Lacawac was that Dorflinger-Suydam was a much more manicured setting.  It felt artificial in some places and that to me felt abnormal. I enjoy a much more wild, natural environment but that is just my personal opinion. 

     Most of the birds we saw were concentrated around the Glass Museum.  There were two Eastern Phoebes fly-catching on the south side of the building.  One was perched on a birdhouse and the other was on a low tree branch.  They would take turns leaving their perch, aggressively catching insects.  It is awesome to see the flutter of their wings as they go and snap their mandibles on their prey.  This one on the left would not swallow the bug in his mouth.  He was holding it clenched between his beak for a good ten minutes.  Maybe he was feeling threatened by our presence but it was hard to tell for sure.

You can tell by the photos we took that this place has a number of different environments for birds allowing for more biodiversity.  I am sure that if we were here earlier in the day we would have had a much more successful list but considering we only spent a little more than an hour there I was satisfied.  Not to mention I got to see my first male Bobolink!
Make sure you take some time to do some birding in the Poconos.

Tree Swallow (1)

Barn Swallow (2)

Eastern Phoebe (3)

Cedar Waxwing (7)

Black-Capped Chickadee (1)

House Wren (1)

Chipping Sparrow (2)

Bobolink (2)

Red-Winged Blackbird (1)

House Sparrow (2)

This Black-Capped Chickadee was darting into a fence post

Then he came out to say hello!

As always, your comments are appreciated.  Thanks for visiting :)