Wood Thrush Notes: First Migrants Arrive in TN.

Sale Continues and GBBC

Our February sale continues through this Saturday the 18th on all bird feeding related products. Seed and feed, and all bird feeders and accessories are marked down. Get ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count which takes place Feb. 17-21. Take part in this fun activity where your backyard bird data is used by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Visit www.birdcount.org for more information.

First Neotropical Migrants Arrive in TN

We naturally think of migration happening in “spring” and “fall”, however, spring migration has already begun and just last Saturday some of the earliest songbirds arriving from Central and South America were spotted in a couple of locations in TN by avid birdwatchers. One location, the Duck River Unit of TN National Wildlife Refuge in Waverly, is a very popular and productive birdwatching location.

Neotropical means relating to or denoting a zoogeographical region comprising Central and South America, including the tropical southern part of Mexico and the Caribbean.

Tree swallows were spotted in both Chattanooga and Waverly. Tree swallows are a beautiful bird that we see with regularity using Bluebird boxes statewide. We have had customers report having Tree swallows in Bluebird boxes for many years now. Tree swallows are primarily insect consumers, but unlike other swallows, can eat plant foods which help them survive potential wintery weather of early spring. Tree swallows are often seen in open field areas away from trees but get their name from commonly nesting in tree cavities.

Tree Swallow

The Swallow family in general is among the earliest migrating birds to return to N. Am. every spring. This family consists of Purple Martins, Tree, Cliff, Rough-winged, and Barn swallows.

Spring migration for Ruby-throated hummingbirds, as usual, is closer to April. It is not uncommon for a few hummingbirds to be seen and reported the last week of March, but the vast majority of Ruby-throated hummingbirds will arrive in, or pass through, TN between the first of April and mid-May.

Wood Thrush Notes

Spring is officially here as of this Sunday! So much, in regards to birds, is happening and will only get better and more interesting in the coming weeks. Yesterday, I checked all nest boxes on my property and found 2 Chickadee nests started, and 1 Carolina Wren nest complete, but no eggs yet. Bluebirds have been trying to decide which box to use and in past years I’ve seen this process go on until mid-April before a decision was made. Many times Bluebirds eventually moved into one of the boxes Chickadees successfully fledged their babies from.

Eastern Bluebird nest.

Carolina Chickadee nest.

We’ve only had one reported Bluebird nest with eggs so far, which is quite normal as the majority of Bluebirds do not start actually nesting for another couple of weeks. You still have plenty of time to attract Bluebirds even if you haven’t put a nest box up yet. For success this spring I wouldn’t wait much longer, though. All too often people new to attracting Bluebirds think they must offer mealworms to attract Bluebirds, which is not true. It’s certainly fun to feed Bluebirds but not at all necessary to the process. Some of you may already be seeing Tree Swallows as they have become frequent users of birdhouses.

The first Ruby-throated hummingbirds to arrive in this area are probably just a week to ten days away. As exciting as that is I would not advise putting out several feeders just yet. One feeder with a small amount of nectar will suffice as their interest in feeders is minimal at this time of year. Keep in mind the hummingbird you see may very well be migrating much further north to its summer home, perhaps as far as Canada. Let us know if you see one. I have never seen one earlier than April 4 at my home in Cheatam County.

As we approach mid-April we will experience the main period of migration in middle TN. Warblers, Vireos, Flycatchers, Wood Thrush, Summer, and Scarlet Tanagers, and Orioles, will be present as they settle into their summer home here or move on to destinations north of us.

Indigo Bunting.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

At your feeders be ready for Indigo Buntings and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.  R-B Grosbeaks are especially fond of visiting feeders with sunflower and safflower.   While a platform feeder may be their preferred feeding situation they adapt very well to tube feeders as well.

This week it was noticeable that Goldfinches are changing out of their drab winter outfit in to their beautiful yellow summer plumage. 

I’m so glad spring is here, aren’t you!?

Wood Thrush Notes

Tree Swallows and Bluebirds

Over the past ten years more and more people are reporting Tree Swallows using a nest box intended for Bluebirds. Tree Swallows are considered “competition” for the Bluebirds but typically that would be because there is only one box available. Such is the case when only one box present. In mid-TN there may be as many as 7 different songbirds interested in a Bluebird box; Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina, and House Wren, Prothonotary Warbler, and the Tree Swallow. This is why we recommend offering a number of nest-box choices. To not only alleviate competition, but to give several species of birds an opportunity that these days are getting harder to come by because of loss, or disruption, to habitat.

The Tree Swallow is smaller than a Bluebird measuring about 5-6 inches in length. Male and female are a steely blue-green to nearly black above and pure white below. Females tend to be a little duller in color overall. In the sunlight the blue-green plumage is very perceptible. Their forked tail is not as pronounced as a Barn Swallow’s.

Male Tree Swallow

Female Tree Swallow

Like other swallows they are expert flyers acrobatically catching insects on the wing. They appear to enjoy flying.

Their habitat preferences are pretty diverse ranging from wetlands and marshy areas to meadows and woodlands near water. This bird is only here between late February and approximately mid-March as it migrates back to its winter grounds in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

I recall reading accounts of Tree Swallows and Bluebirds using nest-boxes placed back to back on the same pole. I’ve never had a chance to test this but recently heard from a naturalist friend of mine experiencing this very thing. So, these two species are compatible enough to tolerate nesting in close proximity. If you have experienced Tree Swallows seemingly taking over one of your Bluebird boxes perhaps this is a chance for you to test this theory.

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Saturday Seed Availability Update

It’s been another trying week coordinating deliveries through freight. As a result of some errors we are out of stock of all sizes of Woodland Blend and Premium Blend until Monday the 28th. We are sorry for the inconvenience and are continually trying to keep your preferred products arriving in a timely way. Thanks for your business and your patience.

Spring Notes

With spring almost here there is so much to anticipate happening with regard to birds.  Many of our year round resident songbirds have begun courtship.  Currently there’s a lot of singing and territorial squabbles going on.  We’ve had some reports of the always eager Carolina Wrens building nests.  If you haven’t seen any Bluebird activity at your nest boxes yet don’t despair, there’s still plenty of time.  Although some Bluebirds will start nesting in March the majority of Bluebirds tend to begin actual nesting closer to mid-April.  Other cavity nesters like Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Nuthatches, and Tufted titmice tend to start a little earlier.  Make sure you’ve done some maintenance on your nestboxes and cleaned out old debris from last year’s nests.  The old nest debris can attract insects, like ants, that can be a major problem for baby birds. 

Much More on Bluebirds Coming in the Weeks to Follow…

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Male Bluebird. Photo by Eli.

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Photo by Eli.

Migration is not in full swing yet, however, any day now Purple Martins and other members of the Swallow family will be moving into and through TN.  Tree Swallows, Rough-winged Swallows, Barn and Cliff Swallows are among the earlier migrants to return.  Every day birds from Central and South America are moving closer to middle TN.  By the last week of March and first week of April the first hummingbirds of the year will begin arriving or passing though on the way to their summer breeding destination. That’s right! The first Ruby-throated hummingbirds to arrive are just about 5 weeks away. For birdwatchers this is a most exciting time. Warblers, Vireos, Tanagers, Indigo buntings, Orioles, and Flycatchers will soon be pouring into and through middle TN.

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Tree Swallow.

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White-eyed Vireo. Photo by Eli.

Look for Rose-breasted grosbeaks and Indigo buntings to start arriving at seed feeders around mid-April through mid-May.  Rose-breasted grosbeaks especially like platform feeders but will manage very well on tube type feeders, too.  They really like sunflower and safflower.  Indigo Buntings also like a variety of seeds but seem to prefer feeding on the ground.  Keep the suet feeders going and you will be amazed by the increase in suet consumption well into the spring.  Woodpeckers take great advantage of the suet while they are nesting.  Raising young is high energy work and the suet is an easy high energy food source.  I typically see suet consumption double at my house during the spring and early summer months.

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Adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

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Indigo Bunting. Photo by Eli.

Get your feeders cleaned up and your binoculars ready. Clean feeders are very important in reducing the chances of avian disease like avian conjunctivitis which is very common among the finch population.  A good cleaning with warm soap and water or a mild bleach solution is recommended.  Speaking of finches, have your Goldfinches suddenly disappeared? Or suddenly appeared?  Are you seeing them beginning to change to their spring-summer plumage?  Goldfinch numbers at your feeders can change daily during the early spring as there is a lot of movement among flocks. Don’t be surprised or think you’ve done something wrong if you don’t see finches for a few weeks.  This is normal spring activity for Goldfinches.