Fall slow down at feeders

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Many of you have already noticed a slow down at your feeders.  Sometimes it can be abrupt and dramatic.  You may even notice some species become practically non-existent.  Bird feeders in September and October are typically very quiet. This is surprising to some but actually normal and understandable.  With the conclusion of the breeding season birds are now in less need of a quick, easy food source... your feeders.  While raising their young during the months of March through July birds expend tremendous amounts of energy and will take great advantage of backyard feeders.  We sell more seed and suet during those months than we do in winter. 

Now young birds are independent and the lives of adult birds are at a much more leisurely pace.  On top of that nature is producing an abundance of food at this time.  Not only are insects still plentiful but every tree, shrub, weed, and wildflower has produced seeds, nuts, and fruit.  There is literally food for birds everywhere.  It is a great example of the fact that birds do not rely on our feeders but simply take advantage of them in times of more demand for food.  So, don’t worry that you are not seeing many birds around the feeders right now.  It is totally normal. About the time we get the first frost or two, you will begin to see a return of your favorite birds to feeders.  I don’t know about you but a good frost sounds good right about now. 

And you will begin to see our winter visitors, like Junco’s, White-throated sparrows, Yellow-bellied sapsuckers, Kinglets, and hopefully, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

Keep this in mind while you are buying your seed next time.  It’s advisable to buy smaller quantities until birds begin visiting with more frequency in November.  Remember, the more seed you end up storing in a container over the next two months the more chance there is of having a bug hatch.   

And while birds take a break from your feeders take time to give your feeders a thorough cleaning.  Warm soapy water, a brush, and a little effort are well worth the effort to provide a clean, healthy feeding environment for the birds. 

Disassemble your feeder if possible and soak it warm soapy water. Use brushes to clean caked on debris.

Store update: Item are still available on our 50% off table. Also all remaining mailbox covers, flags, and door mats are 50% off to make room for new fall and winter designs.

Happy Labor Day weekend!

We hope everyone has a fun and safe Labor Day weekend. If you need bird feeding supplies don’t forget to stop by on Friday or Saturday. The Wood Thrush Shop will be closed Monday September 3rd. We will re-open on the 4th at normal hours.

Things are starting to slow down a bit at seed feeders, so I thought it would be a good time to revisit some old blog posts that are still very relevant for this time of year with the upcoming fall migration.  Click on the linked title of each blog post to see the entire post.

Peak time for Hummingbirds: As many of you are aware the Hummingbird activity has geared up quite a bit since mid-August. Click here to read our blog post detailing all the reasons we see so many of these little birds this time of year.

Hummingbird Happy Hour: Don’t forget there is still time to purchase tickets to the Hummingbird Happy Hour at The Warner Park Nature Center on September 7th. Proceeds from ticket and art sales will support the Bird Information, Research and Data (B.I.R.D) programs. Click Here for more info.

Drippers, Misters and Moving Water: This time of year water can be scarce. Having a clean fresh birdbath is a great way to attract birds. Click here to check out this blog post all about adding moving water to your birdbath or backyard water source.

Bird Bio: Chimney Swifts & Common Nighthawks: Soon if not already we will start seeing signs of fall migration and what better blog post to revisit than the bird bio on Chimney Swifts and Common Nighthawks. Click here to read our bird bio

Differences in Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

The differences in male, female, and juvenile Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are subtle but if you know what to look for you can identify between the three fairly easily. Keep in mind that from the beginning to the middle of the hummingbird season (mid April to mid July) you won’t be seeing any juvenile birds. After the young leave the nest in July they will be considered an adult bird but with juvenile plumage.

Adult male hummingbirds of course have the ruby throat but it is not always apparently red. In certain lighting or at certain angles it can appear black. Adult and juvenile females have a white throat that is sometimes marked with faint grey or buffy streaking. Juvenile males may also have a white throat like a female, but more often it is streaked to a greater or lesser degree with black or green.

Tails are also a good way to tell birds apart. Adult males have a more forked tail with pointed outer feathers that are solid black. Females and juvenile males have a blunt rounded tail that is mostly black with white tips to the outer feathers.

Both sexes, adult and juvenile can vary slightly in size and weight depending on the time of season however it is not uncommon for birds to almost double their weight in August and September in preparation of the fall migration.

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Adult male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

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Notice the difference in the male and female tails. The male is forked where the female is blunt with white tipped feathers.

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Adult female Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Notice the light spotted throat compared to the male on the right.

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This adult female is showing off her more blunt tail with white tipped feathers. The male is more forked and lacks the white.

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In some lights the throat of the adult male can appear black.

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Juvenile male with his ruby throat beginning to come in.

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Visit the Warner Park Nature Center Saturday August 25th for their Hummingbird Celebration.

Click here for more info on the Warner Parks Nature Center's Hummingbird Celebration.

Celebrate Hummingbirds at the Warner Park Nature Center August 25th from 9:30 am to 2 pm.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are migrating South. Celebrate our smallest bird with local nurseries and other groups dedicated to conserving hummingbirds. Nashville Natives, Kona Ice, The Wood Thrush Shop and the Bellevue Branch of the Nashville Public Library will also join us to celebrate. All ages are welcome, and no registration is required. 

Bird Bio: Blue Grosbeak

Male Blue Grosbeak

Female Blue Grosbeak.

Now that fall migration is underway there will be many opportunities to see lots of different birds passing back through TN on their way to Central and South America.  The Blue Grosbeak is one of those birds and while not rare one usually has to put in a little leg work to find.  Unlike the Rose-breasted Grosbeak that regularly visits feeders in the spring and sporadically in the fall, the Blue Grosbeak rarely visits feeders.  In fact, we’ve only had a handful of reports of Blue Grosbeaks at feeders over the course of my 23 years at the store.  This is curious to me because both Grosbeaks seem to share similar food preferences. 

The Blue Grosbeak is about 7 ½” in length, a Cardinal sized bird. The male is a deep blue, similar to the Indigo Bunting, with a thick conical bill (slightly narrower than a Rose-breasted’s), and has broad, rusty brown wing bars.  They are commonly seen in or adjacent to scrubby fields and meadows.  Fields that have not been cut are more likely to produce these beautiful birds.  I have seen them on the Harpeth River Greenway, Hidden Lakes Park, and Gossett Tract. 

The female could easily be mistaken for a female cowbird.  Look closely for the soft brown plumage above and lighter brown below, with 2 buff wing bars.

Have the binoculars at the ready because the next 8 weeks will be full of nice surprises if you get out and look a little harder.  And in your own yard a good clean and consistently available water source can produce some very interesting visitors.

Next week more on hummingbirds and the hummingbird celebration taking place at The Warner Park Nature Center August 25th.

Late Summer and Fall Butterflies

For the backyard birder the next couple of months will be a little on the dull side in regards to wild birds.  The breeding season is over, with the exception of some final Bluebird nests, and the usual cast of bird characters will typically become a little less busy at the feeders, at least until the end of October.  Fall migration, of course, will provide opportunities to see all the neo-tropical migrants heading back to Central and South America.  Hopefully, hummingbirds have picked up their pace at your feeders and are providing their unique “aggressive” style of entertainment.   Remember to keep nectar fresh and to clean feeders regularly.  There is no particular time to take your hummingbird feeders down.  It is not true hummingbirds will not migrate if feeders are still available. 

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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

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Pipevine Swallowtail

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Monarch

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Black Swallowtail

Now is a great time to turn some of your attention and interest to butterflies and late-summer and fall wildflowers.  My yard has been very busy with Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Pipevine, Spicebush, and Black Swallowtail.  And most summers I get to see Giant Swallowtail and Zebra Swallowtail.  It’s so easy to get a good look at these butterflies because they are so intent on getting nectar from flowers they seem to barely notice your presence. Other common yard butterflies include: Red spotted Purple, various Frittalary’s, Sulphur’s, Skipper’s, and of course Monarch’s. 

Spicebush Swallowtail

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Gulf Fritillary

And when the fall wildflowers are at their peak one can spend hours observing and identifying the plants and the butterflies at the same time.  Some of the areas I frequent are loaded with Ironweed, a tall (up to 10”), stalky plant that has clusters of intensely purple flowers, and Tickweed with its yellow flowers, and the several varieties of Sunflowers.  The purples and yellows and all the greenery make for quite a show and the butterflies can’t get enough of it. 

Both subjects are challenging so a really good field guide is needed to help one get started. The definitive guides to wildflowers of TN, “Wildflowers of Tennessee the Ohio Valley and the Southern Appalachians”by Horn, Cathcart and butterflies, “Butterflies of Tennessee” by Rita Venable are available here at the store. To help you get started we are offering 20% off both of these fantastic field guides.  There has been a lot of buzz over the return of the wildflowers book so if we run out of our first order we will promptly re-order and honor the sale price. 

Friday the 10th through Thursday the 15th both books are 20% Off.