The Flying Cigar - Chimney Swifts

"No birds soars to high if he soars with his own wings"  - William Blake

The chimney swift is on the list of top ten birds in decline.  Part of the reason is because people are moving towards gas fireplaces and are starting to cover their chimneys.  The other reason, is because there are fewer old dead hollow trees since most people cut their timber before they reach that age. 

I was visiting a local Audubon Center recently and was surprised by all of the chimney swifts I saw.  I knew they had installed Chimney Swift Towers over the last 5 years to provide more nesting habitat for the chimney swifts, but I really did not expect to see as many as I did.  During the nesting phase, regardless of the size of the tower, there will only be one nest.   During the fall migration a tower the size of the one shown in the photo might hold 200 birds.  Some of the old industrial smokestacks in abandoned mills might hold 3000 plus.  I have not built a tower on my property yet, but I do plan to build one in the next year or so.  I mainly have to determine where I want to put it.  These birds eat about half their weight per day in insects so if you are having issues with mosquitos, etc why not try a chimney swift tower?   I will update this blog with my plans when I complete them.

Chimney Swifts migrate as far south as Ecuador in the Winter and as for North as Canada during the summer. 

Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

“The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.” 

― Willie Nelson

I was out on the property this weekend and spotted a Rose-Breasted Grosbeak.  This is the first one I have seen on the property.   They spend their winters in tropical areas and then migrate north for the summer.  Their summer range is from Tennessee to Canada.   I grabbed my camera as a second though this day, but I am fortunate to have it.   Ironically, later Saturday I walked down to check on the bees and there was a swarm on a branch a few feet of the ground (from one of my beehives).  I had a  box there but I went back up to the cabin to get my camera, gloves, and a few other things.  When I got back the swarm had already left.  I need to get back into the habit of always keeping a camera with me when I am out and about.  Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Birding - Red Cardinal

"I know why the caged bird sings. " - Maya Angelou

We have a pair of cardinals that hang around our house.  I love watching them and am amazed at how they are always together.  They are a pretty cute little couple.

Humor for the day - Bill and Bob, two children, were sitting outside a clinic. Bill happened to be crying very loudly.

"Why are you crying?" Bob asked.

"I came here for a blood test," sobbed Bill.

"So? Are you afraid?"

"No. For the blood test, they cut my finger.

As Bob heard this, he immediately began crying profusely.

Astonished, Bill stopped his tears and asked Bob, "Why are you crying now?"

To which Bob replied, "I came for a urine test!"

More Winter Birding

“Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings.” -Victor Hugo

I am starting to see more woodpeckers in the yard the last couple of days but I have not seen some of the species I saw last year.  An Eastern Towhee has been around lately and I hope to have pictures of it soon.

Humor for the day - A young brunette goes into the doctor's office and says that her body hurts wherever she touches it.

"Impossible," says the doctor. "Show me."

She takes her finger and pushes her elbow and screams in agony. She pushes her knee and screams, pushes her ankle and screams and so on it goes.

The doctor says, "You're not really a brunette are you?"

She says, "No, I'm really a blonde."
"I thought so," he says. "Your finger is broken."

Birding - Backyard Birds, Cold Weather

"Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best." - Henry Van Dyke

As this cold front passes through keep your local birds in mind.  Most winter birds eat seeds such as black sunflower seeds.  Use this link for more information on winter bird feeding.   Make sure you stock up on bird feed and make sure you keep the feed in the feeders.  I have noticed 3-4 times as many birds using our feeders the last couple of days and have been filling them daily.  Also try to provide a water source.  This can be difficult with freezing temperatures, but is necessary for your birds.  

Birding - American Kestrel

“The hawk with talent hides its talons”

American Kestrel - While birding the last several days I have seen several American Kestrels.   The American Kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America.  Most Kestrels breeding in Canada and in the Northern United States migrate south for the winter, but some are year long residents and do not migrate.  

Birding - Screech Owl Nest Box Installed

“I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.” - Maya Angelou

A few days ago I posted a blog about plans for a DIY project to build a screech owl house and wanted to give an update.  I built three owl nest boxes over the last couple of days with the help of my uncle and the use of his wood shop.  I installed the first one today and will install the other two in the next few days.  

I did make a few couple of improvements to the plans.  First on the back I angled the top of the board at 45 degrees to shed rainfall.  I also "etched" the inside of the box under the opening to roughen it up a bit.  This will make it easier for owlets to climb to the opening (if using rough lumber this will not be required).  

I stained the outside of the box with a light color stain to keep the home cooler in the summer and installed about 2 inches of wood chips in the bottom of the box to keep the eggs from rolling around (installing wood chips is recommended for cavity nestor's). 

Humor for the day - A Polish immigrant went to the DMV to apply for a driver's license.
First, of course, he had to take an eyesight test. The optician showed him a card with the letters:
'C Z W I X N O S T A C Z.'
"Can you read this?" the optician asked.
"Read it?" the Polish guy replied, "I know the guy."

Birds and Birding- Great Blue Heron

“When despair for the world grows in me, and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be -- I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought or grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.” - Wendell Berry

I'm a Coot, not a Duck - American Coot

“Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.” - Michael Caine
Click here to read more

Grouse on Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire

This grouse was sitting in the middle of the Appalachian Trail just before I reached Franconia Ridge.   I had seen several grouse while hiking on the trail, but within the last mile I saw two that did not seem to mind the hikers.

Appalachian Trail Gear Mods and Noxubee Refuge

I made a few changes to my gear that I wanted to post prior to starting my trip on Monday. Instead of going with the jetboil stove I opted to go with a the giga stove and snowpeak mug/pan titanium cookset. I wanted something a little more versatile for cooking different meals and a little lighter weight. I also purchased tree huggers for my hammock and few raynox micro adapter for my FZ28 digital camera.

I wanted to make a trip back to Noxubee Wildlife Refuge to visit the baby eagles prior to my A.T. Hike. I was pleased to see the babies more active than last time and even though the weather and cloud coverage were not cooperating, I got to see one of the parents flying into the nest with a duck and watched it for another 20 minutes while it plucked the feathers. While they did not seem to notice me there, I still did not want to spend anymore time there so headed back to bluff lake where I had seen several herons earlier.

If you are heading over to Noxubee Wildlife Refuge and have the time, one of my favorite trails is the beaver dam trail. Instead of taking the out and back, I continue walking along the levee of Green Timber Reservoir 1 and then walk back up River Road to Bluff Lake. It is not uncommon to see hawks and woodpeckers on the trail and you will usually spot alligators, herons, and waterfowl along this section of Bluff Lake.