The Northern Flicker is the state bird of Alabama, making it the Yellowhammer State. The flicker is also called the high-holer, the wake-up and about 100 other names.
The Northern Flicker is the state bird of Alabama, making it the Yellowhammer State. The flicker is also called the high-holer, the wake-up and about 100 other names.
The Northern Flicker is the state bird of Alabama, making it the Yellowhammer State. The flicker is also called the high-holer, the wake-up and about 100 other names.
Getting birds to miss windows
Naturally
Long, twisting flocks of mixed blackbirds (common grackles and red-winged blackbirds) drift southward in migration. Robins and cedar waxwings feed on the berries of mountain ash, dogwoods and viburnums.
White-tailed deer bucks begin rut in mid-October, sparring with small trees and other males. They scrape the ground to declare territory and make their presence known to does for breeding in November. As plants brown, deer seek green vegetation in open areas.
There were fewer fireflies in my yard this year than most years. Lightning bugs need a moist environment to thrive. Dry conditions impact their populations. Firefly numbers are declining in some areas due to habitat loss, toxic chemicals and light pollution, which disrupt their communications.
Q&A
“Why are the words birdie and eagle used in golf?” Birdie, meaning a score of one under par, comes from the American slang term "bird," meaning something excellent. Birdie originated when Ab Smith described a bird of a golf shot in 1899 and it morphed into being called a birdie. The term eagle extended the theme, being two under par.
“What’s your favorite bird?” I hope I’m not offending other birds—I like them all—but the chickadee is my fave. All seven chickadee species that regularly occur in North America: Carolina, black-capped, boreal, mountain, chestnut-backed, Mexican and gray-headed chickadee are my favorites.
“How can I stop birds from flying into my windows and injuring themselves?” Birds crash into windows because they see reflections of vegetation or see potted plants or vegetation on the other side of the glass. Go outside and look at your windows. If you see trees or sky reflected or indoor plants visible through the glass, that’s what the birds see. The Bird Collisions Program of the American Bird Conservancy offers these suggestions. Mark the window’s outside with soap or tempera paint, using either a grid pattern no more than 2 inches apart across the entire window or get creative and paint patterns or artwork. Put decals, stickers, sun catchers, mylar strips, masking tape or other objects (even sticky notes) on the outside surface of the window. These are most effective when closely spaced so the birds won’t think they can fly between them. Hawk silhouettes do little to deter birds. Installing mosquito screens over windows is effective, as long as they are on the outside of the window and cover the entire surface. Cover the outside of the glass with netting at least 3 inches from the glass, taut enough to bounce birds before they hit. Small-mesh netting is best so birds don’t become entangled. One-way transparent film permits people to see out, but makes the window opaque from the outside. If you find a bird dazed from a window collision with its wings held properly, not dangling, and the eyes look normal, see if it can perch on a branch unassisted. If so, let it recover on its own. If the bird has a noticeable injury, get it to a wildlife rehabilitator as quickly as possible. Broken bones need proper attention to heal properly without surgery. Otherwise, place it in a dark container such as a shoebox and put it in a quiet place away from pets for 15 minutes. Don’t give it food or water. The darkness calms the bird. Open the box outside every 15 minutes—if the bird flies off, it’s a good thing. If it doesn’t recover in a couple of hours, take it to a wildlife rehabilitator. Sadly, birds often die from internal bleeding and bruising, even when they’ve flown away.
“How do insects survive the winter?” Insect activity rate is driven by temperature. They are much busier at above 50° than below 50. A frost quiets insects. Many die when the cold hits. Some migrate, like the monarch butterfly and green darner dragonfly. Many insects enter diapause, a period of suspended or arrested development during an insect's life cycle when they spend a prolonged period in a single developmental stage. Some overwinter as larvae. The woolly bear caterpillar is freeze-tolerant and some larvae live in plant galls like those commonly seen on goldenrod. Others spend the winter as nymphs as dragonflies in ponds and streams do. Many moth and butterfly species spend the coldest season as pupae. Crickets, grasshoppers and corn rootworms winter as eggs. Ants and honeybees stay somewhat active in their homes, while watching more TV than they should. Mourning cloak butterflies hibernate. Boxelder bugs, multi-colored Asian beetles and others find hidey-holes (crevices in buildings, tree bark, leaves, etc.) to spend the winter. Sunny, warm winter days bring out snow fleas and crane flies.
Thanks for stopping by
“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”—Leonard Cohen.
“Oh, would that my mind could let fall its dead ideas, as the tree does its withered leaves!“—Andre Gide.
©Al Batt 2021
The common green darner dragonfly migrates. Photo by Al Batt
A Northern Flicker or yarrup.
A Northern Flicker or yarrup.
Double-crested Cormorants could live on fish sandwiches, but lacking both money, and an understanding and compassionate banker, they eat small fish.
A parking lot gull, otherwise known as a Ring-billed Gull.
A White-throated Sparrow wearing a University of Michigan football helmet.
Some consider a Blue Jay to be a rascal, but this one is coming clean.
