Window strikes and nectar thieves

Written by Jack Sanders
Thursday, 18 June 2009 10:23

From time to time, readers ask how to prevent birds from striking windows or from attacking their reflections in windows.

Joan Winter of Connecticut Audubon Society says millions of birds — particularly migrating birds — die or are injured each year colliding with glass windows in homes and office buildings.  

The great owl adventure

Written by Jack Sanders
Thursday, 11 June 2009 13:14

Nelson and Mary Gelfman of Ridgefield were looking out the window while eating dinner recently, and saw something unusual in the back yard.

“What’s that?” they exclaimed.

A baby owl had fallen out of a nest in the gigantic pine next to their house.

Here’s what happened next, as related by their friend, Ben Oko.

Birds of gold, orange, and white

Written by Jack Sanders
Thursday, 04 June 2009 10:23

“Do goldfinches migrate north?” wonders Rosemary Wright of Redding. “I was just wondering what happened to the goldfinches that were at my feeder up to about three weeks ago.  The last time I saw them it was before the leaves came out on my crabapple tree where the finch feeder was hanging.  I did buy a new mixture of thistle plus crushed sunflower hearts, so I don’t know if they flew further north, or if they didn’t like the new food.

 “After trying to decide whether to continue feeding the other birds during the summer, I had a nice surprise last Saturday.  While planting flowers along my shady driveway, I saw a male cardinal visit the squirrel-proof metal birdfeeder.  Shortly after that, I saw the female and three babies come down from the hemlock tree to the feeder.  As soon as I finished planting, I went right out to buy more bird seed for the family.”

Blue Jays and their favorite food for winter use

Written by Jack Sanders
Thursday, 28 May 2009 12:40

The interest in Blue Jay populations continues.

“Regarding your reader’s missing Blue Jays, mine, too, vanished during the winter for the first time, so I had the same concern,” said Roland Walters of Ridgefield. “Happily, my Blue Jays came back about two and a half weeks ago.

A yard full of birds in Ridgefield, all well fed

Written by Jack Sanders
Friday, 22 May 2009 10:58

Last week’s column on the “missing” Blue Jays prompted Pamela Yang to respond, “I know where the Blue Jays are!”

She writes, “I live on Casey Lane here in Ridgefield, on an almost fully wooded lot, and due to the complete lack of nuts on our property last fall (hickory, beech and acorn), I started aggressively feeding the wildlife (since more than birds showed up!) with multiple feeders, using a woodpecker blend of nuts and fruits in the main feeder and two sock thistle feeders.

The vanishing Blue Jays in Oxford

Written by Jack Sanders
Thursday, 14 May 2009 10:40

“I am very concerned and do not know where to direct my observation,” Liz Laliberte of Oxford, Conn., wrote recently. “The last six years I have had 10 to 12 Blue Jays at one time at my feeder all year round and in my yard. This year I have not one that came to my feeder the whole winter and currently see none in my area. I have the best habitat for birds as we have a brook, pond, fields, woods, and lots of shrubs and ground covers. This is a drastic change. Has anyone noticed this change and can I some how report this?”

David Allen Sibley will pay a visit to Greenwich Audubon

Written by Jack Sanders
Thursday, 07 May 2009 13:16

For many of us, Roger Tory Peterson has been the name synonymous with birding field guides. Today, however, guides are moving forward and improving, and clearly the leader of the pack is David Allen Sibley.

If you are among his many fans, you can meet him this Saturday from 5:30 to 7:30 at Audubon Greenwich.

More on feeding spring birds from Connecticut Audubon

Written by Jack Sanders
Thursday, 30 April 2009 12:40

Last weekend’s midsummery warmth brought lots of migrants into the area, but for many birders, the big treat was the first Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. One appeared at our house Sunday.

The thump of raptor love

Written by Sally Sanders
Thursday, 23 April 2009 14:31

Spring is the season of love, among birds as well as humans. But as Karen Casagrande of Ridgefield recently learned, avian love-making can be pretty down and dirty.

To feed or not to feed, that is the spring question

Written by Sally Sanders
Thursday, 16 April 2009 10:52

Each spring, many people take down their feeders for the season. There is plenty of natural food around, they figure, so why spend money on seeds?