~Avian Photography~ Post your bird pix!

[Birding Bunch]

Dirty glass is fine, Liz. Birds are the perfect excuse not to clean windows, I heard the dirt can help the birds not crash into them. We have bird tape on the ones we've had problems with, but the others just stay dirty. Glad you saw this fellow. We did not have them come into our yard this year. They actually became a feeder bird the summer of 2012 and brought their young. They are not even seen by the creek where they usually are.

[gymell]

We have screens on most of ours, and then for the patio doors we keep the blinds pulled. So far we haven't had a problem with window strikes, but if it ever did become an issue then it's easy to hang cord like this.

Make Your Own ? Acopian BirdSavers

This was only the second time I've seen a red-headed woodpecker in the yard. It stuck around for a few days, and did visit the feeders, but must have moved on. I went on vacation and it was gone when I came back, even though I had the neighbor keep my suet feeders full.

[EllenW]

That is very helpful information gymell. I have a picture window and couldn't find good information on how to protect the birds. I ended up with a string of lights at the top, bird feeders hanging in front of the window and lower I hung cd's in the window inside the house. That has worked.
Sorry you haven't seen your red headed woodpecker. They are beautiful. I get red bellies and downies here. I haven't seen them this summer though. I always have them in the winter.

[gymell]

They put up those cords at the nature center where I volunteer. The barred owl in my avatar is one of the birds I work with there. I got after them to do something about the window strikes during migration. As far as I know, it's worked. Another option is this:

New Window Tape Can Significantly Reduce Bird Collisions at Homes

I've had 7 species of woodpecker in my back yard. Those are all the possible species that I would get in this part of the state. We have two more species in MN, but they don't come this far south. My regulars include downy up to pileated. Usually in the winter I will also have flickers stick around. During migration I'll see yellow-bellied sapsuckers, and even had one try to over winter before it was taken by a sharp-shinned hawk. And then there's the red-headed which has shown up those couple of times.

--
Liz

[Birding Bunch]

Originally Posted by gymell

Another option is this:

New Window Tape Can Significantly Reduce Bird Collisions at Homes
--
Liz

That's the tape we use and I felt caged in when we first put it on our front window, but hardly notice it any more. We have some windows to replace and we want to look into some that would have something etched into the glass itself, if such a thing is made.

[Birding Bunch]

For some reason the Bobolinks did not nest here this year. We were surrounded by bird song, but yet it seemed off without the male Bobolink's voice joining in the chorus.

Yesterday, I was walking in our wannabe prairie when birds exploded from the ground. Maybe 20 Bobolinks. What a thrill! I took some pictures, but after reviewing them inside, I sent my little camera expert out to see what he could get. He came in amazed how close they were. I know, I couldn't believe that either.

Here are a couple he took.

[linrose]

Wow! I've never seen a bobolink, so great! Your camera expert did good!

Tell us about your "wannabe prairie" - I think you are there already!

[Birding Bunch]

Thank you, linrose.

We own 9 acres. We have so much work to do and not a lot of time and money to do it with. Most of our pasture is brome grass. And too much sour or curly dock, ragweed, etc. It used to be mowed for hay, but then we discovered the birds. The Bobolink was one we had just identified back in 2011 and happy to see it from our yard. The next day the farmer came to mow and the Bobolinks moved on. Thankfully, it was early in the season, so nesting had not yet begun.

We started a little native prairie patch last fall, one-tenth of an acre. We got a seed mix from Prairie Moon Nursery that was for clay sub-soil. We had construction work done and the seeds were put on the excess dirt. Not much came up, but we hope to be able to try some controlled burning this fall, but the area my husband wants to do is too big for just a couple of people. I hope we can find some help.

[rockerBOO]

I love prairies. In New England it is naturally a forest, so the stable system is a woodland.

For management burning is an option. For brome/dock, I would suggest a spring burn (before warm season grasses start). Adding native grass seed will start to create environments for native plants to thrive. Cost is cheaper to get just warm season grasses, and will spread willingly. Adding wildflowers seed to native grass stands will have better uptake. On the other end, native grasses will create a new solid stand without disturbance. Mowing or grazing can reduce the grass coverage. Probably times when you can get cattle to graze your prairie (if you let it be larger).

Blue Jay Barrens: Indian Grass as a Management Tool

Conservation Grazing in Iowa | The Prairie Ecologist

[EllenW]

Birding Bunch our department of natural resources will plant wildflower meadows for you if you have more than an acre. Have you checked to see if there are any programs in your area that might help you?