Eagle-mania

The number one request from visitors at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge is "Where can I see an eagle?"  Everyone wants  to see our national symbol with its 6 - 8 foot wingspan, soaring overhead, but only a few are fortunate enough to do so, and the time and place is largely unpredictable.  Eagles do winter at Lake Texoma  as well as below the Denison dam, and year-rounders have been seen in the vicinity of the dam. The eagle shown below was photographed by Joe Blackburn at the Refuge in February, 2013.

The eagle has played a special part in American culture, being chosen as the national symbol in 1782, and then following a sharp decline in population due to loss of habitat, being hunted as a predator on fish and livestock, and finally impacted by DDT, nearly becoming extinct.  In 1940 Congress passed  the Bald Eagle Protection Act, and various laws during the 1960's listed both the Bald Eagle and the Golden Eagle  as endangered or threatened and began providing protection for both species.  Then Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring, led to the banning of DDT in 1972, and the species began to recover.

A few Bald Eagle facts, from the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service:

• Females are larger than males, weighing about 14 pounds and having an 8 foot wingspan, as opposed to ten pounds and a six foot wingspan for the males.
• Bald eagles are mostly dark brown until they reach 4 -5 years in age.
• They live near rivers, lakes and marshes where they can find their primary food - fish.  they will also eat small animals and carrion.
• Eagles mate for life, building nests ten feet across in the tops of large trees or alternately in cliffs or even on the ground where there are no trees.
• Bald eagles may lay one - three eggs, which hatch in about 35 days; a month after hatching, the young are flying on their own.
• Approximately 70% survive the first year of life, and the eagle lifespan may be as long as 15 - 25 years in the wild.

If your quest is to see an eagle when you visit Hagerman during the cold weather months, keep your eyes to skies!

BirdFest Texoma Sunday. May 5, 2013, Events

Day Three!  Last day for BirdFest Texoma 2013.  The morning programs will begin with a  Bird Photography Field Trip at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge with  professional nature photographer John English; 6 – 10 am; advance registration for this intermediate level photography field trip is required; cost of field trip - $40 (FOH members)/$45 (non-members), limited to 20 participants.

OR – take a short trip over to Fannin County by van to the Caddo National Grasslands, just far enough east to provide woodland habitat required by a variety of warblers, flycatchers and vireos.  Target species for this trip led by Dr. Wayne Meyer include Yellow-throated Warbler, Pine Warbler, Kentucky Warbler and Acadian Flycatcher, all regular breeders, although a variety of other migrants may appear as well.  Yellow-throated Vireos occasionally breed, and Scarlet Tanager has been seen in the area in early May. On arrival, participants will  take several short walks to find  birds.  Trails are irregularly maintained and at least one stop will require some bush-whacking into usually wet and always poison ivy infested woods.  Participants who do not wish to brave the wet woods may bird on their own along the shore of Coffeemill Lake. Advance registration required; cost of field trip - $35 (FOH members)/$40 (non- members), includes transportation. Leave the HNWR Visitor Center a 7 am and return by Noon.  Limited to 20 participants.

Meanwhile, back at the Refuge, two Birding Hagerman  NWR field trips will be offered on Sunday morning, each on one of the five trails at Hagerman NWR.  Hagerman has a variety of habitats that are used by over 270 species of birds.   Caravans will depart from the Visitor Center for trail designated for the particular field trip. Pick up an HNWR Bird Check List to take along with binoculars, scopes, field guides, and water.  Walks will visit areas not accessible by car, focusing on woodland and prairie birds. Exact location to be visited will depend on weather and on the birds found on the refuge in the previous few days.  Walking will be on well-maintained trails with only moderate change in elevation, about two miles total distance.  The following trips on the refuge are offered:  Advance registration is required; cost of each field trip is $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members).  Each of these trips will be limited to 12 participants, your choice of

7:30 – 10:30 am - Birding Hagerman NWR with expert amateur birder, Mike Pease, OR

8 - 11 am - Birding Hagerman NWR with Gary Akin, undergraduate student majoring in fisheries and wildlife.

OR enjoy a leisurely Storybook Walk - for families - free, no registration, read a nature story together as you take a walk along Harris Creek Trail.  Self-guided, 9 am - 4 pm.

Two Shorebird Tram Tours will be offered on Sunday - Enjoy a clear view with binoculars or camera on this open, all electric tram as you glide along Wildlife Drive and the Pad roads to view the shorebirds migrating through the Refuge.  Dress for the weather. Free, advance registration required due to limited seating. 9 participants maximum.  10:30 am - Noon AND 2 – 3:30 pm

Jonathan and Susan Wood’s Raptor Project, with 36 live birds of prey, eagles, hawk, owls and falcons has been booked for an additional day and will hold outdoor shows at 1 pm AND 3 pm on Sunday.

Take to the water from 1:30 – 3:30 pm as you kayak or canoe Big Mineral Creek with Refuge Manager Kathy Whaley.  Get a new perspective on the refuge, from the water!   Each person must provide own water craft and PFD; hats, sunscreen, bottled water advised. Anyone under age 18 must be accompanied by parent or responsible adult. Trip will last approximately 1.5 hrs; advance registration required; cost of trip $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members). Registrants will be notified where to meet for launch.  Trip is limited to 12 participants.

Look, Listen and Learn!  Seminars and Talks:

1:30 - 3 pm - Landscaping with Native Plants, with Michael Parkey, Dallas Landscape Architect and designer.  Going native in your home landscape can lead to more gardening success and lower impact on the environment!  Advance registration advised for guaranteed seating; cost of program - free.  Meeting Room A in the Visitor Center, 50 participants maximum.

1:30 – 2:30 pm - Snakes, Snakes, Snakes, with Don Walker, science instructor.  Family friendly free program, advance registration advised to guarantee seating.  You will have a new attitude about snakes after this program!!  Meet in Audio Visual Classroom in the FOH Center - 50 participants maximum.

3 – 4 pm - Nature Writing Workshop, with William B. Hughes.  Choosing topics, tips on getting published and more in this free workshop.  Please register in advance for guaranteed seating.  Library, FOH Center; limited to 12 participants. 

How Sweet it is!   3 – 4 pm - Honey Tasting.  Buzz in and meet a Honey Queen.  Test your tasting skill as you sample honey from various nectar sources, and learn the ABC’s of Bees!  Free –registration not required but will guarantee you get to taste!  Meeting Room B, Visitor Center,  50 participants.

That’s a Wrap until the next BirdFest Texoma!  You'll be glad you came!

Preview - BirdFest Texoma Saturday, May 4, 2013, Events

• On Day Two of BirdFest Texoma, photographers will not want to miss the golden hour and this Advanced Nature Photography Field Trip with Kathy Adams Clark, past president of NANPA; 6 – 10 am;  advance registration required; cost of field trip, $40 (FOH members)/$45 (non-members).    Maximum 20 participants.

• OR Bird one of the five trails at Hagerman NWR.  Hagerman has a variety of habitats that are used by over 270 species of birds.  Caravans will depart from the Visitor Center for trail designated for the particular field trip. Walks will visit areas not accessible by car, focusing on woodland and prairie birds. Exact location to be visited will depend on weather and on the birds found on the refuge in the previous few days.  Walking will be on well-maintained trails with only moderate change in elevation, about two miles total distance.  Choose from the following trips on the refuge: 

7 - 11 am -  Birding Hagerman NWR (B) with Jack Chiles, Master Naturalist who conducts the weekly Hagerman NWR bird census; advance  registration required, cost of field trip $10 FOH  members)/$15 (non-members).  Limited to 12 participants.

7:30 – 11:30 am - Birding Hagerman NWR (C) with Gailon Brehm, expert amateur birder active with Prairie & Timbers Audubon and Connemara Conservancy; advance registration required, cost of field trip $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members).  Limited to 12 participants.

SO sorry –SOLD OUT  for the 8 - 10 am - Birding Hagerman NWR with David Allen Sibley, nationally known ornithologist and author.

8:15 - 10:15 am - Birding Hagerman NWR  (D) with Sam Crowe, digital birding expert and writer; advance registration required; cost of field trip, $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members).  Limited to 12 participants.  Sam will also give a talk on Digital Birding in the afternoon.

• OR – leave the Refuge for a trip to Denison Dam or Eisenhower State Park:

8:15 am – Noon - Birding Denison Dam with Sandy Beach, local birding expert.  Caravan will depart from the Visitor Center at 8 am and return by noon.  Some hiking on loose rocks, hiking shoes or boots are recommended.  Participants should see gulls, terns, possibly Osprey and Bald Eagles if not too late in spring.  Baltimore and Orchard Orioles and Warbling Vireos should be beginning to nest in the picnic area; expect Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Western  and Eastern Kingbirds, and may see Red-headed and Pileated Woodpeckers also. Migrating warblers and vireos are often in the campground area. Cost of field trip, $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non members); advance registration required.  Limited to 12 participants.

8:30 – 10 am - Take a Hike at Ike's Place.  Paul Kisel, Superintendent, Eisenhower State Park will lead a one-hour natural history walk at the neighboring state park, established in 1958, named for the 34th U.S. President, Dwight David Eisenhower. and located northwest of Denison on Lake Texoma.   Caravan from Hagerman NWR Visitor Center to the park. Cost of field trip - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non members).  Advance registration required, maximum 15 participants.

• Meanwhile, back at the Refuge, your choice of these activities:

9 – 10:30 am - Wildflower Walk at Hagerman NWR with Jim Varnum, Master Naturalist. Enjoy a leisurely walk along the roadsides and trails to view the spring show of North Texas wildflowers and any  wildlife that is attracted to them!  Walkers will meet at the Visitor Center.  Cost of field trip - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members).  Advance registration required. Limited to 12 participants. 

9 - 11 am - Kayak/canoe Big Mineral Creek with Gerry Shehan, Master Naturalist.  Get a new perspective on the refuge, from the water! Gerry has five single person kayaks to loan and room for another 6 folks who bring their own craft.  Each person must provide own PFD; hats, sunscreen, bottled water advised. Trip will last approximately 1.5 hrs; advance registration required; cost of trip $25, $10 for those FOH members who provide their own craft or $15 for non members who BYOC/K. Registrants will be notified where to meet for launch. Participants under age 18 must be accompanied by parent or other responsible adult – maximum 11 participants for this event.

9 am - 4 pm - Storybook Walk - for families - free, no registration, read a story together as you take a walk along Harris Creek Trail.  Self-guided.

9:15 - 10:15 am - Native Plants and Trees at Hagerman NWR, with Dr. George Diggs, botanist, author, Professor of Biology at Austin College.  Learn survival mechanisms, changes in distribution of trees and tree species through the ages as you walk a trail with Dr. Diggs, who will help you recognized the various trees growing at the Refuge.   Meet at the Visitor Center; cost of field trip - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members); advance registration required.  Limited to 12 participants.

9:30 - 11 am - Patio Birding with Susan Knowles, Environmental Science teacher. Take a coffee break on the Visitor Center patio and watch for wildlife in the Native Plant Garden and fields adjacent to the building - birds, butterflies and more. Perfect for non-hikers! Binoculars provided or bring your own.   Come and Go event.  Free, no advance registration.

• Prefer a Tour?

Shorebird Tram Tours - Enjoy a clear view with binoculars or camera on this open, all electric tram as you glide along Wildlife Drive and the Pad roads to view the shorebirds migrating through the Refuge.   Free, advance registration required due to limited seating – maximum 9 participants per tour.

Choice of three tours:  9:30 - 11 am  OR 11:30 am – 1 pm  OR 2 – 3:30 pm

• Look, Listen and Learn!  Talks and Seminars: 

9 am - Bird Talk - What Do You See? with Gary Clark, nature columnist and Houston professor.  Learn how to really "see" birds and other wildlife at this free presentation, to be held in Visitor Center Meeting Room A.  Advance registration will guarantee you a seat but is not required, 50 participants maximum.

10:30 am - Hummingbirds with Mark Klym, Texas Parks & Wildlife Hummingbird Round-up Coordinator.  Enjoy a presentation on these "flying jewels" as you learn more about them - identification, habitat and more.  Meeting Room A, Visitor Center. Free.  Advance Registration is not required but will guarantee you a seat, 50 participants maximum.

1:30 - 4 pm - Bird Photography and Tips for Photographing Backyard Birds Workshop with Abilene pro photographer, John English -  Bird Photography is geared for the intermediate level photographer; please bring camera, manual, notebook to session.   Learn tips for getting the best bird shots!  Cost of workshop - $30 (FOH members)/$35 (non-members); advance registration required.  Meet in Visitor Center, Meeting Room B, 50 participants maximum.  English will also lead a photo field trip at the Refuge on Sunday morning, May 5, requires additional registration.

1:30 – 3 pm - Wine-tasting  at the T. V. Munson  Viticulture and Enology Program at Grayson College, led by Justin Scheiner, Director, who will cover the history of grapes and wine in Texoma, how to choose a good wine AND the ins and outs of wine tasting!  Must be age 21+ to register for this program.  The story of T. V. Munson is one you won't want to miss.  Meet at the Viticulture Center, located in the North Texas Regional Airport, which is near the Refuge; directions will be in registration packets.  Cost of program  - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members). Advance registration required, up to 50 participants.

1:30 - 3 pm - Digital Birding, with Sam Crowe, web and app publisher.  Sam, who will also be leading a Birding Hagerman Field Trip Saturday morning, will show you how to extend your knowledge, skills  and interest in birding with the latest technology, talk plus hands on time, bring your iPad.  Meet in Visitor Center Meeting Room A for this free program; advance registration is recommended for guaranteed seating, 50 participants maximum.

2:30 – 4 pm - Plant Propagation with Sue Zanne Petersen.  Turn your thumb green at this program as you learn best practices for starting your own plants.  Great for those who want to include hard-to-find native plants in their garden, enjoy sharing plants with friends, develop gardening skills or just save money!  Meet in Audio/Visual Classroom in the FOH Center for this free program; advance registration is recommended for guaranteed seating, 30 participants maximum. 

• Be sure to see the Outdoor Shows: 

9 am - 4 pm - Reptile Exhibit by Jarryd Robison - free, no registration; near Visitor Center. 

10 am, 1 pm AND 3 pm – Jonathan & Susan Woods – The Raptor Project, outdoor show, 36 live birds!! Eagles, hawks, falcons owls displayed in a natural setting!  Free, no registration.

• From BirdFest Texoma, especially for children:

10:30 am - Eensy Weensy Spider, with John Slaughter.  Meet our 8-legged friends in this presentation that will be both fun and educational!  Audio/Visual Classroom in the FOH Center. Free, advance registration recommended, guaranteeing a seat, 25 participants maximum.  

1:00 pm - Leave it to Beaver, with Texas Parks & Wildlife Ranger Kelly Lauderdale.  Meet in the Audio/Visual Classroom of the FOH Center for this fun program about a hardworking mammal!  Program is free but advance registration is recommended to guarantee a seat, 25 participants maximum. 

• Book Signing:

Kathy Adams Clark and Gary Clark, 10:30 – 11:30 am, in the Visitor Center.

David Allen Sibley, 11 am – Noon, in the Visitor Center

Evening Program

An Evening with David Allen Sibley!

Social - Gather at the Grayson College Workforce Auditorium at 6:30 pm for wine and hors d'oeuvres, must be 21+, cost of social - $15; advance registration required.  The college is located approximately 9 miles from the refuge at 6101 Grayson Drive, Denison, TX; directions will be in the registration packets.  

At 7 pm, enjoy watching the creative process at work as David Sibley demonstrates how he illustrates his field guides.  Special tech set-up in this wonderful new conference style auditorium will allow good viewing for all. Sibley will donate the finished art piece to be auctioned off to benefit the Refuge following the demonstration, in a live auction.  Cost of presentation - $50; advance registration required, 200 seats only.

Book signing will follow the presentation.

That's a wrap for Day Two!  Stay tuned for Day Three!

Preview BirdFest Texoma Events for Friday, May 3, 2013

     

Whether you are looking for a field trip, a nature talk, exhibit or more, you will find it at BirdFest Texoma, set for May 3 - 5, at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge.  In this week’s post you will find details of events and activities planned for Day One of the festival.  You can register online, at birdfesttexoma.org, OR by downloading and printing a paper form to complete and mail, OR pick up a form in the Nature Nook at the Refuge.  We are encouraging registration for the free events, as well as for paid events, to guarantee a place in the events of your choice.

Start the day at  the 7:30 - 9 am - Bird Banding, with Dr. Doug Wood.  Get to see songbirds up close and personal!  Dr. Wood and his assistants will measure, weigh and record pertinent statistics on birds before applying the identification band and releasing them, at the Refuge.  You may even get to listen to a bird's heartbeats! Great for close-up photos!  No registration needed for this free come and go event.

Enjoy a morning walk or hike on one of these field trips:

8 am - Noon- Birding Hagerman NWR (A) -   Bird one of the trails at Hagerman NWR with Master Naturalist  Jack Chiles.  Hagerman NWR has a variety of habitat types that are used by over 270 species of birds.  While the auto tour route provides ready access to several of these habitats, woodland birds are not well represented on the tour route.  Caravan will depart from Visitor Center for designated trail.  Pick up an HNWR Bird Check List to take along. This walk will visit areas not accessible by car, focusing on woodland and prairie birds.  Exact location(s) to be visited will depend on weather and on the birds found on the refuge in the previous few days.  Walking on well-maintained trails with only moderate change in elevation, about 2 miles total distance.  Cost of field trip, $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members); advance registration required; limited to 12 participants.

8 am - Noon - Birding Denison Dam, with Sandy Beach, local birding expert.  Caravan will depart from the Visitor Center at 8:00 am and return to the Center by 12:00 noon. As some hiking will be on loose rocks down by the creek, good hiking shoes or boots are recommended; bring water and binoculars. Should see gulls and terns below the dam, and possibly Osprey and Bald Eagles will still be feeding there although it may be too late in spring. Baltimore Orioles, Orchard Orioles, and Warbling Vireos should be beginning to nest in the picnic area; expect Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Western Kingbirds, and Eastern Kingbirds, and we may see Red-headed Woodpeckers and Pileated Woodpeckers too.  Migrant Warblers and Vireos are often in the trees in the campground.  Cost of field trip - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members); advance registration required; limited to 12 participants.

9 – 10 am - Wildflower Walk with Dr. Hugh Garnett, wildflower enthusiast and amateur expert.  Enjoy a leisurely stroll along roadsides and or trail at the Refuge to view the spring show of North Texas wildflowers in bloom, as well as any wildlife attracted to them!  Walkers will meet at the Visitor Center.  Sturdy shoes, water, and sun hats are recommended for this easy walk. May want to bring cameras and pocket field guide.  Cost of field trip - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members); advance registration required; limited to 12 participants.

9:30 – 10:30 am - Roll and Stroll Harris Creek Trail - Explore the newly completed handicapped-accessible trail, a loop of Harris Creek Trail, with Gailon Brehm, expert amateur birder and naturalist. Expect to see woodland birds, native trees and wildflowers along the trail. A photo blind is adjacent to the trail for camera enthusiasts.  Meet at the Visitor Center and walk to the trail-head; participants who are mobility-impaired may park at the trail head and join the group there. Cost of field trip - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members); advance registration required; limited to 12 participants

OR – get aboard the Refuge van or the C&E Express Tram for a tour:

10 am - Noon - Refuge Tour by Van, with Refuge Manager, Kathy Whaley.  Learn history of the Refuge and of the area, Refuge operations and view wildlife as you travel into areas of Refuge closed to private vehicles on this two hour tour.  Binoculars welcome. Free; advance registration required due to limited seating – maximum 12 participants.

11 am – 12:30 pm AND 2 – 3:30 pm - Shorebird Tram Tour, with Rick Cantu Refuge Assistant Manager.  Enjoy a clear view with binoculars or camera on this open, all electric tram as you glide along Wildlife Drive and the Pad roads to view the shorebirds migrating through the Refuge.  Dress for the weather. Free, advance registration required due to limited seating – maximum 9 participants.

Look, Listen and Learn!  Seminars, talks and workshop:

9:30 am - Noon - Beginning Birding, with Dick Malnory, local birder.  Learn key bird identification tips, how to choose and use optics and field guides, and more.  Free; advance registration requested. Meet in the Audio/Visual Classroom, FOH Center – maximum 30 participants.

10 am - Noon Rainwater Harvesting, with Dotty Woodson.  Texas Agrilife water expert Woodson will teach practical ways to save and use this valuable resource as well as cover the why's and how's of wise water use for the home landscape.  Visitor Center; Meeting Room B.  Free; advance registration requested – maximum 50 participants.

1 pm - Bird Diversity, with Mark Klym,  Texas Parks and Wildlife Information Specialist for Wildlife Diversity  and coordinator of Texas Wildscapes and the Texas Hummingbird Roundup for TPWD.  Visitor Center; Meeting Room A.  Free; advance registration requested - maximum 50 participants.

2:30 pm - Attracting Birds & Butterflies, with Gary Clark, nature columnist.  Just in time for spring and summer, ways to make your home landscape attractive to these winged visitors with bird-friendly plants, water features and more.  Visitor Center Meeting Room A.  Free; advance registration requested – maximum 50 participants.

1 - 4 pm - Advanced Nature Photography Workshop with Kathy Adams Clark.  Take the next step in your photography with this workshop led by former president of NANPA.  Kathy will also lead a field trip on Saturday, May 4 (requires additional registration).  Bring your camera, manual and your questions!  Cost of workshop - $30 (FOH members)/$35 (non- members). Visitor Center Meeting Room B, advance registration required – maximum 50 participants.

Showtime from 1 - 4 pm! Nature Videos - continuous showing of selected films, free; Audio Visual Classroom. 

PLUS – Food and shopping!  Nature-themed merchandise from retail vendors, 9 am – 4 pm; food vendor hours 7 am – 4 pm.  Free coffee in the FOH Center all day.

And that’s just the events for Day One of BirdFest Texoma – next week – Saturday, May 4 event details – stay tuned!

Mother Nature Gives and Takes

The fluctuating levels of Lake Texoma offer an ever-changing landscape around the lake shore and the Sandy Day Use Area at Hagerman NationalWildlife Refuge is no exception.    On a recent visit we were amazed to see that the current lake level, about 611.6’ elevation, has created a very wide beach - a wonderful place for animals to get water and for people to stroll.

On the other side of the equation, high waters over times have eroded Sandy Point and threaten to undermine one of the concrete picnic table units.  Those who choose to enjoy lunch at that table are truly on the edge! Fortunately another table is available, because Sandy Point is the perfect picnic spot. If you have not yet visited there, add it to your to-do list on your next trip to the Refuge. 

The PhotographyNavigation Guide produced by Becky Goodman for the Friends of Hagerman describes it thus:

“In the Sandy Day Use Area, you may see Osprey in the summer and Bald Eagles in the winter. Roadrunners are common. On the road to the picnic area, watch for deer in the open areas and various birds including Cardinals, Wrens, and Painted Buntings in the wooded sections. Wildflowers attract bees and butterflies along the road. Raptors such as Red‐tailed Hawks and American Kestrel frequent this section of the Refuge.”

On our visit last week we saw a large flock of gulls working the water just off the beach, ducks and herons flying by, and families out for a walk. If you stand far out on the point, look back to your right and you can just see the Refuge Visitor Center.  Look straight across Big Mineral and you can see Flowing Wells Resort and Marina, look left along the shoreline and you can see Big Mineral Resort Camp, and still further away, appearing like a bunch of tiny needles, the masts of boats at Cedar Mills Marina.  

Nest Monitors Prepare to Welcome Refuge Birds

Folks on the Nest Box Monitoring Team at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge will be on the job today to relocate and refurbish nest boxes along three trails at the Refuge, Raasch/Myers Branch, Meadow Pond and Harris Creek.   The location for each box will be chosen with the habitat preference of Bluebirds, Prothonotary Warblers, Carolina Chickadees and Titmice in mind. Currently there are primarily two styles of nest box in use, the Peterson design box and the saltbox.

As soon as signs of nesting are observed, the team will monitor the boxes and report data during the nesting season, and then clean and repair the boxes for the following season.  The group also plans to conduct an experiment, applying reflective paint to the roofs of selected boxes in an effort to see if the paint reduces the interior box temperature and if this affects nest outcomes.

Skip Hill & Master Naturalist Jack Chiles, setting up nest box, 2012

Anyone walking the whole of Harris Creek Trail will observe that the nest boxes placed there have both a number and a nameplate attached.  The plates carry the name of the person or groups (or even a pet) who has adopted that box for the season.  All those who have adopted boxes for 2013  are invited to attend the Second Saturday program on February 9, where at 10 am they will have the opportunity to draw for the numbered box they will be assigned.

In 2011 the team elected to begin reporting data on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website, nestwatch.org.   Kathy Whaley, Refuge Manager, created monitoring notebooks for each trail with compatible data sheets, coding keys, trail maps and other needed information. Each nest box has a unique number, a key factor in monitoring and reporting; and there is a data sheet for each box on which the monitors enter their findings. Periodically another volunteer enters the data for all three trails on the Cornell website.  Still another volunteer sends weekly reports and photos of activity in designated boxes to those who adopted nest boxes for the season.

Two Bluebird eggs in nest box, June 8, 2012.

The monitors’ tasks are to observe nesting activities including whether adult birds are in the area, or even on or  in the nest box, and if a nest is present, for what species and degree of completion; the number and type of eggs; young, estimated age of young, and estimated date they will fledge. In addition the monitors perform maintenance to keep the boxes habitable and safe for nesting birds. Some of the monitors are expert birders who mentor those who are less experienced.

Suzanne Brooks & Carolyn Kohls record findings for a Peterson-style box.

The Nest Box Monitors are subdivided into two “trail” teams, with members of each trail team rotating monthly to monitor their assigned boxes weekly. Necessary equipment for monitoring includes the notebook for recording observations, spatula for removing wasp and other invasive nests, soap to rub on boxes to deter wasp nest-building, observation mirror, assorted tools for opening nest boxes and quick maintenance, camera, insect repellent for personal use, and binoculars.  Those who drive the Refuge vehicles used for monitoring also must have completed the driver safety training provided by the Refuge system.

Monitors meet periodically as a group to share information and improve skills. Nest Box monitoring is an enjoyable way to see more of the Refuge, learn more about wildlife and meet others who share these interests.   A minimum of one half day per month is required, plus the ability to meet the work schedule.  For more about volunteering, contact the Friends of Hagerman.

Backyard Bird Show

Did you get a bird feeder for Christmas?  If not, go “gift” yourself one now for a ticket to a daily show right outside your window, especially during this cold weather.  If you are going to have just one feeder, tube feeders are recommended by Audubon as the best choice.  Depending on your budget, go for the best constructed feeder for long-time use.

Fill your tube feeder with black oil sunflower seeds, a seed mix, peanuts, or safflower.    A visitor like the Northern Cardinal can "make your day"!  Their favorite is the sunflower seeds; we have not had many takers for safflower at our house, although it is recommended for some birds.  The feeder should be hung no closer than 3 feet to your window, to prevent bird strikes, and at least 5 feet off the ground.  Baffles can be added to deter the squirrels.  Thistle feeders are a specialized tube feeder for finches and similar birds, offering the small seed through tiny ports.  The thistle seed has to be fresh; we have goldfinch swarming our regular tube feeder for sunflower seed, so we forego the thistle.

Another choice is the hopper type feeder; hang these 5 feet off the ground also, to feed seeds and cracked corn.   The hopper, looking like a little house, provides some protection for seed from wet weather.  Ground feeders, unprotected from wet weather, should have a bottom made of mesh, or other means of drainage and should be placed away from shrubs to eliminate “blinds” for birds’ predators.  You can put just about any type of seed other than the very fine thistle in the ground feeder. 

The bug eaters among your bird visitors will also enjoy a suet feeder, and we find they attract just about everyone during really cold weather.

Finally, add a birdbath to your feeding area to bring in birds not usually seen at backyard feeders.  Recently we have had an Eastern Bluebird and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet coming right outside our kitchen window for water.

We will discuss feeder sanitation in a later post.  Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the show!

Note:  The Friends of Hagerman Nature Nook, at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge has a number of books on backyard birds in stock.