We’re passionate about birds and nature. That’s why we opened a Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in our community.
20485 Mack Avenue
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
Phone: (313) 881-1410
Fax: (313) 881-2008
Email: Send Message
Store Hours:
Mon - Fri: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thurs: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sat: 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Comments:
Free parking available at rear of store.
This time of year can be so relaxing and rewarding in our yards because of the changing bird activity. The number of Hummingbirds reported reveals that there is a good population of them in many yards. This is their time of year to fatten up at feeders and flowers as they make their way back to Mexico or in some cases, as far south as Costa Rica. Hummingbird feeders should be kept up through mid-October, the latest date that we get reports of these birds.
Goldfinch numbers also swell as youngsters accompany their parents, making their presence known by the constant “chippee, chippee”, their begging call for food. In many yards, feeders have every perch taken by a Goldfinch. In the tall coreopsis and the woodland sunflower that grow in my yard, the Goldfinches gather by the dozens to gorge themselves on the bounty of seeds that are now available on these flowers.
Blue jay vocalizations are also more prevalent as they begin their southward journey. I always hope that a few will decide to make my yard a part of their winter habitat. Just the opposite of the increasing blue jay screams, most of the resident birds have become silent. The Cardinal still sings early in the morning, but only then. No more days filled with the songs of the Robins, interspersed with the “coo” of the Morning Dove and the “fee-bee” of the Chickadee. The Chickadees are still vocal but in a different way. Their territorial call has been replaced with contact calls. Now we hear “dee-dee” or “chickadee”, which are both sounds Chickadees use to let the rest of the flock know their whereabouts.
One bird that has a significant increase in numbers is the House Sparrow. Every day we hear from customers that they have huge clouds of House Sparrows descending on every feeder available. Surely, this is one of the most successful breeders that we have locally. At least other birds notice the sparrow activity, so perhaps some seed eating migrants will see the crowd and join in as they migrate through the area. This is also the time of the year to look for Rufous-sided Towhees and White-throated Sparrows. Some customers have reported Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at their seed feeders, always a welcome visitor.
There have also been a number of warblers visiting yards. Watch for them gleaning insects from the evergreens and deciduous trees. We’ve had Wilson’s warbler and American Redstart eating insects as well as visiting the birdbath – the noise of dripping water gets them every time. Other insect eating birds that we may see in our yards include the Ruby-crowned Kinglet and the Golden-crowned Kinglet, both of which flit about in a way that makes you believe they are spending more energy than they are getting from the insects they are gleaning from trees.
At dusk, some of us may live in an area where we can watch the spectacle of blackbirds gathering in large flocks. These flocks are comprised of Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles and Cowbirds. They usually choose large trees as a roosting area for the night. It can be interesting to watch them as they drop into the trees and then listen to their version of a nighttime lullaby, which our human ears hear as squawking and screeching.
Take the time to watch for new fall migrants as well as seeing our resident birds settle into fall flocks and fatten up after a hectic summer of breeding. You never know what you might see.
Enjoy your birds!
Rosann Kovalcik is a Certified Birdfeeding Specialist
and the owner of Wild Birds Unlimited,
20485 Mack Ave in Grosse Pointe Woods
Questions or Comments – Mail to RosannKovalcik@comcast.net
www.wbu.com/grossepointewoods
