Questions about Fintel's Feeders and Water Features on 5/8/19 OLLI Class

Following are links to answers for questions raised in our class on 5/8/19. All links will take you to earlier posts on this blog.

Sources of the Wood Bark Suet Sandwich Woodpecker Feeder, plus Droll Yankee Domed Cage Feeder, and the Humzinger Hummingbird Feeder and Ant Trap,  plus the The recipe for the suet we use are all available at this LINK.

Details of our latest design for the Safe Haven Cage Feeder is available HERE

Avian Aquatics Misters and Drippers are available from Birds Choice via Amazon HERE

For details on Leaf Misting for warblers and hummingbirds click HERE 

As I mentioned in our 5/8/19 class, Avian Aquatics Bird-Creeks are no longer available, but if you search, you should still be able to find shallow water features with moving water, or you can be creative and make your own.

At this LINK you can see the amazing results of a simple shallow (1 to 2 inch deep) moving water feature on the Dry Tortugas. Even birds shown on branches were attracted to the water feature, and just waiting their turn.

Rufous/Allen's in the Snow

She is still with us after all the cold weather and snow. Such a treat.....and a BIG responsibility. We make sure she always has unfrozen syrup in her feeders.

A Pic of our Rufous or Allen's Hummingbird visitor

RE the video, I will try again, but I am guessing the video file was too large. So for now here is the latest pic after I set up a mister to get her bathing and fanning her tail.

Previous - Many of you saw this Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird on the field trip to our house about 2 weeks ago. Hopefully the below linked video of this little darling taken today works for you. She really does bring a smile to Sally every time she arrives.

Summary of Oct 18 field trip to Fintel's yard, Oster Rocks Rd, and the Cape Henlopen Hawk watch

On this field trip we observed 45 species, including a few notables such as a Rufous/Allen's type Hummingbird, and a Golden Eagle. The eagle came by the hawk watch late, so most class members had already left. Two other lesser highlights were a Red-breasted Nuthatch at the hawk watch, and a very close and cooperative Ruby-crowned Kinglet on Oyster Rocks Rd.

In the Fintel's yard we had several questions about feeders, so following are a few links:

The Wood Bark Suet Sandwich Woodpecker Feeder is available through Amazon. (click for link)

The Droll Yankee Domed Cage Feeder is also available through Amazon. Remember that the dome on this feeder is not squirrel proof, so it should be protected by a squirrel baffle. Good squirrel baffles are available locally at Ace hardware, etc.

The Humzinger Hummingbird Feeder is also available through Amazon, as is the Ant Trap.

Our favorite suet recipe is:

No Melt Bird Suet –

Sally Fintel and  WildBird Magazine,  Dec. 1994

18 oz. crunchy peanut butter

2 cups (1 lb.) lard – no substitutions

4 cups quick oats

4 cups yellow corn meal

2 cups white flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar

Melt lard and peanut butter together over low heat. Remove from heat and thoroughly mix in remaining ingredients. Transfer to shallow Styrofoam veggie or meat containers. Cover & store in refridge or freeze. Slice and use to fill suet stick, as needed. Birds love this all year round.

First Ruby-throated Hummingbird in our yard in 2016

Sally had just put the feeders back up this morning (4/7/16). Less than an hour later she spotted a hummingbird at her feeder. A few hours later I spotted, I presume the same one, then late this afternoon I got the above photo, I presume of the same male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.....and note that in some lighting situations, the throat can look very black, as in my photo, but in earlier lighting, the throat had been Ruby red. This phenomena is known as spectral coloration, and is exhibited by many birds, especially hummingbirds.

Misting for Warblers and Hummingbirds

Misters are one of the first water products developed by Avian Aquatics back in the early 1990's. Avian Aquatics was sold to Backyard Nature Products in 2003 and they still offer the original Avian Aquatics designs of misters and drippers. My favorite is the Leaf Mister, which is designed to go in a low tree or shrub and wet the foliage, as well as provide a gentle rain shower. This is especially attractive to small songbirds, such as warblers and hummingbirds. Below are two pictures taken yesterday of a Blackpoll Warbler bathing in the mist from a Leaf Mister.

 Beginning to bathe

Dripping wet after 15 minutes of bathing

Hummingbirds and Spring 2014 OLLI Birding Class

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are arriving in Sussex County, DE, so it is definitely time to put up your hummingbird feeders.

Sally and I are just back from Peru where we marveled over 30+ species of hummingbirds in the Andean cloud forests. Most remarkable of these was the Marvelous Spatuletail (below). Note the extremely long outer tail feathers which terminate as 2 spatula shaped feathers.

We are very much looking forward to this spring's class, which begins 8 am, April 22, at the Cape Henlopen Nature Center. Remember to check this blog site for last minute updates, especially if the weather looks questionable. For your convenience, the full schedule is posted below.

Bill

OLLI Spring 2014 Birding Schedule

We will spend as much time as possible birding in the field. On any day when the weather does not permit a field trip, the class will be cancelled. For the latest information on class status see Bill’s blog at http://billfintel.blogspot.com/ . This will be updated by 6 am on any field trip day with questionable weather. Also more detailed directions will be added as needed.

All classes are on Tuesday, EXCEPT for April 28. Classes will begin at 8:00 am at the meeting locations noted below. Be sure to bring binoculars. Also check the weather forecast and dress appropriately with a rain resistant windbreaker and footwear suitable for walking about one mile. Insect repellent, sunscreen, water and a snack are recommended. Classes will end by 11 am at the meeting location.

Apr 22 (Tue) - Cape Henlopen State Park Nature Center  (sticker required). Northbound raptor migration will be underway, some sea ducks should still be present along with Northern Gannets, and we will of course search for two resident specialties, the Piping Plover and Brown-headed Nuthatch.

Apr 28 (Mon) - Prime Hook NWR Headquarters. We will bird all types of habitats, such as woodlands, fields, marshes, impoundments and bay beaches. Some of our target birds will be early shorebirds, and early woodland migrants like Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Ovenbird.

May 6 (Tue)– Milford Neck Wildlife Management Area. Meet at Prime Hook Headquarters for carpooling to Milford Neck. We will search the woodlands for species like Scarlet Tanager, Acadian Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Warbler, and several species of thrushes, all of which should be in full song. We may also try for the elusive Virginia Rail and Marsh Wren where the road crosses some extensive marshland.

May 13 (Tue)- Gordon’s Pond (access from Rehoboth Beach going north up coast, sticker required) - This area hosts a small but productive maritime forest, and excellent mud flats for shorebirds and terns. We will take an easy walk to an elevated overlook of the pond, and if the trail extension is open, we will explore further.

May 20 (Tue)  – Prime Hook State Wildlife Management Area. Meet at Prime Hook Headquarters for carpooling to the State Area. Walking is easy and tick-free along a gravel road through some very old forest. This is an excellent woods for resident and migrant warblers, plus Yellow-throated Vireo, Scarlet Tanager, Pileated Woodpecker and Barred Owl.

May 27 (Tue)- Prime Hook to Mispillion Nature Center. Meet at Prime Hook at 8:00 am for carpooling. High tide is 8:47 am at Mispillion, and best birding is 1 ½ to 2 hrs after high tide, so we will bird our way to Mispillion, arriving about 10 am. This is our annual spring pilgrimage to witness Horseshoe Crabs spawning and the thousands of shorebirds that feed on their eggs. It is also the best time and place to see the endangered Red Knot.

Arizona Hummingbird Haven - The Patons Home

Sally and I visited the Paton's home many years ago, and it was amazing, so when friend Sue Gruver sent us the linked article, we were delighted to see that even though the Patons are no longer with us, their hummingbird haven is being preserved for the hummingbirds, and for the many birders who so love hummingbirds. If you are headed to the Southwest, we highly recommend working in a stop by the Paton's Home. 
(Above photo is of a Green Violet Ear by Bill Fintel).