In the avian world right now there is little difference in meaning between succeed and suck seed. Eating is primary concern of our feathered neighbors. Some early migrants (shorebirds, nighthawks) are moving, but most birds are eating...a lot. Local residents are rebuilding weight and strength after the stress of nesting and raising young. Those species that are soon to migrate have the added pressure of building body mass. That will be off during the pending travel of hundreds or thousands of miles. The many invertebrate eaters from flycatcher to swallow to swift are taking advantage of this season's peak insect and spider populations. In marshland it is time of maximum frogs and small fish as well--heron's delightful delectation. I estimate there are twenty times more small spiders in our garden today than were here in May. A quick tidbit for the speeding hummer or foraging wren.
I recently watched a young Steller's Jay trying to use one of our hanging suet blocks, inside its square metal cage. Handsome juvenile--bright, fresh feathers with those sharp, pale lines at each eyebrow. A crest atop that was stiff and cocky, as required by genetic law. This kid's parents had not taught him about suet blocks. This jaylet would flutter like an over-sized warbler, grab a tiny fleck of suet from the block and then plummet to the ground. Some day he will observe those competing scrub-jays hang onto a suet feeder for minutes sometimes, or even spot a lowly downy just hang onto the suet and feed until satisfied. The jaylet's warbler act wastes more energy than it enables the jay to eat, methinks.
[I will add more later, but doin't want to hold up the GGO video access.]
Lee French tries toi aid the Great Gray Owls in Jackson County. Now he has proof that putting up a perch at a hunting meadow can be worthwhile. Click here to see video, including slo-mo of the hunter's dive. Lee's words: "A couple of years ago I put up a perch for Great Gray Owls to hunt from. I had never seen one use it until recently. It is amazing how they can dive head first to the ground and at the last second bring their feet forward to catch small rodents. This hunting attempt was unsuccessful."
No comments:
Post a Comment