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 birdwatchers (that's us)
Wild Bird Center Saturday Walks:
From 7:30 am (promptly)
to 9:45 am (approximately)
Every Saturday year-round.
Every last Saturday of the month we travel further afield than normal
and return a little later.
Birdwalks
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Wild Bird Center
of Boulder
Quick Links
Xcel Energy BirdCams
One fun way to participate in the lives of local birds is by viewing Xcel Energy's
Web Cams
owl cam
eagle cam
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Nature Photography
by
Wendy Marie Stuart
 "Mates"- Wood Ducks
Visit our store to see agallery of Wendy's matted and framed prints
and greeting cards for all occasions or
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Photo Credits
"Mates" by Wendy Marie Stuart
"Bee on Sunflower" by Ginny Stibolt
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Help Monitor the Bees!
bee and sunflower
Pollinators, especially bees have been in the news lately. They perform invaluable service to the ecosystem. If you would like to learn more about this role go to greatsunflower.org and learn how you can participate in a simple and fun project. This is a great project for the kids.
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Thank you!
on our
20th Anniversary
from all of us at YOUR
Wild Bird Center! We couldn't have done this without you! Twenty years is a long time in anyone's book and we owe our success to you -- our customers, compatriots, fellow birders, and friends. A hearty thank you to you all!
Steve, Wendy, Marlene, & Bill
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Welcome to "Boulder Backyards"
Wild Bird Center of Boulder adheres to a strict privacy policy that means your information will not be shared, sold, or otherwise distributed. If you do not wish to receive any further eNewsletters with Offers and Resource information, click the "SafeUnsubscribe" link at the bottom of this page. We value your relationship!
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12th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count: Feb 13-16, 2008 
The Great Backyard Bird Count is
coming to your backyard! This citizen science project in coordinated by the
Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and National Audubon Society to encourage
everyone to count and document the birds in their backyard, local park, or open
space. Then using a home computer the results are submitted to an online
database where records are stored and studied for trends in population
change and movements.
Last year Boulder County
citizens submitted 183 checklists and counted nearly 70 species. Boulder and Longmont
led in participation but people from 12 municipalities in the county counted
birds. As expected Canada
geese, house finches, house sparrows and dark-eyed juncos led in total numbers
counted, whereas killdeer, northern shrike, and ring-necked pheasant accounted
for single sightings. You can do as little as fifteen minutes, or count birds
on all four days.
To participate log on to: www.birdsource.org/gbbc/howto.html.
The website has complete instructions on counting the birds in your  backyard.
Or give us a call at (303) 442-1322 and we'll be happy to answer questions on how
to get involved. This is a great way to help kids to learn about birds and the
value of science in their lives.
On Saturday, February 14, the Wild Bird Center will be tallying birds for the
GBBC during the Saturday Morning Birdwalk from 7:30am to 10am. Come join us as
we inventory an area and help to document Boulder County's
birdlife.
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----- Coupon ----- Coupon ----- Coupon -----
Birds Choice
Recycled Squirrel Feeder Munch Box
Sale $24.99
Regular $42.99
$18 Off
Mention CODE WBC0211. Call (303) 442-1322 or bring in to redeem. Some restrictions may apply. Not valid in combination with other promotions. Expiration date: 2/28/09.
----- Coupon ----- Coupon ----- Coupon -----
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Are You Bird-Brained?
Are you bird-brained? I know I am. Not in that sophomoric, simpleton way, but because I am always thinking about birds. Birders have ways of letting their interest pervade their lives. Roger Tory Peterson, famous birder and artist, used to  keep a life list for all the birds he heard in movies. As another example, I always bird watch during church. Sometimes I can hear birds on the outside, other times I just listen for the mention of birds in the sermon and hymns. Birds are used as symbols in almost every venue of life; sports, literature, music, or business. I have not attended one worship service where I have not been able to find a reference to birds. I know someone who dreams about birds. Most of his dream birds are real ones, but sometimes they are avian fantasies. So are you bird-brained? Here are a few things to consider to see if you make the grade.
- Do you have more than one life list? Backyard, county, state, TV, nest, or some other list concerning birds. I have a friend who bands birds and he has what is know as his 'bird fondled list' for all the different species he handles while banding. You may be philosophically opposed to listing, but 'no birder is entirely listless'.
- Do you consider bird watching when you go car shopping? Do you need four wheel drive, passenger room, a sun roof, or fuel economy in your vehicle to increase your bird searching.
- When someone yells 'duck' do you cringe or look up?
- Do you pay attention to bird shadows as you walk? Better yet, can you identify the bird from its shadow before you look up?
- When you visit a new city, do you head for the dump and the water treatment plant?
- Are you familiar with the terms basic plumage, coverts, brood parasitism, eclipse plumage, malar, or zygodactyl.
- Do you have more than 6 bird feeders? (In case you are wondering, I have about 16)
- Can you name more than three color morphs of red-tailed hawk?
- What does April 15th mean to you? The day you have to get your taxes done, or the day the hummingbirds return to the Front Range?
So how did you evaluate yourself? Are you bird-brained? Did some of the above ring true for you? If you read this newsletter on a regular basis, I would say you qualify as bird-brained. In the future, hold your head high and proudly announce that you are bird-brained. |
 Reflections on 20 Years: Serendipidy
When I was looking for space to start the Wild Bird Center twenty years ago, I wanted an older building with double hung windows. At the time, there was a product on the market called an Aviarium, a one-way plexiglass feeder that fit in a double hung window. The birds actually would come 'inside' the house so you could get a really close look through the one-way glass without them seeing you. We had two of them set up at the old store location on Pearl Street.
A few months after I opened, a very curious bird showed up. It was a melanistic male house finch. Melanism is the opposite of albinism, this bird was jet black. In the Aviarium, you could barely see the faint red streaking of a male house finch underneath the dark pigment of its feathers. It was a beautiful bird.
One day I was inspecting it closely and a couple walked into the store. I quickly called them over and told them about this incredible little bird. They were fascinated. It turns out that they had been life-long nature enthusiasts and were just getting into birding and bird feeding. The sighting of this unusual bird showed them just how fascinating the world of birds could be and how much there is to know. They were hooked and we often visited about birds at the store after that encounter.
A few months later, the gentleman came in to buy another pair of binoculars. He wanted a pair for watching raptors, a particular interest of his. We got several pairs out of the cabinet and went out on the porch to really check them out. We had it a bit narrowed down, when a golden eagle showed itself. I thought 'now that's lucky'. He was getting excited about the possibility of his new binoculars as he watched this eagle. This is just what he was wanting them for. After about a minute of watching, a peregrine falcon came by and decided that he did not like the golden around those parts. He started stooping on the eagle to drive it away. I grabbed one of the binoculars myself. As the falcon approached, the eagle would 'barrel-roll' to expose its talons to the falcon coming in from above. This went on for about a minute with the eagle rolling many times. Finally, the birds dispersed and we were both very excited - what a show. I thought ' if he doesn't buy those he's crazy. Look what you can see through them!' He did buy them.
This couple was Cliff and Marlene Bruning. Marlene has worked for me now for about 15 years and Cliff also worked for me for about 5 years. We have seen a lot of birds together since seeing that odd house finch, but we still talk about it often. It's funny how something so small can peak your interest and grow into something much larger.
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The Bald Falcon
Bald eagles are huge, majestic creatures that have surprised me on many occasions. Perhaps, it's because I'm in the Ben Franklin Camp of thinking about them as lazy food stealers and opportunists, not sturdy, hard working, industrious birds like the wild turkey. Several years ago, I was driving on Old Stage Road in a Chinook wind that was blowing about 60 mph. I looked up to see a bald eagle flying into the wind and making good progress. I thought, 'Wow! Now that's a strong flyer'. So my image of them has been changing more favorably.
starling vs eagle  Last week a customer and raptor photographer/expert, Rob Palmer, photographer for the new book "Falcons of North America" by Kate Davis, brought in some amazing bald eagle photos. He had heard about bald eagles catching starlings out in Platteville near a feed lot. Sure enough, several bald eagles were hanging around the feed lot when he went to check the report. The group would harass the starlings in flight who naturally flock into a tight ball as a defense while flying. If any bird split off from the starling ball, it would be chased after and caught on the wing by one of the eagles. Eagles are not known for catching small birds on the wing. That is the realm of the falcons. However, starlings are not built for maneuverable flight either with their short tails. So in this instance, the eagles are able to out-fly the starlings and catch some lunch. Amazing! |
Contact Info:
Steve Frye, Owner (303) 442-1322
Wild Bird Center of Boulder
1641-28th Street Boulder, CO 80301
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