Finch Feeding Frenzy!

Bird Watcher News March 5th, 2013

Local Bird News

Many cavity nesting birds like Bluebirds, Wrens, Nuthatches, Chickadees and Titmice are already scouting out nest boxes, and a few have even starting nest building! Make sure your houses are cleaned out and ready for new tenants! Kennesaw customer and AAS Master Birder
Angelia Jenkins
has a webcam installed in a box occupied by a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches.
The photo above is a still shot from the cam, and you can watch it LIVE by clicking here.
The birds have been very busy adding pine bark and other materials to the box, and now the female is creating a depression for eventual egg laying! Thank you, Angie, for letting us share this with our other customers!

Yellow-rumped Warbler
numbers are building this month. We have them chipping all over the yard, squabbling with each other at our suet feeders like hummingbirds! Birders are also reporting
Purple Martins
all over the state. These birds are returning from their winter homes in South America!

Some Goldfinches have already started molting to their bright yellow summer plumage. They will be gorgeous in a month or so - and then most of them will leave, and you will finally be able to afford other things like suet and mealworms! ;)

Kids at Camp TALON

The 8th Annual Youth Birding Competition

will take place

April 13-14th.

Kids in grades K-12 can compete. This is a fun, free competition and you do NOT have to be an expert to compete! Teams can even use the event to raise money for the conservation organization of their choice! Hurry - registration ends

March 31st.

Click Here

for more info!

Hi Birdwatchers!
Pine Siskin photo by Richard Hall

Are you going through huge amounts of Niger and Sunflower Seed? Do you feel like you spend more to feed your birds than to feed your family? Are you experiencing Goldfinches galore and Pine Siskins aplenty? Well, you are certainly in good company! It is an irruption year for finches and we are seeing big flocks here in Georgia this winter. But what does that mean?

The American Goldfinch is a year-round resident in the northern half of our state. If you look at their range map, you'll see that they breed from mid-Georgia all the way up into Canada in the summer months. They prefer more rural areas in summer where they can find thistle down to use in nest building, so don't be surprised if you see fewer goldfinches after early May. In winter, many of those northern breeding Goldfinches move south in search of more plentiful natural foods. Our busy finch season runs from December to April. Pine Siskins, on the other hand, breed much further north, in open coniferous forests of Canada. In winter, they move south in search of foods also, but most years will not reach as far south as Georgia.

Irruption occurs when a species has a very successful breeding season up north, but there is not enough food available to support the increased populations, so they expand their typical wintering ranges. Lucky us! It is fun to see so much activity at our feeders, but with the increase in numbers, remember to keep your feeders as clean as possible to prevent the spread of any harmful bacteria like Salmonellosis. If you are seeing any sick birds, visit Cornell's website for some helpful tips.

Need a Little Relief???

Now through Sunday, use this coupon to take 15% off your entire purchase of Cole's!

Not valid on prior purchases. One coupon per customer.
Online customers use code MAR13 at checkout.

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