Wild Bird Center of Boulder Saturday
Bird Walks
Bird Watchers (that's us)
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.
Call for more info: 303-442-1322
Most Recent
Saturday Bird Walk Count
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2012
Saturday Bird Walks Slideshow
Since we changed the format of reporting the Saturday Bird Walk List (link) this summer, we have been adding photos each week of the birds we saw on our walk. Many photographers have been kind enough to share their images every week for our enjoyment. I think the images we have taken so far are fantastic, especially considering the constraints of taking them on the Saturday walks. If you are a photographer/ birder, please come out with us some Saturday morning and help us share the wonderful things we see with everyone.
2012 Saturday Bird Walks Slidehow
Lazuli Bunting
©Alison Sheets
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Irruptive Finch Forecast
People make predictions about all kinds of things and birders are no exception. Click on the link below to see a report about the possible movement of irruptive finches- these are birds in the finch family that range erratically in the winter months. These birds respond to different environmental factors such as food availability and snow depth. When conditions are favorable they might not travel at all during the winter months and other years during harsh conditions they may irrupt hundreds of miles from their normal wintering grounds. In addition, other birds like bohemian waxwings are irruptive and this year is giving some indications that we will see flocks of bohemians this winter in Colorado.
eBird
Ron Pittaway's Winter Finch Forecast 2012-2013
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I recently came across this website and was intrigued by it. The BirdFellow Website is a field guide with basic information about all North American species, but it is also a site there you can ask
birding questions and connect with other bird watchers. One aspect that I really liked was the capacity to organize and collect all of your personal bird photos. Since we started adding photos to the Saturday Walk List this has become more of an issue for me.
So check it out, you might want to start a personal field guide.
BirdFellow.com
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Wild Bird Center
of Boulder
Quick Links
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Xcel Energy
Bird Cams
One fun way to participate in the lives of local birds is by viewing Xcel Energy's
Web Cams
Owl Cam
Osprey Cam
from Earth Cam
Osprey Cam
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Birding Community Bulletins
 National Wildlife Refuge Association
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Contact Information
Steve Frye, Owner
Wild Bird Center of Boulder
1641-28th Street
Boulder, CO 80301
(303) 442-1322
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Northern Shrike with Impaled Grasshopper The Watchful Butcher by Scott Severs (reprinted from Jan 1995 Newsletter)
As we enter the heart of the winter months, the avian visitors in our yards settle into a regular pattern of stopping in periodically to take advantage of the free offerings at our feeders. House Finches tirelessly pull sunflower seed from the tube feeder; jays fly in for a peanut or two; chickadees and flickers chip away at suet cakes; and juncos scour the ground in search of millet and pick up sunflower dropped by the finches. Suddenly the yard explodes with flight. Birds scatter in all directions-some launching straight up and away from the yard, others darting to the nearest shrub for cover.
What caused so much disruption? A predatory songbird called the Northern Shrike. If you are familiar with mockingbirds, you might note that shrikes have similar coloration, with white patches on black wings and white bordering a black tail. Soft gray feathers color the upper back and head. Unlike the mockingbird, the shrike has a black mask and a distinctly hooked beak. The Northern Shrike is a circumpolar species and can be found in the northern reaches of North America, Europe, and Asia. In Europe it is known as the Great Grey Shrike.
Northern Shrike Shrikes behave like birds of prey as they hunt from a perch high above the ground waiting to spot a bird, mouse, or insect. Their keen eyesight is almost as strong as that of raptors, and allows them to detect prey at
great distances. As soon as the prey is spotted, the pursuit is on. A shrike will use a quick burst of speed to catch up with a bird in flight, then knock the avian prey out of the air with a blow from its sharp beak.
Sometimes shrikes use their feet to push prey to the ground. Unlike hawks, shrikes don't have talons; they use their powerful raptor-like bills to finish off their quarry. Two months ago, we watched a shrike trying to dispatch a House Sparrow on the sidewalk outside the store in just this manner. It had pushed the sparrow to the ground under the feeders and was tearing at the sparrow's throat with its raptor-like beak. All the while, a group of other house sparrows surrounded the pair only inches away while giving sharp warning calls. Before the scene could play out, someone came around the corner between the buildings and the shrike let go of the sparrow and all flew away. Northern shrikes have even been documented preying on blue jays!
The Latin name of the northern shrike, Lanius excubitor, roughly translates to "watchful butcher." Also known as thorn birds, shrikes often carry their prey to a hawthorn or barbed wire fence and impale the food on the barb for later eating. After finishing their meal, shrikes disgorge pellets of indigestible feathers and fur, much like owls do. Analysis of northern shrike pellets from southern Idaho show that shrikes eat great numbers of insect prey, as well as, mammals and birds. In terms of biomass, small mammals like voles made up the greatest part of their diet.
Shrikes overwinter in open areas containing riparian corridors or with interspersed trees. American Kestrels and Northern Shrikes have very similar winter habitat and prey preferences, what biologists call niche overlap. With both species competing for resources and space, it leads to aggressive behavior and posturing between the two species.
There are two shrike species that appear in Colorado at different times of year. In winter, Northern Shrikes move down into the lower 48 from Canada. The size of the population here is related to the numbers of mammal prey to the north of us, with greater numbers of shrikes coming south in 'low mammal' years. In summertime, Loggerhead Shrikes replace Northern Shrikes. They eat mostly grasshoppers and insects and will occasionally take small lizards, mice, or small passerines. The observer with a watchful eye may be rewarded with sightings of these incredible predatory songbirds in the backyard this winter. If you want to search for the watchful butcher this winter one of the best places in Boulder County is Sawhill Ponds.
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology): Northern Shrike
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Wild Tree Day Sat, Dec 1st 10:30 am - Noon Have the whole family join us to make edible ornaments for your backyard friends. You can make peanut butter pine cones, fruit loop garlands, millet sprays, apple hangers, and more to decorate a tree in your yard for the birds. This annual happening is a free outdoor event so come prepared for the weather. No reservations required, just drop in during the time slot and take away something nice for your birds.  |
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Book Signing
"Kissed By A Fox" by Priscilla Stuckey
Sat, Dec 1st 10:30 am - Noon
Wild Bird Center of Boulder Customer and local author Priscilla Stuckey has written a book about connecting with the natural world mentally, spiritually, and physically. Priscilla is coming to the store for a
book signing! The signing is happening concurrently with Wildlife Tree Day so bring the family down for Tree Day and pick up a copy of Priscilla's book for yourself or as a present.
Review of Kissed By A Fox
by Priscilla Stuckey
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The Best of the Best
$4.00 Off 25 or 40 lbs Bags
of Oil Sunflower
Sunflower is the best all-around seed. It attracts the greatest number of birds and the greatest variety. Stock up for the cold!
Mention this Coupon to redeem or visit our store.
Call (303) 442-1322
Not to be combined with other offers.
Offer expires 12/15/12.
----- Coupon ----- Coupon ----- Coupon ---
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"Full Chase Mode - My 2011 Big Year"
A Presentation by John Vanderpoel
(local famous birder and videographer)
Tuesday, Nov 27th 7:15 pm
Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder
5001 Pennsylvania Ave., Boulder
John has some great tales to tell from his yearlong adventure chasing birds all over the continent. Also, John's bird images are fantastic. Come see John's presentation for the Boulder Audubon Society, you won't regret it. All are welcome. Grand Holiday Sale 6:00 pm Before John's wonderful presentation, stop by the Holiday Sale and pick up something for your naturalist. Great things will be on sale including natural history books, jewelry, treats, bird feeders, vintage Audubon Prints, and even birding adventures. This sale is a benefit for the Boulder Audubon Society and some of the proceeds will go towards restoration work in the county. The Wild Bird Center will also have a booth there to help out Boulder Audubon. 
Harris Hawk ©Steve Frye
Click to Enlarge
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Bird Photos Bring Joy to All
This summer we changed our bird walk email sent out every week to include photographs of birds. These photos are almost always taken on the walk itself which adds a great dimension to our postings. I need help getting more (and sometimes better) images, so if you are coming on the bird walk please bring your camera and send me your images. After the walks please send the images as soon as possible so I can get them out in the emails. The address for sending images is WBCBoulderCO@aol.com. Please include your name so we can give you proper credit. To see some of the fantastic images from the summer go to our archive or check out our facebook page. Again, thanks to all who have shared their images. I know that many have enjoyed them.
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Thank you for all of your support from all of us at YOUR Wild Bird Center!
We couldn't have done this without you! Twenty-three 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 & Bill
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