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Home My WebLink AboutMay 27, 2004 - Making a splash at the bird bath Ma 27, 2004 • The Suffolk Times � s -� � ~ � � �� _� � � � °, cn � � � � � -� _U � � �� U in a in � � o � � � � � � � � � �� -� . �, �, �� a e � r a � � � o � � � � � � � � � � -� oo � �.� � .� � ��, o � � � �,�, � �� .� � y �� o � o � U �nY�. �" '% r '",,,�, ,�„„ -� _ � "� r„�tib, �rm, � �� "'w+i 1"� y �"�� . W°� ��Y ��a �` �„'� r' �� 7 �, Cn � x��' ��p�' � . � ili�y,y � C � � w '�{ �rµ""4� � + i �r`,r� . O � � Q �' �� O N r�k �� w �' . 6 .i �p � � �°�n � „r„ � � Q �l �' "� " � ''u�,'�w^Y� y��''"" �� = N �+ w� � u �� ' � (� . FO��r7 , � rr��1 , h�,� " .w�� , � � l� %� O � � �� ,, ��' � � u � �� 3 w� � � , � '� �Y o" +� ,�, i 'a�`", p � � � G ` � N � � '�� 5�� qTU R t � � '�� by Paul ,,,, � ,� �, ,� � � ':�' '`� � � ; ' '�� u c� � � ° � Stoutenburgh . ,�� ,��p��„„�V�� ,�r��, �'�� -� n ,�� H, ,;� � � o ro , „ �,� � � � � � , :,� ' ��r � ,i o � � � � �r`��.r � "� o :�;,,.� � �� ,� , � � � � . �, '� w �, `� v" � � � '�v i �� " u, � � � �"��.� y � Nu�, Id�� "�l y d.A ,� � �rn7d�, � U � � �,* ' �J� � µ...„� � �,� a„y � � ^� � i � (� n �` ,.-� „�,.� � � � O � �� M ��u�� ' � � Q �� L � � �� O � � � U �� N�or �n i[ naosT�mportant t mgs watch. I we stay quie ,we can see edars.These clumps of evergreens 3 a� -a o � .� ai to do il ou want to attract birds to the birds come in and bathe. could be around your property or off � � � � your back yard is to put out water in When we were down there the in some vacant lot.So long as there � a�i � �~ u, � o p� some form or another.Usually peo- other day we saw quite a collection are evergreens about,you'll find 15 � 3 � _c ple use a standard birdbath,but for of birds in the space of half an hour. or 20 pairs of grackles nesting in � o �� some reason these birdbaths dry up We had taken two old plastic chairs them. �� very quickly.You might we got at a yard sale for a dollar Their nest is a bulky affair and is � o � � want to use something larg- apiece and put them a little distance guarded by the pair,who will be up y�, o > er that you can place on th from t he bir d bat h,w hic h is a longsi de an d on t he a t tac k to de fen d t heir � � � � ground—the larger,the our driveway in the woods.There we area.So if you see a crow being bom- � � � � better. sat and waited with binoculars and barded and dive-bombed b a small- � � c� � camera in hand. er ird,it could be a grackle,or it Q � � We decided years ago, mi ht be a red-win ed when our kids were young, The first bird to come in was a g g blackbird, � � � � nois boss rackle.We were so close both of which came to our birdbath � � � to build an oversized bird- Y� Y g d � -- o� bath.We made it out of to where it landed we could see its to bathe.How they do throw the � -� �.c oncrete,with chicken wire big yellow eye.Grackles are black water around! 3 0 � � or reinforcement It was a father/son hirds with longish tails.The bird itself �e grackle is probably one of the � � � is c uite lar e as bi as a robin,but most common bir ds east of a � � � project and has served the birds ancl 1 b � g �, o .�, us well through the years.This long, mc�re streamlined.You've probably the Rocky Mountains.IYs �, a� °- � shallow,trough-like cement basin �ccn them on your lawn,in your gar- an opportunist and will eat � � �� really does the job of attracting the den or in the woods.Right now whatever is in front of it,b � � o .� the rc buildin their ncsts in clum s it a grasshopper,the birds.We can count on it so much Y' � p� that we often go down to sit and of ever�recns such as our native farmer's corn, bread ou � i r " �iq�l rri� li u i�G � � The next to arrive was the oriole. ° �'� � ',� ° � , '�� % � � � ,� " �� , ,r� '` ,,"�," �,'�, yl��i He's been singing his heart out tr in �^ ,�,� "��" y � �' a „ � ��/�� ti y ii �llr/��H�„�rp�� y y g �� ' �' � '�� , '� � ., � � �";�� ; �;� ;��9in �, G to attract a female.What a dazzling . �'' � �' �� ; .�" � �'� �j, ,�� , �� , �, �� a � � w ��*� n� �� , �� hu�,;; ,��l"�'� ,,,� bird this is,with its orange-and-black , , r"' '' r��z . �r"�ai "',� �'4" � �;" ,N�� % i�7� �" �, � /� '��, ��'' �.•, '" �� " � TTlOtI��1011 We a�1llO8t gOt t0 6ePr f�1C �r,��; � �� , "�� ,� �� ' great crested flycatcher take a bath. �� ti� ,� � � �. �°� le's been in our woods and has been ;, � u� � � � ��:�'� � '� � �,� � � �"� � � ��y � � �"�� ,r� calling in its rather raspy voice for � � „.y � �� ti��„�,,„��"�� tl�e past week.It came in,and took � ; � „ n ,„^�' �'�`,,�,�;� � ��" � one look at us sitting there and � ,� � w , ��. � „��" �� A '�� '�� ,��° �� clecided it was not the time to bathe, y�,�� , � � � � � � d"��"w"' u a%d�ii �� '� %" '°�� '4�� y�'�`"w�itl�i�`,,� SO lt tUl'I1P�Cl BIICl tOOk O�. �" ' ` � � While sittin near the birdbath my '* � ��, � ti x �,,� �,, ��, , �+� ��w�« �� ., ��,n,rda r: �u M� � � F 1x/' r"'„�� ,��l��M1�' ^" g ��',�'��' � � �, '�_ � '�� .� �� y"""� �� cy�s wandered to the underbrush, �� o ,�fi ,� �r �� Nm N,,� "� '� � ti �M � ';�M �, M,�� " ��;r�" �' � "ti,ti%�,�;:� �` '��,� � `� ''"�""�' ,� , <ind there was one of our true wild- '° y/� ,M!u�.,"�"�I%�r��` ,n �'��i'�qy � �" � .r�� IIOWP�I'S,tlle f�1�S8 SOIOIT1011'S-SP.1I,W1tI1 ,�� k� ,�� °�� „,��,o, � x'��„�,��`��,��y,,,� its head of creamy-white flowers just � �� , � �� , ��u�� ►r �'��`� opening on its long,bending stem. ' %9�4N �l �„ ti�i�� ,� � �i ° �� , � �,� �' � �, Later it will form a cluster of red �� r.,-�� "„�" , �,;� � ��r � i, °�� " '�b��'"�'�:•. » „ berries.Years ago I planted some � � "�� " - � u��j � �""�'"��5;, "� �� Ma a les another wildflower, ' , � ��; , , Y PP - � ��1,�, , ��, ,,, ,��- ' i�µ r'--� �;A,�, :, - �. ' � � around the pond.They came up again Times Revlew holos b Paul S(oulei�bur�h th1S y011',Wltll tY1011'C1211C8t0 8IIC1 fTa- grant single white blossom hidden t row out on the back and soft grasses knitted together,in below an umbrella of leaves.After lawn,killifish in the shallo the form of a small cup. they blossom a seedpod will appear waters,and even the fiddler The yellow warblers are having a that looks like a miniature apple, crabs found in our salt problem.They are being parasitized hence the name.I only hope it seeds marshes. It also has the really nasty by cowbirds,those notorious birds and propagates again for next year. habit of robbing birds' eggs and that sneak in and lay their eggs in We've been lucky.So far each year young from any nest it can find. other birds' nests. Cowbirds are they have survived and passed on Basically the grackle's body is black, becoming a real problem,particularly their seeds to the waiting earth. but when the light is just right a in one place out west,where the I put goldfish in this big birdbath beautiful iridescent blue-green color endangered Kirkland's warbler nests. to keep the mosquito larvae down. can be seen,particularly around the (It's the only place this warbler The oldfish do a good job of that. head. nests.)There the cowbird has become The only problem is The other bird I mentioned that such a destructive element that teams when a kingfisher or loves to take a bath is the red-winged of people go out searching for the green heron somehow blackbird.His red-orange epaulets he nests of the warbler and remove the finds my birdbath and used so blatantly to attract the interloper's eggs. comes in to enjoy a female are starting to wear away.By The cowbird hangs around until the meal of goldfish. I've the end of the summer you'll hardly host finishes her nest building and is had to cover a section be able to see those magnificently getting ready to lay her eggs,then it of the pond with chick- colored shoulder pads he can erect so slips in and drops its single egg in the en wire to give the fish effectively. nest just before the warbler lays her half a chance.Other- Another visitor to our birdbath was eggs.Then,when the eggs hatch out, wise the kingfisher and green heron the dainty and beautiful catbird. the cowbird is the first tc • ch �>ct- have a captive meal awaiting them. They're in pairs now,one chasing the ting a head start on the it's far too easy far them to pick the other with the hope of better things young warblers.The goldfish off,so the screen is essen- ahead.Catbirds nest in the low result is that the young tial. underbi�ush,not too far off the warblers don't get much We had another warbler,called a ground. to eat,as the cowbird Parula warbler,stop by.It was lightly Of course,there are always robins hogs all the food and colored blue,with patches of yellow about.This member of the singing becomes strong and on its body,a nice addition to the thrush family is starting to wind bold.It often pushes the swimming hole for birds.Like most down its call that has worked so well other young birds right warblers at this time of the year,it's in attracting a mate.Yet there are out of the nest.The cow- only here for a short time and then some robins that haven't paired up a� bird will do this nasty trick nine'to 10 will move on to the coniferous forests yet and are still singing their hearts times in a wide variety of nests. to the north. out,especially in the early light of a At the birdbath a redstart stopped 'I'hese and many others.are here for new day. in to bathe.This black-and-orange lit- us to enjoy.All we have to do is sit at To add a flash of color,a yellow tle jewel used to be quite common on their bath,make sure it's full of warbler dropped in,quickly took its the North Fark.Like the yellow war- water,and watch.You can see just by bath and was gone.This is one of the bler,they nest in our area.I've pho- sitting alongside our big birdbath few warblers that stay around and tographed them in East Marion, we've had quite a list of bathers.Then nest in our area.I remember photo- behind Brecknock Hall.They're jit- there are the regulars—the bold graphing a nest in Mattituck,by the tery little birds that are always on the blue jay,the noisy titmouse,the dain- railroad tracks,back in 1954.It was move,a true characteristic of war- ty chickadee and others.All visit to the most erfect nest,made of down blers. take their bath.