Loading...
May, 13, 1999 - Wanted: roost with a view4A • The Suffolk Times • May 13, 1999 Wanted: roost with a view Every spring there's a ritual per- formed out in my shop that hasn't changed for many years. It's the building and repairing of half of the 20 or so bird boxes I've put up throughout our prop- erty. Of course, the largest is that apart- ment box I spoke of last week that had to be put up in anticipation of luring this year's martins. I've already gotten three calls from people who have reported raccoons Focus in their chimneys. The reason I bring ON this to your atten- tion is that it has to do with the culprit by Pahl that is devastating Stoutenburgh my bird boxes. When will people learn we need to cover the tops of our chimneys with appropri- ate raccoon excluders? It's too late when you hear "funny noises coming from your fireplace." Then it's time to call in the experts (at a cost) to remove them. Like raccoons, many birds are looking for a home at this time of the year to rear their young and my job is to repair the boxes put out of commission by Mr. Raccoon. Seems he or she knows that inside those square man -made boxes lies a good meal..Usually the destruction comes during the winter, when foods are harder to come by. The scenario goes something like this: A deer mouse and others know that there is protection in those neat - looking little square boxes from the cold and rain of winter. After spending the summer months foraging around on the ground and doing what mice do during the carefree, warm days of summer, they look for a winter hiding place and my bird boxes fit that de- scription perfectly. They also know they have to store up a good supply of food to tide them over through the bleak days of winter when they can't get out and forage in safety. So now my bird boxes become winter havens for mice and their stored -up supply of nuts. We all know Mr. Raccoon is a pretty smart fellow and an opportunist of the first order, so when he spots one of these man -made boxes he knows there's a pretty good chance of finding a meal inside and naturally investigates. If his clever ever - inquiring hands can't reach the prize inside, he then uses his brute strength and literally rips the roof off the boxes or tumbles them to the ground, where if he is still unable to get to his prey, he'll gnaw away at the open- ing until he is successful, leaving my boxes completely wrecked. And so, the annual spring repair starts up. You might ask, "What birds are going to use those boxes anyway ?" My answer: A wide variety of birds could use them but usually those who live "in town" will find the common house sparrow is your main occupant. These little sparrows came from Europe around the turn of the century and are now found throughout the whole of North America. If the openings in your boxes are large enough you might well expect to find another immigrant, the starling, who, like the house spar- row, has become widespread throughott the country and a real opportunist in ac- quiring houses. He's a real bully and will chase out anyone that gets in his way. The farther away from the populated parts of town, the better chances of getting birds like chickadees, nuthatches, tree swallows, wrens, etc., and who knows? Maybe you'll even entice a bluebird to one of your boxes. Of course, there are always the woodpeckers who enjoy their own specially chipped -out cavities that they alone make in your old, dead limb or tree. Downy and hairy woodpeckers along with the yellow- shafted flicker and red - bellied woodpecker are the more traditional cavity nesters and usu- ally shun any of the man -made boxes. There's another group of larger birds that nest occasionally in specially made nest boxes, the little screech owl and the kestrel, our smallest hawk. Both can be lured to a box providing the opening is large enough (three inches). Some larg- er birds like the barn owl will nest in old barns and buildings and occasionally in water towers, but these owls are finding it harder and harder to find these out -of- the -way places to bring up their young. Some birds don't need any help from man whatsoever, for they build right on the ground. The bobwhite we hear call- ing from the nearby fields is a perfect the sharp- tailed sparrow that builds'its capped -over nest out on the salt marsh. Here's a bird that when you remove the salt marsh you eliminate the bird, a per- fect example of how extinction occurs when you have a bird that builds only in salt marsh habitat. In the deep woods you often hear the call "Teach -er, teach -er, teach -er" of the ovenbird, who builds its oven - capped nest on the ground. Years ago before houses surrounded us, we had this oven- bird build its nest in our woods. Through hours of observation and tracking I did finally find its nest hidden under a canopy of leaves. Another rare treat to hear is the call of the whippoor- will. Forty or 50 years ago it was a com- mon sound each spring, but as of late you have to go a long ways here on the East End before you hear that familiar "whip- poor -weel, whip - poor -weel" call. They, too, nest on the ground. It hardly looks like a nest for it's a mere depression on - the forest floor. The brown thrasher usually nests in bushes but not always, as a nest I found out among the pink ground cover at Orient Beach State Park can vouch for. It was a rare treat to find. Today the brown thrasher is becom- ing more and more difficult to find as its habitat Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh Some birds nest on the ground, others on the marsh, some even on floating mats In lakes, while still others nest In trees and shrubs. Some prefer to build In cavities in trees and man -made boxes. The picture above shows a brown thrasher nesting on the ground at Orient Beach State Park. example. All it needs is some shrubbery or bushes.to help protect its nest. This, along with its coloring, will camouflage it in the leafy mass. So it is with the female pheasant, who with her drab col- oring blends with the leaves and grass. Even the little song sparrow has its brown coloring so it is not easily noticed in its nest on the ground. No flashy col- ors for these ground nesters. One of the most difficult ground nesters to find, that I've come across, is Jfl.V• Full Service �eCCU good through May 29 Nail Care $5 off full set of nails M, Nail Boutique a Making Waves '5 off manicure with pedicure Susan Winters -P� Licensed nail technician ..:s Z µ Ma *n �oad,. Cwtchogue • 734 -7881 is being taken over by man. Probably the most common nest that. people are acquainted with here is the open tree or bush nest that both the robin and cardinal build. You'll find these around your home almost any- where — in your evergreens or the maple tree in the front yard. They'll build right under your window some- times and you'll not even be aware of their presence. The catbird and towhee are a bit more secretive, and build their nests in the woods away from people. We couldn't leave without mentioning the champion of all songsters, the mock- ingbird. It, like the bluejay, nests amongst the trees and shrubs about your home: Often, they go unnoticed for they, too, become very secretive during nest time. By now the mourning dove has built its flimsy stick nest in your climbing rose bush or any other spot that might fit its inclination. I even found one building last year in my son's birdfeeder and another time one built on the stern of someone's boat that was stored in a shipyard. Our not -too- friendly crow builds its well - hidden stick nest in the tops of evergreen trees. As we know, crows are noisy but come nesting time it's a differ- ent story. You'll not hear a peep out of them around their nest. They, like the bluejays, sneak in and out without any- one knowing they're about. '?'heir arch enemy, the great horned owl, doesn't even build a nest but uses an old aban- doned crow or hawk's nest. This largest of all our owls has already had its young and is probably feeding its fledglings away from the nest by now. Remember, the great horned owl starts nesting in late February and early March. I've only touched on a few of the See Focuq text page .2333'