 The choice of location is generally more protected that the one in these photos. Generally the nest is protected from the weather (this one is not), often in the forked branch of a tree, along thin plant branches or sheltered in bushes. So this photo depicts the branch with the nest; it is the bottom most branch, nearly dead center of the photo. If you look closely, you can almost see the MOMMA HUMMER.
 The path where the Anna's Hummingbird has built the nest is a walk-through to a storage area so I had to block it and put up a sign. She sits still as stone when we get close and we will try very hard not to go through here. Apparently it takes 14 days for the babies to hatch and then 3-4 weeks before they fledge.  I am particularly fond of ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRDS and have done a series of watercolors in my Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/listing/176283496/watercolor-bird-ornament-hummingbird?ref=shop_home_active_5
by Alexandra Sanders AKA LadyWhoLovesBirds Gifts for Bird Lovers
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 I have fond memories of going to the park with my children to feed the ducks. The ducks gobbled up whatever we tossed out. This was years ago. Then it came to light that certain foods were not good for ducks: raw rice apparently can puff up once ingested and potentially clog the intestinal track; yeast can cause an array of problems, moldy foods can cause diseases. Now I am reading how young ducks and geese become deformed when fed a high carbohydrate diet OR too much protein. The deformity is called Angel Wing, also known as slipped wing, crooked wing or drooped wing. Angel Wing is a condition of ducks and geese where the last joint of the wing is twisted and the wing feathers point out, and do not lay smooth against the body. It primarily occurs in wild ducks and geese fed by humans. It is not life threatening and it can be cleared up by changing the diet. Read on to find out all about the dangers of the wrong food for ducks and how you can find gifts for bird lovers in your life.
WHAT NOT TO FEED DUCKS: The most common items fed to ducks and waterfowl are often the least nutritious and most unhealthy: bread, chips, crackers, popcorn and similar baked carbohydrate products and scraps as well as moldy foods. This human food has little nutritional value and can harm ducklings’ growth, pollute waterways, increase the spread of disease, attract rodents and other pests and in some cases cause death. This is junk food for ducks. POOR DIETS CREATE MANY PROBLEMS FOR DUCKS: Not only can junk food lead to excessive weight making it harder for them to fly and otherwise evade predators, in areas where ducks are regularly fed a poor diet, ducklings will not learn to FORAGE for natural foods as easily. Also, where an easy food source is abundant, ducks and other wild birds will lay more eggs and the pond or lake will become overcrowded. OVERCROWDING AND FEEDING A BAKED CARBOHYDRATE RICH DIET leads to greater defecation, and bird feces easily harbor bacteria responsible for numerous diseases, including avian botulism. Second, certain molds can cause aspergillosis, a fatal lung infection that can decimate entire duck and wild bird flocks. POOR DIETS FOR DUCKS CREATE PROBLEM FOR THE ENVIRONMENT: There is often pollution from both too many ducks defecating and the rotting of uneaten food which can create greater algae growth that can clog natural waterways. This concentrates the pollution and can eventually eradicate fish and other life in the vicinity. Rotten food also attracts rats and mice which harbor additional diseases that can be dangerous to humans. Fortunately, there are many other types of food that can be offered to ducks, geese and swans as part of a healthy and nutritious diet. Good Foods for Ducks: Wild ducks and wild birds can live longer, healthier lives by relying on natural food sources such as aquatic plants, seeds, grasses and insects rather than taking handouts from well-meaning humans. If you still want to feed the ducks – and doing so can be an enchanting experience – there are many healthier alternatives. The best foods for ducks are those that provide the nutrients, minerals and vitamins the are needed for healthy growth and development. Many of these foods are similar to the natural seeds, grains and plants the ducks will forage on their own. As OMNIVORES**, ducks will eat a great deal of different foods, and the best foods to offer ducks include:
REMEMBER, it is important to not offer rotting or moldy foods. Think in terms of what these ducks might naturally forage for in the wild: fresh grasses, seeds, insects, slugs, fruits, grains, etc. Duck feed pellets or alfalfa pellets are another great option, and they can be purchased from farming or agricultural supply stores. Turkey feed is too high is protein so steer clear of this option. **Describes a diet that includes both plants and animals. Omnivorous birds eat a wide range of things, including insects, fish, lizards, crustaceans and rodents (from animals) as well as seeds, grain, grasses, nectar and fruit (from plants). Omnivorous bird species often change their diet seasonally for whatever food sources are most readily available, such as eating insects in the spring and summer but switching to fruits or seeds in the fall and winter. Information gathered from assorted web sources on what and what not to feed ducks and compiled by Alexandra Sanders aka the LadyWhoLovesBirds  I have discovered a fabulous way to spend an hour or so relaxing outside. It really could stretch out longer as it is so enjoyable. I am using my iPhone App, iBird Pro, to call to the Birds In My Back Yard, whom I call the BIMBY: Birds-In-My-Back-Yard. Two days ago, I thought I heard some HOODED ORIOLES, but was unsure. I opened up my iBird Pro and started playing the different hooded oriole sounds that are within the program. Sure enough, within 3-4 minutes, I had 4 hooded orioles in the tree above me. They were so interested and came closer and closer.  Yesterday I had some GOLDEN CROWNED SPARROWS in the yard and did the same thing. This was so fun. One came within a foot of me. I also called TOWHEES and NUTHATCHES. The towhees responded but nothing from the nuthatches. I have not seen any this year at all. Miss their beeping. I realize bird calls are nothing new, I just have never done it before.  Today the CEDAR WAXWINGS arrived to sample the nectar of my wonderful eucalyptus tree. Cedar Waxwings emit this high pitched call and it is very apparent when they arrive. They left before I could get my iBird Pro out to call to them.  I had wonderful luck with the CHESTNUT BACKED CHICKADEES. I played the different songs and one of the birds came within a foot of me. So interested.
Article written by Alexandra Sanders, aka the LadyWhoLovesBirds  I had an epiphany the other day in watercolor class. I have been struggling with the basic watercolor concept of layering. I just didn't get it and kept mixing my colors on my palette and applying them. Then I happened to notice the beginnings of one of my classmate's designs in class. She had a bright yellow leaf on her paper but nothing yellow before her which she was using as her model. Her finished piece had no yellow whatsoever. Interestingly, my work with BATIK is all about layering. My color "palette" is decided ahead of time. If I plan to have green, then I start with yellow, same with orange; yellow must go down first. All of a sudden, something clicked. Here is my first piece with my new understanding. I like it!
   Wood ducks are one of the most beautiful birds on the planet, certainly the most beautiful duck. These birds live in wooded swamps. Natural cavities for nesting, such as holes in trees, are scarce, and the Wood Duck readily uses nest boxes put up around lake margins. If nest boxes are placed too close together, many females lay eggs in the nests of other females. They are one of the few duck species equipped with strong claws that can grip bark and perch on branches. Usually the Wood Duck nests in trees near water, sometimes directly over water, but other times up to 2 km (1.2 mi) away. After hatching, the ducklings jump down from the nest tree and make their way to water. The mother calls them to her, but does not help them in any way. The ducklings may jump from heights of up to 89 m (290 ft) without injury. ( all about birds) Then this is very interesting.....a study on wood ducks published this. A researcher was trying to raise baby wood ducks in similar conditions to nature & they were not surviving. He analyzed what he was missing & it was the jump to the ground just after hatching. Once he added that to the process - the hatchlings thrived. Apparently that jump & bump is critical & starts something working! Nature works in many ways... Apparently other ducklings do a similar JUMP. A banker is Spokane Washington saved 12 baby ducklings who one by one jumped off the ledge of a building some 20 feet up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-vQBMkkE1M It is unknown if these duckling NEED to jump and bump in order to survive! These appear to be mallards.   Cool Facts
 This is an interesting article where scientists studying why birds fly in V formation have determined they do so to conserve energy. This was done with the help of a group of bald ibises that were fitted with tracking devices. These ibises were hatched at Zoo Vienna in March 2011 and raised as part of a conservation project aimed at reintroducing the critically endangered species to its natural range in Europe. Some of the study’s authors served as human foster parents, taking the young birds on training flights in Salzburg, Austria. The humans rode in a paraplane, a lightweight aircraft that looks like a dune buggy attached to a parachute, and the birds followed. Eventually, the foster parents taught the birds their 600-mile migration route from Salzburg to Orbetello, Italy, by flying alongside them. The ibises made it to Tuscany in September 2011. They are expected to spend a few years there and then, if all goes well, migrate back to Salzburg this spring. I'll keep you posted.
Here is the link to one of the articles. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/science/bird-data-confirms-that-vs-help-save-energy.html?_r=0  This is a YouTube video put out by IFAW, International Fund for Animal Welfare and narrated by Pierce Brosnan about Whales, Dolphins and other sea creatures who are affected by high intensity sound. Very worthwhile video to pass along. It is a sad state of affairs when something that can be prevented is allowed to run unchecked. Let your voice be heard. Watch this video and share it.
The picture here was off of Capitola CA and was posted in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Please watch the whale video here. http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Pierce+Brosnan+whales+and+sonar+&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=pierce+brosnan+whales+and+sonar+&sc=0-15&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=75152E926DCDBA0B30C375152E926DCDBA0B30C3  Today apparently is International Poplar Bear Day. I ran across this article and just had to share it. It was put together by SaveOurEnvironment.org. So many fun facts. I had no idea that a polar bears skin was black, tongue is blue. This article says how far they can swim, how high they can jump, how fast they can run. Take a look!
www.SaveOurEnvironment.org http://soe.salsalabs.com/o/1/p/salsa/web/common/public/content?content_item_KEY=8770&track=2014_0227_Polar_Bear_Day |
AuthorI love birds; I love water; I love Alexandra Sanders
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