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Welcome to BirdTracks® Online!
An email newsletter from
Wild Birds Unlimited for August 2004.

In This Issue:
 - It's Summer! Enjoy the Birds in your Backyard.
 - Take a closer look with optics from WBU.
 - Fun Facts - Chickadees.

It's Summer! Enjoy the Birds in Your Backyard.
Summer is one of the best times to enjoy birds and other wildlife in your backyard. With the fruits of your work - preparing your garden, cleaning your feeders, putting up nesting boxes and creating a source of water - your backyard should be abuzz with nature and a variety of colorful birds.

There seem to be so many more birds in the summer than at any other time of the year because the fledglings are fluttering about. Look for the young birds as they follow their parents to the feeder. The young may appear smaller and fluffier than the older birds, and you may see them with their mouths wide open as they beg the parents for food.

Some birds may be well into having a second, or even third, brood. Watch for robins and mockingbirds to dart in and out of trees and shrubs. This is a sure indicator that their nest is present. Try putting raisins and mealworms on a ground-feeding tray in your yard to entice them to take a snack.

Check your nesting boxes for chickadees, titmice or wrens raising families. Again, it's fun to place mealworms nearby for the busy parent. Goldfinches will be increasing their daily intake of seed in preparation for their late nesting period, so watch for great activity on your thistle feeders.

Providing a source of water is by far the best way to draw less common birds to your backyard, especially if there has been a long, hot, dry spell. Run your dripper or mister consistently and you might be able to lure thrushes, warblers and others.

Enjoy your summer, because a new season of birdfeeding is just around the corner. Ask us how you can increase your enjoyment of backyard birdfeeding by stopping by the store for a chat with our Certified Birdfeeding Specialists.

Take a closer look . . . with optics from Wild Birds Unlimited
When was the last time you really took a close look at the birds coming to your feeders? With quality optics from Wild Birds Unlimited you'll certainly be amazed at the things you can observe!

Consider the woodpecker that's outside on the WBU suet feeder; it's probably the same one that's been coming around for years. It's an old friend, so what could you possibly see that you haven't seen before?

Well, how about its tail feathers used to prop itself up against the feeder or the tree? When you observe a woodpecker as it lands, you'll notice that it uses its long tail feathers to brace himself. The woodpecker's unique tail is just one of its many natural adaptations you can witness as it visits your feeders. Our Certified Birdfeeding Specialists love to hear about your observations and will be excited to help you take a closer look with a variety of binoculars and other optics available.

Fun Facts - Chickadees
Chickadees are found across much of North America. The more common species include the Black-capped, Carolina and Mountain Chickadees. Have you noticed the following about chickadees in your backyard?

• Chickadees are easily identified by their namesake call "chick-a-dee."
• They are a favorite feeder bird for many and really enjoy sunflower seeds.
• They are inquisitive and found in wooded areas.
• The Black-capped generally sings out a "fee-bee" call while the Carolina sings "fee-bee fee-bay;" however, this song is learned and, in overlapping territories, may be learned from the "wrong" bird.
• Chickadee's wing beats are about 27 times per second. This compares to a hummingbird's 80 beats per second.
• They are cavity nesters. They will excavate their own nest site in rotten or decaying wood, use an old woodpecker hole or use a nesting box. (Mountain chickadee may not excavate its own hole and will nest under rock in a bank or in a hole in the ground.) They add a cozy nest on a moss base.
• Usually lay 6-8 white eggs with a light reddish-brown speckling. They hatch in about 12 days and fledge about 21 days later.
• Research has shown that while Chickadees are regular visitors to feeders, only 75 to 80 percent of their food comes from natural sources. However, when the temperature falls below 10 degrees, the survival rate of chickadees almost doubled when they had access to feeders.
• Chickadees are a tough little bird that do not migrate. During cold weather Chickadees have been found to need twenty times more food than they do in summer.
• They like to eat seeds, suet and even coconut.
• Chickadees weigh less than one-half of an ounce.