Blog - Wild Birds Unlimited of GPW

Cedar Waxwings

Posted on January 15, 2020 by Rosann Kovalcik

Cedar Waxwings – An Introduction How fabulous-looking are Cedar Waxwings? The plumage appears soft and perfectly groomed. The facial mask is so striking. The wings have tips that appear as if they have been dipped in bright red wax. The bird has an elegant look, its tail edged in yellow, its head topped with a feathery crest. Winter is a great time to look for these birds as they eat fruit. You’ll find them travelling in flocks, often congregating near trees with berries. My most recent experience with Cedar Waxwings was at Ira Township Park in New Baltimore. A group of 45 of them attracted my attention, sitting in the sunshine at the tops of trees. They flew down a few

Where are the Juncos?

Posted on January 9, 2020 by Rosann Kovalcik

Where are all the Juncos? We have had a number of customers recently ask where the Dark-eyed Juncos have been. Many have not yet seen them at the feeders this winter. My best experience with Juncos this year has been when we had a recent small snowfall. They were perched on the stems of plants I leave up all winter to provide seeds for the birds. Now that we are not experiencing snow cover, the seeds available to Juncos make their visits to our feeder less of a necessity. I have been missing their subtle gray coloration and their white “snowy” bellies. I also love that their two outer tail feathers are white on each side, looking like a cheerleader

Christmas Tree – Artificial vs. Real

Posted on November 21, 2019 by Rosann Kovalcik

Tradition vs. Change What a beautiful tradition it is to bring the outside within our homes at the holidays, featuring trees, wreaths and garlands. Who doesn’t have a photo with the family in front of the Christmas tree? The choice we make as to whether we buy a real tree or an artificial one does have an impact on the world our birds call home. Manufacturing these trees requires fossil fuels. This means, when they are trashed within a landfill, they will not decay. Overseas manufacturing and shipping processes also leave a large carbon footprint. Sounds like a real Christmas tree is the most environmentally friendly answer. Grown right here in our state of Michigan, the trees produce oxygen while

Fascinating Blue Jays

Posted on August 12, 2019 by Rosann Kovalcik

Blue Jays – The Sights and Sounds I find Blue Jays to be fascinating – I’m listening to them now as they sing out their “tootle-oot, tootle-oot” from the oak tree. They have such a rich complexity of vocal sounds. The same can be said about their plumage, a rich complexity of blues of every shade. Such a handsome bird with both males and females looking alike, their faces framed by a dark collar. Perhaps one of their finest features is their crest, raised and lowered at will depending upon their mental state – up when alert, feeling territorial, and down when there’s no reason, giving the back of the head a little “flair”. The Brains Jays play an important

Where Have My Goldfinches Gone?

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Rosann Kovalcik

Where have my Goldfinches gone? This is a question that we hear often at the store this time of year. Goldfinches nest later than many other birds in our area. When they establish their territories, they don’t allow other pairs in that area. So, unlike the spring when they were migrating through in large numbers, you will have one pair that calls your yard part of their territory (if you are lucky)! Nesting Prep The male advertises his territory with a beautiful, long, sweet melodic song. Part of the territorial behavior consists of him flying in large circles around the area, singing as he flies, advertising that the area is his and available to one female to share with him. This

Decluttering Your Bird Feeders… Or Not

Posted on March 25, 2019 by Rosann Kovalcik

Much has been written about decluttering lately. And so, of course, my thoughts turn to bird feeders. A common bit of wisdom regarding decluttering is to ask yourself if an item brings you Joy. Cylinder Feeders When I fill my cylinder feeder with a new No-Mess seed cylinder, I notice Blue Jays coming in groups. Perhaps the first jay to discover the gleaming peanuts will stand atop the pole and give a little bounce up and down as he calls to the others in his tribe. Then the hammering begins; the birds’ feet holding on tightly, their heads moving back and forth, excavating each peanut with precision. Then off the Jay flies to a branch to eat its prize. Or maybe it plans

Winter Tree Birds

Posted on February 4, 2019 by Rosann Kovalcik

After spring and summer, the majority of birds in Michigan leave for the south. Their instincts pull them to return to wherever they have a full diet of insects and fruits. Those winter birds that stay for the colder months are marvels at finding food. What can they possibly eat? How do they find food? Chickadees: The Flock Masters Whenever I hear the calls of Chickadees in winter, their “dee dees” catching my attention, I know to look for them if I want to locate other winter birds. The Chickadees are what I call the “Flock Masters”. Very hardy and inquisitive, they are usually the first to locate a food source, whether natural foods or those found at feeders. Other

Bird Spotlight: Long-eared Owl

Posted on December 2, 2018 by Rosann Kovalcik

An Owl Appears I can still hear the excitement in my friend Debbie Graffius’ voice as she explained what she was seeing. She was looking in her yard at a large owl with ear tufts. She knew enough to know it was not a Great-horned Owl. At this point, I grabbed my binoculars, as there was only one answer. I quickly headed to her house in the north part of Grosse Pointe Woods (not far from Lake Shore). Sure enough, perched on a limb open to the sun, yet protected by surrounding evergreens, was a Long-eared Owl. When Debbie’s husband John returned home, his photography skills came into play. Some excellent shots of this comfortably roosting owl resulted. A Little

Red-breasted Nuthatch, A Predicted Winter Visitor

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Rosann Kovalcik

Red-breasted Nuthatch on Squirrel-proof Feeder (photo by Glen Noyer) Have you noticed Red-breasted Nuthatches in your yard or at your feeders this year? I have a pair that have been visiting since the fall and they are such a Joy to watch and to listen to, sounding like little squeak toys. Irruption This movement of Red-breasted Nuthatches to our area is called an irruption, a movement of a bird species from their usual wintering grounds, predicted based upon lack of food supply in Ontario forests. Listen for their nasal “toot, toot, toot” and check out the cones of evergreens. You may be rewarded with a look at these 4.5” birds, their striking eye line running from their beak to

The Joy of Feeding Birds with Seed Cylinders

Posted on August 27, 2018 by Rosann Kovalcik

What type of bird food satisfies birds, is easy to use, keeps birds in place for longer views and leaves no mess to clean? The answer to all of the above? Seed cylinders! One of the true benefits of owning the local Wild Birds Unlimited is that I get to try out all of the products! Seed cylinders are convenient as they are held together with a natural gelatin, easy to unwrap as well as easy to place into a feeder. With a tray on the feeder there is no seed on the ground which is certainly a benefit when trying to avoid mammals under the feeders. Seed cylinders are available with a hot pepper coating so that they won’t