The Miracle of Travel From a projected high of 80 to a projected low of -30 in one day!

Last Thursday, I left Texas, where summer had the audacity to come creeping back before it was even Valentines Day.   The day I left, they were expecting temperatures in the 80’s.  I was headed to Rhode Island to help a friend recuperate from knee replacement surgery.  Rhode Island, along with a good half of the country, was bracing for record-breaking lows from this latest Polar Vortex.  Here with the wind whipping at some 35mph and a temp of -9 we got to brag of a 36 below wind chill bringing us the coldest day since 1984.  Literally, how cool was that!  Remember, I LOVE weather. 

But this is what was fascinating.  I know, I have read, I understand, that birds prepare for the mating season, not by the temperature around them, but by the increasing amount of day light. This weekend I had that confirmed in spades.

In my last blog, I believe I mentioned that the territorial calls, separating my yard into “who would nest where”, had already begun in January.  The “fee-bee-fee bay” of the Carolina Chickadee that I have in TX, was noticeably on the uptick when I left.  That seemed fitting, as already our short-lived, to non-existent, winter seems to have ended.   

Then arriving here, with the cold whistling down right behind me, what is the first thing I hear in her backyard?  “Hey cutie, hey cutie” or maybe it sounds like “fee-be, fee-be-be” to you. The Black Capped Chickadees territorial call, a signal that here in RI the flocks would soon be breaking up as pairs looked about for their nesting trees.  Fact confirmed that moving toward nesting time has nothing to do with temperature.

I know I have written countless times about chickadees of one species or the other but it is because there is no easier bird to watch than this friendly, first-to-any-new-feeder, bird and their behavior is so clear to see.  Due to their “not afraid of you or me” attitude, they come to any place you put your feeder, even if you have one of those “stick to the window” kind.

 Consequently, from your toasty spot with hot chocolate in hand, you can relax and watch the “Dominance Show” or the “ First Responder Show”. The latter happening whenever a threat in the form of cat or hawk enters your yard. Listen for a string of excited “dee dees” to end the “chick-a-dee-dee”.  The more “dee dee’s ”at the end, the greater the danger.

Dominance is clear to see by who gives way to whom.  All that supposed politeness of just taking one seed at a time, and flying off, is a pecking order thing, not an Emily Post attribute.  Watch for awhile and you will see how a second arriving chickadee either displaces the first, meaning it is the King Pin, or the first holds its ground and the other veers off to wait its turn.  I had never thought of even the side of the feeder being dominance related but the Cornell Ornithology site has videos of the lower ranking chickadee being relegated to the windy side of the feeder.

 Because, chickadees and titmice often occupy your yard together, you will see that the larger Tufted Titmouse will generally displace the chickadee.  Watch, as spring approaches to see how the larger flocks settle out into mating pairs and then, seeing two chickadees feeding at the same place in peace will show you who the Mr. and Mrs. are.   No need to pack the bag for Borneo and some exotic wildlife expedition, it is all happening right there at your feeder. 

In Texas because it already warm enough to have windows open, but not so hot that I have to shut them, I have a grand time listening to the local goings on through the open window.  Bird language truly exits, and several species will respond to one bird’s alarm, so an open window is like having a police blotter broadcasting out in your yard. 

Ah, but to go into that now would demand too much reading in one sitting on your part, so let’s leave it for another time.  Besides it is time to refill feeders.  My Italian desire to feed things seems to display itself more with birds than with people. Yesterday I brought home fifty pounds of sunflower seeds plus my friend has a peanut supply that looks as though she might be planning to take in Barnum and Baileys discontinued elephants.So we are all set to spend another cold day, with hot chocolate in hand doing our own bird behavior studies to see what the pecking order is with the resident turkey flock, crows, jays, squirrels and assorted small birds.

 

And so could you.  If you find yourself in the cross hairs of this or another, Polar Vortex and want the novelty of looking out your window at the world instead of at the screen in your hand, you too can launch your career as animal behaviorist; all for the low, low, cost of a cup of chocolate.  I highly recommend it.