Archive for July, 2010

Books at USABirdSupply.com: A Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

By Christine A. Smyczynski
A Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies
One of the books featured on USABirdSupply.com is “A Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies: A Peterson Field Guide” ($21.99). This guide book features descriptions of over 500 species of butterflies, as well as 100 color photographs and 541 color paintings.

The original guide was written by the late Roger Tory Peterson, considered one of the world’s greatest naturalists. This revised edition was updated by several experts, including Michael O’Brien, Paul Lehman, bill Thompson III, Michael Diorgio, Larry Rosche, and Jeffrey Gordon.

This pocket size guidebook is perfect to take with you when you observe butterflies in the field. However, you can also use it to identify butterflies in your garden. If you want to increase the amount of butterflies in your yard, start by researching the types of plants and flowers that attract the butterflies you want to see. Refer to the guide to see which butterflies live in your region.

Then you can plan your garden, figure out how much room you need and the number of plants required. Some may be annuals, while other perennials. Butterflies like the sun, so be sure to choose a sunny location in your yard, as well as plants that like full sun. The area, however, should be sheltered from the wind. For the health of the butterflies, don’t use pesticides on your flowers or plants.

Now sit back, with your book in hand, and start watching for the butterflies.

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Birding Along the Seaway Trail Part 2: Presque Isle in Erie, Pennsylvania

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

by Christine Smyczynski

This article, the second in a series of 17 that focus on the various birding sites along the 518-mile Seaway Trail, describes the Presque Isle area in Erie, Pennsylvania. Presque Isle is a Pennsylvania State Park which is located on a 3,200 acre peninsula about 4 miles west of downtown Erie. This 7 mile long stretch of land has sand dunes, landlocked ponds, and marshes which are used by migrating birds.

It is a National Natural Landmark with many unique habitats which are home to many species of wildlife, some of which are endangered, threatened, or rare. About 320 species of birds can be found in the park; about 45 of these species are considered endangered or threatened. Some of these include the Cerulean Warbler, Piping Plover, and Rusty Blackbird. Purple Martins also roost by the thousands near beach #11 and in the cattails near the water treatment plant.

Presque Isle is listed as Pennsylvania Important Bird Area #1 by the Pennsylvania Audubon Society and it has been rated one of the best places to bird watch in the United States by Birders World Magazine. One of the more unique areas at Presque Isle is the Gull Point Natural Area, which is actually closed to public use April to November to preserve the natural habitat.

To find out more about Presque Isle, stop by the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at the entrance to the park. The center has interactive educational exhibits about the area, as well as a gift shop, cafeteria, and a 75 foot observation tower overlooking Lake Erie. Other activities at Presque Isle include 11 beaches, 11 miles of hiking trails, 4 boat launches, fishing areas, picnic facilities, two lighthouses, bike rentals, fishing areas, and even scenic boat tours.

The annual Discover Presque Isle Festival is scheduled for July 23-25, 2010. The event features a variety of activities and entertainment. For more info see www.discoverpi.com

For more information about the area, see the following websites:

www.visitpaparks.com
www.visiterie.com
www.trecpi.org

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Summer vacation and your backyard birds

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

By Christine A. Smyczynski

Ah summertime…..time to take it easy and perhaps hit the road for a week or so. But wait, what happens to your feathered friends when you are away? Who’s going to fill your feeder and clean the bird bath?

In an ideal world, you’ll have a friend, relative, or neighbor willing to step in and care for your backyard birds. But what happens if they are unwilling or unable to help out? Well actually, the birds will do just fine, as they are wild creatures and they know how to adapt.

Considering it is summer, their natural sources of food are plentiful, so they will not starve. Most people put out the feeders for the pleasure of watching the birds. If your bird feeder wasn’t there, the birds would still find enough food to eat. They will look elsewhere for food. Keep in mind that birds usually feed from several feeders in the neighborhood, so they will find enough to eat.

So, should you fill up your feeder when you leave or take it down? If it’s a nectar feeder, definitely take it down if no one is willing to care for it, as this type of feeder needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. If you have a seed feeder that a smaller bird could get trapped inside, you might also want to remove the feeder too, as you would not want to come home to a feeder with a dead bird inside.

When you return, put the feeders back out; the birds will return, especially at the end of the summer, when the natural supply of food, such as seeds and insects, starts dwindling.

If no one is going to take care of it, your bird bath should also be drained and put away, as you would not want it to become a bacteria-filled breeding ground for mosquitoes while you are away.

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Birding along the Seaway Trail: Pennsylvania Borderlands

Friday, July 16th, 2010

By Christine A. Smyczynski

This article, the first of 17 that will describe birding sites along the 518-mile long seaway trail, focuses on the Pennsylvania borderlands. This area is located along Lake Erie by the Pennsylvania/Ohio border.

In this area you’ll find State Game Lands #314, which encompasses 3131 acres, including 1.5 miles of shoreline along Lake Erie. It is the longest stretch of undeveloped shoreline on the lake between Toledo, Ohio and Buffalo, NY.

Located within the State Game Lands is he David M. Roderick Wildlife Reserve, which is noted for its bird watching. It is on a major north/south migration route in the spring and summer. Hawks, eagles and songbirds can be seen, along with wild turkey and pheasants. For more information on this area, visit www.pgc.state.pa.us

Also in this region is the 540 acre Erie Buffs State Park, in east Springfield, PA. Dedicated in 2004, it is Pennsylvania’s newest state park. Located about 12 miles west of Erie, it has scenic vistas of the lake, along with one mile of undeveloped shoreline. Eighty species of birds can be found here, including bald eagles. The park has the largest colony of Bank Swallows in Pennsylvania, with more than 3,000 nesting here.

In late May and early June you’ll also find Cerulean Warblers nesting. Wood Thrush and Woodpeckers can also be found at Erie Bluffs State Park. There are currently no marked trails at the park; they are in the planning stages. The parks also do not have facilities, such as restrooms or picnic tables.

If you’re interested in learning more about wild birds, browse USA Bird Supply’s selection of wildlife books.

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Seagulls: Nuisance or helpful bird?

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

SeagullBy Christine A. Smyczynski

Seagull- the name means “ravenous seabird” in Greek. During the summer months seagulls seem to be all over the place looking for something to eat, for example, when you go to the beach, have a picnic, or attend a ball game, they seem to all be swooping down, trying to grab your lunch. Most people think of them as a nuisance, especially since they seem hell-bent on dive bombing your food. In addition, their droppings are corrosive, a problem in some areas. Recently, a shopping plaza in Alberta, British Columbia had to temporarily close due to heavy droppings.

Seagulls, actually a misnomer because some species live inland, are scavengers that gather where food is available, in picnic areas, parking lots and garbage dumps. However, seagulls are actually being helpful when they scavage, as they gather up dead animals and other litter that could be harmful to humans. They also eat fish, rodents, clams, shellfish, french fries, bread and anything else they can get their beaks on.

Seagulls are found all over the world, except for some areas in the central Pacific and Southeast Asia. There are 43 species of seagulls worldwide. Locally, the Niagara River region has the largest and most diverse concentration of gulls in the world; 19 individual species have been found in the region. When they migrate in mid-November, some people come to the area just to watch the gulls.

* If you’re bored with the humdrum tone of many natural history books, pick up the humorous Down and Dirty Birding: From the Sublime to the Ridiculous, Here’s All the Outrageous but True Stuff You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About North American Birds by Joey Slinger.

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Step Back in Time at Hawk Creek’s Wild Renaissance Fest

Monday, July 12th, 2010

By Christine A. Smyczynski

Travel back in time to the days of knights, royalty and peasants at Hawk Creek’s annual Renaissance Festival. This event is Hawk Creek’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Hawk Creek Wildlife Center, one of the largest not-for-profit outreach and raptor rehabilitation sites in the state, is only open to the public four times a year for special events. The Renaissance Festival takes place on July 17, 18, 24 and 25 from 11am-4pm.

This event features period re-enactors, delicious foods, a free flying bird show, period entertainment, an art auction, and more. You can also learn about the ancient art of falconry; hunting with a bird of prey, which was done in Europe by nobility during medieval times.

You will have the opportunity to interact with wildlife up close and walk with the eagles. In addition, there will be Barn Owl releases each day. Barn Owls are one of the rarest raptors in our area.

There will be a special appearance by Jared Miller from the TV show Animal Explorations, with 2 shows and autograph sessions daily. A concert by the Irish rock band, Stonerow, is scheduled for July 17 from 5-7pm. (There is a separate charge for the concert).

Be sure to bring a camera and dress for the weather, as the event happens rain or shine. In consideration of the animals at Hawk Creek, please leave your pets at home. Admission is $14 adult, $11 senior, $8 children, and $32 family. Parking is free.

Hawk Creek Wildlife Center, 655 Luther Road, East Aurora, NY. 716-652-8646
www.hawkcreek.org

Interested in learning even more about raptors? Browse our selection of wildlife books on USABirdSupply.com and check out Hawks From Every Angle: How To Identify Raptors in Flight, featuring beautiful full-color photos taken by Jerry Liguori.

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