The wrens are fine and perfectly healthy! And one of the parents of the birds just fed the babies right outside the window! And if you happen to have a bird nesting near you with chicks in it, don't hang around it too long, because if the mother smells you on her chicks, she'll abandon them, and then, well, you know, the chicks will be no longer. In other words, they'll die. And if you happen to have abandoned chicks or orphans, call your local wildlife rescue. If anyone can help, they can!
xxRapid Turtlexx
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Wren Babies!!!!!! Yay!!!!
Oh my goodness!! :-D Two days ago Dad found a Carolina Wren nest with little chicks in it. Yay!!! I'll have some pictures of them up soon, hopefully. They gave us quite a scare, too, because the mother wasn't in the nest Saturday night, and we didn't know whether or not the chicks were alive. But Sunday morning we saw the mother flitting back and forth, getting food for the chicks. I think there are four that are still alive, and one that's dead. :-( But from what I can tell, the four that are alive are well and dandy! Their little peeps were so energetic, I just had to smile at them. I'll try to give updates at least every other day or so.
xxRapid Turtlexx <3
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The Eastern Grey Squirrel--
The Eastern Grey Squirrel is native to the eastern half of the United States, as well as some of Canada. It has been introduced to non-native lands, such as England, some other parts of Canada, Italy, and South America, as well as Australia. In Australia, however, the squirrel population is being maintained. In Great Britain, the grey squirrel has been invading the native lands of the red squirrel, which lives in Great Britain as well.
As their name implies, this species is grey, although it sometimes has patches of brown, white, or it can be albino. Some sources say that there are colonies of albino squirrels in Ontario, Illinois, and North Carolina, although it may or may not be true.
Mating season is twice a year, in December-February and in May-June (which would be about now, at least where I live). Litters have about 2-6 young, but sometimes can have eight. The gestation period is about forty-four days, and young leave the nest after about ten weeks.
They eat a variety of things, like berries, tree bark, seeds, and, what they are most famous for, nuts. They are also infamously known for stealing seeds from bird feeders.
They have a conservation status of least concern.
Sources:
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Canada Goose--
The Canada Goose - sometimes mistakenly called the Canadian Goose (I know some people might call it a Canadian Goose because when I was younger I myself called it one! ;-) - is a large bird that is known for migrating in the winter. You can distinguish it for its recognizable honk! and V-shaped flight patterns in a flock. Its head and neck is black, except for a white patch much like a beard. It kind of looks like a bald guy with a beard. The females are often smaller than the males. The base of its neck is white. Most of the body is light brown.
In the summer, they can be found in most of Canada, as well as the northern United States. Year-round, you can find them in the midwest and in areas east and west of it. In winter, the Canada Goose is found in all of the southern United States and a teensy bit in north Mexico.
They are mostly herbivores, but will sometimes eat insects and small fish. When on land, they will eat grass, and also lots of grains, such as wheat, corn, barley, and others. In urban areas, they have been known to get food out of trash cans. When in the water, they feed on seaweed and silt, and sometimes small fish.
They have a "Least Concern" conservation status.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Goose
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/canada-goose/
http://www.ducks.org/hunting/waterfowl-id/canada-goose
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Ruby-throated Hummingbird--
 |
| Female |
The ruby-throated hummingbird is a small bird, with a wingspan of 8-11 cm (3.1-4.3 in) and a length of 7-9 cm (2.8-3.5). Only the males have the little red patch on their throat. The females usually have no throat patch, though some will have a white-ish throat patch. The females are also generally larger than the males. They are solitary creatures, and all ages of both genders are aggressive and protective of their territory. The only time two birds will be seen together is if they are fighting, but more often it is mating. The females are the sole caretakers of her young, until they are 22-25 days old. Then the young leave the nest.
 |
| Male |
They love to feed from hummingbird feeders.
The ruby-throated hummingbird has a conservation status of least concern.
Sources:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-throated_Hummingbird/id?wspapp=12227116744&gclid=CPzHq7PNua8CFc6a7QodWFzghA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby-throated_Hummingbird
http://www.hummingbirds.net/rubythroated.html
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Carolina Wren--
Thryothorus ludovicianusThe Carolina Wren is a small, stocky bird that is mostly brown, with a white belly, white "eyebrows," and white specks on her back. Their range (---->) is most of the eastern United States as well as some of Mexico, including the Yucatan Peninsula. This Wren is a small (being about 4.5-5.5 inches long [12-14 cm] and weighing less than 20 grams [0.75 oz]), but vocal bird, though only the male makes a song. The females don't sing, though they do make other noises, in case of danger or something similar.
When a male and female mate, the relationship lasts for life. They will be in the same flock forever, and in mating season they will be the only ones to mate with each other.
They like to live in highly vegetated areas, scavenging for insects and fruit. They will live up to about six years in the wild, but in captivity one reportedly lived to be 23 years, though that has not been proven true.
Sources:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Carolina_wren/id
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/carolina_wren/lifehistory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolina_Wren
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/carolina-wren/
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Tufted Titmouse-
Baeolophus bicolor
The Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) is a bird native to the eastern United States. The Tufted Titmouse has recently begun to expand its range Northward, and it's breeding nicely. He has a "Least concern" conservation status. He is in the same family with Chickadees and other species of Titmice.
He has a distinctive grey tuft or crest on the top of his head. Under his wings there is a little bit of brown. He's grey on top and has a white underside. Why am I calling it a he? I don't know, I guess it just looks like a he to me. His eyes are a pure black, with a more faded black ring around the eye, giving the appearance that the eye is bigger than it is.
Much like a Carolina Chickadee, the Tufted Titmouse nest in a cavity in a tree's trunk. Sometimes, many birds will stuff themselves inside one nest and some birds might even suffocate because so many birds are in this cavity that they can't get out. It's quite sad, to me. He prefers to live in mature trees, not saplings. Deciduous forests are ideal for this bird's habitat, but he will live in suburban areas if there are older trees available.
He is a very active bird; when foraging for food, he will jump from branch to branch, hang upside-down, and even hover in midair when collecting bugs, berries, etc. He eats almost anything small enough for him to eat, such as berries, insects, snails, seeds, spiders, nuts, and seeds. His flight is fluttery, but not up-and-down-y; he tends to remain level.
His song is a high-pitched peter-peter-peter. He does not migrate, remaining a permanent resident wherever he may live, but he does flock with chickadees and nuthatches.
There used to a be different bird, called the black-crested titmouse, but it turns out, the Black-crested and the tufted titmouse are the same, it's just that the black-crested has, as the name implies, a black crest instead of a blue-grey one.
Sources:
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