Poinsettias and the season

Poinsettias (however you pronounce it) have been a symbol of the holiday season for many decades. I love them! The brightly colored part of the plant, however, is not the "flower", it's the leaves (or technically the bracts).

In nature, the Poinsettia is a shrub or small tree that grows in Central America - mainly Mexico. The 3 - 6 inch leaves can be red, pale green, cream, pink, light orange or white. Contrary to urban legend, the leaves are only very mildly toxic; to the same degree that acorns are toxic. They only cause harm if someone eats hundreds of them (who would?).

In its native Mexico it is often called "Bent El Consul" or "the Consul's daughter", referring to the former U.S. ambassador Joel Poinsett.

Marbled Godwit

An incredible record has been set by a small, unusual-looking bird - a Godwit - the Bar-tailed species. Scientists recorded a migration flight of 7,257 miles between Alaska and New Zealand - diagonally across the entire Pacific Ocean. It was done without resting along the way, across nothing but water, non-stop. 

Exploring squirrels' trickery with burying nuts

Everyone knows that squirrels bury nuts to eat later. However, researchers have discovered that squirrels often play tricks. They'll dig a hole, then NOT bury a nut in the hole. When a squirrel knows that something or someone is watching, and digging up nuts a moment later, he may dig a "fake" hole. This way he could discourage the watcher and get him to give up (maybe a BlueJay or even another squirrel).  A squirrel may even re-bury a nut, in the same or another place, to make it harder to pilfer.


Some common birds sing at a higher pitch when living near a highway, or a similar noise-producer. This way, they can be heard above the low-frequency noise of traffic. If the same bird travels to a quieter, more natural setting, he or she switches back to the customary, low-frequency song.

Dark-eyed Juncos have arrived from the "Boreal Forest"

Junco

The Junco that has just arrived in north Texas for the winter was probably born in the Boreal Forest. The "Boreal Forest" is a big chunk of southern Canada (and a tiny bit of the U.S.). Unfortunately there's a lot of "tar sand" there too,  which is being excavated. The forest is the birthplace of 3 to 5 billion birds each year - many spending fall and winter in Texas, like Juncos.

There are several regional kinds of Junco. But by far the most common, and the only one abundant in north Texas, is the Dark-eyed Junco (it has black around the eyes, of course).  All kinds are botanically identical.

Bad weather (whether rain, cold, wind or ice) means that birds seek shelter - a place to "roost".  Birds roost at night too, whatever the weather. Ground-feeding birds such as Juncos, roost temporarily in tall prairie grasses or low shrubs.  Shrub-nesting species like Cardinals and Mockingbirds, roost in dense, evergreen shrubs.  Cavity-nesters like Titmice and Chickadees may roost in an old nest or unused birdhouse Almost all birds like to roost in a brushpile* (old tree limbs and branches) you've built. 

 *If you want to find out more about brushpiles, and how to build one,
 just send me an e-mail

Barn Owls are common in north Texas

Barn Owls

Since Barn Owls are nocturnal, however, you may not see them. Interesting trivia:  A researcher with too much time on his hands tracked a Barn Owl as it moved around during an 11-day period. The owl (mainly in pursuit of food), travelled 827 miles, but ended up just 162 miles from where he started.  All owls stay roughly near where they were born, for their entire lives.

Building a nestbox for Barn Owls isn't hard. Just make sure there's enough room inside for lots of nestlings. A good plan is at http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/barnowlboxes2010.pdf   The Barn Owl (along with the Great-horned Owl) feasts on rodents - up to 5 per night.

Barn Owl

A group of owls is called a "parliament".  Also, owls have roughly twice as many bones in their necks as humans, so they can rotate their heads 270 degrees, a valuable tool when hunting. A typical adult Barn Owl can eat about 1500 rats a year, in exchange for very inexpensive housing.

Chickadees sometimes have an identity problem

Carolina Chickadee

The species of chickadee we see here in north Texas certainly has a black "cap". But it isn't called a Black-capped Chickadee. Ours is the Carolina Chickadee, a year long resident.

It's a small bird, but one of the bravest I've seen (it's almost always the first to try out a new feeder or roosting area). Our Carolina Chickadee looks pretty much the same as the Black-capped Chickadee, but I'd wager they can tell the difference (a major difference is the songs).

Carolina Chickadee

Common Loon

Did you know there are Loons in Texas?  The Common Loon, normally associated with Canada and northern U.S., winters near large lakes, where the water stays unfrozen, so it can get to its diet of small fish. Loons can dive about 240 feet underwater, and swim on one breath for about half a mile.

Meticulous yard-cleaning is going to get rid of birds

Olive Sparrows

Dark-eyed Junco

It's time we relegate the myth of "fall cleanup" to the trash bin. Many, many songbirds depend on "yard leavings" to find shelter and food during north Texas' cool months - much like a bird living in a natural forest.

The majority of north Texas' wild birds are attracted to an unkempt yard - Wrens, Juncos, Brown Thrashers, Towhees and all our 12 species of native Sparrows, to name a few.
Of course, some accommodations need to be made for the humans living there too. At our house we clean up a portion of our yard, and let nature take its course in the rest of the landscape. We're constantly rewarded with visits from birds of all kinds.



The Macaulay library at Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology has  collected thousands of bird sounds: they're accessible through their web site - www.birds.cornell.edu/macaulaylibrary . Their first recording of  birds was made back in 1929, and many, many have been added since.

Blue Jays can "squirrel" away several acorns at once

Blue Jay

The common Blue Jay we see in north Texas can pick up and fly with several acorns at a time.  Very efficient!!

He can carry one or two or three (depending on the nuts' sizes) in its mouth and throat.  Also, at least two more in expandable "pockets" on the outside of its throat.

The jay carries them away and hides them for later - just like a squirrel.


If you're thinking about buying a child a pair of binoculars for Christmas, that's a wonderful, lasting gift!! However, please avoid buying a toy pair, which has terrible performance, usually breaks right away, and sours the child on pursuing other "nature stuff" in the future. Keep these criteria in mind;

1. Choose binoculars where the distance between the eyes ("IDP") adjusts down to 50-55 mm.  2. Steer clear of choosing extra-high magnification, and toward a wider field of view, so the child can see a wider area.  3. Avoid a compact model made for an adult's hands. These almost always have smaller focusing dials.