One of the most abundant birds in North America is making its way back to Wisconsin this month. Male red-winged blackbirds will be returning to wetland areas first to stake out their territories. They will then spend about a quarter of each day defending those territories from avian and non-avian intruders alike. Within a month the more drab brown females will join them. Their nests will soon be woven in the reeds and cattails near Minister and Sunset Lakes, and filled with four bluish-green, brown-streaked eggs.
Did you know? One male red-winged blackbird usually has several mates in his territory. However, males are opportunists that will pursue additional females as well. He isn’t fooling anyone though. While he is otherwise occupied, it’s not uncommon for his mates to breed with intruding males. In fact, 25-50% of the young in a male’s territory may not have been sired by him!
Learn more: Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Hear this bird's song
The gray squirrel’s smaller, more aggressive cousin has spent the winter tunneling under the snow in search of stored food. During this season, male red squirrels are actively fighting over territories and their warning, “cherrrr” call is once again heard in the woods. After a pair of red squirrels mate, the female will make a nest in the cavity of a tree or construct one out of leaves and sticks on a high branch. In about a month, 2-5 young will be born, and by May we might catch them out and about exploring the woods. Sometimes, a second litter of young are born later in the summer.
Red squirrels especially love pinecone seeds, and large piles of shredded cones are evidence of their favorite feeding spots. Such piles of food are called middens. Red squirrels will also eat buds, fruit, nuts, mushrooms, insects, and even bird eggs and nestlings.
Did you know? Only about 25% of baby squirrels survive to adulthood. Their longest lifespan is 7 years in the wild.
Learn more: Animal Diversity Web
As spring birds begin to return, here is an interesting technique that you can try to get a closer look at them. Just make sure to use this trick sparingly.
What is Pishing? Pishing is a sound that birders make to encourage birds to come closer. It sounds a lot like the "sssshhhh" noise that we make when quieting someone, just add a 'P' sound to the beginning.
Why Does it Work? When small birds find a predator nearby, like an owl or hawk, they group together and mob (chase) the predator off. Pishing may sound like the noises these birds make when driving away a threat. The noise then attracts other birds curious about what's going on. Pishing is best done when you are hidden by trees and can hear or see a bird in the distance and want it to come closer. Pishing doesn't attract all birds, but chickadees and nuthatches are good responders. The next time you're on a wooded trail at CWES and hear a chickadee nearby, try this birding trick out!
Learn more: http://www.bsc-eoc.org/download/BWCfa05.pdf
Spring is on its way, but there is still not much green to be seen. There are, however, two evergreen species of fern at CWES that have remained green year-round: the intermediate wood fern and the polypody fern. Intermediate wood ferns can be found near many of the forested trails at CWES, and the polypody fern can be seen clinging to the hillsides (especially near the firebowl). Flip over the fronds of both of these species and look for the tiny reproductive spores underneath.
The leaf of a fern, from tip to root, is called a frond. The small leaflets that make up the fern frond are called pinnae. Ferns reproduce using tiny clumps of spores called sori. A fern will drop millions of sori in its lifetime, but only a few will land in a spot with just the right light and moisture to grow.
Did you know? Ferns have been around since before the time of dinosaurs!
Learn more: Ferns of Canberra
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