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Bird watching is for everyone!
One of my many interests is bird watching, a hobby that is versitile enough for anyone. Whether you just like to watch them while drinking your morning coffee or you enjoy sloughing through remote jungles in search of a rare bird, this activity holds many rewards.
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Cool bird of the month:
Winter Visitor...
In the southern United States we have some birds that only visit us in the winter time. Others we see merely passing through on their way from breeding grounds in the northern part of the continent to wintering grounds in Central and South America. One species that comes down and resides with us a while is the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) We can see signs of the yellow-bellied sapsucker all year round because their foraging habits leave distinctive scarring on trees and woody vines... relatively uniformly spaced lines of holes. Some trees are almost completely covered with these scars. These markings are caused by the drilling of "sap wells" by these birds. They will create holes in the bark of trees that produce sweet saps, let the sap run, and then return to drink from the wells. They will also consume insects that are attracted to the running sap. I've seen sapsucker holes on some pine trees and the only reason I can think for them to drill on those trees is for insect capture, unless of course there are some individuals who LIKE the taste of turpentine! Some of the common species used by these birds that I have seen are tulip poplar, sweetgum, and in some areas rattan vine, although in addition to the the occasional pine I have seen several ironwood trees with the wells (ouch, headache for the birds) In their breeding range hummingbirds have been known to drink from sapsucker wells since the species would overlap at those times. When we have sapsuckers in the southern United States hummingbirds have left except for a few overwintering individuals. Take a look at these sites
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker- USGS
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker- Cornell
Appalacian Subspecies
Species List by Habitat
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International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD)
Every year the second Saturday of May is dedicated to promoting awareness of the needs of migratory birds. In Louisiana you might want to start celebrating early. The Gulf Coast is the place to be during spring migration and the action begins in earnest during April. This area is the first landfall for many of our returning bird migrants after their arduous journey across the Gulf of Mexico. To help clebrate, find an IMBD activity in your area. The Louisiana State Arboretum's monthly Birding Hike falls on this day. Informational and decorative posters, T-shirts, educational materials and many more items are available to individuals and groups who wish to participate in this event. These materials can be ordered from the official IMBD web site.
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Need Birding Gear?? Try this link!
American Birding Association The site for the American Birding Association. A great resource for information as well as equipment from field guides and check lists to tripods and binoculars.
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