How to Attract Yellow rumped Warblers with Homemade Suet Crumbles 2018

On Apr 16 2018 I had 8 of these male yellow rumped warblers eating suet on my back patio in Topeka Kansas. They are in their bright breeding plumage which is a sharp contrast with their dull winter plumage. Note the yellow patches on the side, rump and top of head. The white throat is indicative of the myrtle form which winters in the southern US. I only see them during winter and spring and fall migration as they nest further north. To attract them I sprinkle homemade suet on a table and on the ground. The suet also attracts robins, grackles and blue jays which scare off the warblers.

How to Add a Shelter Box to a Repeating Sparrow Trap 2018

The secret to catching house sparrows in a repeating sparrow trap is to have decoy birds in the trap. The problem with most repeating sparrow traps is the birds suffer from stress and die. They need shelter from predators, the weather, and a place to roost at night. By adding a shelter box to the trap, the trapped birds will remain healthy and in turn attract more house sparrows. Until I started using the shelter box I never caught house sparrows in this style trap in the spring time. Keep the decoy birds watered and well fed with cracked corn, millet, quick oats, and sand.

How to Trap Starlings in a Nest Box 2018

Learn to catch starlings in nest boxes using a VanErt starling nest box trap when starlings are seeking out nesting sites. The starling, also known as the common or European starling, is an invasive introduced species in North America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa & elsewhere. It is an extremely aggressive bird that outcompetes native cavity nesting birds and will destroy their eggs, young and even adults in order to use a nesting cavity. They are not a protected species in North America and can be legally trapped and eliminated.

Intergrade Northern Flicker Eating at Suet Log Feeder 2018

I spotted this unusual female northern flicker on Mar 3 2018 in my Topeka KS yard at my suet log feeder eating homemade suet. I believe this is a female intergrade northern flicker. It’s a female because it has no malar (mustache) stripe. An intergrade northern flicker is a mix of yellow-shafted and red-shafted subspecies of flicker. Yellow-shafted flickers are the eastern subspecies while Red-shafted are the subspecies of the west. Red shafted flickers have a gray face, brown crown and no red crescent on the nape as well as reddish feathers on the underside of the wings and tail. Male red-shafted flickers also have a red malar stripe (mustache). Yellow shafted flickers have a brown face, gray crown and a bold red crescent on the nape as well as yellow feathers on the undreside of the wings and tail. Male yellow-shafted flickers also have a black malar stripe (mustache). This bird has a grayish brown head but has a small red crescent on the nape. I believe it an intergrade having traits of both subspecies . If you agree or disagree feel free to leave a comment below the video.

Yellow-rumped Warbler Eating Homemade Suet Pieces 2018

On Apr 1 2018, there were 4 yellow-rumped warblers coming to eat homemade suet that I had sprinkled below a suet log feeder on the ground in my Topeka KS yard. They really like this homemade suet that is made from animal fat, peanut butter, quick oats, homemade cornmeal, and white flour. There were at least 3 male warblers which are getting their breeding colors. The duller bird is a female. Also watch for the grackles to show up and eat. It’s such a treat to have so many yellow-rumped warblers coming to the bird feeders.

Midland Fawn Lily Flowers 2018

These are the flowers of Midland Fawn Lily (Erythronium mesochoreum) growing in my Topeka KS yard on Mar 21 2018. Fawn lilies are members of the Lily family (Liliaceae) and are native to the central United States. Fawn lilies are also known as trout lilies with the name referring to the spots found on the leaves of some species. As is typical of the lily family the floral parts come in multiples of three – 6 in the case of the fawn lilies. It is a species found on prairies and dry woodlands. Unique characteristics of this species are spreading petals and few to no spots on the leaves. This species does not spread by stolon like some fawn lilies. Flowering individuals have two basal leaves while non flowering plants only have one leaf. Look for this plant in prairie cemeteries, prairie hay meadows and dry open woods.

Lincoln’s Sparrow Feeding 2018

On Apr 1 2018 I found two Lincoln’s sparrows in my Topeka KS backyard. We did have a winter storm that dropped sleet. Lincoln’s sparrows can be distinguished from other sparrows by their small size, finely streaked buff colored breast, buff malar (mustache), and gray supercilium (eyebrow). They are very skittish sparrows that like to remain under cover. Watch at the end of the video as the sparrow dashes off. This is early for this sparrow in my yard. I’ve been doing Project Feeder Watch for over 20 years and this is the first time I’ve ever had Lincoln’s sparrows to report. It was flagged as rare for feeder watch so I will submit a photo as proof.