Tag Archives | Nuttall’s Woodpecker

Churn Creek Open Space

Let’s go birding! Whether you are a seasoned birder or are newly interested and curious about birds, our friendly group will guide you on an easy walk through one of Redding’s largest open spaces. The trails along Churn Creek feature gently rolling hills with oaks and pines, open grasslands, and a lush creekside along the length of the area. 

Meet at the Parking Lot at 7:30 am. The parking lot is on the corner of Tidmore Ln. and Dakota Way, just south of College View Dr. The path is gravel and dirt. There are 2 loops to the trail, both about 1.5 miles, for a total of about 3 miles. We encourage everyone to go the distance with us, but you are, of course, free to cut out when you need to. Please dress in Iayers, and bring sun protection, water, and a light snack for yourself. The closest bathrooms at Lema Ranch or the Student Marketplace on College View Dr.

GoogleMaps link: Churn Creek Trail Parking

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Cavity Nesting Birds and Nestbox Monitoring

Larry Jordan has been enthralled with birds since he spotted a Burrowing Owl in his Oak Run driveway on the way home one evening over 30 years ago. He didn’t know what the bird was so he bought his first field guide and opened up a whole new world of wonder. Since that evening he has been involved in several endeavors to protect birds and advance the joy of birding. He started his own birding blog in 2007 and also posted to the well known 10000 Birds blog. Larry joined Wintu Audubon Society, became the webmaster for the organization, and began photographing birds in 2008. There are 85 species of cavity-nesting birds in North America (excluding Mexico) and 72 of them occur in the western United States. So, please join our webmaster as he discusses the joys of monitoring cavity nesting birds. He will discuss nest box design and highlight some of his favorite cavity nesting bird photos and videos from the last fifteen years.

Shasta Birding Society is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Cavity Nesting Birds and Nestbox Monitoring
Time: Sep 11, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84112964959

Meeting ID: 841 1296 4959

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Meeting ID: 841 1296 4959

Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kbbdvn5Zb

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Red Bluff Recreation Area, US-MNF

Location of where we will meet: 1000 Sale Lane, Red Bluff, CA. at the upper-level parking lot. South end of Sale Lane next to the Sacramento River Discovery Center.

Walking distance estimated at 2-2.5 miles (3-4 km)

Please join us on a journey with many trails at this very diverse public land with no fees. Sacramento River bisects 488 acres, at this Recreation Area of riparian forest, flowering grasslands, wetlands, and oak woodlands providing very diverse natural viewing experiences. This location is Tehama Region’s number one eBird’s hotspot. Ideal spot for migratory species in the fall and spring seasons. Also, a great home for many varieties of Sparrows, Warblers, Wrens, Woodpeckers, Waterfowl, and Wading Birds. Both the Acorn and Nuttall’s Woodpecker, California and Spotted Towhee, House and Bewick’s Wren, Yellow-billed Magpies and Phainopeplas are often found here year-round.

Recommend that you bring comfortable rugged footwear, plenty of water, snacks, and insect repellant.

 

Trip Leader: Dan Bye, contact me by danbye56@gmail.com for more information.

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It’s Time to Clean Out Your Nest Boxes

Birds can be attracted to your home simply by offering food, water and shelter. Trees and shrubs that yield fruit, berries, seeds, nuts and cones will provide food. Birdbaths or pools can be built to supply water, and feeders strategically placed around the yard will furnish supplementary food for the birds when natural sources diminish. Tangles of wild plants and dense undergrowth left to thrive in chosen areas of your property will provide shelter, protection, and natural nesting and roosting sites.

Adult Male Western Bluebird Feeding a Nestling

Some 84 species of North American birds, excavate nesting holes, use cavities resulting from decay (natural cavities), or use holes created by other species in dead or deteriorating trees for nesting. Many species of these cavity nesting birds have declined because of habitat reduction. But you can help.

Nuttall’s Woodpecker Nestling Ready to Fledge

Several of the birds that nest in cavities tend to be resident (non-migrating) species and thus more amenable to local habitat management practices than migratory species. Bird houses have been readily accepted by many natural cavity nesters, and increases in breeding density have resulted from providing such structures.

My Favorite Nestbox Design

There are probably as many birdhouse plans as there are cavity nesting birds. The important thing is to choose a nest box plan for the species you want to attract that can be opened and cleaned out when necessary. The photo above shows my favorite style birdhouse with a 1 1/2 inch entrance hole. It has been home to Oak Titmouse, Western Bluebird, Violet-green Swallow, Tree Swallow, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, and Ash-throated Flycatcher where I live. I have made one improvement to this design by altering the side door to open from the top rather than the bottom. This allows you to check on the nestlings from the top without opening the door all the way. Here is a nest box specifications chart and several nest box plans.

Oak Titmouse Nestlings

I cannot emphasize the importance of monitoring any nest box you may place in your yard, or anywhere else for that matter. There are three prime objectives for monitoring nestboxes. First and foremost, with regular, frequent visits to each nestbox, you may be able to spot problems threatening your tenants. You may be able to intervene so as to protect the adults and increase the nestlings’ chances for survival. Second, you can develop a body of knowledge about the habits of cavity-nesters. Lastly, you will build a dated record of each visit to the nestbox that will remind you of the age of the nestlings in the box you are approaching, and what’s been going on at the box during the previous weeks. This record will help you understand and interpret the present visit. And the best reason to monitor your nest box – it’s fun!

Oak Titmouse on the Nest

One of the most important aspects of nest box monitoring is cleaning out the box after each nesting. RIGHT NOW, before nesting season begins, all nest boxes should be checked to make sure they are clean and ready for occupancy. Your nest boxes should have been cleaned out back in August, after the last completed nesting of whatever species used them. Since then, it is likely that those nest boxes have been used as places to roost during cold weather, accumulating bird droppings. Below is a typical dirty box that has been used as a roost.

This is an American Kestrel box that has never been used. I recently checked it and found a wasp nest inside. They are usually attached to the roof on the inside of the box. Birds won’t use a box with wasps inside. If you find a wasp nest in your nest box, use a thin spatula and crush the wasp nest against the roof of the box. If you don’t kill the adult wasp, she will soon return and rebuild. Keep checking to make sure the wasps don’t return.

This is a nest box that was used by Tree Swallows. This one apparently had two successful nestlings but wasn’t cleaned out between them. You can see the two distinct flattened nests stacked on top of each other bringing any new nesting attempt closer to the entrance hole and therefore easier for a predator to reach eggs or nestlings.

This is a great time to check and clean any birdhouses you have. It’s also the perfect time to repair any damaged boxes and get them ready for the new season before the birds arrive. Believe it or not, birds like a clean house, just like you and I!

If you are interested in monitoring nestboxes for Shasta Birding Society this upcoming season, contact Larry Jordan at webmaster@shastabirdingsociety.org

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Second Saturday Bird Walk at Churn Creek Open Space

Nuttall's Woodpecker Juvenile

Partially paved trails wind their way through 180 acres of blue oak woodland and open grassland meadow. Sections of the trail meander by Churn Creek itself where this primarily urban stream is still preserved in its more natural state with lush willows, valley oaks, and cottonwoods. Meet leaders Alicia and Pablo Herrera, at 8am at Minder Park, in the cul-de-sac at the end of Minder Dr., just to the south of the open space trails. On this 3-mile loop hike we’ll encounter woodland and riparian winter residents and early migrant species including Lark Sparrows, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Spotted Towhee, among others.

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