Site Discussions

We have three different types of feeders and a double suet cake feeder in our front yard. Kitchen and living room overlook the yard. Regarding winter, we’ve on occasion had as many 30 morning doves ground feeding the fallen seeds on top of the snow. We have not seen one instance of bullying ever. The real bullies here are the common English sparrows, nipping and snapping with each other and coming into all the feeders like piranhas. And, they come in large flocks, emptying the tube feeder in one day causing me to leave it empty for two or three days on purpose as it takes a few days before they come back after filling. They test the patience of the bigger birds like Cardinals and red headed woodpeckers until they fly off for a quieter feeder I’m supposing. Three pm now and it’s swarming again with dinner time sparrows.

Thanks Chuck,

Been puzzling over this at the new year dinner table, yet again. I think I’ve now got it…

Alec

Thanks Chuck,
I have noticed the daylight versus clock time discrepancy and the only solution I could come up with was that the Earth actually rotated faster in the winter than spring and autumn. This explained the phenomenon but I couldn’t see what mechanism could cause the Earth to rotate faster and slower.
Your explanation makes total sense. At 75 I now understand a bit more about the universe before I die.
Cheers,
Mike H

Great article. Taught me more than 20 minutes of youtube videos!

Lichens can be used as dye sometimes. I don’t harvest from the wild since they grow slowly but I’ve had some great results with lichen gleaned from the firewood pile. Some,the orchil lichens, produce vivid pinks and purples after a long fermentation in an alkaline solution. They are quite magical.

I wish I could be be like Logger Lee Russell out there in the New England Woods cutting trees!! He is doing what he loves to do which is truly amazing in my opinion.

I want to wish everyone at Northern Woodlands a very Merry Christmas & A Happy Healthy New Year!!!

Sincerely, Robert Friedrich

I’ve loved lichens for years, but you still taught me some new things. Many thanks!

An alternate collective term is “a caucus of crows”.

Thanks for the really interesting article, Siler! You are a good writer and I look forward to reading your book someday!

In response to Lee Emmons article regarding his search for cardinals…drop the safflower and use black oil sunflower seed.
I do enjoy your articles.

Super article. So interesting to learn more about this common yet cool insect.

I’ve always had at least one pair of mourning doves around year round, normally 4-8 pair, more in winter. I just walked outside and no exaggeration at least 50-60 doves were hanging in yard- and quickly took flight at once causing me to get startled as they being such a huge group were loud.  Can anyone tell me why?? I’ve never had an issue of them being bullies, always peaceful and considerate of other birds. But a bit worried that they called all their friends and will take over. It was an amazing sight!!

Wow, what a well-written and informative article. And that’s coming from a professional writer. Thanks!

I am so pleased to read this! Count me in as someone who was influenced by Burgess and went on to obtain an M.S. in Environmental Education.  I grew up in Hampden and recall the Burgess property and Audubon Sanctuary as thriving and then declining. I never understood why MA Audubon didn’t embrace and actively promote the Burgess aspect of that property. I love that there are others out there who have the same fond memories that I do of those stories. Thank you Jack Beaudoin and Northern Woodlands.

I spotted a gray / red Fox in a mesquite tree taking a snooze in the Catalina foothills area near Sabino Canyon. How sweet!

I loved the article.

Hi. I was recently in Concord, MA and while walking along a street near the river I saw some wild grapes growing. I am totally new to the vegetation there, so I am wondering if they were the original Concord grape?  The fruit did not have much flesh and had a fantastic variety of color in very luminous blues and purples. Thank you.

This is fabulous. I will use this as a resource with my third through fifth graders when we study sea run fish this spring. I teach in a district near the Augusta and the kids are always amazed to learn the history of the Kennebec and sea run fish restoration.

In the upper Midwest (Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin), we take our bird hunting very seriously.  Here, it is always “Grouse” . . . because that’s what they actually are, and a “Partridge” is a completely different bird. My friends in the Northeast always claim “tradition” in their defense of the incorrect “Partridge” usage, but if you look at all the old sporting literature (such as that published by the Derrydale Press), they were always called “Grouse”. Spiller, Foster, and Knight all used “Grouse”.

Excellent profile - very interesting. I’m white, raised in NE, and have done a lot of hiking. I rarely see POC & it’s a shame for all the reasons the writer gives. Kudoes to him for addressing this problem with Live Now as part of the college’s diversity program.