Naturally
I moved a pair of shoes down a trail and was pleased to see and hear meadowlarks. Grassland birds have suffered a 53% reduction in population, which is the most significant bird decline in any terrestrial biome.
It was good to see the northern lights and the thistle butterflies. The University of Minnesota Extension says painted lady butterflies don’t overwinter in Minnesota but migrate from southern states each spring. Eggs are laid on the leaves of host plants, including Canada thistle, sunflower and soybean. Painted ladies are attracted to open areas with low vegetation and a variety of flowers, especially composites.
I watched deer about to engage in road-crossing behavior. Data shows U.S. drivers have a 1 in 127 chance of a collision with an animal, according to State Farm’s annual analysis. The company estimates there were over 1.8 million animal collision insurance claims in the U.S. between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. The top 5 animal collisions reported by State Farm were deer (1,288,714), unidentified animals (207,373), rodents (94,805), dogs (55,005) and raccoons (52,054). West Virginia tops the list of states where a driver is most likely to hit an animal, with a likelihood of 1 in 38. Montana (1 in 53 chance), Pennsylvania (1 in 59), Michigan (1 in 60) and Wisconsin (1 in 60) are in the top five. Iowa is 6th at 1 in 63, South Dakota 8th at 1 in 69, Minnesota is 11th at 1 in 81 and North Dakota 12th at 1 in 82. I’d add that Minnesota must get more than its share of raccoon/car collisions. The World Animal Foundation sent me information suggesting animal/car collisions might be more frequent. https://worldanimalfoundation.org/advocate/deer-accidents-statistics/
Q&A
Larry Friedrich of St. Peter asked if grape jelly is bad for orioles. I’m aware of no scientific studies done to confirm whether jelly is good or bad for the lovely orioles. I put out orange slices, sliced purple grapes and grape jelly for them. Robins, brown thrashers, house finches, cardinals, scarlet tanagers, hummingbirds, Cape May warblers, red-bellied woodpeckers and other birds with sweet beaks also eat grape jelly. Chipmunks love the stuff. The orioles in my yard readily feed on suet in the spring. It’s a good idea to feed grape jelly in limited amounts, as moderation is good for all of us, and it keeps hummingbirds from becoming stuck in the jelly. You could stretch your grape jelly budget by combining one part grape jelly to one part water and mixing it to the consistency of a thick juice. Grape jelly is best if it doesn’t contain artificial coloring, other additives or corn fructose. It’s best to choose homemade jelly or grape jelly found at bird stores that is created specifically for wild birds and doesn’t contain high fructose corn syrup, and avoid offering any sugar-free options. I’ve fed orange marmalade and red cherry, strawberry, blackberry and raspberry jellies to orioles without a single complaint on a comment card. For those uncomfortable with feeding grape jelly to the orioles, slice an orange in half and place it on a platform feeder or impale it on a special feeder. Placing sliced purple grapes on a platform feeder might be appreciated. You could make oriole/hummingbird nectar: One part granulated sugar to four parts non-distilled drinking water with no need to boil safe drinking water. Don’t use honey or red dye. Heidi Faulkner, Project Feederwatch Assistant at Cornell Lab of Ornithology, wrote this in 2022: “Jelly is fine to offer. We recommend trying to offer natural jelly if possible.”
Penny Jacobsen of Albert Lea asked when it’s OK to destroy a bird nest. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act states it is illegal to "take (kill), possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such bird except as may be permitted under the terms of a valid permit." It’s illegal to move or destroy active nests, which is any nest with eggs or live young in it. You are allowed to discourage birds from building a nest in a bad spot by destroying a partially built, inactive nest. Under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, it’s illegal to move or destroy eagle nests, even if they are inactive.
Thanks for stopping by
“Oh, if you’re a bird, be an early bird And catch the worm for your breakfast plate. If you’re a bird, be an early early bird-But if you’re a worm, sleep late."—by Shel Silverstein.
“The owl is wary, the owl is wise. He knows all the names of the stars in the skies. He hoots and he toots and he lives by his wits, But mostly he sits… (and he sits… and he sits).”—Jack Prelutsky.
Do good.
©Al Batt 2024
The name “oriole” has Latin roots, deriving from aureolus, which is Latin for “golden.” The Baltimore oriole belongs to the blackbird family. The males wear orange and black, the heraldic colors of Lord Baltimore, credited as the founder of Maryland. The Baltimore oriole’s tote bag-like hanging nest is a wonderment of avian weaving. Photo by Al Batt.