Roosting pockets are wintertime essentials

Roosting pockets are loved by small birds during winter. These teardrop-shaped woven grass pockets provide much-needed refuge from harsh storms, wind, freezing rain, snow and bitter cold.

Birds love the roosting pockets because the rough surfaces made entering and exiting easier. The reed grass is resistant to premature decay. The pockets are especially welcome to smaller birds such as chickadees and wrens that do not migrate.

If your yard consists of deciduous trees—leafless during winter—then a roosting pocket or two might be a good way of creating shelter. The roosting pockets include twine that makes it easy to hang the pockets from a tree limb or branch.

The natural look of the roosting pockets blends into their surroundings.

Keep the roosting pockets in place after winter ends. Sometimes wrens will use them for nesting.

Offer birds ample water in winter

Birds often find it difficult to obtain precious water during the winter. They sometimes must scrounge for water almost as much as food.

Dehydration is an real threat for birds in winter. If puddles and ponds are frozen, and no snow covers the ground, where is a bird to find moisture? Usually they resort to flying to the nearest running stream or river—assuming, of course, that the watercourse is bordered by rocks where the bird can stand, drink, bathe and hop out.

Male goldfinch finds water in a heated bird bath

Bathing is important to keep feathers in good shape. They need well-kept feathers to have the best chance of escaping predators. Cleanliness maintains the insulating properties of the feathers, an important consideration when temperatures drop to zero.

Time spent on finding sources of water means that birds have less of the already limited daylight to find nourishment to carry themselves through frigid nights.

If you'd like to enjoy the maximum number of birds in your backyard, a bird bath is ideal.

However, not all bird baths are suitable for winter use. The materials used for most bird baths aren't meant for cold-weather use. As water freezes and thaws repeatedly, the surface of the bowl expands and contracts. Superficial cracks grow until the bowl shatters. By spring, you'll be looking for a new bird bath.

You have two solutions to avoid this problem:

• Install a bird bath de-icer.
• Buy a bird bath that contains a built-in heater.

The best de-icers or heated baths are thermostatically controlled. The heating elements create warmth only when the water temperature drops close to the freezing point. When the day is sunny and mild, the heating element shuts itself off.

The heating elements only heat the water to a few degrees above the freezing point. They don't scald the birds. You may notice that the rim of the bowl is crusted with ice. That's fine. The point is to keep the center of the bowl liquid.

De-icers and heated baths

Deck-mounted bird bath

A de-icer must be powerful enough to keep the water from freezing. Just place the device into the deepest part of the bowl. A de-icer can be used with most types of baths. However, it cannot be used with inexpensive plastic baths. The plastic may warp because the temperature closest to the de-icer will be warmer than the surrounding material.

If you don't have a bird bath, buying a heated bath is an ideal solution. In the winter, it will keep water ice-free. When the weather warms in spring, you merely disconnect the electricity for use during the rest of the year.

Heated bird baths cost a little bit more but they can be used in all seasons and are guaranteed to function properly. Most of these baths are made from a composite material that is almost durable as the recycled plastic used in decking material. The heater is concealed within the bowl.

All you need is an outdoor electric outlet and a heavy-duty outdoor-rated extension cord long enough to reach the bird bath. It is best to use a special electric connector to prevent contact with the ground or snow.

Dealing with existing baths

Baths made of stoneware clay are well-crafted and attractive. Some have a beautiful glaze. But they don't withstand freezing water.



250-Watt De-Icer

Concrete baths seem heavy and rugged. They can withstand sun, rain and wind. Freezing water is the enemy. Concrete is porous. If water seeps into the pores and freezes, the crevices expand and begin the disintegration and cracking of the bath. Your choice: add a de-icer, move the bath into a shed or garage; or shield the bowl.

If you don't want to use a de-icer and don't want to move the bath to a safe location, you have two options.

The easiest is to remove the bowl from its pedestal, then lean the bowl against the pedestal concave side down. The point is to keep water out of the bowl.

The second option is to use a heavy-duty trash bag to keep water from collecting in the bowl. If you are willing to take the risk, just cover the bowl with the plastic bag. Keep in mind, though, that if winter elements create a tear in the bag, water will infiltrate the bowl, where it can freeze. A better technique is to place an inflated ball--a basketball will do--in the center of the bowl. Then apply the plastic bag. Be sure to secure the bag with twine tied around the pedestal.

What not to do

Plastic or painted baths should be brought indoors. They're not meant for winter temperatures. The same is true with glass or mosaic bowls. If your bath has a finial or fountain, store it indoors.

Never, ever use salt, antifreeze or any chemical additive to keep water in your bird bath from freezing. You're likely to kill the birds. Also, never try to melt a frozen bird bath by pouring boiling water on the ice. The dramatic temperature change may shatter your bird bath. If you must melt the ice, do it gradually, with warm water.

We have not found a solar-powered heated bird bath. Most of them work by passive solar warmth. Our weather is too cold and too cloudy for solar panel to gather enough energy to keep water warm all day and usually refreeze at night. 

Lehigh Valley bird sightings for the week of December 26

Long-tailed Duck

Here are the Lehigh Valley bird sightings for the week ended December 26. The list was compiled by Dave DeReamus, of the Eastern PA Birdline, which is sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society.

Plainfield Township, Northampton County
(at the Grand Central landfill)
Iceland Gull, 2 on December 21 and 1 on December 24.

Moore Township, Northampton County
(along Church Road)
Dickcissel, 1 on December 20 (a female)

Little Gap, Carbon County
Bald Eagle, 6 on December 19.
Golden Eagle, 2 on December 19.
Also seen: Ruffed Grouse.

Leaser Lake, Lehigh County
(near south board launch area)
Red Crossbill, 4 on December 25.

Heidelberg Township, Lehigh County
(along Reservoir Road)
Ruffed Grouse, 2 on December 25.

Trexlertown, Lehigh County
(at a private lake)
Greater White-fronted Goose, 1 on December 19.

Green Lane Reservoir, Montgomery County
(at the Church Road area)
Greater White-fronted Goose, 2 from November 27 to at least December 20.
Double-crested Cormorant, 1 on December 20.
Bonaparte's Gull, 2 on December 19.

Lake Nockamixon, Bucks County
(between the marina and fishing pier)
Long-tailed Duck, 1 on December 20.

To report bird sightings to Dave DeReamus, send an e-mail to becard@rcn.com with the word "Birdline" in the subject heading.

Lots of last-minute goodies for backyard birders

All-season bird baths will be valued all year long

Lehigh Valley bird sightings for the week of December 18

Rusty Blackbird

A fairly unusual blackbird was reported this week: a Rusty Blackbird. They are seen occasionally in the Lehigh Valley, but this is the first reported since March 1.

The Rusty Blackbird is a bit larger and longer-tailed than the Red-winged Blackbird; its tail is shorter and its bill slimmer than the Common Grackle. The Rusty Blackbird is ecologically distant from other blackbirds. It is of medium size with a medium-length tail.

At this time of year, the male is black but its feather edges are a rusty brown. The female is gray-brown but also has rusty feather edges. Both sexes have pale yellow eyes.

During the summer breeding season, they are found in boreal wetlands in northern Canada. Winter will find them in wooded wetlands in the eastern and southeastern United States. You probably won't see them at a backyard bird feeder.

Once abundant, the species unfortunately is in decline. The population has plunged by at least 85 percent over the past 40 years, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Researchers aren't sure why. Some speculate that higher concentrations of mercury in their breeding grounds harms eggs and fledglings. Other possible explanations include changes in logging, agricultural practices, loss of habitat in wintering grounds and drier wetlands due to climate change.

A single Rusty Blackbird was seen in Williams Township, Northampton County, on December 16, according to a report sent to Dave DeReamus, of the Eastern PA Birdline. The Birdline is sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society.

Other reports coming in during the week of December 18 found several instances of Pine Siskins. This seems to be a good year for Pine Siskin sightings. The birds may be seen in numbers in one year, then not at all in others. Click here for more information on this interesting bird and how it copes with the winter.

Plainfield Township, Northampton County
(at the Grand Central landfill)
Iceland Gull, 2 on December 13; 1 on December 16.

Williams Township, Northampton County
Rusty Blackbird, 1 on December 16.

Green Lane Reservoir, Montgomery County
(at the Church Road area)
Greater White-fronted Goose, 2 from November 27 to at least December 14.

Unami Creek Valley, Montgomery County
Pine Siskin, 4 on December 16.

Tinicum Park, Bucks County
Pine Siskin, 25 on December 12.

Peace Valley Park, Bucks County
Lesser Black-backed Gull, 83 on December 11.
Gray Catbird, 1 on December 11.

To report bird sightings to Dave DeReamus, send an e-mail to becard@rcn.com with the word "Birdline" in the subject heading.

Bird houses make ideal Christmas gifts

Bird houses are made in the United States. All hand-made houses were built in Bethlehem, Lower Nazareth and Hellertown. Other houses were manufactured Wisconsin, Missouri and Mississippi.

Bird feeders are a gift for all seasons

We're open this Sunday!

Don't feel rushed with your holiday shopping ... The Bird House is open this Sunday for your convenience. Visit us Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.

Christmas hours

Friday: 10 AM to 5:30 PM

Saturday: 10 AM to 4 PM

Sunday: 1 to 4 PM

Monday: 10 AM to 5:30 PM

Tuesday: 10 AM to 5:30 PM

Wednesday: 10 AM to 5:30 PM

Christmas Eve: 10 AM to 3 PM

Christmas: closed

Saturday, December 27: 10 AM to 2 PM

New Product: Comfy Socks

We've carried Wheel House women's socks each winter. This season we've added a few new designs to the favorites that customers enjoy. 

Most of the socks have bird themes—cardinals, bluebirds, other songbirds and even parrots and penguins. But we also carry a few non-avian themes such as winter snowflakes, snowmen and, of course, squirrels. In addition to some new designs, this year's display also offers new colors to accent your wardrobe. 

You won't get the socks at a lower price than ours. They're even more affordable than online sources such as Amazon.

Be sure to come in for the widest possible selection. And, if you don't mind a touch of irony, the socks make great stocking-stuffers!

Lehigh Valley bird sightings for week of December 11

Here are the Lehigh Valley bird sightings for the week ended December 11. The list was compiled by Dave DeReamus, of the Eastern PA Birdline, which is sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society.

Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow

Jacobsburg State Park, Northampton County
Common Redpolls, 3 on December 6 (fly-bys)

Williams Township, Northampton County
Black Vulture, 54 on December 5.
Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow, 1 during the past week.

Fogelsville Quarry, Lehigh County
Double-crested Cormorant, 2 back on December 4.

Green Lane Reservoir, Montgomery County
(at the Church Road area)
Greater White-fronted Goose, 2 from November 27 to at least December 5.

Peace Valley Park, Bucks County
Greater White-fronted Goose, 2 on December 9.

To report bird sightings to Dave DeReamus, send an e-mail to becard@rcn.com with the word "Birdline" in the subject heading.

White-throated Sparrow

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology sums it up nicely: "Crisp markings make the White-throated Sparrow an attractive bird as well as a hopping, flying anatomy lesson."

These sparrows breed mostly in the forests of Canada but winter across most of the eastern and southern United States and California. In the Lehigh Valley and vicinity, White-throated Sparrows generally are seen from October through April.

The White-throated Sparrow is a large sparrow with a prominent bill, rounded head, long legs and long tail. Besides the notable white bib, the "White-throat" is brown above and white below. It has a black eye stripe (a "supercillium"), yellow lores on the head, and a white throat bordered by a black whisker, or malar stripe. (A "lore" is the area of the bird's face from the base of the bill to the front of the eyes.)

White-throats stay near the ground, scratching through leaves looking for food. They often gather in flocks. You may see them low in bushes as well as eating fresh buds in spring.

White-throated Sparrows mainly eat seeds of grasses and weeds, including ragweed and buckwheat, as well as fruits of sumac, grape, cranberry, mountain ash, rose, blueberry, blackberry and dogwood. During summer in Canada, they also eat large quantities of insects. 

Now that they've arrived in the Lehigh Valley region, you may see them in your backyard feeding on millet and black oil sunflower seeds.

During breeding season, the female usually nests on the ground. She selects a depression amid dense vegetation and adds moss. She then builds the sides of the nest with grass, twigs, wood chips and pine needles. The nest is hidden from above by leaves.

But White-throated Sparrows sometimes may build nests of up to 15 feet in conifers. These nests usually are second attempts after a ground nest was robbed by a predator.

The female lays one or two broods. Eggs are very pale blue or greenish blue and speckled.

White-throated Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos are both members of the sparrow family. Occasionally the two may mate. They produce a hybrid looking like a grayish, dully marked White-throat with white outer tail feathers.

The White-throat's call is a distinctive wavering whistle of Oh-sweet-Canada-Canada-Canada. On a cold winter's day, listen for their song. You just may feel a little warmer.

New Product: ClickShield for bird baths

If you have a heated bird bath, you probably would like to place it in a wide open location for the best viewing. But that requires an extension cord. How to do you keep the connection safe from the elements?

The ClickShield provides a safe, fast and inexpensive way to weatherproof any outdoor power cord. The durable plastic device has a ratchet mechanism; when you hear the "click," you know the electric cords are securely locked. The internal gasket assures a water-resistant electrical connection.

The ClickShield also eliminates accidental disconnections that interrupt the power supply.

Say goodbye to wrapping power cords with duct tape or plastic bags—methods that aren't really safe anyway.

Although the device is ideal for heated bird baths, it also will come in handy for Christmas decorations or any outdoor electrical equipment.

New Product: Suet Saver

By now you know the scenario: You've just refilled one of those open-sided suet feeders and are counting on the birds to consume the suet cake little by little. Instead a bunch of starlings descends, shoving other birds aside and devouring the suet in a day or two. That can become expensive, and perhaps you're hoping to enjoy seeing birds other than starlings.

The Suet Saver may be the solution for you. The Suet Saver is a durable translucent plastic cover that sheathes four sides and the top of a standard-size suet feeder. The only way birds can feed is from the bottom of the feeder. Woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches are able to fly in upside down, clinging from below. Starlings and other large birds, on the other hand, can't master that technique. The Suet Saver blocks these chow hounds from gobbling up the suet cake.

Try it! You may find that the Suet Saver will pay for itself in just a few weeks worth of feeding.

Lehigh Valley bird sightings for the week of December 4

Greater White-fronted Goose

Here are the Lehigh Valley bird sightings for the week ended December 4. The list was compiled by Dave DeReamus, of the Eastern PA Birdline, which is sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society.

Plaintfield Township, Northampton County
(at the Grand Central landfill)
Iceland Gull, 1 on December 1.

Leaser Lake, Lehigh County
Red-throated Loon, 1 on December 1.

Green Lane Reservoir, Montgomery County
(at the Church Road area)
Greater White-fronted Goose, 2 from November 27 to November 29.
(at the Walt Road area)
Greater Scaup, 1 from November 30 at least to December 2.
White-winged Scoter, 1 on November 30.

Lake Nockamixon, Bucks County
Red-throated Loon, 1 on November 29.

Peace Valley Park, Bucks County
(from Anglers Pier)
Long-tailed Duck, 1 on November 29.
Greater Scaup, 1 on November 29.

To report bird sightings to Dave DeReamus, send an e-mail to becard@rcn.com with the word "Birdline" in the subject heading.

New Product: Scramble Square puzzles

These brain-teasers require you to match nine pieces of a beautiful illustrated squares so they line up perfectly along every edge. Sound easy? It's not. You can pass a winter's afternoon trying to align each unique edge to create a coherent image. Children love Scramble Squares. The puzzles make great stocking stuffers. This year we're offering several new designs in addition to the most popular ones. The puzzles are American-made.

New Product: 'Cutest Chickadee Feeder'

A bird almost universally considered "cute," the chickadee seems curious about everything and quick to discover bird feeders. The new "Cutest Chickadee Feeder" from Droll Yankees is designed with these popular backyard birds in mind.

A dainty 4.5 inches in diameter, the tray holds 1 cup of sunflower seed, sunflower chips, mixed seed, fruit or mealworms.

The dome, which is 6 inches in diameter, offers protection from the weather. The height is adjustable, enabling you to shut out the larger birds and give chickadees a place at the dinner table!

The feeder is made entirely of UV-stabilized polycarbonate to withstand the rays of the summer sun. It should last for years. The stainless steel rod makes hanging and adjusting the feeder easy.

The dish unscrews for quick cleaning. Just brush away grime and soak all parts in a 50-50 solution of white vinegar and water, then rinse and let dry before refilling.

The Cutest Chickadee Feeder is ideal for small spaces or small budgets. It's a good starter feeder to entice youngsters into the joy of backyard birding. And it makes a great Christmas gift for any birdwatcher on your list!

Pine Siskins

Male Pine Siskin

Flocks of Pine Siskins may monopolize the Nyjer feeder one winter and not be seen for another year. These nomadic finches range widely and erratically across North America depending on seed crops. These birds are more adept at clinging to the end of a branch than feeding on the ground.

Pine Siskins are small songbirds with sharp, pointed bills and short, notched tails. They are brown and very streaked with subtle yellow edgings on their wings and tails. Flashes of yellow can be seen as they take flight, flutter on branch tips or display during mating. They are often difficult to distinguish from the more familiar female House Finch. House Finches have a thicker, more conical bill.

The bill of a female Pine Siskin

In the winter, Pine Siskins are often seen at feeders, especially Nyjer feeders. Another differentiating clue to telling a siskin from other finches is that Pine Siskins are a gregarious group foraging in tight flocks and twittering or calling each other even during flight.

Pine Siskins nest in open coniferous or mixed forests in Canada and north into southern Alaska. Their nests are highly insulated to protect the eggs from the cold. The female remains on the nest continuously, being fed by the male while brooding.

Siskins make unpredictable migrations into southern and eastern North America. A few years ago, they were in our general area. It was pretty obvious because they were eating a lot of Nyjer seed!

Bill of female House Finch

They get through winter's cold nights by "ramping up" their metabolic rates by as much as 40 percent. They can temporarily store seeds totaling as much as 10 percent of their body mass in the part of the esophagus called the "crop." The energy in that amount of feed could get them through five to six hours of subzero temperatures. They also put on half again as much winter fat as their cousins, the Common Redpoll and the American Goldfinch.

We're not sure what this year may bring, but keep an eye out of these flocks as well as listen for their insistent wheezy twitters.

Birdie Wreaths

It's that time of the year when The Bird House is stocked full of various holiday gift ideas for anyone who enjoys their backyard birds. One of the consistent favorites is the "Birdie Wreath."

Weighing in a two and a half pounds, these decorative wreaths are made up of various seeds and peanuts. Birds love to pick and peck to eat the

black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, colored safflower and millet.

It is a perfect and unique holiday gift that looks pretty and is completely edible. Great as a hostess gift, office party gift or something for the family who enjoys watching the birds. Just hang it up by the included cord and see who comes to feed. It is a solid wreath packed with high energy food that will attract cardinals, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and woodpeckers.

It is a limited supply, so be sure to come in soon and get your "Birdie Wreath."