The Bois Blanc Island Site

[BBIBABS]

check this out.
http://www.cbc.ca/bc/features/eaglecam/
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'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

You are one person to the world, but you may be the world to one person.

[Spartan-1]

I heard a bird sing-a wonderous thing

in the dark of November

and a sweet to remember!!!

BBIBBABS???

Didn't you right that!!!

[BBIBABS]

No that was a poem on Mom and Dad's wall in the kitchen. And don't start that crap again you fool...........

I think it was "I heard a bird sing in the cold of December
a wondrous thing and sweet to remember".
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'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

You are one person to the world, but you may be the world to one person.

[theeislandgirl]

Its very enjoyable reading all the bird stories !


Tony ..good site ! ..I put it in my fav.
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The girl that would swim daylight to dark every day down at the old dock ...

[Conis]

Bappa Ohooo Mow Mow. Haven't you heard? The bird is the word!
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Remember, half the people you know are below average.

[Conis]

Time for some spring bird pictures. All taken on my deck.

Red Headed Woodpecker. This is a more common southern Michigan woodpecker. In fact is the third one I have seen in my life and the last one was 20 years ago. I live pretty far north to see these. Not to be confused with Red Bellied Woodpeckers, common statewide.


Red Bellied Woodpecker (male) Very common throughout Michigan.


Two Pairs of Rose Breasted Groesbeaks. Arrive every year on May first like clockwork. Common in Northern Michigan and have seen them on BBI. Eat seeds/Berries, nest in Tag Alders. Male is black and red, female looks like a huge sparrow. Beautiful song.



Scarlet Tananger: I get 1-2 every spring as they migrate through. They arrive about the same time as the Orioles but don't stick around.



Flying Squirrels: Strictly nocturnal which is why so few ever get a look at one. About the size of a chipmunk (if that). Note large eyes and oversize ears for "night manuevers" They don't really fly, they glide from one tree to the next, run up the tree and glide to another. You can see the flap of skin between front and rear legs which enables them to sail like a kite.

The bottom picture was taken at a distance of about 18". Used flash. They are very docile, if that is the right word? I left the porch light on and stood quietly in front of the feed trough. POOF... one glides in and lands right in front of me, then another. then just as quickly they are gone. As long as I didn't make any quick moves, they sit there munching on seeds and could care less. I doubt preditors have any impact on their population.

I have seen as many as six at once. I sit in the living room with lights off and porch lights on, watch the show. Quite entertaining! By midnight, show is over. I would like to get a flash picture of one gliding from the tree to the feeder. Easier said than done!




Will post more, later.
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Remember, half the people you know are below average.

[theeislandgirl]

Conis
Really enjoyed your pictures !!
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The girl that would swim daylight to dark every day down at the old dock ...

[Squeaky]

Conis, these are awesome pictures, especially the last three.

[mikewhite]

Some really great shots. Nice focused close up shots of nature.
Not everyone can say they have taken pictures of flying squirrels eating after dark. I see they even have a flattened out tail for gliding. I bet the one that got the flash in the face ran for it.

The last time I saw a red headed woodpecker was when I was small living in Almont, MI.
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mwhite@wildblue.net
"The more nature you keep, the more nature you'll enjoy." and "It's not who is right, but what is right."

[Conis]

Mike, Believe it or not, I probably took 30 pictures of the squirrels and they just sit there like a bump on a log. Oblivious. What spooks them is sound and motion. I wasn't further than 3' away and held the camera at arms length.

Several year ago, I had some that had chewed a hole in the soffit and set up camp in the wall directly behind my bed. About 2 am, the party begins. It was this episode that I became familiar with everything someone needed to know about flying squirrels... including their propensity to hide hickory nuts around the house (at night) like in the wash machine. One evening I was watching TV and saw a tail hanging down from a bookshelf. I realized the problem was worse than I suspected.

My plan was to close up the hole at night when they were all out on maneuvers. So I did and within a day or so, there would be a new hole.

Sitting out there at 2am with the .22 got a little old. I eventually customized some rat traps and fastened them over the holes. Over the period of a month, I caught 25 or so and finally cleaned them out. I hated to do this but had little choice after trying everything else.

About 30' away from my house is a huge ancient bitternut hickory that attracts squirrels, coons, deer en mass. When the nuts are on the tree in August/September, I can got out with a flashlight and literally seen dozens of pairs of eyes up there. All flying squirrels.

I guess the moral of the story was removing them from the house really didn't do much damage to the population. Far more of them than I ever realized. I believe they raise minimum 2 litters a year. Will have to look that one up.

The red headed woodpecker was extremely skittish. I have seen only one other around these parts. I recall seeing them around Muskegeon as a kid.
Unless it has a mate, I doubt it will stick around. I believe the far northern range would be down around 57 and I am at least 50 miles north of 57.

Never had a 3 toed woodpecker either. They on BBI? Flickers reasonably common and a sapsucker once in a while... Pilleateds used to be really rare around here but now are fairly common. See them all the time.

In the winter, Cardinals out number all the other species 2-1. Literally flocks of them. 40-50+ just before dark is not an exaggeration. I attribute this incredible increase to the proliferation of Autumn Olive bushes that generate red berries by the billions. 25 years ago, DNR was promoting them for wildlife habitat and offereing them through the soil conservation. Now, any vacant land that isn't tilled is literally overrun with them. Not easy to get rid of unless you have a dozer and a logging chain. At least the DNR was right about them being a food source for songbirds.

I remember years past we would get as many as FOUR at once in the winter. And call up the neighbors to tell them about it.

Right about now, you should be seeing a massive warbler migration on the island, heading to Canada.
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Remember, half the people you know are below average.

[mikewhite]

I never realized how neat these birds were till this one started hanging around.
Click the picture, then click it again.


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mwhite@wildblue.net
"The more nature you keep, the more nature you'll enjoy." and "It's not who is right, but what is right."

[Conis]

Have a few of them around here and occasionally come to the feeder for suet. Not that uncommon althought I see them more frequently in the summer...

I have seen tones of them on the island, mostly August, September and look like juveniles. Must be a major breeding area for them.

Beautiful birds with such intricate feather markings...

member of the woodpecker family and somewhat migratory.
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Remember, half the people you know are below average.

[bearpaw44]

Conis, What great pictures. Thank you for allowing us to enjoy them.
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WHEN IN Doubt, TWIRL.

[Conis]

Mike Whites photo...
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Remember, half the people you know are below average.