Julie Zickefoose | Bird Watching Binoculars

Do You Train Your Squirrels? [ July 16th, 2010 ] Posted in » Blog

My Kindergarten Class

Since I moved into my home nine years ago, I’ve had squirrels. My property backs up to a wooded area that borders several properties so I’ve had my fair share. When I started birding seven years ago I decided that I would feed them as well. Since I employ a raccoon baffle on my main feeder station and squirrel baffles on my bluebird houses, I wasn’t concerned about my back yard becoming overly popular. I have a corncob feeder and squirrel box on my back fence and a squngee hanging from one of my smaller trees. There was an initial learning curve for them to learn and trust these feeders but with a mixture of adults and children back there the knowledge was acquired. Whether it took an adult to learn and show a little one or the little ones just happened on it by being nosey, it did happen.

This is no longer the case. Read More …

My House Wrens Have Disappeared

After my house wren pair set up a nest, laid eggs and fledged their first brood, I mentioned that I saw the male cleaning out the nest. Then I saw the female putting new soft nesting materials back into the nest box. When I checked around I was told this is how they do it and all was well. Convinced that they were just getting ready to have another brood, I stopped thinking about it. After all, the bluebirds had put their nest together in the other box and already had laid eggs. The house wrens showed no interest in bothering them.
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July 21st, 2009 | 1 Comment

House Wren House Cleaning

I was looking out my window yesterday and I saw something peculiar. One of the house wrens was going in and out their nestbox. That’s not strange given that I knew they had babies in there. It wasn’t until I took a closer look that I found they were not taking food in to the house but taking nesting material out of it.
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June 28th, 2009 | 1 Comment

Julie Zickefoose Was Absolutely Correct

Just like Julie Zickfoose had told me, my house wrens are behaving themselves because I’ve allowed them to have one of my bluebird houses. From early in the morning until late at night, I hear both of them singing and calling to each other. It’s actually quite sweet.
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June 12th, 2009 | Leave a Comment

What To Do With My House Wrens

I Needed Some Expert Birding Advice

The house wrens in my back nestbox are filling that thing until it’s spilling out the front. I emailed Julie Zickefoose, writer, artist and birding expert to ask what I should do about them.