Commercial timber harvests designed to improve wildlife habitat are currently underway at Vassar, Tuscola and Deford state game areas in Tuscola County and the Verona State Game Area in Huron County.

Though things may look very different at these areas for a while, the timber harvests will provide or improve habitat for ruffed grouse, American woodcock, white-tailed deer and a host of nongame species, particularly migratory songbirds. Each of these species finds the young forests that quickly develop post-harvest attractive sites for breeding, nesting, raising their young, feeding and avoiding predators.

Visitors to these state game areas will notice the presence of commercial logging equipment entering game area lands along Wilder Road at Vassar; at the east end of Bliss Road at Tuscola; along Froede Road at Deford and east of Scott Road at Verona. Read more

On the way to school, the park or a city walking trail, take a look around. Could your local trees benefit from increased maintenance, planning or management technology? Or maybe outreach and education could help share the importance of trees with the next generation. If you’re interested in helping to green your community, connect with your local municipal office, campus administration or other planning authority to share the Community Forestry grant opportunity, administered by the DNR.

Through this grant program, Michigan communities can obtain resources for improved management and grow connections to public trees and forests through inventory projects, Arbor Day celebrations, tree care outreach, urban forestry technology and more.

“These grants support communities and partners around the state in providing better management, maintenance and education related to community trees and forests,” said Kevin Sayers, coordinator of the DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry program. Read more

The largest raptor in the world, this dramatic photo of a Steller’s Sea Eagle landing on winter ice in northern Japan was photographed by Isabel Guerra Clark.

Considered one of the world’s most beautiful birds, a Resplendent Quetzal was bringing fruit to its nesting cavity in Costa Rica, where it was photographed by Aaron Baggenstos.

A trio of fledgling Barred Owls taken in Maryland by Bogdan Alexandrescu is especially captivating.

After seeing the winning photographs referenced last week, now you can review the best of the rest: The Best 100 Bird Photos entered by 2,416 photographers during the 2021 Audubon Photography Contest! These photos feature birdlife at its most vivid, vulnerable, formidable, and playful. There are intimate portraits that reveal exquisite details, action photos that capture powerful birds on the hunt, and arresting images that celebrate a wide array of bird behavior. Prepare to be impressed by the resourcefulness of the bird photographers.

Now you can scroll through these superb images that feature birds in all their variety, and find out the backstory behind each photo. This year more than 8,770 photos and 261 videos were entered in the 12th annual Audubon Photography Awards. Eight stunning winners were selected by the panel of judges, along with 5 honorable mention photos, as noted in last week’s issue of The Birding Wire. Now you can view the Top 100 additional bird photos so you can pick your own favorites!

View the Top 100 bird photos from the 2021 Audubon Photography Contest at https://www.audubon.org/news/the-2021-audubon-photography-awards-top-100

The US Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) are currently working together to diagnose a mysterious ailment that has affected some fledgling songbirds – mostly Blue Jays, Common Grackles, European Starlings, and American Robins – in some Mid-Atlantic portions of the United States. To date, none of the labs have been able to identify the cause of the birds’ deaths.

After rigorous nationwide testing, the NWHC and its collaborators published a report that rules out several common bird pathogens, including West Nile virus, avian influenza, Newcastle disease, herpes viruses, poxviruses, salmonella, chlamydia, and trichomonas parasites.

While it’s extremely helpful to narrow down the list of potential pathogens, investigators are still searching for leads as to the cause of the bird deaths in areas of the Mid-Atlantic states from New Jersey to Virginia, plus West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana.

With such a broad spectrum of bacteria, fungi, toxins, and viruses to test for, it may be a while before researchers have a definitive answer. Nicole Nemeth with the SCWDS, said it’s even possible that the disease could be caused by multiple pathogens. “There’s really still a lot of possibilities,” she explained, “Unfortunately, it just takes time.”

Stopping the Spread

Until then, concerned citizens in affected regions can take steps to protect birds in their own yards. “The best thing we can recommend is taking down your bird feeders,” wildlife researcher Christine Casey said. Once down, it’s important to clean feeders and birdbaths with a 10 percent bleach solution to kill any pathogens, followed by a thorough rinse and drying time. Keeping feeders and birdbaths clean, of course, is standard procedure for most birders anytime, including the use of very diluted 10 percent bleach with thorough rinsing afterward. Read more

The importance of a good look with binoculars before you consult a field guide, Merlin, or another bird ID source would emphasized when you located this bird in one of your trees. Same species? No, look at that beak … the key is to be prepared (immature Summer Tanager photo by Paul Konrad).

There are two essential pieces of birding equipment that everyone should have within reach – a field guide and a binocular. Even at home, whether you’re seated in your favorite chair with your feeding station in sight, or on your front porch, back deck, or balcony, it’s always a good bet to keep your binoculars close to check out the moment to moment potential of a bird’s appearance that catches your attention and imagination. You can always check your field guide moments later, but don’t underestimate the importance of having a good field guide within easy access.

It may seem early, but some birds are already beginning their southbound migrations – including new fledglings that have different plumages than adults, possibly with unfamiliar plumage coloration for you. If you are really lucky, you may even find a “rare bird,” a species that is a thousand miles beyond its normal range.

If you take a look at this week’s Rare Birds article you will see that rare birds are making record-breaking appearances in many states, including a Lark Bunting that’s visiting a feeding station in New Hampshire, a Beryline Hummingbird that frequents a feeder in Arizona, and a Mexican Violetear that stopped at a nectar feeder south Texas. At the same time you may see a species you’ve never seen in your yard before – a newbie for your Yard List. That’s always fun, and personally significant. Read more