Nature News: August
August really has been the perfect summer month with warm days reaching the 80s while nights descend in temperature and bring cool breezes and starry skies. Flowers continue to bloom at higher elevations and berries hang heavy on the bushes at lower elevations. Snow is still found in the high country and some alpine lakes will spend this summer at rest covered in ice.
As I gaze out my window, I see soft light. Nights are longer and days are cooler as fall approaches. The change has begun. As I contemplate this change, I remember the 18 inches of snow that fell around the summer solstice and realize that our summer has only been two months in the Tetons. The joy of mountain life.
I have had true happiness feeding my birds this season. Our cat’s happy, 17 years of life ended last September so I created a bird sanctuary (or tried). I mentioned this during the winter nature news and wanted to touch on the beauty of hummingbirds since they are a summer resident to Jackson Hole. I hung two hummingbird feeders this spring. My elation escalated with the Bullock’s Orioles who decided to use the sugar water as a food source. They decided it was so tasty that they nested near our house. I really didn’t realize how vocal they are and their call reminds me a bit of magpies- guttural and loud. They spent the summer and have moved on. Happy travels to them.
The hummingbirds continue to visit but do have to share their water a bit with bees. Does anyone know how to limit the bee visits to the feeders? I really try to live with nature so don’t want to “Raid” them. We have two main species of hummers in the area. My favorite is the small, green Calliope. It is the smallest bird in North America and migrates all the way to Mexico! We also have the Broad-tailed hummingbird but they don’t visit my feeders as much as the Calliope. They are actually both green and rather hard to distinguish. The male Calliope has a streaked throat and the Broad-tailed has a longer tail. I now have occasional visits from the Rufous Hummingbird who nests a bit north of here. It might be starting its’ migration. They are beautiful and red. The Black-chinned Hummingbird might also be seen in this area but I haven’t been so lucky. There are 18 species of hummers in North America and I am always so excited when the little guy comes by and buzzes me with a quick thank-you as I refill his food.
On the bird note, has anyone found a good way to keep birds from hitting windows? I have bags hanging but would like something not visible.
I am off to Michigan to see my parents. It is a bit further north in latitude then Jackson but I do see similar vegetation: baneberry, fireweed, salomon seal and many others. It is nice to nestle in with loved ones and just be. I hope you all have a joyous Labor Day weekend. It is amazing how quickly summer zooms by. I reflect on all that has happened and realize that if I stay in the moment; stay in the day, time does seem to go slower.
What’s in the woods:
8/2- Sun Valley- bald eagle, burned area- fireweed and hollyhock.
8/5- Munger Mountain- pink sided junco, black capped chickadee.
8/10- Palisades Reservoir- three bald eagles, merganser.
8/11- Green Lakes- grizzly bear.
8/12- Yellowstone- bison jam in Hayden Valley, cow elk, bald eagle, osprey, young coyote on road.
8/13- Wilson, WY- red fox.
8/13- Ski Lake- western tanager, parrot’s beak, showy goldeneye, Engelmann aster.
8/15-8/19- Wind River Range- Firehole Lakes- edible berries- western thimbleberry, raspberry, grouse whortleberry, elderberry, Oregon grape, serviceberry, poisonous- baneberry, grey jays.
8/20-Black Canyon- clark’s nutcracker, osha, columbine, Indian paintbrush, sunflower, showy goldeneye, hawkweed, scarlet gilia, gentian violet.
8/24-Shadow Mountain- bison, wolf track, mountain bluebird.
8/25-Wilson, WY- red fox.
Tour Suggestion:
One of my favorite summer hikes is Jackson Peak above Goodwin Lake. It sits at 10,741 feet and is a great day of adventure without being too technical. The hike is 9 miles round trip. If you don’t want to summit the peak you can always make a great day out of a trip to Goodwin Lake. It is also a fun place to camp. To access the trail, you need to drive east out Broadway and turn left onto the Elk Refuge. Continue on the road and turn right at the Isaac Walton sign. You will begin to climb up switchbacks and the next junction will be Sheep Creek. You want to bear right. The road will dead end at the trailhead. At this point, you have traveled about 10 miles from the refuge entrance.
Hiking to Goodwin Lake is easy to find so just follow the trail. Once at the lake, you have to walk around the east side and continue to climb above the lake to the next meadows. You walk southeast about one mile. You will be gaining elevation and approaching a small pass. Jackson Peak is west of you so you will walk up the east facing side and actually ascend south of the high point. The topographic maps are Cache Creek and Turquoise Lakes. Have fun and remember temperatures are always cooler at upper elevations, especially in the fall.
Experience nature! Join us to make the most of your Jackson Hole visit! Our tours are educational, inspirational, and fun for all ages. Visit our web site: HoleHike.com.
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Here are some suggestions for solving the problem of bees and wasp at your hummingbird feeders. This a very common problem that many people have and I have found these suggestions to be very helpful. I hope you will too.
1. Buy a feeder with bee guards: Many of the hummingbird feeders available on the market today come equipped with plastic guards. “Bee guards” are a screen-like device that fits over the feeder wholes that makes it difficult for the insects to reach the feeding solution. Unfortunately, many of these hummingbird feeders will also be prone to dripping which will undermine the effectiveness of the bee guards. To help solve this problem, you can use the following suggestions:
•Always fill the feeder completely full with cool nectar. The stopper should be inserted and the feeder quickly inverted to avoid any air entering the feeder. Tube feeders operate on a vacuum principle, and the feeder must be filled completely full in order for the vacuum to form!
•Only hang your feeder in shade or partial shade. The cooler the feeder, the less likely it is to drip.
•Make sure to keep the feeder very clean by regularly cleaning the vessel with hot water and a bottle brush. Soap should not be used during cleaning, because its residue may cause your feeder to drip. As an alternative, try periodically using a vinegar rinse to thoroughly clean your feeder and then rinse well with hot water.
•As a last resort, the stopper assembly can be placed in very hot water to soften the tube. You can bend it slightly to increase the angle. This will stop dripping, but might make it more difficult for nectar to come down the tube.
•If the dripping of this type of feeder is too much for you, then try a top-feeding hummingbird feeder instead.
2. Try moving the feeder: Sometimes just moving the feeder, even just a few feet, will trick the insects into thinking that it’s gone and they won’t find it. Another suggestion is to take the feeder down for a day or two until the bees and wasp quit looking for it. Once the feeder is back up again, the hummingbirds will find it again, because the birds don’t give up looking for it as quickly as the insects do.
3. Give the insects their own feeder: Personally, I had never before heard of this prior to doing some research on the Internet, but I have since heard from many people that this is a very effective technique. This will require the use of separate hummingbird feeders, one for the bees and wasps and one for the hummingbirds. Bees and wasps are more attracted to higher concentrations of sugar, so in their feeder use a nectar ratio of 1 part sugar to 3 parts water. In the hummingbird’s feeder, use a ratio of 1 part sugar to 5 parts water. This ratio is not as sweet as the normal nectar solution that is made with a ratio of 1 to 4, but the hummingbirds will still drink it and it will be far less attractive to the bees and wasps. It will take a few hours for the bees and wasps to find their own feeder and it should be placed away from the hummingbirds own feeder.
4. Buy a saucer-type Hummingbird feeder: This type of feeder is usually made of plastic. This type of feeder is far more drip proof because the feeding ports are located in the top, so they’re not as likely to attract insects. Also, the nectar level will be lower and out of reach to the insects, but not out of reach to the hummingbirds because of their long tongues. This type feeder also does better in direct sunlight then other types of feeders.
If you would like much more information about hummingbirds, please click the links below. The sites contain many articles about hummingbirds, video clips about hummingbirds, an informative tips booklet on hummingbirds, and much more.
Click Here To Visit About Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds For Mom
Kathy- as Thoreau; you are the surveyor of snowstorms and rainstorms and do your duty with diligence!! Thanks and keep it up ; I survey the S.E. corner of WY; along the Laramie River Green Belt and see so many of the same things, but enough difference and I really enjoy reading about YOUR corner of WY!!
Zoe Ann ; thanks for those suggestions; it will probably help me too!
Namaste to ALL!
Dear Zoe Ann,Thank-you so much for sharing your insight regarding bees. Great suggestions and I have changes planned.
Jay- I don’t think that I am in the league of Thoreau but so enjoy sharing nature and I am glad that you find the news enjoyable. I would love to hear more about your corner of the state. I am usually moving at high rates of speed on Highway 80 and would enjoy stopping a bit more and smelling the roses.
I am presently in Leland, MI and have enjoyed the ruby throated hummingbird and the raucous call of the blue jay.
-Cathy Shill
Laramie River Green Belt; Sat. 9/30 ; 6:30 a.m.
The river is VERY low, new sandbars appearing, but where else are the Greater Yellowlegs going to probe the mud for food, the Mallard family out for a swim, two doe Mule Deer munching willows along the bank, the two BIG buck Mule deer (1 with 5pts. and other with 7 pts.) still in FULL velvet in the meadows, Red fox arunnin’ across the trail and what appears to be MOOSE tracks on the mudflats - near the trailhead!!
I’m sure MORE is to be seen - SOON! Will Update then.
Jay J