Studying Breeding Birds at The Woodlands

It's Toribird here, and I am excited to say that on June 14th, I surveyed The Woodlands for my part of the Philadelphia Breeding Bird Census! The census is pretty much what it sounds like - birders visit all sorts of places in Philadelphia County, and look for evidence of birds breeding. It takes place every four years, the last one was in 2016. I have wanted to get a better understanding of the kind of breeding bird activity that we have at The Woodlands for a while now, so this was a great way to get to learn a bit more about that. 

You can see how the American Robin who built this nest used mud and ribbon as well as straw and twigs. Photo taken by Toribird.

Though the mention of breeding evidence may bring to mind searching for nests, there are a myriad of additional things that also show that birds are raising families. These other clues are often quite useful, since birds usually hide their nests quite well to make it harder for predators - and in turn birders - to find them. An example of something good to look for is a bird carrying food, which is confirming proof that the carrier is busy catering to a nest full of hungry young. It is also good to pay attention to birds with nesting material, which could be branches, fibers, mud, or any number of other things depending on the species. Also, there are many courtship rituals that birds must go through before they reach the point of having offspring. Singing is a way for birds to both defend territories and attract potential mates, as is, often, some sort of display, which can take many forms. So, these are also important and interesting behaviors to keep an eye out for.  

I enjoyed doing my census of The Woodlands. I started at 7am, near the huge Evans obelisk. To cover as much area as possible, I walked in a spiraling fashion, starting by walking along the perimeter, working my way inward to eventually end at Center Circle. I found confirmed breeding evidence for nine species, though since the time for spring migration has passed, we can assume all of the 26 species I came across are attempting to nest in the area. I was surprised that I didn't see certain species such as orioles and kingbirds, and I saw only one flicker; all these birds usually seem to be much more abundant. I also feel as though I had more of the invasive starlings and House Sparrows than normal; I wonder what caused these differences. 

A young Brown-headed Cowbird getting fed by their foster parent Chipping Sparrow. Yes, the baby cowbird is the bigger one! Photo taken at The Woodlands by Toribird.

There were several highlights throughout the day, and my favorite is probably the very cute and fuzzy Downy Woodpecker baby which was getting fed by its dad. It was also neat to see a young Brown-headed Cowbird attended by a parent Chipping Sparrow. Cowbirds are rather infamous brood parasites that leave their eggs in other species nests, and so it was a nice chance to see this "textbook" bird behavior. 

Of course, the recap of the trip would not be complete without highlighting our Cooper's Hawk nest, which is high in an oak tree on the VA Hospital side of The Woodlands. I always enjoy checking in on that family! I took a look at them on June 4th, and when I returned on the 14th it was incredible to see how much the babies had changed! On the 4th, they were little more than a nestful of white fuzzballs, and lacked any longer feathers, but just ten days later they were much larger and already sporting flight feathers in the wings and the brown striping on the chest that is distinctive of young Coopers. The hawks will soon be fledging, and so I encourage you to visit them and watch as they explore the world beyond their nest for the first time in their life!

Below is a video I took of a parent feeding the little guys. 

Though summer lacks the wonderful diversity of migration, it is arguably the most important season in a bird's life, since it is now that birds reproduce, and without the new generations, the species would not survive. It is also fascinating to watch the displays, fights, and, of course, lovely songs that are a key part of birds' courtship. So, I hope you get a chance to get outside and take in the wonderful intricacies of the avian summer! 

Written by:
Toribird

Enjoying and Discovering Birds From Home

Our resident birding expert, Toribird is writing about ways to enjoy Spring Migration from home this week, just in time for the Philadelphia City Nature Challenge. Normally an international competition, this year’s City Nature Challenge is a collaborative world wide effort to document as many unique species as possible in your city or town using the iNaturalist App. Between April 24th and April 27th participants in Philadelphia and neighboring counties (Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, Gloucester, Camden, and Burlington) can document the wildlife of their basements and back yards, and, to the extent possible (based on recommendations from the city and health officials), you can head off into their neighborhoods and green spaces like The Woodlands on your own or with family. Remember while at The Woodlands to wear a mask, and DO NOT touch any headstones, climb any trees, or cut any flowers. We hope you’ll use the City Nature Challenge as an opportunity to experience The Woodlands in new and exciting ways. Happy birding!

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As our community tackles the Covid-19 pandemic, life is turned upside down for us all. You might be lonely, or missing an activity that used to be a staple of your week. Or maybe you're anxious, unsure what the future will bring. Whether you are looking for a new hobby to fill the time, or need to take a moment to gather your thoughts and ease your worries, nature is a good solution to turn to. And this is a good time to begin paying more attention to the birds that share our neighborhoods - it's migration season, and the birds are coming, just as they have every year. From regal hawks to colorful warblers, the travelers are winging their way north towards us, and indeed several have already arrived. Read on to explore ways to enjoy these feathered beauties from your own home. 

A male American Goldfinch enjoys a coneflower seed snack in West Philadelphia. Photo by Toribird.

If you’re finding yourself using the extra time at home to tend to your garden, why not add to the beauty by attracting cheerful songbirds? To make your yard more appealing to birds, you’ll want to add dense shrubs or hedges that can provide good shelter, limit use of chemicals, and of course plant lots of native plants! A water feature, particularly moving water, is also a magnet for birds - and it can attract birds that don’t usually come to feeders, like warblers. Keeping dead trees around is also a good thing to do; they are a very important source of food and habitat for woodpeckers, and you might even get an owl in your tree cavity! Some plants that are particularly good at attracting birds include coneflowers (Echinacea spp.), bayberry (Myrica ssp.), and trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens). Goldfinches love to feast on the coneflower seeds, and Tree Swallows and Yellow-rumped Warblers have the rare ability to digest bayberry fruit; this plant also provides good cover for other species. Honeysuckle attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators, and provides welcome shelter for birds, particularly in the winter. 

Another way to put this time to good use is by starting or expanding your yard-list. The idea of a yard-list is quite simple - a record of the bird species seen or heard from anywhere in your home or yard. You can choose to count only the birds interacting with your area (like a sparrow coming to your feeder), or expand it to birds flying over or seen across the street (like a crow flying elsewhere but seen from your porch). This is a good time to start paying more attention to birds in your area since it's migration season, and almost anything could fly overhead or stop in your garden to feed and rest! Looking in the sky, you could see Broad-winged Hawks and other raptors, gulls, or other birds passing by. I even had a migrant loon fly over my house on April 12th! Songbirds like warblers and thrushes may also drop by for a visit, particularly if you provide them with water and shelter.

This Hermit Thrush dropped by my backyard and was a nice surprise on a spring morning! Photo by Toribird.

If local birds just aren't cutting it for you, check out the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's bird cams. There, you can watch birds from icy Ontario to tropical Panama real-time, as well as delve into the lives of more familiar birds like Red-tailed Hawks and Ospreys. 

This is also a great time to brush up on your bird identification skills. As the breeding season advances, birds will begin singing more, to stake claims to territory and attract a mate. Learning to recognize them by ear can be very handy, as they can be tough to see among foliage. In some cases, like with flycatchers, the birds' song is actually more distinctive than their looks! To become familiar with bird sounds, I recommend the free app, Chirp!, which lets you create fun custom quizzes and slideshows. Unfortunately, it's only available on Apple devices. You can also check out the Macaulay Library's wealth of recordings, or Larkwire, a game-based resource for learning bird sounds.  

I recently did this sketch of a male Hairy Woodpecker. Photo by Toribird.

Of course, it's also good to identify birds by sight. I find that drawing a bird is an excellent way to become more familiar with it. It really helps me be aware of and learn the bird's markings and proportions - both keys to ID. It is totally alright to draw from pictures, but for a bit of a challenge you could also try drawing a live bird outside your window. Another great way to expand your knowledge is by sitting and reading your bird field guide, rather than just using when you are struggling to ID an unfamiliar bird.  If you are a techy person who prefers screens to paper, there are many bird identification apps that you can download. One of my favorites is Merlin Bird ID, which can give you a targeted list of possible birds based on a picture or information like location and color. It is free and available for both Apple and Android devices. 

I hope that I've helped you come up with ways to cope with this difficult time, and to take a moment to appreciate the birds, whose sweet serenades and beautiful plumes are for all to appreciate!

Written by:
Toribird

180th Anniversary of the Articles of Incorporation of The Woodlands Cemetery Company

The Woodlands Cemetery Company was founded and Incorporated 180 years ago this week on April 13th, 1840. A group of Philadelphians set out to preserve the estate of William Hamilton, then known as The Woodlands, a mile South West of Philadelphia. They invested in the estate as a rural cemetery company, to offer Philadelphians a burial option outside the crowded city of Philadelphia. The following blog post features excerpts from the original Articles of Incorporation, and includes parallels to ways The Woodlands is used today.

From the Articles of Incorporation:

These grove and those prospects will be sacredly preserved; the buildings restored; and the renewed cultivation of shrubs and flowers be permitted to shed a cheering influence in shaded or sunny lawns, and among the tombs. All that take may suggest or science demand, consistently with the column purpose of the place, will be added to the superior advantages already possessed.

In adapting the grounds to the purpose of a Cemetery, every care has been taken harmoniously to unite simplicity of design and utility with the unmarred and effective scenery. The avenues for carriages of easy grade, give convenient access to all the parts, and the footways conduct to every burial plot.

Eli K. Price, First President of The Woodlands Cemetery Company

Here, amid nature’s beautiful works, embellished by taste, is offered the right of sepulture in perpetuity. Here, in a dry and gravelly soil, the decaying bodies of the dead may securely moulder into kindred dust, with an abundant vegetation and free winds to absorb and dissipate all noxious effluvia. Here, protected by the affectionate care of survivors and the guaranty of the law, may the grave “not undistinguished be,” but, marked by partial friendship, repay visitation by salutary lessons to the human heart. 

And whereas, A number of citizens of this Commonwealth hereinafter named have associated for the purpose of establishing a rural cemetery at the Woodlands in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, intending to appropriate the greater portion thereof for the purpose of interments, whereby the beautiful landscape and scenery of that situation may be perpetually preserved, and its ample space for free circulation of air, and groves of trees afford a security against encroachments upon the dead, and heath and solace to the living.

The Woodlands is visited by 40,000 people annually, and during this period of quarantining and social distancing during COVID-19, the site has seen an increase in daily visitors seeking a respite from their daily lives. Throughout The Woodlands’ history there have been periods of popularity and quiet. The following tickets are from the mid 1800’s and were issued to lot holders for access to the grounds.

The Cemetery had become so popular for recreational visits, that only card-carrying lot holders were permitted entry, as a method of crowd control. This was before the public parks movement existed, so rural cemeteries provided an opportunity to spend time outdoors with families picnicking, gardening, and enjoying fresh air.

Much like today, Victorian visitors to The Woodlands appreciated the trees, gardens, and open space. We’re proud to be able to to continue to make The Woodlands accessible during COVID-19, and are hoping to continue to do so into the future. We’re celebrating 180 years of The Woodlands Cemetery Company with our 9th Annual Benefit on Wednesday, July 15th. We hope you’ll join us in support of The Woodlands, you can learn more about the Annual Benefit here.

Woodlands in Bloom, Early Spring Edition- Digital Tour

Winter is over, and all around the Woodlands signs of spring are on full display. We’ve created a digital tour to help you explore the things blooming right now on the grounds, and learn a little about some of the famous plant people who rest in peace on the grounds. Take advantage of these blooms over the next week, as things are changing fast.

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Remember to keep you distance from other visitors while on the grounds, and follow all other site rules. A full list of our rules can be found here