Earlier this fall, I had an ash tree that needed some pruning back. One cut led to another, and soon I had a daunting pile of limbs, branches, and twigs to deal with. I lopped the bigger stuff into campfire wood (local use only, wouldn't want to inadvertently spread Emerald Ash Borers…) and chopped a bunch of the leftovers up into mulch using my chipper/shredder. But in a perfect blend of putting off work while helping birds, I heaped the rest into a pile behind my feeder array.
My winter brush pile, providing cover near my feeder array and keeping the photo opps coming!
A brush pile gives birds a place to stage as they come out to feed and offers a quick retreat from predators such as accipiters- the National Wildlife Federation includes this as an idea to create cover for improving backyard wildlife habitat. Some species of birds just don't like to be out in the open, and having the brush pile around increases the chance of seeing these skulkers. I have a big permanent brush pile beyond the more manicured part of my yard for birds to roost or take cover in, but in the winter feeding season I plan to maintain the smaller pile by the feeders, with my photo blind set up nearby to take advantage of the birds that visit. So far this fall I have already reaped the dividend of a couple of new yard birds and some fun photos- thanks, brush pile!!
I love raptors, and Sharp-shinned Hawks like this youngster always liven up my day when they patrol the feeders. This guy was playing the waiting game with birds in the brush and in my spruces, completely intent on their scuttling deep in the cover and trying to figure out how to successfully get at them. A brush pile gives small birds cover from predators, but a sharpie won't shy at following birds right into the brush pile or thick spruce boughs if it thinks it has a chance.
Eurasian Collared-Doves scatter up instead of into cover. This can be a bad move when an experienced Cooper's Hawk is sharing their airspace, as evidenced by this adult enjoying a plump exotic columbid dinner atop a neighboring building. Don't worry- despite the intentions of my Super Cooper Troopers I've still got plenty of EuroDos around.
Junco diversity in the west is pretty sweet. I've had all of the Dark-eyed Junco subspecies in my yard, and having a brush pile increases their numbers and length of their stay. Here a Pink-sided Junco looks for stray seeds in frosty thyme, a few hops away from shelter under the tangle of branches.
My favorite junco, a spanking White-winged Junco, makes an appearance in the brush pile late last month.
As I scrambled to unobtrusively switch off my focus limiter, the White-winged Junco hopped towards me, unaware or uncaring as I snapped away from my photo blind just a few meters away.
Last weekend on a lazy morning I scanned the brush pile from our kitchen window after an overnight basting of snow. Much to my surprise and delight, a big white-bellied immature Harris's Sparrow was working in and out of the branches with the mix of more common birds.
As some of my birding buddies from across the pond might say, What a Stonker!!