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American Woodcock

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- In the wild, some species go all out to woo their mates in spring with noisy and colorful shows. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s national wildlife refuges are great places to see or hear them.

Here are a few examples of species to look for at refuges across the country:

The male Attwater’s prairie chicken — a member of the grouse family — does a jig and makes a “booming” sound by filling orange air sacks on the sides of its neck. The daytime spectacle is popular with visitors every March and April at the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, established to protect habitat for the critically endangered bird. See and hear booming here. This year’s annual Attwater’s Prairie Chicken Festival takes place April 14 and 15.

Further north, the American woodcock — also known as the timberdoodle — puts on a striking “sky dance” after dark. Starting at the end of March, the male woodcock leaves its cover for open fields, where it calls to females with a series of sharp “peent”s. Then it suddenly flies up, twittering, in a widening spiral, floats briefly and dives zigzag back to earth. You can follow it with a flashlight. In his book A Sand County Almanac, famed conservationist Aldo Leopold wrote of the woodcock’s sky dance: “Since we discovered it, my family and I have been reluctant to miss even a single performance.” Spring woodcock walks are favorites at Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge in Vermont and Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge in Rhode Island. American woodcocks can also be found at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in Maine, Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey and other refuges. Hear a courting woodcock here.

At Mingo National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri, White River National Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas, and elsewhere, the grey tree frog makes a racket to attract females in spring breeding season. Beginning in early April, it inflates its vocal pouch to balloon-like proportions and emits a melodic trill. University of Missouri researchers recently found that the male calibrates his love song to attract mates with matching chromosomes. See and hear a grey tree frog calling here.

And along the Delaware Bay, the annual coming ashore of thousands of horseshoe crabs to spawn is a tourist attraction in May and June. Male horseshoe crabs crowd along the water line to vie for arriving females. A male grabs onto a mate and rides ashore, where she deposits her eggs in the sand and he fertilizes them. Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware and Cape May National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey are good spots to watch the show. See a video here.

The National Wildlife Refuge System includes more than 2,500 miles of land and water trails. There is at least one national wildlife refuge in every state and one within an hour’s drive of most major cities. National wildlife refuges are dedicated to the conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats. The nation’s 556 national wildlife refuges and other units of the Refuge System, plus 38 wetland management districts, offer a wide range of wildlife-dependent recreation — from fishing, boating, hunting and hiking to wildlife observation and photography, nature interpretation and environmental education. Refuges offer many programs and events geared to families and children. These include festivals, junior naturalist classes, boating and fishing instruction, crafts and more.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov. Connect with our Facebook page, follow our tweets, watch our YouTube Channel, and download photos from our Flickr page.

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Bird Feeding Staples - Black Oil Sunflower Seed Is Magic Mix

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

LITTLE ROCK, AR --(Ammoland.com)- Feeding birds in yards enthralls many thousands of Arkansans every winter.

When they are ready to move up a notch from using bags of mixed seed from discount stores and groceries, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission suggests, there are two effective steps to take.

1. Black oil sunflower seed.
2. Magic Mix.

Using these, the backyard bird feeder gets many more varieties of visitors. The ratio of wanted versus unwanted species like house sparrows and starlings increases sharply.
Black oil sunflower seed is available from farm supply outlets, garden centers and bird specialty stores. Magic Mix is something you concoct at home.

It’s simple. Like making a stew or chili, there are all sorts of variations to Magic Mix, and no one insists you have to go by a recipe or formula. Magic Mix is a name that came from somewhere years ago, and capitalizing it just seems logical, although it’s not a brand name by any means.

Magic Mix is lard, peanut butter and cornmeal. You can add other things. Exact proportions aren’t needed. Just mix it so it looks and feels right.

In a large mixing bowl, blend in lard and peanut butter, using more lard than peanut butter. A pastry blender works well or you may prefer other kitchen tools you have on hand. Then gradually mix in cornmeal to reach a consistency somewhere in the vicinity of Play-Do or muffin mix. It needs to be fairly stiff and solid but moldable and not crumbly. You’ll use a goodly amount of cornmeal.

It will be greasy. You’re using lard. If the greasiness bothers you, wear latex gloves, but you can wash hands later.

A very rough guide on proportions is two parts lard, one part peanut butter, one part cornmeal. Some Arkansans toss in a handful of flour also, saying this small addition helps the mix achieve the preferred consistency.

To get the Magic Mix to the birds, just put it out anywhere above the ground. Purchased or homemade suet feeders work well. So does pressing a handful of Magic Mix into the bark of a tree.

Hanging log feeders are heavily used in some yards. These are just sections of a fence post with several large holes drilled and a sturdy screw eye placed in one end. Then it is wired or hung on a bent-out coat hanger form a tree limb.

To make several of these log feeders, buy a cedar fence post from a lumberyard, fence company or a farm supply store. A six-foot post can be cut into six sections, each a foot long.

Secure an inch-and-a-half spade bit in an electric drill or drill press and bore staggered holes about an inch deep around the post. Four holes to a section are about right. Below and slightly to one side of each large hole bore a quarter-inch hole. Insert a three-inch piece of wooden dowel into each of these small holes for perches. Don’t glue the dowels in place because they will rot and break before the cedar deteriorates. Pull out the stub of dowel and replace it with a new one.

Use a good-sized screw eye and put it in the center of the top of your feeder. Screw it all the way down. Then use a wire or coat hanger and hang the feeder after it’s filled with Magic Mix. These cedar feeders will last for years.

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