Red-shouldered Hawk in the backyard. Nice way to end the year.

Shouldn't Red-shoulders be the official bird of Allendale Borough?

You can read "Survival, the Red-shouldered Hawks of Allendale" free on Apple Books here.

Over the years, some of the most popular posts on this blog have been about evicting squirrels from bird boxes.

When you see a squirrel enter the box,  whack the side of the box with a broom handle (being sure to steer clear of the opening).

Once the squirrel vamooses, remove any leaves the squirrel(s) have imported, and then wait for the squirrels to go back in, and repeat. And repeat. And repeat, until you wear them out and they give up

Not a great strategy, especially when you have to climb a ladder in mid-winter each time you evict them.

This season I am trying a new experimental strategy and am recruiting others to follow suit and let me know the results.

My secret weapon: a bird seed called Fiery Feast, which birds are oblivious to but squirrels hate because it's so hot-peppery.

I plan to put some on the floor of the box before this season's squirrel house-hunters arrive, and see if they still stick around.

What do you think? Please let me know, even if you think I'm Elmer Fudd.

These two accipiters can be tough to tell apart, especially when they aren't together.

Don Freiday provides help with a new blog post --26 ways in all.

Here's a sample:

"We've gotten way better at sharpies and coops, but anyone who tells you they have no trouble telling these two apart is at best wrong and at worst a liar. Everybody gets a few wrong."

You can read it here.

(Thanks, Don!)

From just 50 years ago.

Full story below...

Saw this spectrum in the sky to the south of Allendalerecently, like a sliver of a rainbow.

Does this sort of thing have a name, and what causes it?