>> CATHY: THE SUMMER SOLSTICE WAS LAST SUNDAY THE 21ST, SO WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY INTO THE NEW SEASON.

THE SUN IS SHINING.

LEAVES ARE GREEN.

IT'LL BE UNNECESSARILY HOT NEXT WEEK.

AND IT'S ALL TO THE SOUNDTRACK OF BIRDSONG.

WHICH BIRDS?

WELL, THE BEST PERSON TO ANSWER THAT IS SITTING ACROSS FROM ME NOW, SHARON STITELER, A.K.A.

BIRDCHICK.

ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> I FEEL LIKE I'M GOING TO GET REPLACED.

[ Laughter ] THE NEXT TIME, THERE'S JUST GOING TO BE A DOG SITTING HERE.

>> Cathy: FOR PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T SEE THE TEASE, YOUR BELOVED PARTY PANTS, SHE'S A VERY GOOD GIRL.

LET'S TALK ABOUT BIRDS.

NESTING BIRDS, WHAT'S UP WITH THEM?

THEY'RE ALL -- THEY'RE JUST SO BUSY.

>> THEY ARE.

AND SO SOME BIRDS WILL HAVE MORE THAN ONE BROOD IN THE SUMMER TIME.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF ROBBINS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE RENESTING AND BUILDING NESTING AGAIN EVEN THOUGH THEY ALREADY HAVE SOME BABY ROBBINS OUT THERE.

THE VOLUNTEER WHO WAS BRINGING ME UP SAID, ARE THERE JUST MORE ROBBINS THAN USUAL AND I WAS LIKE, YOU'RE SEEING ALL THE YOUNG ONES LEARNING TO FLY.

IT IS LEGAL AS LONG AS THERE ARE NO EGGS IN THERE TO REMOVE THAT NESTING MATERIAL, IF IT'S DOING IT SOMEPLACE UNSAFE LIKE ON A LIGHT FIXTURE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT ONCE THERE ARE EGGS, YOU GOT TO LEAVE IT ALONE.

>> Eric: THE DAYS BECOME SHORTER NOW.

ARE THEY PREPARING FOR THEIR TRIP SOUTH >> THAT'S A REALLY OOD QUESTION.

>> Eric: THAT'S WHY I MAKE THE GOOD MONEY.

>> Cathy: IT'S A DEPRESSING QUESTION.

>> MID-JULY, SHORE BIRDS.

DISPLSES STOP IT!

>> CATHY'S GOING TO SLAP ME.

THE OTHER THING WITH THAT IS THAT WE HAVE GOALED FINCHES THAT ARE JUST ABOUT TO START THEIR NESTING SEASON.

SO DON'T GET DEPRESSED ABOUT MIGRATION SEASON HAPPENING EARLY.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BUILD THEIR NESTS UNTIL MID-JULY ANYWAY.

>> Cathy: THAT IS ACTUALLY A SURPRISE, BECAUSE I HOUGHT THEY'D BE OUT AND ABOUT.

>> THEY EAT A LOT OF SEEDS AND THEY ALSO ARE LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT KIND OF FIBERS FOR THEIR NESTS.

SO THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT TO BE AVAILABLE.

WELL, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OTHER BIRDS SPECIFICALLY GO FOR INSECTS.

IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY COW BIRDS CAN'T SURVIVE IN A GOLDFINCH NEST.

AND SO WHEN A PARASITE LIKE A COW BIRD LAYS AN EGG IN THEIR NEST, IT DOESN'T SURVIVE.

>> Cathy: YOU BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT THEY ARE EATING SEEDS.

IS THAT WHY NOT AS MANY BIRDS ARE COMING TO FEEDERS?

>> YES, ORIOLES >> YES, ORIOL ORIOLES >> YES, ORIOL ORIOL ORIOLES IN , THEY'LL SLOW DOWN ON GRAPE JELLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO RAISE THEIR KIDS ON A SUGAR DIET, SO THEY'LL GO FOR INSECTS.

>> Eric: ARE THE BIRD WATCHING HOT SPOTS THE SAME EVERY YEAR?

OR DO THEY JUMP AROUND?

>> SO THIS IS FASCINATING, YES, THE BIRDING HOT SPOTS ARE THE SAME, BUT SOMETIMES WE GET WILD CARDS, A WEEK AND A HALF AGO WE HAD A BOBBY IN KANDIYOHI COUNTY.

IT WAS, LIKE, A SECOND MINNESOTA RECORD.

AND YEAH, SOMEBODY JUST POSTED IT ON ONE OF THE BIRDING GROUPS.

THIS IS HANGING OUT AT DIAMOND LAKE.

AND EVERYBODY'S FREAKING OUT, DIAMOND LAKE THAT MINNEAPOLIS?

BUT NO, IT WAS -- >> Eric: HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?

>> SOMETIMES BIRDS GET CARRIED BY VARIOUS WINDS.

SOMETIMES THEIR BRAIN CHEMISTRY IS A LITTLE WEIRD AND SAYS, HEY, YOU SHOULD GO FAR AWAY FROM THE OCEAN.

THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF THINGS BUT IT'S PART OF WHAT MAKES BIRDING FUN IS YOU GET SOMETHING THAT A BIRD YOU SHOULD ONLY SEE, YOU KNOW, IN THE OCEAN SHOWING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF MINNESOTA.

>> Eric: YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE AUDUBON LOGS WHERE YOU LIST HOW MANY SPECIES YOU'VE SEEN?

>> I USE E-BIRD, AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.

I'M REALLY INTO THE SUMMER PATCH BIRDING.

SO I'M DOCUMENTING NOT ONLY, LIKE, WHAT BIRDS I'M SEEING, BUT YOU CAN ALSO JUST, LIKE, PRESS A BUTTON AND MAKE A NOTE OF RECENTLY FLEDGED YOUNG OR BUILDING A NEST IF YOU HAPPEN TO NOTICE THAT, AND THAT'S VERY VALUABLE INFORMATION TO BIOLOGISTS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

>> Eric: HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR LOG?

>> I COULDN'T TELL YOU THE EXACT NUMBER, BECAUSE I'M A TERRIBLE LISTER, IT'S DEFINITELY IN THE DEFINITELY IDEFINITELY IN THE TS BUT ON A GOOD DAY IN SPRING MAI GAITION, MAI GAITIMIGRATION, I CAN GET 50 SPECIES.

>> Cathy: WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP BIRDS IN THE HEAT?

>> PUT OUT WATER AND KEEP IT SHALLOW.

IF YOU HAVE THE DISHES THAT GO UNDER YOUR POTTED PLANTS, THAT'S A PERFECT SITE FOR BIRD BATHS.

PUT SOME ROCKS IN IT AND ANOTHER THING IS HAVE MOVING WATER, EVEN IF IT'S SOMETHING AS SILLY AS PUTTING YOUR GARDEN HOSE INTO THE BIRD BATH AND JUST TURNING IT ON AND MAKING THAT SOUND OF RUNNING WATER FOUR TEN MINUTES.

THE SOUND REALLY ATTRACTING BIRDS.

>> Cathy: ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS LIKE 100 DEGREES OR BETTER?

>> YEAH, BIRDS ARE GOING TO WANT TO BATHE.

DON'T PUT OUT ICE WATER.

THEY'RE NOT PREPARED TO O THAT.

DON'T DO IT THAT WAY.

BUT GETTING HYDRATION IS DEFINITELY IMPORTANT.

BUT HEY DON'T EXPERIENCE HEAT IN THE SAME WAY WE DO.

SO PUTTING ICE WATER OUT FOR BIRDS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.

>> Cathy: THANK YOU, PARTY'S LAYING DOWN NOW.

SHE'S FINE.

>> SHE'S A GOOD GIRL.

SHE'S A GOOD GOVERNMENT DOG.