With warm thanks to all of you who have supported our birding adventure and, more importantly, supported the good work of At The Crossroads, this will be the final blog post on this issue. Our ending number will be 115 birds, and adventures and friendship and wonderful California scenery through the winter-to-spring transition time. We’ve had a good time. Here’s our last few birds.
We saw an Orange-crowned warbler, a plane little olive and buff bird with a very faint eye stripe. We took the orange crown on faith, as it was hard to see in real life. They are insect eaters, and this spring provides a bounty, we imagine.
We saw a gaggle of sparrows. We saw Savannah Sparrows, streaky birds that forage on the ground, with a buzzing, insect-like sound as they hop along. We also saw Song Sparrows, a very similar, streaky small sparrow, but a bit more strongly marked, especially on the upper breast, and with a spot in the middle of the breast. Like the Savannah Sparrows, the Song Sparrows prefer moist ground, and so must be especially happy North Coast residents. We saw a Lincoln’s Sparrow, darker, with a gray and brown striped head And Fox Sparrows, darker than the others and good-sized, with a very dark brown back and streaked breast.
We saw a Brown-headed Cowbird. These blackbird-like birds have brown heads and green-black bodies (the male). These critters hang about with cows, but are better known for their habit of placing its eggs in the nests of other birds. In some areas, they are trapped in order to lessen the negative impact on reproduction by other birds. The female cowbird apparently identifies the nest of such birds as warblers or finches and removes one or more eggs from the nest and then adds her own egg to the nest.
And, finally, we saw the ubiquitous House Finch. These birds are so common around human habitation, and travel in flocks. They are ground foragers for seeds and fruit and apparently eat mostly vegetable food. Perhaps that is why they are so ubiquitous?
And there you have it. We’ll keep birding: there is something very satisfying about attentiveness outdoors. Thanks for listening.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
May 3
On our Godwit Days adventure we saw Band-tailed Pigeon. Like city pigeons, these birds bob their heads and are plump. The Band-tailed has a white stripe on the nape of its neck and a yellow bill with a dark tip. Head and breast are purplish, the rest gray and black. These birds eat grain, and, indeed, we saw them near Lake Earle in Del Norte County, in the heart of farm country. And we saw an Anna’s Hummingbird. The bright red head of the male is striking on these tiny, hovering creatures.
And we saw swallows. We saw Purple Martins, with the slim bodies, pointy wings and forked tail so swallow-like. They are, as advertised, glossy and purple/blue. They nest in old woodpecker holes, and are rumored to be declining in the west a bit because of competition with starlings. We saw the Tree Swallows we have already logged in. And we saw Violet-green Swallows, more greenish blue than the Martins and with white on cheek and neck and undersides. Finally, we saw Barn Swallows. Like the Violet-green, these swallows nest in colonies. They are brown with a reddish yellow throat and whitish/buff underparts. The tail on this swallow is forked much more deeply than the other swallows we saw. These swallows use mud to build their nests – present in abundance in the Arcata Marsh. All these creatures catch their insect diet on the wing; they apparently have bristles in their mouths that help them catch the insects as they swoop and dive and skim. Need I say we didn’t see those bristles?
We saw Black-capped Chickadees. These are small birds that hop about in bushes and trees, sometimes hanging upside down. They are gray and buff, with a black cap and bib. And they call with a sound somewhat like ‘chickadee-dee-dee. We saw a Hermit Thrush, a shy and modest little bird, gray-brown with a cinnamon tail and some speckling on the upper breast. They are hard to see, often foraging on the ground, but their songs are clear and lovely, rather Bach-like.
Our Bird of the Day on Saturday was the Marsh Wren, found in tall marshy grasses of the Arcata Marsh. They are small brown birds with a white eye stripe and a black and white striped triangle on their back. The males build woven nests above the water before mating. Our favorite was standing on top of his bush, beak wide open and tilted up, singing out his advertisement: ‘I may not be much to look at, but I’m a hell of a carpenter!!!’ A very dear little bird.
Total to 5/3: 108
And we saw swallows. We saw Purple Martins, with the slim bodies, pointy wings and forked tail so swallow-like. They are, as advertised, glossy and purple/blue. They nest in old woodpecker holes, and are rumored to be declining in the west a bit because of competition with starlings. We saw the Tree Swallows we have already logged in. And we saw Violet-green Swallows, more greenish blue than the Martins and with white on cheek and neck and undersides. Finally, we saw Barn Swallows. Like the Violet-green, these swallows nest in colonies. They are brown with a reddish yellow throat and whitish/buff underparts. The tail on this swallow is forked much more deeply than the other swallows we saw. These swallows use mud to build their nests – present in abundance in the Arcata Marsh. All these creatures catch their insect diet on the wing; they apparently have bristles in their mouths that help them catch the insects as they swoop and dive and skim. Need I say we didn’t see those bristles?
We saw Black-capped Chickadees. These are small birds that hop about in bushes and trees, sometimes hanging upside down. They are gray and buff, with a black cap and bib. And they call with a sound somewhat like ‘chickadee-dee-dee. We saw a Hermit Thrush, a shy and modest little bird, gray-brown with a cinnamon tail and some speckling on the upper breast. They are hard to see, often foraging on the ground, but their songs are clear and lovely, rather Bach-like.
Our Bird of the Day on Saturday was the Marsh Wren, found in tall marshy grasses of the Arcata Marsh. They are small brown birds with a white eye stripe and a black and white striped triangle on their back. The males build woven nests above the water before mating. Our favorite was standing on top of his bush, beak wide open and tilted up, singing out his advertisement: ‘I may not be much to look at, but I’m a hell of a carpenter!!!’ A very dear little bird.
Total to 5/3: 108
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
May 2
How about those shorebirds? Our time at the Godwit Days were filled with shorebirds, most of which we don’t see in our valley meanders.
First, of course, we saw the eponymous Marbled Godwit. This is a rather large shorebird, with a long, two-colored bill that is slightly upturned at the end. There were dozens of these noisy cinnamon-colored birds following the tide line at the Arcata Marsh. We also saw there Willets, also big waders, but with a medium straight bill and blue-gray legs. When they fly they have a bright band of white across their wings. We also saw Dunlins, a wader of half the size of the godwits and willets. This bird has a longish black bill, drooping a bit at the tip, and black legs. Some had the black patch on the belly that indicates breeding plumage.
We saw Whimbrels. This bird is a plain brown curlew, as large as the Marbled Godwit, with a white stripe above its eye. Its bill is long and down-curling, and these creatures breed in the far north. And we were delighted to see Long-billed Curlews. These birds are a deeper brown, and their long, down-curved bills are so long as to look like they might overbalance the bird. These birds are another threatened species story. They have suffered in numbers in official counts, primarily due to loss of habitat. Two things account for a resurgence in numbers counted in the California Central Valley. First, scientists started counting them in February rather than the more traditional June, at which point virtually all were raising babies in the far north. More importantly, rice farmers in the Valley have for the most part stopped burning the rice stubble in the fall, in order to reduce the smoke pollution that was so prevalent in Valley autumns. This had the additional benefit of leaving that rice stubble for the Long-billed Curlews, who are now counted in greater numbers.
We saw Greater Yellowlegs, another bird where we wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference from the Lesser Yellowlegs, absent the Lesser, without an informed guide. Ours said, however, that the Greater’s bill length is half again longer than its head, while the Lesser’s is just head size. This beak comparison to the rest of the body turns out to be a useful identifier in many birds. And, the bright yellow/orange legs were distinctive. And we saw Long-billed Dowitchers, another case where we rely on the expertise of guides to distinguish from Short-billed relatives. We take some comfort from the fact that the two races were seen as a single type until the 1950’s. They have cinnamon colors with gray and white, and are most notable for their ‘sewing machine’ jabs into the sand as they graze.
We saw Black-bellied Plovers, chunkier than some of the other shorebirds and with short, heavy bills. These birds also nest in the arctic tundra. Like Killdeer, they stop suddenly and then dart off on their business. And we saw Black Turnstones, slightly smaller birds with a mostly black head, breast and back and white tummy. Like so many of these shorebirds, these Turnstones breed in the north, in this case in coastal Alaska. And we saw the American Black Oystercatcher, eye-catching with its orange eye-ring, bright orange beak and pink legs. This is a larger bird than either the Turnstone or Plover.
And we saw big bunches of Common Murres. These black and white birds are called “penguins of the north” and we saw them in large clusters on Castle Rock just offshore from Crescent City. They were hanging out with the Bird of the Day for Sunday of our Godwit Days festival, the Tufted Puffin. Truly, we’d be hard-pressed to say that we saw the Puffins closely. They were very hard to see even with the spotting scopes, but they do wobble about with their orange beaks. And they arrived just in time for Godwit Days. We visited the point of land from where we could see Castle Rock twice, and it was exciting when the fog lifted enough in the afternoon for us to see them. In order to see them up close, we’ll have to go to Alaska!
Total to 5/2: 100!!
First, of course, we saw the eponymous Marbled Godwit. This is a rather large shorebird, with a long, two-colored bill that is slightly upturned at the end. There were dozens of these noisy cinnamon-colored birds following the tide line at the Arcata Marsh. We also saw there Willets, also big waders, but with a medium straight bill and blue-gray legs. When they fly they have a bright band of white across their wings. We also saw Dunlins, a wader of half the size of the godwits and willets. This bird has a longish black bill, drooping a bit at the tip, and black legs. Some had the black patch on the belly that indicates breeding plumage.
We saw Whimbrels. This bird is a plain brown curlew, as large as the Marbled Godwit, with a white stripe above its eye. Its bill is long and down-curling, and these creatures breed in the far north. And we were delighted to see Long-billed Curlews. These birds are a deeper brown, and their long, down-curved bills are so long as to look like they might overbalance the bird. These birds are another threatened species story. They have suffered in numbers in official counts, primarily due to loss of habitat. Two things account for a resurgence in numbers counted in the California Central Valley. First, scientists started counting them in February rather than the more traditional June, at which point virtually all were raising babies in the far north. More importantly, rice farmers in the Valley have for the most part stopped burning the rice stubble in the fall, in order to reduce the smoke pollution that was so prevalent in Valley autumns. This had the additional benefit of leaving that rice stubble for the Long-billed Curlews, who are now counted in greater numbers.
We saw Greater Yellowlegs, another bird where we wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference from the Lesser Yellowlegs, absent the Lesser, without an informed guide. Ours said, however, that the Greater’s bill length is half again longer than its head, while the Lesser’s is just head size. This beak comparison to the rest of the body turns out to be a useful identifier in many birds. And, the bright yellow/orange legs were distinctive. And we saw Long-billed Dowitchers, another case where we rely on the expertise of guides to distinguish from Short-billed relatives. We take some comfort from the fact that the two races were seen as a single type until the 1950’s. They have cinnamon colors with gray and white, and are most notable for their ‘sewing machine’ jabs into the sand as they graze.
We saw Black-bellied Plovers, chunkier than some of the other shorebirds and with short, heavy bills. These birds also nest in the arctic tundra. Like Killdeer, they stop suddenly and then dart off on their business. And we saw Black Turnstones, slightly smaller birds with a mostly black head, breast and back and white tummy. Like so many of these shorebirds, these Turnstones breed in the north, in this case in coastal Alaska. And we saw the American Black Oystercatcher, eye-catching with its orange eye-ring, bright orange beak and pink legs. This is a larger bird than either the Turnstone or Plover.
And we saw big bunches of Common Murres. These black and white birds are called “penguins of the north” and we saw them in large clusters on Castle Rock just offshore from Crescent City. They were hanging out with the Bird of the Day for Sunday of our Godwit Days festival, the Tufted Puffin. Truly, we’d be hard-pressed to say that we saw the Puffins closely. They were very hard to see even with the spotting scopes, but they do wobble about with their orange beaks. And they arrived just in time for Godwit Days. We visited the point of land from where we could see Castle Rock twice, and it was exciting when the fog lifted enough in the afternoon for us to see them. In order to see them up close, we’ll have to go to Alaska!
Total to 5/2: 100!!
Monday, May 2, 2011
April 28
Part of our goal in going to the Arcata Godwit Days was the opportunity to see shore birds, many of them not seen in the valley. And, of course, the north coast is beautiful for any reason, and redwoods and rhododendrons and the elk at Prairie Creek Redwood State Park would be delightful, even if we weren’t in pursuit of bird species in numbers. And we did see sea and shore birds.
We saw the Cackling or Aleutian Goose. These are a sub-species of the Canada Goose; they have a white neck ring in addition to the distinctive chin strap. We told the story of the remarkable recovery of these birds from the brink of extinction earlier (see our 2/20 post), thanks to the removal of foxes from their breeding grounds in the Aleutians. And here we note that they really do cackle, and chuckle, and mutter to each other.
And we saw more and more ducks, of course. We saw Green-winged Teal, one of those dabbling ducks,; they are small, with a handsome chestnut and green head and a vertical white stripe on the side. We saw Northern Shovelers, with their distinctive shovel-shaped beaks, longer than their heads and, in the case of the male, white breast to set off brown sides and green head. It’s hard not to think of them as needing a nose job.
We saw some Greater Scaups, larger than the Lesser Scaups we saw earlier, and with rounder heads. To be honest, making this distinction is most helpful with a bird guide or, at least, more experienced birders in the neighborhood. In this case, we were travelling with bird guides with extensive knowledge of who lived where.
Among Sea Ducks we saw Surf Scoters, stocky, black diving ducks with a white patch on forehead and the nape of the neck (males). Often nearby we saw White-winged Scoters, stocky black diving ducks with a white patch on their wings and no nape patch. And we saw Red Breasted Mergansers, with their shaggy hair and, on the males, white collar and streaky brown breast. These ducks have long, narrow bills that are apparently serrated (although we couldn’t see this).
We saw more gulls. Like the Scaups, we honestly probably couldn’t tell these apart if it weren’t for knowledgeable guides. Gulls often change dramatically from year to year of their lives. But we saw Western Gulls. These look a lot like California Gulls, which we have seen in the Delta. Fully adult birds have white head, dark gray back and a large bill. And pink legs (unlike the gray-green of the California Gull). But honestly, who can ever see gull legs? We also saw Glaucous-winged Gulls, with pales backs and wings. However, the books saw that the Western and Glaucous-winged Gulls hybridize as well. Makes you want to throw up your hands, doesn’t it?
And we saw Caspian Terns, a sleeker bird than the gull with pointier wings. The Caspian has a large, orange bill. And perhaps above all, terns were described by one of our fellow birders: “Terns are just more dignified than gulls. You never see terns begging in the parking lot.”
Total to 4-28: 88
We saw the Cackling or Aleutian Goose. These are a sub-species of the Canada Goose; they have a white neck ring in addition to the distinctive chin strap. We told the story of the remarkable recovery of these birds from the brink of extinction earlier (see our 2/20 post), thanks to the removal of foxes from their breeding grounds in the Aleutians. And here we note that they really do cackle, and chuckle, and mutter to each other.
And we saw more and more ducks, of course. We saw Green-winged Teal, one of those dabbling ducks,; they are small, with a handsome chestnut and green head and a vertical white stripe on the side. We saw Northern Shovelers, with their distinctive shovel-shaped beaks, longer than their heads and, in the case of the male, white breast to set off brown sides and green head. It’s hard not to think of them as needing a nose job.
We saw some Greater Scaups, larger than the Lesser Scaups we saw earlier, and with rounder heads. To be honest, making this distinction is most helpful with a bird guide or, at least, more experienced birders in the neighborhood. In this case, we were travelling with bird guides with extensive knowledge of who lived where.
Among Sea Ducks we saw Surf Scoters, stocky, black diving ducks with a white patch on forehead and the nape of the neck (males). Often nearby we saw White-winged Scoters, stocky black diving ducks with a white patch on their wings and no nape patch. And we saw Red Breasted Mergansers, with their shaggy hair and, on the males, white collar and streaky brown breast. These ducks have long, narrow bills that are apparently serrated (although we couldn’t see this).
We saw more gulls. Like the Scaups, we honestly probably couldn’t tell these apart if it weren’t for knowledgeable guides. Gulls often change dramatically from year to year of their lives. But we saw Western Gulls. These look a lot like California Gulls, which we have seen in the Delta. Fully adult birds have white head, dark gray back and a large bill. And pink legs (unlike the gray-green of the California Gull). But honestly, who can ever see gull legs? We also saw Glaucous-winged Gulls, with pales backs and wings. However, the books saw that the Western and Glaucous-winged Gulls hybridize as well. Makes you want to throw up your hands, doesn’t it?
And we saw Caspian Terns, a sleeker bird than the gull with pointier wings. The Caspian has a large, orange bill. And perhaps above all, terns were described by one of our fellow birders: “Terns are just more dignified than gulls. You never see terns begging in the parking lot.”
Total to 4-28: 88
Thursday, April 28, 2011
APRIL 25
WE DID IT!!! We identified nearly 50 new birds on our Godwit Days birding festival in Arcata and the north coast, taking us well over our 100-bird goal. It will take us several posts to give you the details of our finds, but we have completed our challenge: we thought we could, and we did.
We saw some terrific hawks. We identified a Red-shouldered Hawk, swooping over a tidal marshy area in Arcata. These are primarily east coast birds, but California boasts an isolated population, as we confirmed. We saw a White-tailed Kite, now often known as a Black-shouldered Kite, and that about sums up the description. And we saw a Peregrine Falcon, a species hard hit by use of the pesticide DDT and PCBs. PCBs are released when plastic burns, and among its insidious effects are the delay of the onset of breeding, low sexual drive, and feeble prenatal care. Aggressive conservation efforts for these falcons include captive breeding and, of course, the elimination of some pesticides in the environment.
We saw a Pelagic Cormorant, smaller and darker than the more frequently-seen Double-crested Cormorant. He had, however, that up-tilted beak so characteristic of cormorants, in the harbor at Crescent City.
And then we saw the loons and grebes. We saw Common Loons. These water creatures have legs set so far back on their bodies that the legs cannot support them on land. But this placement accounts for its strong dives and capacity to swim underwater after fish. This loon also can expel its air and sink gradually down into the water. At least one of the Common Loons we saw was in breeding plumage, with checkerboard markings on its wings and neck. We also saw a Red-throated Loon, with more white spotting on its back. We did not see the red patch on its neck that occurs during breeding, but during our journeys on this weekend breeding plumage was scattered, not uniform, in the birds we saw.
We saw an array of grebes. We saw the Western Grebe, with its long, graceful neck and yellowish bill. We saw an Eared Grebe, much smaller than the Western and with a black marking down on its cheek. We believe we saw a similar Horned Grebe, about the same size as the Eared Grebe but with a black cap that does not go down onto the cheek. Neither of these birds had the flaring chestnut face feathers they will develop in breeding plumage. And we saw a Pied-billed Grebe, a much plainer, brownish bird but with a black ring around its stout little bill. All these grebes area strong swimmers and divers.
Rhoda introduced us to the concept of the Bird of the Day. Although it is always hard to choose, there is almost always one bird that lights up your list, through its rarity, or its attractiveness, or its clarity that allows you to capture its look for the future. For David the Bird of the Day on Sunday was the Green Heron. These are hulking birds, usually seen alone, as was ours this day. These birds have a chestnut neck, and green and blue-gray back and sides. This chunky bird looks a little embarrassed at lacking the long elegant neck of some of its heron cousins.
Total to 4/25: 78
We saw some terrific hawks. We identified a Red-shouldered Hawk, swooping over a tidal marshy area in Arcata. These are primarily east coast birds, but California boasts an isolated population, as we confirmed. We saw a White-tailed Kite, now often known as a Black-shouldered Kite, and that about sums up the description. And we saw a Peregrine Falcon, a species hard hit by use of the pesticide DDT and PCBs. PCBs are released when plastic burns, and among its insidious effects are the delay of the onset of breeding, low sexual drive, and feeble prenatal care. Aggressive conservation efforts for these falcons include captive breeding and, of course, the elimination of some pesticides in the environment.
We saw a Pelagic Cormorant, smaller and darker than the more frequently-seen Double-crested Cormorant. He had, however, that up-tilted beak so characteristic of cormorants, in the harbor at Crescent City.
And then we saw the loons and grebes. We saw Common Loons. These water creatures have legs set so far back on their bodies that the legs cannot support them on land. But this placement accounts for its strong dives and capacity to swim underwater after fish. This loon also can expel its air and sink gradually down into the water. At least one of the Common Loons we saw was in breeding plumage, with checkerboard markings on its wings and neck. We also saw a Red-throated Loon, with more white spotting on its back. We did not see the red patch on its neck that occurs during breeding, but during our journeys on this weekend breeding plumage was scattered, not uniform, in the birds we saw.
We saw an array of grebes. We saw the Western Grebe, with its long, graceful neck and yellowish bill. We saw an Eared Grebe, much smaller than the Western and with a black marking down on its cheek. We believe we saw a similar Horned Grebe, about the same size as the Eared Grebe but with a black cap that does not go down onto the cheek. Neither of these birds had the flaring chestnut face feathers they will develop in breeding plumage. And we saw a Pied-billed Grebe, a much plainer, brownish bird but with a black ring around its stout little bill. All these grebes area strong swimmers and divers.
Rhoda introduced us to the concept of the Bird of the Day. Although it is always hard to choose, there is almost always one bird that lights up your list, through its rarity, or its attractiveness, or its clarity that allows you to capture its look for the future. For David the Bird of the Day on Sunday was the Green Heron. These are hulking birds, usually seen alone, as was ours this day. These birds have a chestnut neck, and green and blue-gray back and sides. This chunky bird looks a little embarrassed at lacking the long elegant neck of some of its heron cousins.
Total to 4/25: 78
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
April 15
Rhoda has been picking up some local birds in the East Bay. “I knew I could pick up a few new bird species in my walk around the Lafayette reservoir, even without binoculars. As expected, I saw one of the resident osprey, hunting in the distance, a give-away with its white crown and vertiginous dives. White pelicans have taken up residence there too, but I saw only one, settled on the water. Otherwise, the walk was rich with species we’ve already listed: double-crested cormorants hulking low in overhanging branches, a quiet bufflehead couple, a busy gaggle of killdeer, a red-tail hawk circling below turkey vultures, and a gang of wild turkeys. Of course there were the ones that got away too, most notably the multitude of swallows, swooping too fast for me to identify.”
And we have a domestic sighting from David, Jaci’s husband. Their pond in the mountains houses Roman Aqua Ducks, with names (Chief and Buck). “They are now chasing Mochie the dog by land, sea and air. And biting her on the butt. Must be spring friskiness.” Do we count those Roman Aquas as a new species? Probably not.
Total to 4/15: 67
And we have a domestic sighting from David, Jaci’s husband. Their pond in the mountains houses Roman Aqua Ducks, with names (Chief and Buck). “They are now chasing Mochie the dog by land, sea and air. And biting her on the butt. Must be spring friskiness.” Do we count those Roman Aquas as a new species? Probably not.
Total to 4/15: 67
Monday, April 11, 2011
April 3
Jaci has been finding birds in the back yard. The first is an aural identification. “David and I were sitting on the porch in the evening when we heard a Western Screech-Owl call east of our house. These birds have a lovely two hoots and a falling trill. I have taken to answering them and they will fly closer and call again. I’m not sure if they are coming for true love or to kick my ass, but I love the conversation. This is the time of year we hear them most.” The literature says that Screech Owls are heard most often during breeding season, so it must be true love. They nest in cavities, often using holes built by flickers. Since we are also seeing lots of flickers these spring days, it’s nice to know that they create a diverse neighborhood. The owls are on the small end of the owl range, they are rather gray and have prominent ear tufts when they are extended. However, these nocturnal critters are heard much more often than they are seen. In the backyard theater there are always cocky Stellar’s Jays. Jaci says, “We have about a dozen that hang out waiting for the remains of the dog and duck food, along with our flock of Juncos.” Stellar’s Jays are a mountain bird, especially pine forest areas. They are noisy and, indeed, cocky. They are often found in campgrounds and picnic areas, living on scraps and crumbs. They are generally year-round birds in our foothill area, but they can move even lower when the snow is deep. There is a covey of California quail that comes through Jaci’s Sacramento yard each morning. “Their faces are so precisely drawn, very Japanese in style, with top notch bobbing and streaked breast. They move through the grass as a group until one takes off running full tilt, the plump round relaxed body then stretched and looking too much like a road runner. Then another. And another, until they are all gathered again on the other side of the yard.” These birds are native to the West Coast, as their name implies. However, they now range east through the Great Basin as a result of introductions intended to create a game population. They are social birds, usually moving about in coveys, and they are tolerant of human presence. The coveys often have a lookout posted. And, they are the state bird of California. And then there are the Wild Turkeys. They show up along Highway 299 as we drive down from the mountains. And they show up along the roadways in Sacramento. Jaci says, “I saw thirty gathered together by a great flooded field in back of Kiefer dump. Five toms. Displaying rather soggily in the rain. The rest were hens. Should be A LOT of babies soon.” These gamebirds have also been introduced in many places throughout the west. Total to 4-23 65
Friday, April 1, 2011
March 28
We've seen American Robins in the parks as the first grass begins to peep out (finally!). These are year-round residents in the valleys of California, but they also do altitudinal migrations. As spring warms, these birds forage most commonly on the ground, where earthworms and insects can be found. They can be seen running about on the gound - looking from side to side. When they spy an earthworm, they attempt to spear the worm with their beak and then lean back to tug the worm out of the ground - a sight so iconic it almost seems like a cartoon. They are sociable birds, and they sing and sing, apparently both to attract females and to defend territory. Robins are surely among the most beloved of American songbirds. Catherine spotted another Robin recently: the Mega-Turdus Non-Migratorius Californicus. (The California Robin is the Turdus Migratorius). The Giant California Robin can be found on a rafter in Sacramento's brand new Crocker Art Museum wing. It is distinguished from the California Robin by its giant size (three feet tall) and its inability to migrate. Explanatory material near the Rob says that its size is puzzling. Some suggest that robins ate worms with the growth hormone rBST. Others suggest that the bird is not giant at all, but an optical illusion (these folks are called Giant Robin deniers). Because of the bird's size, it flies poorly and is unable to migrate, being restricted to the Sacramento Valley. Giantism of this sort is often found on islands and among other isolated habitats. (All credit to Gerald Heffernon, artist). So, what do you think? Are these sightings worth one additional species on our list, or two? Total to 3/28: 61
Sunday, March 27, 2011
March 20
Migration is one of the most riveting of bird behaviors, marking the seasons and varying our bird lists over the course of a year. Migration may also be the saving grace of some species as climate change alters the world. Some migrations are epic and long distance. We’ve talked about the migration of the Aleutian Canada Goose in an earlier post. They move from the Arctic to at least California’s Central Valley, with a dramatic stop-over in Crescent City. Other birds move short distances, from the mountains in summer to warmer valleys in winter. Regardless, migrating birds must store up fat before departing, and apparently beef up their muscle tone as well. That is doubtless what those Sandhill Cranes were doing in agricultural fields in the Delta. Birds have an annual clock that prompts readiness to migrate as well as the ability to be flexible when it rains or is windy in the wrong direction. Birds have genetic encoding that directs their flight, especially for younger fliers. In addition, they also use magnetic north sensors and the sun and stars to guide their flight. They also sense the land, or sea, and avoid barriers. We’ve had Dark-eyed Juncos at our bird feeders in the mountains last month and this. They are seed-eaters. They are variable migraters, travelling from none to 2500 miles, according to the literature, so it is difficult to know where our travelers have been. They come every year, however. The females apparently migrate further than the males (up to 300 miles further in some studies), so perhaps ours are a girls’ club travelling to the summer breeding spot. Finally, Juncos are a little snow-tolerant, so we are trying to believe that their arrival heralds spring, even though it is still snowing in our foothills. Total to 3-20: 60
Friday, March 18, 2011
March 14
We have a few more new birds to add to our list from Duck Days. We saw Yellow-Billed Magpies. These are abundant, noisy birds foraging in fields and roadside vegetation. They have a lively blue and black coloring, an unusually long tail, and a bright yellow beak. They are gregarious, and seem to like acorns, along with insects and other animal and plant food. Yellow-billed Magpies are found only in California; their Black-billed cousins are found all over the rest of North America, Europe and Asia. It is interesting to speculate what happiness of evolution brought that yellow bill to our magpies.
We also saw American Crows. Its rounded tail and relatively smaller size distinguish this all-black bird from the Raven. Crows are as sociable as Magpies and seem to flourish in fields and roadsides (and also suburban neighborhoods). They are damaging to crops when their flocks converge, leading, of course, to scarecrows. These are clever and adaptive birds.
We saw a Western Bluebird. These blue and russet birds are the perfect image of a child’s bird, plump and colorful. They nest in cavities, either natural holes or woodpecker holes. We saw a noisy little group of Cedar Waxwings, with their yellow bellies and bandit’s black mask on a brown head. It may be the pointy little cowlick at the back of their head, but mask and cowlick combine to make an antic looking fellow. They are berry eaters, when available.
We saw White-crowned Sparrows, hopping about in low brush next to the river. Their natty black-and-white-striped crowns are striking. Most of these birds migrate to the far north to breed. The literature on the birds suggest that White-crowned Sparrows develop distinctive dialects in their songs, learned in the next from listening to the males sing. We saw Red-winged Blackbirds. Like so many of the birds we describe here, they are social birds, foraging in little flocks. They are glossy black birds, with bright red soldier patches.
Finally, we saw, and heard, Western Meadowlarks. These birds forage, nest and sing on the ground. They have a black, V-shaped band on their yellow breasts, and tip up their beaks to throw their songs to the sky. They eat both insects and seeds.
That concludes our Duck Days sightings. We will continue to post as we move toward 100 different birds!
Total to 3-14: 59
We also saw American Crows. Its rounded tail and relatively smaller size distinguish this all-black bird from the Raven. Crows are as sociable as Magpies and seem to flourish in fields and roadsides (and also suburban neighborhoods). They are damaging to crops when their flocks converge, leading, of course, to scarecrows. These are clever and adaptive birds.
We saw a Western Bluebird. These blue and russet birds are the perfect image of a child’s bird, plump and colorful. They nest in cavities, either natural holes or woodpecker holes. We saw a noisy little group of Cedar Waxwings, with their yellow bellies and bandit’s black mask on a brown head. It may be the pointy little cowlick at the back of their head, but mask and cowlick combine to make an antic looking fellow. They are berry eaters, when available.
We saw White-crowned Sparrows, hopping about in low brush next to the river. Their natty black-and-white-striped crowns are striking. Most of these birds migrate to the far north to breed. The literature on the birds suggest that White-crowned Sparrows develop distinctive dialects in their songs, learned in the next from listening to the males sing. We saw Red-winged Blackbirds. Like so many of the birds we describe here, they are social birds, foraging in little flocks. They are glossy black birds, with bright red soldier patches.
Finally, we saw, and heard, Western Meadowlarks. These birds forage, nest and sing on the ground. They have a black, V-shaped band on their yellow breasts, and tip up their beaks to throw their songs to the sky. They eat both insects and seeds.
That concludes our Duck Days sightings. We will continue to post as we move toward 100 different birds!
Total to 3-14: 59
Monday, March 14, 2011
March 10
As we wound our way through the eastern side of the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta, we stopped at various viewing points, some with calm waters and others with a swift current.
We saw Northern Pintail ducks, adding to our growing list of dabbling ducks. The handsome males have a chocolate-colored head with a long and elegant neck, the white continuing in a thin stripe up the side onto the head. They have striking black tail feathers that extend well beyond the usual tail line. The literature on Pintails say that they often nest with gulls and terns, as these more aggressive birds will mob crows, magpies and other nest predators. It wasn’t clear to us that the Pintails were nesting, but they were indeed hanging about with terns.
And so we saw Forster’s Terns, those sleekest of water birds. They are snowy white and gray, with a black cap and nape of the neck and a deeply forked tail. They were on patrol, moving over the shallow water looking for prey. We did not see the fast dives with which they scoop small aquatic critters from the water; perhaps the deli was closed when we were there. And we saw California Gulls. We claim this with some trepidation, as gulls are notoriously difficult to identify. But we saw an adult gull with yellow bill that had a red spot, and were assured by our tour leader that the California gulls are what is here.
We saw a couple of Northern Harriers. Binoculars are not needed to identify these raptors when they are hunting. They do indeed harry their prey, flying low over fields with a flash of their white rump and their black wing tips. In early days this bird was called a Marsh hawk, but we saw them hunting over agricultural fields. When harrying, their wings are in a V-shape. Had we been able to see one very close, we would have seen a disc-like face, similar to that of an owl. These birds apparently hear their prey as much as see it, with the disc providing acute hearing.
We have already recorded seeing Red-Tailed Hawks. On this journey we saw what was described as a Dark Morph of this bird, sitting on a fence post on patrol. The lack of visible belly band and overall darker look is a reminder that many birds have their own individual look, and don’t always appear precisely like their bird book drawings.
We saw an American Kestrel. These small falcons are distinctive, with their double black vertical stripes on a white face, and their blue and rusty feathers. These birds used to be called Sparrow Hawks, apparently after a European hawk instead of their relatively modest size.
We saw Killdeer, that common shorebird. More accurately, we heard and saw them, since their distinctive ‘kill-dee’ is a clear identifier. Killdeer are plovers, but in addition to marsh and shoreline areas, they are comfortable in fields and hedges. In fact, they appear to like the same grain and grass areas that the Sandhill Cranes prefer. The distinctive black bands around the Killdeer neck and its bright orangish rump make these birds easy to identify. And we saw American Avocet, a good sized shorebird, black and white with a long beak curved upward at the end. When breeding, Avocet necks turn a brick-like color; they were not in breeding plumage this early in the year. These birds have long legs, and when feeding they sweep their long bills back and forth through the water like a scythe.
We have a few more Duck Days finds to report in our next post.
Total to 3/10: 52
We saw Northern Pintail ducks, adding to our growing list of dabbling ducks. The handsome males have a chocolate-colored head with a long and elegant neck, the white continuing in a thin stripe up the side onto the head. They have striking black tail feathers that extend well beyond the usual tail line. The literature on Pintails say that they often nest with gulls and terns, as these more aggressive birds will mob crows, magpies and other nest predators. It wasn’t clear to us that the Pintails were nesting, but they were indeed hanging about with terns.
And so we saw Forster’s Terns, those sleekest of water birds. They are snowy white and gray, with a black cap and nape of the neck and a deeply forked tail. They were on patrol, moving over the shallow water looking for prey. We did not see the fast dives with which they scoop small aquatic critters from the water; perhaps the deli was closed when we were there. And we saw California Gulls. We claim this with some trepidation, as gulls are notoriously difficult to identify. But we saw an adult gull with yellow bill that had a red spot, and were assured by our tour leader that the California gulls are what is here.
We saw a couple of Northern Harriers. Binoculars are not needed to identify these raptors when they are hunting. They do indeed harry their prey, flying low over fields with a flash of their white rump and their black wing tips. In early days this bird was called a Marsh hawk, but we saw them hunting over agricultural fields. When harrying, their wings are in a V-shape. Had we been able to see one very close, we would have seen a disc-like face, similar to that of an owl. These birds apparently hear their prey as much as see it, with the disc providing acute hearing.
We have already recorded seeing Red-Tailed Hawks. On this journey we saw what was described as a Dark Morph of this bird, sitting on a fence post on patrol. The lack of visible belly band and overall darker look is a reminder that many birds have their own individual look, and don’t always appear precisely like their bird book drawings.
We saw an American Kestrel. These small falcons are distinctive, with their double black vertical stripes on a white face, and their blue and rusty feathers. These birds used to be called Sparrow Hawks, apparently after a European hawk instead of their relatively modest size.
We saw Killdeer, that common shorebird. More accurately, we heard and saw them, since their distinctive ‘kill-dee’ is a clear identifier. Killdeer are plovers, but in addition to marsh and shoreline areas, they are comfortable in fields and hedges. In fact, they appear to like the same grain and grass areas that the Sandhill Cranes prefer. The distinctive black bands around the Killdeer neck and its bright orangish rump make these birds easy to identify. And we saw American Avocet, a good sized shorebird, black and white with a long beak curved upward at the end. When breeding, Avocet necks turn a brick-like color; they were not in breeding plumage this early in the year. These birds have long legs, and when feeding they sweep their long bills back and forth through the water like a scythe.
We have a few more Duck Days finds to report in our next post.
Total to 3/10: 52
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
March 3
In Birds We Trust participated in a full-on frolic with the California Duck Days in Davis February 25-26. The festival began with an art show for young Yolo County artists’ entries for the Junior Duck Stamp competition. And they were stunning, interesting, showing detailed observation. It was a real community event, with donated food and wine and a cheerful crowd. The day long events on Saturday included educational workshops and non-profit vendor tables. Jaci learned to recognize various kinds of poop; Catherine practiced drawing ducks; Rhoda learned about hawks and native plants. In the afternoon, we took a travelling bird-watching tour of the east side of the Delta, including spots with still water, moving water, and riparian areas (thank you, Sami!).
The high point was the opportunity to view Sandhill Cranes, in large numbers in various locations. To quote Jaci, the most spectacular sighting came at the end of the day, watching the cranes come in for the night to fields along the Cosumnes River, viewed against the sun setting over Mr. Diablo…extraordinary, simply awesome. 3,000 – 6,000 collect each winter in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta. They include two linked species: large and small. The species are marked similarly, and we couldn’t tell any difference. However, we did learn that it is the large cranes that fly north to Tule Lake, and so are likely who we saw in January. The smaller cranes fly all the way to the Arctic. As remarkable as their evening fly-in is the guttural chatter they engage in as they fly and graze. We saw at least one crane dance, bowing and spreading wings. These large creatures are born to dance.
We saw 35 different birds on our field trip, with a possible sighting of a 36th (was that a Western Grebe?) and a 37th if we could count the Swainson’s Hawk, an endangered species, who was shown captive in the educational exhibits at Duck Days (we won’t, sticking to birds we really do identify in the wild). Some of these birds were new additions to our growing list.
We saw Snowy Egrets. These birds are smaller than the Great Egret (duh!), and have a black bill, black legs, and yellow feet (sometimes called the egret with the ‘golden slippers). These birds have bounced back from extensive hunting in the early part of the 20th century for their plumes, which were more valuable than gold. We also saw Black-Crowned Night Herons. These birds hunker in the trees, their necks disappearing, and often in sociable groups. They are night hunters, which is why they loom in the trees during the daylight viewing hours.
We saw Tundra Swans, flying in small groups, their black beaks and straight necks when flying. These inspiring birds also mate for life, like Sandhill Cranes. We saw Greater White-fronted Geese. They are grayish-brown, and have a white band at the base of the bill and a white rump. These geese winter in enormous numbers in the central valley, and it is encouraging to hear their chattering calls of encouragement to each other to stay in line as they fly. We also saw Snow Geese. These have more white on their heads, necks and bellies, and, when seen closer, have a dark ‘grin’ that runs along their beak. These also gather in large numbers in the Valley.
Total, to 3/3: 45
The high point was the opportunity to view Sandhill Cranes, in large numbers in various locations. To quote Jaci, the most spectacular sighting came at the end of the day, watching the cranes come in for the night to fields along the Cosumnes River, viewed against the sun setting over Mr. Diablo…extraordinary, simply awesome. 3,000 – 6,000 collect each winter in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta. They include two linked species: large and small. The species are marked similarly, and we couldn’t tell any difference. However, we did learn that it is the large cranes that fly north to Tule Lake, and so are likely who we saw in January. The smaller cranes fly all the way to the Arctic. As remarkable as their evening fly-in is the guttural chatter they engage in as they fly and graze. We saw at least one crane dance, bowing and spreading wings. These large creatures are born to dance.
We saw 35 different birds on our field trip, with a possible sighting of a 36th (was that a Western Grebe?) and a 37th if we could count the Swainson’s Hawk, an endangered species, who was shown captive in the educational exhibits at Duck Days (we won’t, sticking to birds we really do identify in the wild). Some of these birds were new additions to our growing list.
We saw Snowy Egrets. These birds are smaller than the Great Egret (duh!), and have a black bill, black legs, and yellow feet (sometimes called the egret with the ‘golden slippers). These birds have bounced back from extensive hunting in the early part of the 20th century for their plumes, which were more valuable than gold. We also saw Black-Crowned Night Herons. These birds hunker in the trees, their necks disappearing, and often in sociable groups. They are night hunters, which is why they loom in the trees during the daylight viewing hours.
We saw Tundra Swans, flying in small groups, their black beaks and straight necks when flying. These inspiring birds also mate for life, like Sandhill Cranes. We saw Greater White-fronted Geese. They are grayish-brown, and have a white band at the base of the bill and a white rump. These geese winter in enormous numbers in the central valley, and it is encouraging to hear their chattering calls of encouragement to each other to stay in line as they fly. We also saw Snow Geese. These have more white on their heads, necks and bellies, and, when seen closer, have a dark ‘grin’ that runs along their beak. These also gather in large numbers in the Valley.
Total, to 3/3: 45
Friday, February 25, 2011
February 22
We at In Birds We Trust are very excited about all your support and contributions. It makes us even more dedicated to getting to 100 different birds, and to being responsible about really identifying those birds. This post will finish with our finds from our Turtle Bay excursion. We are about to undertake a new adventure: California Duck Days in Davis (always assuming it isn’t actually hailing when we’re scheduled for our tour!).
We saw some smaller birds at Turtle Bay. We saw a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, pale gray with natty white wing bars. We were not able to see the red crown. He was tiny and chubby, very dear. These birds are constantly busy foragers in trees, and the literature says they sometimes mine the sap wells of sapsuckers, so perhaps our little guy was following the much larger sapsucker about. We also saw Bushtits, equally tiny, a vision of pale grays. They also are always in motion, chattering to each other to keep a foraging flock together. We saw a White-breasted Nuthatch, slightly larger. These are more distinctly marked birds, with a black cap and white breast and face. They move distinctively down tree trunks, poking their sharp beaks into bark cavities for insects, and sometimes hang upside down from branches. And we saw a Bewick’s Wren, small but with a long tail flicking about, a white eye stripe, brownish gray with paler belly. These wrens are also insect foragers, usually on the lower branches of trees and shrubs.
We saw Golden-crowned Sparrows. Sparrows are hard for us to identify because there are just so darn many different kinds. All have the cone-shaped beak and the ground- or low-ranging foraging behavior. These had a black crown with a yellow patch on top, however, along with their white stripes on the wings.
And we saw Turkey Vultures, looming as they do in trees, alert for someone else’s tragedy. The first we saw had a red head so dark it was purplish, a likely sign that breeding was due to begin. It is hard, I (Catherine) know, to feel kindly toward these birds, but I’ve had a soft spot for them every since they caused an epiphany. One of the first times I thought I could hike alone in the wild, I undertook a trail in Pinnacles National Monument east of Monterey. I told the ranger where I was going, asking that she call for land and air support if I wasn’t back before dark. The trail really pushed my afraid-of-heights issues; at one point I actually did a narrow ridge on my hands and knees. But I made it to the top and was immediately treated to the sight of enormous birds, probably as big as Volkswagens, soaring above the ridge. I was immensely moved. When I got back down to report in to the ranger, certain I’d seen the first of the re-introduced condors, she said, ‘Oh yes, the turkey vultures like to soar up there at the end of the day.’ Turkey vultures? I had a religious experience prompted by turkey vultures? Well, I guess so.
Total, to 2/22: 40
We saw some smaller birds at Turtle Bay. We saw a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, pale gray with natty white wing bars. We were not able to see the red crown. He was tiny and chubby, very dear. These birds are constantly busy foragers in trees, and the literature says they sometimes mine the sap wells of sapsuckers, so perhaps our little guy was following the much larger sapsucker about. We also saw Bushtits, equally tiny, a vision of pale grays. They also are always in motion, chattering to each other to keep a foraging flock together. We saw a White-breasted Nuthatch, slightly larger. These are more distinctly marked birds, with a black cap and white breast and face. They move distinctively down tree trunks, poking their sharp beaks into bark cavities for insects, and sometimes hang upside down from branches. And we saw a Bewick’s Wren, small but with a long tail flicking about, a white eye stripe, brownish gray with paler belly. These wrens are also insect foragers, usually on the lower branches of trees and shrubs.
We saw Golden-crowned Sparrows. Sparrows are hard for us to identify because there are just so darn many different kinds. All have the cone-shaped beak and the ground- or low-ranging foraging behavior. These had a black crown with a yellow patch on top, however, along with their white stripes on the wings.
And we saw Turkey Vultures, looming as they do in trees, alert for someone else’s tragedy. The first we saw had a red head so dark it was purplish, a likely sign that breeding was due to begin. It is hard, I (Catherine) know, to feel kindly toward these birds, but I’ve had a soft spot for them every since they caused an epiphany. One of the first times I thought I could hike alone in the wild, I undertook a trail in Pinnacles National Monument east of Monterey. I told the ranger where I was going, asking that she call for land and air support if I wasn’t back before dark. The trail really pushed my afraid-of-heights issues; at one point I actually did a narrow ridge on my hands and knees. But I made it to the top and was immediately treated to the sight of enormous birds, probably as big as Volkswagens, soaring above the ridge. I was immensely moved. When I got back down to report in to the ranger, certain I’d seen the first of the re-introduced condors, she said, ‘Oh yes, the turkey vultures like to soar up there at the end of the day.’ Turkey vultures? I had a religious experience prompted by turkey vultures? Well, I guess so.
Total, to 2/22: 40
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
February 19
Among the stars of our Turtle Bay birding expedition were the Bald Eagles. As the newbies to town, we were mightily impressed when two Bald Eagles flew by, posing in perfect profile for their ‘put me on the stamp’ picture. Then we saw the shiny something next to their enormous nest: a web cam. Turns out that these two eagles are indeed local stars: named Liberty (female) and Patriot (male) They began nesting here in 2004; they hatched their first eaglets in 2006. They were fierce about remaining in their nest even when CalTrans began a highway project just yards from the nest in 2008. The web camera was installed then. Liberty and Patriot have successfully fledged 20 eaglets, and the day after we visited them they laid two additional eggs. You can see them for yourself at www.turtlebay.org/eaglecam.
We saw a juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk, learning from our fellow birders that even before the identifiable red tail, these hawks show black on the leading edge of their wings. These birds soar, apparently effortlessly, with fanned tails and very little flapping. And we saw a Great Blue Heron, that royalty of the marsh. These fishermen stand quietly in the shallow part of the stream, waiting for dinner to be delivered.
And we enjoyed a bounty of woodpeckers. All these birds of the Picidae Family are built to stand upright on tree trunks, and that is where we found them. They use their stiff-pointed tail feathers with their legs to form a tripod to brace themselves against the tree. It is always surprising they don’t knock themselves silly drumming on the trees. We saw a Downy Woodpecker, on the small end of woodpecker range, who was actively poking into the tree for a snack. We saw a Nuttall’s Woodpecker, slightly larger and with a more speckled back than the Downy, but similar behavior. We also saw the Red-breasted Sapsucker, with a blacker head and bright red chin and throat. These are bigger than either of the other woodpeckers we saw. Apparently, they are named for the sap wells they drill in trees in order to attract and trap insects. (Despite our long-held belief that the name was just trash talk in the bird world.)
We saw American Goldfinches, social and busy little creatures, although not as bright a yellow as they will become when fully breeding. Even so, it is easy to see why they are sometimes called the Wild Canary. We also saw Yellow-rumped Warblers, who have a yellow throat in addition to that rump. These are cheerful birds, with their slow warbles and their tendency to come in bunches.
We saw Spotted Towhees, also called Rufous-sided Towhees. They wear black hoods with streaky chestnut and white markings. We also saw California Towhees, plainer gray-brown, with a ‘chip…chip….chip’ call. These Towhees are overgrown sparrows with the large, seed-cracking bill of the sparrow.
Total to 2/19: 34
We saw a juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk, learning from our fellow birders that even before the identifiable red tail, these hawks show black on the leading edge of their wings. These birds soar, apparently effortlessly, with fanned tails and very little flapping. And we saw a Great Blue Heron, that royalty of the marsh. These fishermen stand quietly in the shallow part of the stream, waiting for dinner to be delivered.
And we enjoyed a bounty of woodpeckers. All these birds of the Picidae Family are built to stand upright on tree trunks, and that is where we found them. They use their stiff-pointed tail feathers with their legs to form a tripod to brace themselves against the tree. It is always surprising they don’t knock themselves silly drumming on the trees. We saw a Downy Woodpecker, on the small end of woodpecker range, who was actively poking into the tree for a snack. We saw a Nuttall’s Woodpecker, slightly larger and with a more speckled back than the Downy, but similar behavior. We also saw the Red-breasted Sapsucker, with a blacker head and bright red chin and throat. These are bigger than either of the other woodpeckers we saw. Apparently, they are named for the sap wells they drill in trees in order to attract and trap insects. (Despite our long-held belief that the name was just trash talk in the bird world.)
We saw American Goldfinches, social and busy little creatures, although not as bright a yellow as they will become when fully breeding. Even so, it is easy to see why they are sometimes called the Wild Canary. We also saw Yellow-rumped Warblers, who have a yellow throat in addition to that rump. These are cheerful birds, with their slow warbles and their tendency to come in bunches.
We saw Spotted Towhees, also called Rufous-sided Towhees. They wear black hoods with streaky chestnut and white markings. We also saw California Towhees, plainer gray-brown, with a ‘chip…chip….chip’ call. These Towhees are overgrown sparrows with the large, seed-cracking bill of the sparrow.
Total to 2/19: 34
Sunday, February 20, 2011
February 17
We saw more than ducks on our Turtle Bay expedition. We saw Canada Geese, sometimes called Honkers because of their familiar call. Equally familiar are their heads, looking like a black stocking with a white chin strap. We have a history with cousins of these geese: A small race of Canada goose, the Aleutian goose, is an endangered species success story. These Aleutian geese travel every year from islands in the Aleutian chain to the rich forage of California. By the early years of this century they were nearly extinct, largely due to the introduction of foxes onto their breeding islands in the Aleutians (placed there so that the fox coats would grow more lushly for a harvest for coats and hats). With the elimination of the foxes and some protection to their wintering grounds in California, they have rebounded in great numbers. We have travelled to Crescent City in the past for a goose festival, the high point of which is watching hundreds of the geese lift off at dawn, heading for the Aleutians after carbo-loading in the grain fields of Crescent City. We’ve had a fondness for the Canada goose ever since.
We saw European Starlings in Turtle Bay. These were introduced in 19th century New York from Europe, and are generally thought to be a pest, dislodging other cavity-nesting birds like nuthatches and flickers. Still, their speckled looks are cheerful. And there were Scrub Jays, long-tailed blue-gray birds. These are corvids, related to crows, magpies and ravens. And they have a bad reputation, especially for eating the eggs and young of other birds as well as crop nuts. But they are easy to spot, and welcoming as they bob and bow on their perches.
We saw Great Egrets, those elegant white birds with big yellow bills and black legs and feet. These birds were decimated by hunters seeking their plumes for hats, but have since recovered. They are patient fishermen, standing and waiting for what swims by, but will also eat frogs and other small creatures. There were Double-Crested Cormorants; their double crests not visible on this day. They are recognizable, however, for their stance with beak tilted to the sky, and for their habit of spreading their wings as they stand, apparently to dry. And we saw a Belted Kingfisher, apparently fishing companionably with a Great Egret. These stocky birds with their big heads look on patrol as they perch watchfully on the riverbank.
We saw groups of Tree Swallows. The exact species of swallow would be difficult for us to distinguish were we not with experienced birders. Swallows generally have poorly developed legs and feet and rarely are seen on the ground. They swoop and turn and climb and turn, apparently with their mouths wide open to scoop up those tasty insects. There were Mourning Doves, with their small heads, and their evocative coo-coos.
There were Black Phoebes in the trees, with their black head and chest and white belly, a member of the Tyrant Flycatcher family. We presume that they are called Tyrants because of their alert posture, looking for insects. And on the edge of the parking lot, some Brewer’s Blackbirds, scooting along the verge as they forage for food. They are modest little birds, black (males) and brown (females).
Total, to 2/17: 24
We saw European Starlings in Turtle Bay. These were introduced in 19th century New York from Europe, and are generally thought to be a pest, dislodging other cavity-nesting birds like nuthatches and flickers. Still, their speckled looks are cheerful. And there were Scrub Jays, long-tailed blue-gray birds. These are corvids, related to crows, magpies and ravens. And they have a bad reputation, especially for eating the eggs and young of other birds as well as crop nuts. But they are easy to spot, and welcoming as they bob and bow on their perches.
We saw Great Egrets, those elegant white birds with big yellow bills and black legs and feet. These birds were decimated by hunters seeking their plumes for hats, but have since recovered. They are patient fishermen, standing and waiting for what swims by, but will also eat frogs and other small creatures. There were Double-Crested Cormorants; their double crests not visible on this day. They are recognizable, however, for their stance with beak tilted to the sky, and for their habit of spreading their wings as they stand, apparently to dry. And we saw a Belted Kingfisher, apparently fishing companionably with a Great Egret. These stocky birds with their big heads look on patrol as they perch watchfully on the riverbank.
We saw groups of Tree Swallows. The exact species of swallow would be difficult for us to distinguish were we not with experienced birders. Swallows generally have poorly developed legs and feet and rarely are seen on the ground. They swoop and turn and climb and turn, apparently with their mouths wide open to scoop up those tasty insects. There were Mourning Doves, with their small heads, and their evocative coo-coos.
There were Black Phoebes in the trees, with their black head and chest and white belly, a member of the Tyrant Flycatcher family. We presume that they are called Tyrants because of their alert posture, looking for insects. And on the edge of the parking lot, some Brewer’s Blackbirds, scooting along the verge as they forage for food. They are modest little birds, black (males) and brown (females).
Total, to 2/17: 24
Friday, February 18, 2011
February 15
In Birds We Trust joined the Wintu Audubon Society on Lincoln’s Birthday for a ramble around Turtle Bay in Redding. We were impressed, as always, at the coots in evidence. No, not those ubiquitous black water birds that flock to marshy areas throughout California. We found those, of course. (The avian coots were swimming as usual, pumping their heads back and froth, showing off their white beaks.) In addition, we found a plenty of knowledgeable, generous human coots of both genders, who provide their time, experience, and learning to willing neighbors, apparently for the joy of sharing something good. Turtle Bay itself is right in downtown, in the shadow of the spectacular Sundial Bridge. It is thoroughly worked over territory on the Sacramento River. Loggers floated enormous logs to the Bay in the early years of the century, down the Pit River to a mill located here. And dam-builders mined gravel here in the 1930’s and 40’s to build Shasta Dam. Today a bicycle and walking trail winds along the bay and river, ideal for birding.
Large portions of this birding were all about ducks. We saw dabbling or puddle ducks. These are always charming as they upend, showing their rumps, to find water plants and animals. We saw Mallards (metallic green head on the males), Gadwalls (chestnut and black colors with white bellies), and American Wigeons (natty white caps on the males and a green stripe through the male’s eye).
We saw pochards or bay ducks, who are divers and whose feet are set further back on their bodies than the dabblers. We learned to recognize Canvasbacks (chestnut heads on the males and whitish backs and sides) by their very sloping foreheads. We saw Ring-necked ducks, whose necks aren’t ringed but their beaks are (dark heads that are a little peaked); and Lesser Scaups (dark head nearly purplish, no white ring on the bill).
We saw sea ducks (which often live in freshwater areas as well as the sea), who are also divers. There were Common Goldeneye, with checkered white on their wings and a round white spot on the cheek of the male. There were Bufflehead, whose head is such a puffball, with a large white patch on the male’s head. And we saw Common Mergansers (reddish bill, long neck, and a tuft of hair that catches the wind. One of our group called it a Lyle Lovett start-up kit), and Hooded Mergansers (darker bill than the Common, and white head patches).
Altogether, we had a satisfying adventure: more of our sightings soon.
Total, to 2/15: 14
Large portions of this birding were all about ducks. We saw dabbling or puddle ducks. These are always charming as they upend, showing their rumps, to find water plants and animals. We saw Mallards (metallic green head on the males), Gadwalls (chestnut and black colors with white bellies), and American Wigeons (natty white caps on the males and a green stripe through the male’s eye).
We saw pochards or bay ducks, who are divers and whose feet are set further back on their bodies than the dabblers. We learned to recognize Canvasbacks (chestnut heads on the males and whitish backs and sides) by their very sloping foreheads. We saw Ring-necked ducks, whose necks aren’t ringed but their beaks are (dark heads that are a little peaked); and Lesser Scaups (dark head nearly purplish, no white ring on the bill).
We saw sea ducks (which often live in freshwater areas as well as the sea), who are also divers. There were Common Goldeneye, with checkered white on their wings and a round white spot on the cheek of the male. There were Bufflehead, whose head is such a puffball, with a large white patch on the male’s head. And we saw Common Mergansers (reddish bill, long neck, and a tuft of hair that catches the wind. One of our group called it a Lyle Lovett start-up kit), and Hooded Mergansers (darker bill than the Common, and white head patches).
Altogether, we had a satisfying adventure: more of our sightings soon.
Total, to 2/15: 14
Monday, February 7, 2011
February 4:
Small groups of red-shafted flickers appear in our foothill yards these days. They are said to be foraging for ants on the ground. They scatter when we come close. The flickers have a loud location call when they scoot up to the trees: keck-keck-keck-keck in a rolling sound. They flash their spectacular red underwings and bob their heads, with their upright posture reminding us that they are woodpeckers, in spite of their ground foraging behavior. We fight a continuing battle with the ants when the weather warms: we wish those flickers good luck with their ant search.
Total: 3
Small groups of red-shafted flickers appear in our foothill yards these days. They are said to be foraging for ants on the ground. They scatter when we come close. The flickers have a loud location call when they scoot up to the trees: keck-keck-keck-keck in a rolling sound. They flash their spectacular red underwings and bob their heads, with their upright posture reminding us that they are woodpeckers, in spite of their ground foraging behavior. We fight a continuing battle with the ants when the weather warms: we wish those flickers good luck with their ant search.
Total: 3
February 1, 2011
Our New Year bird hunt began with a home delivery: two local ravens arrived in the trees around Jaci’s pond. Ravens are large, burly, black all over birds, with a deep, hoarse croak. That croak does sound like the doom of Edgar Allan Poe’s imagination. They are smart birds, although not always reliable. Noah sent a raven to scout for land. When the raven didn’t return, Noah sent the doves instead. They are omnivores, as are we. And they are social. We thought that perhaps they came on New Year’s morning to wish us well in our pursuits; they more likely came to laugh at the domestic ducks who found a thin sheen of ice on the pond and were complaining, nipping at each other, and generally raising a ruckus over ther inability to get onto the pond.
Mid January, Jaci heard them before she saw them. Loud cacophony of honking, trumpeting, whistling, whooping.....then over the pasture and the house in long V's 50-70 Sand hill Cranes stretch north. Like arrows shot from bows, long necks tipped with red heads, Chinese fame tails and legs for rudders, they fly north below the higher gray clouds streaming south. They fly 50 miles an hour, which when you think of it....is about right. Rising with the sun from the Sacramento Delta would put them here at about 10am. All morning they come: three V's in the first half hour. Sounding their way to Tule lake...scooting around the windmills on Hatchet...headed for Chalk Mountain. Cranes are dancers, and when they graze they look like teenagers bobbing along with a boom box under those feathers. They mate for life. What is not to like?
Total: 2
Our New Year bird hunt began with a home delivery: two local ravens arrived in the trees around Jaci’s pond. Ravens are large, burly, black all over birds, with a deep, hoarse croak. That croak does sound like the doom of Edgar Allan Poe’s imagination. They are smart birds, although not always reliable. Noah sent a raven to scout for land. When the raven didn’t return, Noah sent the doves instead. They are omnivores, as are we. And they are social. We thought that perhaps they came on New Year’s morning to wish us well in our pursuits; they more likely came to laugh at the domestic ducks who found a thin sheen of ice on the pond and were complaining, nipping at each other, and generally raising a ruckus over ther inability to get onto the pond.
Mid January, Jaci heard them before she saw them. Loud cacophony of honking, trumpeting, whistling, whooping.....then over the pasture and the house in long V's 50-70 Sand hill Cranes stretch north. Like arrows shot from bows, long necks tipped with red heads, Chinese fame tails and legs for rudders, they fly north below the higher gray clouds streaming south. They fly 50 miles an hour, which when you think of it....is about right. Rising with the sun from the Sacramento Delta would put them here at about 10am. All morning they come: three V's in the first half hour. Sounding their way to Tule lake...scooting around the windmills on Hatchet...headed for Chalk Mountain. Cranes are dancers, and when they graze they look like teenagers bobbing along with a boom box under those feathers. They mate for life. What is not to like?
Total: 2
In Birds We Trust: A 2011 Challenge
In Birds We Trust (Catherine Camp, Jaci White, and Rhoda Haberman) is a group of friends engaged in a challenge to support a charity. We are birding in support of At The Crossroads. At The Crossroads provides hands-on services to young people at a critical and transitional time in their lives; it does so compassionately, effectively and efficiently. We strongly support the goal of ATC; we admire the creativity and expertise of ATC. We strongly urge you to join us in support of the mission of ATC. We are women 'of a certain age.' We want our next years to be surrounded by young people who believe we have done our best to see them grow and thrive.
We will identify 100 bird species in California over the next four months, participate in at least 3 organized birding events, and take to the fields, streams and backyards as needed in between. We will post updates on this blog about all of our birding adventures - both good and bad! We encourage you to follow our updates, and join us for birding. Above all, we encourage you to support our efforts with a pledge.
You can suppoort our efforts by sending a pledt to www.atthecrossroads.org/campaign/inbirdswetrust1. Or, you can send a check to us directly at 2222 H Street, Sacramento CA 95816.
We are three long-time friends, with a history of birding adventures (and misadventures). Let it be said that our birding history is a bit checkered… some of us have had the tendency to believe that if a kestrel might possibly be there, and the flutter in the tree occurs at the right time of day, well, it must be a kestrel, no matter how fleeting the view. Nevertheless, we have never had a bad day in a marsh. Want to join us? Just contact us and we'll provide the date, the time and we'll bring the smoked oysters and champagne!
In Birds We Trust (Catherine Camp, Jaci White, and Rhoda Haberman) is a group of friends engaged in a challenge to support a charity. We are birding in support of At The Crossroads. At The Crossroads provides hands-on services to young people at a critical and transitional time in their lives; it does so compassionately, effectively and efficiently. We strongly support the goal of ATC; we admire the creativity and expertise of ATC. We strongly urge you to join us in support of the mission of ATC. We are women 'of a certain age.' We want our next years to be surrounded by young people who believe we have done our best to see them grow and thrive.
We will identify 100 bird species in California over the next four months, participate in at least 3 organized birding events, and take to the fields, streams and backyards as needed in between. We will post updates on this blog about all of our birding adventures - both good and bad! We encourage you to follow our updates, and join us for birding. Above all, we encourage you to support our efforts with a pledge.
You can suppoort our efforts by sending a pledt to www.atthecrossroads.org/campaign/inbirdswetrust1. Or, you can send a check to us directly at 2222 H Street, Sacramento CA 95816.
We are three long-time friends, with a history of birding adventures (and misadventures). Let it be said that our birding history is a bit checkered… some of us have had the tendency to believe that if a kestrel might possibly be there, and the flutter in the tree occurs at the right time of day, well, it must be a kestrel, no matter how fleeting the view. Nevertheless, we have never had a bad day in a marsh. Want to join us? Just contact us and we'll provide the date, the time and we'll bring the smoked oysters and champagne!
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