Thursday Birdblogging

Lyrebird, an Australian original

Tape of lyrebird calls here.

Really the Lyrebird is a very plain looking brown (chicken size) bird, except for long trailing tail feathers They are darkish brown on top of their body , and lighter below and they have markings on their throat normally with a red to brown colouring
(snip)
They are magnificent mimicker of other birds and noises. Often in the morning you may think you are surrounded by a multitude of bird species, to find out you have been fooled by a lyrebird. Car noises, chainsaws, dogs and other noises are no problem for this excellent imitator The mimicry, though used in the mating courtship is heard all year round. It is said to be the way the male lyrebird tells others this is his territory, much like the Kookaburras "laugh"

Thursday Birdblogging

Swooping low in the evening sky, tens of thousands of starlings combine in perfect harmony as they gather to roost.

In an astonishing natural display of formation flying, they took the shape of a bird of prey looming in the skies above Taunton.

Normally at the mercy of a kestrel or a deadly sparrowhawk like the one they appear to be mimicking, this swift-moving flock of starlings, known as a murmuration, finds safety in numbers.

Thursday Birdblogging

The Roseate Spoonbill pictured is gracing Fenwick in Delaware with its blush. An account from the press, thanks to Nancy Willing, in Delaware environs.

An account of the dramatic appearance:

Then, it happened.

"There it is, flying right across the channel," he shouted.

And there it was -- a blush of pink against the blue water of Fenwick Ditch.

The spoonbill is more at home in the mangrove swamps and tidal marshes of Texas, Louisiana and Florida.

But, somehow, this bird ended up in Delaware.

"I think it's fair to say this bird has never been seen in Delaware," said Maurice V. Barnhill III, one of the authors of "Birds of Delaware."

That's not to say the species hasn't been in Delaware before, because they have been spotted in Cape May -- and the typical flight pattern would have been through Delaware, he said.

Still, this bird, has "definitely drawn a lot of attention" in the birding community, said Derek Stoner, president of the Delmarva Ornithological Society.

Dozens of people have driven to Fenwick Island just for a chance to see the bird.

Thursday Birdblogging

Varied Thrush


From San Antonio's Audubon Society;



I have seen that this bird is decreasing in number.

This Varied Thrush male was discovered by Mike Creese at Avenue A in Brackenridge Park on November 8, 2004. Martin Reid graciously gave permission to use this photo and has a couple more here (from Ruth - site had expired). Great bird for our area and many have already flocked to see it.

About Varied Thrush;

A large, robin-like thrush of the Pacific Northwest, the Varied Thrush is a characteristic bird of the mature, dark coniferous forests. Wandering individuals turn up regularly far from home, wintering around feeders in the midwestern states.

Thursday Birdblogging

Green Violet-ear at the Jasek residence on Old Wiederstien Rd, Guadalupe County, TX. Photo by Keith Bartels. May 9, 2001.

The Green Violetear (Colibri thalassinus) is an attractive hummingbird that is a resident breeder in highlands from south-central Mexico, (the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt), to western Panama and in the Andes from northern Venezuela to Bolivia. It shows seasonal movements and wanders to the United States and even Canada.
(snip)
It has a large violet central breast spot on the upper breast and a violet-blue band along the chin that often connects to the violet-blue "ear," giving the bird its nam

Thursday Birdblogging

The American redstart, a bird my sister recently saw in the Dakotas so I wanted to share it with you.

A boldly patterned warbler of second growth woods, the American Redstart frequently flashes its orange and black wings and tail to flush insect prey from foliage.

Thursday Birdblogging

Once common species like the cuckoo are at risk of becoming suddenly under threat, if recent declines are anything to go by. Photograph: Erich Kuchling/Rex Features

The news that almost one in eight of the world's bird species are now threatened with extinction may not have come as a surprise. After all, since BirdLife International first published their magnum opus Threatened Birds of the World, back at the turn of the millennium, we have known that almost 1,200 species are at risk.

Now this number has increased to 1,227 species, with 192 classified as "critically endangered", a net rise of two species on last year and up from 182 in 2000. Once a species falls into this category the game is generally up – apart from a few well publicised success stories such as the Mauritius kestrel, once the world population of a species is numbered in dozens or hundreds, rather than thousands, it is usually doomed to a rapid extinction.

One bird added to the critical list has only just been discovered. The gorgeted puffleg joins the world's 350 or so species of hummingbirds, at least temporarily, before its Colombian montane habitat is destroyed so celebrities can sniff cocaine up their noses.

Other species are hanging on by such a slender threat that they are, to all intents and purposes, extinct. The list contains birds such as Bachman's warbler, ivory-billed woodpecker and Eskimo curlew, despite the fact that none of these North American species has been seen alive for many years. Things aren't much better on this side of the Atlantic: the slender-billed curlew hasn't been reliably sighted for a decade now, and appears to have gone the way of the great auk and dodo.

Thursday Birdblogging

Black-billed nightingale thrush;

The Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush (Catharus gracilirostris) is a common species of the highlands of central Costa Rica, southeast into western Panama. It is the species of Catharus with the smallest distribution of any member of the genus, and is restricted to wet-montane forest and paramo areas from 1800 m up to timberline. Here it prefers to forage in the ground or at low vegetation, both in forested areas as well as human-disturbed habitats. Also it is a prolific singer, with males singing their highly melodic songs for long periods.

Thursday Birdblogging

Hairy Woodpecker, courtesy of 1Watt Hermit

The larger of two look alikes, the Hairy Woodpecker is a small but powerful bird that forages along trunks and main branches of large trees. It wields a much longer bill than the Downy Woodpecker's almost thornlike bill. Hairy Woodpeckers have a somewhat soldierly look, with their erect, straight-backed posture on tree trunks and their cleanly striped heads. Look for them at backyard suet or sunflower feeders, and listen for them whinnying from woodlots, parks, and forests.

also;
Cool fact: Hairy Woodpeckers find their food by feeling the vibrations made by insects moving about in the wood. They also can hear the insects munch on the wood!

1Watt Hermit has a delightful Flickr site with many shots of the birds he watches through his window. I chose one but recommend them all, and recommend you try watching some in your own yard too.

Thursday Birdblogging

The Short-Billed Dowitcher will be seen on the Eastern Shore of VA, where I did a lot of birding, during its migration. In winter, it goes farther south, in summer, farther north.

Cool Facts

* The nest and eggs of this species eluded discovery until 1906, and even that information was overlooked for a long while because they were attributed to the Long-billed Dowitcher. The nesting grounds of the eastern race were not discovered until the late 1950s.
* Although both sexes share incubation of the eggs, only the male takes care of the young once they hatch.
*************************************

Found in freshwater mud flats and flooded agricultural fields.

Thursday Birdblogging

Chipping Sparrow

Description:

A crisp, pretty sparrow whose bright rufous cap both provides a splash of color and makes adults fairly easy to identify. Chipping Sparrows are common across North America wherever trees are interspersed with grassy openings. Their loud, trilling songs are one of the most common sounds of spring woodlands and suburbs.

Thursday Birdblogging

Great Bustard, found on Malta, hoping to see one.

Range

Found scattered across Europe and Asia, the great bustard is thought to breed in Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Turkey, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and China (2).

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre View a distribution map for this species at UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

Habitat

The great bustard inhabits steppe, grassland and open, agricultural land. Areas with little or no human disturbance are favoured for breeding (2).
(snip)
Male great bustards become sexually mature at four to five years of age, while females are known to have bred at just one year of age (5). Males compete in what is known as a lekking system, gathering together at small display grounds (known as a 'lek') from where they attempt to impress females (6). The nests, which are shallow pits on dry, soft slopes and plains, are usually situated close to leks. After the female has chosen a male and mated with him, she lays one to three eggs and incubates them for 21 to 28 days (5) (6). The male does not incubate the eggs or contribute to caring for the chicks. The chicks can stand soon after hatching and will forage alone after ten days. After 30 to 35 days, the fledglings will be able to fly (6).

Some great bustard populations are migratory (5), and gather in large numbers at pre-migratory sites in order to move collectively to winter grounds (6). Both winter and summer grounds differ between populations.

Thursday Birding

The Peregrine Falcon from ground level, looking up.



The Peregrine Falcon is exciting to watch. I expect to see some on the islands I'll be visiting in the Mediterranean, maybe Malta.

P.S. I am almost sure I saw one in Barcelona.

Cool Facts

* The name "peregrine" means wanderer, and the Peregrine Falcon has one of the longest migrations of any North American bird. Tundra-nesting falcons winter in South America, and may move 25,000 km (15,500 mi) in a year. Maps of the migration of individual falcons determined by satellite telemetry can be seen at Environment Canada.
* People have trained falcons for hunting for over a thousand years, and the Peregrine Falcon was always one of the most prized birds. Efforts to breed the Peregrine in captivity and reestablish populations depleted during the DDT years were greatly assisted by the existence of methods of handling captive falcons developed by falconers.
* The Peregrine Falcon is a very fast flier, averaging 40-55 km/h (25-34 mph) in traveling flight, and reaching speeds up to 112 km/h (69 mph) in direct pursuit of prey. During its spectacular hunting stoop from heights of over 1 km (0.62 mi), the peregrine may reach speeds of 320 km/h (200 mph) as it drops toward its prey.
* The Peregrine Falcon is one of the most widespread birds in the world. It is found on all continents except Antarctica, and on many oceanic islands.

Thursday Birdblogging

Belted Kingfisher

These are nice to sight, usually see them whenever I go somewhere a ditch full of water is to the side of the road, in somewhat quiet places.

A common waterside resident throughout North America, the Belted Kingfisher is often seen hovering before it plunges headfirst into water to catch a fish. It frequently announces its presence by its loud rattling cry......

Sex Differences

Female with red chest band and flanks, male without......

Cool Facts

* The breeding distribution of the Belted Kingfisher is limited in some areas by the availability of suitable nesting sites. Human activity, such as road building and digging gravel pits, has created banks where kingfishers can nest and allowed the expansion of the breeding range.

* The Belted Kingfisher is one of the few bird species in which the female is more brightly colored than the male. Among the 93 species of kingfishers, the sexes often look alike. In some species the male is more colorful, and in others the female is.

* During breeding season the Belted Kingfisher pair defends a territory against other kingfishers. A territory along a stream includes just the streambed and the vegetation along it, and averages 1 km (0.6 mi) long.The nest burrow is usually in a dirt bank near water. The tunnel slopes upward from the entrance, perhaps to keep water from entering the nest. Tunnel length ranges from 30 to 250 cm (1 to 8 ft).

Thursday Birdblogging

Just a few of the Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks that visit Ralph Pittenger's yard in southwest San Antonio daily for breakfast and supper.

A striking and gregarious duck of the Neotropics, the Black-bellied Whistling-Duck reaches the United States only in the very southern parts. Its long neck, long legs, black belly, and white wing patch make it a distinctive-looking waterfowl.
Cool Facts

* The whistling-ducks were formerly known as tree-ducks, but only a few, such as the Black-bellied Whistling-Duck actually perch or nest in trees. They look most like ducks, but their lack of sexual dimorphism, relatively long-term pair bonds, and lack of complex pair-forming behavior more resembles geese and swans.

Thursday Birding

Ruby-crowned Kinglet with a huge crown color area.
From the San Antonio Audubon Society, Photo by Andy Garcia



Ruby-crowned Kinglet with prominent crown spot, February 28, 2004 at the Judson Nature Trails.
From the San Antonio Audubon Society, Photo by Jack Scheuerer

Cool Facts

* The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is a tiny bird that lays a very large clutch of eggs. Although the eggs themselves weigh only 0.65 g (0.02 oz), an entire clutch can weigh as much as the female herself.

Thursday Birdblogging

Eastern Screech Owl. Photo taken in northern San Antonio in June 2000 by Angela Bartels.

Cool Facts

* Red and gray individuals occur across the range of the Eastern Screech-Owl, with about one-third of all individuals being red. Rufous owls are more common in the East, with fewer than 15% red at the western edge of the range. No red owls are known from southern Texas, although they occur further north in Texas and further south in Mexico. Intermediate brownish individuals also occur in most populations.

* The Eastern Screech-Owl eats a variety of small animals. Two captive males ate from one-quarter to one-third of their own body weight in food each night, but sometimes skipped a night and stored food instead.

* The trilling song on one pitch, sometimes known as the Bounce Song, is used by members of a pair or a family to keep in contact. The male will trill to advertise a nest site, court the female, and when arriving at a nest with food. The descending Whinny is used in territory defense. The songs usually are uttered separately, but sometimes are heard together.

* Eastern Screech-Owl pairs usually are monogamous and remain together for life. Some males, however, will mate with two different females. The second female may evict the first female, lay her own eggs in the nest, and incubate both clutches.

* The Eastern Screech-Owl is known to eat a variety of songbirds, including the European Starling. Despite this fact, the starling regularly displaces the owl from nesting sites and takes over the hole to raise its own brood.

Thursday Birdblogging

The black crowned night heron is by photographer Paul Rebmann, at wildflphoto.com. At his site, you will see lots of very special photos - of this and other flora, fauna, and general great pics. This picture was taken at the St. Augustine alligator farm where there is a native bird rookery, with boardwalk, and the night heron likes it there because alligators keep the critters that disturb nests away.

Paul is Mr. V4VA.

from our friends at Cornell birding about the black crowned night heron (you can go to the site for a recording of its squawk);

Cool Facts

* Young Black-crowned Night-Herons often disgorge their stomach contents when disturbed. This habit makes it easy to study its diet.

* The Black-crowned Night-Heron may nest in the same tree with ibises or other herons.

* Adult Black-crowned Night-Herons apparently do not distinguish between their own young and those from other nests, and will brood chicks not their own.

Thursday Birdblogging

Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs side-by-side at Mitchell Lake. Photo by Brad Alprin


The Lesser Yellowlegs is a slender, long-legged shorebird that readily shows off the brightly colored legs that give it its name. It is an active feeder, often running through the shallow water to chase its prey.

Cool Facts

* Both the male and femal Lesser Yellowlegs provide parental care to the young, but the female tends to leave the breeding area before the chicks can fly, thus leaving the male to defend the young until fledging.

A common, tall, long-legged shorebird of freshwater ponds and tidal marshes, the Greater Yellowlegs frequently announces its presence by its piercing alarm calls.
Cool Facts

* Although the Greater Yellowlegs is common and widespread, its low densities and tendency to breed in inhospitable, mosquito-ridden muskegs make it one of the least-studied shorebirds on the continent.

Thursday Birdblogging

A very bright male cardinal in the bush as the snow is falling, some sparrows at the feeder.



Flight of the cardinals, what a good shot, and a dove feeding too, from inside Karin Hussein's abode. Monday when it snowed gave her the opportunity to go birdwatching from inside, great stuff.



Some doves (Karin is plainspoken and calls them pigeons) a few bluejays, and cardinals feeding in the snow.

Thanks going to Karin Hussein, eschaton regular, who took these pics of the birds in the backyard during our snowstorm Monday. These are taken in New Jersey. Great birdwatching there.