Seven rules of birdwatching

When out on bird watch there are seven  rules that I follow that are sensible, and bring both reliable and surprising results.

Bohemian Waxwings

The first rule is to always dress appropriately!  Long sleeves and long pants, sturdy footwear, preferably hiking boots is what I typically wear.  The long sleeves protect against both scratches from the branches of bushes as well as insect bites.  Pant legs are usually slim for the same reason.  I wear a hat to protect against the sun's glare, rain or any insects, such as ticks that can drop down on your head from above.  I also wear a vest with pockets for my cell phone, lighter and other little tools that won't fit into my camera bag.  Accidents do happen, so I like to bring some things to take care of myself in that event.

Bring homemade mosquito repellant!  I don't know about you, but I prefer the home made over the chemical kind which are toxic, even though they are said to be safe.  Sometimes Mosquito populations soar, especially after a lot of rain, and slapping at  Mosquitoes and scratching their bites can ruin a bird watch experience like nothing else can.  This is another reason why, I love Dragonflies and when the city can't spray for mosquitoes I am not concerned.  If the city can't spray it means more Dragonflies will survive.  The more I see the better, because they dine on Mosquitoes, which means their populations decline drastically once the Dragonflies emerge.

Dragonfly

Follow that sound!  Unless there is a crashing sound in the forest, one that a large animal might make, I typically follow any unusual sounds.  It just might be coming from the throat of a bird.  This, as I recently learned, can be anything from a cricket like song, to a cat's meow or a bark.  Gray Catbirds meow, and an owl can voice a sound that is remarkably like a dog's bark. 

Gray Catbird

Find new places to explore!  While I do not recommend that you necessarily do this alone, it is a good idea. Otherwise you take the risk of seeing the same species of bird over and over.  Remember that there are a wide variety of habitats in which birds survive.  While some birds prefer to be near water, others prefer leafy trees to pine.  Some prefer mixed forests, others open fields or the edges of them, and some prefer cliff sides.  Not only does exploring new places provide you with new scenery, doing so will provide the adventure of discovering new bird species.

Boat Tailed Grackle Female

Bring the camera equipment!  Taking photos of the birds you see will help you identify the species later.  In the excitement of the moment, when you see a bird that you have never seen before, your mind tends not to take in the necessary details that you need to make the identification.  This is especially true, if you see the bird only briefly.  Identification from such a brief glimpse then becomes frustrating and spoils the experience.  This is never more true than when, for one reason or another, you cannot return to the place where the bird was sighted.  A bird that I once photographed on a vacation does not make it's home here in Alberta, just to give you an example.

Bring extra SD cards and re-chargeable batteries!  Nothing is more frustrating than seeing the card full, or battery low message on the screen of a digital camera.  In my experience, one of these messages tends to come up either when you are in the middle taking photos of a new bird species, getting a close up or when you are not nearly ready to head home because there are many birds all around you.

Leave that camera on! When I first started out bird watching I had a habit of turning the camera off  to conserve the battery when I didn't see any birds.  This turned out to be a very big mistake, as I missed many opportunities for photos.  Many times birds can surprise you by arriving very suddenly and they often don't stick around for very long.  Even very large birds in an open sky.  I now leave my camera on until I am very nearly home.  It was the only solution.

Enjoy,
Susan

Alberta Birds: Peregrine Falcon

I have seen the Peregrine Falcon here in the city a couple of times, once when I was on business downtown and once perched on a new highrise in my old neighborhood.  Both times this magnificent falcon was too distant to appreciate the sight fully.  This time however, I had the chance to observe one for more than ten minutes on my visit to the river valley.

Peregrine Falcon at edge of sandbank

I was alerted to his presence by the panicked flight of a flock of seagulls, which is something I naturally had to investigate because it was so unusual.  When I spotted the Peregrine just standing in the water on the sandbank in the river, I couldn't believe my luck.  In order to get these photos, though I needed to find a better position from which to take them.  So I took a risk and moved quickly along the trail seeking a spot that was both closer to the bird, and more suited to taking photos, the whole time willing the bird to stay where he was until I found one.  As it turned out I had no reason to worry that he might fly off, since the reason for the panic of the seagulls, was that he had just brought down some prey.

Peregrine Falcons need lots of open space in which to hunt, so they will be seen most often near marshes and valleys, as well as rivers and sea shores.  They need this space because they rely on both height and speed to capture their prey.   The Peregrine is reputed to be the fasted animal on the planet, because it's hunting stoop has been clocked at 325 kilometers an hour, which is truly amazing.

Peregrine plucking it's prey

When hunting, this falcon typically flies very high.  Once prey has been spotted, the falcon stoops, taking full advantage of it's speed and strikes it's prey by making a fist of it's long talons, then  turns to catch it midair.  This particular Peregrine was in the process of drowning it's prey, which is something they do occasionally if their prey hasn't been killed instantly when it was struck midair.

Peregrine falcons consume mainly medium sized birds, bats and occasionally small rodents and insects.  They are known residents on every continent, and in most countries all over the world.  In fact the name Peregrine means wandering falcon.  Peregrines have recently begun residing in cities and nesting on highrises.  We have had a pair nesting on one of the building in downtown Edmonton for some years now.   Peregrines who dwell in cities are known for the unusual act of hunting at night, usually during migration.  Many birds migrate at night, so if you hear a falcon's scream at night, you are definitely not hearing things.

Peregrine swiveling his head for better sight of me

I saw this particular Peregrine three times during my trek through the river valley.  Once he took flight from the sandbank, I did not expect to see him again and decided to head home, thinking there was nothing that could top this sighting and so I turned back.  But he surprised me, by reappearing very quickly in flight just ahead of me on the trail I was following.   Which is when I turned my camera back on, just in case.   He surprised me yet again, when I spotted him perched in a clear spot above the trail at the top of a  tree.

Peregrine a close-up

I am so glad I turned that camera back on, otherwise I would have missed the opportunity to take these last few photos.

Enjoy,
Susan

Two things you can do to help birds survive fall migration

Bird migration is a long, and exhausting process for birds.  They face many dangers along their migration routes which can include foul weather and a shortage of food in many instances.  Predators always represent the largest portion of threat of course.  However, there are two things that you can do the help birds survive their migration.

Cat watching a bird

First and foremost, please keep your cats indoors:

Cat populations have soared in the last fifty to a hundred years.  Many people keep cats as pets, including myself.  Who can resist after all.  However cats, no matter how delightful their company, are predatory and hunt birds instinctively.  So even the healthiest, most well fed cats will hunt and kill birds.   They cannot resist the rustle in the bushes, nor the quick movements of birds as they move from branch to branch.   Cats have quick reflexes and do not just hunt on the ground.

Kitty can't resist

They will climb trees, jump up on fences to reach the rooftops of sheds, where a tree or bush might be more accessible.  Cats will also sit patiently and watch as inexperienced birds come within reach of a quick pounce and it's claws.  Sad as it is, cats are responsible for a large portion of the declining numbers of some of the different bird species. 

Kitty stalking birds

The second thing you can do is to feed the birds:

If you know what species of birds are likely to frequent your feeders, fill it with the appropriate seed and keep it full.  If you are unsure of the species, or of the type of seed a species might eat, then more than one bird feeder is good to have on hand, with different seed types in each feeder.  Keep in mind that flycatchers need protein which suet provides.  Suet feeders are easy to hang and maintain.  They can also be kept up year round to feed local birds.  You'll be both surprised and delighted by the number of bird species attracted to these types of feeders.

Chipping sparrow feeding on the ground

If Hummingbirds are known to reside in, or migrate through your area, please remember more than one feeder is required, spaced well apart.  Preferably out of visual range of each other.   Hummingbirds, one of the first bird species to migrate, need to feed every two hours and they will need food most urgently at first light.  Also keep in mind that Hummingbird feeders need to be cleaned once a week, when they should be refilled with fresh food. 

Downy woodpecker at the feeder

There are many kinds of bird feeders to choose from and they come in a variety of shapes and colors.  Hummingbirds, as I'm sure you know are attracted to the color red.  When buying your bird feeders, keep in mind that some birds like to perch when they eat, some prefer getting their seed from the ground underneath the feeder,while others are quite comfortable clinging to the side of a more cage like feeder.  Some birds will attend a feeder while other birds are feeding and some will not.

Bird feeders should be hung from five to eight feet off the ground, in a sheltered area, or placed a short distance from sheltering bushes and trees.  A convenient water supply nearby, such as a bird bath would also be helpful.  In fact many birds prefer to be near water, or are attracted to the sound of water.

Clinging to the suet feeder

While the most important reason for doing these two things is to help birds survive migration, there is a marvelous bonus attached to the doing for you.  This is the fact that you will get many hours of enjoyment watching the birds which attend the feeders in and around your yard or garden.  You might actually see a species of bird you have never seen before, which is always a delight, and if you are really fortunate these birds will return to your feeders in the spring and every migration to come.

Enjoy,
Susan

Western Tanager

Male Tanager perched at the top

Despite near constant rain and the fact that I never left my neighborhood, I had a couple of excellent bird watch outings this week.  The birds are on the move, so I have been keeping an eye on the little forest just down the street.   I was delighted when I discovered just lately, that it is occupied with more than the usual number of birds.  However, many of these birds are just visiting.  Whereas the little forest was occupied with Yellow Warblers one day, the next day one or two totally different species took their place.  One of these species is the Western Tanager.

Western Tanager Male

The Western Tanager prefers the very tops of the trees to forage and nest in.   This means they are not always seen.  I was lucky that this one decided to come down to the lower levels for me to notice and photograph.

The Western Tanager has striking marking of red, yellow and black.  The red covers the head and face of the male. The yellow graces their nape, underparts, shoulders, and rump.  His wings are black with two very bright wing bars.

This is a bird of coniferous or mixed forest, ranging from the Mexican US border, through Canada, and all the way to southern Alaska.  They winter from central Mexico to Costa Rica, and sometimes southern California.  When they migrate it is either on their own, or in groups of about thirty individuals.

Tanager Male foraging

Western Tanager Female

The Western Tanager eats primarily insects, that apparently feed on plant matter which gives this bird it's red coloring.  They forage mostly in the canopy of the forests that they occupy.  Although they will, on occasion, feed on fruit in the lower levels.

Enjoy,
Susan

Photos: Four new bird species this week

This has been a very fortunate week for bird watching for me so far.  Not only was the weather very cooperative, but I also had the time.  So I was able to go to a few of my favorite places.  The result was that I could add four new species of birds to my photography list.

Lark Sparrow in song

Lark sparrow crowning the flowers

The Lark Sparrow above insisted on gaining my attention and was not at all alarmed by my presence.  He sang almost the whole time that I was taking his pictures.

Hairy Woodpecker

The Hairy woodpecker flew into some photos I was taking of a Red Tailed Hawk.  The picture is a crop and somewhat blurred, but you can still tell exactly what species he is.

Gray Catbird in hiding

When this Gray Catbird started meowing like a cat, I naturally had to look for him.  Unfortunately he refused to come out into the open, so he is mostly in silhouette.  I plan to go back and try again to get a clear portrait of this beauty.

Savannah sparrow Swinging in the wind

Savannah Sparrow posing

The Savannah sparrow seemed to take great joy in swinging in the wind on the top of the plant he occupying.  In fact he seemed to prefer that particular plant over  all the others available, since he flew from one to another periodically.

Enjoy,
Susan

Birds of Alberta: White Pelican

White Pelicans Flying over

I am never more delighted than when I discover a bird I didn't expect to see where I live.  I have made several such discoveries in the last couple of years.  One of these is the White Pelican.   When I took the photos, I was naturally already speculating about what species of bird I might have captured on camera.  The Pelicans were flying at a distance that was the very limit of my camera's telescopic range, and I was burning with curiosity to see them.  Although I was not very optimistic about the quality of those photos, because at that distance, these photos are rarely useful.

When I loaded the photos into my computer at the end of the day however, not only did my pictures turn out alright, I received an amazing shock.   After all, where do you expect to see Pelicans but in the tropics.  I was also very, very happy at the same time.  Especially when, after doing some immediate research, I discovered that these White Pelicans weren't just doing a fly over.  They nest in Alberta and only a short distance away.  Well for Pelicans with a nine foot wingspan anyway.

White Pelicans in the sky over Edmonton

So here is what I have learned about White Pelicans so far.  They are still listed as a "Sensitive" species.  Which means that they are recovering from near extinction, but are not out of the woods yet.  In order to protect the species, the Alberta government has declared it illegal to get within eight hundred meters of their nesting colonies.  There is a very good reason for that.  White Pelicans will abandon their nesting colonies, eggs, chicks and all, if disturbed by humans.

White Pelicans flying over tree tops

White Pelicans prefer fresh water lakes and rivers.  They nest in colonies on islands, away from large predators and humans.  Unlike the Brown Pelican, these birds do not dive into the water in order to catch fish, they scoop them up, along with about three gallons of water, with the pouch built into the underside of their incredibly large bill.  The water is then squeezed out before the Pelican tips back it's head to swallow.  They also eat salamander, crayfish and frogs.  They have been known to fly up to seventy miles from colonies to better feeding grounds.

Last White Pelican in my sights

Here in Alberta, some areas that the White Pelican can be seen are the Slave river region, the Bow River and Carseland.

Enjoy,
Susan

The importance of learning about bird behavior

Northern Flicker

Blue Heron Cooling itself off

The only woodpecker that I have ever seen perched at the top of a tree is the Northern Flicker on the left.   More unusual still, is the behavior of the Blue Heron below, who is cooling himself in a very comical manner.  These two behaviors stand out in my memory, because they are not typical to all bird species.

These are just two examples to show that the behaviors a bird exhibits are of utmost importance to bird identification, since behavioral patterns are often exclusive to specific birds or bird species.   It is extremely useful therefore, to learn as much about the behavior of the various bird species as possible.  Keeping in mind that sometimes the behavior that a bird does not exhibit will help to rule out several birds, or bird species it might otherwise belong to.

American Robin

Some behaviors to watch for:   

How and where does a bird perch?
Some birds, like the Robin, love to perch at the very top of a tree.  The Chippin Sparrow, on the other hand, prefers to perch low to the ground, unless he is courting in which case you will see the male at about mid-height of a tree when in song.  Some birds however rarely, if ever, perch out in the open.

Dark eyed Junco

How and where does a bird forage for food?
You are likely to see flycatchers flitting from branch to branch in bushes and at any level in a tree, but birds such as the Dark eyed Junco and the Baird's sparrow, are more comfortable foraging on the ground or in low bush.   The Cooper's hawk prefers to hunt in forest, while the Northern Harrier prefers to hunt just above the ground over the open field of a meadow, field or marsh.

Red winged blackbird harassing Crow

                                    
How does a bird react when threatened,  frightened or defending their young?
Unlike other ducks, the Golden eye Duck does not fly off when startled, instead it dives beneath the water.  Geese will hiss and so will Mallard ducks, especially if it is a female with ducklings.  The Red winged Blackbird however, shown above, will dive at and harass a crow or hawk, for example, to drive it off.

Swainson's Hawk

Cooper's Hawk

                                                                    
What is the typical flight pattern of the bird you are observing?
It is safe to say that Eagles and most Hawks ride the thermals in the sky in a distinct circular pattern.  However you are unlikely to see the Cooper's hawk and Goshawk doing so, except during migration.  They are not very comfortable in the open sky being forest hawks, and so, their flight pattern outside the forest consists of several quick flaps of their wings, followed by a glide. 

American Redstart flicking his wings

                                     
 Does the bird have a nervous habit ?
A Robin holds itself stiff winged and upright while foraging on the ground or any time it doesn't feel quite safe. The Yellow rumped warbler and American Redstart both flick their wings.  Ducks and Geese will bob their heads, by first stretching their neck as far as it will go and then pulling it  down again, as if they are trying to see over the top of something.

House Wren

White Breasted Nuthatch

Does the bird have a habitual posture or any other exclusive behavior?
A good example here, for habitual posture, is the wren, who holds it's tail straight up.  This is something all wren species do.  An exclusive behavior, that all nuthatches exhibit, is walking down a tree trunk head first, or along the underside of a branch, thus making a mockery of gravity.

Bohemian Waxwings just a small part of the flock

                                     
Is the bird typically a loner, or a social butterfly?
It is extremely rare that you will see an owl in company of other owls, unless of course the owl is paired.  The same cannot be said for the Bohemian waxwing, who is rarely seen alone.  In fact, you are most likely to see this waxwing in a flock of more than a dozen of it's kind. 


To find the answers to these questions, as well as others, the best and most enjoyable way to learn about bird behavior is by observing a bird species directly.  There is a lot you can learn about a bird given even a few minutes.  Just relax and watch the bird for as long as it stays in view.  Do this often, and you will soon connect certain behaviors with specific birds or bird species, and bird identification becomes much easier.

Enjoy,

Susan