Showing posts with label for the birds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label for the birds. Show all posts

For the birds: Which yellow bird is in your yard?

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Male goldfinch feeding adult female
Photo by Doug Parrott

By Christine Southwick

Do you have a yellow bird in your yard?

During spring migration and often thru summer, if you have friendly habitat, including dripping water, you may have two or more species at the same time.

There are two birds in this area that have black on their heads, the American Goldfinch and the Wilson’s Warbler.

The American Goldfinch is Washington’s State Bird, and the males wear their black almost like a beret — forward, not covering the whole top of the head. During the summer, the male is bright yellow while the female is a paler yellow. They have black wings with two white wing-bars. These birds are nomadic, meaning that they don’t have set migrations, can show up anytime, following their food. They are 100% seed eaters, and will gladly eat weed seeds, and even use the down from thistles in their nests.

Wilson's Warbler

The Wilson’s Warbler, both male and breeding female, wear a full toupee of black. They are bright yellow on their breasts and underneath, olive yellow above, with greenish wings. One thing you will notice is their large black eyes. Warblers migrate into our area in May and stay until late fall, weather permitting.

Orange-crowned Warbler
Photo by Dan Streiffert

Another possible yellow bird is the Orange-crowned Warbler, a hard bird to spot since it loves to hide in the leaves. Water will help bring one into view. The Orange-crowned Warbler is a small bird with a partial eyeline, olive-green above, and brighter yellow below. Both male and female have a brownish crown, with the males having an orange streak in the middle. These crowns are notoriously hard to see.

Yellow Warbler in full song
Photo by Tony Varela

The fourth suspect is the Yellow Warbler. The male is a bright yellow bird, with red streaks on its breast, the female may have pale or no streaks. They migrate from Central America, arrive in May and spend their summers here.

There are other possible birds with yellow:
  • The Common Yellow Throat, but it uses wetlands.
  • The Townsend’s Warbler, often here all year -- it has a strong face pattern.
  • The Western Tanager -- only the yellow-headed female could be confused with other yellow birds.
  • The Evening Grosbeak also has yellow, but its huge beak is not easily confused with warblers. Both the Western Tanager and the Evening Grosbeak are larger than the four most likely suspects

So, what’s in your garden?



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For the Birds: Have You Been Hearing Purple Finches?

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Male Purple Finch
Photo by Christine Southwick

By Christine Southwick

I've been hearing Purple Finches in my neighborhood,  and hopefully you have been too. How would you know?

First, they have a rich warbling song, without the zirrree at the end of the song  that is indicative of the House Finch. Purple Finch males usually sing high up in a tree.

A Purple Finch can be distinguished from a House Finch most easily by sound, but also by sight if you know a couple of diagnostic points. Male Purple Finches, after their second year, are really a raspberry color — not a purple at all. Until their second year, males and female Purple Finches look the same. After molting the second year, male Purple Finches are raspberry all over (except for the belly area), including raspberry on the brown-tinged  wings.

Female Purple Finch
Photo by Christine Southwick

To me, the first thing to look for is an exaggerated eyebrow -- a whitish line that is really noticeable on the female — the male’s eyebrow is subtler and that raspberry color. The second most obvious distinguishing area is the lack of streaking at the base of their belly, the area called the undertail coverts. This makes both the male's and female's underbellies look white. With these two diagnostic points you can be pretty confident that you have Purple Finches,

House Finches are heavily streaked on their breast, belly, and undertail coverts; don’t have markings on their head; and the males have white, not raspberry, on their wings.

A pair of Purple Finches, male and female
Photo by Christine Southwick

The female Purple Finch builds her nest for two to seven eggs, far out on a limb of a coniferous tree, often under a sheltering branch. She will sometimes use a deciduous tree, or maybe even shrubs — from two and a half feet up to 60 feet above ground. The male of the monogamous pair feeds the female while she is on the eggs. Both parents feed the nestlings. The fledglings are weak fliers and stay close to their parents for about two weeks.

House Finches out-compete Purple Finches in urban and some suburban areas. Which means that Purple Finches are becoming less common as their habitats continue to dwindle.

Purple Finches are found in our moist mixed-forest and coniferous forests, especially along open edges, like those found in some people’s yards. If you have good habitat, with pesticide-free seed-bearing plants, Purple Finches may stay all summer and breed in your area.



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For the Birds: Red-winged Blackbirds Love Cromwell Park

Thursday, April 16, 2015

1% Public Art at Cromwell Park
Photo by Christine Southwick

By Christine Southwick

Have you been to Cromwell Park lately? Since its redesign in 2010 to include public art, improved play areas, and a storm water detention area for Thornton Creek, cattails have grown thick in the wetland areas. Native plants surround these wet areas, and create secure spaces for birds and other wildlife to raise their young. There are walking paths around the detention area for our viewing pleasure while still keeping a safe space wild enough for birds.

Male Red-winged Blackbird in cattails
with red/yellow patches showing
Photo by Christine Southwick

This weekend I saw at least four male and six female Red-winged Blackbirds who have come back and claimed this area for breeding and raising their young. The males singing their loud “Konkoree” from an exposed branch or top of a cattail in order to show off their red and yellow shoulder epaulettes (which they fluff dramatically) are so flashy that the females almost go unnoticed.

Males usually win at least two females, with the overly impressive male having up to 15 females. The females look like large dark, thin-ish striped sparrows — all the better to hide in amongst the light and dark stems of cattails where they expertly lash together their nests for three to four eggs.

Female Red-winged Blackbird feeding a newly fledged offspring
Photo by Doug Parrott

Stand still and watch the cattails and you may be able to see these females flitting around, flying up and then quickly down while making loud notes. I saw one of the females collecting nesting material and flying repeatedly to the same spot, undoubtedly the site for her soon-to-be nest.

Native plants and water create good habitat for all, and are a restful way to control flooding from heavy rains. Go visit Cromwell Park (18030 Meridian Ave N), stay out of the waters, and listen to the Red-winged Blackbirds singing, and even some frogs croaking. You will probably see some Mallards in the open water. Anna’s Hummingbirds and other birds, such as chickadees, use this park at times.

Male Red-winged Blackbird high in the cattails
Photo by Christine Southwick

Personally, I'm looking forward to the time when I hear Marsh Wrens or Common Yellowthroats. Then I will know that this storm water detention area has become a true wetland.

Note:  Echo Lake here in Shoreline, and Greenlake in Seattle are also good places to find Red-winged Blackbirds.



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For the Birds: The Rufus are coming, the Rufus are coming

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Adult Rufus male
Photo by Doug Parrott

By Christine Southwick

Have you seen a small feisty reddish-orange hummingbird hovering at newly opened flowering-current or salmonberry flowers? The male Rufus Hummingbird is the only North American hummingbird with a rufus-colored back.

The female Rufus Hummingbird can easily be mistaken for the female Anna’s Hummingbird until you look more closely. Look for a white breast and what to me looks like a white necklace.  If the female has that,then it is a Rufus. Female Rufus also have that pretty rufus on their flanks and tails.   The Anna’s female has a grayish breast and neck. Most female Rufus have a few reddish throat feathers, but some older female Anna’s do too.

Male and female Rufus are the same size, which is smaller than Anna’s, but size can be hard to judge if they are hovering.

Female Rufus on nest
Photo by Doug Parrott


While Anna’s have become year-round residents in Puget Sound, the majority of Rufus migrate from as far away as Mexico or Texas, follow the California coast northward, and breed as far north as central Alaska, making them the most northern breeding hummingbird in the world.

While there are a few reports of Rufus claiming a local feeder year round, most people can expect to see a male or two passing through in late February, followed by the females about two weeks later (this year some females were seen before the males). The Rufus basically follow the blooming of salmonberry and flowering currant. While Rufus do eat insects, their consumption is nowhere as high as those insectivorous Anna’s.

In late June-to-July, you may start seeing a belligerent male Rufus making his way back south, chasing all hummers from your feeders and snowberry flowers. Often in July through mid-September you will see female and juvenile Rufus in your yard, stoking up for their southern migration.

Juvenile male Rufus in August
Photo by Christine Southwick

There are a few Rufus who might actually breed in this area rather than continuing North, if they have found really good habitat.  Wherever they breed, the female makes her nest out of moss and spider webbing so that the nest will expand after the two eggs hatch and the nestlings start needing more room.

No one knows why yet, but there appears to be a rapid decline in the Rufus population since 1981, and the species is now listed as a “species-at-risk” on both the Partners in Flight and the Audubon-Washington lists.




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For the birds: Birds Need Special Habitats

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Snow Geese landing
Photo by Doug Parrott

Birds Need Special Habitats
by Christine Southwick

Birds need good nutrient-rich feeding spots. For most water birds, these areas are flat areas that collect water during part to all of the year. These are the types of land that are easily and frequently filled in and made into parking lots. Since habitat loss is the number one cause of avian deaths and species decline, there needs to be a way to protect these areas important to birds.

Long eared owl
Photo by Doug Parrott

Did you know that Washington State has 74 designated Important Bird Areas? These aren’t large areas of land, most are quite small and may be a combination of public and privately owned, but these parcels are vital to migrating and/or specialized birds.

Important Bird Areas (IBA’s) are areas that have been determined to provide essential habitat for breeding, wintering, and/or migrating birds. To be accepted as an IBA the site must be of unique importance for one or more species of bird. There are three classifications of IBA’s—State, Continental, or Global.

Thirteen of Washington’s Important Bird Areas have been designated as being of “Global Importance”.

Of these thirteen, ten are here in western Washington, and all these areas are vital to birds that need water. Three are needed for the listed Marbled Murrelet; and two areas are used by 90% of the Snow Geese coming from Wrangle Island in Russia. These Snow Geese stop in the Skagit Bay area during their winter migration, with 60% staying here all winter.

Bald eagle
Photo by Doug Parrott

Anywhere there are large quantities of birds, there are predators who feast on these flocks. Since the Skagit area also has great habitat for shorebirds and other wintering flocks, there are lots of raptors that can be seen: Bald Eagles, Peregrines, Harriers, American Kestrals, Merlins, Long-eared and Short-eared Owls, and an occasional Prairie Falcon, or Gyrfalcon all visit this area known for good hunting. And duck and goose hunting season ended Jan 25th.

If you drive up to the Skagit-Fir Island area, be safe and thoughtful. Pull over, off the road. Use your car as a “Blind”, if possible, so as not to disturb the flocks. Every time flocks are startled and forced to fly these birds burn much needed energy. Some farmers have agreed to plant winter crops for the geese. Don’t walk on property without permission—unless marked as “Public”, all property is privately owned.

Now is a good time to go see wintering flocks.


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For the Birds: Pine Siskin - Finch with a pointy bill

Sunday, January 11, 2015

 

Text and photos by Christine Southwick

Have you seen a hoard of smallish birds at your feeders that have needle-like bills, heavily streaky breasts, and variable yellow patches on their wings? If you’re outside and can hear them communicating among themselves, the characteristic  “zzzzzoop”  will confirm the ID. You have Pine Siskin at your feeder!

These nomadic finches can be seen anytime in this area, but are most often seen here in the wintertime. Pine Siskin follow seed crops, and are especially fond of pine and other coniferous seeds. 
I'm watching you!

In winters when the Northern forest seed crops are poor, there may be thousands more Pine Siskin in our area than usual. That is called an irruptive year. They are very adaptable and will eat seeds wherever they find them-- shrubby thickets, grassy fields, and bird feeders. They’ve evolved to eating small seeds, as the shape of their narrow bills indicates.

Pine Siskin are usually found in the tip-tops of seed-bearing trees, often hanging upside-down while extracting their favorite seeds out of hanging cones. They eat alder seeds and are often found in mixed forests here in this area. They also glean spiders, insects, and grubs found on leaves and branch tips.
Aggressive stance on bird feeder

These gregarious finches fly in flocks, continually making their contact calls. They often nest close to each other in loose colonies, high up in trees, in the mountains, or much further north. Their nests, built by the females, are highly insulated, and hidden under an overhanging branch. The female sits on the eggs continually to keep the eggs warm, and is fed by her monogamous mate.

Pine Siskin employ another tactic that few birds can do. They can raise their metabolic rate to keep warm during extreme cold. And they can fuel 5-6 hours of a sub-zero night by storing seeds in their esophageal crop, and digesting the seeds as energy is needed.

Eating black-oil sunflower seeds

They will readily eat nyjer (thistle) seed and black oil sunflower seeds at backyard feeders.  Since our damp winters cause nyjer seed to clump and spoil so quickly, and Pine Siskin are susceptible to salmonella, I don’t even bother with offering that seed, but only serve black-oil, suet, and shelled seeds. I have plenty of Pine Siskin at my feeders whenever they are seen in the area. And I always supply liquid water.

Enjoy Pine Siskin when you have them.  They might not be here next year.


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Birds appreciate water that isn't frozen

Sunday, January 4, 2015


Our For the Birds columnist, Christine Southwick, got this photo with her backyard bird camera during the last freeze.

These are Pine Siskins drinking water kept liquid by a bird bath heater. Most all of the other open fresh water was frozen, so these guys were particularly appreciative of the bird bath in Christine's back yard.


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For the Birds: Help the Birds by Using Leaves

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Bewick's Wren in leaves
Photo by John Riegsecker

By Christine Southwick

Before the advent of leaf-blowers, most home owners allowed leaves to stay around plants, at least until spring. People would rake them off their lawns and pathways, but it was a lot of trouble to get around the base of bushes, and sometimes the rake would hurt the plants.

Then, garden experts started advocating cleanliness around plants to prevent diseases and eliminate slugs and snails (not that anything really eliminates slugs).

Now, after years of these practices, scientists have found that leaves have more beneficial benefits than people suspected, including preventing soil-borne diseases caused by rain splashing onto plants.

Bluebird with caterpillars for nestlings
Photo by Tania Morris

In early spring, when birds start nesting, the breeding birds depend upon caterpillars for fuel. One of the most nutritious meals for nestlings is caterpillars. Where do these caterpillars come from? Moths and butterfly pupae overwinter in leaf litter. Eliminate leaves in your yard, and you are literally killing the butterfly and moth caterpillars that nesting birds need in the spring for successful rearing of their young.

Varied Thrush, wintering thrush
Photo by Christine Southwick

Additionally, leaves provide shelter from cold and winter food for under-noticed wildlife such as toads, salamanders, shrews, earthworms, and many beneficial insects including beetles, centipedes, and spiders. These insects improve the soil, and are eaten by our local Varied Thrushes, Spotted Towhees, Bewick’s Wrens, Robins, and Song Sparrows to name a few.

Leaves are a natural much, suppressing weeds, fertilizing the soil as they break down, keeping the soil warmer, and helping perennials grow stronger roots systems. Leaves keep the soil from compacting, and return nitrogen and phosphorus to the soils, thereby making the soil healthier for plants, trees, water, and wildlife living in areas where leaves stay.

Spotted Towhee searching through leaves and wood chips
Photo by Christine Southwick

Leaves can be put directly onto flowerbeds, and around plants. Larger leaves will break down faster if you run the lawnmower over them, but it is by no means a requirement. Madrone, laurel, and magnolia leaves take a long time to decompose, and should be shredded if you use them.

I beg neighbors for their small maple leaves. Most neighbors only think I am a little weird. I would rather that they used the leaves in their yards, but it takes a while for healthy change to catch on. These smaller leaves work well as mulch for my shrubs and flowers, and I love watching “my” wintering birds dig in the leaves searching for delectable tidbits.


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For the Birds: Winter’s Cold and the Living Is Hard

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Male Pileated Woodpecker eating suet
Photo by Craig Kerns
By Christine Southwick

Birds used to have lots of dense native habitats into which they could hunker down during cold spells. These habitats provided shelter, food, and water.

The leading cause of avian deaths and the decline of many species is habitat elimination due to development, whether it be housing, commercial expansion, mining, or diversion of water. Therefore, it seems fitting that we help birds (and other pollinators and wildlife) by providing food, shelter, and usable water, especially during cold weather.

If you see a bird all fluffed up it is trying to stay warm by creating warm air pockets around its body with its feathers. For all warm-blooded creatures, fuel in the form of calories is needed to create warmth.

High-energy black-oil sunflower seeds, suet, and good quality shelled-seeds can provide the margin between survival and death. Feeders offer quick, certain sources of good calories, allowing birds to conserve their calories for warmth, not expending energy searching for their next meal.

Fluffed up Black-capped Chickadee staying warm
Photo by Craig Kerns

Watch your feeders for clumping of seeds during damp weather. If seeds clump, throw the seed out and wash the feeders with 10% bleach, rinse well, and dry before filling; or use cheap feeders and replace feeders when dirty.

Fox Sparrow and Spotted Towhee drawn to usable water
Photo by Christine Southwick

If you feed hummingbirds, winter is an important time to feed them. Anna’s eat more bugs than any other North American hummingbird, but freezing temperatures kill the bugs, so nectar is important. Even though they go into torpor (they slow their heart rate and breathing), they still need lots of quick energy early in the morning, and late in the evening. 

One of the best ways to keep their feeders liquid is to wrap non-LED Christmas lights around the feeder, making sure that the ports are easily accessed. This method allows them to come whenever they want to, without worrying about missing a much needed visit.
Song Sparrow with part of bath warmer shown behind it
Photo by Christine Southwick

For liquid water, invest in a birdbath warmer (with an automatic thermostat). Wild Birds Unlimited in Lake Forest Park has them, and Seattle Audubon on 85th Street sells them too. Liquid water is hard to find since so many creeks and rivulets have been diverted into drainpipes.

Give your yard birds a fighting chance.  Create shelter, and safe places for them to nestle down, provide liquid water and food during the winter, and they will reward you with bubbly songs and bug elimination in the spring.



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For the Birds: The Birds and the Trees

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Barred Owl
Photo by John Riegsecker

By Christine Southwick

As early as December, Barred Owls and Anna’s Hummingbirds start making their nests. Owls use large holes in trees, first created by a Pileated or Hairy Woodpecker; Anna’s may find a small forked branch under a weather-protecting cedar or fir branch.

Brown Creepers spiral up, and Red-breasted Nuthatches climb downward on pines searching out little hidden bugs and spiders, while Red-breasted Sapsuckers tap shallow holes in nearby large Douglas Firs to access sap.

Deciduous trees supply perches for both resident and migrating birds. These trees offer bugs, fruits, nesting sites and shelter from summer rains and strong sunlight for migrating warblers, Western Tanagers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Red-tailed Hawks, and Cedar Waxwings to name a few.

Brown Creeper (5 inch bird)
Photo by Doug Parrott

Coniferous trees offer food, nesting opportunities, and year-round protection from the elements. Evergreens, even more than deciduous trees, provide protection from predators. Western Screech Owls and Northern Saw-whet Owls are particularly fond of local cedars.

Conifers attract a different set of birds— fewer migrating birds and more resident birds such as Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, Merlins, and our local woodpeckers— Downy, Hairy, Pileated, and Northern Flickers.

There are birds found in forests and yards with mixed types: Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted Sapsuckers, American Robins, and flycatchers for example. Alders and black cottonwoods are great trees for cavity nesters.

Female Pileated Woodpecker creating nest
Photo by Doug Parrott

Some birds use barren tree-tops on tall trees— Olive-sided Flycatchers, Merlins, Bald Eagles  use these trees as hunting perches to locate and capture flying prey— bugs, or other birds. Band-tailed Pigeons need tall trees for easy take-offs and landings.

Did you know that 71% of Shoreline’s canopy is located on private property (per 2011 Shoreline canopy assessment)? Trees enhance people’s yards and give character to local neighborhoods.

Female Merlin on top leader of tall tree
Photo by Barbara Deihl

Have you noticed that most of Shoreline’s streets have less than five feet of planting space between sidewalk and streets? That means that the evergreens that so many of us take for granted have to be grown on private property, not on city street right-of-ways (ROW).  Even the smaller Shore Pine grows to ten feet wide, and would obscure line-of-sight needed by drivers.

It really is up to each homeowner to keep our city green and healthy for ourselves, the birds and the other wildlife that depend on trees for roosting, eating, nesting, and shelter.

Be green, plant a tree, keep the tall ones, and help many species of birds.


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For the Birds: There Are Seabirds Off-shore

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Morning of Pelagic Trip

Text and Photos by Christine Southwick

You may know that Washington is in the Pacific Flyway— one of four North American migration routes used by land birds, but did you know that there is a Pacific Pelagic Flyway used by seabirds along our coast? Seabirds are pelagic. Pelagic applies to any birds that live in open oceans/ seas, usually not within sight of land.

Albatross, Sooty Shearwaters, and Gulls
Seabirds, like Albatross, Shearwaters, Fulmars, Petrels, travel north and south just a few miles from our coast during their migration. Three species of Albatross regularly use this flyway. If you grew up reading the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, you might believe, like I did, that Albatross are to be found in the South Pacific. They do breed there, on uninhabited atolls and islands, the only time that Albatross, and most seabirds go to land. The rest of the time they glide on long narrow wings with long intervals between strokes.

Where do you go to see birds that don’t touch land? A pelagic boat trip of course. There are pelagic bird trips that have bird experts to help you identify birds that most people only see in books. Here in Washington there are regular pelagic trips leaving from Westport and Neah Bay.

Earlier this month I went on a six hour pelagic trip starting at Westport. It was a wonderful sunny day, with hardly any wind— perfect weather for viewing birds floating up and down on the water, or slowly gliding low above the waves. Most of the birds we saw floating on the surface were Common Murre, a good-looking bird, and California Gulls (the term “Seagulls” is a misnomer, since almost all gulls breed inland). We even saw some Sabine’s Gulls, a gull you will not see on land around here.

On this trip, I saw Black-footed Albatrosses, Sooty Shearwaters, Flesh-footed and Pink-footed Shearwaters, Buller’s Shearwaters, and Northern Fulmars— all seabirds that travel long miles eating food close to the surface, although some will occasionally dive after food they can see or smell.

Shrimp boats draw seabirds

Shrimp boats bring a lot of food to the surface, and this draws lots of birds. Where there are shrimp or fishing boats there are seabirds. Our skipper piloted us within viewing range, and this is where we found our largest collections of migrating pelagic birds.

Brown Pelicans line the breakwater barrier

As we pulled back into the marina, the breakwater was covered with Brown Pelicans.

This was a great experience!


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For the Birds: The Changing of the Birds

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Varied Thrush, male
The Changing 
   of the Birds
Text and photos by Christine Southwick

Fall is here. Gone are the summer birds. Not until spring will we delight in the songs of the Orange-crowned Warblers and the Yellow Warblers, nor catch the passing notes of the Olive-sided and the Willow Flycatchers.

My heart quickens to hear the first hauntingly beautiful notes of the wintering Varied Thrush. Neighborhood reports of their winter songs are starting to come in. Homeowners with enough native plants and trees generally have these lovely birds until early May.

Fox Sparrow in December with heated bath

There are other birds that come here to winter in our milder winters:

  • Dark-eyed Juncos with their startling-white outer tail feathers flashing as they dart away from intruders come southwestward from Canada and Montana;
  • Fox Sparrows that bred in higher elevations shelter in our woods with salal, or in Himalayan blackberries;
  • American Robins that are here through the winter have come from further north—while the ones that were here during the summer have flown further south.

Snow geese are just starting to arrive from Wrangel Island off the Siberian coast, and will stay in Washington until sometime in April. The Skagit and Frazer deltas with their farmed fields and the native bulrushes support the largest flocks on the West Coast.

Look carefully - it's a
White-throated Sparrow stopped for water

Some shorebirds like the Black Turnstone should be showing up soon to winter here until they leave in April for their Alaskan breeding grounds.

Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, Black-capped and Chestnut-backed chickadees are year-round residents. Anna Hummingbirds have become year-round residents, and some Townsend’s Warblers now stay through the winters.

Townsend's Warbler in March-one of wintering pair

Many shorebirds (e.g. Whimbrels) and land birds (e.g. White-throated Sparrow) neither winter here, nor breed in our neighborhoods — they use our resources as resting and refueling stops during migration. Migration refueling stops are as important to these birds as their destinations, and can mean the difference between life and death. Without water or the food they need, they may not have the strength to reach their destination and so fall to the ground exhausted never to go again.

Keep liquid water year round, and plant/ keep native trees and plants for shelter and for food. If you really want to help, keep fresh seed all year long. Winter food can make the difference in survival for our resident and wintering birds. Throw away any seeds that get moldy. I have baffles over all my feeders — they slow down the squirrels and keep the seeds drier.


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For the Birds: Cormorants - The Fishing Birds

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Double-crested Cormorant drying feathers
Photo by Doug Parrott

By Christine Southwick

Have you seen a large dark bird standing on a waterfront pier or in a tree at Echo Lake (or the Sammamish Slough) with its wings outstretched looking like a prehistoric relic?

That‘s a cormorant, probably a Double-crested Cormorant, the most widespread cormorant in North America.

Pelagic Cormorant
Photo by Doug Parrott

Double-crested Cormorants can be found perched along the coast, and on freshwater rivers, lakes, and large ponds. They mostly breed in colonies on small uninhabited islands. They build their stick nests high in trees, and if not on an island, in areas of flooded trees. When not breeding, they often roost in trees near where they forage.

Because these strong swimmers dive to catch their fish, their feathers can’t be completely waterproof, or they would be too buoyant. When you seem them standing with their wings outspread, they really are drying their feathers, which during our soggy winters can be quite frustrating.

Brant's Cormorant
Photo by Doug Parrott

In the Puget Sound area we have three cormorant species during migrations, the rest of the year we only have the Double-crested Cormorants. The Pelagic Cormorant is the smallest of the three breeds, and the Brant’s Cormorant is the largest. Double-crested Cormorants get their name for the two whitish tufts above their emerald eyes during the breeding season, so for the rest of the year it is a misnomer. Look for the bright orange-yellow on their face, and a kinked neck while in flight.  If you see a cormorant inland near fresh water, figure it is a Double-crested.

Double-crested Cormorants have been vilified because they eat small fish, and when there is a whole colony, they can eat quite a bit. When Echo Lake gets its yearly stocking of Rainbow trout, some cormorants have been seen to eat fish, but I talked to two fishermen who always catch legal-sized trout there every year, so the Cormorants aren’t decimating the catch.

Double-crested Cormorant flying (juvie?)
Photo by Maggie Bond

Double-crested Cormorants have been listed as the cause for reduced salmon runs in the Columbia River. Personally, I’m inclined to believe that over-fishing by fishing fleets, and global warming has more to do with that decline than the cormorants. Double-crested Cormorants have been declining on the Washington coast since 1995, probably for the same reasons that the salmon has been declining.

Cormorants catch small fish. Ospreys catch large fish. Both have a place in our environment. Both should be valued for their niches in nature.


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For the Birds: Why Birds Can Fly

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Warbler chasing bug by Maggie Bond

By Christine Southwick

With a downward stroke of its wings and an upward push of its legs, a bird becomes a magical being — easily doing something that no other creatures can do. It becomes airborne; soaring, gliding, thermalling, turning, plummeting, diving, escaping, hunting, mating. They can travel amazing distances (“as a crow flies”) during migration, or soar, roll, and plunge just for fun.

Feathers define which entities are classified as birds. Almost all birds can fly; some can even swim using their wings to propel themselves through the water.

Feather barbs and barbules

What makes birds able to fly? Feathers are the key, followed by bone structure, combined with musculature adaptation, and a constant source of oxygen.

Feathers are truly amazing! Feathers have evolved into strong, light-weight and flexible structures, using a hollow shaft to support vanes which branch out from the shaft. Barbs and barbules on the vanes hook together to create the strong aero-dynamic shapes needed to fly. When you see a bird preening its feathers, it is hooking together the barbs and barbules that have become separated, and it is water-proofing its feathers.

Chickadee silhouette showing flight feathers
by Christine Southwick

To be able to fly, weight is an obstacle that must be overcome, either by creating enough lift or by reducing the weight ratio. Bird bones, unlike solid human bones, have hollow spaces reinforced by crisscrossing struts which can withstand the stresses of taking off, flying, and landing without added weight. The bones in the wing are surprisingly similar to the ones in our arm and hand, but with the joints fused so that there are fewer joints, reducing wing weight, and requiring less energy to move the whole wing as a unit. A strong but lightweight beak instead of a heavy jaw with teeth shaves off even more weight.

Bewick's wren by Doug Parrott

The forward thrust needed to fly is created by super-hero-sized pectoral flight muscles. Birds have a fused collarbone, and an enlarged breastbone (keeled sternum) which these flight muscles use as their fulcrum.

Flying requires a constant follow of oxygen, not the expansion/contraction of a diaphragm-stoked system. Birds have several air sacs which maintain a fixed volume of oxygenated air constantly flowing through them in one direction. Air sacs account for about 15% of a bird’s total body volume, about double the ratio of human lung volume.

These adaptations allow birds to spread their wings and effortlessly fly, leaving us in awe, envy, and earthbound.



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