Towheeblog

SRING BIRDING CLASS

atowhee — Sun, 19 May 2013 05:48:12 +0000

Tree Swallows also use nest boxes.

There were numerous flocks of Waxwings at the park.

This White-breasted Nuthatch was carrying food to nestlings inside an oak’s lower trunk.

Western Kingbird.

North Mountain Park, Jackson, US-OR
May 18, 2013 7:30 AM. 35 species.

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) X
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) X
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) X
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 8
Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata) 10
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) 1
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) 1
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) 2
Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) 2
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 3
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) X
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 8
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) 1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1 feeding young in nest hole
Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) X
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) X; Cedarwaxwing 120;
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) X
Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) X
Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) X
California Towhee (Melozone crissalis) 1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1
Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) 2
Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) X
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) X
Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) X
Bullock’s Oriole (Icterus bullockii) X
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) X
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) X
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) X
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) X

Tolman Creek Rd., Jackson, US-OR
May 18, 2013 11:30 AM. 5 species

Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope) X
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 1
Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla) 2
Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) 2
Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena) 2

ASHLAND IN MID-MAY

atowhee — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:08:49 +0000

The migrant birds have returned in large part, even the flycactchers are re-populating their territories. Meanwhile the wintering ducks are gone as are the Golden-crowned Sparrows. The Black-headed Grosbeaks and Bullock’s Orioles have cranked up the birdsong volume along streams. They are vying for territory and nesting partners. This morning I heard my first Wood-Pewee calls of the year at Ashland Pond. I didnlt see the Yellow-breassted Chat but his unmistakable voice carried from deep within the willow thicket.
Some resident birds have already fledged young, from Bushtits to Red-tailed Hawks. Here’s Momma Mallard with her new sextuplets at Ashland Pond.
There is also a mother Wood Duck at the pond with several of her ducklings.

This female Black-headed Grosbeak (I assume it is a single bird) is at our feeders every morning. Two males are still competing for control of the garden.

Hairy Woodpecker, here year round at our feeders, usually suet not grain.

Lesser Goldfinch

NOrthern Rough-winged Swallow at Ashland Pond.
Ashland Pond, Jackson, US-OR. May 16, 2013 10:30 AM. 20 species

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 3
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 1
Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) 1
Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus) 1
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) 1
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) 1
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) 1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 20
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 5
Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) 1
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) 1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 4
Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 2
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) 1
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 8

SPRING BIRDING CLASS

atowhee — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:03:06 +0000

Tomorrow (Thursday) night I will be giving a talk on Ashland area spring birds. Then there is a field trip Saturday morning. The fee is $15 and the class is spnsored by Ashland Park and Rec. It is at North Mountain Nature Center, 630pm. You can pre-register, or show up and pay at the door. This is a Pacific-slope Flycatcher, one of the spring arrivals we will be looking for on our field trip.
In addition to migrants returning, we will look for nesting activity. Some birds like Mallards and Bushtits that do not migrste have already fledged a brood of young.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, BIRDS AND BIRDERS

atowhee — Mon, 13 May 2013 01:06:04 +0000

WARBLER WONDERLAND

atowhee — Sun, 12 May 2013 21:46:04 +0000

It was cold and nasty this morning at Magee Marsh. 37 degrees under cloudy skies with gusty winds coming off Lake Erie from the north. If you were a warbler it was a tokugh dfay to try to get enough energy to get through the next cold night. If you were a birder it meant your csmeras was of more use than binocs. Hungry warblers foraged at eye level, as close as three feet. Witness: Male American Redstart.

Blackburnian male.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, gnot a warbler.

Black-throated Green, male.

Cape May Warbler, male.

Nashville Warbler.

Northern Parula, his green back patch not visible.

Yellow Warbler, perhaps as plentiful here as Yellow-rumped Warblers.

IMBD AT MAGEE MARSH

atowhee — Sun, 12 May 2013 00:22:11 +0000

Inernational Migratory Bird Day is intensely busy at Magee Marsh here in Ohio. Hundreds of birders were millinhg about viewing hundreds of birds. A big sitter saw nearly 100 species.
This flock of eight White Pelicans passed over my 11 AM bird walk. This is a rare bird in these parts. The nearest breeding colony is in western Wisconsin.

The Baltimore Orioles here are accustomed to feeding on orange slices hung from trees by bird photographers. Will pose for fruit snacks.

Osprey do not seem to be common here despite the marshy expoanse and hundreds of miles of open lake water. Here is one of the few we’ve seen. Bald Eagles are the most common raptors it seems.

Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Eastern cousin of the west’s Black-headed Grosbeak.

Solitary Sandpiper reflects in shallow pool.
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER

FRIDAY’S FINEST

atowhee — Fri, 10 May 2013 23:56:40 +0000

Magee Marsh was crowded with good birds to0day after an overnight storm and rain.
American Redstarts were abundant today, and busy, and some stopped long enough for a photo shoot.

Male Baltimore Oriole. They were singing, some pairs already were weaving nests.

Black-billed Cuckoo was a star today. This one leaned over, grabbed a small caterpillar, swallowed, then looked around for another morsel. This was the first day this week the migraqnt cuckoos were evident in several places along the boardwalk.

~~Black~~Blue-headed Vireo.

Black and White Warbler, gleaning along tree trunk as usual.

WHAT ROBINS KNOW

atowhee — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:13:54 +0000

Somebody has written a book entitled WHAT ROBINS KNOW. Tonight I can tell you, they know a lot. And today they communicated at least one thing they knew.

The Magee Marsh Boardwalk runs through dense, damp forest. It is the beating heart of the most visited bird festival in America. On good days there can be twenty or more species of warblers seen from this boardwalk. Add two to four vireos, Woodcock, Whippoorwill, Scarlet Tanager, Baltimore Oriole, some sparrows and woodpeckers and omnipresent Red-winged Blackbirds and you have a birdy place indeed. But not every day is memorable. Today began in an ordinary way, and so it went until…

Late this afternoon, after a rather humdrum day on the boardwalk, I was chatting with some small remnant of the day’s birding contingent. Off to our right a few Robins began making a loud ruckus. They must have something that has made them mad, I said. A House Wren also screamed and bounced with anger. Another birder nearby said she saw something big fly into that area. A quick scan turned up an unmistakable profile:

This was a Long-eared Owl, unusual here in northern Ohio. As soon as the owl’s presence was tweeted a big crowd gathered. Over a hundred birders, many with two-foot long camera lenses crowded around the places where the owl could be seen.

OTHER GOOD SIGHTINGS:
Male American Goldfinch.
American Bittern

Bullfrog.

Purple Martin on imitation gourd nest sight.

PROTHONOTARY PRO

atowhee — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:03:08 +0000

I’ve finally seen the Prothonotary on its home territory, not a vagrant on the Pacific Coast. And I’ve heard the male singing. A soft, consistent “tse-tse-tse-tse-tse.” The species is a cavity nester. And a stunner in looks category. Today’s encounter makes me feel like a Protho Pro. Magee Marsh may really live up to its claim, “Warbler Capital of the World.”

BEAUTY THY NAME IS AVES

atowhee — Tue, 07 May 2013 02:39:19 +0000

This female woodcock brooded her four eggs in a grassy median between two rows of parking slots at Magee arsh. Today they hatched. These woodcocklets are but a few hours old.

Black and White Warbler, often acts like a nuthatch by working tree trunks.

Chestnut-sided Warbler.

Magnolia Warbler, does not sport a subtle design.

Capoer May Warbler leans out for a morsel.

Whip-poor-will. Works all night, sleeps all day.