Friday Field Notes: August 31, 2018

This is a new segment that I am wanting to try for this blog. Friday Field Notes won't necessarily have birding information every time, but it will be an excerpt from a field notebook that I keep. Each week I will post one story from this notebook about one of my outings. They may even have some drawings associated with them some weeks. The goal is to be able to start using the knowledge that I learn in my more specific classes, such as mammalogy, to share in greater detail with you about the world that surrounds us all.

*   *   *   *

Notes taken August 25, 2018

I'm at Fancy Creek State Park. I came here to conduct a bird count, but have been struck by the beauty that is a healthy wetland. About a week ago I was here observing the exact same area I am observing today. What a difference a few days of rain can make. The wetland was so dry that hardly any shorebirds were around and now there is flowing water. The grasses have greened up once again just in time for the Fall migration to begin.

The birding has been a bit spotty, but the morning has also been very foggy. I got the opportunity to see a pair of perched Common Nighthawks (Chordeiles minor) and a couple Wilson's Warblers (Cardellina pusilla) thus far, but the fog is beginning to clear and more birds are starting to sing.

*   *   *   *

As expected, the birding picked up as the fog cleared. I was able to observe my first Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) and a Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum). I also observed an interesting behavior of the American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis). Two males flew up high together, taking quick darts at one another and then plunged into the underbrush for a little while, only to repeat the sequence once more. One male then flew off to the top of a nearby tree.

This has been a beautiful, cool morning. It's always a great thing to be able to get out and enjoy nature any way that I can, but I enjoy it even more when the birding is good.

Wednesday Bird of the Week: August 29, 2018

Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) perched on the
nectar feeder.

I have chosen the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) as this weeks bird of the week because they will soon be gone from this area and I have been seeing them more frequently due to their migration. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird migrates every Fall back to it's wintering grounds in Central America and then back again in the Spring as far north as southern Canada.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the only commonly found hummingbird species in the Midwest region of the United States. They are beautiful, fast fliers who feed on nectar and some small insects. Hummingbirds are the only species of bird that can fly backwards and even hover. This is a very useful skill when you have to stay in place to get nectar out of the depths of a tubular flower.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds can be very territorial (see video at the end of this post). I have only observed the chasing behavior from the males of the species, and only rarely does the dominant male at my feeder let a female join him.

The males of this species have a very distinct red patch on their throats (hence the name Ruby-throated), but the females lack this patch. With a green overall body color and white belly, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is easily distinguished from other hummingbird species that migrate through this area.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are of low conservation concern, and with people being attracted to many flowering plants that have long, tube-shaped flowers, food is not hard for these busy birds to find. If you feed hummingbirds in a nectar feeder, it is now recommended not to give them the red nectar commonly found in stores. They can't process the red dye (Red 40) used in this nectar. I have recently switched to a homemade nectar which is four parts water and one part sugar (one cup water and 1/4 cup sugar). Since switching, I have had more hummingbirds at my feeder than ever before, with five at one time.

The nests of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird can be found in trees or bushes, but is very hard to spot because it is so small. They make their nests out of spider silk and lichen and the nest is able to stretch as the nestlings grow. So if you have ever seen a nest of a hummingbird and wondered how more than one bird could possibly fit in something so small, don't worry, they have it covered. Once the nestlings are ready to fledge, the nest is mostly flat and no longer provides much protection or camouflage needed to protect the young birds.

If you have taken your feeders down because you hadn't seen a hummingbird in a while, I would recommend putting them back up for a a few more weeks at least. Help a hummingbird store enough energy to make the migration this year so that hopefully we can all enjoy more next year.

 

Sunday Summary: August 20-August 26, 2018

This week was the first week back at classes at K-State, making it a little challenging to get out to bird every day, but I was still able to do it. The Fall migration has officially begun and I been able to see a few of the migrants this week.

I was able to observe 40 species this week. All checklists have been conducted in Riley County, Kansas this past week and I was able to add two species to my county and life list. Two Wilson's Warblers (Cardellina pusilla) and a Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) were the birds added to both lists this week, bringing my Riley County list to 91 and my life list to 182 species.

The American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) was once again the most observed species with 250 individuals this week. These giant flocks of pelicans have been quite amazing to witness as they seem to wade through the water almost as their own island.

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) preening itself and trying to keep
watch at the same time.

The picture of the week this week is of a beautiful Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) as it was preening itself. I had been trying to photograph this species for a while now. I spotted this one right before it dived into a bush and I thought I was never going to see it again. As I continued to walk down the road he flew out in front of me and into this tree, where I was able to take this picture and watch him for a little while before moving on.

My highlight of the week has been birding on Saturday morning. It was foggy to start the morning and I was able to spot a pair of Common Nighthawks (Chordeiles minor) perched in a tree. This was really a special experience for me because I have only been able to observe them in flight or perched on fence posts.

As this blog continues to grow, I have decided to begin a new segment that will be posted on Fridays called "Friday Field Notes." This segment might not always have a ton of birding information, but it will be some writings from a field journal that I am keeping. This segment may have information on random things that I find while out of behaviors of animals that I was able to truly observe.

Wednesday Bird of the Week: August 22, 2018

A group of Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) putting on an aerial display.

This weeks bird of the week is the Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor). If you have kept with me since the beginning, you will know that this was a tough species for me to find for a long time early this Summer, but since spotting my first one I have seen them during a majority of my checklists.

The Common Nighthawk is a bird very similar in appearance to the Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus), but unlike the Whip-poor-will, Nighthawks aren't active exclusively at night. In fact, on outings when I have observed the most individuals of this species I have been out mid-morning or early evening.

The Common Nighthawk is easily identified in flight by the white wing bars it displays. They have a wingspan that is longer than their bodies and make a very distinct peent call. Their call wasn't one that I had been familiarized with until about mid-Summer, but once I observed them and listened to their calls at the same time, I realized that it was one I had heard many times and overlooked it.

Two of the mid-morning group of nine Common Nighthawks.

Common Nighthawks are classified as a common bird in steep decline for their conservation concern. They have a steady decline of about 2% per year, resulting in a total decline of 61% between 1966 to 2014 (allaboutbirds.org).

When nesting, Common Nighthawks lay their eggs directly on the ground and have been known to nest on gravel rooftops in cities.

Until recently, the migration patterns of this bird species weren't very well known. These birds can migrate from the boreal forests of Brazil, across the Gulf of Mexico through Florida, and up to their breeding grounds in the Midwest United States and Southern Canada.

If you haven't observed a Common Nighthawk before, I truly hope that you are able to someday. They are graceful fliers and when there is a group of them it is like watching a dance performance in the sky. They can also be spotted sitting on telephone wires and fence posts here in Kansas.

Sunday Summary: August 13-August 19, 2018

This week I tried birding more from home. Since we have moved I haven't spent a lot of time expanding my yard list, so I took a few days to try and build up my yard list. I also took another trip to Iowa to spend some time with family before the semester begins.

Although August isn't always the most productive month of the year for birding, I was able to add a few species to each county that I birded in during the past week. In Riley County, Kansas I was able to observe a couple Blue Grosbeaks (Passerina caerulea). Mahaska County, Iowa gained a Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) and in Keokuk County, Iowa I was able to add the Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) and Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus).

By focusing on adding to my yard, I was able to add three species to my yard list this week, bringing my total to 21 species. My new Riley County total is now 89 species, Mahaska County 64 and Keokuk County 28.

Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) hanging out on an electrical wire.

I observed a total of 47 species this week with American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) again being the most observed species at 160 individuals.

The picture of the week this week is of some Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) hanging out on an electrical wire outside of the barn.

This whole week has really been a highlight week with it being the last week before classes start again. My birding may slow down a little with classes added to the schedule. I will definitely try to bird every day still, but the outings may not be as exciting as they were during the Summer. I look forward to seeing what new challenges I will face with having to rearrange my schedule.

Wednesday Bird of the Week: August 15, 2018

A very Friendly Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) at Yosemite National Park.

The Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) is a common find in the forests of the mountainous western states and my favorite jay species. This week it is also the bird of the week.

I have observed Steller's Jays in California, New Mexico and Colorado and they get more and more beautiful every time I see them. They are not afraid to approach humans, as they seem to congregate near campgrounds and picnic areas. The Steller's Jays of Yosemite will even steal your snack out of your hand if they can.

One identifying feature of the Steller's Jay is the crest on it's head which is a shared trait only with the Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) among North American Jay species. It sports dark blue plumage on its body with a mostly black head and little blue "eyebrows."

The Steller's Jay is of low conservation concern. With the expanding range of the Blue Jay, there are even hybrids between the two species.

They nest in trees and forage the ground for food whenever they aren't begging for it from hikers. If they are found in your area, you can attract them to your backyard by using peanuts or other large nuts.

Much like it's cousin the Blue Jay, Steller's Jays are great mimics. Being able to mimic other birds, squirrels, cats, dogs, chickens and even some machines. This can make it tricky to identify them by sound, but if you are hearing something that sounds just a bit off make sure to look around for this beautiful Jay species.

Sunday Summary: August 6-August 12, 2018

This week was really challenging to bird every day. I had drill for the Marine Corps Reserve and we went to Nebraska where it turns out I do not get signal and therefore was not able to submit any eBird checklists until I got home. That being said, I was able to nab Nebraska off of the list of states left to bird in. 42 states to go and almost through the midwest.

I only observed 10 species in Nebraska with the highlight being a Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) that was hanging out on a fence post. I was not able to add any new species to my Riley County list this week. At 89 species, I am again realizing how hard it can be to reach 100 species in a county, but the challenge makes it a lot more fun and exciting when a new species is observed.

I observed a total of 37 species this week, with the most observed species being the American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) at 400 individuals. All 400 individuals were observed at one time during an outing at Fancy Creek State Park.

I unfortunately didn't get any new photos this week due to being at drill.

My highlight of the week was my entire outing on August 6, where I observed 27 species including those 400 American White Pelicans. To see one species gathered in such large numbers is quite amazing. I also observed more Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris) and found a second male at Fancy Creek State Park.

The feedback and experiences that I have heard about from the readers of this blog have made me feel very glad that I began it. I wasn't sure if there was going to be much of a target audience when first brainstorming the idea, but have since been invited to join in Christmas Bird Counts and there is now a link to Birding Big Life on the home page of the Northern Flint Hills Audubon Society homepage. So, thank you to my readers and please continue to send me feedback and your birding highlights.

Wednesday Bird of the Week: August 8, 2018

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) drying out in the morning sun.

This week I am choosing to focus on the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura). Although the Turkey Vulture may seem like a boring or disgusting bird to most people, I find them to be a very interesting species.

For example, did you know that the Turkey Vulture has a well developed sense of smell? Most birds lack in their olfactory senses, but Turkey Vultures are able to find some of the carrion  that they feast on through their sense of smell. They soar above highways and partly wooded areas searching and watching the actions of other scavengers to find freshly dead animals to pick apart. They prefer these fresh corpses, but have been known to eat stuff that has been rotted so much that it is toxic to other animals.

This may all sound disgusting, but actually brings up the very unique role that the Turkey Vulture has of cleaning up dead, rotting corpses to prevent the spread of disease. Think about all of the times that you have seen a Turkey Vulture picking at a dead deer along the side of the road, or picking up the remains of an animal that is no longer identifiable. Now imagine how many carcasses would be along the roads if those birds had not been there to clean up the mess.

Luckily for us the Turkey Vulture is of low conservation concern thanks to leveled out numbers in population.

There are a few vulture species that soar the skies here in the United States. Some identifying marks of the Turkey Vulture are their black bodies with their gray flight feathers, pink bald heads and white bill. Their range covers most of the United States during the breeding season and year round all the way down to the northern parts of South America.

A small wake of Turkey Vultures eating on some old catfish heads.

So next time that you're disappointed to spot a Turkey Vulture soaring through the sky instead of a Bald Eagle or Osprey, just remember all of the good that they do for the world by cleaning up the messes that we make.

Sunday Summary: July 30-August 5, 2018

This week I was able to knock another state off my list as my brother-in-law and I took a backpacking trip through the Ouachita National Forest in Oklahoma. Only 43 states to go before completing one of my birding life goals.

In Oklahoma I was able to observe 24 species, including all three species of owl present this time of year and a Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) which, according to eBird is rare this time of year. I was also able to pick up five species in Riley County, Kansas, the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) being the highlight species.

My picture of the week is from one of my mornings at Fancy Creek State Park. It includes two Great White Egrets (Ardea alba) and two Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias).

Two Great White Egrets (Ardea alba) and two Great Blue Herons
(Ardea herodias) wading during the sunrise at Fancy Creek
State Park.

I observed 59 species this week, with the most observed species being the Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) with 147 individuals.

I had a lot of highlights this week, from finally finding a Painted Bunting to watching  105 American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) land on the wetlands. 

I have enjoyed hearing some of the highlights from all of you readers, so please continue to share. I would also like to point out that you can now subscribe to Birding Big Life by email along the side panel.

Wednesday Bird of the Week: August 1, 2018

Dickcissel (Spiza americana) singing from the top of a small tree on a cloudy
morning.

 Although it may look like a Meadowlark, this week's bird of the week is the Dickcissel (Spiza americana).

The Dickcissel is a common grassland song bird that is very prevalent during Midwest Summers. They enjoy singing from the tops of just about anything that they can find here in the grasslands of Kansas, being one of the first species that I am likely to hear in the mornings as I begin my birding trip.

Although the Dickcissel may look like the Meadowlark, it is only a sparrow sized bird. During the breeding season, the males sport a black "V" shape atop a mostly yellow breast. They also have a nice yellow "eyebrow" (supercilium).

Their song is their name in a slightly raspy voice. It is a call that I overlooked for the longest time, being one of those that I would hear and know that I knew, but not quite being able to place the name to the voice.

The Dickcissel is a bird of low conservation concern, but is one of the main target species on projects here in Kansas because of their abundance and reliance on a healthy grassland environment to succeed.

If you have more identification tips or stories about your time with Dickcissels, please share, I enjoy hearing from the readers of this blog.

male Dickcissel hiding in some wild hemp.