Birdchick Blog
A tiny interruption from the contest.
I just wanted to put in a video of my favorite part of Guatemala thus far. It's the song of a brown-backed solitaire echoing through the mountains. The Spanish name for this bird is protector de la barranca which means "canyon guard". It's more of a siren song to me, calling you into the forest for adventure. In the first part you'll hear a rufus-collared thrush and at about 4 seconds, you'll hear the solitaire!
And we're back for Day 3 of the Swarovski Optik Guest Blogging shindig. Glad to see that you're all enjoying it so far. Make sure to check out the blogs of our guest writers for more great entries.
Our blogger today is Allison Shock of Three Star Owl blog.
Vertical Napping Bark: it’s hard to see an owl
My friend Kate McKinnon recently posted that she has a hard time seeing owls in the wild, and she takes it personally. Well she should, because an owl’s Primary Goal other than to eat something, is to escape detection, by you, by me, by a thoughtless human with a crossbow, by the other bigger owl, by sharp-eyed prey, and by Kate McKinnon. We are all of us intended to Not See Owls.
Owls have many tools for escaping detection: cryptic coloration, shifting outline often modified with cranial feather tufts, motionless roosting, self-effacing habits, and nearly silent flight. They are chromosomally adept at Hiding in Plain Sight.
Seeing an owl is a lightning bolt, a mistake, a gift, a shock, a plot by crabby song birds. A sighting is usually because someone who knows where an owl day-roosts points it out, or we hear one call and get a glimpse as it glides across a dark sky, or because wrens and chickadees and jays fink it out. If the owl is seen, a small owl will shrink or stretch, and squint to hide its telltale eyes; a big owl might merely turn its head, or not, because though it prefers to not be seen, it isn’t too worried since you cannot fly. If you spot an owl don’t point or wave the hands, it might make it flee. If you remain still and quiet, they often will too, allowing a few photos, especially if they are rock stars like certain Mexican spotted owls in southeastern Arizona, who frequently host googly-eyed camera-toting visitors like me in their woods.
Here are some things to do if you wish to see an owl: put up a nest box; go on an owl prowl (check Audubon groups and raptor education outfits in your area); keep your ears open; look for owl pellets and whitewash under horizontal boughs close to the trunk; inspect the tops of saguaros at dusk; look in every tree/cactus hole you know of that’s above head height; go into the woods at night; watch the news (urban owls often wind up on TV, like the famous Scottsdale Safeway Urn-nesting Great horned owls); make secret offerings to the Great Owly Entity. But remember, owls’ desire to escape detection is greater than our ability to find them. Good luck, and Good Owling.
photos by A. Shock: Great horned owl with downy chick manifesting as barkless tree skin, San Pedro River, AZ; Mexican Spotted owl pair manifesting as dappled sunlight through branches, Huachuca Mountains, AZ.
Thanks, Allison! As a reminder, you can click on these pictures to enlarge them, and I definitely recommend that with this entry. We'll be back tomorrow with another entry!
We interrupt the fabulous guest blog entries for a sampling of Guatemala hummingbirds. This country is amazing and I had no idea how immersed in Maya culture I would be while here.
Enjoy.
And we're back for Day Two of the Swarovski Guest Blogging Contest. This entry, from Lynnanne Fager, is about a very unusual visitor to her backyard.
Results of a Backyard Bird Bordello
Spring is in the air and that only means one thing in my backyard: sex. At least for the birds, that is.
We hang cute little boxes, put out their favorite foods, all in an effort to coax the feathered sex fiends into the yard. We make sure the nest boxes have the right size holes for the bird we’re trying to attract. We put ventilation in, so the poor things don’t overheat. Sometimes, we even go so far as to put guttering on to catch the rain. We do all this just to invite sex into the back yard.
These birds don’t need any instruction, any sex manuals, doctor’s visits, or prenatal exams. Or do they?
It would seem our chickadees are out of control. They have no sense of dignity. At least one of our chickadees has been caught foolin’ around with the titmice. It seems we’ve created a backyard bird bordello.
This is what I found at my feeders one day in October, 2006.
Hybrid Chickadee x Tufted titmouse, north central Indiana (photo by Lynnanne Fager, 2006)As far as I was concerned, there was only one thing it could be: a chick-a-mouse. (There are several word combos that one could put on this bird, but we won’t go there now!)
I put an email out to Cornell, minus the photo, explaining the bird I had and requesting any documentation on chickadee x tufted titmouse hybrids. I received a response that basically told me I didn’t know what I was talking about – and that if I had a photo, this gal would try to explain to me what it was I was seeing.
I sent the photo to her and moved on.
I put out a call and sent the above photo to master bander Dr. Ron Weiss who made swift plans to get this bird banded.
He did some research on the hybridization of these two birds and posted it on his website.
Ron arrived one Sunday, set up his nets and opened his banding station. This bird did nothing but tease us the entire morning flying into the feeding area, up and around the nets, that is until Indiana Wesleyan University Professor Steve Conrad showed up (Steve is working on a sub-banding permit, on the hybridization of the black-capped and Carolina chickadee. We joked and said the bird was waiting just for him).
After dancing a few jigs on top of the mist nets, our bird finally flew into the net.
Ron flew out the door, contained the bird and brought it into the house and closed the door behind him. He wasn’t taking any chances.
All the proper measurements were taken and recorded; the bracelet was secured around its leg. Ron checked the skull, and patterns on the tail feathers, noting it was a hatch year bird.
He collected DNA and plucked a few feathers, while I took quite a few photos. He then went outside, took GPS coordinates and released the bird.
Team Chick-a-mouse from left: Ron Weiss (holding the bird), Steve Conrad,The gal at Cornell wrote back a few weeks later with a sweet apology and included an ID from one of their top ornithologists stating that he thought it looked like a hybrid titmouse x chickadee. He suggested I contact Ohio State, but it was too late. Ron already had the bird. To date, the DNA cells are still in process (If there’s another lab out there who is interested in crunching this bird’s cells, contact me – I have rights to half of the DNA collected.)
The bird hung around our yard for a few months, until the sub-zero February winds blew through, carrying our strange little bird away with it.
Since then, I am constantly looking for a touch of unique in my yard birds. I find myself paying close attention, especially to those chickadees and titmice, and am always on the lookout for another strange creation from my backyard.
Hello all, NBB here. Sharon is well on her way to Guatemala, where it's sunny and 80°, which means that it's time to begin Swarovski Optik Guest Blogging event. Our first entry is a fun one from Amy Haran of Your Bird of the Week.
What Kind of Bird Are You?
Which member of the avian world are you most like? It's a question every cool person asks at some point, for sure. So, I've composed my very own Cosmo-esque personality quiz to help you find out.
Please select the statements below that most closely represent you in regards to fashion, food, friends, conflict and communication. Then, scroll down to see what kind of bird you are and why.
It’s all very scientific, I assure you. OK, maybe not.
Fashion
A. My mantra: when in doubt, wear black.
B. I prefer to pair classic neutrals with rich, eye-popping color.
C. It doesn’t matter what I wear. My size and striking eyes make people sit up and take notice.
D. I’m not flashy, but I always look nice. Honestly, I prefer not to call attention to myself.
E. I’m pretty practical when it comes to clothes. I wear what’s best for getting my job done, whether it looks good or not.
Food
A. I’ll eat just about anything. Meat? Good. Vegetables? Good. Bread? Good.
B. I eat on the go, so fast food is my friend.
C. Give me meat! A well-cut steak, roasted chicken, fresh sushi, grilled pork chops—it all makes me drool.
D. I found the Atkins diet horribly offensive. It’s all about the carbs for me.
E. I love leftovers. If it’s good at dinner, it will be even better warmed up the next day.
Family/Friends
A. I’ve got many acquaintances, but I prefer to hang out with family.
B. The more the merrier. A crowded house is a happy house.
C. Leave me alone unless sex is involved.
D. Every meal is made better by sharing it with others, especially when it’s at the local watering hole.
E. People assume I’m solitary, but they would be surprised to see the number of friends who might show up for my holiday parties.
Conflict
A. When attacked by others, I rely on the strength of my family and friends.
B. I’m rarely aggressive except when it comes to matters of love. Then, watch out!
C. I seem tough, but you’d be surprised how little it takes to scare me off.
D. I hate confrontation! If things look rough, I beat a hasty retreat.
E. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, I won’t do to defend myself. Choose to mess with me, and you may not like the consequences.
Communication
A. I like to talk, and people usually hear me when I do.
B. My sweet voice masks a darker side.
C. I’m largely quiet except when frightened or turned on.
D. I chatter away all day. Who wouldn’t with a cheerful voice like mine?
E. I’m pretty quiet, but I do hiss when I get upset.
Now, add up your answers, and find the letter you picked most. Then scroll down to see what kind of bird you are. Don’t be surprised if you’re a mutty mix of birds.
A medium-sized black bird, you eat whatever you can get—from road kill to fruit to insects to grain. You are close to your family, living with your parents for many years and helping them raise your younger brothers and sisters. You call on that close family when feeling threatened, and every crow within hearing of your harsh, cawing call will come to your defense!
A small bird with an iridescent blue back, caramel-colored body, and forked tail, you eat flies on the fly. You roost with often thousands of other barn swallows, building your own nest out of mud and grass on highway overpasses, bridges, barns, and parking garages. You’re little, but can be aggressive in matters of mating. Unmated male barn swallows are known to kill another pair’s nestlings in order to “break up” the couple and mate with the female. Meanwhile, females select males based on how long and symmetrical their tail is. This questionable behavior is masked by a sweet, warbling call.
A brown raptor with a brick-colored tail, you eat meat, including mice, squirrels, rabbits, fish, small birds, and even insects. Like most birds of prey, you’re largely a solitary animal, but you are believed to mate for life. While you are a large predator, everyone from song birds to crows will gang up on you and chase you out of their area. When this happens, you usually give up and go find less obnoxious hunting grounds. You are a quiet bird, but you use your piercing shriek to warn predators away from your nest and to attract mates.
A small sparrow with a black and brown back, gray body, and rusty red cap, you prefer seeds above any other food. You are known for your highly social behavior, welcoming the company of other chipping sparrows and even the occasional quiet human being. Like all sparrows, you use rapid retreat to good cover to protect yourself from cats, hawks, and other predators. You are named after your happy little “chip, chip, chip” call. It’s not beautiful, but it’s a constant, comforting sound in gardens and parks.
A large, blackish-brown bird with an unfeathered red face, you use your incredible sense of smell to find carrion. (Your unfeathered face comes in handy when diving into a rotting animal carcass.) Although often seen flying alone, you’re actually fairly social, roosting with other turkey vultures and gathering at smelly carcasses for an intimate meal. Predators be warned: You aren’t afraid of vomiting partially digested roadkill to warn others away and will even aim for the eyes if something gets too close. It’s all accompanied by a warning hiss that you learned as an ugly, little vulture chick.
Sources:
The Birds of North American Online
All About Birds
All photos taken from Wikimedia Commons:
American Crow
Barn Swallow
Red-tailed Hawk
Chipping Sparrow
Turkey Vulture
When I last blogged about the peanut butter salmonella recall, I was able to find companies that had statements saying their suets and peanut products are safe. However, I was unable to get a response from Scott's Wild Bird Food. Yesterday, I got this email from Jillian Leiter, Consumer Response Representative:
Thank you for your interest in Scotts and for the opportunity to help you with your lawn and garden endeavors.
I do apologize for the delay in our response but at this time we do not have information available regarding our Morning Song products and the recent peanut recall. Once we have the information available we will forward it on to you.
Well, this press release just hit my inbox:
Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. is keeping an eye out for birds and bird-lovers.
The Marysville-based lawn and garden giant’s Scotts Co. LLC subsidiary this week launched a voluntary recall of five varieties of suet wild bird food products over concerns that they might contain peanut meal bought from Lynchburg, Va.-based Peanut Corp. of America’s Blakely, Ga., plant. Peanut Corp.’s products have become the center of a federal probe into a salmonella outbreak that has involved scores of illnesses and several deaths, including two in Ohio.
Peanut Corp. originally only recalled peanut butter and paste but recently expanded efforts to include all peanut products made in Blakely since Jan. 1, 2007, Scotts said. The company said salmonella not only can affect animals but can pose a risk to humans who handle products tainted with it. No illnesses have been reported and products from the Blakely facility are no longer being used, Scotts said.
Bird food included in the recall involves about $500,000 in annual revenue, less than 1 percent of the company’s sales for its bird food business.
Click here to download details on product manufacturing dates and UPC numbers involved in the recall. Products involved in the recall, only for items manufactured between Dec. 27 and Jan. 17, are:
• Morning Song Nutty Safari Suet, 11 oz.
• Morning Song Woodpecker Suet 3 pack, 1.78 lbs.
• Royal Wing Raisin Suet, 11.75 oz.
• Morning Melodies Variety Suet (3 count).
• Morning Song Variety 15-pack suet, multi-pack with 15 suets and feeder.
I'm furiously packing and trying to tie up some details before I leave...did I mention I'm going to Guatemala.
I was clearing out my camera and found a photo I took of a fox sparrow from last Friday. We have a small flock that is bound and determined to spend the winter in the Twin Cities at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. They are for sure taking advantage of the native plantings that drop seeds all winter, but I think a case could be argued for the feeding station as well. Perhaps that is giving them the extra edge to survive? I've counted at least three, but I suspect there are four total.
By the way, I have to thank all the helpful followers on Twitter. Yesterday I had a sore throat. I suspected on Sunday that I was coming down with a bug, so I started to swab my inner nostrils with Zicam. When I wrote a Tweet about remedies, replies poured in. I tried almost all of them from honey, cider vinegar, honey, no dairy, honey, chicken ginger soup, honey, tea, honey, Emergen-C, honey, scotch toddy, honey, etc that I think they all worked (and left me with a minor stomachache). Sore throat is gone. I'm mildly stuffy, but no fever like yesterday.
Thanks for all the tips.
I've had a couple of peeps ask me why this small finch is called a redpoll. Is the bird going out to survey people on how they feel about politics? No. Poll is another word for the top of the head (not used for that too often these days). So, the bird has a small red dot on the top of its head and you get get redpoll.
I need to burn through a ton of redpoll and siskin photos before I leave.
Non Birding Bill and I are knee deep in sorting through the oodles of blog entries that came in. I got a much bigger response to the contest than expected and it's going to be tough to narrow down to the top ten. These will start showing up once a day on February 18 and then post once a day.
I have no idea what my internet situation will be while I'm in Guatemala. If I find a chance to upload a photo or video, I will. However, I have a feeling that my chance to blog while there will be narrow. Watch for updates on Twitter.
I'm watching all the winter finch activity and wondering if they will still be around when I return at the end of the month. When we were at Mr. Neil's last week, there were so many finches descending on his feeding station that when the flock suddenly took off in fear of a predator, the culmination of wings made a jarring "woosh" sound. So many tiny birds makings such a mighty sound just with feathers. Even the 36" long finch feeder isn't enough perches for them!
The pine siskins went after all sorts of food, from finch mixes to this woopecker mix in the wire mesh feeder above. This mix has sunflower seeds in and out of the shell, nuts, and dried fruit. Many of the pine siskins at the feeder have a hint of yellow, but some really stood out.
Check out the yellow on this male! Oh he's splash of bright during the winter.
Okay, I seriously need to pack for Guatemala. I'll be posting a few more thing before I go, but NBB is telling me to get my pack on.