The Eyrie

Whooping Cranes--back from the brink of extinction?

By Katie Boord

The Whooping Crane (Grus americana) has long fascinated people, especially bird enthusiasts. I never knew much about them until last year, when I wrote a paper about them for school. While I was researching for the paper, the information I found showed me not only how amazing Whooping Cranes are, but how serious their status has become.

Whooping Cranes are the tallest birds in North America, growing up to 5 feet when full grown. The adults are pure white except for a dark red to black moustache and hood, and dark primaries. Young birds are cinnamon brown. The cranes are very social and make loud, bugle-like calls to communicate. They also do something unique to Whoopers and their cousins: they dance, running, leaping, bowing, and flapping their wings.

Photo by Ryan Hagerty/USFWS

I thought all of this was interesting, but what really got my attention was reading about how endangered they were, and still are.

Whooping Cranes used to range all over the U.S. and Canada, though they were most abundant in the Great Plains. But once people discovered that they were fun to shoot (and are apparently tasty), and their feathers were attractive in ladies’ hats, the population declined in great numbers.

The birds reached an all-time low of 15 individuals in 1941. These individuals all belonged to a lone, migratory flock that still breeds in Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta, Canada and winters in Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in coastal Texas. After the Whoopers reached this discouraging number, biologists set out to save them and the species was added to the Endangered Species List in Whooping 1967 and received protection in the U.S. and Canada. Through the efforts of biologists, conservation organizations, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and many volunteers, numbers improved, reaching 57 birds in 1970 and 214 in 2005. According to a count made by the Whooping Crane Conservation Association in October 2011, this flock is currently made up of 193 birds, 125 adults, 23 immatures, and 3 undistinguished birds.

Whooping Crane chick, photo by USFWS

Though these numbers were better, this was still the only natural breeding flock of Whooping Cranes left. So some scientists tried introducing some cranes to Idaho. This flock wavered and eventually died off, but eventually they established a non-migratory flock in Florida.

But scientists had yet to support a flock of cranes that could migrate. After years of researching, studying, and just plain hard work, a new flock of Whooping Cranes was established in Wisconsin. But the cranes still didn’t know how to migrate, so biologists found a creative solution. They trained the cranes to follow an ultra-light aircraft. Every year this aircraft leads young cranes all the way from Wisconsin to Florida. This year they led ten, but other years have had more, even reaching 18 one year. The organization leading this effort is called Operation Migration. This year the cranes didn’t make it to Florida but instead wintered at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge near Decatur, Alabama.

Whooping Cranes follow an Ultralight, flown by Operation Migration. Photo by USFWS.

 Organizations like Operation Migration, and others like Journey North, which studies all kinds of migrating animals, are helping the cranes to come back from near extinction. The total population of Whooping Cranes is now about 380 birds.

This is better than fifteen, but it is far from enough. The population still faces serious threats, including habitat loss, hunting, and collisions with power lines and other man-made structures.

One of the newest and most serious threats to Whooping Crane habitat is tar sands oil mining in Alberta, Canada. According to the National Wildlife Federation, tar sands oil is one of the most destructive, dirty, and costly the kinds of fuel in the world. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most valuable. Even more unfortunately, the last natural flock of Whooping Cranes breeds in Alberta, as so do hundreds of other species. Over 1600 waterfowl drowned last year by landing in the toxic sludge, and countless other species . Even after the mining is finished, it leaves a wasteland that is unsuitable for most wildlife, including cranes.

Photo by Steve Hillebrand/USFWS.

Although Whooping Cranes are a protected species and hunting them is illegal, sometimes people kill them, either for food or fun. If you see anyone doing this, I probably don’t need to tell you to report the activity. Illegal hunting also happens occasionally by accident. Just last year, when Illinois allowed the hunting of Sandhill Cranes, a man shot two Whoopers, thinking they were Sandhills.

Whooping Cranes are amazing birds, no doubt. But there is still much to be done to recover the species. Once that happens, we will have another beautiful, unique, and interesting bird to watch, study, and enjoy into the future.

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About the author: Katie Boord is a twelve-year-old homeschooled birder from Northwest Mississippi. She doesn't know when she started loving nature, but she started birding in 2005, when she was six years old. Katie is the second oldest of seven children, with one older brother and five younger ones. She moved to Mississippi in 2010, after living in upstate New York for five years. Before that she lived in St. Louis, Missouri. She has birded in other states as well, including Maryland, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Massachusetts. Katie's favorite places to bird are George Landis Arboretum in Esperance, NY, Arkabutla Lake, which is half in Horn Lake, MS, and half in Coldwater, MS, and anywhere on the Chesapeake Bay. When not birding, Katie likes to sing, play violin and piano, play soccer, shoot with her archery league. Read more of Katie's writing on her blog, Katydids and Bluebirds, where she posts regularly.

Sources

National Wildlife Federation:
http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Birds/Whooping-Crane.aspx
http://www.nwf.org/Global-Warming/Policy-Solutions/Drilling-and-Mining/Tar-Sands.aspx

International Crane Foundation

Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds

Operation Migration

Whooping Crane Conservation Association

 

 

Meet Marie McGee: 2012 Young Birder of the Year (14-18)

By Marie McGee

Hands trembling with excitement, I tore open the shipping box. Earlier in April 2011, inspired by the entries of the previous year’s participants, I had registered for the American Birding Association’s Young Birder of the Year Contest. Now, after several weeks of eager daily mailbox checks, the anticipated package had arrived. Filled with helpful advice and plenty of encouragement, the package materials supplied information to aid and guide participants during the next seven months of the contest.

I was especially grateful for the encouragement. Rather recklessly, I had indicated that I would participate in all four modules, reasoning that each would develop my birding skills in different ways. Plus, they all sounded fun! Photographing and drawing birds, however, were both territories into which I had never before ventured, and although I repeatedly reminded myself that I was participating for the joy of it and to cultivate new skills, the quality of previous winners’ art set a daunting standard. As spring and summer flew by, I was excited by how my stick birds gradually became more shapely and recognizable. Although my drawing skills still have a long way to go, it was extremely satisfying to see how much they improved within the span of the contest.

My lack of experience with art caused me to anticipate that the field notebook unit would be especially difficult, and during the early months of the contest, making entries in the notebook felt awkward. Soon, however, I warmed to keeping a field notebook and it unexpectedly grew to be my favorite module. The challenge of sketching birds was lightened by the fun of noting various details and impressions of them and their behavior. It was an approach to birding that I had never considered before, and it was incredibly rewarding. I found that note taking not only sharpens and reinforces observational skills, but also fosters a desire to ask questions about those observations.

One of my most interesting discoveries was the result of a summer morning spent observing a family of Mallards; had I not been sketching, certain details could well have passed me by. As I was drawing and taking notes about the ducks, I started paying closer attention to their plumage and noticed the variation in bill color; one adult had a black and orange bill, while another exhibited a yellow bill. Back at home, my field guide revealed that the latter was actually a male in nonbreeding plumage – but why, I queried, had he already shed his fine iridescent green feathers? Most self-respecting passerines retain their colorful breeding plumage throughout the summer months, and it had never occurred to me to think that ducks might be any different. I was further surprised to learn that this drake would begin to reacquire his gaudy green helm in October, a few short months away. What was more (as a brief struggle with Peter Pyle’s scientific paper on Molts and Plumages of Ducks revealed), far from being atypical of waterfowl, the Mallard drake’s molt sequence was the norm for most dabbling and diving ducks.

Although I had been birding, first casually, and then more seriously, for roughly the past three years, there were so many details about even the common birds – goldfinches, grackles, mallards – which I had never properly noticed before taking part in the YBY Contest. It encouraged me to apply a more focused approach to birding and engage in pursuits that I otherwise wouldn’t have attempted, pushing the limits of what I believed myself capable of achieving. Participating not only greatly improved my abilities in each individual contest segment, but also helped me to develop skills that have made me a better birder.

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About the author: Marie McGee, a 16-year-old from Southeast Michigan, is the 2012 Young Birder of the Year (14-18 year-old category). She has her father to thank for piquing her interest in birds, although her fascination with feathered things only took root within the last few years.  Her favorite birds include falcons (especially kestrels) wrens, and woodpeckers of all types. In addition to birding, she enjoys reading a wide variety of genres, although books about birds are a natural favorite. Some of her favorite natural history authors include Pete Dunne, Bernd Heinrich and Roger Tory Peterson. 

 

A Taste of Spring

***Stay tuned later this week to see more from the winners of the 2012 Young Birder of the Year Contest***

By Nathan Martineau

Tuesday, March 6, 2012, end of 6^th hour:  It is 50 degrees out. I’ve been stuck in school watching the sunshine for a full seven hours and I’m itching to get outside.  As soon as school ends I burst out the doors and breath the fresh air. When I spot my mom, I say, “I don’t have any homework, so I think I’m going to go birding today.” So, kind as she is, she agrees to drive me to the mudflats near our home. I bring along my notebook and some pencils so I can take notes.

I’m looking forward to birding in solitude. My younger brother, Elijah, decides to come along, too. At first I'm reluctant, but I agree. Elijah and I walk to the nearest bench, sit down, and take our field journals out. Almost immediately, an American Kestrel flies over. Next we see a female American Black Duck, and we confirm the identification when she flaps her wings and shows large white patches of feathers in her “armpits.”  Next I spot a female Blue-winged Teal, and then a Herring Gull flies over. A Killdeer is calling, but we never catch a glimpse of it.  

A European Starling is in a tree nearby, and it gives me quite a few false alarms, which include the songs of a Red-tailed Hawk, Wood Duck, American Wigeon, American Coot, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Belted Kingfisher, Tree Swallow, and Northern Flicker. It also imitates the sound of a dog yapping, a car horn, and what I thought sounded like an airplane high overhead. Thinking about it, it sounds a little far-fetched, but I saw (and heard) it happen. I think it is incredible that one bird can mimic such a repertoire of sounds, in the space of just thirty minutes! I thought that in North America it was left to the mockingbirds to perform such a feat.

We next observe a pair of Mallards synchronously bob their heads. I’ve never this before and think that it must be a courtship ritual. My suspicions are confirmed about thirty seconds later, when we see the drake mount the female.

Next we walk to the nature center nearby in order to see some landbirds. Here we see a Great Blue Heron fly over and six Wild Turkeys wander by—one displaying male and five females.

We also watch Red-winged Blackbirds sing and display for quite a while. I love how the males flare their wings and tails when they call.

​When a flock of Common Grackles flies over, I notice something interesting and start taking notes frantically. The grackles have formed a perfect triangle! I also notice that all of their wing tips line up perfectly, like a flock of geese. Did the grackles do it on purpose, or was it a one-time event? Assuming that they did it on purpose, what are the reasons for forming a triangle shape? Very puzzling.  ​

​In the end, it was a great day, I got to mentor my brother, experience some great birding with him, and I even got a taste of spring!  

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About the author: Nathan Martineau is a 15-year-old birder from Lansing, Michigan. He's been birding since 2006. He was really intrigued by the fact that birds in his yard would eat out of his hand. Since then, he has hand-fed chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and Downy Woodpeckers. He loves the north woods of Michigan and the birds that breed there, including Ovenbird, Common Loon, Pileated Woodpecker, Hermit Thrush, and Magnolia and Blackburnian warblers. He separates the year into five seasons: summer, fall, winter, spring and May. Nathan hopes to incorporate ornithology into his future career.

 

Birding the Bog

By Skyler Vold

As the sun crept up further over the treetops, we stood in the grass clearing, staring in amazement at the show playing out in front of us. The world’s largest owl (lengthwise), the Great Gray, was hunting right before our eyes. We watched while it perched and scanned the ground below for any sign of movement, then dove down to grab an unsuspecting rodent from the snow. We watched the owl carry on in this manner for about thirty minutes before retreating back into the dense cover of trees.

The Bog (photo by the author)

This was the highlight of our trip up to the Sax Zim Bog, a birding hotspot located about half of an hour north of Duluth, in mid-February. I had been looking forward to the trip ever since I began planning for it last fall. Most birders have had the experience of planning a trip to a new location. We make up a list (mental or physical) of every possible species we might see, from common to rare. We break down the days of our trip and map out the area, designating in what habitat we may find each bird. One thing I enjoy so much about birding is that even with all this planning and mapping, nothing is guaranteed. You never know what you are going to come across, or on the other hand, what you might miss. Birding would be no fun if we were able to just go somewhere and see every species that was there. For me, I never really get disappointed if I miss a certain species because it is always something I expect. Quite often I find myself saying repeating the phrase, “Well, that’s birding,” when I fail to find what I set out to see. (If you can relate to any of my interpretations, or agree/disagree with any of my opinions, please feel free to comment.

A welcoming sign! (Photo by the author)

This, however, was not the case on our trip to the Bog, as I didn’t have a single thing that could have provoked disappointment. Earlier that morning, just after it was light enough to see, we were treated to a performance by half a dozen Sharp-tailed Grouse. They would chase each other, gliding low back and forth over the grass, then scuttle around with their heads down as if they were trying to hide from each other. The whole show was really quite comical and we were sorry to have to move on, but we had a lot of ground to cover. Not even a mile down the road we came across another target bird, a Black-billed Magpie. Two lifers in the first half hour of daylight; not bad! Next we figured it was warm enough by that time (5 degrees F) to go for the Great Gray Owl, which had been seen previously at a spot that was open to public hiking. Upon our arrival, we met a group of birders who had seen our highly desired owl only five minutes earlier. We followed their advice and were rewarded with our first distant looks at the magnificent creature. Even from that distance, it was easy to see just how large this bird really appears to be, even though it is only a fraction of a Snowy or Great Horned owl’s weight. We were able to move up closer, next to a couple of other photographers, to get excellent looks and decent photos to top it off.

Great Gray Owl (photo by the author)

Once the owl had retreated back into the woods, we set out to explore the remainder of the area, picking up Black-backed Woodpecker, White-winged Crossbill, and Gray Jay. Next on the agenda was a stop at the feeders along Admiral Road, and then Blue Spruce Road. Both spots offered us new species, with the adorable Boreal Chickadee on Admiral Rd and Evening and Pine Grosbeaks on Blue Spruce Rd.

Boreal Chickadee (photo by the author)

With an outstanding morning under our belt, we grabbed a well-deserved lunch and then made our way to the next stop. A trip to Duluth in the winter cannot be complete without a stop to check out the gulls at Canal Park. I am very glad we were able to meet up with Peder Svingen when it came to the gulls, as he is an expert in gull I.D., even down to the plumage cycle of each bird. With his help, we picked up six more species for our trip list: Herring, Ring-billed, Glaucous, Great Black-backed, Iceland, and Thayer’s gulls. After learning a few tips from Peder, I feel confident about my own ability to correctly identify each of these gull species on our trip next year.

The phrase “quality above quantity” usually doesn’t pertain to birding, as many birders are after the numbers. However, in reference to winter birding at the Sax Zim Bog, “quality above quantity” fits perfectly. The trip might not yield twenty to thirty lifers, but the birds that can be viewed here are more important than just a check mark on a list. Anyone who has witnessed the majesty of a Great Gray Owl in flight, with its silent but powerful wing beats, knows exactly what I mean by this.

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About the author: Skyler Vold is a 17-year-old birder from Lamberton, Minnesota. He got hooked on birding in the summer of 2010 during a trip to Kansas with a good friend, who, he says, deserves a majority of the credit for turning him into a birder. The single bird that really provoked Skyler’s interest in birds was an American Avocet that was foraging in a cattle run-off pond right off of the highway. He said that when he was able to correctly identify it with field guide, it was one of those “ah-ha!” moments that made him want to find and identify more bird species. Another reinforcement of his newfound hobby (soon to be addiction) was a stop at the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area in Central Kansas. “I can still remember how I felt when a Black-necked Stilt was circling ten feet above my head like a Rock Pigeon,” Skyler says. The multiple flocks of White-faced Ibises and shorebirds at the Bottoms also contributed to his early interest in birding and opened up a whole new world for Skyler. Ever since then, he has been trying to soak in as much knowledge about birds and birding as possible. Skyler’s other hobbies include nature photography, hiking, writing, and golfing. Skyler attended VENT’s Camp Chiricahua in the summer of 2011, where met thirteen other young birders who really amazed and inspired him with all they knew and shared with him.

 

Indiana Young Birders 100 Guide Giveaway

By Chad Williams

I can remember how excited I was when I turned the pages of my first field guide! I knew there were a lot of birds out there and I knew that there were a lot of different birds out there, but I didn’t know there were THAT MANY! I also didn’t know that they came in so many shapes and sizes! At that very moment I realized I had to learn as much as I could about as many birds as I could and then find a way to go see them–in real life. 

It’s been many years since my first Peterson’s Guide but still today I am not sure the sun has ever set before I have opened one of my guides. Whether I’m using a guide to identify a specific bird or simply using it to fantasize about my next adventure, my field guides are my best companions and are my personal gateway to the world, a world I would have never known existed had I not been introduced to a field guide when I was young. 

The Indiana Young Birders Club (IYBC) knows how important it is to get field guides into the hands of young birders, nature lovers, and educators. Thanks to the generosity of the Indiana Audubon Society, Inc., Ohio Ornithological Society, Midwest Birding Symposium, and Kenn and Kim Kaufman, we are excited to be giving away 100 Kaufman Field Guides to Birds of North America! Guides will be given away throughout 2012 via contests, IYBC programs, and through online essay submissions. The only thing the IYBC wants in exchange is a picture of each winner with his or her new guide to help us promote the enthusiasm of youth birding. That’s it! 

We all are responsible for protecting the future of our birds and in 2012 the IYBC is committed to protecting them 100 times more than in 2011!

To learn more about the IYBC 100 Guide Giveaway, to apply for a field guide, or to help, please check us out at www.indianayoungbirders.org.

Happy Birding!

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About the author: Chad Williams is an active board member of the Indiana Audubon Society, Inc. and Chair of the Indiana Young Birders Club. Like most others, his passion began when a couple of willing adults took the time to introduce him to the world of birds - about 25 years ago. His excitement for youth birding and nature starts at home with his five children; however, he spends most of his intense birding time with his son Ceth, who loves birds even more than Chad does. Read more of Chad's writing at his blog: Birding! A Growing Obsession!

A Troglodytes Mystery

By Sam Fason

On December 31^st, 2011, I participated in the Granger Christmas Bird Count, whose circle includes the Granger Lake Area of northern Williamson and southern Bell Counties, about 50 miles northeast of my home in Austin, Texas. I was hoping to tack on a few birds to my year list and maybe find a few lifers.

We birded from first light, finding species including Short-eared Owl, Cackling Goose (a lifer), Snow Goose, Ross’s Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose (a four goose day in Central Texas is very difficult), Burrowing Owl, Lark Bunting, McCown’s Longspur, Lapland Longspur (also a lifer), Common Goldeneye (rare in central Texas), and the six Whooping Cranes that have called Granger Lake home this winter, just to name the highlights. All of the birders in Area 1 (the north half of the circle) met in the small town of Granger for lunch. We decided that it would be best to bird a small area of bottomland woodlands. In a drought year with western influx birds, usually common winter residents such as Pine Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, and Golden-crowned Kinglet would be a priority to find. We headed to the Willis Creek Wildlife Management Area where a small, mowed trail runs along Willis Creek, which has carved out a small gorge some 10-12 feet below.

As we made our way down the trail, our group (comprising Chuck Sexton, Christian Walker, Barry Noret, Ken Williams, and me) did not see anything other than the usual suspects. It was at that moment Christian called, “Winter Wren.” The bird flew down to the creek bottom and disappeared. As we attempted to re-find it we heard a bizarre call: a mechanical “tt-tt-tt-tt,” almost insect like trill, which none of us had ever heard before. I recorded the call with my iPhone and we puzzled over the possibilities. We had nothing. It continued for a solid five minutes, and five stumped birders stood intently looking at the green briar tangle at the base of an oak tree where the trill was coming from. What the heck was this bird?

Just then the wren flew out onto a fallen log that stretched across the creek. It was the source of this bizarre trill call. We noted how dark the bird was, with a rich cinnamon throat and eyebrow, dark rufous-brown back, and dark sides. Not a typical Winter Wren. I thought to myself, “This can’t be a Winter Wren…wait…if it’s not a Winter Wren then it has to be…a PACIFIC WREN!”  Recently split from the Winter Wren complex, the Pacific Wren is a bird of the Pacific Northwest, southern Canadian Rockies, and California. If this bird were a Pacific Wren, it would be the first documented Texas record. It was time to start freaking out. I took at least 100 pictures of the bird, 80 of which caught sections of the bird creeping, mouse-like, along the bank and the log, obstructed by roots. Luckily, he sat out in the open on the log for a few seconds and I got some clear pictures and several recordings of the call. This was as good as accepted, right? 

Not quite.

The wren had us riding high for the rest of the day, and whether we were chasing a Say’s Phoebe or freeing an entangled Ring-billed Gull, the wren remained in the back of our minds. But the saga was just beginning to unfold.

Chuck, Christian, and I all made separate posts on TEXBIRDS (the Texas birding listserv), giving a detailed account of our observations. One problem, mentioned by several people, was that these species where not identifiable by plumage alone. Fantastic. Also, the call proved inconclusive to most, for both species give a variable, mechanical trill when agitated. So we had a possible Pacific Wren. More research was needed.

People were immediately split on the bird’s identity. There were those who passionately opposed the ID as Pacific Wren, saying the two species cannot be visually distinguished, as well as many people who agreed with the identification of Pacific Wren. Now, people have looked in west Texas Troglodytes wrens before, hoping for a Pacific Wren, only to find numbers of Winter Wrens. Also, numerous reports of Winter Wrens from Arizona and New Mexico have been accepted.

As far as plumage goes, this bird was a pretty textbook Pacific Wren. David Allen Sibley lists the major field marks of Pacific Wren:

“Pacific darker, more rufous, and less patterned; Pacific usually has throat almost as dark and richly-colored as breast vs. pale throat contrasting with brighter breast band; Pacific tends to have the pale eyebrow stripe tinged rust/orange; Pacific usually has breast unmarked or with a few faint bars; Pacific is dark, deep, chestnut-rufous."

Check, check, check, check. So why could this bird still be a Winter Wren? Variation. Textbook birds simply do not exist regularly. Yet several people believe that the birds ARE identifiable from field marks alone. For example, a very typical Winter Wren was found in California a year ago, identified as Winter Wren and accepted, with only photos. So why couldn’t we have a valid record, based only on photographs? Winter Wren is clearly identifiable by sight alone, why wasn’t Pacific? We had plenty of evidence. The dispute was whether or not the evidence was useful. Back to square one: seeing the bird in the field.

A week after we originally found the bird, Chuck, Randy Pinkston, and I were back out at Willis Creek, trying to get a good recording of the bird. We struck out on recordings, but the wren was still on the same fallen log. However, we came across a complication: 80 yards down the creek was a definite Winter Wren. And it was singing. And interacting with the possible Pacific Wren. And the Pacific Wren only called when the Winter Wren called. Well, drat. All of our recordings from the day, despite being of poor quality, are a muddled mess. This explained Barry Noret’s recordings from the previous day of a Winter-sounding Wren downstream. Back to researching.

The second time I viewed the bird, I also realized the description of the call notes of the bird were not particularly helpful. Winter Wren’s call note is described as “Song Sparrow–like” whereas the Pacific Wren call note is described as “Wilson’s Warbler-like.” I didn’t find these descriptions to match what I heard in the field. Neither of the birds sounded like their field guide call-note descriptions. I now think using such subjective terms as an identification technique can be unreliable.

After a week of looking at pictures and listening to recordings of Troglodytes wrens ad nauseum, Chuck and I agreed that if this bird was a Pacific Wren, it was a first winter bird of the subspecies Troglodytes pacificus salebrosus, which inhabits the Canadian Rockies, including Montana, Idaho, and parts of Eastern Washington. Our bird visually and vocally matched this subspecies well and salebrosus has been recorded in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado.

I decided to do a spectrogram analysis of the trill call I recorded on the CBC, and I received good news: the kHz (kilohertz) levels were roughly 6-8, as opposed to Winter Wren’s typical levels of 3-5 kHz. I had never been more certain this bird was a Pacific Wren.

  As time passed I learned more and more about Troglodytes wrens. Also, as time passed, the identification of the bird remained in question. But as I began to write my portion of the report to submit to the Texas Rare Birds Committee (TRBC), I received an email. On January 31^st, a month after we originally found the bird, Chuck Sexton wrote to say that he had gotten a great recording of the bird giving a perfect Winter Wren song. Great. Just great. 

This still didn’t necessarily convince me that the bird was a Winter Wren, but it left me dazed and confused. I was uncertain of the ID, in every respect. My spectrogram, at one point considered conclusive evidence, might as well have been another tawny orange feather on the bird: useless in identification until proven otherwise. Experts that originally agreed with me that it was a conclusive Pacific now were either dumbfounded, as I was, or were wholeheartedly convinced this bird was a definite Winter Wren. But this raised several questions: Can you identify ANY Troglodytes wren in Texas without hearing a song? Could any Winter/Pacific Troglodytes wren be identified ANYWHERE without a song? If Winter Wren plumage can vary to where it looks nearly identical to typical Pacific Wren, then can’t Pacific Wren plumage vary to the point of looking nearly identical to Winter Wren? In that case, was the California accepted Winter Wren actually a Winter Wren, or just a bizarre Pacific Wren?  WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS BIRD, AND WHY CAN’T IT CHOOSE A CONSISTANT IDENTITY????

Here is yet another possibility: what if this bird WAS a Pacific Wren and it had learned to mimic the song of the downstream Winter Wren? The bird appeared to be a first year, not likely to sing on wintering grounds. Perhaps it had been harassed enough by it’s downstream neighbor the Winter Wren that it had learned to mimic its song in order to establish dominance on its portion of the creek. This point is what I am currently researching. 

In addition to driving me to the brink of insanity, this wren experience has taught me a lot. A few of the things I have learned include:

• Birds vary a lot in plumage.
• Birds vary a lot in song.
• Birds vary a lot in everything, really.
• Birds, especially ones with difficult identifications, must be studied intently.
• Don’t overlook anything, and be VERY observant.
• Never be 100% positive about anything. Being positive is the step below stubbornness.
• Be open to other’s opinions. Sometimes, as crazy as they sound, they’re right.

I could fill up a whole post with this, but I won’t. Even though I probably won’t ever be able to look at a Winter or Pacific wren with out cringing or muttering under my breath, or be able to feel comfortable calling a Troglodytes wren in Central Texas (or anywhere in the overlap zone) ever again, and even though the bird we saw STILL hasn't been positively identified, and even though this bird has irritated me to the point where I dread any email entitled, “Pacific Wren development”, it has been a remarkable learning experience.

First state record or not, this has definitely made me a better birder. But the first state record sure would be nice.

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About the author: Sam Fason is a 15-year-old birder who lives in Austin, Texas. He has been birding for over 8 years, and is greatly influenced by Victor Emanuel, who made Sam want to pursue birding as a passion from the first time they met. Sam has birded in many  other states, including Colorado, California, Montana, Maine, and New York. He doesn't have a favorite bird, but he particularly likes alpine breeders such as rosy-finches and ptarmigan, in addition to warblers. Sam attended VENT's Camp Tejano in 2011 and is attending Camp Cascades this summer.

 

 

Worlds Away

By Kristina Polk

Dusty skins and tired penmanship do not conjure particularly inviting images, though they are quite beautiful when given the chance. Cold, muffled steps move down corridors and through bright rooms filled with jars and boxes and cases. The belly of the museum is brimming with quiet fascination; a new discovery behind each door and wall. 

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History hosted the Ohio Young Birders Club on a snowy late January morning, giving members an incredible look at the wonders of the collections housed past public entry. Led by the knowledgeable Andy Jones, Director of Science and Curator of Ornithology, the group was first shown the skin of a recently deceased Common Loon. Her left wing pinned separately from her cotton-stuffed body, the bird managed grace and mystery even in death. She was surrounded by the skins and wings of a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a chickadee. Andy explained the reasoning behind the relatively recent practice of separating the birds and wings: when the skin dries, it becomes stiff and immobile. A researcher would have no way of looking under the wing if the bird was preserved with its wings folded. In order to provide a more extensively useful specimen, one wing is removed and pinned separately. 

Additionally, small tissue and organ samples are preserved for select birds. This loon was represented in one of the many freezers by tiny sections of her heart and muscle, potential resources for future ornithological breakthroughs. Skins, however, are the most common way of preserving birds and Andy showed off a female Ruddy Duck, a male Hooded Merganser, and an Eastern Screech Owl. Finally, a most unusual bird was presented: a "gynandromorph", or a half-male, half-female individual. True to its bi-gender designation down to the reproductive organs, this Northern Cardinal was strikingly bilateral in its appearance.

Next, Andy moved the group to a larger room, where boxes lay stacked, concealing endless elements of bird, reptile, and amphibian skeletons. Andy chose to exhibit a Sandhill Crane skeleton, paying special attention to the keel. Sandhill Cranes, he taught, have a special adaptation in their breastbone to project their unmistakable trumpeting song as far as possible. Their tracheas pass through the keel in an immaculate curve, causing the entire bone to reverberate with their song and add strength to the sound.  

After the lesson on cranes, Andy led the birders to perhaps the most exciting portion of the museum: the vast collection of approximately 30,000 bird specimens from all corners of the globe. Upon the opening of one of the many white, uniform metal drawers, an explosion of life burst forth. Colourful and exotic birds of all shapes, sizes, and taxonomical placements met the eyes of the eager visitors, astounding in their diversity. A row of brilliantly orange and black Cocks-of-the-Rocks lay alongside charismatic manakins of all sorts, including Club-winged and Red-capped. Cotingas such as the striking blue Lovely Cotinga and his cryptic brown female counterpart were in the same drawer. A puzzling creature with a curiously set wattle was an intriguing sight: the White Bellbird. In order to preserve the vulnerable skin of the long wattle, a stick had been inserted and so the wattle dried in a stiff, upright position, rising from the face of the Bellbird like a fantastical unicorn horn. 

 

Andean Cocks-of-the-Rocks (photo by the author)

Club-winged Manakin (photo by the author)

Manakins (photo by the author)

Male (l) and female (r) Lovely Cotingas (photo by the author)

White Bellbird (Photo by the author)

Peering over the shoulders of the birders as they examined the beautiful birds were two of the rarest and most talked about of them all: the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and the Imperial Woodpecker. Giants among their relatives, these woodpeckers possessed stunning ivory bills and magnificent crests. The mere presence of their skins was enough to send ripples of exhilaration and wonderment through the group. Legendary in status, the Ivory-bill is central in an ongoing debate over its existence, while the extinction of the Imperial remains generally unchallenged. The uncertain fate of these remarkable birds degrades not their mystique, and perhaps only lends might to their charm.

Imperial Woodpecker (photo by the author)

Giant African Hornbills and breathtaking quetzals were displayed next, along with a variety of amazing hummingbird species. The Giant Hummingbird is the world’s largest, while the Swordbill is the only bird whose bill length is greater than the body length. A Chimney Swift was shown as well, its long, tapered wings crossed over its back, framing needle-sharp tail tips built for stability as it nests on vertical surfaces.

Giant African Hornbill (photo by the author)

Quetzal feathers (photo by the author)

Chimney Swift (photo by the author)

Parrots and parakeets followed, as well as an impressive Kakapo. A large, flightless, nocturnal and highly endangered parrot endemic to New Zealand, the Kakapo nests in indentations in the ground, which will be used by generations of birds to come. Andy taught the group the differences between parrots and parakeets: parrots have short, generally squared tails, while parakeets sport long, angled tails. Lastly, a Barn Owl was displayed, the soft edges of her flight feathers amazing in their adaption to silent flight.

Kakapo (photo by the author)

Barn Owl (photo by the author)

 It was then time for young birder Lukas Padegimas to give a short presentation in the entomology department. His enthusiasm for the creatures was palpable as he spoke. He shared stories of his Alaskan travels and the insects encountered and even the few he collected and brought back as specimens. These specimens now bear his name under their pins and are possible new species.

After Lukas’ talk, Andy returned to his daily work as curator and the birders headed to the café for lunch. They were free to explore the remaining halls of the museum and socialize. A chance to talk and spend time with fellow young birders is always welcomed among the teens and what better place to do so than among such a rich collection of artifacts and animals. All who visited had an outstanding time and learned so very much about some of the world’s most intriguing species.

Through the well-preserved array of bird skins, many of which have uncertain origins due to their age, the young birders and their adult companions had the chance to be educated in ways not possible without such preservation of specimens. Museum collections are truly a vital resource in the preservation of and education about our avian neighbors.

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About the author: Kristina Polk is a 16 year old birder from North Ridgeville, Ohio. A lifelong nature lover, she began birding in 2010. She has come quite far in her birding abilities since then--her first 'mystery bird' was the common Grey Catbird! Ironically so, for the first banded bird she ever held was a Catbird. (Fun fact: Adorned with an "I brake for birds" plate border, her car, the color of a catbird, is named Kitty in honor of this awesome bird.) Banding is a skill she is slowly learning and she volunteers at the Navarre Marsh banding station at Ottawa NWR. Her other hobbies are photography, sketching, reading, and writing, through all of which she channels her intense love for birds. She takes near daily walks around her neighborhood in search for birds and the local deer, many of whom she has catalogued with photographs. She has been vegetarian for four years and vegan for one and a half, and passionate about the welfare of our planet and its inhabitants. Her favorite birds are the graceful Chimney Swift, the charismatic Blue Jay, the fiery Red-tailed Hawk, the patient Great Blue Heron, and all gulls. Her 'must see' birds are the Blue-crowned Motmot and Red-billed Tropicbird.

 

 

Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area Christmas Bird Count

By Landon Neumann

On December 14^th, 2011 I conducted my first Christmas Bird Count at Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area The Wildlife Area, near Linton, Indiana, is an 8,000+ acre complex of prairie and wetland habitat, managed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, where conservation organizations have undertaken extensive habitat restoration efforts. It is also a fantastic spot for birding.

After traveling a few hours, our group arrived at a local fast food restaurant where we were given our birding assignments. Soon we headed off to our assigned areas. As the sun began to rise we watched the ducks (mostly Mallards) and European Starlings fly from their nighttime roosts. We marveled at the number of American Tree Sparrows in the thickets. We continued along the trail to find Swamp, White-crowned, and Song sparrows in the flocks of American Tree Sparrows. Away from the sparrows, we saw Mallards, American Black Ducks, Northern Harriers, and Rough-legged Hawks flying over our heads. Close by, another birder’s area held an American Wigeon. After such a display, we continued our hike only to find our area rather birdless. The rest of the morning few birds were found, only a few American Coots and American Tree Sparrows, but this drought of birds would end. 

Once we had finished birding our area in the morning and reported our numbers to our area leader, we headed back to the fast food restaurant for lunch. There we learned what birds had been reported elsewhere in the circle that morning. After lunch our group decided to search for the Ross’s Goose and Whooping Cranes that had been reported the same morning. We busted on the Ross’s Goose, but we did find the two Whooping Cranes. We celebrated quickly, hurrying off to bird another part of the marsh that we had failed to see earlier in the day.  

The birding was pretty slow, but then we received a call from a guy who had spotted a female Brewer’s Blackbird and wondered if anyone could come take a picture of it. We hopped in the car and dashed off to where the blackbird had been found. It turned out that the bird was too far away to photograph, but most of us at least got good view of it. After hearing from the count leader that we were only two birds away from breaking the Indiana Christmas Bird Count species record, we quickly joined our two groups together and set off to the local state forest to look for forest birds. The state forest proved to be a bust, although we did get some nice views of Ruddy Duck. Undaunted, we continued to bird, now looking for Short-eared Owls.

We headed to the Beehunter Marsh (another part of Goose Pond) to look for Short-eared Owls. At Beehunter Marsh we had Trumpeter and Tundra swans, as well as more Whooping Cranes, before we looked for Short-eared Owls. When we arrived at the owls’ habitat, we began scanning for the skies for them, but soon our hope began to fade. For the next twenty minutes we saw nothing. Then, suddenly, we heard screeching from a Short-eared Owl. We were just in time to catch a glimpse of one soaring away into the dusky landscape.

Overall the Christmas Bird Count gave me four new lifers: Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Whooping Crane, and Shorted-eared Owl. Even though the count tragically failed to break the Indiana Christmas Bird Count species record, we still came close ending that day, with 107 species, a very respectable number if you ask me. I had a blast helping conduct the count, and recommend everyone should do one. I know I will again!

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About the author: Landon Neumann, 14, lives in Logansport, Indiana. He has been birding for about five years. His favorite group of birds are shorebirds, but is favorite bird is Painted Redstart. Landon participated in 2011 Camp Colorado.

Report from the Field: 2011 Camp Colorado

By Alex Haun

I am a proud member of Baton Rouge Audubon Society (BRAS) and their young Birder Club (Kids Who Bird), the Louisiana Ornithological Society (LOS), the National Audubon Society, and the American Birding Association. From June 25 to July 2, 2011 I had the special opportunity to attend Camp Colorado, sponsored by the ABA, in Woodland Park, Colorado. My trip was possible due to the generous grants from BRAS and LOS. Our group was made up of 10 boys and girls from around U.S., with exception of one from Costa Rica. Our three highly trained counselors were Jennie Duberstein, Bill Schmoker, and Chip Clouse. We camped each night at the Catamount Institute's Mountain Campus in tents. We went bird watching in many unique terrains like Chico Basin Ranch, the Garden of the Gods Park, the Arkansas River Valley, The Nature Conservancy's Medano-Zapata Ranch, and the Pueblo Reservoir to name some highlights. I saw a total of 151 species of birds on this trip, about 70 of which I had never seen in the wild before. My favorites were Scaled Quail, Brown-capped Rosy-Finch, Blue Grosbeak, Black-headed Grosbeak, Western Tanager, Green-tailed Towhee, Curve-billed Thrasher, Chihuahuan Raven, Pinyon Jay, Western Scrub-Jay, Lewis's Woodpecker, Burrowing Owl, Flammulated Owl, Prairie Falcon, and Golden Eagle.

(2011 Camp Colorado participants--the author is the third from the right.)

I hope many young birders get to see the beautiful birds that I and the other campers saw during Camp Colorado. It was fun to make new friends and share all our pictures and memories with others. I am really happy I got the chance to go on this trip and look forward to going on another birding camp adventure next summer!

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About the author: Alex Haun is a 14-year-old 9^th grader from Baton Rouge Louisiana. He received the 2011 Ted Parker Youth Scholarship Grant from the Lousiana Ornithological Society and a grant from the Baton Rouge Audubon Society that allowed him to attend Camp Colorado in 2011.

 

Birding Sandy Hook

By Billy Kaselow

New Jersey, though it is very urban, has a treasure trove of birding hotspots such as Garret Mountain, the Meadowlands, Brigantine, and, of course, Cape May. But above all, my favorite place to bird is Sandy Hook. I had never thought of going to the shore for anything but swimming or surfing. Now I go for birding far more often than as a summer day trip. There are many aspects to Sandy Hook that make it so spectacular. Watching the sun rise over the ocean is a breathtaking experience. Along with its beautiful scenery, Sandy Hook also has so many different habitats, such as grasslands, expansive forest, salt-water marshes, fresh-water ponds, and sandy beaches. It is a migrant trap, making it an ideal place to bird. Sandy Hook is where I spent my first day of spring birding.

I was on a field trip with Sandy Hook Audubon and I got 22 lifers that day, including Black-and-white Warbler, Snowy Egret, and Northern Parula. These are common birds that I would become very familiar with as time went on, but at the time I was taken by their beauty and wonder. On this particular May evening I was on the end of the Fisherman’s Trail. As we were birding the area, it seemed such a surreal thing. Magnificent creatures that accomplish incredible feats in their lifetime surrounded us. On one side of us were Red Knots that just weeks prior were on the coast of South America. Then two male King Eiders flew over, along with a Little Gull that was mixed in with the Bonaparte’s Gulls. An American Oystercatcher flew past a flock of Black Skimmers, exhibiting his exuberant flight call. It then joined the Black-Bellied, Piping, and Semipalmated plovers and Ruddy Turnstones. Some Gull-Billed, Common, Forster’s and Least terns were actively feeding all around us. This is my favorite memory from the past two years of birding.

Sandy Hook is good in almost every season. Just this year they ripped out all of the invasive plants and put in native grasses. The difference was enormous. The amount of fall sparrows in the grass was overwhelming at first light. I also do a lot of my winter birding there, which provides good views of some awesome birds like Long-Tailed Duck, Razorbill, Horned Grebe, Common Goldeneye, Common Eider, King Eider, and lines of all three species of scoter. Along with all of those species, there are flocks of Greater Scaup with over 300 individuals.

Sandy Hook also gets its fair share of rarities. Some recent individuals were Townsend’s Warbler and Harris’s Sparrow. On top of everything else, Sandy Hook also offers great company. The people from the branch of New Jersey Audubon stationed at Sandy Hook are amazing and so are the local birders you may encounter. If you ever get the chance to get over there I really urge you to do so. If you can, plan to go on a day that there is a field trip scheduled. The leaders are fantastic birders as well as wonderful people. You will learn a lot, see great birds, and have fun and great conversation along the way.

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About the author: Billy Kaselow is a 15-year-old birder from New Jersey. He started seriously birding two years ago. His favorite groups of birds are shorebirds because identifying them can be a challenge and they’re just cool. Warblers are also a favorite of his because of their intense patterns and cool songs. He has been banding songbirds for the last year and a half at a couple of places around the state and hopes to eventually get his own permit.