Book Review: The Thing with Feathers

A new book has come out recently about the amazing world of birding.  Noah Strycker's new book The Thing with Feathers does a good job of beginning to explore the wonderful world of birds and our human affinity with them.  The book is designed around talking about different aspects of different birds and our human understanding of them.  In many ways, the book hopes to address our images of birds as "bird brains" and start thinking about them as highly complex members of our natural world.  The essays throughout the book do a great of illustrating how amazing the natural is.  Feats of strength, endurance, and intelligence fill this book and all the while help encourage us to become better members and observers of the natural world.  This is a great read and one that I highly recommend for anyone who loves nature, birds, or understanding more about what they see!

I've picked 3 of my favorite stories and scroll to the bottom for some words of wisdom by the author!

Pigeons and Migration - we all know the amazing power of birds on migration.  Strycker encounters a racing pigeon in Oregon and this leads to contemplations and examinations of migrations across the birding world.  Migrations are one of the more truly amazing aspects of the birding world.  Strycker does a good job of outline the wonders and feats that some of our feather friends undergo to reach their nesting grounds and their wintering grounds.

Nutcrackers - This was my favorite chapter.  I've mentioned it to friends and other birders alike. Strycker does a good job illustrating how smart these birds are and how we've gone to great lengths to discover it. I also think we've globe to great lengths to ignore their intelligence but that's another story. this chapter is an enlightening read that does well to introduce the reader to done of the teal bord brains out there.

Hummingbirds - Hummers are amazing creatures. Their stamina, feats of strength, and capacities are easily some of their hallmarks. Burr we don't often imagine these tiny pollenators as fierce competitors and survivalists. Strycker opens us to a whole new way of seeing these tiny competitors. Looking beyond these beautiful and tiny birds, keen observers can find the laws of nature fiercely at work. Hummers are definitely amazing birds that merit more observation and consideration from us as more than a cute little birds that subsist on nectar (also not true)

(C) Noah Stryker and Riverhead Press

Noah Strycker out in the Field

Some words from Author Noah Strycker!

Look! A Seagull - Your style captures your observations quite well.  What do you think is the key to making good observations?

Noah Strycker - The key to good observations - of anything, birds included - is patience and passion. Nobody makes good observations when they're bored. Luckily, birds are fascinating creatures!

LAS - The book centers around essays and adventures.  What would you have liked to include that you didn't?

NS - This book only touches a few highlights of bird behavior. I could only feature 13 out of 10,000+ bird species in the world - and there are so many more stories I would have loved to include! Someday, I will make it to Africa (the only continent I haven't visited yet), and learn the stories of the birds there.

LAS - What birding adventure are you planning next?

NS - I'll be spending this summer in Svalbard, an isolated archipelago about 1,000 miles north of the tip of Norway, as a naturalist guide on several adventure expeditions. Polar bears are the main draw there for most people, but, personally, I'm looking forward to the Ivory Gulls ;)

Hello Old Friend, Migration Begins

The first signs of migration are abound.  If you subscribe to an email list or alert, you will know that is true.  More and More passerines are arriving as the waterfowl are disappearing.  It is kind of like seeing an old friend when you see a migrant bird that has returned.  I was happy to see that the Piping plovers have returned to the Northeastern Coast.  Seeing them is a great reminder that spring is on its way.

It is also a reminder of how fragile nature can be.  Our natural world is constantly at risk and changing.  Piping Plovers and American Kestrels are two beautiful examples of threaten birds in Connecticut.  Both are suffering due to the loss of habitat along with other issues.  But habitat loss seriously affects these birds.  Plover nest on the beach and Kestrels on open fields.  These are highly prized spaces for development and the birds are the ones who lose their habitat.

This is my Earth Day post of asking you to just be a little more aware of these key and diminishing habitats.  So try to find some time to take a walk through a field or one the beach and try to imagine new ways that we can co-exist and share space with the great diversity species of the world.  Enjoy birding and go birding!

Say Goodbye to the Northern Pintails...

Say Hello to Piping Plovers, a Species of Concern here in CT...

...and American Kestrels

Connecticut DEEP Links

Piping Plover Fact Sheet - Link Here

American Kestrel Fact Sheet - Link Here

Linking with Wild Bird Wednesday

Say Hello to My Little Gull Friend

This weekend, Connecticut was gifted with the arrival of a Little Gull.  Well, arrival implies that there was only one Little Gull around, turns out that the CT Shoreline is playing host to as many as 3 Little Gulls.  Little Gulls are one of the few times where the name is 100% appropriate for the bird.  The Little Gull is indeed the world's smallest gull.  While the vast bulk of the Little Gulls breed in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, they do have a few small and scattered colonies in Ontario.  The Little Gull prefers to eat insects and anything it can find on the surface of the water. This makes it similar to the Ross's Gull and the Bonaparte's Gull.

But that has little bearing on how the LIGU got to CT's coastline and how it was found.  Earlier in the week, one had been spotted in Stratford by a local birder.  So the probability was high that another would be close.  So when one was spotted Saturday Afternoon, I had to rush over to see it.  Unfortunately I was in the middle of a food shopping trip so the poor cashier had to work through my twitching and looking at my phone.  By the time I got over to Stratford, The bird had of course flown away.  Also by the time I got there, a small cadre of birders had joined up to find the gull.  It was great to see several birders at the lookout but it was also fun to see lots of people interested in what we were doing.  While most were confused by the notion of a "Little Gull" Aren't they all little?  Most seem excited to hear about this wayward Eurasian Gull and hoped that we find it

People came, people left, and a few relocations later, we found the bird flying about with a group of about 800 Bonaparte's Gulls.  How do you find a Little Gull amongst 800 Bonnies?  First thing to look for are the dark underwings.  That is the distinguishing mark of a Little Gull.  Which means that most time Gulling is spent minor details and poring over leg and eye colors and hoping that the birds stay still, in the search for a Little Gull, you can do those things, but you are also excited when they take off because then you can see the wings!

I could go on and on.  But instead I will say that the best thing to do when looking for wayward gulls and birds is to look in the field, study books at home, and look in the field!  Until the time, Get out and go birding!

The Little Gull flying away with many other gulls RBGU and BOGU

The Little Gull Closer Up, notice the dark underwings

AllAboutBirds Profile on the Little Gull - Link here

RSPB Profile on the Little Gull - Link here

I am Linking this the Wild Bird Wednesday

Once again in Texas

We made a quick stop in Texas last weekend.  Texas is famous for being a great spot to bird and enjoy.  The people and the food are also top quality.  While our main purpose there wasn't to bird we did manage to sneak some in.  We visited a couple of great parks and saw many great birds along the way!  I can't wait to go back to Texas and do some serious birding instead of just fitting it in when and where I can!

We visited two great parks.  Hornsby Bend and St. Edwards Park.  Both are in Travis County and both are great parks with a great diversity of habitat and wildlife.  While we dipped on some Texas endemics and specialties, I can't wait to go back and bird the Lone Star State!  Maybe next time, McAllen or El Paso.  What are your ideas?

During our visits to  Austin and Bastrop in Texas, I managed to pick up 3 life birds:
Crested Caracara
Black-Crested Titmouse
Eurasian Collared Dove

We also got any year birds that we wouldn't normally expect to get in New England
Black-Chinned Hummingbird
Spotted Towhee
Bewick's Wren
White-Winged Dove
Lesser Goldfinch

Black-Chinned Hummingbird

Great-Tailed Grackle

Eurasian Collard Dove

American Coots with a running Take off!

Blue Winged Teal

Bewick's Wren

Total Birds in Texas in 2014: 42
Year Birds: 152 (73 to go!)
Life List 335 (65 to go!)

Look! Many Seagulls!

More gulls you say?  These aren't just any gulls.  They are Bonaparte's gulls.  Bonnie's are one of the smallest gulls around and are often described as the most tern like gull in most guides.  This certainly makes them interesting bird to observe in the wild.  They appear off in Long Island Sound to eat the eggs and larvae of various invertebrates.  Bonnies, as they are lovingly called, come and feed off of these blooms and larvae.  While small, they are durable and can bring with them great European Rarities like Little Gulls and Black-Headed Gulls.  While I got the BHGU (no pictures sadly) I have yet to see a Little Gull.

Gulls are great animals to see and witness in the wild.  Bonnies and other gulls are great reminders that there are endless adaptations to simple forms.  Can't wait to go and see more gulls and other birds as migration comes closer and closer.  Bonnies are great gulls to see and enjoy.  Hopefully you'll find some soon.  Until next time, Go outside and bird!

Couple of Bonnies

Herring Gull with Great Views of the top wings

Yep, More Gulls!

Sorry for the short hiatus.  I was away birding in Texas.  Photos up Later!

Feeding Frenzy of Gulls

During the past couple of outings, I have noticed an odd number of gulls congregating off shore.  As Spring nears, invertebrates are getting ready to release their eggs and with that comes birds and migration.  To migrate, a bird needs flight (duh), a place to go (nesting spot), and food along the way.  The food often presents the most troubling step for birds.  While I can go on and on, I want to talk about the struggle of food.

On a visit to Hammonasset, I witness a real dogfight between some gulls.  They were fighting over food that people had left behind.  This will of course cause problems when the other breeding shore birds start to show up.  But these gulls were really going at it over this food.  There was dynamic flying, calling, and a real sense that this food was absolutely vital to their survival.  As the fight went on, I was impressed with the determination of the gulls and how they had adapted.  All the birds made opportunity cost calculations.  The one with the food was attempting to fly away with as little effort as possible.  As the dog fight continued, fewer and few gulls remained.  They figured that their probability of getting food was low enough that staying wasn't worth their time.  Eventually, the gull who found the food was able to hold off the other gulls...

A Dark Juvenile Herring Gull

The Distant raft of gulls

Herring Gulls fighting, yelling, and flying over food

It was a real dogfight!

Book Review: Faith of Cranes

I recently finished Hank Lentfer's Faith of Cranes after the recommendation of a good friend of mine.  The book was a great look at the environmental, usage issues, changing communities, and life across multiple generations and moments.  Lentfer's idea of justice is deeply entrenched in how his mentors and his child see the land and space they inhabit.  These themes carry great importance and insights for everyone today.

The idea of transgenerations view is important to Lentfer's writing.  His stories about being on islands, hunting, hearing cranes, and sharing vension across time while sharing space and memories with the past and future of his family.  It is truly something akin to magic realism except that I might call it something like living memory writing.  Spaces and stories loop back and forth and together weave a vivid story about the Alaskan Wilderness.  This trans-generational element to Lentfer's writing allows for the reader to see the value the land has and can return to if we value it.

Lentfer's writing is easy on the eyes and deeper than it looks.  It is worth the read and will provide great food for thought for hours and days after you read it.  If you can't get outside, then pick up this great book!

(C) Hank Lentfer and Montaineer Books

Hank Lentfer Link's - Click Here

Orchestra Section? This way to the Horns

This weekend at Hammonasset State Park was quite the place to be.  A continuing Snowy Owl was easily seen from the trail but my wife and I were able to see some of the harder to see visitors as well.  We found a a Hermit Thrush while investigating the remains of an owl attack amongst some cedars along with robins thrashing about in the leaf litter and cover.  

There was a fairly huge flock of Horned Larks in an open grass parking lot and usually, one can find Snow Buntings or Lapland Longspurs mixed in there as well.  So in an open grass parking lot, we began the exciting tasking of sorting through dozens and dozens of Horned Larks.  The Snow Buntings were easy to find but the Longspurs took a bit more effort.  This became harder as we noticed that some larks enjoyed taking dirt baths, making them look more sparrow-like.  Eventually, we found a Longspur and a Lapland at that!  We found it by looking for the rufous/red cap that distinguishes it from the Horned Larks but also does not necessarily distinguish it from the ground, but if it wasn't hard, birding wouldn't be half as fun!

The other amazing experience we had at Hammo was with a Horned Grebe that was really fighting the tough waves of against the rocky spit.  Eventually, it couldn't take it anymore and jumped onto the spit.  Right in front of us too!  We got some great shots of the Horned Grebe who was enjoying the opportunity to rest and relax from the stress of the breaking waves.  The Grebe was so tired that it didn't flinch as people walked around it!  Of course, I flinched.  People should be more considerate of our wildlife and environment but that's a whole other post.  In the Meantime, there are many birds who are arriving every day and hopefully we can all get out and enjoy the birds!  Until the next time, get out and go birding!

Can you find the Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, and a Lapland Longspur?

(click for bigger image)

Active Waves pushing around a Horned Grebe

Said Horned Grebe taking a break...

2014 Year Birds: 129
CT: 123
Notable Additions:
King Eider
Lapland Longspur

Prairie Home Visits

For the past few days, my wife and I visited southeastern Minnesota.  While we didn't pick any life birds, we did see some awesome birds.  Most people visit Minnesota and go north to see the Sax-Zim Bog, we did not.  While it is a site that we definitely want to go see, we just didn't have the time during this trip.  Hope
fully next time!  We did visit two awesome sites that were definitely worth the visit.  Oxbow Park and Quarry Hill and the Whitewater State Park and Wildlife Management Area.

Oxbow Park yielded some great looks at some Minnesotan Black-Capped Chickadees which are pretty big compared to the Connecticut BCCHs.  We also got a look at some WBNH and a Rusty Blackbird that was hanging out with some sturdy American Robins. Link Here

Whitewater State Park and WMA - This was definitely the most exciting place we stopped at.  Before I write any more, let me give a shout out to the Minnesota State Park Naturalists.  Their attention to our query (about the golden eagle) was answered and they told about atoll the other boss we could see and enjoy as well.  We missed out on the Golden Eagle and Townsend's Solitaire, we did get to see Bald Eagles and some very active Northern Shrikes.  Even the drive to the Whitewater was productive.  We picked up a ton of horned larks, Turkeys, and even got to see an American Kestrel hunting in thesnow covered farm land.
I look forward to the next time we can come back to the Land of 10000 Lakes.  They have done a great job in protecting a lot of their environment  and open farmland.  Link Here.

Until the next time, get outside and go birding!

A Gaggle of Turkeys in Oxbow Park

The Chickadees were huge in Minnesota.

Horned Larks getting a jog in as they search for food

A Juvenile Wild Turkey joining in on the fun of running

2014 Year Birds: 122
Notable Additions:
American Kestrel
Northern Shrike (Subject of our next blog)

Snow Day, Art Day

How to spend a snow day?  Well, without a feeder nearby and low visibility, I decided to use my time as productively as possible.  Grade?  Nope.  Sort through photos and make edits?  Well, that too, but I dedicated some time to drawing and studying bird diagrams and photos and making my own sketches.  While there is no substitute for being in the field and making astute and well reasoned and guided observations, I learned a lot making my sketches and drawings.  Being stuck inside meant that I had to turn to some of the greats out there.  I poured over books, images, and even resorted to using Google Images (c) to find some good images to practice learning the bird form:

How I spent a snow day in Connecticut:

Practicing Parts of a Gull found in Kaufmann's Advanced Birding Guide

Iceland Gull in Dunn's Peterson's Gulls of America

Benches on Whitney Ave in New Haven, CT

Bonaparte's Gull after a photo found on images.google.com

What do you think of these drawings?  While I can't honestly say that I'd trade a day outside for one inside, it is important not to waste any time being frustrated with the weather.  Until next time!

Winter at the Beach

In the Winter, edge habitat is at a premium.  Lakes are frozen, snow covered brush areas, and harsh winds make life very difficult.  At least for people who don't wear thermal underwear.  Birds have no issue with their amazing feathers and take advantage of their adaptations to find food and flourish in these conditions.  Spending time on the beach this winter with these amazing birds exposes the life and struggles in this tough areas.

What might you expect to see on the beach?  Typical things include peeps, gulls, and raptors with a scattering of song birds.  While the Color-scheme might seem a bit repetitive, there is a lot of life and color to enjoy.  There's a lot of activity if you know where to look.

Sanderlings are always running with the tide.  They are always grabbing a slipper snail or crab or something.  This last time I was out, I notice a particular occurrence.  Sanderlings would grab a snail or crab only to be forced to abandon their catch or fight off from the hungry and aggressive Gulls around.  The gulls were flying about smashing their food whether it is their own or stolen from the Sanderlings.

Raptors fly about.  Many raptors use stealth and surprise as their greatest weapons, but the raptors I saw today were harriers.  And harriers hunt.  You can see it in the way they fly and soar.  They are scoping out the ground and environs looking for their meal.  Seeing them fly and hunt is a real joy.  In my last outing, I was lucky enough to be at a site to see 5 Northern Harriers.  I can't wait to go out and find what else is surviving and flourishing!

A Gull eating by dropping

Gulls and Sanderlings

A Northern Harrier flying across a marsh

A Large 2-cycle Iceland Gull

2014 Year List: 118
CT Year List: 113
Notable Additions:
Wild Turkey
Snow Bunting
Black-Bellied Plover

Ethics of Photo Manipulation

There was an article recently published by Audubon Magazine (C) about the nature of nature photography.  The article posed the question about what are the limits of digital manipulation.  Since the article's publication, my wife and I have been discussing what is the point and goal of Nature photography.  Is it to document?  Is to connect with nature?  Or is it just a hobby?  Of course, which question you choose to answer influences and tells you a bit about how you think nature photography.

IS IT TO DOCUMENT?  Of course, documentation is a clear point of photography and of nature photography.  Everyone wants to grab the perfect shot and the perfect moment that captures the light, movement, and subject in the best ways.  For me, this is of key importance.  Capturing what we see and how we see it are of paramount importance to me.  Part of my drive since entering the birding world has been to document the different species that I've seen.  But does this take away from a sighting if I can't see or if the sighting is brief or impossible to photograph?  Not at all, but the urge to record has driven people to great lengths around the world.

IS TO CONNECT WITH NATURE?  Photographs are just another way to connect with nature.  If connecting with nature is the goal, then artistic expression is a part of eliciting human connectivity with nature.  Photography is definitely a wonderful art medium and can connect people to the natural world and the larger human world.  In this case, digital manipulation is a great and useful tool to improving quality and adding depth to images.  For the viewer and the photographer, connections can be a great incentive to continue taking photographs!

OR IS IT JUST A HOBBY?  Well, this is a much tougher question and one that I don't necessary have an answer too.  So instead enjoy some photos.  How would you manipulate these photos or not?

Link to Audubon Magazine Article: Click Here

Finding Gulls

The art of Gulling is truly a fine art.  Beautiful grays, whites, and blacks, with yellows, greens (not here on the east coast) to round it off make Gulls a serious challenge.  Along with sharing a similar color scheme, Gulls can also hybridize and find themselves in all parts of the world.  Their success is a testament to the capacity of how they can adapt to a diverse set of environments and even human environments.  After all landfills are great spots to see gulls.

Gulls (the Family Laridae) mainly inhabit the Arctic Circle and have moved around the world from there.  The Arctic Circle is also their breeding grounds and where they nest and hybridize and drive many birders crazy.  I've been working on my own skills with Gull Identification and the best practices I've picked up on are A - Going out a lot and learning how to ID Gulls and B - Reading and looking over Petersons Guide to the Gulls of the Americas by Steve Howell and Jon Dunn (link to amazon.com here).

The trick to learning about gulls is to take everything as a learning opportunity.  If you are in front of what looks like 100's of Herring and Ring-Billed Gulls, take time to really notice the differences.  Talk them out, write them out, try to get photos that will help you remember the differences.  I'd like to say I am doing this, but I need to remind myself to go through checklists and comparisons in my head.  Practice makes permanent and I definitely want to start being able to better think through my identification and what I am seeing.  While I work on that, enjoy some pictures of a local Iceland Gull!

Iceland Gull taking a bath

Preening

Watching the Bay

Comparison Shot with Other Gulls

A Cartoon drawing I made of gulls

2014 Year List: 106

Blue Winged-Teal

Northern Shoveler

Polar Vortex: Cold Weather Birding

January 2014 is off to a strong start.  So far 90 species with in the state of Connecticut and not much birding done outside the state.  I didn't set any specific goals for this first month, but I was hoping to get at least 100 birds which I had never done before.  According to ebird, my Januarys have shaped out to something like this:

2013: 63 Birds (notable: Northern Saw-Whet Owl, Lapland Longspur, Common Redpoll)
2012: 37 Birds (notable: Redhead, Common Eider, Ruddy Turnstone)
2011: Not really a birder....

So I wanted 2014 to be different.  To be something more serious.  Something that would connect me better to the birding world and the environment of Connecticut.  This doesn't mean that I feel any more the expert.  I feel under even more pressure to see more, notice more, and practice more.  And whatever I miss or can't see, makes me wish I was outside more and birding more.  Partly pride pushes me on.  But for the most part the love of being outside brings me the greatest joy.  I have to keep that front and center.  If I don't, then the joy and benefits of being outside is diminished.  I've had some great experiences out in the field and I have to keep that in mind and at the heart of my outings.

In the meantime, I am going to try to think about feathers.  With this latest polar vortex, I am amazed at the adaptations and survival skills of birds.  Feathers are a truly amazing adaptation.  I am going to try to take some great pictures that really embrace the adaptations birds make to survive the weather.  Until next time...

2014 Year Birds: 91
Notable Additions:
Lesser Black Backed Gull
Monk Parakeet
Bald Eagle
Barred Owl

Book Review: Imperial Dreams

One of only two known clips of the Imperial Woodpecker

(C) Cornell University and Made by William Rhein in 1956

One of my gifts this holiday season was Tim Gallagher's latest book Imperial Dreams.  The book is a voyage into the natural history of the Imperial Woodpecker (Campephilus imperialis) in the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico.  For me this book was more than just a travelogue.  It was a journey into a nation and land that seem to be disappearing more and more every day and descending further and further into violence and chaos. Author Tim Gallagher takes on this fierce region, its tough natural history, hardy inhabitants, and current struggles.  The prose balances these well and you can't help but read on and on as Gallagher strikes deeper and deeper into this region.

For me, the birds of Mexico are not only far and distant because of time and space, but also the political and economic troubles make it a difficult journey and the birds distant.  Gallagher's account of his travel this land strikes a good balance between making the reader want to go and climb and explore these ancient mountains and lament the political and crime issues that plaque Mexico.

Does he find the Imperial Woodpecker?  How does Gallagher's quest end?  How does he deal with the dangers of the region?  Pick it up and find out!  It is definitely worth the read and you won't regret following Gallagher and on his journey through the Sierra Madre.

Some Campephilus Woodpeckers in the Peabody Museum's Collection

Sadly, this is how close many of us will come to the these birds...

2013 Year in Review

So 2013 is coming to a close.  And I need some reflection and goal setting to make sure that 2014 is a successful year.  2013 was a pretty good year for birding for me.  Neil Hayward has a bit of a better one (LINK HERE and ANOTHER LINK) but I didn't do to shabby.  Here's a run down of 2013 by the numbers.

Birds Seen This Year: 277
In Connecticut: 209
New Birds: 74
States Visited: 12 (ME, NH, CT, MA, NY, NJ, PA, DE, VA, GA, FL, TX)
Best Birds of the Year: Barnacle Goose, Fork Tailed Flycatcher, Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher, and Northern Lapwing, American Golden-Plover

Goals.  I meet almost all of my goals.  The only goal bird that I missed was the Parasitic Jaeger so that will go back on the docket.  Otherwise, I am feeling pretty good about my goals.  Without any set birding trips, I was a bit conservative about my goals and goal birds.  I'd love to hear any feed back and any tips on places to go to and see some great birds.

Life List Goal: Reach 400 (71 to go!)
Year Goal: Reach 250
CT Year List: 225
Goal Birds:
Parasitic Jaeger
Yellow-Breasted Chat
Golden Eagle
White-Rumped Sandpiper
Long-Eared Owl
*Get Beaver Ponds Park in New Haven up to 150 Birds*

In the meantime, as you reflect on 2013, enjoy some great shots of birds!

Black Skimmers in Milford

Rose-Breasted Grosbeak in Maine

Piping Plover in Milford

Black-Bellied Whistling Duck in Texas

Flickers Courting Each Other in Madison

Please feel to comment on my goals and tell me yours.  What do you want birding to look