Rhapsody in Blue

      For whatever reason, I was given to pondering the other day about the range of species we see here, where the predominant plumage colour is blue. The shades are as different as the birds themselves, but all are splendid, and I will present a few of them to you, with pictures drawn from our archives.

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

     This very handsome species is common in these parts, but its ubiquity makes it no less a welcome sight at any time. It is a marvelous bird and merits all the admiration we can muster.

     It is a frequent visitor to our backyard and is nearly always found in suitable woodland habitat too, so rarely a day goes by that we fail to enjoy the company of this captivating beauty.

     It is a resident species and is not shy to come to backyard feeders, especially during the winter months when a little supplementary protein and fat is always welcome.

     Like many birds, it has an initial aversion to close contact with humans, with good reason, but once it develops confidence in you it will come to your hand without hesitation. Studies have proven that other corvids are able to recognize humans as individuals and to know those that are kind and wish them no harm, and I suspect that this is true of Blue Jays also.

     If you have them where you live I hope you will get to know them better.

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

     There has been taxonomic discussion over the years as to whether this species is a chat or a thrush, and Peter Clement seems to hedge his bets by omitting it from his tome on thrushes (Thrushes (2000), and placing it in Robins and Chats (2015) as follows: "A stocky, chat-sized thrush of open woodland, orchards.....". 

     In IOC World Bird List Version 11.1 there is no equivocation. Eastern Bluebird is a thrush!

     And a very attractive thrush too!

     As a cavity-nester Eastern Bluebirds went through a period of steep decline as they faced intense competition from introduced House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) and Common Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) for a diminishing number of available nest sites.  Sparrows and starlings are appreciably more aggressive than bluebirds and in most cases the bluebirds were losers in the battles for a home, sometimes even paying with their lives. 

     The stage was set for human intervention and bluebird societies sprang up all across the continent with dedicated (obsessive some might say) volunteers establishing bluebird nest box trails, sometime numbering into the hundreds of boxes. The sites were closely monitored and protected, barriers were installed to deter predation, and if any invader dared to try to usurp a bluebird it was summarily evicted by its human guardian and protector.

     The result has been a huge resurgence in bluebird populations, and it is once again a familiar sight in suitable habitat throughout the continent. A feel-good story by any measure and a great conservation success!

     The female is not quite as attractive as the male one might conclude, but charming and delightful in her own way.

     Once there are young to feed both parents are dedicated providers and may be seen constantly shunting back and forth to stuff insects into the mouths of hungry youngsters.

     If you live locally and are reading this, and have never seen a bluebird, get in touch with me and I'll be happy to show you one.

Indigo Bunting (Passerina cynea)

     This charming species arrives in our area in May, and shortly thereafter males may be seen singing from high perches wherever a suitable tree or snag provides maximum exposure.

     We have a special affection for this species. Miriam's sister, Grace, remembers Indigo Buntings vividly from her childhood, and if one can have a favourite bird, this is it for her. So, whenever we see one, the thought that it is Grace's Bunting springs to mind. Maybe we can petition the taxonomists to change the scientific name to Passerina graceii, but I suspect that we will have little chance of success!

     Each year, for the past few years, a male has visited our backyard for a couple of days, during which time he returns frequently to feed, and to thrill us in the process. For some reason, we have received no such companion this year, even though all the conditions are the same as they have been in years past. Who can figure out what goes on in the minds of birds?

     I hope that an Indigo Bunting will visit you!

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

     If you have never seen the flash of steely blue and dazzling white as a Tree Swallow jinks and knifes through the air, you have missed one of life's great treats. I have seen it a thousand times and more, and still there is a sense of awe.

     This cavity-nesting species enjoys great breeding success along our bluebird trail at SpruceHaven where we are happy to see the two species breed side by side. They do not compete for food, since the Tree Swallow is an aerial feeder and the bluebird drops to the ground to capture its prey.

     Here is a pair on a nest box; the female at the left is browner than the male, but they make a stunning pair.

     Tree Swallows still nest in natural cavities where they are available, but the vast majority are now dependent on nesting facilities furnished by humans.

They repay immeasurably the effort we put into providing them with a home, and bring us inexpressible joy. 

     Long may they grace our skies.

Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)

     As soon as neotropical warblers begin to arrive back in southern Ontario to breed Black-throated Blue Warbler is one of the easier species to find. 

     It is a handsome little bird, as are all the warblers of course, but unfortunately I have only one picture where the bird (the male) actually looks blue!

     I do have several other pictures, but the bird is always in shade and appears grey rather than blue. 

     The conspicuous patch of white you see at the base of the primaries is a diagnostic feature in both sexes, and enables even a novice to clinch the ID of this species without difficulty.

     Generally, this species is transient in our area, seldom breeding here. Its breeding territories are principally found in the southern part of the Canadian Shield. 

     We will have to redouble our efforts to get more pictures. If only the darn bird would stay still for more than a second or two!

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)

      To see a Northern Parula is to swoon with joy! So many colours combine to achieve a captivating look.

     I suppose it is a bit of a stretch to label this a blue bird, but when I think of it I always envision blue first, so perhaps you will understand.

     I am always drawn to the split eye ring too.

     This is another species that is merely passing through when we see it locally. Its distribution as a breeding bird "extends generally from about Belleville and Barrie north and west to Kapuskasing and Dryden". (Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario 2001-2005 (2007).

     Get out and look for one now! There may be a few still lingering before moving to their breeding territories, but not for long!

     

     I hope you have enjoyed looking at a few blue birds, and maybe one day you can see them all for yourself -or perhaps you already have!    

Bird Banding at SpruceHaven 18 and 19 May 2019

18 May 2019

     May has been unseasonably cold this year, and today was no exception. It was a mere 4 degrees when I left home to meet Kevin at the nets. As it turned out he was there a little ahead of me (as he often is) and was just returning with the first captures of the day.
     It seemed appropriate that at the peak of migration the first bird caught was a Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica).

     The second bird was also a warbler, a Myrtle Warbler (Setophaga coronata), a species sometimes referred to as a Yellow-rumped Warbler and shown as such in many field guides. Birds in the east have a yellow throat and birds in the west a white throat. Previously lumped together as Yellow-rumped Warbler, each form is now considered a distinct species, with the western bird called Audubon's Warbler (Setophaga auduboni).

     Flycatchers in the genus Empidonax are notoriously difficult to identify in the field (some species virtually impossible) but when the bird is subjected to the measurements normally taken at a bird banding station, the identification can be clinched based on biometrics, as was the case with this Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus).

     Baltimore Orioles (Icterus galbula) seem to be especially abundant this year and we captured this female.

     It was bent on letting Kevin know that it was not happy!

     The female of a Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) is quite drab as compared with the more colourful male.

     There is nothing dull about a Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia), however.

     I would be remiss if I did not mention that we were joined by Laura Lawlor and her daughter, Aberdeen, who thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were able to explore the wonders of SpruceHaven. Jonathan Wilhelm also visited for the first time and expressed a desire to return. 
     Unfortunately, I neglected to take a picture of these guests but I will rectify that omission when they visit for a second time.

All species banded 18 May: Traill's Flycatcher (1), Least Flycatcher (1), Baltimore Oriole (2), Common Yellowthroat (2), Chestnut-sided Warbler (1), American Redstart (2), Magnolia Warbler (1), Black-throated Blue Warbler (1), Myrtle Warbler (1). Total: 12 individuals of 9 species.

19 May 2019

     The forecast was for considerably warmer weather than we have been experiencing; early morning was still cool but it did start to warm up through the day. We were all glad to feel a little warmth in the sun's rays.
     An Alder Flycatcher (Empindonax alnorum) was one of our early catches, probably just passing through here on its way north.

     We do not encounter many Orchard Orioles (Icterus spurius) in our area, so to find three individuals, two males and a female, in the same net, along with a male and female Baltimore Oriole was quite remarkable.

Orchard Oriole male

Orchard Oriole female and male

     Kevin and Heather were sharing the banding duties so in each instance we were able to hold the female and male of the species together.

Baltimore Oriole male and female

     A Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) is an exceptionally handsome species. Caught in the sunlight flitting around in a tree it can look as though its throat is aglow.

        Several visitors came to enjoy the morning's activities, including our old friend Vashti Latchman, with her children Roddy and Raya. 

     Roddy is a tremendously keen young bird enthusiast, with knowledge far beyond his years. We have been spotting a pair of Green Herons (Butorides virescens) on the pond and this morning Roddy located their nest. Well done, Roddy!

     Judy Wyatt made her first visit of the spring to observe the banding and displayed her usual keen interest, in addition to helping out whenever possible.

     As often happens, we need to consult "Pyle," the bander's bible, for finer points of sexing and aging.

     Questions about this Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) occupied Heather's attention......

     .....until she found the answers she was looking for.

     We were fortunate in catching a couple of very nicely marked Magnolia Warblers.

          As has already been noted we have been catching several flycatchers, and this Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) was our final member of this family, retrieved from the nets just before furling them for the day.

     If my memory serves me correctly, we have only ever caught one Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) so to trap this female was especially pleasing.

     This species breeds locally so it may be an indication that it is breeding at SpruceHaven.

     Next weekend will be our final session of the spring. I hope we will have exciting birds for you to see then.

All species banded 19 May: Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (1), Alder Flycatcher (2), Least Flycatcher (2), Common Yellowthroat (3), American Redstart (2), Magnolia Warbler (3), Blackburnian Warbler (2), Black-throated Blue Warbler (1), Black-throated Green Warbler (1), Baltimore Oriole (2), Orchard Oriole (3), Indigo Bunting (1). Total: 23 individuals of 12 species.

Quality not Quantity

01 September - 02 September 2018

     The pace of avian migration starts to really accelerate as we get into September and we detected this trend in some of the species we banded this past weekend. The number of birds we trapped was not huge, but we caught some consequential species that contribute to our knowledge of birds not seen at SpruceHaven during the breeding season, but moving through as they depart Ontario to spend the northern winter in Central and South America.

     Neotropical Warblers and Flycatchers (among others) are two distinct families that can provide identification challenges at times and our constant companion is "Pyle," the bird bander's indispensable guide. 

     As any bird bander will tell you, a bird in the hand can look quite different from the bird you observe flitting around in a tree, or in flight. And by having the bird in the hand and being able to take wing measurements, weight, and  examine other characteristics it is in most cases possible to identify the sex and age of the bird.

     Take for example, this Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus). 

     Pyle tells us that the orbital ring in an after hatch year bird is red (as opposed to greenish or dusky in a hatch year bird) and that the the shape and pattern of the outer rectrices show a rounded tip with a white terminus. 

     The red orbital ring is shown in the picture above and the details of the rectrices are shown below.

     Putting all this information together we can confidently identify this bird as an adult (AHY) bird.

     You can see the mosquito bites on Ross' forearm above - the price bird banders pay for plying their craft at this time of the year. 
     We were able to identify this Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) as a hatch year male based on the large, but mottled cap, and other plumage characters.

     It was very pleasing to be able to process a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventri), a species we see infrequently. 

    Whether this species could have been identified in the field is open to question. Empidonax flycatchers are notoriously difficult when they are not singing and several species are very similar indeed. Compound this lack of vocalization once the breeding season has passed, with less than perfect light conditions, rapid movement high in treetops and the fact that the bird is smaller than most leaves, and identification sometimes verges on alchemy! One has to be content often with the designation Empidonax species.
     Take a look at these two pictures of Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) taken from my files.

Male

Female (picture from Internet Bird Collection)

     The minute white flash, along with other characters, enables us to confidently identify this bird as a hatch year female Black-throated Blue Warbler.
     In a female hatch year Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla) the characteristic rufous patch on the head of this species is absent, as shown in the photograph below. The buffy eye ring is also diagnostic. 

     Bird banding is fascinating, challenging and very rewarding. Over time it contributes in no small measure to our understanding of the life histories of birds.
     Banders the world over are linked by a common passion and a dedication to helping the birds we love. For an excellent treatment of bird banding (ringing) in the UK see the excellent blog of my good friend Phil Slade  https://anotherbirdblog.blogspot.com

All species banded 1, 2 September: Black-billed Cuckoo (1), Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (1), Traill's Flycatcher (1), House Wren (1), Nashville Warbler (1), Magnolia Warbler (3), Black-throated Blue Warbler (1), Wilson's Warbler (1), Song Sparrow (3).  Total: 13 birds of 9 species.  
Retraps: Grey Catbird (1), Common Yellowthroat (1), Magnolia Warbler (1), Song Sparrow (1).