Here's a nice escape from the weather...
Jarbas Agnelli is a Brazilian multimedia artist who uses film, photo, illustration and music to communicate ideas. One morning while reading a newspaper, Agnelli saw a photograph of birds on an electric wire. He cut out the photo and was inspired to make a song using the exact location of the birds as musical notes. Listen to the results:
Showing posts with label Birds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birds. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Friday, June 7, 2013
Kingbird on a Wire
The 'English' call them Kingbirds and the Native Americans called them the 'Chief' bird. Both groups did this convergently - these birds are tough characters! Actually a tyrant flycatcher, its scientific name is Tyrannus tyrannus - so tough they named him twice. They will literally whip birds 50 x their size - no joke.
This one was spotted at one of our substations this week.
Monday, June 20, 2011
This is a first
Bird drops deer on electric lines, causes out power outage
When power company crews arrived at the origin of a power outage in East Missoula they were shocked to find the cause was a deer that had been dropped on power lines twenty feet above ground.
Investigators for Northwestern Power in Montana deduced the deer was probably dropped on the lines by a member of a nearby family of bald eagles, according to the official report released on Friday. It appears one of the eagles had captured the fawn and, as bald eagles do, carried the eagle to a high enough altitude that a drop would kill the prey. The entire eagle family could then enjoy the carcass.
This is the first reported power outage due to a flying deer however wildlife have been known to cause power outages.
Read the full story here...
When power company crews arrived at the origin of a power outage in East Missoula they were shocked to find the cause was a deer that had been dropped on power lines twenty feet above ground.
Investigators for Northwestern Power in Montana deduced the deer was probably dropped on the lines by a member of a nearby family of bald eagles, according to the official report released on Friday. It appears one of the eagles had captured the fawn and, as bald eagles do, carried the eagle to a high enough altitude that a drop would kill the prey. The entire eagle family could then enjoy the carcass.
This is the first reported power outage due to a flying deer however wildlife have been known to cause power outages.
Read the full story here...
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Substation Visitors
The flooding has brought some new visitors to our substations. Since many had warned of an increase in snakes, it wasn't too surprising to see this water moccasin sunning himself.
A bit more surprising was a flock of Muscovy ducks, which are as big as geese.
These beauties were close to Substation 73, which is near Wolf River Blvd. The Muscovey range has been associated with South America but has moved into South Texas and Florida. There are some domesticated ones that people keep, but these appeared wild. Birds get displaced by storms and unusual weather - and we've certainly had plenty of that recently.
Since a major benefit associated with having these ducks in urban areas is that they help keep insect populations down, such as mosquitoes, roaches, termites, flies, spiders (including poisonous ones) and even ants, we kind of hope that they stick around! Muscovies will basically eat any bug they can find, including maggots and mosquito larva in the water, thus making a huge difference when it comes to insect control.
Have you seen any unusual visitors near your house?
A bit more surprising was a flock of Muscovy ducks, which are as big as geese.
These beauties were close to Substation 73, which is near Wolf River Blvd. The Muscovey range has been associated with South America but has moved into South Texas and Florida. There are some domesticated ones that people keep, but these appeared wild. Birds get displaced by storms and unusual weather - and we've certainly had plenty of that recently.
Since a major benefit associated with having these ducks in urban areas is that they help keep insect populations down, such as mosquitoes, roaches, termites, flies, spiders (including poisonous ones) and even ants, we kind of hope that they stick around! Muscovies will basically eat any bug they can find, including maggots and mosquito larva in the water, thus making a huge difference when it comes to insect control.
Have you seen any unusual visitors near your house?
Monday, January 10, 2011
Snow!
Hope everyone is enjoying the snow!
Here are some Goldfinches, a Common Grackle, a Mourning Dove (head) and a Junco at dawn.
Here are some Goldfinches, a Common Grackle, a Mourning Dove (head) and a Junco at dawn.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Our newest covergirl
Close readers may have noticed I've done a little sprucing up around here. Part of the sprucing involved replacing our old gal, Clara, with our new gal, Cinnamon Girl. CG is unusual because she displays a unusually pronounced auburn mantel. (Compare here.) She is easily identified and unmistakably a red-shouldered hawk.
CG has been a poster child for the local birders - a local icon for her species. She patrols a circuit (no pun intended) just north of the Allen steam plant and west of T.O. Fuller state park. She is also unusually curious and not really shy about human activities. Red Tailed Hawks have a tendency to become somewhat tame if not persecuted. Most other hawks are more indifferent to humans. CG likes the wet land area and her favorite foods are frogs and snakes.
CG has been a poster child for the local birders - a local icon for her species. She patrols a circuit (no pun intended) just north of the Allen steam plant and west of T.O. Fuller state park. She is also unusually curious and not really shy about human activities. Red Tailed Hawks have a tendency to become somewhat tame if not persecuted. Most other hawks are more indifferent to humans. CG likes the wet land area and her favorite foods are frogs and snakes.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Music by Birds
I love this! Reading a newspaper, Jarbas Agnelli saw a picture of birds on electric wires. He cut out the photo and decided to make a song, using the exact location of the birds as notes (no Photoshop edit).
Birds on the Wires from Jarbas Agnelli on Vimeo.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Bird Attack!
Here's a funny video of a bird attacking several pedestrians outside the San Francisco financial district. We had a bird like this outside of our visitor's lot a few years ago and it got me several times! It was extremely creepy. And much more effective than parking tickets. (Technically employees should not park in the visitor's lot!)
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Flying High
Last week I took a field trip to substation 4 with some of the engineers to check out the new safety features, environmental upgrades, and daredevil starlings. (Ok, I really just wanted an excuse to wear safety goggles and a hard hat.)
Hanging out in a substation is rather exciting--especially if you have an engineer telling you about all of the high voltage surrounding you (and it's potential danger). Apparently no one has told the birds. They just fly through without a care in the world, oblivious to the fact that they are just millimeters away from doom!
Hanging out in a substation is rather exciting--especially if you have an engineer telling you about all of the high voltage surrounding you (and it's potential danger). Apparently no one has told the birds. They just fly through without a care in the world, oblivious to the fact that they are just millimeters away from doom!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
What to do if you find a baby bird...
This is a re-posting from last year, and a good reminder in case you come across a baby bird or a nest while working in the yard...
Did you know that migratory birds are protected by the federal government? The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA 16 USC 707) protects birds, nests and eggs. Generally, all wild birds except house sparrows, starlings, rock pigeons, monk parakeets and non-migratory (upland) game birds fall under this treaty.
Intentionally harming protected birds or disturbing their nests and/or eggs is a misdemeanor and comes with a very steep fine of $15,000 per bird, 6 months in prison, and/or strict liability. (Commercialization of these birds is a felony and comes with a fine of $500,000 per bird, 2 years in prison, and/or strict liability.)
As our feathered friends begin nesting, please be extra careful when trimming your trees, exploring nature with your family, and allowing cats to roam outdoors. It is especially important to teach your children not to remove nests, eggs, or baby birds from trees.
The local website Wild Wing Rescue has a lot of good information on what to do if you find a baby bird.
Top priority is to find the nest and return the baby (if the baby is healthy). Watch from a distance to see if the bird's parent returns. This could take at least an hour, so be patient. Birds have a very poor sense of smell, and cannot tell if humans have touched their chick.
If the baby is a nestling (has skin showing), it cannot survive on its own or in a box. It must be returned to its nest. If that is not possible, it should be kept very warm with a cloth and a hot water bottle (or a latex glove filled with warm water)and taken to a trained rehabilitator immediately. It is best not to feed baby birds.
It is fairly common to see fledglings (fully feathered) hopping around on the ground alone. This is how they learn to fend for themselves. Observe the fledging from a distance and remove anything that might cause it immediate danger, like a cat. Chances are its parents will come find it within an hour.
If a bird is injured, then it needs to be rescued immediately. Here's what to look for:
• Failure to flee or sleeping when approached
• Found lying around or in the mouth of a cat or dog
• Acting confused or dazed
• Bleeding or drooping, hanging wing, or one held higher than the other
• Staggering or limping
• Difficulty controlling head and neck
• Crusty eyes or beak
• Missing or matted feathers
April through August is a busy time of year for Wild Wings Rescue. Birds are accepted from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., everyday including holidays. Please call every 10 minutes until you reach them. Unfortunately, they are unable to do pickups. During power outages, the bird may be brought directly to Wild Wings Rescue if you can't reach them by phone. Never leave an animal in a box outside their door unattended.
Wild Wings Rescue
2299 Jefferson Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 725-7015
Did you know that migratory birds are protected by the federal government? The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA 16 USC 707) protects birds, nests and eggs. Generally, all wild birds except house sparrows, starlings, rock pigeons, monk parakeets and non-migratory (upland) game birds fall under this treaty.
Intentionally harming protected birds or disturbing their nests and/or eggs is a misdemeanor and comes with a very steep fine of $15,000 per bird, 6 months in prison, and/or strict liability. (Commercialization of these birds is a felony and comes with a fine of $500,000 per bird, 2 years in prison, and/or strict liability.)
As our feathered friends begin nesting, please be extra careful when trimming your trees, exploring nature with your family, and allowing cats to roam outdoors. It is especially important to teach your children not to remove nests, eggs, or baby birds from trees.
The local website Wild Wing Rescue has a lot of good information on what to do if you find a baby bird.
Top priority is to find the nest and return the baby (if the baby is healthy). Watch from a distance to see if the bird's parent returns. This could take at least an hour, so be patient. Birds have a very poor sense of smell, and cannot tell if humans have touched their chick.
If the baby is a nestling (has skin showing), it cannot survive on its own or in a box. It must be returned to its nest. If that is not possible, it should be kept very warm with a cloth and a hot water bottle (or a latex glove filled with warm water)and taken to a trained rehabilitator immediately. It is best not to feed baby birds.
It is fairly common to see fledglings (fully feathered) hopping around on the ground alone. This is how they learn to fend for themselves. Observe the fledging from a distance and remove anything that might cause it immediate danger, like a cat. Chances are its parents will come find it within an hour.
If a bird is injured, then it needs to be rescued immediately. Here's what to look for:
• Failure to flee or sleeping when approached
• Found lying around or in the mouth of a cat or dog
• Acting confused or dazed
• Bleeding or drooping, hanging wing, or one held higher than the other
• Staggering or limping
• Difficulty controlling head and neck
• Crusty eyes or beak
• Missing or matted feathers
April through August is a busy time of year for Wild Wings Rescue. Birds are accepted from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., everyday including holidays. Please call every 10 minutes until you reach them. Unfortunately, they are unable to do pickups. During power outages, the bird may be brought directly to Wild Wings Rescue if you can't reach them by phone. Never leave an animal in a box outside their door unattended.
Wild Wings Rescue
2299 Jefferson Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 725-7015
Friday, March 6, 2009
Blitzed Birds near Beale
This is from last Saturday's Commercial Appeal--not sure how i missed this! I don't think drunk birds are funny, but I think it is funny that they got drunk next to Beale Street.
Beale deals with latest drinking problems — blitzed birds
Cedar waxwings get drunk on fermented berries, crash into Peabody Place
By Tom Charlier
The mayhem just a block or two off Beale Street turned out to be another case of public drunkenness.
There was lots of odd behavior and thrashing about. Some paid the ultimate price for their intoxication.
But instead of barflies, these were birds -- cedar waxwings, to be exact -- and they got tipsy from eating fermented berries before crashing into buildings in the Peabody Place area.
The Health Department investigated the incident this week after receiving calls about dead and floundering birds. Callers feared an outbreak of bird flu.
Instead, department entomologist Dan Sprenger traced the problem to berries from holly trees along Peabody Place between Second and Third.
Recent freezes ruptured berry cells, allowing wild yeast to convert sugars into alcohol.
"Essentially what happens is, the birds get drunk and they get rather reckless, and they end up flying into buildings," Sprenger said.
He couldn't say how many birds died, but two were still on the ground and a flock of about 50 were in the air when department officials arrived.
Cedar waxwings, songbirds that travel in flocks, are among the "most frugivorous (fruit-eating) birds in North America," according to birds.cornell.edu, a Web site of Cornell University's ornithological laboratory, which also warns they are "vulnerable to alcohol intoxication and death."
Because of their itinerate ways, the birds "gorge themselves on berries," said Martha Waldron, former curator for the Tennessee Ornithological Society.
"In the winter, they're moving from one feeding frenzy to another," she said.
Often flying under the influence, no doubt.
Beale deals with latest drinking problems — blitzed birds
Cedar waxwings get drunk on fermented berries, crash into Peabody Place
By Tom Charlier
The mayhem just a block or two off Beale Street turned out to be another case of public drunkenness.
There was lots of odd behavior and thrashing about. Some paid the ultimate price for their intoxication.
But instead of barflies, these were birds -- cedar waxwings, to be exact -- and they got tipsy from eating fermented berries before crashing into buildings in the Peabody Place area.
The Health Department investigated the incident this week after receiving calls about dead and floundering birds. Callers feared an outbreak of bird flu.
Instead, department entomologist Dan Sprenger traced the problem to berries from holly trees along Peabody Place between Second and Third.
Recent freezes ruptured berry cells, allowing wild yeast to convert sugars into alcohol.
"Essentially what happens is, the birds get drunk and they get rather reckless, and they end up flying into buildings," Sprenger said.
He couldn't say how many birds died, but two were still on the ground and a flock of about 50 were in the air when department officials arrived.
Cedar waxwings, songbirds that travel in flocks, are among the "most frugivorous (fruit-eating) birds in North America," according to birds.cornell.edu, a Web site of Cornell University's ornithological laboratory, which also warns they are "vulnerable to alcohol intoxication and death."
Because of their itinerate ways, the birds "gorge themselves on berries," said Martha Waldron, former curator for the Tennessee Ornithological Society.
"In the winter, they're moving from one feeding frenzy to another," she said.
Often flying under the influence, no doubt.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The Great Backyard Bird Count
While in Mexico last weekend, my co-worker spotted a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird. Over the next few days, everyone should be looking for birds!
JOIN THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT
Count for Fun, Count for the Future
Nature fans throughout North America are invited to join tens of thousands of everyday bird watchers for the 12th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), February 13-16, 2009.
A joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, this free event is an opportunity for families, students, and people of all ages to discover the wonders of nature in backyards, schoolyards, and local parks, and, at the same time, make an important contribution to conservation. Participants count birds and report their sightings online at www.birdcount.org.
“The Great Backyard Bird Count benefits both birds and people. It’s a great example of citizen science: Anyone who can identify even a few species can contribute to the body of knowledge that is used to inform conservation efforts to protect birds and biodiversity,” said Audubon Education VP, Judy Braus. “Families, teachers, children and all those who take part in GBBC get a chance to improve their observation skills, enjoy nature, and have a great time counting for fun, counting for the future.”
Anyone can take part, from novice bird watchers to experts, by counting birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the event and reporting their sightings online at www.birdcount.org. Participants can also explore what birds others are finding in their backyards—whether in their own neighborhood or thousands of miles away. Additional online resources include tips to help identify birds, a photo gallery, and special materials for educators.
The data these “citizen scientists” collect helps researchers understand bird population trends, information that is critical for effective conservation. Their efforts enable everyone to see what would otherwise be impossible: a comprehensive picture of where birds are in late winter and how their numbers and distribution compare with previous years. In 2008, participants submitted more than 85,000 checklists.
Each year, in addition to entering their tallies, participants submit thousands of digital images for the GBBC photo contest. Many are featured in the popular online gallery. Participants in the 2009 count are also invited to upload their bird videos to YouTube; some will also be featured on the GBBC web site. Visit www.birdcount.org to learn more.
Businesses, schools, nature clubs, Scout troops, and other community organizations interested in the GBBC can contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at (800) 843-2473 (outside the U.S., call (607) 254-2473), or Audubon at citizenscience@audubon.org or (202) 861-2242, Ext 3050.
The Great Backyard Bird Count is made possible, in part, by support from Wild Birds Unlimited.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Bird on a Limb
While researching the Kentucky outages, I came across a couple of pictures of our feathered friends that I wanted to share.
This robin almost looks frozen in air!
Photo: Associated Press
This cardinal looks a little confused.
Photo: Terry Prather Apbuyitnow
This robin almost looks frozen in air!
Photo: Associated Press
This cardinal looks a little confused.
Photo: Terry Prather Apbuyitnow
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Birdmen (and Women)
For all of you bird lovers that dream of flying, now it's possible!
wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.
Last November in California, 71 men and women flew together in formation to set a world's record.
Ready to fly? First you'll need a valid skydiving license and 500 solo jumps (or 200 jumps with a certified BIRDMAN Instructor). And you'll need to purchase your very own wing suit. (They sell for $699-$1495.)
Thanks to Midtown Memphis for the movie link!
wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.
Last November in California, 71 men and women flew together in formation to set a world's record.
Ready to fly? First you'll need a valid skydiving license and 500 solo jumps (or 200 jumps with a certified BIRDMAN Instructor). And you'll need to purchase your very own wing suit. (They sell for $699-$1495.)
Thanks to Midtown Memphis for the movie link!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Bird Friendly Coffee
One of my New Year's resolutions was to give up my nasty Diet Soda habit (just 1 per day) in favor of a cup of coffee. It's weird to resolve to start drinking coffee when most often people attempt to quit drinking coffee, but that's what I did. Why? Mostly because the health benefits of coffee are being extolled across the Internet...and I've yet to hear one good thing about Diet Soda.
Anyways, I will be posting about coffee this week, as I explore local options. I'm starting off with some info on "Bird Friendly Coffee" since I just heard of it for the first time today, and I haven't posted any bird news in a while!
From the Smithsonian National Zoological Park:
On a global scale, more than five billion pounds of conventional pesticides are used annually for agricultural purposes, forest and rangeland management, and disease control, as well as in homes, and on lawns, gardens, golf courses, and other private properties. Twenty percent of this total volume, or 1.2 billion pounds, is used in the United States alone. What does this massive chemical dousing of the Earth mean for the health of the environment?
Shade-grown organic coffee plantations stamped with the "Bird Friendly®" seal of approval play a key role in the conservation of our global environment and of migratory birds that find sanctuary in their forest-like environments.
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) encourages the production of shade-grown coffee, and the conservation of migratory birds, through its "Bird Friendly®" seal of approval.
The Smithsonian site goes on to list some benefits of bird friendly coffee (which is usually also organic and/or fair trade). There is also tool to help you locate a bird friendly coffee retailer in your area. I wasn't able to find any in Tennessee, Mississippi, or Arkansas! It says all National Zoo Stores sell bird-friendly coffee, but the Memphis Zoo gift shop does not.
Check out Bird on a Wire's handy local coffee shop guide to see who sells bird friendly coffee in town.
Anyways, I will be posting about coffee this week, as I explore local options. I'm starting off with some info on "Bird Friendly Coffee" since I just heard of it for the first time today, and I haven't posted any bird news in a while!
From the Smithsonian National Zoological Park:On a global scale, more than five billion pounds of conventional pesticides are used annually for agricultural purposes, forest and rangeland management, and disease control, as well as in homes, and on lawns, gardens, golf courses, and other private properties. Twenty percent of this total volume, or 1.2 billion pounds, is used in the United States alone. What does this massive chemical dousing of the Earth mean for the health of the environment?
Shade-grown organic coffee plantations stamped with the "Bird Friendly®" seal of approval play a key role in the conservation of our global environment and of migratory birds that find sanctuary in their forest-like environments.
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) encourages the production of shade-grown coffee, and the conservation of migratory birds, through its "Bird Friendly®" seal of approval.
The Smithsonian site goes on to list some benefits of bird friendly coffee (which is usually also organic and/or fair trade). There is also tool to help you locate a bird friendly coffee retailer in your area. I wasn't able to find any in Tennessee, Mississippi, or Arkansas! It says all National Zoo Stores sell bird-friendly coffee, but the Memphis Zoo gift shop does not.
Check out Bird on a Wire's handy local coffee shop guide to see who sells bird friendly coffee in town.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Snow Birds
We've had tons of birds at our house due to the plethora of seeds falling from our old gum trees. I saw one this morning that I'd not noticed before and sent a description to our resident birder. He identified it immediately as a Dark-eyed Junco, which he says are known as the "snow birds" because they bring the cold air with them. "Everyone was telling me they saw them last week and the "cold air" would follow - I guess they were right," he said.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Modern Bird Nest
I've been completely sucked into SuperUse. I just had to share this picture that someone posted. I didn't see an original link or any additional information. This is straight from the site:
Click to enlarge:
"This bird is mixing traditional building materials with high-tech water resistant insulators to make it's nest! City birds are adapting to their circumstances faster than human beings. Practically the whole 'water-snip' community has adapted to this new building method...creating region specific architecture from the discarded materials in the surroundings of their building site..."
I have to agree with one of the commenters--I'm not sure if this makes me happy or sad!
Click to enlarge:
"This bird is mixing traditional building materials with high-tech water resistant insulators to make it's nest! City birds are adapting to their circumstances faster than human beings. Practically the whole 'water-snip' community has adapted to this new building method...creating region specific architecture from the discarded materials in the surroundings of their building site..."
I have to agree with one of the commenters--I'm not sure if this makes me happy or sad!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Flying High
Bill Johnson of Florence, Ore., sent an e-mail to his local utility one morning when he noticed an osprey nest on top of a utility transformer. The utility, Central Lincoln People’s Utility District, sent a crew out that afternoon to relocate the nest to the top of a much safer light pole. The customer, the bird and, apparently, the heavens all seemed pleased with the result. Photo by Bill Johnson, sent to Public Power Magazine by Gary Cockrum, communications manager for Central Lincoln People’s Utility District.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Killdeer
Our birdwatching Substation Engineer has sent in another installment. This time he tells us about killdeers, which he describes as "Cool and crazy - like Midtowners."
Killdeer – SUB 61
One of the most common birds that make our substations their home is a most unusual one, the killdeer. It gets its name from its call which sounds like a high pitched “kill-dee kill-dee, kill-deer kill-deer”. They are often described as an upland shorebird, a living oxymoron, a shorebird that lives far from what anyone would consider the shore. The killdeer likes an expanse of small rocks and can be found living near railroads, edges of parking lots, on gravel covered rooftops and the insulating rock found in all power substations – their instinct still seeks the beach.
This large plover is unmistakably the only one with two double breast bands that look like two big black necklaces – their young have only one. The killdeer doesn’t settle for one camouflage scheme; it uses a pair. It makes use of counter-shading which means they are dark brown above and white below; this breaks up its profile and allows them to blend into a beach-like background. It also has an orange-brown rump and tail that only appears when they take flight to confuse a pursuing predator; this is called deflective coloration. The killdeer is full of quirks and tricks.
At breeding time the males make a number of shallow scratches in the ground and the females accept one of these unambitious offerings as a nest site. The pair may line this depression with small pebbles, a smattering of grass and whatever debris might catch their eye. They always nest in a wide expanse so they can get a good look at any threats that might care to approach – this is called the long look.
They typically scoot around quickly at a brisk pace bobbing their heads unless you get near their nest; it is then they put on a show for which they have become famous. At first the parents will walk slowly leading any interlopers away from the nest then they stumble and extend one wing out and start dragging it along the ground. (See pictures here.) It is a pitiful sight – no matter how many times you witness it - until you get just close enough to the parent or far enough from the eggs the bird bursts up into the air with a flash of orange. When a mother is on nest at advanced incubation she will not leave and will even allow researchers to lift her off to check the eggs.
The killdeer's camo is amazing and it is next to impossible to spot a nest or the young. Below is a killdeer on a nest at SUB 61--the nest is near the broken curb.
Killdeer – SUB 61
One of the most common birds that make our substations their home is a most unusual one, the killdeer. It gets its name from its call which sounds like a high pitched “kill-dee kill-dee, kill-deer kill-deer”. They are often described as an upland shorebird, a living oxymoron, a shorebird that lives far from what anyone would consider the shore. The killdeer likes an expanse of small rocks and can be found living near railroads, edges of parking lots, on gravel covered rooftops and the insulating rock found in all power substations – their instinct still seeks the beach.
This large plover is unmistakably the only one with two double breast bands that look like two big black necklaces – their young have only one. The killdeer doesn’t settle for one camouflage scheme; it uses a pair. It makes use of counter-shading which means they are dark brown above and white below; this breaks up its profile and allows them to blend into a beach-like background. It also has an orange-brown rump and tail that only appears when they take flight to confuse a pursuing predator; this is called deflective coloration. The killdeer is full of quirks and tricks.
At breeding time the males make a number of shallow scratches in the ground and the females accept one of these unambitious offerings as a nest site. The pair may line this depression with small pebbles, a smattering of grass and whatever debris might catch their eye. They always nest in a wide expanse so they can get a good look at any threats that might care to approach – this is called the long look.
They typically scoot around quickly at a brisk pace bobbing their heads unless you get near their nest; it is then they put on a show for which they have become famous. At first the parents will walk slowly leading any interlopers away from the nest then they stumble and extend one wing out and start dragging it along the ground. (See pictures here.) It is a pitiful sight – no matter how many times you witness it - until you get just close enough to the parent or far enough from the eggs the bird bursts up into the air with a flash of orange. When a mother is on nest at advanced incubation she will not leave and will even allow researchers to lift her off to check the eggs.
The killdeer's camo is amazing and it is next to impossible to spot a nest or the young. Below is a killdeer on a nest at SUB 61--the nest is near the broken curb.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Hummingbird Migration Celebration
Each fall thousands of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds migrate from Canada through Mississippi to their winter home in Mexico and Central America. Like a river, these birds are on the move daily through the fields and woods of Strawberry Plains Audubon Center, Audubon Mississippi's flagship educational facility near Holly Springs.
Their native gardens are thick with the tiny birds sipping from flowers and feeders to fatten up for their long journey south. By offering and maintaining sugar-water feeders from spring through fall, they are able to attract large numbers of hummingbirds to the center. September 5-7, at the height of the birds' spectacular fall migration, the center hosts the Hummingbird Migration Celebration.
Expert naturalists from the Hummer/Bird Study Group are on hand to interpret the life of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The event also features lectures and demonstrations with live bats and other wildlife, bird viewing in the historic Davis House sunroom, a nature trade show, tours of native plant gardens, children's activities, food, and much more.
Click here for more information!
Photo by James and Joyce Martin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
