Green-tailed Towhee

                                            Green-tailed Towhee   [Marbeth Wilson Photo]

A Green-tailed Towhee was found in Sackville on the Christmas Bird Count on 17 December, 2022.  What an amazing species to find in our region and what a stroke of luck for the 3 birders who found it!  This species occasionally strays away from its tight home range but they usually only make it to the central US and occasionally to the east coast from southern Maine to North Carolina.  Sometimes they stray to the Great Lakes region.  This record represents only the second time it has been found in New Brunswick.  The previous was seen in Saint John in 2002 where it frequented a feeder area from January to mid-March.   I saw it when it was first found on 11 January.  

The Green-tailed Towhee (Pipilo chlorurus) is a member of the Passerellidae family (American sparrows).    The 'Pipilo' is the name for the towhees and the 'chlorurus' identifies it as the Green-tailed Towhee.  The full scientific name means 'colourful chirper'.  This species was first described in 1839 by John James Audubon when he called it Fringilla chlorura.  It has had 4 name changes since then.    

                                        Green-tailed Towhee  [Marbeth Wilson Photo]

The Green-tailed Towhee is the smallest of the towhees of which we have 9 species.  These are large chesty sparrows with rather long rounded tails.  Towhees are ground feeders and their flight is generally low to the ground and is several quick flaps followed by a short, flat-winged glide.  Towhees usually show no sexual dimorphism which is the case in this species.  The Green-tailed Towhee is the only entirely migratory towhee.

The Green-tailed Towhee is 15.7 to 18.0 cm long with the male being slightly larger than the female.  Generally it looks like a large sparrow with a rusty cap, whitish throat, black malar stripe, and a greenish back and tail.  More specifically the head shows a rusty crown; forehead, lores, and malar stripe gray to dark gray; supraloral and submoustachial stripes and chin and throat white; face gray or greenish-grey; nape, mantle and rump greenish-grey or greenish-brown; tail greenish tinged with yellow-olive; wing greenish olive with a yellow bend in the carpal edge.  For the underparts, the chin and throat are white; bill is black but the base of the lower mandible can be white or bluish-white; legs and feet dull brown or grayish; iris dark reddish brown.  Females are like the males but can be just slightly duller.

The first winter bird resembles the adult but with a duller crown.  The juvenile is heavily streaked with dark brown and with a white throat with contrasting dark brown malar stripe.  The tail and wings show a greenish cast.  

The range on the Green-tailed Towhee is mostly the western and south-western US and Mexico.  It breeds from south-central Oregon, south-eastern Washington, southern Idaho, south-central Montana, Wyoming and sometimes South Dakota south through California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico east to central and western Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas.  It winters in the southern parts of California, Arizona and New Mexico southward as far as central Mexico.  Preferred habitats include dry shrubby hillsides with low brush interspersed with trees and chaparral up to 2400 metres elevation.  It likes sage brush and open piñon-juniper.  In winter it prefers low weedy brush and dry gullies with mesquite.  

Green-tailed Towhees are secretive birds like most towhees.  They prefer to stay hidden in low thick vegetation.  When disturbed they will fly low away or drop to the ground and run away looking like a mouse.  In breeding season the male will show himself while he sings from the top of a shrub.  The song starts with short introductory notes followed by trills.  It can be described as a warbled 'wheeet clur cheeweee-churr'  or sometimes it is a rapid wheezy sound.  On listening to the play-back I could hear something similar to the 'tow hee' of the Eastern Towhee.  The call note is a 'keek' sound or sometimes the bird makes a cat-like mewing sound.  

Green-tailed Towhees nest on the ground or in low shrubs usually lower than 3 feet above ground.  The nest is a large loose cup made of twigs, grasses, weeds, bark strips and lined with fine grasses, rootlets and animal hair.  Three to four eggs are laid and are white with heavy brown to gray dotting on the large end.  The female incubates the eggs 11 to 13 days.  Green-tailed Towhees eat mainly insects and seeds.  They will sometimes feed on berries and small fruits.  They forage on the ground under thick vegetation where they scratch in the leaf litter often doing a 2-legged scratch.  In their normally dry habitat they drink morning dew from the leaves.  They will come to feeders but typically feed on the ground under the feeding tray.

Similar species do not occur here so one would have no trouble identifying this species (assuming a good knowledge of the field guides).  In its native habitat a similar species is the Olive Sparrow but it is smaller and has a brown-striped crown.  

Green-tailed Towhee populations have declined somewhat probably because of the conversion of their favourite mesquite habitat into agriculture lands.  It does like burned-over land so our drier climate might favour this species.  Presently in most of its range its population remains relatively stable.  

A group of towhees is termed a 'teapot'.  We would have to go to Arizona to see a teapot of Green-tailed Towhees but it is awfully nice to be able to see one here in NB today.  

White-eyed Vireo

 

                                                White-eyed Vireo  [Jim Carroll Photo]

The White-eyed Vireo is a very rare spring and fall visitor to New Brunswick.  Our first record was an immature bird banded at Kent Island in September, 1980.  It has been seen nearly every year since then with most sightings being near the coast lines, the Grand Manan archipelago, St. Andrews, Saint John, Miscou, etc.  The adult bird shown above was seen in the Lorneville area in October, 2022.  

Vireos are members of the Vireonidae family.  There are 15 members of this family all in the genus, Vireo.    Here in NB we normally have 5 species; Yellow-throated, Blue-headed, Red-eyed, Warbling and Philadelphia Vireos.  Vireos grace our spring, summer and fall landscape with their song and plumage.  They are important members of our ecosystems. 

The White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) is a small active grayish-yellow bird that can often be mistaken for a warbler or a kinglet.  But close examination or the song can quickly identify this species.  It is 13 cm long and likes to stay hidden in thick bushes.  It often announces its presence by its explosive song.  That is the way I found my first White-eyed Vireo.  I was in South Carolina where it sometimes winters and there was this loud very unusual sound (noise?) coming from a thick small bush.  I tried unsuccessfully 2 or 3 times to see what it was and could not see that bird (at least I thought it was a bird!).  I started to give up but then stubbornly went back to find out what it was.  With more searching and crawling around on my knees the bird finally popped out and much to my surprise I was looking at a White-eyed Vireo.  I was delighted to find a new bird and to have it behave exactly as the literature describes it; secretive, explosive loud song, white eye.

                                                        White-eyed Vireo  [Internet Photo]

The breeding range of the White-eyed Vireo is the south-eastern US extending to the area south of the Great Lakes and  eastward to Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.  It winters in the southern-most part of its range and in Mexico, and the Caribbean.  Vagrants are found to the west and to the Maritime Provinces.  

The White-eyed Vireo often announces its presence with explosive song.  This hasn't been the case of the ones I have seen in the alder bushes near Lorneville probably because it was beyond the breeding season.   They popped out to see who was present but were quiet.  This species has a bold facial pattern with yellow spectacles and a white iris.  Examining photos of this species, the iris can be white, light gray or slightly yellowish.  The plumage is grayish-olive above, shows a gray back and two white wing bars.  The bird is white below with grayish on the throat and yellowish on the sides.  The bill is dark in colour and noticeably bigger and thicker than a warbler's bill.  The young of this species looks similar to the adult but has a brown or gray iris into the late fall.

The voice of this species is distinctive.  The bird is often heard before it is seen.  The song is loud, explosive and is described as wren-like.  I wound describe it as very varied and full of squeaks, 'chicks', and many other weird sounds.  The actual mating song begins and ends with 'chick'.  In fact, in Bermuda where it is common, the bird is known as the 'chick of the village' which is the people's interpretation of its song.  One thing is for sure, this species does not sound like any of our native species.

 The White-eyed Vireo builds its nest in thick tangled vegetation usually low to the ground.  It is usually built in the fork of a sapling and is anchored with strands taken from spider webs.  Both adults build the nest which is made of twigs, rootlets, strips of bark, grass, leaves, plant down, lichens, moss and bits of wasp nests.  They clearly are good engineers, using all materials at their disposal.  The nest is cup-shaped and is lined with fine grass and plant fibres.  The male serenades the sitting female incessantly from early spring to fall, just like our native vireos.  Four white eggs speckled with brown or black are laid and incubated by both adults for 13 to 15 days.  The young fledge in 9 to 11 days.  This species raises one brood in the northern part of its range and two in the southern part.  

This species is an insectivore with a varied diet.  It eats insects of many kinds and berries including caterpillars, moths, butterflies, beetles, ants, wasps, bees, grasshoppers, spiders, snails and sometimes small lizards.  It eats almost entirely insects in the breeding season.  During migration and in the winter it will eat berries and small fruits.

There have been slight declines in the White-eyed Vireo population since the 1960s.  Habitat loss has undoubtedly played a part.  The species is also susceptible to cowbird parasitism.  An interesting fact about the White-eyed Vireo is that it is one of only two perching birds in the US with white eyes.  The other is the Wrentit which is found in the western US.  

The White-eyed Vireo is also famous in archeology.  An approximately 400,000-year-old wing bone from a White-eyed Vireo is the only fossil record of any Vireo in North America.  So, the White-eyed Vireo has been around for a long time!

Blue-winged Warbler

                Blue-winged Warbler Showing Black Eyeline and Bluish-gray Wings  [Jim Carroll Photo]

The Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora pinus) is one of our rare visitors few get to see.  If you ever do find it, you won't forget it because it is so brilliantly yellow.  It is a deep medium yellow (cadmium yellow medium for those who paint) and not the cool lemon yellow often seen in many other species found here.  

The Blue-winged Warbler is a rare fall visitor found most often in the Grand Manan archipelago and along the east coast.  It was first reported here from Machias Seal Island in 1951.  The normal range of this species is more southerly.  The breeding range is the eastern half of the mid US states extending into the most southerly part of Ontario.  These birds winter from southern Mexico to Costa Rica and occasionally south to Panama and the West Indies.  They usually migrate at night and are a trans-Gulf migrant.  

The Blue-winged Warbler is a challenge to observe because it likes to forage in dense brush and thickets.  The only one I have ever seen was on Black Beach Road in the thick alders.  Its brilliant yellow looked like a yellow streak as it flew across the road.  In the spring the plumage of this species is startlingly beautiful.  The males and females are similar with the female being just a bit duller. The male has a yellow head, an olive-green nape, a black eyeline and thin black bill, olive-green back and rump and bluish-grey wings.  It has white wingbars and a brilliant yellow breast and belly.  The undertail coverts are white and the gray tail shows white spots on the outertail feathers.  The legs are dark gray or black.  Readers, we are describing a brilliant bird here.  The yellow is so bright that one often fails to see the other field marks except for the black eyeline and bluish-gray wings.  Considering this species does not give you much time to enjoy its beauty you have to be sharp-eyed to get a good look or photo of this one!

                                                    Blue-winged Warbler   [Internet Photo]

In the photo above note the black eyeline, the white under the tail and on the outer tail feathers.  The song of the Blue-winged Warbler is so distinctive the trained birder knows to stop and find what warbler species is making that buzzing sound. That is because we so rarely hear it.  The song is a beeee-bzzzz sound with the beeee being high and the bzzzz being low in pitch.  The bird also makes a long, high buzz ending with a tsi zee drawn out sound.  The call note is a snik sound.  This is one species song we should learn from the digital recordings available on the internet because this species is often heard before seeing and undoubtedly is missed because it likes to stay hidden.  

The Blue-winged Warbler nests close to the ground in well-concealed grass or blackberry canes or sometimes under a bush.  The nest is attached to upright stems of grass or weeds, especially goldenrod.  The nest itself is bulky but narrow and deep.  It is built by the female of dead leaves, grass, beech or grapevine bark and lined with plant fibres and animal hair.  Four to seven white eggs with fine brown spots are laid and incubated by the female for 10 to 11 days.  Both adults feed the nestlings which fledge at 8 to 11 days of age.  Blue-winged Warblers eat mainly insects and spiders.

What species would you mistake for the Blue-winged Warbler?  The Yellow Warbler, the Prothonotary warbler and the Pine Warbler.  The Yellow and Prothonotary Warblers do not have the black eyeline.  The Pine Warbler is much duller in colour and also does not have the black eyeline.  Differentiation should not be a problem in this brilliant species!

Any discussion of the Blue-winged Warbler is not complete without mentioning the fact that it hybridizes with the Golden-winged Warbler where their territories overlap.  First generation hybrids are called Brewster's Warblers.  These are fertile and will interbreed or will breed back to the Blue-winged species producing the second generation hybrids.  These are called Lawrence's Warblers.  It took many years to understand these relationships but the hybrid relationships and plumages are now clear.  Brewster's and Lawrence's Warblers are interesting but not separate distinct species.  We are not likely to see these hybrids here because we have so few Blue-winged Warblers and almost no Golden-winged Warblers.  I don't think we have any breeding records of either of these species.

The population of Blue-winged Warblers is expanding northward in the Great Lakes region.  Reforestation and thus the loss of open habitat may be a reason.  Urban sprawl in the northern US is also a reason for the range expansion but also a reason for declining numbers.  

Dickcissel

 

                                           Dickcissel  Showing Yellow Breast, Eyeline and Malar Stripe

The Dickcissel (Spiza americana) is classed as a rare fall visitor and casual in spring and summer in New Brunswick.  Our first record came from Machias Seal Island in 1951.  Presently, it is seen every year mainly in the autumn.  

The Dickcissel is classed in the Cardinalidae family although its classification has been in doubt for many years.  In the past it has been placed in such families as the New World sparrows or with the orioles and blackbirds.  It is the only member of the Spiza genus.  It is a seed-eating migratory bird a bit larger than the sparrows.  It prefers grasslands and weedy areas where it feeds on insects and seeds.  The breeding range of this species is on the grasslands of the midwestern US and it winters in Central America, northern Colombia and Northern Venezuela.

Looking much like the sparrows it often flocks with, it is a bit larger, 14-16 cm long.  On first glimpse it appears as a bit larger, chunkier sparrow.  The species is monotypic (males and females look much the same).  The young are brownish and streaked.  The species has a large, pale bill, a yellow line over the eyes, brownish upper parts, a finely streaked back, dark wings, a rust patch on the shoulder and light underparts.  In breeding plumage adult males have a black bib and a very yellow breast, gray cheek patch and crown.  Juveniles and females are brown on the cheeks and crown.  The males like to sit on conspicuous perches to sing their characteristic dick-dick-dick-siss-siss song.  The syllables vary on this song but if you listen you can tell that the bird is saying its own name.  

                                                  Dickcissel Female Showing Rufous Shoulder Patch

Although this species is distinctive, it could be mistaken for a Meadowlark which also has yellow and a black 'V' on the breast.  It, however, has a very fine bill and could be easily identified with a careful look.  The black bib of the Dickcissel is more evident in the breeding plumage which we don't see here very often.  All the photos in this post were taken in October so we are seeing the non-breeding plumage.

                                                    Dickcissel Showing Gray Cheek Patch

The Dickcissel is an erratic wanderer.  They can show up almost anywhere in central and eastern North America.  On October 27 I saw 3 individuals in a heavy weeded gravelly area in Fredericton North.  They were with a large flock of sparrows which included Song, White-throated, Lincoln, Swamp and Savannah Sparrows.  Another birder saw and photographed a Clay-colored Sparrow near there the same day.  I noticed that the Dickcissels, when aware of my presence, preferred to perch in taller shrubs, mostly willows, which had bright yellow leaves, thus concealing their location.  Smart birds!  Other Dickcissels have been reported around the province this autumn and often in 2s or 3s.  An interesting fact about this species is that it gathers into large flocks in preparation for migration.  These flocks keep growing to the point where they number in the millions of individuals on the wintering grounds.  That must be quite a sight!

                                        Dickcissel Małe Showing Remnants of Black Bib

Dickcissels arrive late on their breeding grounds.  They nest near the ground in thick grass or shrubs.  Males are polygynous, usually having more than one mate,  2 or 3 but as many as 6!  The nest is built by the female, is cup-shaped and made of weeds, grass and leaves and lined with fine grasses, rootlets and hair.  Four pale blue eggs are laid and incubated by the female for 12 to 13 days.  The nestlings are fed and cared for by the female only.  Young fledge at about 7 to 10 days of age before they are able to fly.  

The Dickcissel was first described in 1789 by a German naturalist, Johann Friedrich Gmelin where he called it a Black-throated Bunting.  In 1824 it was given the Spiza generic name by Charles Lucien Bonaparte.  Although it does not resemble the other members of the Cardinalidae family, its stout bill is why it is placed there.  

                                        

                                                        Dickcissel Male Showing Streaking on Back

Sabine's Gull - A Rare Gull For New Brunswick

                                        Sabine's Gull Juvenile   [Photo by Marbeth Wilson]

 In late September a rare gull was seen at Cap Pelé. The east coast of New Brunswick is heavily birded in the fall because migration and fall storms often bring us a variety of rare birds.  The Sabine's gull was one such species.

The Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini) is a tern-like gull.  It is a high latitude holarctic pelagic species which occurs rarely inland.  It is listed as a casual spring migrant to New Brunswick and rare in fall.  Most reports have come from the Grand Manan area with fewer along the east coast.  Our first record was from Indian Island, Passamaquoddy Bay in 1878.  We have reports from 1966, 1972 and 1998.  There was a pair of adults at Carleton Park, Fredericton, on 23 August 2004.  We don't see this species every year but sightings are more frequent now, perhaps because we have many more knowledgeable birders in the field.  The individual in this report was seen and photographed on 24 and 25 September, 2022.

The taxonomy of the Sabine's Gull is in debate.  Although mostly placed in the 'Xema' genus, some place it in 'Larus'.  The species seems to fall somewhere between gulls and terns although it is classified as a gull.  Some list it as having 4 sub-species, others place it as monotypic (in one species).  

                                    Sabine's Gull in Breeding Plumage  [photo of unknown source]

The Sabine's Gull is 32 to 35.5 cm long and is striking in appearance.  Both genders are similar.  It is small and elegant and is a two-cycle hooded gull.  Its bill is small and slender and is black with a yellow tip in breeding plumage, black otherwise.  Its tail is moderately forked and when the bird is at rest the tail tip falls between P7 and P8 (slightly shorter than the wing projection).  The Sabine's Gull has a remarkable and striking wing pattern.  The leading edge of the upper wing surface is gray on the inner half and black on the outer half.  Between these two patches is a large white triangle witch extends to most of the trailing edge.  The underwing surface is whitish with black outer primaries.  When a bird with wings with this pattern flies it makes a remarkable flashing motion.  If you have seen it, you would not forget it.  See photo below.  In breeding plumage there is a black hood and black legs.  Juveniles are dark scaly brown on the back, nape and wings.

                                        Sabine's Gull Juvenile   [Mitch Doucet Photo]

Sabine's Gulls breed on the tundra in the far north.  Their breeding grounds include Canada's arctic islands, the shorelines of Northwest Territories, Yukon and Alaska, Greenland, Spitzbergen and northern Siberia.  Outside the breeding season the species is mainly pelagic.  They migrate south along North America's west coast to winter off Mexico and South America where they winter in the Humboldt Current off Peru and Northern Chile.  The eastern race migrates south along North America's east coast and heads over the Atlantic Ocean after they leave Atlantic Canada.  Some winter in South Africa but it is not well known where others spend the winter.  

Sabine's Gulls nest in a scrape in the tundra lined with grasses.  One to three olive buff eggs are laid and incubated 23 to 26 days by both adults.  The diet of this species includes fish and marine invertebrates.  They feed by wading and pick up food from edges of pools.  They also swim in circles in order to stir up food like phalaropes.  They also run over mud flats and scoop up stranded fish.  

The Sabine's Gull is unique in appearance and behaviour.  It is the only member of its genus, 'Xema'.  It is like no other gull and resembles both terns and gulls.  As you can guess, it was named after a person, Sir Edward Sabine whose brother, Joseph, gave him the honour.  Sir Edward (1788-1883) was an Irish astronomer, geophysicist, ornithologist and explorer.  He must have found a few Sabine's Gulls in his travels.  

Gulls are very interesting birds to study.  They are so varied in appearance that they often fall into the realm of advanced birding.  Never-the-less, they are very interesting and worth more careful study.  If you ever find a Sabine's Gull, be sure to report it because it would be noteworthy.   

Prairie Warbler

                                                    Prairie Warbler    [Jim Carroll Photo]

The Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) is a rare fall visitor to New Brunswick and a bit more casual in spring.  Most appear in coastal areas, mainly in the south.  The first confirmed record was from Machias Seal Island in 1951.  Today it is an annual visitor to Grand Manan Island.  Individuals have been seen along the coast as far north as Miscou Island.  It is rare to find it inland. This year there have been sightings of Prairie Warblers in at least 2 different places.  The photos in this post are of a sighting in the Lorneville area, St. John County, on September 9.  

                                                 Prairie Warbler    [Jim Carroll Photo]

The normal summer range of the Prairie Warbler is southern Ontario and central New England south to Oklahoma, the Gulf Coast, and Florida.  It winters in southern Florida and in the tropics.  Its preferred habitat is mixed pine-oak barrens, old pastures and scattered open scrub land.  It also inhabitants mangrove swamps.  Its name is a misnomer because it is not often found on the prairies.  

The Prairie Warbler is a small warbler that wags its tail, much like its close relative, the Palm Warbler.  It has a distinctive facial pattern as seen above.  Note the yellow supercilium (line over the eye), dark eyeline, yellow crescent below the eye which is bordered by a black line.  The upper parts are olive with reddish spots on the back.  The under parts are bright yellow, a little paler yellow under the tail.  There are bold black streaks on the sides which can become black spots on the sides of the throat.  These contrast boldly with the bright yellow.  Noting that and the distinctive facial pattern makes the identification of this species easy.  The two wing bars are yellow, sometimes whitish.  Females and non-breeding males are paler versions of the spring males.  The less distinct facial pattern and some white around the eye would indicate the individual in the photo is an immature male or a female.

                                                Prairie Warbler   [Jim Carroll Photo]

Although the Prairie Warbler is relatively easy to identify, you might have to rule out Pine Warbler or the Magnolia Warbler.  The Pine Warbler shows no black on the head and the immature Magnolia Warbler has a yellow rump and a complete white eyering.  The voice of the Prairie Warbler is distinctive.  I remember the first time I heard it.  I knew immediately what the bird was even though I did not see it at first.  The song is buzzy, and a long series of zee, zee, zee which rises in pitch to the end. 

The Prairie Warbler builds its nest usually low in a bush or small tree.  The nest is made of grass and leaves and lined with hair and feathers.  Four or five white eggs with brown spots are incubated for 11 to 14 days by the female.  Prairie Warblers eat mainly insects which they catch by gleaning foliage, or catching them in mid-air by hovering.  They will also feed on the ground.  Female Prairie Warblers usually eat the shells of their eggs after hatching.

The population numbers of this species are declining.  The main reasons are habitat loss and nest parasitism by cowbirds.  The species was assigned 'vulnerable status' in Canada in 1985.  That designation was later removed, in 1999.  The Prairie Warbler was one of the early described species, being first described in 1809 by a French ornithologist, Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot.  

                                                       Prairie Warbler   [Jim Carroll Photo]

Tricolored Heron

                                                    Tricolored Heron [Jim Carroll Photo]

 The Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) is a small-to-medium sized heron of the Americas.  It lives in coastal habitats in the Atlantic region from northeastern US south through the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean to northern South America as far south as Brazil.  In the west it ranges from Peru to California. As a vagrant it strays in the west as far north as Oregon and in southern Canada from Manitoba to Newfoundland.  Its population is reasonably stable, having been less affected by the millinery trade in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  The Florida population, however, shows recent declines probably due to habitat loss.

                                                                        Tricolored Heron

The Tricolored Heron has a long slender neck and the bill is noticeably long and thin.  The genders are similar and one wonders which 3 colours gave it its name.  It has a slate gray head, neck, back, wings and tail.  The back is often covered with purplish maroon long scapular feathers.  The rump is white as is the throat and underparts with the white extending in a thin strip from the throat to the belly.  The eyes are brown, the lores yellow and the bill is yellow.  The legs and feet are yellowish gray.  So, what 3 colours give it its name - the slate gray, the purplish maroon scapular feathers and the white?  In some birds with the yellow bill and lores, the yellow extends down the neck a bit.  So, it might be the slate gray, the white and the yellow.  

In breeding plumage the eyes turn red, long white occipital plumes appear as do purplish plumes on the neck.  The chin, scapulars, and throat turn rufous and a turquoise colour appears on the lores and bill base.  The feet and legs can also turn pinkish.  Given that rainbow of colours, now what is the origin of the name?  We may never know!

                                     Tricolored Heron Showing Purplish Plumes  [Jim Carroll Photo]

The Tricolored Heron is about 66 cm in length with a wing span of 91 cm.  For contrast, the Great Blue Heron is 117 cm in length with a wing span of 183 cm.  The photo below shows the difference but it is somewhat misleading because of the Great Blue Heron is closer to the camera and the Tricolored Heron is crouched down while the Great Blue is fully upright.  Notice the length of the bill in the Tricolored.

                            Tricolored Heron with Great Blue Heron    [Jim Carroll Photo]

We often have vagrant herons and egrets visit us here in New Brunswick in spring and summer.  This year we had many Great Egrets.  At one time there were 6 at Saints Rest Marsh in Saint John.  That is where the Tricolored Heron was found this summer.  It probably came north on the same weather system that brought the egrets.  It was at the marsh for at least 3 weeks and may still be there.  We saw it on September 17.  

The Tricolored Heron is quite unique and not easily mistaken for another species.  It is the only dark coloured heron with a white belly.  A new birder would have to consider whether it might be a Green Heron but a Green Heron is much smaller and does not have that long thin neck and white belly.  A dark morph Little Blue Heron might also have to be considered but it does not have the white on it.  The Reddish Egret dark morph which has never been seen here (as far as I know) might also be considered but it has no white on it either.  

                                                                    Tricolored Heron

The Tricolored Heron spends most of its time feeding in water and it is not afraid to wade deeply.  It feeds mainly on fish but will also take amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates.  It is very active as it feeds, often running after fish with its wings raised.  I have actually enjoyed watching them feed in South Carolina.  This species is a colonial breeder often on islands usually with other herons and egrets.  A platform nest is built of stems and twigs and lined with grass.  Three or four light blue green eggs are laid and incubated by both adults for 21 days.  

Although the voice of this species can be a croak or squawk like other herons it often is a soft, nasal moan.  Being relatively abundant in the Deep South, it is an easy bird to observe.  It was formerly called the 'Louisiana Heron'.  When I first started birding I often wondered what bird a Louisiana Heron was because it was renamed in all my bird books.  With the many I have seen, I have never seen more than one or two together.  They are much more solitary than egrets or Great Blue Herons.  Their feeding antics of chasing fish and flapping around are sometimes described by some as 'ballet dancing'.  Tricolored Herons are obviously smart birds.  They often follow Double-crested Cormorants or Pied-billed Grebes and scoop up the fish that they stir up.  

Can You Identify This Hawk?

On August 24 and 25, around 9:00 AM a hawk was seen perched on a dead tree near the river behind our house in Fredericton. It remained there for a considerable time, up to 40 minutes. The unusual thing was that it was wet, preening and continuously fluffed its feathers or sat with its wings and tail spread out, presumably to dry. It must have bathed in the nearby river and was using that perch to self-care. The only time it sat in normal position with normal contour was a few seconds on the second day before it flew. That made it difficult to identify. Let's see what you can do with identifying this hawk. Here are the identifying features: its shape was rounded (or it appeared so, the size was that of a small buteo, crow-sized or slightly larger). Its breast showed vertical stripes. The tail was boldly striped showing white at the tip and alternate white and dark even stripes. The head, upper breast and upper back were a rufous brown colour. The back was dark brown or gray with many large white spots. The tail appeared (at first) to be average length. The photos above show the notable features. At first I thought it must be a Red-shouldered Hawk. The size and shape were right. The tail looked right. The spots on the back were right (in my experience). I tentatively decided it might be a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk. It gave me plenty of time to take many photos (at a distance of 60 metres) using my super-zoom camera. Studying the photos with friends gave me a different perspective. We went over the individual features carefully. The size was right for a Red-shouldered Hawk or a Cooper's Hawk. The vertical stripes on the breast were bold and tear-drop shaped. That would indicate a Cooper's Hawk. The feet and legs were yellow which did not give any clues. The rufous colour on the head, upper breast and upper back made me think of Red-shouldered although we didn't see any red on the shoulder. The tail showed white stripes on the ventral aspect and gray stripes on the dorsal aspect. That would indicate Cooper's. The white spots on the back definitely pointed to Red-shouldered to me because I had seen them on Red-shouldered before but never on an Accipiter. It was difficult to tell what hawk we were looking at with it fluffed up and in abnormal position.

Hawk Showing Tear-drop Striping on Breast

Hawk Showing White Patches on Back In one poor picture from the first day the tail appeared long. See below.

It was time for an expert to examine the photos. We sent a batch off and later it was determined that the hawk was a Cooper's Hawk. That confirmed most of the field marks. But what about the shape and the white spots on the back? The second day's visit gave the opportunity for many more photos. That confirmed many white patches on the back and wings. Only at the last few seconds before the bird took off did it sit in a normal position and shape. See below for two views of the tail, dorsal and ventral.

That short view of the bird, as it finished its preening and took off, confirmed that identification. Its shape and size were definitely that of a Cooper's Hawk. The tail was long and rounded on the tip characteristic of a Cooper's. The breast striping confirmed it as a juvenile Cooper's Hawk. That was a difficult identification but an enjoyable puzzle. The whole problem was that the bird never until the last few seconds on two separate visits, sat in a normal postion. The long sleek appearance of a Cooper's Hawk was not evident. What about the white patches on the back and wings? That really fooled me. I have never seen that beforre on an Accipiter. According to the expert, some Accipiters have spots on their backs. I checked 100s of images and Sharp-shinneds, Cooper's and Northern Goshawks and all three species can have white spots on their backs, although that feature appears to be uncommon. Also, what is a juvenile Cooper's Hawk doing here in August? According to the literature, Cooper's Hawks breeding range extends into Maine (Sibley's) or southern New Brunswick (National Geographic). In 'Birds of New Brunswick: An Annotated List' it says the species is a rare summer resident and that there have been a few nesting records. Peterson Field Guide, 'Hawks of North America' shows a breeding range in southern and south-western NB. So, what I learned is that nesting Cooper's Hawks are unusual breeders in NB but they do exist. What we were looking at was a juvenile probably from one of those rare nesting pairs here. What a privilege to have enjoyed this hawk! Note: the absence of formatting in this post is due to problems with the blog software.

Swallows Soon to Migrate South

                                                 Swallows Lining Up On Utility Wires

On August 1,  I was surprised and excited to see swallows lining up on the utility wires in the Scotch Settlement, York County, area.  I haven't seen this behaviour in many years and I was very happy to witness it this year.  There were about 100 birds of 3 species (Cliff Swallows, Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows) cavorting around and vying for what appeared to be preferred positions along the wires.  They were actively flying to and from the wires and going afield only to return quickly.  

                                            Swallows on the Wires in Pre-Migration Gathering

There was obviously much excitement among the birds.  It did not seem to matter which species lined up closely to which.  They appeared to all be getting ready for something exciting.  At one point an American Bittern flew across the road and a few swallows took after it and either chased or accompanied it across the field and out of their gathering place.  That looked like a squadron of jet fighters escorting an enemy plane out of protected air space.

Late July through September is the preferred time of departure of 'our' swallows.  Cliff Swallows depart after the nestlings fledge which has happened in that area.  Their departure is listed as early August through early September.  Barn Swallows depart from late July onwards with the migration departure peaking from late August to early September.  Tree Swallows depart a bit later with most leaving in September.  Cliff Swallows migrate to southern Brazil and south-central Argentina.  Barn Swallows go mostly to South America as far south as central Chile and northern Argentina.  Tree Swallows migrate to the southern US, Central America and the Caribbean.  Looking at their destinations, you can see why the Cliff and Barn Swallows leave earlier than the Tree Swallows.  They have much farther to go!

Migration is an amazing and interesting phenomenon.  I am thankful these swallows come to New Brunswick to breed, raise their young and enjoy the habitat our ecosystem provides.  Our declining insect populations is a concern.  There is increased mortality in young swallows partly because of shrinking food supplies, the insect population.  We must protect the nesting sites of these birds and encourage them to spend their short summers with us.  We also must follow regulations against pesticides and pollution in order to protect the swallows and other inhabitants of our environment (including ourselves).

 

Black-necked Stilt Seen in New Brunswick

                                                                   Black-necked Stilt

On Friday, 5 August 2022, an Ontario birder who summers in New Brunswick was checking for shorebirds along the shoreline of the St. John River between the bridges in Hartland, NB.  We are fortunate this woman was familiar with shorebirds and recognized that what she saw through her binoculars was a rare species for New Brunswick, a Black-necked Stilt.  She also knew how to alert others by contacting a local birder who posted it to online discussion groups.  That began a magical day for birding for a handful of New Brunswick birders. 

It is unknown when the bird arrived in Hartland and from where it came.  It undoubtedly is a vagrant which migrated up (or down?) the St. John River.  It is a male adult and is probably dispersing from the breeding area before returning south for the winter.  Just how far are we referring to here?  Well, the Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) normally summers in southern Florida, the coastlines of Georgia and North and South Carolina, the mid-western and western states and southern Alberta and Saskatchewan.  They winter in California, the Gulf coast and southern Florida south to the tropics. So this bird is far from the normal movements of this species.  

And how rare is it in New Brunswick?  We have had 4 recorded occurrences since records have been kept: 1862, 1880, 1982, 2000.  Nova Scotia has had a few records as well.  The 1862 and 1880 records were confirmed because the birds were 'collected' (shot and sent to the museum for mounting).  Unfortunately that is what they did in those days.  The 1982 and 2000 records are listed as 'unconfirmed' which actually means that no specimen was collected and no photos were taken.  But, today we are a photographic generation and there are lots of photos of this visitor, I would guess well over 1000 were taken that day.  All the photos in this blog post were taken by me.

Hartland is a very picturesque place.  We wandered around along the shoreline which was mowed grass in most cases  checking for the bird from both sides of the river.  We crossed the historic covered bridge to move from one side to the other.  The bird was feeding along the shoreline of the river and the island located there.  The shoreline was composed of rounded rocks of various sizes with a bit of sand.  On the east side a brook flows into the river bringing cold water and rich aquatic food. This made good feeding for the Black-necked Stilt and the 2 Lesser Yellowlegs which it was keeping company with some of the time.  Viewing and locating the bird was difficult because we were looking into the sun for a good part of the time.  As bright and beautiful as the bird is, it was well camouflaged with the bright sunlight reflecting off the water and the black of the wet rocks.  The difficulty of seeing this bird was a surprise to me.  Even though it is a rather large shorebird, 33 cm long with very long legs, it still was difficult to see.  One could pick it up only when it was moving or silhouetted against the bright water.

Please see a previous post on this blog for information on the life history of the Black-necked Stilt; 'Black-necked Stilt - Nemesis Bird', June 4, 2022.  

                                                                    Black-necked Stilt

                                                                        Black-necked Stilt 

                                        Black-necked Stilt Showing the Very Long Legs

This species was my 'nemesis bird', meaning I have been trying to see it for at least 30 years.  I was just never in the right place at the right time while out west or in the south.  I have chased around flocks of American Avocets which it sometimes flocks with but with no success.  I had missed the 2000 bird from Jacquet River by 15 minutes.  But on that special Friday luck was with me.  I had many good looks at the bird and was able to photograph it from a safe distance with no disturbance to the bird at all.  It was fun to share the excitement with the group of NB birders for which it was also a 'life bird'.  For me it was the 351st avian species seen in NB over my lifetime!

                                          Black-necked Stilt Feeding Along Shoreline

                                            Black-necked Stilt Picking Insects off Mud

Black-necked Stilt Feeding From Rocks
 

What did I notice about this bird?  First, it is a beautiful shorebird.  The black and white plumage pattern is striking.  And probably the most striking feature is those impossibly long legs!  They are bright pink (or sometimes red) and the feet are small.  The literature tells us they are partly webbed enabling the bird to be able to swim although it rarely does.  The black bill is very fine and dagger-like and about 6 to 7 cm long.  The black crown which runs down the back of the neck is offset by the white on the forehead, throat and ventral neck and especially by the white eyebrow patch.  In spite of the long legs, the bird is very agile.  When it flies the legs are extended straight out behind.  It obviously can fly very well given the distance it has come!  In summary, a very striking bird and so exciting to see.

We were able to compare it to the two Lesser Yellowlegs it was hanging out with.  See the photos below.  The Black-necked Stilt looks larger in the photos in comparison because it was closer to the camera.  Note, the Lesser Yellowlegs are 27 cm long compared to the stilt which is 36 cm long.  This measurement is taken from the tip of the bill to the tip of the tail and does not include the long legs.  The stilt's body is actually quite small.

                                                Black-necked Stilt and Lesser Yellowlegs

    Black-necked Stilt and Lesser Yellowlegs

The literature tells us that the Black-necked Stilt is considerably vocal.  Unfortunately we did not here its 'kek, kek, kek'.  It was far enough away that we might have missed it.

Many thanks to the NB birders and to our ON visitor for making it possible for many of us to see and learn about this species.  Unfortunately the bird was seen only that one day.  We hope it won't be another 20-plus years before we see one again.

Local Church Protects Cliff Swallows

                                                               Cliff Swallow Nests on Church

 For some reason the Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) like to build their nests on the Scotch Settlement Church, York County.  And what is even worse for the parishioners is that they much prefer to build them over the main entrance!  Every year that creates a problem for people entering and leaving the building.  This year there are about 12 nests, all built over the entrance.  Some nests are singles, some doubles and some triples.  That makes a lot of activity, birds coming and going to feed hungry chicks.  

The nest-building this year is very robust.  There is a constant chorus of chirps and warbles as adults are coming and going and young are fed or letting it known that they are hungry.  The birds do not seem to be inhibited by the people of the church.  

                                             Cliff Swallow Adult About to Leave Nest

                                                Cliff Swallow Dropping Fecal Matter From Nest

The people of the church, however, do have a problem with the birds, or rather, their droppings.  As the nests became occupied in the spring the problem soon became evident.  Bird droppings began to appear on the carpeted steps to the church and the people had to quickly duck as they entered or left the building. An earlier attempt to dissuade the birds from building in that location, the hanging of CDs in the preferred areas, had failed.  The birds just built right among the CDS, even incorporating some of them into the mud of the nests.  

So, what to do?  The church people used a simple solution.  They turned the top step on its side in order to prevent the buildup of fecal matter on the carpet.  Then they roped off the front steps and asked the church goers to enter and leave by another door!  Bravo to the Scotch Settlement Church for putting the well-being of the birds ahead of their convenience!  After all, the birds are God's creatures too.  See below for how they altered their front door.

                                 Front Door of Scotch Settlement Church - Temporary Arrangement

 The bird enthusiasts and environmentalists in the area are happy.  Many thanks to the people of the Scotch Settlement Church for putting their concerns for the birds into action.  They have set a good example of care for the environment and its creatures.  

                                                    Scotch Settlement Church, York County