Tag Archives: photography

Bird of the Week — Cowbird

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This is a juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird in our backyard. I first noticed him hanging out with our male Northern Cardinal, which I found odd. Then I learned that Cowbirds are famous for laying their eggs in the nests of other bird species instead of building their own. This is known as a brood parasite. Cowbirds do not raise their own chicks, but the unsuspecting birds who incubate the Cowbird’s eggs raise them instead.

Brown-headed Cowbird — Molothrus ater

SIZE:

  • Male
    • Length: 7.5-8.7 in (19-22 cm)
    • Weight: 1.5-1.8 oz (42-50 g)
    • Wingspan: 14.2 in (36 cm)
  • Female
    • Length: 6.3-7.9 in (16-20 cm)
    • Weight: 1.3-1.6 oz (38-45 g)
    • Wingspan: 12.6-15.0 in (32-38 cm)

LOCATION:

FOOD:

Cowbirds eat seeds from weeds and grasses and some grains. They live near cattle and bison and feed on Insects such as grasshoppers and beetles, that the large mammals stir into into motion.

This is our male Northern Cardinal named “Red” who is feeding the juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird.

Eventually, the juvenile Cowbirds leave their adoptive families and find other Cowbirds. Scientists are studying this phenomenon to figure out how they recognize their own species. Some think it’s through their sounds that they recognize other Cowbirds.

SOUNDS:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-headed_Cowbird/sounds

Bird of the Week — Long-billed Curlew

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Long-billed Curlew – Numenius americanus

According to All about Birds, the Long-billed Curlew is America’s largest shore bird. We see them every day during our beach walks near Santa Barbara, California. I’ve seen three types of birds I used to call Sandpipers, but have identified one species as Willets and the second identified is the Curlew. I’m still working on identifying the third one.

SIZE:

  • Length: 19.7-25.6 in (50-65 cm)
  • Weight: 17.3-33.5 oz (490-950 g)
  • Wingspan: 24.4-35.0 in (62-89 cm)

APPEARANCE:

The Long-billed Curlew is a speckled cinnamon and brownish bird with flecks of white. It’s chest and belly are light a solid light cinnamon color. It has a touch of pink at the base of it’s bill. Males and females look similar but the females beak is slightly longer and more curved than the male.

LOCATION:

FOOD:

When the Long-billed Curlew are not inland, they forage along the shore eating marine life such as shrimp, crab and other crustaceans as well as worms and mollusks. Their long, curved bill helps them forage for earthworms and other prey that burrows underground. Inland in grassy or muddy areas they will use their long bills to eat insects including grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars and spiders.

NESTING:

Long-billed Curlews are not monogamous for life but are for each breeding season. They may get back together for later breeding seasons. The males make several scrapes in the ground in dry areas. The female chooses which scrape she wants as their nesting place. Then they both complete the nest together digging it out deeper. Then they line it together with bark, feathers, grasses or other material. After two to three weeks after the eggs hatch, the female takes off and the male raises the chicks.

SOUNDS:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Long-billed_Curlew/sounds

A Long-billed Curlew taking flight.

Friday Photos

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Red stayed away for another five days, but Mrs. was here every day. I wonder if Red got into a fight because he has a black spot on the side of his head he didn’t have before. But I did read that Cardinals molt once a year, so maybe that’s it. Or, I have a new bird altogether. Fortunately, he stopped by this week several times a day. My neighbor has promised to keep the birds fed while we’re out of town.

Good news. Red is looking more normal each day and keeps on visiting our backyard.

At least Mrs. is always around which makes me feel good!

A neighbor told me I should name this quail dad “Lucky.”

Lucky visits every day with his wife and three babies. Somehow he lost his tail, but he is still standing strong. That’s how he earned his name.

This is a Mourning Dove at our new bird bath. I left the old one empty when we visited our son and daughter-in-law because I didn’t want it to become a breeding ground for mosquitos. Normally I change the water every day. So the end of the story is that the old bird bath didn’t survive in the heat being dry. A resin coating splintered and peeled leaving an unhealthy mess for the birds.

A Gila Woodpecker hopped on for a ride.

Another look at Red and Mrs. before we leave for our beach vacation.

Last but not least, it was Waffles the pug’s 10th birthday this week. It seems like yesterday he celebrated birthday number one while we were on our beach vacation! These two photos were taken at our friends’ house in Santa Barbara for Waffles first birthday.

My daughter made flyers and held a party for Waffles in a park near her apartment. She gave flyers to friends, co-workers, her favorite coffee shop and hung them on telephone poles in her neighborhood. She invited everyone with dogs or not and promised dog treats for all dogs. She had a crowd that included her friends and families and even a group of eight-year-old boys she didn’t know who wrapped presents for Waffles. Everyone thought it was a perfect family-friendly evening at the park and want to meet every week.

The old man Waffles with gray hair at age 10.

What photos do you like? What do you think is up with Red’s head?

What are your plans for the weekend?

Friday Photos

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Red and Mrs. have reappeared in my yard after taking off for eight days after our vacation to Northern California. I was so distressed, but now relieved that they’ve returned.

Here are a few of my favorite photos that I took this week:

Mrs. at the birdseed block with doves and a sparrow.

A Roadrunner has been hanging out in our backyard. He prefers to hide in a pot or hang out in a tree.

He spends an inordinate amount of time grooming himself and gets all fluffy in the process.

Our state bird, the Cactus Wren took over the birdseed block.

A Gila Woodpecker hangs out upside down foraging for insects. Look at the tongue!

Squirrel!

Which photos do you like best?

What are your weekend plans?

Bird of the Week — Brown-crested Flycatcher

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We had a new bird visit our yard last week. I’m grateful this Brown-crested Flycatcher stopped by because I had run out of birds for Bird of the Week.


Scientific Name: Myiarchus tyrannulus

SIZE:

8 to 9 inches (21 to 23 cm) long, with a wingspan of 12 to 13 inches (30 to 33 cm). It weighs roughly 1.1 to 1.6 ounces (32 to 45 grams).

RANGE:

Brown-crested Flycatchers are large flycatchers who range from southwestern United States to Argentina. They are migratory birds.

NESTING:

Brown-crested Flycatchers nest in woodpeckers’ holes in Saguaro and Organ Pipe cactus. They choose the former nests of larger woodpeckers like the Gilded Flickers and Gila Woodpeckers, which are common where we live. Smaller species such as the Ladder-backed Woodpeckers have nests with too small of holes for the flycatcher. They will also use woodpecker holes in forests, brush and along streams and in large suburban trees.

The male and female flycatchers stay together for a season only, but often return to the same nesting area and may even use the same woodpecker hole again. They line their nests with fur of rabbits, rats, opossums, badgers, horses, and cattle, as well as feathers from ravens, nighthawks, White-winged Doves and chickens. They also have been known to use snake and lizard skins.

FOOD:

Their primary diet is insects including large ones like cicadas, beetles and grasshoppers. They also fly and catch flying insects such as butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, and dragonflies. Other bugs they eat include caterpillars, spiders, ants and termites. Their diet includes berries and wild fruits.

They catch flying insects mid air as they fly or forage for insects as they perch on trees and plants.

CALLS:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-crested_Flycatcher/sounds

The Color Red

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We have had a true Monsoon week with thunder and lightning storms every few nights and an abundance of rain. Thanks to the rain, we have cactus blooming again in beautiful pinkish red.

Here are a few photos of the buds and blossoms:

Then of course there’s my bird buddy Red:

Red with a mouthful of millet.

Red found a new perch, a little table next to a covered chaise lounge.

Red was flitting and flying around our backyard.

Have a wonderful weekend!

What are your plans for the weekend?

Which photo do you like best?

Bird of the Week — White-winged Dove

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Scientific name: Zenaida asiatica

Size:
They measure 11 to 12.5 inches (28 to 32 cm) in length, possess a wingspan of 19 to 23 inches (48 to 58 cm), and weigh between 4.5 and 6.5 ounces (125 to 187 grams).

White-winged Doves are very common birds in our backyard. The Mourning Doves outnumber them, but White-winged Doves are a close second. Their coloring is either brownish or gray. They have very noticable white tipped wings, bright blue eye-shadow and bright orange or red eyes. When they are in flight, their white wings are more prominent.

Diet:
They are frequent visitors to our bird feeder and eat sunflower seeds and millet. In the wild, they eat seeds from desert willows, ocotillo, agave, as well as cacti fruit. They can fly up to 25 miles in the Sonoran Desert to look for water, plus get moisture from Saguaro cactus fruits.

Range:
White-winged Doves have been seen as far north as Alaska, Maine and Ontario Canada, but are mostly found in the Southwest.

A White-winged Dove in our backyard tree.

Nesting:
A female finds a location to build a nest such in vines, in thick desert brush, a clump of cactus or a tree limb. She builds a nest out of sticks that the male bird will bring to her. They are known to use their nest from a prior year, or they will reuse a nest from another bird. They are not monogamous for life, but more likely to stay together for breeding season.

Sounds:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-winged_Dove/sounds