Gyrfalcon22
Life of the Party
feet look like pheasant..but feathers are wrong
Got any bird pics?
- Thread starter Wadin' Boot
- Start date
Jim F.
Still a Genuine Montana Fossil
Somebody's <no longer> wandering chicken.
That could be. I could hear chickens. There were also some turkey wandering about.
Love watching these over the ICW when they’re “fishing”. Twenty plus years ago it seemed every tenth or so channel marker would have a nesting pair with offspring about.
They are not fond of the increased amount of Bald Eagles we’ve been seeing. Probably feel like they’re getting
low-holed.
They are not fond of the increased amount of Bald Eagles we’ve been seeing. Probably feel like they’re getting
low-holed.
I can't get enough dipper watching. It still amazes me when they walk down the side of a rock and keep walking into the water and across the bottom as if there were no difference between air and water.
Ridgefield NWR, 30 September 2022. We had read reports that some sandhill cranes had arrived and we thought that it would be a great opportunity to see them before hunting season made everything more jittery. And it turned out to be a great day. Our hopes of having close looks of sandhill cranes paid out before we had traveled even a quarter of a mile from the start of the loop road through the River ‘S’ Unit. A family group of four sandhills were foraging on the vegetation along the shore of Bull Lake (site 2 on the map), perhaps 100 feet from the road.
One of them appeared to have picked up a bulb (yellow iris?) from the muddy soil.
During our two circuits, we also saw and heard (very distinctive rattle calls) as several flocks of cranes flew overhead.
Steve
One of them appeared to have picked up a bulb (yellow iris?) from the muddy soil.
During our two circuits, we also saw and heard (very distinctive rattle calls) as several flocks of cranes flew overhead.
Steve
Ridgefield NWR, 30 September 2022, River ‘S’ loop. The “car as bird blind” concept can just be spectacular at times. The birds truly do let you approach them much more closely than if you were walking along a trail. We had several examples of this phenomenon on this trip. Near the start of the loop, several male redwing blackbirds were displaying while perched on the stems of cattails just off the road to the left, in perfect camera range. A few birds were singing, though I can’t imagine that there was any breeding activity going on so late in the year. But the portraits were sharp.
A bit further along the road, a juvenile golden-crowned sparrow perched on a dried thistle stem.
Nearer the end of our first circuit, a small flock of savannah sparrows were foraging in the grass and I caught several posing.
Finally, we were just about to turn the last right-hand bend when we encountered a female American kestrel perched on one of the refuge signs.
My presence in the 4Runner didn’t interrupt its search for a grasshopper snack in the grasses beyond the sign.
Steve
A bit further along the road, a juvenile golden-crowned sparrow perched on a dried thistle stem.
Nearer the end of our first circuit, a small flock of savannah sparrows were foraging in the grass and I caught several posing.
Finally, we were just about to turn the last right-hand bend when we encountered a female American kestrel perched on one of the refuge signs.
My presence in the 4Runner didn’t interrupt its search for a grasshopper snack in the grasses beyond the sign.
Steve
Ridgefield NWR, 30 September 2022. “Well, I didn’t expect to see you here.” As a birder for over 40 years along the West Coast, I have observed range expansions for several bird species. You can also see these range expansions when you compare range maps in older editions of field guides or older web pages with observations at present. For example, scrub jays, a common bird in California but formerly rare in Western Washington, have been expanding their range north year after year. They are now at least as far north as Olympia and continuing north.
At Ridgefield, we saw two other examples of range expansions. While great blue herons range into southern Canada, great egrets, at least along the West Coast, used to not be found north of Central Oregon.
But they are now common at Ridgefield NWR and are extending northward. Similarly, the black phoebe, a small flycatcher, used to barely range north into Oregon. But we saw one at Ridgefield during our visit and a volunteer that we met indicated that they are now nesting at Ridgefield.
Why are the ranges expanding? There could be several reasons. First, if the abundance of a bird species is increasing, it is likely that some birds will go farther afield to seek areas with less competition. Alternatively, with a larger population, there will be more birds at the edge of the distribution. If the population of a competitor species is declining, there may be opportunities for another species to expand. Anthropogenic changes may also be driving range expansions. Human-driven changes in vegetation may drive range changes (both expansions and contractions). And perhaps climate change is creating conditions for some bird species to expand the latitudes that these species can thrive.
Steve
At Ridgefield, we saw two other examples of range expansions. While great blue herons range into southern Canada, great egrets, at least along the West Coast, used to not be found north of Central Oregon.
But they are now common at Ridgefield NWR and are extending northward. Similarly, the black phoebe, a small flycatcher, used to barely range north into Oregon. But we saw one at Ridgefield during our visit and a volunteer that we met indicated that they are now nesting at Ridgefield.
Why are the ranges expanding? There could be several reasons. First, if the abundance of a bird species is increasing, it is likely that some birds will go farther afield to seek areas with less competition. Alternatively, with a larger population, there will be more birds at the edge of the distribution. If the population of a competitor species is declining, there may be opportunities for another species to expand. Anthropogenic changes may also be driving range expansions. Human-driven changes in vegetation may drive range changes (both expansions and contractions). And perhaps climate change is creating conditions for some bird species to expand the latitudes that these species can thrive.
Steve
Part 5 of 5. Ridgefield NWR, 30 September 2022. “How is that bird blue?” There is a bird feeder at the information center to the River ‘S’ unit. We stopped nearby for a lunch break after our two circuits. The feeder was being monopolized by jays, primarily several scrub jays.
But if we were patient, Steller’s jays flew in to use the feeder as well.
I don’t think that Steller’s jays are necessarily inhibited by scrub jays, but they lack the exuberance of the scrub jays.
Both species have brilliant blue feathers. But the color blue, especially in animals, is an interesting color. The reds, oranges, and yellows that one sees in flowers and animal coloration are the result pigments = chemical coloration. These carotenoid pigments absorb some wavelengths of light (e.g., green and blue wavelengths) and reflect others (either red, or orange, or yellow wavelengths, depending on the specific carotenoid pigment). Animals acquire these pigments from their diet. The pink of a flamingo’s feathers come from the crustaceans in its diet. A dominant male house finch proves his fitness to the ladies by having a bright red head; the coloration indicates that he is well-fed and likely has good genes. In contrast, a female should have second thoughts about mating with a male with duller coloration; he may not have the “right stuff”.
However, blue pigments are extremely rare in animals. Even if ingested from a plant diet, they do not survive digestion. So, how can these jays have such strikingly blue feathers? Their feathers (and the skins of a variety of “blue” animals) have structural blue color. As light penetrates the feather, the structure of the feather (or fish scale) refracts the wavelengths at different levels of the feather, much like a prism (or a rainbow) separates out the wavelengths (colors) of light. Because of the feather’s structure, light in red wavelengths and in orange wavelengths interact in such a way that they cancel each other out (destructive interference). But the blue wavelengths amplify each other and are reflected (constructive interference), radiating the bright blues that are so characteristic of Steller’s and scrub jays.
Steve
But if we were patient, Steller’s jays flew in to use the feeder as well.
I don’t think that Steller’s jays are necessarily inhibited by scrub jays, but they lack the exuberance of the scrub jays.
Both species have brilliant blue feathers. But the color blue, especially in animals, is an interesting color. The reds, oranges, and yellows that one sees in flowers and animal coloration are the result pigments = chemical coloration. These carotenoid pigments absorb some wavelengths of light (e.g., green and blue wavelengths) and reflect others (either red, or orange, or yellow wavelengths, depending on the specific carotenoid pigment). Animals acquire these pigments from their diet. The pink of a flamingo’s feathers come from the crustaceans in its diet. A dominant male house finch proves his fitness to the ladies by having a bright red head; the coloration indicates that he is well-fed and likely has good genes. In contrast, a female should have second thoughts about mating with a male with duller coloration; he may not have the “right stuff”.
However, blue pigments are extremely rare in animals. Even if ingested from a plant diet, they do not survive digestion. So, how can these jays have such strikingly blue feathers? Their feathers (and the skins of a variety of “blue” animals) have structural blue color. As light penetrates the feather, the structure of the feather (or fish scale) refracts the wavelengths at different levels of the feather, much like a prism (or a rainbow) separates out the wavelengths (colors) of light. Because of the feather’s structure, light in red wavelengths and in orange wavelengths interact in such a way that they cancel each other out (destructive interference). But the blue wavelengths amplify each other and are reflected (constructive interference), radiating the bright blues that are so characteristic of Steller’s and scrub jays.
Steve
Gyrfalcon22
Life of the Party
Good stuff, Steve ! Indeed, the blue color of the jays is spectacular compared our generally drabby northwest birds.
Adding on to you noting of the expansion of many bird species, I am seeing more types of flycatchers yearly now. The black phoebes showed up maybe 5 years ago. I am not good at ID'ing the others I see now, but I do not recall seeing them back too far. Had a nest of a Pacific slope flycatcher in our garage a couple years back.
The egrets have been hanging around here and there for about 15-20 years I recall on the drive through Kelso and Longview, and were always cool to see just across the old Longview bridge on the road to St Helens, Oregon. Have seen them at Westport for some time on occasion.
Barred owls were non-existent locally for me until about 20 years ago. Some waterfowl species in our fields I saw 30+ years ago I have not been seen since. I had Canvasback rafts at times..also had the occasional Cinnamon teal or Blue-winged teal. More Wood ducks mixed in with general flocks at big ponds. Canada geese were actually uncommon and the only swans we had were Tundra species (then called Whistling).
raking the front yard revealed a neat gathering of feathers on the right.
nesting PS flycatcher in garage. Right is a Willow flycatcher..maybe
Adding on to you noting of the expansion of many bird species, I am seeing more types of flycatchers yearly now. The black phoebes showed up maybe 5 years ago. I am not good at ID'ing the others I see now, but I do not recall seeing them back too far. Had a nest of a Pacific slope flycatcher in our garage a couple years back.
The egrets have been hanging around here and there for about 15-20 years I recall on the drive through Kelso and Longview, and were always cool to see just across the old Longview bridge on the road to St Helens, Oregon. Have seen them at Westport for some time on occasion.
Barred owls were non-existent locally for me until about 20 years ago. Some waterfowl species in our fields I saw 30+ years ago I have not been seen since. I had Canvasback rafts at times..also had the occasional Cinnamon teal or Blue-winged teal. More Wood ducks mixed in with general flocks at big ponds. Canada geese were actually uncommon and the only swans we had were Tundra species (then called Whistling).
raking the front yard revealed a neat gathering of feathers on the right.
nesting PS flycatcher in garage. Right is a Willow flycatcher..maybe
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Gyrfalcon22
Life of the Party
I know we are all hoping to see Snowy owls this year locally! Will be 10 years this Winter since the back to back irruption years of 2012 and 2013. We should know by Thanksgiving. There is a point and shoot shot of the 2006 irruption on the coast. Jumbo female in middle.
Here you go @Cabezon. A couple more. Bottom. ET Phone Home. These are not birds, they are aliens !
Here you go @Cabezon. A couple more. Bottom. ET Phone Home. These are not birds, they are aliens !
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Snowy owls are high on my desired list...
Steve
Gyrfalcon22
Life of the Party
Good time to ask what is on everyone's top 3 list as we head into my favorite birding season: Leafless.
Local/world/ or have seen, but want to see again?
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Bruce Baker
Steelhead
Great pics. I got to see them in 2012.
Bruce Baker
Steelhead
Saw this sharp shinned hawk on my roof when I returned home from a morning walk in early August. There were two of them that were hanging around the neighborhood, but I have not seen or heard them in about a month or so.
