Keeping an Informed Eye on America's Hooded Crane

The appearance of an Asian hooded crane in southeast Tennessee in December of 2011, came as a surprise to everyone, raising much speculation about how this individual crane came to be so far from its native habitat and whether it was actually a wild crane or a previously captive one.  Questions also arose about whether this was the same individual seen at the Platte River in April (2011), or in Idaho the previous year, or whether it was a different individual.  (More on this discussion provided in the links at the end of this post.)

Hooded Crane in a corn field with staging Greater Sandhill Cranes, Goose Pond Wildlife Management Area, Green County, Indiana, February 2012.   Photo credit: Marty L. Jones

Dr. Guo Yumin, of Beijing Forestry University, a chief researcher of the hooded crane and its breeding biology, advises us that we can actually come closer to distinguishing hooded crane individuals by studying the white/gray neck line of the individual, confirming similarities and differences through photographic record.

To that end, he has sent the following slide show to demonstrate how researchers have used this distinctive neck line characteristic to help identify individuals in mated pairs as they are observed on their breeding territory and while nesting in different locations from season to season.  

(Note:  Picasa has a quirky interface. When you open this blog post, the slide show may already be in progress.  The first slide is entitled:  "How to Discriminate Different Individuals of Hooded Crane." If your browser shows distortion or disorientation of slides, or if you want to see a larger view, click on the image.   This will open a separate window and take you to the Picasa website.  Click on the words "full screen" at the top left over the image to see a larger view of the slides.  In either location, you may manually move the slides forward or set the time lapse to a preferred time by using the controls at the bottom of the screen.)

Jeff and Amy Davis traveled from Pennsylvania to Tennessee to see the Hooded Crane in December while the crane was staging with sandhill cranes at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge from December 14th, 2011 to February 5th, 2012.

Hooded crane among Greater Sandhill Cranes at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, Tennessee, December 2011.  Photo credit:  Amy and Jeff Davis

The images they captured give nice views of the Hiwassee Hooded Crane's distinctive white/gray neckline from all sides.  I say, distinctive, because the patterns are pronounced and irregular in an identifiable way.  Below, you see a front, left and back view of the crane's white/gray neck line.  Each view holds a pattern that has the potential for identification.  Any two views would allow further confirmation that you are viewing the same individual.

I suspect that the appearance of the Hooded Crane in Idaho in the spring of 2010, and subsequently, at the Platte River in April of 2011, stirred interest similar to that experienced in Tennessee.  And I would imagine there were many images taken as a result of that interest.  These images can affirm whether this Hooded Crane is the same individual that has appeared in all three locations, or whether these sightings represent more than one individual.

Hooded Crane flying with Greater Sandhill Cranes at the Goose Pond Wildlife Management Area, Green County, Indiana, February 2012.  Photo credit:  Marty L. Jones.

This comparative data would give us more information about vagrant migration and tell us whether more than one individual has wandered into North America.  It is amazing enough that this individual has found its way into the eastern United States.  It would be even more informative to be able to track its journey, backward and forward, through photographic records, affirming its identity in each location, so we can learn what it has to teach us as it travels through North America.

No matter what combination of circumstances came together to bring our rare crane visitor to the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge this past December, the event has ambassador qualities.  Without a doubt, the crane's appearance has raised interest and awareness for the species, its survival, and the inherent value of saving our wetland ecosystems for the benefit of wildlife, and, ultimately, for ourselves.

Above, Hooded Crane (top) and Greater Sandhill Crane in flight, showing intact primaries on the Hooded Crane and a good size comparison between the two species.  Goose Pond Wildlife Management Area, Green County, Indiana, February 2012.  Photo credit:  Ryan J. Sanderson.

"Cranes are ubiquitous in the earliest legends of the world's peoples, where they often figure as sentinels of heaven and omens of longevity and good fortune.  For their great beauty and imposing size--they are the largest of all flying birds on earth--they are held near-sacred in many lands.  Their broad wilderness habitat requirements make them "umbrella species"; protecting them ensures that other creatures and the earth and water of the ecosystem are also protected.  In addition, the enormous spans of cranes' migrations have encouraged international conservation efforts."   Peter Matthiessen, The Birds of Heaven:  Travels with Cranes

Where ever you find them, our world's cranes are ambassadors of peace, health and good will, for the earth, its wetlands, and for human kind.   Where cranes flourish, so also, the world around them will flourish.

Links and Resources:

Hooded Crane sketch by Vickie Henderson.

A special thank you to Dr. Guo Yumin, College of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, for the use of his beautiful images in this series and his slides describing the use of the white/gray neck line as an identification tool.   My appreciation also, to the photographers who have photographed the Hooded Crane in North America and granted permission for the use of their images in this series.

This is the third post in a three-part series on the endangered Hooded Crane and its appearance in North America.  To see all the posts in this series visit:  America's Hooded Crane.  The first post will appear last.

Chinese ornithologist, Guo Yumin, win's Whitley Award for his research on hooded crane.
Study of Hooded crane breeding habitat

Photography credits and information:
Amy and Jeff Davis Flickr Photostream
Marty L. Jones--Birds of Indiana Photostream and Marty Jones Photography
Ryan J. Sanderson Photostream
Mike Nelson's Flicker site with Hooded Crane video and photo stream

Peter Matthiessen:  The Birds of Heaven, Travels with Cranes

More about the Hooded Crane's appearance in the USA and opinions about this occurrence:
Saga of the Hooded Crane ABA
ABA Rare Hooded Crane in Indiana

Tennessee Watchable Wildlife on Sandhill Cranes

Tennessee Ornithological Society
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge

Top Crane Posts on this blog:  Hooded Crane at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in TN
Crane Magic--Three Crane Species at Hiwassee.  Other posts on:  the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival, Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge and sandhill cranes.

At my companion blog, Vickie's Sketchbook:  Sandhill Cranes and Art
Whooping cranes in watercolor, and America's Hooded Crane

The Delightful Limpkin

"Wait. What's that bird?" was all I could whisper, as my heart picked up a beat and the car came to a stop.   I suspected the answer before I heard it from Charlie Corbeil, local naturalist and my volunteer guide to the Viera Wetlands, Brevard County, FL.  "That's a Limpkin."

A brand new bird for me, I had seen my first one through binoculars two days earlier from far across the wetland.  Not expecting to get another opportunity, I was thrilled to find this one foraging near the road.

A wetland specialist that feeds almost entirely on Apple Snails and their eggs, Limpkin bills are especially adapted for this type of feeding.  Their beaks are not only long and curved, but they twist at the tip making them especially adept at extracting snails from their shells.  In fact, they are so adept, that they can extract a snail from its shell in less than 20 seconds!

Encasing of a Florida Apple Snail.

Here's how Sibley's Guide to Bird Life and Behavior describes this bill adaptation:  "About half an inch (1 cm) from the tip there is a distinct curve to the right, allowing it to fit into the right-hand curve of the snail's shell; the tip of the lower bill is twisted 90 degrees, with the sharpened edge fitting against the upper bill and used to cut the snail's operculum from its body.  In addition, the long tongue has a stiff, barbed tip that the bird presumably uses to extract the snail."

Limpkins forage both by sight and touch.  This one probed the mud in the shallows and sometimes submerged his/her entire head to reach prey, which may consist of mussels, other aquatic species and small reptiles when snails aren't prevalent.  

Designated as a Species of Special Concern in Florida, largely due to the decline of the Apple Snail, Limpkins were nearly extirpated in Florida in the 1930's due to hunting and the massive draining of wetlands.  Hunting, land development, poor water quality, human management of water levels and invasive species continue to pose threats to the Apple Snail and bird species, such as the Snail Kite and the Limpkin, who depend upon this snail for survival.

More images of this fun-to-know bird coming up and a finished sketchbook page.

Don't you wonder who discovers all these wonderful tidbits about the species we research?  They deserve our thanks and credit!  The author of the Limpkin section of The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior, pp 251-252, is George L. Armistead.  And, by the way, if you don't already have it, I highly recommend this fun and informative reference.

The above images were taken at the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Brevard County, Florida, with guide, photographer and Master Naturalist, Charlie Corbeil. Click the link and visit Charlie's beautiful photography.
Also visit the website of Master Naturalist, and photographer, Vince Lamb. Vince and Charlie were two of my guides while visiting Brevard County's beautiful places and wildlife during my January visit.
Also visit Space Coast Eco for informative descriptions of key natural areas and field trips for your visit to Brevard County. These excellent field trip posts are created by my Brevard County hostess, Marge Bell. You will also want to visit Space Coast Beach Buzz and FloridaBeachBasics for more visitor and wildlife information.

Visit Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival and mark the 2011 dates on your calendar.
And David McCree's festival reports at Blog the Beach will give you interesting information about the 2010 festival activities.
To view all my posts about Brevard County's Space Coast Birds and the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, click here.

Linked to Bird Photography Weekly #83, at Birdfreak.com to celebrate the conservation of our world's birds.

The Secret Lives of Ducks

Head-bobbing is a delightful nuptial display to witness. Two Blue-winged Teals are pictured below, the female on the left with her neck contracted, the male on the right with his neck stretched, alternating these movements in perfect rhythm. (Click images to enlarge).An instant later, the male stepped onto the female's back and she disappeared. It doesn't take a rocket-scientist to figure out what's happening here. "She's going to drown!" I heard myself say. Then came the quiet response from local naturalist, Charlie Corbeil, "Maybe she can hold her breath." Hummm. "Maybe...." I had to laugh at myself. The whole sequence spanned less than 60 seconds and was followed by the female's energetic bathing, wing-flapping and preening.Thus began my not-so-subtle introduction to the secret lives of ducks, one of several close-up encounters at Viera Wetlands with Charlie Corbeil, Master Naturalist and photographer. Then followed my field workshop with the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival two days later. Other than general recognition, I knew zero about ducks prior to my experiences in Brevard County, making it a special treat to view them along side experts.

Here we are, below, in the Space Coast Festival's field workshop, the "Secret Life of Ducks", on Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island NWR, ready to see some ducks.
And below is what we found--thousands of ducks along with an enormous collection of foraging wading birds (only partially represented in the photo), among them, an Eurasian Wigeon, Roseate Spoonbills, and my first look at American Avocets.
Our patient and knowledgeable instructors on this field adventure are pictured below, Bruce Anderson, front scope, and Murray Gardler, just behind and slightly forward, both delightful in their leadership, their enthusiasm and their patience.
Seeing a duck through a scope is not always easy. They move. And sometimes they disappear before you have a chance to spot them. And when they're resting and preening they are often in groups, meaning you have to sort through ducks to find the field marks for the one you're searching for. But what a triumph when you succeed. Not only is the 'whole world' waiting, but they celebrate with you--you, your duck-spotting buddies and two genuinely enthusiastic instructors, all of which made for a warm and gratifying experience.
Blue-winged Teal sketch in progress

I learned tons of interesting facts about ducks, too many to absorb all at once. But I will share one duck life secret with you. Have you ever considered how all those ducklings in a brood happen to hatch out at the same time so they can swim along with mom? The female lays her eggs over a period of days, but she doesn't begin incubation until every egg is laid. Hatch timing is determined by the number of days incubated rather than the date the egg is laid. Smart ducks!The top series of images were taken at the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands in Brevard County, Florida, with guide, photographer and Master Naturalist, Charlie Corbeil. Click the link and visit Charlie's beautiful photography.
Also visit the website of Master Naturalist, and photographer, Vince Lamb. Vince and Charlie were two of my guides while visiting Brevard County's beautiful places and wildlife during my January visit.
Visit Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival and mark the 2011 dates on your calendar.
And David McCree's festival reports at Blog the Beach will give you interesting information about the 2010 festival activities.
Also visit Space Coast Eco for informative descriptions of key natural areas and field trips for your visit to Brevard County. These excellent field trip posts are created by my Brevard County hostess, Marge Bell. You will also want to visit Space Coast Beach Buzz and FloridaBeachBasics for more visitor and wildlife information.
To view all my posts about Brevard County's Space Coast Birds and the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, click here.

Linked to Bird Photography Weekly #78, at Birdfreak.com to celebrate the conservation of our world's birds.

The KINGfisher that Keeps on Impressing

This wasn't the first time I'd seen a Belted Kingfisher, but it was the first time I had observed one in action. I photographed this male at the Viera Wetlands, in Brevard County, Florida. (Click images to enlarge.)
What I lack in lens power, I can sometimes overcome with my focus and ability to track a subject even when I can't see what's happening. And this always lends itself to surprises. But before I tell you more about this particular kingfisher, let me fast forward to two days later and a well-timed classroom presentation, "Kingfishers and their Allies", at the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival.
Meet Jeff Gordon, the presenter, bird tour leader, consultant, blogger and personable birding expert. As a fellow blogger, I know Jeff through the Nature Blog Network and have enjoyed his help with bird ID's on several occasions. It was a special treat for me to meet him in person at the festival, along with his wife, Liz.

Below is Jeff's photo of a female Belted Kingfisher, the more colorful gender in this species. The male lacks the rufous belly band.
Female Belted Kingfisher by Jeff Gordon

Besides introducing me to a whole class of beautiful kingfishers and related birds from around the world, Jeff's presentation was packed with fun facts and images of the Belted Kingfisher. As if burrowing in dirt banks to create a nest cavity for their young isn't curious enough, two more bits of information about these birds stood out for me--the interesting structure of their feet and their special style of preparing a meal.
Kingfishers have small, weak feet designed only for perching, similar in function to those of hummingbirds. In addition their toes have a curious syndactyl arrangement, a term meaning fused or webbed. A kingfisher's middle and outer toes are partially fused as shown in the sketch above in the lower right corner. Syndactyl toes, strong, coarse bills, and short, stocky necks are key body characteristics for this class of birds.The Belted Kingfisher is a specialized plunge diver whose primary food is fish. Spotting prey from a high perch, he dives and plunges to capture prey, sometimes hovering prior to the plunge. He then carries his prey to a perch. The size of the fish doesn't seem to matter. Besides having special enzymes in his throat to begin digestion as he swallows, the kingfisher pounds his prey against the perch, "Blam, blam, blam!", as Jeff so aptly put it, a behavior that both kills the prey and 'tenderizes' it for swallowing.Armed with all this new information, I returned to Tennessee and, for the first time, browsed through my kingfisher images. What a surprise. While following this male with my lens, hoping to capture some sort of sketchable image, I had no idea that I had witnessed a dive, nor that my subject had resurfaced with a fish. And look. There it is, just as Jeff described it. Blam, blam, blam!

And then it settled on me, the height of this kingfisher's perch, the speed with which he descended. To spot a fish moving underwater, dive with precision, plunge and come up with a fish, all in a matter of seconds--my awe of the Belted Kingfisher magnified in leaps.

One more fun tid bit--kingfishers teach their young to dive. When fledglings are ready to fish, parents drop dead fish in the water for their young to practice retrieving! Wouldn't that be a fun event to witness!

The Belted Kingfisher was one of the many species that I enjoyed while visiting the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands with guide, photographer and Master Naturalist, Charlie Corbeil during the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival.

Visit Jeff Gordon's blog and Flickr Albums to read more about Jeff's activities and view his excellent photography.

David McCree's festival reports at Blog the Beach will give you lots more news about the 2010 festival activities. Also visit Space Coast Eco for informative descriptions of key natural areas and field trips, and Space Coast Beach Buzz and FloridaBeachBasics for more Brevard County visitor and wildlife information.
To view all my posts about the fun I had while visiting Brevard County's Space Coast Birds and the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, click here.
And if you aren't familiar with the Nature Blog Network, visit the link to find the Top List in nature blogging.

Wood Stork--Sketching a Curious Face

While sketching this Wood Stork, I couldn't help but wonder what these facial characteristics were all about--scaly bald skin, all those wrinkles, that enormous beak. What is it about this bird's life style that makes these features so important?Though related to vultures who also have bald heads, carrion is not a typical food source for Wood Storks. They are primarily fish-eating birds that also eat crayfish, shrimp, reptiles and frogs, and even small mammals. Sibley's Guide to Bird Life and Behavior says the stork's feeding habits are the key to understanding these peculiar facial features.

Wood Storks are wading birds with a specialized type of foraging called tactile feeding or "grope feeding". They don't have to see their prey but rather can catch prey by dragging their open beak in shallow, murky water where prey is concentrated, snapping their bill shut when prey is contacted. This automatic trigger-like reflex is said to be the fastest movement of any known for vertebrates, clocked at 0.025 seconds.

Wood Storks walk as they forage, sometimes foraging in groups and raising their wings, maneuvers that help to stir prey movement. But it's the shallow, muddy water that holds the key to their baldness, according to Sibley. A bald head is easier to clean than a feathered one after muddy foraging.

The Wood Stork is an endangered species in North America. Though Wood Storks are found in other areas of the world, the North American population "plummeted from an estimated 150,000 individuals in the early 1900's to about 15,000 today." (Sibley) The single most dramatic impact has been disturbance of natural water level cycles in the Florida Everglades, an area that formerly supported the majority of our North American Wood Stork population.

Fortunately, the species has shifted some of its breeding activity to more northerly wetlands in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, but wetland preservation and close monitoring continue to be vital to the survival of this species.

I observed this particular Wood Stork at the Viera Wetlands, during my visit to Brevard County Florida and the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife festival in January. It was a thrill to view this bird at close range before he flew to rejoin his flock mates and showed me his pink feet! (Click image above to enlarge)

Wood Storks were one of the many species that I enjoyed while visiting the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands with guide, photographer and Master Naturalist, Charlie Corbeil.
You will find more about Wood Storks and related information by visiting the following links:

Audubon's Wood Stork --ecology and status; Audubon Everglades Preservation

Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival and David McCree's festival reports at Blog the Beach.

Visit Space Coast Eco for informative descriptions of key natural areas and field trips, and Space Coast Beach Buzz and FloridaBeachBasics for more Brevard County visitor and wildlife information.

Click this link to join current political action designed to help protect wetlands.

To read about my first encounter with Wood Storks, click here. And to view all my posts related to Space Coast Birds and the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, click here.

Linked to Bird Photography Weekly #77 at Birdfreak.com, to promote the conservation of our world's birds.

The Space Coast Birding Festival--Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands

This morning a storm system moved through central Florida, giving me a little down time to write a quick post. The past couple of days have been busy with orientation to Brevard County, FL, as I visit Florida's wintering birds and attend the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival.

Marge, of Space Coast Beach Buzz and FloridaBeachBasics, has been my gracious hostess, both making my visit here possible and especially enjoyable.

Yesterday I visited the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands at Viera with photographer and Master Naturalist, Charlie Corbeil. Charlie is pictured below (courtesy of Marge). Charlie's beautiful photo decorates the wetland's welcome sign. And here is a glimpse of just a few of the birds (and critters) we enjoyed at the wetlands. Above a Wood stork pauses before rejoining his flock mates. This was undoubtedly the closest I have ever been to one of these birds. I loved seeing all the details in the image. It will be fun to sketch this curious face! (Click on the images to enlarge.)

Below, a baby alligator rests on a pond lily.A Pied-billed Grebe, just up from a dive, feeds in the water along with thousands of other waterfowl. Beautiful American Anhingas, some nesting and posturing, others resting and preening, were perched or flying around--lots of them! A male is pictured below. Enlarge to get a better look at the green markings around his eyes.There were many other beautiful birds at the wetlands that I will show you a bit later. On Wednesday, the 27th, the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival will launch its activities full swing, bringing thousands of bird and nature lovers to Brevard County.

If you are attending the festival, visit Space Coast Eco for informative descriptions of key natural areas that are included in field trips, as well as directions and description of facilities. And to find reports on festival events, don't miss David's special Space Coast Festival Blog the Beach reports, including local weather conditions, event reports and all kinds of interesting festival news.