Bird Parents and a Killdeer Ball of Fluff

I was headed out of my office tonight to go home.  As I was locking the door, a Northern Mockingbird flew toward me, squawked and landed on the step railing near me.  I said, "What?  Do you have a youngster out here somewhere?" (Yes, I do talk to birds.)

I looked around without moving and discovered a pristine juvenile sitting on the sidewalk, two feet away.  

Killdeer chick above.

The white edging of the juvenile's plumage was brilliant against pale gray feathers and when she looked up at me, her yellow gape was SO yellow.  I wondered if she had just fledged.  I stood without moving and coaxed, "You need to fly."   A few beats later, she flew to the holly with parent close behind.

Bird parents.  They are loyal, hard working, vigilant.

And that brings me to killdeer. Along with mockingbirds, this is a bird I have known and loved since childhood.  I first became acquainted with them in farm pastures, their loud cries on the wing unmistakable.  My latest encounter was last week in the grocery parking lot.  But it was not until my June visit to Brevard County, FL, on my way to the Pelican Island Overlook at Sebastian Inlet, that I actually witnessed the famous broken wing display.  Immediately, I was on the alert for young.  

And what we found (I was with Marge Bell and Jim Angy of Brevard County) was this little fluff ball, busily foraging on long legs.  If you enlarge the image below, you can see the webs on the chick's feet.  Though killdeer, a plover species, are found in many dry open places frequented by people, such as ball parks, gravel roads, abandoned fields and parking lots, they are also wetland birds.  And both the adults and juveniles are proficient swimmers.

But our visit with the juvenile was cut short by an unhappy parent who let out an ear-piercing alarm call.

She got our attention and the attention of the juvenile who immediately adopted a crouched, motionless posture and blended with the dead debris on the ground.

Nature at her best.

To see my previous posts on the Space Coast, Brevard County, FL click here

For more Brevard County Links visit:
Space Coast Beach Buzz
Jim Angy Photography
Space Coast Wildflowers

Linked to Bird Photography Weekly #99 at Birdfreak.com to promote the conservation of our world's birds.

And don't miss your chance to win a free copy of the 8th Edition of Simpson and Day's Field Guide to the Birds of Australia. Visit my book review and leave your comment before midnight (EDT) July 31st.  The Winner will be announced August 1st and receive their free copy directly from Penguin Australia.  Good luck!

Simpson & Day Field Guide to the Birds of Australia--A Review and Give-Away

The 8th edition of the Field Guide to the Birds of Australia by Ken Simpson and Nicolas Day has been completely revised and updated and is now available from Penguin Australia.  And I have the pleasure of offering this book free to one of my blog readers!

Bound with a durable soft cover, this guide's pages are packed with beautiful illustrations, key points of identification, species location maps, and alternative views to aid identification, all easily located within a two-page spread.   

Below, the species page spread for the Laughing Kookaburra (top left on the color plate).  

In the detail below, you can see a comparison between the Laughing Kookaburra and its close cousin, the Blue-winged Kookaburra.  Smaller illustrations compare the two birds' color patterns in flight.

As you move to the left of the page spread, you find a description of key plumage along with a location map.  Supplemental line illustrations give more ID clues showing postures, behavior and plumage variations.    

And if you need a refresher on just what constitutes this bird's 'open forest' habitat, there is a handy reference section in the back entitled, "Where the birds live", an illustrated key to all the habitats found in Australia.  Every field guide should have this feature!  Habitat is crucial information, important to learn right along with field marks.

Some of the other outstanding features of this guide:

• How to observe a bird
• Key to bird families
• Vagrant bird bulletin  
• Breeding information 
• Australian island territories checklists
• Hints for birdwatchers 
• A glossary of terms
• List of birdwatching and naturalists organizations
• List of recommended books to enhance your bird knowledge   

Of course, as an artist, my favorite part of the book is the visual species information found in the 132 beautifully illustrated full-color plates.

As a relative beginner, I loved the handy and practical 'Hints' section.  And as a person who always enjoys digging deeper, the glossary of terms and breeding section were both winners.  Designed for experienced birders, as well as, beginners, this field guide browses like eye candy, packs volumes of information in every page, and offers over 900 line drawings to give its user even more information in a snapshot.  A highly recommended addition to your field guide collection!

And now for the GIVE-AWAY!  
If you would like to win a free copy of this guide, all you have to do is write a note in the comments section of this blog post telling me why you're just the right person to receive a free copy of the 8th Edition of Simpson & Day's Field Guide to the Birds of Australia.  Enter your comment by midnight July 31st (EDT).  I will select the story that impresses me the most and announce the winner on August 1st.  The winner will receive their new field guide directly from the publisher, Penguin Australia.  

A June Slice of Florida's Space Coast

I've just spent a week with Marge Bell of Space Coast Beach Buzz in South Brevard County, Florida, exploring beaches, summer wetlands and inland meadows with naturalists in the area.  Among my activities, wildflower walks, exploring sunrise beaches, and guided moonlight walks to witness Loggerhead sea turtle nesting.   

White Ibis foraging at sunrise along a barrier island beach in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge   

Loblolly Bay blossom with assassin bugs at Wickham Park

Ghost crab blending with the sand at Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge.

Cricket on Pitcher Plant blossom in an inland meadow

A Limpkin among the Indian Blankets at Viera Wetlands

Sea Oats at sunrise

And this is just a preview.  More details on the nature I enjoyed during my visit coming up.    

Links and resources:

Space Coast Beach Buzz
Space Coast Eco
Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge
Wayne Matchett - Space Coast Wildflowers
Jim Angy Photography
Charlie Corbeil Photography
Vince Lamb Photography

To see posts from my January visit to Brevard County's Space Coast click here.

The Songs of Sugar Creek

When you participate in WV's New River Birding and Nature Festival where every day holds so much to see, it is hard to pick any day in the field that is your favorite.  Each day is packed with special memories.

Wild Geranium

But there were several birds on my last day at the festival (May 1st), plus some flowers and a special lunch spot, that made the Sugar Creek trip settle in my memory with special contentment.  You couldn't ask for better.

On the first day of the festival I learned a new bird song, "teacher, teacher, teacher", and it now rings in my head whenever I think of the Oven Bird (above and below).  I became acquainted with this bird back in Tennessee at our Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge banding station.  But this day I enjoyed an exceptional look on territory.  He landed on a limb and walked along its length just as if he were on the ground, then threw back his head and sang.

Further up the ridge, we stopped in an area that over-looked brushy habitat in search of a Kentucky Warbler.  This is truly the first time I've ever looked down to find a warbler. As our guide and host Geoffrey Heeter commented, "How often do you get to see the color of the tops of their heads?!" 
Kentucky Warbler

Geoff Heeter

There was reason to also scan the ground.  It was still early spring in the higher elevations and the woods were peppered with early spring flowers.  Below a Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

And right before taking our break for lunch, the song of a Swainson's Warbler, my second spectacular look at this illusive bird.  This male perched on a limb nearby and continued to sing.

Our river-side lunch spot.

I could have spent the rest of the afternoon sitting here with a sketchbook.

Below, left to right:  Mark Garland, one of our expert guides, with Steve Mattan, and Laura Hardy.

The best news about the New River Birding and Nature festival, it happens every year!  Mark these dates on your calendar for next year--May 2-7, 2011

Links:

Visit Jeffrey Gordon's blog to see his great images of a Swainson's Warbler

WV's New River Birding and Nature Festival

Opossum Creek Retreat

National Park Service, New River Gorge 

Mark S. Garland  

Laura Hardy - Somewhere in N J

Steve Mattan - Recycled Photons

To see all my posts on the New River Birding and Nature Festival click here.

Coming up:  A June Slice of Florida's Space Coast

Babcock Park and a Black-throated Green

Babcock State Park in Clifftop, WV, was my primary destination on day five of the New River Birding and Nature Festival (April 30th).  The Glade Creek Grist Mill greets you near the visitor's entrance, a mill constructed as a reproduction of the old Cooper's Mill that once ground grain on this creek before the park was established.  The Glade mill was assembled from a collection of other historic mills that once dotted the state.

  

The historic mill and the roaring sound and mist of Glade Creek forms a relaxing center piece for birdwatching and hikes in the park.  And right here at the visitor's center we were greeted by a pair of Black-throated Green Warblers, the male and the female, both busily foraging in a large evergreen near the parking lot.

The male found a worm as we watched.

And got it situated...

and in position for the big swallow.

And just as he was perching for departure, the female (below) popped into view.  Notice that she doesn't have the solid black under her throat, but white with a spattering of black markings on her upper breast.

Here's most of our group, with Connie Toops behind the camera...

pausing just before we took our delicious stroll along the creekside trail.  Plenty of other people were enjoying a day of fishing along the creek's shores.

Below, one of the many Black-and-White warblers we encountered.  This warbler was around us throughout the day and if we didn't see them, we could hear their song, a high- pitched "weesee weesee weesee".

The Black-and-White is known for its creeping like motions while foraging, similar to that of a nuthatch.  This one flew to a trunk beside me, foraged for a moment, then off again to another tree

More often, they hung out over our heads.

Below, two of our leaders for the day, Lynn Pollard (second from right) and Donna Hershberger (right).  Molly Daly is to the left with binoculars raised.  

And below, Connie Toops, one of our bird and botanical experts.

As we boarded the bus before departing this trip, Bill Thompson III stepped inside, "Hey, I want to go on this trip.  You're all chicks in here!  It's a Chick Trip".  I looked around, and yes, we were all females, including our bus driver.

I don't know if this helped account for the laid back nature of the day, or if I should credit the sun warming us to short sleeves, or simply the prevailing mood of field-day five, but our Babcock trip was a relaxing and charmed day of birding.

A patch of Bluets aka Quaker Ladies near the visitor's center.

Links:
Female Black-throated Green Warbler with sketch, my first sighting in TN
WV's New River Birding and Nature Festival
Opossum Creek Retreat
National Park Service, New River Gorge 
Babcock State Park
Connie Toops--Lost Cove Farm
Donna Hershberger--The Music of Nature
Molly Daly--The Catbird Seat
Bill Thompson, III- Bill of the Birds

Linked to Bird Photography Weekly #94 at Birdfreak.com to promote the conservation of our world's birds.

Cranberry Glades and a Porch Full of Bloggers

The 750 acre Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, located in the Monongahela National Forest, protects the largest area of bogs in West Virginia.  In the midst of these bogs, a magical boardwalk has been constructed to enable visitors like me to stroll through a portion of these bogs as easily as walking through a backyard garden.  Needless to say, curiosity about this habitat and its unique plants formed the highlight of this scenic trip.

Bogs are acidic wetlands more commonly found in the northern US and Canada.  These WV bogs are located 3400 ft. above sea level in a natural mountain bowl.  Historically they were influenced by the movement of glaciers 10,000 years ago.  While the glaciers didn't actually reach this area of West Virginia, many northern species of plants and animals migrated south and still remain here at there southern-most location.  One of these interesting plants is the carnivorous Purple Pitcher Plant pictured below.

The bog floor is covered with Sphagnum moss and beneath its surface, dead and decaying moss extends several feet, creating the sponginess that is characteristic of bogs.  The trail took us through open, tree-less areas as well as wooded areas where shallow-rooted Red Spruce, hemlock and yellow birch survive the wet conditions.  The same shallow root structure that aids their survival also makes the trees susceptible to winds.   Many fallen trees criss-cross open areas and in turn, nurse logs are formed to aid in the re-establishment of seedlings.

Marsh Marigold (above)

Bog Rosemary

I'm not sure what was more fun, the collection of unusual plants found in the bog, or the intimate moments with birds.  The first was a very vocal group of Ruby-crowned Kinglets (below), foraging and chattering at eye-level.  This was the first time I had heard this kind of kinglet interaction and I could have lingered for another hour just listening and watching.

A little further down the boardwalk we encountered this very cooperative Yellow-rumped Warbler (below).  While many birders seem to take this bird for granted, I counted seeing him at such close range among my satisfying warbler moments.  While he wasn't a new warbler for me, I more often see him in his duller (but still beautiful) fall plumage. To have this male catching insects and even singing at eye level was an exceptional treat.

And how many times do you get to see all three yellow patches visible in one pose?  (Don't miss the yellow spot on his head.)  An experience worth taking time to enjoy...

and time to sketch.

Below, a Skunk Cabbage in bloom...

and one of the few bog cranberries the birds and animals had not plucked!

Below, fellow blogger and bog explorer, Debbie Barnes, drops to her tummy on the boardwalk to get a close-up view of a violet.  There's actually a camera in those hands.

And at the very end of our tour, we enjoyed some good looks at an Eastern Comma butterfly near the parking area.  The name-sake comma marking is visible only when the butterfly's wings are closed.

As with each day at the New River Birding and Nature Festival, our day of exploring the glades was followed in the evening by a dinner gathering, presentation and a chance for everyone to compare their finds for the day.  And this particular day-end ritual had an extra perk, the arrival of blogger, writer, NPR commentator and artist, Julie Zickefoose, along with husband, Bill Thompson III, blogger and editor of Birder's Digest and the rest of their clan, Phoebe, Liam, and the infamous Chet Baker.  This was my first time to meet  them in person and it was great fun to enjoy their company and talents for the remainder of the festival.

Julie with Boston Terrier, Chet Baker

Our New River "Flock" of nature bloggers gathered on the porch for a photo opportunity.  Bill Thompson III was gracious enough to hold the camera.

Back, l to r:  Nina Harfman, Debbie Barnes, Murr Brewster, Kelly Little Orange, Julie Zickefoose, Phoebe Thompson, Front, l to r:  Vickie Henderson, Susan Kailholz-Williams, Sarah Stratton, Mary Moore Ferracci.

Links and Resources:
Cranberry Glades Nature Center
WV's New River Birding and Nature Festival
National Park Service, New River Gorge Website
Nina Harfman - Nature Remains
Debbie Barnes-DJB Photo Adventures
Murr Brewster-Murrmurrs
Kelly Little Orange-Kelly LittleOrangeGuy
Julie Zickefoose-Julie Zickefoose 
Susan Kailholz-Williams--Susan Gets Native
Sarah Stratton-Little Orange Guy
Mary Moore Ferracci- Mary's View
Bill Thompson, III- Bill of the Birds