Summer Birding

It is easy to dismiss birding in the Summer,  We know that the weather makes it difficult to want to suffer the heat and get out to bird.  It's hard on the birds, too.  The novice as well as the experienced birder knows the species above.  Yet, how much about this species and the family to which it belongs do we know.  So, my thought for today is that we should use the Summer to learn as much about the bird we see and not worry too much about the number of species seen.

Here goes...the first striking fact about the Greater Roadrunner is that it belongs to a family that is about as diverse as a family can be.  Other members of the Roadrunner's family are the Yellow Billed Cuckoo and the Black Billed Cuckoo and the Anis, the Grooved Billed and Smooth Billed.  Their looks and behaviors could not be more different. 

Second, all members of the family are zygodactyl having two toes in front and two in back.  Most of us think of woodpeckers when we think of toes being zygodactyl.  Now you have another group to add to those with that configuration.

Third, this family has members with weak legs, the anis and cuckoos.  However, the roadrunner has very strong, long legs and chooses to run rather than fly most often.  To illustrate,  I still have in my mind a strong vision from some 40 years ago the first time I ever saw a roadrunner take flight.  I had just come up on it as it was crossing a dirt road in SE Oklahoma when, to avoid my vehicle it spread its wings for a short flight to the top wire on a fence.

The Greater Roadrunner eats mainly lizards and snakes and is known as only one of the animals that will attack rattlesnakes. Sometimes they will pair to hunt the rattlers, one distracting the snake while the other grabs for the snake's head.  Then it is merely the bashing of the head against a rock to kill the snake.

Savannah Gold

One of our day trips while in Canada was to the town of Golden, BC, a small town on the west side of the Canadian Rockies and through which runs the Kicking Horse River.  There is a nature area straddling the Kicking Horse and it is to this we headed.  Harlequin Ducks were said to be found along several rivers on our trip, and I, having never seen one, made it our objective.  Alas, it would not be in the cards for us to find one.

However, we did have a good hike and saw quite a few species of animals and birds.  This Savannah Sparrow and others of its kind were singing from the fence line surrounding the landing strip of the area’s airport. At first, it sounded like a Grasshopper Sparrow and from a distance we thought it might be.  The closer we got, which enabled a good photographic opportunity, the more we doubted our first guess and now we settle on the Savannah.  The yellow lores, although faint, raised crown, and streaked breast with a central spot give it away.  The songs of these two species do sound remarkably similar.  However, the Savannah’s is richer, as I hear it, and drops lower on the final note.

More Summer Fun

 

It’s the Dog Days of Summer.  Still, there’s plenty of good birding to be had.  Just keep the birdbath clean and full and see what comes to call.  For instance, this female Painted Bunting made an appearance at a friend’s and posed for photos.

You might keep an ear peeled to the sky as well.  Friends and colleagues are reporting Uppies (Upland Sandpipers) overhead headed south.

So, don’t put away the binoculars or the camera.  And if you need some good optics, consider this.

Photographs by Bill Ravenscroft

Myiarchus

Surprise!  A bright summer day was made better and brighter when we noticed this Great Crested Flycatcher in the oaks on the edge of our property behaving as flycatchers do.  True to form, it would sit fairly high up, dart out and catch an insect and back to the perch.

This photograph was snapped (with more luck than skill on my part) just as the bird was shifting its perch.  Notice the upright posture characteristic of this group.  Bright yellow belly, gray head, throat and chest, large bill and rustic red tail—identifying marks of this flycatcher.

Summer birding can be fun.