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Tiny kinglets, gnatcatchers lead the charge among spring’s returning birds

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Photo by Pixabay • The blue-gray gnatcatcher’s diminutive size belies its defiant attitude. These birds are intensely territorial and brooks no intruders.

The ruby-crowned kinglets, which passed through last fall in October and November, have returned, retracing their migratory path for the spring season and making their presence felt at my home with their jittery call notes and songs.

Most of the more recent returning birds have been on the smaller side. In addition to ruby-crowned kinglets, which arrived on April 1, I saw and heard a tiny blue-grey gnatcatcher on March 31.

As their name suggests, kinglets are tiny birds. In fact, about the only North American birds smaller than kinglets are some of the hummingbirds. The kinglets, known outside North America as “flamecrests” or “firecrests,” belong to the family, Regulidae, and the genus, Regulus. The family and genus names are derived from a Latin word, regulus, which means “rex,” or “king.” The name was apparently inspired by the colorful crown patches, often red, orange or gold, that resemble the royal “crowns” of kings. In addition to the two North American species, four other species of kinglets can be found in North Africa, Europe and Asia.

The gnatcatcher is also one of our smaller birds. I’ve always though that blue-gray gnatcatchers resemble a shrunken mockingbird. Like quarrelsome mockingbirds, gnatcatchers are noisy, scolding songbirds.

They are also determined to protect their nesting territories at all costs and will attack much larger birds. In North America, the gnatcatcher ranks in size with birds like kinglets and hummingbirds. Despite its diminutive status, the gnatcatcher acknowledges no superiors. According to the All About Birds website, blue-gray gnatcatchers are “fiercely territorial” and use vocal displays and postures to in intimidate other birds. They may chase a rival as far as 70 feet. If all this fails to deter an intruder, a gnatcatcher will escalate to midair confrontations.

Gnatcatchers don’t hesitate to call for reinforcements when warranted. With persistent squeaking they will drum up a brigade of feisty, feathered fighters to repel intrusions by potential predators too large for a gnatcatcher and its mate to handle on their own.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

There are two species of kinglets in North America.

Although similar in size and overall coloration, the ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglets are easily distinguished from each other. Side by side, the two North American kinglets are easy to identify. The golden-crowned kinglet has a striped facial pattern formed by bold black and white stripes. The ruby-crowned kinglet, on the other hand, has a bold white eye ring but no striping. The golden-crowned kinglet has an orange crown patch, while the ruby-crowned kinglet has a red crown patch that is, more often than not, kept concealed. Both sexes of the golden-crowned kinglet possess a yellow crown patch, but only the male ruby-crowned kinglet boasts a scarlet patch of feathers atop the head. Observers can expend a lot of energy trying to get a look at the crown patches, which are typically only displayed when the bird is agitated.

There are 17 species of gnatcatchers. Most of these species reside in Central and South America. Some of the other species found in North America include California gnatcatcher and black-capped gnatcatcher.

Kinglets are very active birds. If warblers can be described as energetic, the kinglets are downright frenetic in their activities. The kinglets almost never pause for long, flitting from branch to branch in trees and shrubs as they constantly flick their wings over their backs. These bursts of hyperactivity can make them difficult to observe. Although small in size, these birds more than compensate for it with a feisty spirit that does them well through the harsh winter months.

Gnatcatchers are also constantly on the move, flicking their tails and darting through the branches of trees just starting to put out new green leaves. They glean caterpillars and small insects from the undersides of leaves to help fuel their demanding metabolism.

Kinglets and gnatcatchers often join mixed flocks comprised of other species of birds, some of which are regular feeder visitors. Perhaps by observing their flock counterparts, some kinglets have learned to accept feeder fare such as suet, meal worms and chopped nuts. Away from feeders, kinglets mostly feed on a range of small insects and arachnids. Gnatcatchers are strictly eaters of insects, but while a feeder holds no attraction for them, their curious nature often makes these tiny bird quite approachable.

Normally, kinglets have a rather fleeting lifespan. These tiny birds can be considered old if they live three or four years. There are always exceptions. The oldest golden-crowned kinglet on record was six years and four months old. That individual, a male, was documented by a bird bander in 1976, according to the website All About Birds.

Likewise, gnatcatchers live brief lives. The oldest known blue-gray gnatcatcher was a male, and at least four years, two months old, when it was recaught at a banding station in Pennsylvania and rereleased, according to the All About Birds website.

•••

I’m still waiting for the smallest of the small to make its spring appearance. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are back, although I haven’t seen one yet. To share your first hummingbird sighting of spring, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

 

Bluebird sightings offer waves of happiness

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Photo by Bryan Stevens
A male Eastern Bluebird perched on playground equipment at Winged Deer Park in Johnson City.

Autumn seemed to get a late start this year, but once the season reached its peak we had so much beautiful color. The mountains looked gorgeous in gold, yellow, orange and magenta foliage blanketing the mountains beneath vibrant blue skies.

Turning from October to November, we’ve mostly been left with the birds that will stick with us through the remaining winter months. The white-throated sparrows returned on Halloween. I heard one of these talented sparrows singing from a brush pile on the evening of Oct. 31.

Other birds in the yard in recent days have included winter wren, ruby-crowned kinglet, red-bellied woodpecker and Eastern bluebirds.

I think of blue has a calm, soothing color, and that’s certainly the case with an Eastern bluebird. American essayist, poet and philosopher Henry David Thoreau described bluebirds as carrying the sky on their backs, which is an apt description.

The Eastern bluebird is usually a prominent bird in any season. These birds are yearlong residents in the region. They begin to scout for nesting locations as early as February, if not sooner.

Now until next spring, it will be easy to locate bluebirds on most sunny mornings. Bluebirds routinely shrug off the frost and cold that are part and parcel with the winter season. Male Eastern bluebirds will often produce their enthusiastic, warbling song even on the coldest days so long as the sun is shining brightly.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
The male Eastern Bluebird is beloved by many bird enthusiasts.

The Eastern bluebird is one of North America’s best-known cavity-nesting birds. About 85 species of North American birds use cavities in trees for nesting purposes. Cavity-nesting birds include ducks, such as buffleheads and wood ducks, as well as birds of prey such as Eastern screech-owls and American kestrels. Woodpeckers and nuthatches can excavate their own cavity in a dead or decaying tree.

Their dependence on cavities for nesting makes it easy to attract bluebirds. Putting up a couple of bird boxes constructed to their specific needs in open spaces will eventually attract these cavity-nesting birds.

Male Eastern bluebirds are a vibrant blue on the back and head, reddish brown on the breast and white on the belly. Females follow this same color pattern but are less brightly colored.

Most songbirds live brief lives, but there are always exceptions. The oldest recorded Eastern bluebird, according to the website All About Birds, was at least 10 years, 6 months old. This individual had been banded in New York in May 1989, and was found dead in South Carolina November 1999.

A profile of the Eastern bluebird on the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency website captures the essence of this beloved bird.

“The brilliant blue color of the male, the delightful call and familial behavior make the Eastern bluebird one of the most popular songbirds in Tennessee,” the profile reads. “It is a permanent resident, though some birds may move short distances south from their breeding areas to avoid very cold temperatures.”

The profile further points out that the Eastern bluebird is a small thrush, making it related to birds such as the American robin, the veery and the hermit thrush.

It’s not the only North American bluebird. The other two are the Western bluebird and the mountain bluebird. I enjoyed observations of the mountain bluebird during trips to Utah in 2003 and 2006.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A handsome male Eastern bluebird perches on a chain-link fence.

Unrelated “blue” birds in North America include the indigo bunting, blue grosbeak and lazuli bunting. Species such as the great blue heron and belted kingfisher show varying amounts of blue in their plumage.

For those interested in becoming bluebird landlords, check out nest box designs at the Tennessee Watchable Wildlife website. Several different nest box designs are available at the profile for the Eastern bluebird at tnwatchablewildlife.org.

If you’re not a do-it-yourself individuals, most lawn and garden centers, farm supply stores and speciality bird shops carry readymade bluebird boxes for purchase.

In addition to housing, food and water can be used to lure Eastern bluebirds closer. This bird doesn’t eat seeds, but it can be attracted with an offering of mealworms — live or freeze-dried – or commercially prepared peanut butter nuggets or suet cakes. A water feature in a yard is also a magnet for bluebirds and a variety of other bird species.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
The female Eastern Bluebird is not quite as brightly colored as her mate.

Column started 31 years ago with profile of juncos

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • A dark-eyed junco huddles inside a sheltered feeder during a winter snowstorm.

I published my first “Feathered Friends” on Sunday, Nov. 5, 1995.

That’s 31 years of writing about birds, birding and birders. In celebration of that milestone, here’s that first column with a few revisions that have been added over the years.

•••

Of all the birds associated with winter weather, few are as symbolic as the dark-eyed junco, or “snow bird.” The junco occurs in several geographic variations.

John V. Dennis, author of “A Complete Guide to Bird Feeding,” captures the essence of the junco in the following description: “Driving winds and swirling snow do not daunt this plucky bird. The coldest winter days see the junco as lively as ever and with a joie de vivre that bolsters our sagging spirits.”

The dark-eyed junco’s scientific name, hyemalis, is New Latin for “wintry,” an apt description of this bird.

Most people look forward to the spring return of some of our brilliant birds — warblers, tanagers and orioles — and I must admit that I also enjoy the arrival of these birds. The junco, in comparison to some of these species, is not in the same league. Nevertheless, the junco is handsome in its slate gray and white plumage, giving rise to the old saying “dark skies above, snow below.”

Just as neotropical migrants make long distance journeys twice a year, the junco is also a migrating species. But in Appalachia, the junco is a special type of migrant. Most people think of birds as “going south for the winter.” In a basic sense this is true. But some juncos do not undertake a long horizontal (the scientific term) migration from north to south. Instead, these birds merely move from high elevations, such as the spruce fir peaks, to the lower elevations. This type of migration is known as vertical migration. Other juncos, such as those that spend their breeding season in northern locales, do make a southern migration and, at times, even mix with the vertical migrants.

During the summer months, a visit to higher elevations mountaintops is almost guaranteed to produce sightings of dark-eyed juncos. Juncos may nest as many as three times in a season. A female junco usually lays three to six eggs for each nest, which she constructs without any assistance from her mate.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A dark-eyed junco visits a decorative feeder for a meal of sunflower seeds.

Juncos are usually in residence around my home by early November. Once they make themselves at home I can expect to play host to them until at least late April or early May of the following year. So, for at least six months, the snow bird is one of the most common and delightful feeder visitors a bird enthusiast could want.

Juncos flock to feeders where they are rather mild-mannered — except among themselves. There are definite pecking orders in a junco flock, and females are usually on the lower tiers of the hierarchy. Females can sometimes be distinguished from males because of their paler gray or even brown upper plumage.

Since juncos are primarily ground feeders they tend to shun hanging feeders. But one winter I observed a junco that had mastered perching on a hanging “pine cone” feeder to enjoy a suet and peanut butter mixture.

Dark-eyed juncos, widespread across North America, readily visit feeder but are often content to glean the scraps other birds knock to the ground. The junco is the most common species of bird to visit feeding stations. They will sample a variety of fare, but prefer such seeds as millet, cracked corn or black oil sunflower.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Dark-eyed junco nests on high mountain slopes during the summer month. This dark-eyed junco was photographed at Carver’s Gap on Roan Mountain during the summer nesting season.

The juncos are a small branch of the sparrow clan. Some of the other juncos include the endangered Guadalupe junco, yellow-eyed junco, Baird’s junco and volcano junco. The last one on the list is endemic to the Talamancan montane forests of Costa Rica and western Panama.

The endangered Guadalupe junco is confined to an island. Recent efforts to eliminate feral goats and cats from the island have shown some positive results for this species.

Baird’s junco is named for Spencer Fullerton Baird, an American ornithologist and naturalist. Baird served as secretary for the Smithsonian Institution from 1878 until his death in 1887. He greatly expanded the natural history collections of the Smithsonian from 6,000 specimens in 1850 to over two million by the time of his death.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this introduction to juncos. There’s something about winter that makes a junco’s dark and light garb an appropriate and even striking choice, particularly against a backdrop of newly fallen snow.

Of course, the real entertainment value of juncos comes from their frequent visits to our backyard feeders. When these birds flock to a feeder and begin a frenzied bout of feeding, I don’t even have to glance skyward or tune in the television weather forecast. I know what they know. Bad weather is on the way!

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I’ve not seen the first junco of the season, but it does usually take a wintry turn in the weather to bring these birds to feeders. If you’d like to share your first sighting this season of dark-eyed juncos, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

As always, the column is also a line of communication with fellow bird enthusiasts. I’ve enjoyed sharing stories about birds with countless readers over the past 31 years. I can also be reached on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ahoodedwarbler.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Dark-eyed juncos are often driven to feeders after a bout of wintry weather. 

 

Something to crow about: Corvus brachyrhynchos one smart bird

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Warren Bielenberg/NPS • An American crow perches on a fence post. These birds are considered remarkably intelligent by scientists.

There’s something rather autumnal about watching a flock of American crows glean the last scattered kernels of corn from a harvested field as one of the flock stands sentry and ready to utter the alarm with some guttural “caws” should anything potentially threatening appear on the scene.

Crows are such a part of the landscape that they would almost escape our notice if they didn’t come with centuries of accumulated baggage that makes us distrust them and suspect their every action.

American crows and their kin, albeit unfairly, have often been painted darkly because of their black plumage. These fascinating birds are worth a second look and not just during the Halloween season. While seeking birds far afield, I have occasionally spotted some innovative scarecrows standing guard in gardens and agricultural fields. I’m not sure if anyone still erects these human effigies for their original purpose of warding off crows and other feathered agricultural pests. These days, scarecrows likely serve an ornamental purpose and are often part of a yard’s whimsical Halloween or autumn decorations.

Photo by Bryan Stevens / A trio of American crows forages on a grassy lawn.

The crow, largely thanks to its glossy black feathers, but perhaps also with a nod to its avian intelligence, has long been associated with Halloween. Greeting cards and holiday decorations often feature depictions of bats, owls and black cats, as well as the inevitable crow and the accompanying scarecrow.

With a brain about as big as a man’s thumb, the crow is renowned among ornithologists and other scientists for its keen intelligence. Crows are not fooled for a second by the charade of a straw-stuffed, brainless friend of Dorothy propped in a field. I recently heard an expert refer to crows and their kin as “feathered apes” to emphasize their intelligence.

The intelligence of this bird has long been known. Early American naturalist William Bartram wrote about a crow named Tom in a highly entertaining essay titled “Anecdotes of an American Crow.” Bartram, who lived from 1739 to 1823, brought humorous observations and keen insight to his subject as he wrote about the joys — as well as tribulations — of living with Tom, a crow that enjoyed tormenting Bartram’s dog and purloining the writer’s spectacles and trying to hide them.

Photo by Bryan Stevens / Wary American crows survey their surroundings.

Bartram’s essay demonstrates that almost as soon as Europeans arrived in North America, some of those with a bent toward the natural world recognized the intelligence and amazing adaptability of the American crow. As well as writing about the natural world, Bartram earned widespread acclaim for his drawings of botanical and ornithological subjects. Tom, the featured crow in Bartram’s brief essay, certainly exhibited intelligence of an impressive degree. Not only did the crow steal his owner’s eyeglasses, he foiled Bartram’s first attempt to reclaim them. The story makes very humorous reading. To read Bartram’s account, visit http://www.geocities.ws/jswortham/crow.

What else have crows done down through the ages to gain such a dark and much undeserved reputation? It probably doesn’t help matters that a flock of crows is known as a “murder.” Ancient Greeks considered crows as omens, which often foretold death and other disasters. The warrior goddess known as the Morrighan from Celtic mythology often appears in the form of a crow or raven. She is also often portrayed as being accompanied by a group of these black-plumaged birds. Many Native American tribes revere crows as communicators between worlds. Crows have been documented using tools and solving problems, which shows an uncanny ability to analyze and strategize. The early Celtic people also noted and admired these traits in crows.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • An American crow harasses a soaring red-tailed hawk.

I think the Celts and Native tribes had the right idea. Crows are admirable birds for many reasons. For instance, they are very social birds, often forming family flocks. They may also form much larger flocks for the purpose of roosting. When nesting, this social behavior comes in useful for a mated pair. Offspring from previous successful nesting efforts often serve as helpers. In addition to gaining their own life experience on successful nesting and caring for chicks, these older siblings may protect the nest site from predators or even deliver food to fill hungry beaks and bellies.

While famous for their associations to humans and our agriculture, crows forage far beyond the cornfield for their food. Many crows scavenge road-killed wildlife, such as squirrels, opossums and rabbits. While they certainly don’t turn up their beaks at the notion of eating carrion, crows do so less often than birds such as turkey vultures, black vultures and the crow’s fellow corvid, the common raven.

Early naturalist and artist John James Audubon painted this American crow.

The kinship to the raven is evident, but even moderately experienced birders rarely confuse these similar species. The raven is a large bird with a heavy beak, a distinctive profile and a wedge-shaped tail. In a direct comparison with a raven, a crow looks downright puny. Both are members of the corvid family, which consists of 120 species including jays, rooks, magpies and jackdaws. Some of the world’s other crows include the descriptively named little crow, hooded crow, carrion crow, collared crow, long-billed crow and violet crow. While most of the world’s crows are thriving, the Hawaiian crow has been extinct in the wild since 2002, although the species still exists in captive-breeding programs in various zoos.

Thanks to its resourcefulness and intelligence, the crow is deserving of more respect and even admiration. The American crow is a uniquely American success story. If you’re looking to define crow, look more to Bartram’s story about Tom the crow and not the dark, misguided myths and legends about crows you may hear this Halloween. Long may the crows fly.

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Email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com to share sightings, ask questions or make comments.

Screech-owl call haunts autumn evenings

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Photo by Irene K-s/Pixabay.com
An Eastern screech owl keeps an eye on its surroundings.

I’ve enjoyed listening to frequent serenades from the Eastern screech-owls residing in the woods around my home. The small owl’s shivery wailing calls usually start around dusk and can continue at intervals throughout the night.

These small owls are not always content to wait for sunset. I’ve also heard “early bird” owls calling occasionally from shady wooded areas around my home. The owls tended to call more often during the daytime when conditions were overcast. I don’t even have to be outdoors to hear them. Om several recent evenings the calls of the local screech owls have drifted through the walls and windows as these small birds prowl the backyard.

I always pause and listen when I hear the wailing and haunting vocalizations of the screech-owls that make their home in the woodlands that surround my home. I’m glad to have this small owl as a neighbor, but I fully realize that owls have suffered from a dark reputation in certain corners. The fact is, unless you are a small rodent or some sort of insect-sized prey, the Eastern screech-owl makes an excellent addition to the neighborhood.

On the verge of Halloween, a closer look at this small owl is warranted. An adult Eastern screech-owl is usually only between six and nine inches in length. Many people upon first seeing a screech-owl assume it’s a baby owl. During past trips to Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina, I have enjoyed attending the daily educational programs conducted by the attraction’s zoo staff. These programs are designed to introduce visitors to various examples of native wildlife. The presenter usually introduced a couple of animals to the audience. On several occasions, the show featured birds of prey, including hawks and owls.

Ray Shrewsberry/Pixabay • A red phase Eastern screech-owl clutches at a branch.

Two of the shows during my visit to Brookgreen back in 2019 featured Lucy, an Eastern screech-owl, and people in the audience invariably asked if she was a baby owl. To their astonishment, they learned that Lucy was an adult screech-owl and unlikely to grow any bigger.

There are larger owls in our region, including the great horned owl and barred owl. Lucy and her kin must avoid these much larger owls, which would not scruple at making a meal of their much smaller relative.

Because of their small size, screech-owls prey on some comparatively small creatures, including insects, small rodents, amphibians, songbirds and reptiles. The Eastern screech-owl is also a cavity-nesting bird and will accept bird boxes provided by humans so long as the box’s entrance hole is customized to their size.

The screech-owl is the owl most likely to encounter human beings. It’s an adaptable little feathered predator, just as much at home in the backyard and garden as it is in parks and woodlands. In addition to nesting in cavities, this owl roosts in them during the daytime hours. Look for roosting screech-owls in knotholes of trees or in unoccupied wood duck boxes. Although they come in two color phases — red and gray — both variations are quite capable of camouflage. When perched or roosting, these small owls blend into their surroundings with remarkable preciseness.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
An Eastern Screech-Owl perches in the branches of an Eastern hemlock.

The Eastern screech-owl also produces a variety of odd wails and other vocalizations including a distinctive, trembling “whinny” call that is often made when the owl feels curious or alarmed. It’s a wavering, haunting call that is made after dark, most often at the hours closer to dawn and dusk. Imitating the call of a screech-owl or playing a recording is also a trick for getting some shy songbirds to show themselves. Screech-owls are not-so-welcome co-habitants among my yard’s songbirds, which will flock to this owl’s call and band together to “mob” the predator and try to convince it to depart the vicinity.

As small as the Eastern screech-owl is, the United States is home to several other pint-sized owls, including Western screech-owl, Northern pygmy-owl, Northern saw-whet owl, flammulated owl and elf owl, which at six inches tall and a weight of less than an ounce qualifies as the world’s smallest owl.

Any time I finish listening to a calling owl and go back indoors for the evening, I reflect on the fact that screech-owls make good neighbors. Their prey preferences remove many nuisance insects and rodents from the habitat they share with humans as well as other wildlife. If you’re hearing an odd, winnowing call from the edge of the woods at your own home, there’s a good chance that you have one of these small owls as a neighbor.

Keep alert for these small owls and their larger kin as we observe this year’s Halloween holiday, as well as other days and nights throughout the year.

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To learn more about birds and other topics from the natural world, friend Bryan Stevens on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ahoodedwarbler. He enjoys posting about local birds, wildlife, flowers, insects and much more. If you have a question, wish to make a comment or share a sighting, email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
An Eastern Screech-Owl at rest in a roosting hole in a large sycamore tree.

Fall Bird Count finds 121 species

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Photo by dbadry/Pixabay.com • Blue Jays often create food caches for acorns and other items. This jay is leaving a feeder with several peanuts thanks to an expandable esophagus.

The Elizabethton Bird Club’s 57th Fall Bird Count was held Saturday, Sept. 26. This long-running count includes the five-county area of Northeast Tennessee and is conducted by the Elizabethton Bird Club.

Parties fan out into the counties of Carter, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington to look for birds.

According to longtime compiler Rick Knight, there may have been some fall counts conducted before 1970, but he has found no record of them. Other counts date back to the 1940s.

This year 29 observers participated in 10 parties. The weather was pleasant. Counters tallied 121 species, which is slightly below the 30-year average of 124. The all-time high count was 137 species in 1993.

Counters found 21 species of warblers. Common birds included Canada goose (600), European starling (517), chimney swift, (457), blue jay (373), and American crow (365).

Photo by Bryan Stevens / A trio of American crows forages on a grassy lawn.

My party focused on Elizabethton along the Watauga River, as well as Holston Mountain and Wilbur Lake. To cover so much territory, we broke into smaller counting groups. My group focused on Elizabethton. Assisting me were Rob Armistead, Peyton Williams and Chris Soto. In addition, Chris’s sister, Dianna Lynne, counted birds at her feeders at home on Stoney Creek in Elizabethton.

Focused on Wilbur Lake and Lynn Valley in Elizabethton were Brookie and Jean Potter. David and Connie Irick focused on Holston Mountain.

I enjoyed the beautiful fall weather and the good birding company with my group.

The list:
Canada goose, 670; wood duck, 24; blue-winged teal, 6; mallard, 100; common merganser, 17; wild turkey, 20; and pied-billed grebe, 1.

Rock pigeon, 55; Eurasian collared-dove, 1; mourning dove, 229; yellow-billed cuckoo, 3; black-billed cuckoo, 2; chimney swift, 457; ruby-throated hummingbird, 32.

Sandhill crane, 1; killdeer 32; spotted sandpiper, 2; solitary sandpiper, 1; double-crested cormorant, 12; green heron, 5; great egret, 3; great blue heron, 32.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • An Eastern screech-owl perched in a hemlock tree.

Black vulture, 9; turkey vulture, 112; osprey, 13; sharp-shinned hawk, 4; Cooper’s hawk, 5; bald eagle, 4; red-shouldered hawk, 11; broad-winged hawk, 5; red-tailed hawk, 33; Eastern screech-owl, 22; great horned owl, 2; barred owl, 2.

Belted kingfisher, 24; red-headed woodpecker, 9; red-bellied woodpecker, 79; yellow-bellied sapsucker, 2; downy woodpecker, 44; hairy woodpecker, 9; Northern flicker, 61; pileated woodpecker, 34.

American kestrel, 19; merlin, 1; Eastern wood-pewee, 17; Eastern phoebe, 65; white-eyed vireo, 4; yellow-throated vireo, 3; blue-headed vireo, 14; Philadelphia vireo, 3; red-eyed vireo, 16.

Blue jay, 373; American crow, 365; fish crow, 2; common raven, 25; Carolina chickadee, 151; tufted titmouse, 135; tree swallow, 174; barn swallow, 33; cliff swallow, 5; ruby-crowned kinglet, 6; golden-crowned kinglet, 5; cedar waxwing 102.

Red-breasted nuthatch, 2; white-breasted nuthatch, 81; brown creeper, 1; blue-gray gnatcatcher, 5; Carolina wren, 140; house wren, 2; winter wren, 2.

Gray catbird, 61; brown thrasher, 22; Northern mockingbird, 77; European starling, 517; Eastern bluebird, 117; gray-cheeked thrush, 7; Swainson’s thrush, 33; hermit thrush, 2; wood thrush, 13; American robin, 101.

House sparrow, 21; house finch, 92; pine siskin, 2; American goldfinch, 154; chipping sparrow, 38; field sparrow, 4; dark-eyed junco, 34; Savannah sparrow, 1; song sparrow, 84; Eastern towhee, 43.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A total of 84 Song Sparrows, such as the one pictured here, was found during the recent Fall Bird Count.

Yellow-breasted chat, 1; Eastern meadowlark 21; red-winged blackbird 52; brown-headed cowbird 1; common grackle 5.

Ovenbird, 3; Northern waterthrush, 2; black-and-white warbler, 5; Tennessee warbler, 83; Nashville warbler, 1; common yellowthroat, 16; hooded warbler, 14; American redstart, 21; Cape May warbler, 33; Northern parula, 18; magnolia warbler, 32; bay-breasted warbler, 30; Blackburnian warbler, 7; yellow warbler, 3; chestnut-sided warbler, 8; black-throated blue warbler, 4; palm warbler, 32; pine warbler, 6; yellow-throated warbler, 5; black-throated green warbler, 15; Canada warbler, 2.

Scarlet tanager, 14; Northern cardinal, 139; rose-breasted grosbeak, 59; blue grosbeak, 2; and indigo bunting, 14.

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According to longtime count compiler Rick Knight, some count highlights included a fly-over sandhill crane in Limestone in Washington County, as well as two black-billed cuckoos, a merlin, three Philadelphia vireos, two fish crows and a yellow-breasted chat.

As always, some species got missed. Notable misses included ruffed grouse, common nighthawk and loggerhead shrike. “Shorebirds, blackbirds and sparrows were in short supply,” Knight noted.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds, birding and birders since 1995. Email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A young male Rose-breasted Grosbeak visits a feeder in September of 2013. Young males resemble females but show a splash of orange on the breast that will be replaced the following spring by the familiar rosy-red patch.

 

Free program at senior center to focus on North America’s wading birds

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • A great blue heron and a great egret patrol a tidal creek in South Carolina.

I’ll be presenting a free public program on wading birds and their kin for the Clinchfield Senior Adult Center in Erwin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14.

My main focus will fall on a family of birds known as waders, which include herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills and more. I will also discuss shorebirds, such as plovers, godwits, sandpipers and more, to a lesser degree. This will be a fully illustrated slide show featuring some of my own photography.

Egrets and herons are members of a family of birds known as Ardeidae. Our region is home to the great blue heron all 12 months of the year. This stately, long-legged bird can stand 4.5 feet tall but weighs no more than six pounds. The black-crowned night heron is a localized year-round resident in the region, making it much more difficult to locate than its larger relative.

Most other waders are summer residents or unexpected visitors in the region.

For example, the great egret is a graceful bird with white plumage, long legs and a sharp, yellow bill. It is smaller than the great blue heron. The great egret stands 3.3 feet tall and has a wingspan of 52 to 67 inches. On average, however, they weigh only about 2.2 pounds.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A large flock of Great Egrets flies over the Watauga River in Elizabethton.

These egrets nest in large colonies. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the colonial nesting habits of these birds made them particularly vulnerable to humans who slaughtered the birds in the millions to harvest their feathers for use in the fashion industry. The great egret and other wading birds were almost decimated in order to decorate fashionable hats for women.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A great blue heron at dusk on Fripp Island, South Carolina.

The National Audubon Society was founded in 1905, largely as an effort to combat the unregulated slaughter of birds like great egrets, snowy egrets and roseate spoonbills. Now, more than a century later, the great egret still serves as the official logo for the National Audubon Society.

The great egret has rebounded from those dark years. In fact, this bird now ranges as far north as southern Canada in appropriate wetland habitats. During spring and fall migration, great egrets also pass through northeast Tennessee. Look for them along rivers, lakes and on small farm ponds.

Wading birds also include a couple of oddballs, including wood stork, roseate spoonbill, limpkin and American bittern.

When I first set out on my birding adventure I wanted to see as many birds as possible. I was also motivated to check off at least one family of birds.

With North America’s wading birds, I was successful, although it took me 20 years to finally see all of this family of birds. I saw my last member of North America’s waders on June 11, 2016. While visiting Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina, I finally observed a least bittern.

I wasn’t actively looking to add any life birds to my list during that South Carolina trip, so the least bittern also represented a very pleasant surprise.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A Great Egret resting on a spit of land in a lake at Murphy Candler Park in Brookhaven, Ga.

The least bittern has been found by other birders in wetlands in southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee, but I’ve never been in the right place at the right time to find this bird closer to home. I have seen a few American bitterns, which are a larger relative of this diminutive member of the heron clan.

I didn’t have the same degree of difficulty adding an American bittern to my list. Years ago, while birding with Reece Jamerson, an American bittern emerged from vegetation at the edge of a ditch in a flooded pasture and proceeded to put on quite the show. To my eternal regret, that sighting predated my habit of always carrying a camera with me while birding.

I learned my lesson and began faithfully carrying a camera with me after that encounter. I hope some readers will come out to the free program on Oct. 14 and enjoy some of the photographs I have taken during 30 years of birding. I will also be talking about the different wading birds it’s possible to see in the region. This family of birds has some beautiful, graceful birds that tend to make observers take notice whether they’re seeing them in person or in a photograph.

The Clinchfield Senior Adult Center is located at 220 Union St., Erwin. For more information, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A great egret in the aviary at Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina.

Hooded warbler and kin good at avoiding attention

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Photo by Ariel Hernandez/Pixabay • A male hooded warbler prefers shaded habitats.

I have a love-hate relationship with fall. It’s my favorite season, but in the back of my mind I know it’s also the signal that winter’s icy grip is imminent. Autumn also signals the departure of some of my favorite birds, including ruby-throated hummingbirds, scarlet tanagers, red-eyed vireos and many species of warblers.

Many people would be astonished that warblers live among us for about six months of every year. Anyone in East Tennessee with property containing woodlands, thickets, meadows, as well as creeks and ponds, are likely neighbors for many species of breathtakingly beautiful warblers. Unless one makes some effort to specifically look for these birds, however, warblers can easily go unnoticed. They don’t come to feeders, so it’s up to their human neighbors to seek them out.

Many birders will hem and haw if asked to name their favorite bird. Not me. I’ll quickly let you know that the bird with that distinction is a small songbird known as the hooded warbler. I have plenty of other runners-up, but the hooded warbler has been my favorite since I first got into birding in the early 1990s.

Photo by Jean Potter • A male hooded warbler flits through the foliage of a rhododendron thicket.

Every time I behold a hooded warbler, I marvel at the bird’s exquisite appearance. The gold and green feathers seem to glow brightly in the dim light of the shadowy thickets of rhododendron where they prefer to lurk. The black hood and bib surrounding the male’s yellow face stands out by virtue of its stark contrast from the brighter feathers. Large coal-black eyes complete the effect. The appearance of the male bird provides this species with its common name. The female has an identical yellow-green coloration as the male, although she is slightly more drab. She lacks the black hood and bib, although older females may acquire some dark plumage on the head and around the face. Both sexes also show white tail feathers that they constantly fan and flick as they move about in thick vegetation and shrubbery.

Hooded warblers nest in the woodlands around my home. So, from the time my favorite warbler returns in April until the last individual departs in October, I enjoy regular glimpses of this colorful and interesting bird. Like all warblers, the hooded warbler is quite energetic, dashing after tiny insects in the branches of shrubs and trees. Hooded warblers often forage close to the ground, which makes observing them easier than for some of their treetop-dwelling kin.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A male hooded warbler grasps a perch during a fall migration stop.

According to the website All About Birds, male hooded warblers often return to the same breeding spot year after year. The website cites a seven-year study in Pennsylvania that determined that about 50% of banded males returned to the area to breed again. The study makes me think that some of the hooded warblers returning to my rhododendron thickets each spring are previous nesting birds or perhaps their descendants.

Bird-banding also has helped determine how long this species can live. According to All About Birds, the oldest recorded hooded warbler was a male, and at least 8 years, 1 month old when he was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in Louisiana in 2004. Most songbirds have short lifespans, so it’s wonderful that some of these tiny birds can reach such a ripe old age.

I know that every migrant passing through my yard at this time of year is making its way southward, and it will likely be another five to six months before I again see any of my favorite songbirds. The hooded warbler will make itself at home in the forests of Mexico, as well as in Belize, Costa Rica and other Central American nations, throughout the winter season. Most hooded warblers begin returning to their winter haunts as early as mid-September, but lingering individuals continue to entertain birders in the United States throughout October before they too head south.

To reach its wintering grounds, many hooded warblers take the same path preferred by ruby-throated hummingbirds and make a nonstop flight across the Gulf of Mexico. This incredible crossing brings these birds to the Yucatan. From there, they disperse to various points in Central America. That birds as small as hummingbirds and warblers make this incredible migration twice yearly is one of nature’s most phenomenal feats of endurance.

The warblers, also known as wood-warblers, are an exclusively New World family of birds, numbering approximately 116 species. About 50 of these species of warblers make their home in the eastern United States and Canada for the spring and summer, departing in the fall and returning to tropical wintering grounds. Some of them are extremely bright and colorful birds. The hooded warbler is rightfully ranked among the more brightly colored warblers.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A female hooded warbler is banded in an operation at Carver’s Gap in Roan Mountain, Tennessee.

The warblers are an incredible family of birds. I’ve seen all but a handful of the species that reside for part of the year in the eastern United States. I still want to see a Connecticut warbler and cerulean warbler, as well as the endangered Kirtland’s warbler of Michigan and the golden-cheeked warbler of Texas.

I’ll miss the warblers once fall migration has run its course. For those months they are here, the warblers belong to us. They seem like “our” birds. They’re only on loan, though.

Our other winter birds will offer some compensation in the absence of hooded warblers and most of their kin, but I’ll be eagerly awaiting that flash of gold from the recesses of a rhododendron thicket next April and the loud notes of “weeta-weeta-wee-Tee-o” that comprise the male hooded warbler’s easily recognized song.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds, birders and birding since 1995. Email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Eastern wood-pewee is pint-sized tyrant flycatcher

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Photo by USFWS • An Eastern wood-pewee perches on an exposed branch.

My annual fall warbler watching has not taken off yet. We’ve had hot days recently and not many weather fronts moving through the area that might push migrating warblers to make a stopover in my yard.

Even the warblers I have seen, such as a recent black-throated blue warbler, are species that nest in Northeast Tennessee, meaning they may or may not be migrating so much as lingering.

There are, however, still signs of migration. Ruby-throated hummingbird activity remains intense at both the feeders and the stands of blooming jewelweed around my home. I’ve been seeing everything from cedar waxwings and wild turkeys to red-eyed vireos and Eastern wood-pewee.

Photo by Hans Toom/Pixabay • An Eastern wood-pewee perches on a branch. These flycatchers are tireless at singing their name “pee-wee” during the summer season.

The latter species is a member of the family known as tyrant flycatchers. During the early summer months it’s easy to find Eastern wood-pewees. Head to this bird’s favored mid-elevation on local mountain slopes and you’re almost certain to hear its plaintive “pee-a-wee” whistle the gives the bird its common name. Their sheer dedication to singing their name repeatedly reminds me of the persistence of another champion summertime singer, the red-eyed vireo.

By early fall, however, Eastern wood-pewees fall mostly silent, but they seem to increase their profile as migrants perch on bare branches of open trees to frequently venture out to “flycatch” meals on the wing.

In appearance, the Eastern wood-pewee doesn’t have much to help it stand out. Like many of its relatives, it’s a plain bird with olive-brown to gray upper parts, a pale throat and a whitish belly. Some birds show a faint hint of an incomplete eye ring that looks more like a crescent at the back of the eye. Otherwise, unlike some relatives, the pewee lacks a prominent ring around its eyes.

The Eastern pewee looks like its head comes to a triangular peak, but this species is not truly crested like the related great crested flycatcher.

In diet, it lives up to its flycatcher family heritage, feeding on houseflies, mosquitoes, bees and wasps, winged ants, moths, stoneflies and mayflies. If insects are unavailable, they may feed on berries and seeds, but they are dedicated insectivores. They catch most of their food on the wing, sallying forth from their perches. If unsuccessful, they will swing back, land again and wait for another chance to strike.

The Eastern wood-pewee’s bill has a dark upper mandible and a yellowish lower mandible, a good way to separate the bird from other flycatchers.

Small songbirds are not known for longevity, but one Eastern wood-pewee was at least 8 years, 2 months old when it was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in Maryland in 2010. That was enough to rank the bird as the oldest documented member of its species, according to the website All About Birds.

Some practice will help observers tell an Eastern phoebe from an Eastern wood-pewee. Phoebes are slightly heavier than pewees, although they are close in overall body length. The pewee does not bob its tail at its perch, which is a habit that the phoebe does so reliably that that action alone can confirm its identity. The bills of these two birds provide another reliable way to distinguish them. Phoebes have an all-black bill, while pewees have a two-toned bill with a lighter lower mandible. It takes an observation with good lighting condition to detect this difference at times, but its a surefire way to confirm a visiting pewee’s identity.

Phoebes can rightfully be considered a backyard bird guest throughout the year, but autumn is the best season to get acquainted with the Eastern wood-pewee.

Stake out any trees with lofty bare limbs. Chances are a migrating Eastern wood-pewee will show up and lay a claim to this valuable real estate. For flycatchers, a good perch will help increase the odds their flycatching will be successful. Watching them on the hunt as they refuel to continue fall migration is always a source of reliable entertainment.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds, birding and birders since 1995. Email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

House finch origin story in region has unusual twist

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Photo by GeorgiaLens/Pizabay • A male house finch visits a feeder. Flocks of these small finches can become regular feeder visitors. Credit: GEORGIALENS/PIXABAY

I received an email from Unicoi residents Judy and Bill Beckman asking for a reason to explain a sudden absence in house finches at their feeders.

“For a number of weeks now, our house finches have disappeared from our feeders,” they wrote in the email. “They are usually the dominant number of birds. We do not recall this happening before. Any thoughts?”

I answered, explaining that the birds will probably return. Exactly when the finches decide to return to the couple’s yard is more problematic.

In fall and spring, even birds that don’t normally migrate get a bit restless. I suggested that the house finches could just be exploring somewhere else nearby.

My best guess is the finches they will return. As I explained in my answer, the Beckmans have probably provided a generous buffet for the birds. They will remember where the best free lunch is served.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A male house finch perched on a cable. These finches are native to the western United States but became established in the eastern states thanks to the illicit pet trade.

The house finch is an interesting species. Until the 1980s, this species was not present in Northeast Tennessee. Although this finch is a native North American bird, it is not truly native to the Eastern half of the continent. All the house finches in the Eastern United States are descended from captive birds released into the wild by dealers in the exotic bird trade.

About 1940, the house finch became established in the eastern United States. In violation of federal law, these small finches were being sold in New York City as pet birds described as “Hollywood Finches.” To avoid trouble with authorities, vendors and even some owners released their “Hollywood Finches” into the wild. Finding the area around New York City to their liking, house finches thrived spread. Within a few decades, they were common birds throughout the eastern United States, including Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina. The house finch had also been introduced into Hawaii about 1870, and is still present today, along with many other species of birds not native to the islands.

As the house finch claimed a new range, the species inevitably encountered the related purple finch. During the winter, both finches are often present at feeders in the region. When both are available for observation, bird enthusiasts should take advantage of the opportunity to compare and contrast these birds.

Personally, I have never had any difficulty distinguishing a purple finch from a house finch. The two species, at least in my eyes, are easily recognized. I can understand why some people might have trouble separating the two birds. The late Roger Tory Peterson once described the purple finch as a bird “dipped in raspberry juice.” Think about that imagery for a moment and you’ve got a good start to distinguishing a male purple finch from a male house finch.

Photo by Ray Shrewsberry • A male house finch perches on a branch. This bird species has been introduced into locations nature never meant for the bird to live.

The females of both species are a different matter. However, purple finch females have a more distinctive facial pattern and a heavier bill than do female house finches. With a little practice, it’s not difficult to identity these two species in the field. In Northeast Tennessee, house finches and purple finches are usually only present together during the winter months when purple finches occasionally flock to our feeders.

In their native range in the western United States, house finches have adapted to a range of habitats, including deserts, grassland, chaparral and open woods. Another related species in the Western United States is Cassin’s finch, which is a species found mostly in high-elevation regions dominated by tall evergreen or coniferous forests.

The house finch is an abundant bird. According to the Partners in Flight, there are an estimated 40 million house finches ranging across North America.

They have also proven resilient. House finches are susceptible to some contagious diseases, including Mycoplasma gallisepticum, a bacterium that causes chronic respiratory disease in chickens and infectious sinusitis in turkeys, chickens, game birds, pigeons and passerine birds. House finch populations in the Eastern United States crashed in the 1990s due to the epidemic prevalence of the bacteria. Their numbers have since stabilized, although the species remains vulnerable to infection from the bacteria. Infection with the bacteria often leads to conjunctivitis characterized by swollen, encrusted, nasal discharges, impaired vision and weight loss. Infected birds usually succumb to slow starvation or predation. House finch conjunctivitis is most frequent during colder months when birds congregate and flock to bird feeders. Anyone who fed birds during the 1990s likely witnessed the disease at their feeders.

They also proved to be a songbird susceptible to West Nile virus, but most house finches and other songbirds recover from this mosquito-borne disease. Crows, ravens and jays, however, are vulnerable to the disease.

Overall, although a strange twist of fate brought the house finch into Tennessee and other parts of the Eastern half of the nation, this bird has become a welcome visitor. Males have a cheery song and bright plumage. By all accounts, it’s also here to stay.

I’m going to have to keep a closer watch over my own feeders. I had a pair that visited regularly at the start of the summer season. It’s time to see if they’re back with a new generation of house finches.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds, birding and birders since 1995. Email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Despite fearsome look and Herculean size, native beetle is harmless and fascinating

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Bryan Stevens • This Eastern Hercules Beetle, observed and photographed 20 years ago, was photographed with a hand and a newspaper for a size comparison.

I’m continuing to celebrate my 30th year of bringing readers stories about things with wings. Usually the subjects of these columns have feathers, but that’s not always the case.

I’ve written about everything from minks and otters to butterflies and beetles.

As way of introduction of a rerun of a column from 2006, I saw my first Eastern Hercules Beetle in Erwin 20 years ago this month. Now, after a rather long gap, I’ve observed another, once again in Erwin and not far from the location where I saw the first one.

In fact, I found this one just outside The Erwin Record office on Gay Street. Unfortunately, this specimen was dead. The one in 2006 had been very much alive.

There are some other coincidences readers may notice as they read the column I wrote after my first sighting. The column ran in The Erwin Record on Sept. 12, 2006.

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Although my friend’s tone of voice sounded somewhat horrified, I felt only fascinated as I turned to look at the focus of his trepidation.

I had failed to notice the large beetle clinging to the brick wall at Erwin’s Flick Video. The creature, undeniably bizarre in appearance and rather sizable for a bug, kept me spellbound for a moment.

Fortunate to have my digital camera with me, I snapped numerous photographs of this large insect, fascinated by its size and appearance.

I made a quick identification of the insect as a “Rhinoceros beetle,” which turned out to be only partially correct. In fact, the insect belonged to an extensive family of beetle that does include various species of rhinoceros beetle, as well as the scarab beetles, which derive their fame from depictions in the art of ancient Egypt.

An Eastern Hercules Beetle can reach a length of 2.4 inches. This male was found in September of 2006 on an Erwin Record coin box at Flick Video.

After extensive online research, I revised my identification to Eastern Hercules Beetle – a true giant among our native bugs.

The Eastern Hercules Beetle is the largest beetle in the Southeastern United State. This big bug boasts an extensive family of closely related insects known by such names as rhinoceros beetle, unicorn beetle, horn beetle and horned beetle.

This insect’s scientific name is Dynastes tityus, placing it in a genus that contains only six other species.

For a bug, the Eastern Hercules Beetle is not without its appeal. The hard shell is olive-green with a pattern of brownish spots. When I showed photographs of the beetle to people, a few individuals likened it to a “spotted Easter egg with horns.”

The Eastern Hercules Beetle can reach a length of 2.4 inches. Only the male beetle sports the impressive horns. Female beetles are slightly smaller and lack horns. The male’s main horns extend from the front of the head, but they also sport two smaller horns on the thorax.

The horns are not merely for show. Male beetles are intolerant of each other and use their horns in combat to settle their differences. The horns are not mobile, however, and the beetle cannot bring the horns together to pinch a person.

The “horns” on this beetle are also not mouthparts. This bug does not bite. They may look fearsome, but they are completely harmless.

The size of the beetle’s horns is directly related to the amount of food the creature obtained during its larval form. The larval grubs of this beetle feed on nutrients available in rotting wood. For instance, they can often be located in fallen logs on the forest floor.

Bryan Stevens • This female Eastern Hercules Beetle was found dead on the sidewalk on Gay Street in Erwin, Tennessee, in September of 2026.

The huge beetle grubs are often tasty morsels for a variety of wildlife. Pileated woodpeckers will use their stout bills to chisel the grubs from fallen stumps and logs. Raccoons, opossums, skunks and snakes also hunt these grubs.

Some birds, including owls and crows, will eat the adult beetles. The adult beetles are not without some defensive measures. When threatened, they can release a foul-smelling to discourage predators. I might have hesitated to pick up the beetle I encountered if I’d known this fact at the time.

Like all insects, this beetle has six legs which are capable of gripping any surface with surprising tenacity. I encouraged considerable resistance when I attended to remove the beetle from a brick to which it had attached itself.

My research also indicated that the only way this beetle can injure a person would be by accidentally scratching someone with its spiky limbs.

These beetles are not often seen by people. This large beetle spends the daylight hours in hiding, becoming more active after dark. They can fly and are attracted to bright lights.

I count myself very fortunate to have been able to observe this usual creature for a few minutes and document my sighting with some photographs.

I readily admit most people would not consider an Eastern Hercules Beetle as “cute,” but surely only a person with a complete lack of imagination could stare into this bug’s beady little eyes and not find the bug to possess true character and personality.

I’m joking – sort of – and promise to return to the usual topic of our feathered friends in next week’s column.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds, birding, birders and on occasion, bugs, since 1995. Email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.