Monthly Archives: March 2025

Seasonal snipe hunts can be productive

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • A Wilson’s snipe forages on muddy ground in a wetland at Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina.

Have you ever gone on a wild goose chase? Perhaps you have memories of being taken on a snipe hunt?

If so, I don’t need to tell you that our feathered friends have inspired a lot of unusual sayings and activities. The snipe hunt is widely regarded as a rite of passage. I’m not sure if these “hunts” are still organized on moonless nights to pull a playful prank on unsuspecting or naive adolescents. The gist of this practical joke is that these would-be snipe hunters are given a bag or sack to use in capturing the supposedly elusive, perhaps mythical snipe.

The “snipe hunt” has also come to symbolize a lesson in futility since the target of the hunt is never found despite some diligent efforts. It’s all harmless fun, but what bothers me is that the tradition of the snipe hunt reinforces the mistaken idea that this elusive creature is a make-believe bird.

That’s not the case! I know of what I speak, having seen plenty of snipes over the years. There are some things about this unusual bird that makes it understandable how this creature became the focus of the long-running tradition of the snipe hunt.

The Wilson’s snipe is one of North America’s more elusive birds. It’s an aberrant shorebird that doesn’t exactly fit the mold of the birds any coastal visitor has probably seen running along the surf’s edge on a beach.

The snipe is an odd, gangly bird with long legs and an even more absurdly long bill. It’s also remarkably well camouflaged to blend with its preferred surroundings in flooded fields and wetland marshes. It is one of those shorebirds that usually makes its home far from beaches and the crash of the ocean’s surf.

So, to reiterate, there really is such a bird as a snipe. In fact, there are several species of snipes, although only one — Wilson’s snipe — can be found in Northeast Tennessee. Some of the world’s other 25 species of snipe include jack snipe, wood snipe, pintail snipe, noble snipe and imperial snipe. What makes the noble and imperial snipes worthy of such pretentious names isn’t quite clear.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • The Wilson’s snipe can blend well with wetland vegetation.

Any wet field or pasture may conceal hidden Wilson’s snipes during the spring. A few of these hardy shorebirds sometimes spend the winter in the region. Flushing a snipe from a tangle of grass right at your feet as you walk through a wet field always works to get the heart pumping faster.

The Wilson’s snipe uses its long bill to probe in the mud for prey, which can include earthworms, insects and other invertebrates.

Formerly known as the common snipe, the Wilson’s snipe nests in wetland habitats across Canada and the northern United States. The bird’s common name pays homage to Alexander Wilson, an early American ornithologist. In addition to his expertise on birds, Wilson was also a poet and an illustrator. He was born in Scotland in 1766, but he died at age 47 in 1813 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

I’ve located Wilson’s snipes in all of the Northeastern Tennessee counties. I still hold the record for most snipes seen at one time. I was birding in Johnson County with the late Wallace Coffey when we encountered a flock consisting of 126 Wilson’s snipes overrunning Quarry Bog in Shady Valley.

I’ve also observed this snipe in coastal South Carolina, including a close-range observation while visiting Huntington Beach State Park. My South Carolina birding over the years has yielded observations of other shorebirds, including willet, greater yellowlegs, black-bellied plover, short-billed dowitcher and Wilson’s plover, yet another shorebird named in honor of Wilson.

Looking back through my records helped resurface a memory of a fun trip back in 2003 to look for snipe and its even odder relative, the American woodcock. On Tuesday, March 11, I traveled with Tess Cumbie, Reece Jamerson and Howard Langridge to Johnson County’s Shady Valley. Our first stop at Quarry Bog yielded lots of red-winged blackbirds, Eastern meadowlarks and song sparrows. We also flushed about a dozen or so snipe. Other birds seen during our visit included a great blue heron, swamp sparrow, three common grackles, a wood duck and a flock of American robins.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Although only one species — Wilson’s snipe — can be found in Northeast Tennessee, there are 25 species of snipe found worldwide, including jack snipe, wood snipe, pintail snipe, noble snipe and imperial snipe.

We arrived at Orchard Bog to settle in before twilight with our hope for a show by the American woodcocks, also known by such names as bogsucker and timber doodle. Before the timberdoodles began their show, several wood ducks flew overhead and a flock of eight Canada geese splashed down in the bog. At least two American woodcocks began making their “peent” calls shortly before 7 p.m. Then one of the timberdoodles took to the air, giving a fine show in his display flight. The timberdoodles seemed to give anywhere between 18 to 34 “peent” calls before they would take to the air in a display that also let us hear the “twittering” feathers as they ascended and descended. When it got too dark to really see their flights, we left, but the timberdoodles were still “peenting” in the bog.

As spring advances in the region, many of these shorebirds will make migratory stops along the shores of lakes and rivers or by the edges of farm ponds. Look for snipes around puddles in flooded fields or even along the banks of small streams. The family of shorebirds is dazzling in its diversity, and they’re definitely worth seeking out.

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If you have a question, wish to make a comment or share a sighting, email ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Although not rare, Wilson’s snipes are not likely to be encountered unless people actively seek them out in their wetland habitats.

Phoebe’s return a signal other arrivals due soon

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An Eastern phoebe has returned to the woodlands around my home.

I’m not sure when the resident phoebes departed last fall. They were still prominent in their daily activities in late October and early November. I think they probably slipped off, unnoticed, around Thanksgiving. Some winters, a few Eastern phoebes linger throughout the cold months, often near an open source of water that’s unlikely to freeze.

With the arrival of March and warmer weather, at least one Eastern phoebe, a male, is back and singing tirelessly every morning. The song is easy to memorise. The singing bird simply repeats its name — fee bee, fee bee — in scratchy, descending sets of tones.

Considering the bright finery worn by some of the more colorful spring arrivals, Eastern phoebes are comparatively drab. The gray and white plumage of this species of flycatcher pales in comparison with vibrant birds like rose-breasted grosbeak, ruby-throated hummingbird, scarlet tanager and yellow warbler.

Nevertheless, this member of the flycatcher clan has earned itself a favorite spot in the hearts of many a birdwatcher. It’s one of those birds that even beginning birders find surprisingly easy to recognize and identify. While it may not have a dramatic plumage pattern to hint at its identity, the Eastern phoebe is quite at home around human dwellings and comes into close contact with people going about their daily routines. Rather tame — or at least not too bothered by close proximity with humans — the Eastern phoebe has one behavior that sets it apart from all the other similar flycatchers. When this bird lands on a perch, it cannot resist a vigorous bobbing of its tail. Every time that a phoebe lands on a perch, it will produce this easily recognized tail wag. It’s this tell-tale action that makes this bird almost instantly recognizable among birders with the knowledge of this behavioral trait.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A young Eastern Phoebe perches in the shelter of some branches.

The Eastern phoebe, known by the scientific name of Sayornis phoebe, has two relatives in the genus Sayornis. The genus is named after Thomas Say, an American naturalist. The Eastern phoebe’s close relatives include the black phoebe and Say’s phoebe. The black phoebe ranges throughout Oregon, Washington and California and as far south as Central and South America. As its name suggests, this bird has mostly black feathers instead of the gray plumage of its relatives. The Say’s phoebe, also named for the man who gave the genus its name, is the western counterpart to the Eastern phoebe.

Since they belong to the vast family of New World flycatchers, it’s probably no surprise that these phoebes feed largely on insects. That’s why phoebes overwintering in the region are always found near water. The open water also attracts flying insects. The birds will often perch patiently until an insect’s flight brings it within easy range. A quick flight from its perch usually allows the skillful bird to return with a morsel snatched on the wing. In the winter months, however, the Eastern phoebe also eats berries and other small fruit when insect scarcity makes this exclusive diet almost impossible.

Phoebes are fond of nesting on human structures, including culverts, bridges and houses. With the latter, they were once known for their habit of placing their nests under sheltering eaves. At my home, a pair of Eastern phoebes often chooses to nest on the wooden rafters in my family’s garage. Phoebes also like to reside near a water source, such as a creek, stream or pond.

Although the species is migratory, a few hardy individuals will usually try to tough out winters in the region. The others that depart in the autumn will migrate to the southern United States and as far south as Central America. On some rare occasions, Eastern phoebes have flown far off their usual course and ended up in western Europe. I can usually count on Eastern phoebes returning to my home in early March, making them one of the first migrants to return each year.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • An Eastern Phoebe perches in a mimosa tree.

This year, like the dependability of clockwork, I began hearing that easily recognized song on mornings during the first days of March when I walked to my car to depart for work. It’s due to their noisy nature that their arrival rarely goes unnoticed. Males tend to start singing persistently as soon as they arrive. I doubt it will take the male residing near my home long to attract a mate.

John James Audubon, an early naturalist and famed painter of North America’s birds, conducted an experiment with some young phoebes. His simple test represents the first-ever bird banding in the United States of America. His novel experiment, which he carried out in 1803, involved tying some silver thread to the legs of the phoebes he captured near his home in Pennsylvania. He wanted to answer a question he had about whether birds are faithful to home locations from year to year. The following year Audubon again captured two phoebes and found the silver thread had remained attached to their legs. Today ornithologists still conduct bird banding to gather information on birds and the mystery of their migrations.

So, that pair of phoebes that returned to your backyard this spring — they just might be the same ones that have spent past summer seasons providing you with an enlightening glimpse into their lives.

Over the past few years, I’ve had a pair of Eastern phoebes nest on the blades of a ceiling fan on my front porch. Other past nesting locations have included the rafters in my garage. If a pair happens to take up residence on your own front porch or in your garage, I hope you’ll welcome them. The pleasure of observing them raising their family will more than compensate for a slight mess and a few weeks of inconvenience.

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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 is always 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 ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Smallest of birds lead the spring migration charge

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • Welcoming back hummingbirds also involves making sure that they remain healthy and safe while spending the next six months in our yards and gardens. Readers are also invited to share the time and date of their first spring hummingbird arrivals.

 

We’ve reached the middle of March. Some of our favorite birds are on their way back to spend the warmer months with us. I’ve always been impressed that our smallest birds — ruby-throated hummingbird, blue-grey gnatcatcher and ruby-crowned kinglets — lead the charge in returning to the region after an absence of several months.

Of course, a few larger birds also tend to arrive early. The most prominent of these is probably the broad-winged hawk. These medium-sized raptors usually arrive in late March and early April.

But it’s the noisy and bold brigade of tiny birds that will capture our attention. By the end of March, the blue-grey gnatcatcher will be back, buzzing its zee-zee notes as it flits about branches budding with new green leaves. These tiny birds seem to time their arrival to coincide with the emergence of some of the first greenery of the season.

In the first days of April, ruby-throated hummingbirds will return, checking to see whether the feeders or a stand of early spring flowers are still in place.

Ruby-crowned kinglets, which make a similar passage in the fall, will transit through the region again in the spring as they make their way north to breeding grounds in spruce-fir forests in the northern regions of the United States and Canada.

These are not the only small “early birds.” Some other pint-sized songbirds that arrive in early spring include Louisiana waterthrush and yellow-throated warbler.

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 a demanding metabolism.

Photo Courtesy of Jean Potter • Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are tiny, energetic bundles of feathers.

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 birds quite approachable.

Normally, kinglets have a rather fleeting lifespan. They pay a price for their frantic, fast-paced lifestyles and 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 recaptured at a banding station in Pennsylvania and rereleased, according to the All About Birds website.

Of course, the smallest of the small is the ruby-throated hummingbird, which is officially the most diminutive of all birds found in the Eastern United States. This hummingbird is only 2.8 to 3.5 inches in length and weighs less than half an ounce.

The oldest known ruby-throated hummingbird, according to All About Birds, was a female, and at least 9 years, 2 months old when she was recaptured and rereleased in 2014 during banding operations in West Virginia.

The effort these tiny birds expend to return each year to entertain us during the warmer months is nothing short of extraordinary.

Information on the website for Perky Pet, which markets hummingbird feeders and other items for birds, describes the stages of spring migration. Once they respond to the urge to head north, most ruby-throated hummingbirds have reached Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula by February.

The jungles of the Yucatan are rich with food and these tiny birds begin to feast on insects as they prepare for one of the toughest migrations for any bird. The majority of these hummingbirds will make a nonstop crossing of the Gulf of Mexico. This epic journey can take them 18 to 22 hours to complete. Some individuals cross the Gulf as early as February, but most of these little birds will wait to cross in March. A month or so later, the first wave of these migrants have usually reached Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina.

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As always, I like to track the arrival dates of ruby-throated hummingbirds and appreciate readers sharing this information with me every spring. To share your first hummingbird sighting of spring, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com. Please provide the date and time of the bird’s arrival. Other details, such as whether the bird is a male or female, is also appreciated.

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

Projects can help welcome back spring arrivals

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Photo by Pixabay.com • A well-stocked feeder is a first step toward attracting more birds to your yard.

I’ve welcomed March with open arms. I know it’s too early to guarantee we’ve seen the last of winter, but I’m hopeful that the worst is behind us.

While birds don’t follow calendars, they are punctual, and thanks to their boundless energies, the grand spectacle of spring migration is already upon us. The pace will quicken in April and early May as many of our favorite summer birds, including species ranging from hummingbirds and warblers to swifts and swallows, wing their way back to the region.

Now is the time to conduct some spring tasks to make our feathered friends feel more welcome when they do return.

Place birdhouses

Many birds are cavity-nesting species, which means they utilize natural nooks and crannies as locations for nests. Nesting in a natural tree cavity or in a human-provided birdhouse offers an extra degree of security not available to birds that build traditional cup-shape nests, not to mention all the birds that simply lay their eggs right on the ground without going to much effort to construct an actual nest.

Some of the cavity-nesting species in the region that will readily accept quarters in a bird house include Carolina chickadee, Eastern bluebird, white-breasted nuthatch, tree swallow, tufted titmouse, great crested flycatcher, prothonotary warbler and house wren.

Cavity-nesting isn’t restricted to songbirds. Wood ducks, Eastern screech-owls and American kestrels will make use of birdhouses built to their unique specifications. Plans for constructing your own bird houses tailored to individual species can be found at various online sites. For those not as good with do-it-yourself projects, department stores, gardening centers and other other shops sell pre-made houses.

Clean your feeders

Frigid cold snaps brought birds flocking to our feeders. As returning birds mingle with lingering winter visitors at our feeders this spring, the chance of spreading disease will increase.

Now is definitely the time to be proactive, cleaning feeders and bird baths regularly and keeping alert to any sign that ill birds might be among the visiting flocks.

Cleaning need not be laborious. Fill a spray bottle with a dilute solution of bleach water. A good ratio is no more than 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. Remove feeders, give them a quick rinse, and then spritz them with the bleach solution. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry before refilling with seed for the birds.

Enhance brush piles

This past winter with its heavy snow and ice, as well as fierce winds, no doubt brought down many branches. When cleaning your yard of branches, consider adding them to an existing brush pile. I’ve long been a fan of keeping a brush pile in order to provide the resident songbirds with shelter and security from the elements, as well as from predators.

If you don’t have a brush pile, spring’s the perfect time to create one. If an unkempt pile of sticks offends your aesthetic sensibilities, tuck the brush pile into an obscure corner or locate it at the margins of the lawn or garden.

Personally, I like to locate brush piles near my busier feeders. A brush pile gives visiting birds a quick retreat if a predatory hawk arrives unexpectedly. For some birds, the need for dense cover is paramount.

Offering brush piles, as well as hedges and dense shrubbery, will help welcome visitors such as gray catbirds, Eastern towhees, brown thrashers and some sparrows. Wide, open spaces make many songbirds nervous.

Photo by Jean Potter • An American crow visits a bird bath.

Install water features

With a large fish pond, a flowing creek and a couple of mountain seeps on my property, I’ve never needed to introduce an additional water source. For those with properties that don’t offer ready access to water, adding an ornamental pool or fountain, or even a bird bath or artificial waterfall, will act as a magnet for many birds. American robins and cedar waxwings love a place to splish and splash, as well as take a refreshing sip. Migrating warblers, which for the most part ignore feeders, are almost magically drawn to water features. There is also something relaxing for the human psyche when it comes to water features.

Refurbish the landscape

Spring’s a great time to plan ahead. While a handout of sunflower seed is appreciated by many birds, there’s nothing that beats organic sources of food.

Add plants and trees to the landscape of your yard and garden with the express purpose of providing birds with seeds, fruits and berries. Most experts urge native plant varieties that meet the nutritional needs of many bird species.

Flowers can be chosen that provide that desired burst of color for an interval but then go on to produce fruit or seeds craved by many birds. Native flowers can also be planted that offer a natural source of nectar for ruby-throated hummingbirds. Do some homework. Some nurseries specialize in native plants.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A ruby-throated hummingbird visits a feeder for a sip of sugar water.

Get hummingbird feeders out early

Various websites track the annual spring return of hummingbirds. Journey North is one site that relies on citizen scientists to share their first sightings of this tiny, beloved bird.

The first reports of ruby-throated hummingbirds usually surface in early March along the Gulf Coast after these tiny birds make their incredible non-stop flight across the Gulf of Mexico. This arduous journey is their first step to returning points all across eastern North America for the spring and summer nesting season. Those first arrivals are still hundreds of miles away from Northeast Tennessee. There will always be “early birds” even among hummingbirds. Increase the likelihood of seeing one of these tiny gems by putting out a sugar water feeder soon. I’d encourage anyone hoping to attract these birds to have feeders ready for them by the last week of March.

Treat Yourself

Now is also the perfect time to indulge in a purchase that will enhance your enjoyment of the returning birds. If you have been wanting some new birding field guides, a new pair of binoculars, a new software app to help identify birds or a camera to let you document bird sightings with photographs, there’s no time like the present.

Welcome spring and the returning birds at the same time while ensuring maximum enjoyment of both.

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Bryan Stevens has written about birds and birding since 1995. Email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com to share a sighting, ask a question or make a comment.