Photo Courtesy of Jim Kroll • Cedar waxwings form large flocks that are capable of stripping berries off trees in a matter of hours when these hungry birds descend on berry-producing trees and shrubs.

Jim Kroll emailed me awhile back to share an observation he made when he and his wife visited Garden City, South Carolina. According to Jim, while riding their bicycles they had the good luck to see a flock of cedar waxwing feasting on berries in a large tree.

“This tree was probably 20 feet tall, and loaded with blue berries,” he wrote.

He also shared a photo of the flock. “There are around 30 waxwings plucking berries,” he said in describing the photo.

He estimated that the flock numbered well over 100 waxwings.

“They left the tree top several times, as if startled, but they would return within a minute and continue their feast,” Jim wrote. “The thing that first caught our attention as we rode under the tree, is that my wife noticed a lot of small pieces of green limbs laying in the road directly under the tree. We turned around to see why the road had so many green limbs and noticed the waxwing flock feasting.”

They made it a point to ride by the tree again on the following two days, hoping to see the waxwing flock again, but did not see them again.

They also discovered that no berries remained on the tree’s branches. The waxwings had consumed all of the berries.

“I looked at an article on the South Carolina Public Radio website that said this is the time of the year that waxwings were migrating south through South Carolina,” Jim wrote.

I replied to Jim’s email and shared an account of an observation I made several years ago at Erwin Fishery Park.

On that occasion, my mom and I watched a couple of mockingbirds wage a losing battle to keep a flock of at least 100 waxwings out of a holly tree laden with berries. The mockingbirds might chase off a dozen waxwings, but there were always a few dozen ready to swoop in and take their place. That tree, too, was stripped of berries. The next time I stopped by I could not detect a single berry still on the tree.

After I shared my waxwing story, Jim replied with some more observations.

“I can see the mockingbirds that you mentioned trying to protect their berry stash,” he wrote. “We regularly see mockingbirds, seemingly being aggressive.”

Jim said that he has also re-named blue jays that visit his bird feeders.

“I call them ‘bully birds’ because they swoop in intentionally trying to scare off the other birds at the feeder,” he wrote.

I thought it interesting that my brother, Mark, told me about a flock of waxwings that he and his wife, Amy, saw at their home in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. His story was similar to the one Jim shared.

Mark said a flock of waxwings arrived in his yard and swiftly stripped a berry-producing tree of its berries.

Waxwings have a brown and gray silky plumage, a black mask and a perky crest. Some of the wing feathers show red tips. The similarity of these wing tips to melted drops of wax gives these birds the common name of waxwing.

The cedar waxwing has few relatives. Worldwide, there are only two other species: the Bohemian waxwing, of the northern forests of Eurasia and North America; and the Japanese waxwing, found in such northeast Asian countries as Japan, Korea and China.

Although it’s classified as a songbird, the cedar waxwing doesn’t truly produce a vocalization that anyone would contend qualifies as a song. They are, however, very vocal birds, producing shrill, high-pitched notes as they pass through the upper branches of tall trees.

As much as the waxwing has a fondness for fruit, it’s also a bird that would have made an excellent flycatcher. Flocks of these birds will often congregate in trees near the edge of a pond, garden or yard — anywhere winged insects might be found in good numbers — in order to hawk insects on the wing. A waxwing will sally forth from a branch, snatch its prey in mid-air, and return to its perch for a quick snack.

Waxwings are rather nomadic, coming and going with a maddening unpredictability.

Other birds are more dependable, arriving and departing at roughly the same time year after year.

Over the next few weeks, we can expect the spring arrivals of a vast variety of birds. To share a sighting, make a comment or ask a question, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • The waxy tips to the wing feathers are evident in this photograph of a cedar waxwing.

Photo by Howard Walsh/Pixabay * A male red-winged blackbird guards his territory in the spring while attracting potential mates.

If it is March or April in Northeast Tennessee or Southwest Virginia or Western North Carolina, for that matter, some birds are making their return after a season-long absence.

On one recent morning, a loud, familiar “kon-ke-ree” sounded from the tops of the cypress trees at the fish pond. In an instant, I realized that the resident male red-winged blackbird was back for another nesting season.

Red-winged blackbirds return yearly every March and begin to seek out nesting habitat in local wetland areas, such as the cattail marshes near my fish pond.

Last year, my first returning male red-winged blackbird arrived on the evening of March 3. This year, the first red-winged blackbird arrived on the morning of March 6. I heard his unmistakable song from inside my house.

The showy and loud red-winged blackbird male that’s once again taken up residence at my fish pond and adjacent stands of cattails has made himself right at home.

Male blackbirds arrive ahead of the females. My recent spring arrival perches daily in the willows and cypresses by the pond and has been singing every day since his return, but he’s still waiting for his intended audience to arrive. Female blackbirds lag a week or so behind the males in returning to their familiar territory.

Any wet field or marsh, especially those offering a stand of cattails, is almost certain to attract red-winged blackbirds at this time of year. I’d almost wager on that certainty.

The blackbirds arriving in spring behave much differently than the quiet, furtive flocks that often make brief visits to feeders during late winter snowstorms.

“The kon-ke-ree song of the male red-winged blackbird is a sure indication that spring is on the way,” according to a profile located at the Tennessee Watchable Wildlife website.

At this time of year, the male red-winged blackbirds seek elevated perches to display and vocalize. Their loud antics are not designed solely to attract mates. Male red-winged blackbirds also sing to warn rival males from intruding into their territories.

The male red-winged blackbird is a very aptly named bird. Glossy black males sport red wing patches that are often trimmed with a narrow band of yellow feathers. By contrast, female red-winged blackbirds are mostly brown birds that could easily be mistaken for large sparrows. Both sexes have sharply pointed bills.

Red-winged blackbirds are fond of wetlands. Any marsh or even a damp field or flooded pasture is likely to attract a few resident red-winged blackbirds. Females choose nesting locations in cattails or other marsh vegetation. She usually lays three or four eggs. Although she does receive some help from the male, most of the responsibility for raising the young is left to her.

There is a reason that male red-winged blackbirds are not always quite as engaged as females in feeding and tending their young. Males are often polygynous, which means that males will often court multiple mates. His time is often occupied defending females and their respective nests from the advances of other male red-winged blackbirds.

According to the website All About Birds, male red-winged blackbirds spend much of the breeding season sitting on a high perch over their territories and singing almost without ceasing from dawn to dusk.

The website also notes that female blackbirds shirk the high profile of the males. They tend to skulk in wetland vegetation as they collect food or nest material.

Both males and females defend nests from intruders and predators. They take this duty quite seriously, as I know personally from being dive-bombed by parent blackbirds when I have gotten a little too close to their nests.

Other relatives of the red-winged blackbird in the United States include the tricolored blackbird found along the Pacific Coast and the yellow-headed blackbird resident in wetlands west of the Great Lakes. Rusty blackbird, common grackle and brown-headed cowbird are other species of blackbirds found in Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina.

Share a sighting, ask a question or make a comment by emailing me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Female red-winged blackbirds lack the splashy plumage of males.

Photo by Hans Toom/Pixabay • Hermit thrushes, such as this individual, are winter visitors to the region. The hermit thrush is related to other members of the thrush family, including Eastern bluebird, American robin and wood thrush.

Carol Garland of Unicoi contacted me via Facebook Messenger about my recent column in the Johnson City Press about bluebirds.

“I have several bluebirds in my yard this year,” Carol wrote in her message.  “I have had a couple maybe every year, but this fall I saw eight on a bush in my yard.”

She described the bush as having purplish berries.

“Bless them, they cleaned it, and I was so glad to have something they could eat,” she continued.  “I don’t know what kind it is but wondered if you would have any idea.”

I suggested that the bush might likely be either a privet, if the berries are very dark purple to almost black, or a beautyberry if the berries are a brighter, almost orchid-like purple.

Most privet plants produce masses of purple-black berries which are fairly popular with birds that spread the seeds widely. Similarly, American beautyberry, also known as French mulberry, produces large clusters of bright purple berries, which birds and deer eat, thus distributing the seeds.

Carol also asked if I knew where she could buy live meal worms for her bluebirds.

“I am going to see if I can get a couple of houses for them, but they must have some places around because they have been here most of the winter,” she added.

For mealworms, I suggested that Carol contact the Wild Birds Unlimited store on W. Market Street in Johnson City. Gardening centers might also be a likely source for either live or freeze-dried mealworms. Searching online would likely provide plenty of possibilities for acquiring this favorite protein source for bluebirds.

Eastern bluebirds are a member of the thrush family of birds, which consists of several species fond of both insects and fruit.

I also heard from Susan Peters of Elizabethton on the subject of bluebirds and other thrushes.

“I really enjoyed your bluebird column, as I am sure so many others did,” Susan wrote in an email to me. “It prompted me to check that my bluebird houses were clean and free of other occupancies.”

She added that she has seen bluebirds in her birdbath with a bit of snow on the edges of the bath. She added that she has a heater in the bath to keep the water thawed during cold spells.

“They are a wonderful winter sight,” she wrote.

“I was wondering if you thought it was possible for a hermit thrush to be in my yard under the feeders,” she also queried. “My identification skills are purely amateur, but in checking my Peterson books, I think I saw one for several days.”

She described the bird as a bit smaller than a wood thrush with a bit more olive color, a white eyering and showing spots/stripes on its breast.

“I really thought the thrushes were migratory,” she wrote.

In a reply I explained that most thrushes are migratory. In a sense, even the hermit thrush, a winter resident in the region, is migratory. It simply migrates to the area from the more northern locations that provide breeding habitat for the species.

According to Tennessee Watchable Wildlife on the website of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the hermit thrush is primarily a winter visitor to Tennessee arriving in early October and departing by late April. The same holds true for western North Carolina and southwest Virginia.

The entry at Tennessee Watchable Wildlife describes this thrush as a quiet, unobtrusive bird spending most of its time foraging in the leaf litter or in berry-filled tangles at the forest edge.

Susan described seeing the thrush as a real treat.

“The hermit thrush was my mother’s favorite bird,” she wrote.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A hermit thrush perches on a fence in March in South Carolina. These thrushes are winter residents in much of the eastern United States.

Susan wrote that her mother always called the hermit and wood thrushes “deedle-deedle” birds because of their calls.

“My hermit thrush visits under the feeders almost every morning,” she wrote in a followup email. “What a treat. Thanks again for the confirmation.”

To share sightings, ask questions or make comments, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • People are invited to count birds during a four-day period as part of the 2023 Great Backyard Bird Count taking place from Friday, Feb. 17 through Monday, Feb. 20. Participants will have an opportunity to look for birds, such as this pileated woodpecker, and report their findings.

The 2023 Great Backyard Bird Count will be held Friday, Feb. 17, through Monday, Feb. 20. This year’s GBBC will mark the 26th anniversary of this annual survey that utilizes citizen science to obtain valuable information about the world’s bird populations.

It’s easy to take part. Simply watch the feeders in your own yard or visit a favored birding spot. For instance, participants could choose to count in Persimmon Ridge Park in Jonesborough, Osceola Island Recreation Area in Bristol, Fishery Park in Erwin, Winged Deer Park in Johnson City, Orchard Bog in Shady Valley, Lake Lure in McDowell County, North Carolina or any other personal favorite birding location.
For details on how to report results of your co

unt, please visit http://www.birdcount.org and click the “Participate” menu button.
It really is as simple as counting all the birds you see and submitting your personal checklist.

Since 2013, the GBBC has been a global effort, allowing birders around the world to take part. Participants in 2015 observed almost half of the world’s known bird species, and that effort was surpassed the next year. Momentum has built ever since.

Last year, GBBC participants identified 7,099 species of birds. When you consider that scientists estimate between 9,000 to 10,000 different species of birds throughout the world, that’s a lot of coverage that the GBBC provides each year.
The GBBC is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society with partner Bird Studies Canada. With its global perspective, a great many exotic bird species are now tallied on the annual GBBC, but the survey remains firmly established as a grassroots effort to compile data crucial for the conservation of the world’s beloved birds. The information gathered by tens of thousands of volunteers helps track the health of bird populations at a scale that would not otherwise be possible.

It’s incredibly easy to take part in the GBBC. Anyone anywhere in the world can count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the four-day count period and enter their sightings at http://www.BirdCount.org. There’s no charge or fee for taking part in the GBBC, which is a fun way to observe a variety of birds. Thanks to the flexible count criteria, it is also an easy way to make a contribution to science. The data delivered by the thousands of participants is now collected and compiled by the website ebird.org.

In 2022, the GBBC continued this impressive effort. Here are some interesting tidbits from last year’s survey:
• 7,099 species of birds identified.
• 192 participating countries.
• 359,479 eBird checklists.
• 298,208 Merlin Bird IDs.
• 141,990 photos added to Macaulay Library.
• 384,641 estimated global participants.
The United States had the highest number of checklists with more than 234,000 checklists submitted from all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. California led all states with 20,191 checklists submitted. New York, Texas and Florida rounded out the top tier.

North Carolina birders helped their state rank 6th with 9,926 checklists submitted. Virginia birders can be proud that their commonwealth ranked 7th with 9,469 checklists submitted. Tennessee didn’t fare too poorly. The Volunteer State ranked 23rd with 4,074 checklists submitted.
Internationally, people living in the nations of India and Canada submitted a lot of checklists.

Over my years taking part in the GBBC, I have counted many interesting and unexpected birds, including green-winged teal, Ross’s goose, snow goose, red-shouldered hawk and Cooper’s hawk.

This year’s GBBC will be held over a four-day period, starting on Friday, Feb. 17, and continuing through Monday, Feb. 20.

Participants can count alone or join with groups of fellow birders. Those taking part in the GBBC are invited to count in as many locations as they like. The reported results will help create a real-time snapshot of where birds are distributed during the winter months. Visit http://www.birdcount.org for more details on how to take part in the 2023 GBBC.

Circle these dates on your calendar and get ready to go count birds.

•••••

To share a sighting, make a comment or ask a question, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Naser Mojtahed/USFWS • An American kestrel perches on a pole. These small falcons are present throughout the year in the region, but their numbers typically increase during the winter months when individuals from farther north migrate into the area.

The year’s still young, but I am amassing some interesting bird sightings. My very first birds of 2023 were a common raven (heard) and a red-shouldered hawk (seen) at my home on the morning of Jan. 1.

I heard the raven croaking raucously on the ridge behind my home. When I stepped onto my front porch, I startled the red-shouldered hawk from a perch at a willow growing near my fish pond. Since those sightings, I’ve added additional birds, including American kestrel, to my year list.

I’ve observed kestrels at a couple of locations, including one that favors the utility lines along Highway 107 near Bell Cemetery in Limestone Cove and another one that I’ve seen perching on power lines near Rolling Hills between Unicoi and Erwin.
The American kestrel is a small member of the falcon family, which includes such relatives as merlin, peregrine falcon and gyrfalcon. All falcons, regardless of size, share a similar aerodynamic design that includes sleek, streamlined bodies and long, slim wings which taper to pointed tips. They fly with rapid wingbeats and are capable of swift flight.

The American kestrel, although present throughout the year in the region, is somewhat more prominent during the winter months when kestrels from farther north migrate into the region. However, this falcon also nests in the region and can be found at any time of the year in suitable habitat, which is usually open countryside.

The male American kestrel is a colorful bird. He shows a rusty back with some black barring, a rusty tail and steel blue-gray wings. The female kestrel is brownish with black barring on her back and tail. She also shows a buff-colored wash streaked with brown on her under- parts. Both sexes show a strong facial pattern marked by two black “sideburns” on the side of the face.

The American kestrel has long been one of my favorite raptors. They’re seldom as skittish as many other raptors and will permit close observation. Formerly known by the name “Sparrow Hawk,” the American kestrel does not feed entirely on other birds. In fact, a large part of this small falcon’s diet includes rodents and insects.
The kestrel is one of the birds I remember from my childhood “Golden Guide to Birds” book. Raptors are not normally regarded as colorful birds, but the paintings in these little books perfect for child-sized hands showed a beautiful bird with different hues visible in its plumage.

Like many raptors, the American kestrel likes to hunt from a perch, swooping down on unsuspecting prey. The kestrel, however, is also capable of hovering, a type of flight that only a relatively few birds, including the belted kingfisher and the ruby-throated hummingbird, are capable of performing.

In its nesting preference, the American kestrel is unusual among other native falcons and hawks. Kestrels nest in cavities, including abandoned woodpecker holes and nest boxes provided by humans.

The falcons comprise a family of birds with a long history with humans. The sport of falconry, although not as widely practiced today, long ago became associated with royalty and nobility. In fact, falconry has been called “the sport of kings.” The sport basically involved hunting prey, usually other birds, with birds of prey such as falcons. As a pastime, falconry never became as popular in the United States as in other parts of the world.

There are more than 60 species of falcons found worldwide. While the peregrine falcon’s endangered status became well-known in the United States, other falcons have been threatened with extinction. The Mauritius Kestrel once dwindled to a population of only six individuals. Today, the population, due to intensive human effort, has greatly recovered.

Other members of the falcon family can be found in the region, including the peregrine falcon and the merlin. Other falcons in North America include the prairie falcon and the Aplomado falcon. Worldwide, some of the more descriptively named falcons include spotted kestrel, rock kestrel, slaty-backed forest falcon, grey falcon, greater kestrel, lesser kestrel, red-footed falcon, red-necked falcon, sooty falcon and brown falcon.

To share observations, ask questions, or make a comment, email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Photo by USFWS/Robert Burton • An American kestrel in flight shows the aerodynamic design that earned this small falcon the common name of sparrow hawk.