Tag Archives: Birdwatching

Ruby-throated hummingbirds stage their spring return to region

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Bryan Stevens • A male ruby-throated hummingbird perches on a sugar water feeder.

In an article posted on March 27, Journey North, an organization and website that tracks migrating hummingbirds, announced that so far this spring, bird-watchers in 12 states had reported ruby-throated hummingbirds, but it’s still early in the season.

“So far, we have one sighting each in Kentucky and Tennessee and two in Arkansas, but we’re expecting more in the coming weeks,” noted the blog post by Journey North.

One week later, hummingbirds arrived in locations in Unicoi County, Carter County and Washington County in Northeast Tennessee.

Journey North is a citizen science project that engages citizen scientists in a global study of wildlife migration and seasonal change. It’s a fun way to track the migration of everything from hummingbirds to butterflies like monarchs.

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“Hummingbirds are here!” Beverly King, a resident on Marbleton Road in Unicoi, wrote in an email. “We saw our first hummingbird today, Saturday, April 5.”

Beverly noted that she was excited to see hummingbirds slightly early this year.

“We usually see them about the 15th of the month,” she added. “Well, my feeders are now up. We could not tell if it was a female or a male.”

Bryan Stevens • A female ruby-throated hummingbird perches on a feeder.

 

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Erwin resident Amy Tipton sent me a Facebook message announcing that her parents had enjoyed a visit from a returning hummingbird.

“My parents, Edison and Emma Jean Wallin, had their first hummingbird of the season visit today, Saturday, April 5 at 4:30,” Amy wrote. “They live about a mile up Limestone Cove in Unicoi.”

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Dianne Draper in Jonesborough shared on my Facebook page about her first hummingbirds of the season.

“Our first ones showed up on April 5,” she noted. “We had two.”

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I’ve already seen my first hummingbird, as well. I have a bed of tulips blooming at my home. I planted them last fall and have been thrilled with their performance. I was outdoors admiring the tulips when I heard a brief but tantalizing buzzing noise. Although I scanned all around me, I failed to confirm that I’d heard a hummingbird.

A half hour later, however, while reading on my front porch, I saw my first hummingbird of 2025 when a male zipped up to one of my sugar water feeders. He returned twice while I stayed outdoors reading on a misty afternoon. He arrived at 4:14 p.m. on Sunday, April 6.

In 2024, I saw my first hummingbird on April 17 at 7:15 p.m. This year’s bird is certainly arriving earlier than is typical, but I was thrilled to see him.

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Gayle Riddervold, who lives only a few miles from my home on Simerly Creek Road in Hampton, reported that she and Becky Kinder saw their first spring hummingbird on April 8.

“We just saw our first hummingbird today,” Gayle wrote in a Facebook message. “Yesterday we saw a belted kingfisher on our road.”

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Brookie and Jean Potter, residents at Wilbur Lake in Elizabethton, sent me a text about the arrival of their first spring hummingbird on Wednesday, April 9, at 5:45 p.m.

They added, “It came back to feed again around 7 p.m.”

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Technically, TD, a follower of my “Our Fine Feathered Friends” blog, provided the earliest report of a hummingbird this spring. Of course, TD has the benefit of living in Texas, close to the Gulf of Mexico that these tiny birds must cross to return to the United States each spring.

The bird TD spotted arrived on Wednesday March 26, at 2:34 p.m. central time.

“A ruby-throated hummingbird male stopped at my feeder on my front porch a mile from Corpus Christi Bay after an hour of a rain shower,” TD wrote in a comment.

TD also reported that Corpus Christi has been in a drought so severe that residents have not been allowed to water outside since last fall.

TD’s hummingbird arrived with the first rainfall in more than two months.

“So I was watching the lovely rain when this hummingbird perched onto my hummingbird feeder,” TD wrote. “I have a very large window and hang four hummingbird feeders along the front porch.”

TD noted that the male’s iridescent ruby red around his neck resembled a scarf. “I named him Texas Tuxedo,” TD shared.

TD also saw a female hummingbird on Wednesday, April 2, at 7:15 a.m.

TD said the female hummer acted shy and fluttered around the feeder before feeling safe to perch for feeding.

It’s usually the case that females lag behind males in their annual migration back to the United States.

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

The hummingbirds are an amazing family of birds. There are an estimated 330 species of hummingbirds, all of which are found in the New World. Consider that these dazzling little birds have been given vividly descriptive names, such as cinnamon-throated hermit, red-tailed comet, blue-chinned sapphire, lazuline sabrewing, sparkling violetear, fiery topaz, green-tailed goldenthroat, bronze-tailed plumeleteer, amethyst-throated mountain-gem, peacock coquette, red-billed emerald, empress brilliant, purple-backed sunbeam, green-backed hillstar, orange-throated sunangel, black metaltail, marvelous spatuletail and blue-tufted starthroat.

The only hummingbird species to inhabit the eastern United States from spring to fall each year is the ruby-throated hummingbird, which is currently arriving at various points from Florida to Maine and westward to states like Illinois, Minnesota and Oklahoma and north into Canada.

To return each year, ruby-throated hummingbirds make an awe-inspiring and non-stop crossing of the Gulf of Mexico. Even more incredible, they make the trip again in the fall when they return to warmer locations in Central America to spend the winter months.

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

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These shared sightings represent some of the “early bird” sightings of hummingbirds. I welcome more reports as other people continue to observe returning hummingbirds. Email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com or find me on Facebook to share your sightings. Provide a date and time, if possible. Good luck with the hummingbird watching.

Brown thrasher helps bid March adieu, welcomes April

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Photo by Ken Thomas • The Brown Thrasher is an alert, sharp-eyed observer of its surroundings.

I heard the paired notes of a signing male brown thrasher on Saturday, March 29, confirming the return of this large songbird. The thrasher was signing from a dead blue spruce tree surrounded by a thicket of forsythia in full golden bloom. I’ve usually celebrated the return of brown thrashers in the final days of March.

This year’s brown thrasher was slightly tardy. For instance, this species returned on March 24 in 2021 and 2023. Back in 2018, I had a “early bird” when a shy brown thrasher put in its first appearance of the year on Feb. 21. Back in 2020, a pair of brown thrashers returned on March 12. Last year, I didn’t see the first brown thrasher until the first week of April.

The brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) belongs to the family of “mimic thrushes,” which provides a label for a group of songbirds capable of imitating the songs of other birds. Mimidae, the Latin root for “mimic,” provides the scientific name for the family, which includes mockingbirds and the New World catbirds, as well as thrashers. The Northern mockingbird is best known for the ability to mimic, but relatives like the gray catbird and brown thrasher are also talented mimics.

Early American naturalist and artist John James Audubon painted a dramatic scene of Brown Thrashers defending their nest from an attacking snake.

The thrasher is a fairly large songbird about 11.5 inches long with a wingspan of 13 inches. Much of the body length comes from the bird’s long tail feathers. A thrasher weighs, however, only about 2.5 ounces, which is equivalent to a stack of about two dozen pennies. The brown thrasher is not a picky eater. It’s known to eat everything from berries and nuts to insects and small salamanders.

It’s also aggressive in defending its nest and young. John James Audubon, a French-American ornithologist, naturalist and painter, painted quite the dramatic scene of a group of brown thrashers valiantly defending a nest from an attacking snake. The painting is so detailed that one has to imagine Audubon based his work on a real-life experience. His work, originally painted in the early decades of the 1800s, still holds up today.

Incidentally, Audubon knew the brown thrasher as the “ferruginous thrush.” Another former common name for this species was “brown thrush.” The brown thrasher breeds across the United States and Canada east of the Rocky Mountains. Thrashers withdraw from the northern part of their range in the winter months, spending the season in the southeastern United States.

This species is a familiar bird in southern gardens. In fact, the brown thrasher is the official state bird of Georgia and also provided the name for Atlanta’s National Hockey League team, the Atlanta Thrashers. The thrasher became Georgia’s state bird due to passage of a Joint Resolution of the Georgia General Assembly in 1970.

According to the website All About Birds, brown thrashers, like catbirds and mockingbirds, are mimics with extremely varied repertoires consisting of more than 1,100 song types.

According to the website, male brown thrashers sing a loud, long series of doubled phrases with no definite beginning or end. The song has been described as “plant a seed, plant a seed, bury it, bury it, cover it up, cover it up, let it grow, let it grow, pull it up, pull it up, eat it, eat it.” I’m not sure I would have come up with that same phrasing, but I can detect some of it when listening to a singing thrasher.

All About Birds points out that while mockingbirds tend to repeat phrases three or more times, brown thrashers typically sing phrases only twice.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A pair of Brown Thrashers forage for food on the ground below a feeder.

They also mimic the songs of other species, including chuck-will’s-widow, Northern flicker, white-eye vireo, tufted titmouse, wood thrush, and Northern cardinal.

The New World is home to less than a dozen thrasher species. Other relatives of the brown thrasher include Bendire’s thrasher, LeConte’s thrasher, gray thrasher and long-billed thrasher.

Other new arrivals have included blue-grey gnatcatcher, which showed up on April 2. I placed two sugar water feeders outdoors for the hummingbirds on the first day of April. This year, I Have not had to wait long for their return. The first male ruby-throated hummingbird showed up at my feeder on Sunday, April 6. I will write more on this year’s first hummingbird arrivals in next week’s post. Remember to let me know when the hummingbirds arrive at your home. Share your first spring sighting by emailing me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.

Brown Thrasher visits a suet feeder. The thrasher diet consists of everything from berries and seeds to insects and even small reptiles.

Here are a few birds to look for this spring

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • A male hooded warbler perches in a cluster of branches.

Has it been a slow spring? I have felt that it’s been one step forward, two steps back. But April has finally arrived. Although we’re now two days into the month, I’m still waiting on some of my first arrivals among our fine feathered friends.

That’s not an unusual situation. I think the birds like to drag out their springtime arrivals. They know that being tardy is sure to aggravate me as I’m not known for patience.

The first male red-winged blackbird returned to the fish pond in mid-March and has been singing persistently from the tops of the bald cypress trees bordering the pond. I haven’t seen a female red-winged blackbird yet, but they tend to arrive later than males.

Of course, and I don’t think I’m alone in this hope, I’m also eager to welcome back ruby-throated hummingbirds. These tiny flying gems should be back any day now. My sugar water feeders are waiting for them.

I hope readers will once again share the first arrival dates of hummingbirds at their own feeders. Jot down the date and time, as well as any other details you’d like to share, and email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com or message me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ahoodedwarbler/

With those preliminary thoughts shared, what else will I look for as the spring advances? Longtime readers will know of my enthusiasm for warblers, also known as New World warblers or wood-warblers.

They’re a group of small, often colorful, passerine birds that make up the family Parulidae. The family, which occurs only in the New World, contains 120 species. They are not closely related to Old World warblers or Australian warblers.

About half of the 120 species reside in Central and South America, but the others migrate north each spring to nest in the United States and Canada. In Northeast Tennessee, we have about two dozen nesting species that make their home with us from April to October.

The warbler I look forward most to seeing is the hooded warbler, partly due to individuals belonging to this species nesting in the woodlands around my home.

Photo by USFWS/A female hooded warbler stays put on her nest.

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.

Of course, birds are free to break the rules. One of my most memorable sightings of a hooded warbler involved a male singing from the upper branches of a dead pine tree. I’d estimate that the bird was at least 40 feet off the ground, singing his little heart out to attract a mate. I was standing on an elevated rise of land while the tree providing the warbler its perch was lower in a gully that actually placed bird and observer on a roughly level playing field.

That sighting took place 25 years ago, but the image of that male hooded warbler singing so enthusiastically has remained emblazoned in my memory.

This particular bird sang for several moments, which is not always the case with warblers. These birds tend to dash for cover at the slightest disturbance, but this enthusiastic male didn’t seem to pay any heed to the fact that most of its kin prefer to skulk in shrubs and dense rhododendron thickets no more than a few feet off the ground.

It’s one bird unlikely to be mistaken for any other. 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 they prefer to inhabit. 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 hooded warbler 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.

Photo Courtesy of Jean Potter
A male scarlet tanager brightens shadowy woodlands with a flash of tropical colors yet remains mostly inconspicuous in the forest canopy.

In addition to warblers, I also look forward to the return of scarlet tanagers. Males are unmistakable in their bright red plumage accented by black wings. This is one bird that is truly breathtaking when lured into the open for an observation through a pair of binoculars.

During their summer stay in the region, scarlet tanagers largely prey on insects. Although renowned as a fruit-eating bird, the scarlet tanager primarily feeds on fruit during its migration flights and on its wintering range in the tropics. This tanager breeds in deciduous and mixed deciduous-evergreen woodlands across the eastern half of North America. It’s my understanding that oaks are a favorite tree for this woodland dweller.

It’s unlikely that you’ll run across the nest of a scarlet tanager. These birds nest high in trees, often locating their nests 50 feet or more above the ground. After building a nest, a female tanager will incubate her three to five eggs for about two weeks. It’s during this time that her inconspicuous appearance is a plus, helping her blend well with her surroundings.

So, as I wait for warblers, hummingbirds and tanagers, I’ll just have to be a little more patient. I’m also hopeful that the fish pond will attract some nesting birds such as tree swallows and wood ducks. Fingers crossed!

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Remember to let me know about your first hummingbird sightings. Email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com to notify me of a sighting, ask a question or share a comment.

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.

 

Red-bellied woodpeckers, other birds raise their profile during recent snowstorm

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • A red-bellied woodpecker makes a tentative approach to a feeder stocked with sunflower seeds. Red-bellied woodpeckers are fairly common in the region.

I’m sure many share my sentiment that with February almost in the rear-view mirror it could be hoped that winter might be nearly at an end.

That misguided hope was dashed last week when another winter storm struck the region, accompanied by another blast of Arctic chill. At least the birds didn’t seem to mind terribly.

Dark-eyed juncos, Eastern towhees, song sparrows and American goldfinches flocked to my feeders. Another bird’s persistent “churr” call made the presence of a red-bellied woodpecker known even before I managed to sight one visiting one of my feeders.

Among the woodpecker family, the red-bellied and red-headed woodpeckers are close cousins, belonging to a genus of those tree-clinging birds known as Melanerpes. The term, translated from Latin, means “black creeper.” Indeed, many of the two dozen members of the Melanerpes genus have an extensive amount of black feathers in their plumage.

Other members of the genus include woodpeckers from the Caribbean, as well as from Central and South America. Some of them have quite colorful names, such as yellow-tufted woodpecker, golden-cheeked woodpecker and the accurately named beautiful woodpecker, a native of Colombia.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Red-bellied woodpeckers are common throughout the southeastern United States.

The red-bellied woodpecker is one of the most widespread members of this genus with a range that extends from southern Canada to northeastern Mexico, as well as the eastern United States as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas. A century ago the red-bellied woodpecker was almost exclusively a southeastern bird, but it has expanded its range northward and westward considerably in the last 100 years. Its southern origins are hinted at in its scientific name of Melanerpes carolinus, which can be roughly translated as “black creeper of the Carolinas.”

It’s also named for a characteristic of its appearance that is not particularly prominent and difficult to observe. The faint tint of red that tinges the white belly feathers is extremely difficult to observe when this woodpecker is hitching up the trunk of a large tree. Because males, and females to a certain extent, have a red cap, the species has been erroneously referred to as a “red-headed woodpecker” by many casual observers. The true red-headed woodpecker, however, has an entirely red head and a plumage pattern that, considering its color trio of red, white and blue-black, is downright patriotic. The red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) is about the same size as the red-bellied woodpecker.

All woodpeckers are noisy when the mood strikes them, but the red-headed and red-bellied have always struck me as rather more clamorous than some of their relatives. The most common call of the red-bellied woodpecker is a sort of rolling “churr” repeated frequently while the bird is on the move from tree to tree.

To enjoy close views of the red-bellied woodpecker, provide plenty of peanuts, sunflower seeds and suet cakes. During the recent snowstorm I would no doubt have enjoyed even more views of the visiting red-bellied woodpecker if I hadn’t been out of suet cakes. The offerings of sunflower seeds and peanuts, I’m happy to report, were gratefully accepted.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A red-bellied woodpecker climbs snow-covered branches.

If there are any of these woodpeckers in the woods nearby, they will find these food offerings in short order. All my research indicates the same is true of red-headed woodpeckers, but I’ve never observed this woodpecker at my home. I’ve seen red-headed woodpeckers in Tennessee, Virginia and South Carolina, but their populations are somewhat localized. Woodlands dominated by oak trees are often inhabited by both these woodpeckers, which are fond of the acorns produced by these trees.

One reason the red-headed woodpecker may be less common than its cousin relates to its fondness for hawking for flying insects along roadsides. The woodpeckers are frequently struck by cars when swooping after their winged prey. Historically, the American chestnut and beech trees also provided much of the mast crops consumed by these birds. With the extermination of the chestnut and the scarcity of beech in some locations, the red-headed woodpecker now depends on oaks and acorns. In fact, this woodpecker is rarely encountered outside of woodlands with an abundance of oak trees.

At feeders, red-bellied woodpeckers are prickly customers that often refuse to play nice with other birds. I’ve seen them stare down other large feeder birds, including blue jays, mourning doves and evening grosbeaks. With its large bill, the red-bellied woodpecker commands some respect.

Anyone who has hosted these birds knows they are a welcome visitor to any yard. Who knows? Some day I may even get a visit from the elusive red-headed woodpecker, which is the only woodpecker that resides in the region to thus far avoid my yard.

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

Red-winged blackbird, other birds set to return in coming weeks

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Photo by Bryan Stevens • A male red-winged blackbird sings to attract mates and ward off rivals.

February’s the shortest month, and it is more than halfway over. There are already signs that some birds are ready to embrace the shift in seasons as winter advances, albeit in fits and starts, toward spring.

On Feb.11, three mallards visited my fish pond. The presence of mallards at any pond is not all that surprising. The mallard is arguably the most recognized of North America’s native ducks. But these were wild birds, as indicated by their wary behavior and their ability to spring into strong flight when I surprised them quite by accident.

Spring migration begins as early as February and March. Eastern bluebirds, which for the most part are not migratory, are already checking out nesting boxes.

The months of March, April and May will bring an influx of migrants. Ruby-throated hummingbirds will soon make their annual crossing of the Gulf of Mexico. These tiny birds usually make landfall in the United States as early as February, but they don’t usually venture as far north as Northeast Tennessee, Western North Carolina and Southwest Virginia until early April.

Bryan Stevens • On Feb.11, three mallards visited my fish pond. I am hoping they are the start of more migrating birds arriving in the coming weeks.

Warblers, orioles, thrushes, flycatchers, tanagers and many other migrants also return in April and May. A variety of waterfowl, raptors and shorebirds pass through the region during these months, as well.

March brings the early birds, including species such as brown thrasher, blue-gray gnatcatcher and red-winged blackbird.

Red-winged blackbirds return with a venegeance in early March or sometimes in late February.

I’m ready to hear their loud, familiar “kon-ke-ree” sounds again from the tops of the cypress trees at the fish pond. It’s always a fun moment to welcome these birds back.

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

My first returning male red-winged blackbird arrived on the evening of March 3 in 2022. The first red-winged blackbird arrived on the morning of March 6 the following year. I heard his unmistakable song from inside my house.

The showy and loud red-winged blackbird males soon take up residence at my fish pond and adjacent stands of cattails after their return.

Male blackbirds arrive ahead of the females. They immediately search out prominent perches and begin singing every day in anticipation of an intended audience. 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.

Bryan Stevens • Female red-winged blackbirds lack the showy plumage of males. They look more like an overgrown sparrow.

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.

For birders, the weeks ahead are an exciting time. In spirit, I think others often join our excitement if for no other reason than to celebrate that spring is just around the corner. These “early bird” arrivals are merely the harbingers of the season.

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

Bryan Stevens • In fall, male red-winged blackbird are bereft of the striking glossy plumage of spring.

 

Birds make use of various strategies to attract and keep mates

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Shauna Fletche/Pixabay • Some birds, like waxwings, like to present tasty treats to their potential mates.

 

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, it’s an opportune time to see how courtship is handled among our fine feathered friends. Most birds don’t bring a box of chocolates or a bouquet of roses when they take up courtship of a prospective mate, but birds have several equivalent behaviors that they employ to attract the attentions of the opposite sex. In honor of Valentine’s Day I thought a look at some of the more unusual courtship rituals of some of our feathered friends would be appropriate.

Aerial acrobatics designed to impress

In late winter and early spring, a true oddball begins courting. The American woodcock, also known by such whimsical names as “bog sucker” and “timberdoodle,” is a shorebird that has completely abandoned the shore in favor of woodlands and fields. Beginning as early as February, American woodcocks in the region conduct nightly courtship displays, starting at dusk, that combine aerial acrobatics with an assortment of unusual acoustical flourishes. Any wet field adjacent to a wooded area could offer a stage for these evening displays, but unless you know where to look and make an effort to do so, the American woodcock might as well remain a phantom of the night.

These mating rituals provide almost the only time of the year during which this bird makes itself available for observation. It’s only during this brief window that opens into their lives that we can be assured a glimpse. Even then, our peeks at woodcocks often consist of a fuzzy twilight escapade as the bird flings itself heavenward only to make a spiraling descent a few seconds later. The displays begin with a distinct vocalization, a type of “pent,” that also has the quality of sounding like some sort of mechanical buzzer.

Once the displays conclude for the season, the birds assume nesting duties, usually unobserved by humans. The rest of the year, almost nothing but blind, sheer luck would allow a birder to stumble across an American woodcock. It’s almost as if they disappear after these spring flights of fancy.

Birds bearing gifts

Many birds present small trinkets to a prospective mate. For instance, many male penguins make a present of a stone or pebble to female penguins. There could be more than a simple bribe behind this gift. Female penguins don’t build elaborate nests. In fact, a scrape on the bare ground, perhaps encircled by a collection of pebbles, marks the extent of their nest construction. So, the perfect pebble could be the way to winning a female penguin’s heart.

The way to the heart is through the stomach

Observant birders may have witnessed a male Northern cardinal slip a female a morsel of food, such as a peanut or a shelled sunflower kernel. It’s a marked change for this bird. During the winter months, a male cardinal is more likely to chase a female away from a feeder rather than share food with her. However, as spring approaches, his behavior undergoes a change and he becomes content to feed next to a female cardinal, often slipping her some choice tidbits.

Sabine van Erp/Pixabay • Bow to your partner: Grey-crowned cranes perform an elaborate dance designed to strengthen their bond.

May I have this dance?

Many species of birds perform elaborate and ritualistic dance displays. Among birds known for tripping the light fantastic are flamingoes, cranes, grouse and grebes. Cranes are one of the oldest families of birds on earth. They’re also some of the most accomplished dancers in the animal kingdom. Pairs perform very ritualistic dances that, if the performers were human, would no doubt require the services of an accomplished choreographer. Cranes mate for life and the ritual of dancing is a way to strengthen the bonds between a mated pair. The ability to dance is, apparently, not instinctive. Young cranes must practice their dance moves, a process that can take years before they master the elaborate dance.

Dave Menke/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service • A pair of Clark’s Grebes displays in a courtship ritual known as “rushing” or “weed dance.” Birds use a variety of strategies to attract and keep mates.

Synchronized swimming

While many birds dance to impress a mate or strengthen pair bonds, grebes perform a dance that takes place completely on the surface of the water. A pair will engage in this intricate performance, perfectly mirroring the moves of the other as they literally race across the surface of the water. These dances by grebes are also known as “rushing” or “weed dance.” It’s called as a weed dance because at the culmination of the ritual, the birds usually hold some type of aquatic plants in their bills while racing swiftly over the surface of the water. Pairs that perform well together stay together, building a nest and raising young.

Good housekeeping seal of approval

The tropical family of bowerbirds are famous for complex nests built by males and then decorated with bright and colorful objects to catch the eye of a potential mate. The nests of these birds are actually referred to as a “bower.” Usually constructed on the ground, the male will line the approachs to the bower with items such as shells, leaves, flowers, feathers, stones, berries, and even discarded garbage, including plastic scraps or bits of glass. Unusually odd items pressed into these decorative displays have included coins and spent rifle shells. This habit of male bowerbirds must rank as the ultimate in trying to impress a mate with shiny bling.

These are just a few of the inventive ways that birds go about attracting and keeping mates. Perhaps you can pick up some pointers from our feathered friends to ensure you have a great Valentine’s Day this year.

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