Tag Archives: Our Fine Feathered Friends

Column marks 19th anniversary this week

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Photo by Ken Thomas Cutline: Dark-eyed Juncos are also known as "snow birds" because of their tendency to flock to feeders ahead of a bout of snowy weather.

Photo by Ken Thomas
Dark-eyed Juncos are also known as “snow birds” because of their tendency to flock to feeders ahead of a bout of snowy weather.

I wrote my first “Feathered Friends” column on Sunday, Nov. 5, 1995. Over the years, the column has appeared in various newspapers. I’ve also been posting weekly blogs on the subject of birds since this past February.
It’s with some irony that I can now reflect in just the few months since the paper that gave the column its start decided to rudely cut ties with both the column and me, other news outlets have stepped forward to carry my weekly thoughts on birds and birding.
The column is currently published weekly in three different newspapers: the Bristol Herald Courier, the Erwin Record and The McDowell News in Marion, N.C. The column also runs weekly in the Carter County Compass, an online news source for the citizens of Elizabethton and Carter County.
 
Sometimes, I wonder where the time has gone as I reflect on the fact that I am celebrating the 19th anniversary of my writing this weekly column, which has appeared in four different newspapers. These days, I also write a weekly online blog about birds while also making bird-related and nature-related posts to my Facebook page.
 
I constantly wonder what I am going to write about each week. Fortunately, I seem to have enough interested readers that someone is usually calling or e-mailing me with an interesting observation or a question that helps get the ball rolling for another column.
 
In that respect, writing “Our Fine Feathered Friends” has also been a great means of getting to know other people interested in birds and nature. So, too, has “For the Birds” and “Feathered Friends.”
I always enjoy hearing from readers, and I hope to continue to do so in the coming years as well.

Photo by Bryan Stevens This Dark-eyed Junco was the first of its kind to return to my yard this fall. This individual arrived on Oct. 28.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
This Dark-eyed Junco was the first of its kind to return to my yard this fall. This individual arrived on Oct. 28.

 
That first column I wrote back in 1995 focused on one of the region’s most prevalent winter residents — the Dark-eyed Junco. The first Dark-eyed Junco to put in an appearance in my yard this year did so on Oct. 28, just a few days ahead of the first winter storm.
 
Here, with some revisions I have made through the years, is the very first “Feathered Friends” column.
••••••
 
Of all the birds associated with winter weather, few are as symbolic as the Dark-eyed Junco, or “snow bird.” The junco occurs in several geographic variations.
 
John V. Dennis, author of “A Complete Guide to Bird Feeding,” captures the essence of the junco in the following description: “Driving winds and swirling snow do not daunt this plucky bird. The coldest winter days see the junco as lively as ever and with a joie de vivre that bolsters our sagging spirits.” The Dark-eyed Junco’s scientific name, hyemalis, is New Latin for “wintry,” an apt description of this bird.a52e51c88da04850ee7b1210.L
 
Most people look forward to the spring return of some of our brilliant birds — warblers, tanagers and orioles — and I must admit that I also enjoy the arrival of these birds. The junco, in comparison to some of these species, is not in the same league. Nevertheless, the junco is handsome in its slate gray and white plumage, giving rise to the old saying, “dark skies above, snow below.”
 
Just as neotropical migrants make long distance journeys twice a year, the junco is also a migrating species. But in Appalachia, the junco is a special type of migrant. Most people think of birds as “going south for the winter.” In a basic sense this is true. But some juncos do not undertake a long horizontal (the scientific term) migration from north to south. Instead, these birds merely move from high elevations, such as the spruce fir peaks, to the lower elevations. This type of migration is known as vertical migration. Other juncos, such as those that spend their breeding season in northern locales, do make a southern migration and, at times, even mix with the vertical migrants.
Junco-Carver

Photo by Bryan Stevens                                     A Dark-eyed Junco on a fence at Carver’s Gap on Roan Mountain.

 
Juncos are usually in residence around my home by early November. Once they make themselves at home I can expect to play host to them until at least late April or early May of the following year. So, for at least six months, the snow bird is one of the most common and delightful feeder visitors a bird enthusiast could want.
 
Juncos flock to feeders where they are rather mild-mannered — except among themselves. There are definite pecking orders in a junco flock, and females are usually on the lower tiers of the hierarchy. Females can sometimes be distinguished from males because of their paler gray or even brown upper plumage.
 
Since juncos are primarily ground feeders they tend to shun hanging feeders. But one winter I observed a junco that had mastered perching on a hanging “pine cone” feeder to enjoy a suet and peanut butter mixture. Still, most Dark-eyed Juncos often are content to glean the scraps other birds knock to the ground.

Junco-AtFeeder

Photo by Bryan Stevens                                     A Dark-eyed Junco feeds on sunflower seeds in a hanging feeder.

 
Juncos are widespread. They visit feeders across North America. The junco is the most common species of bird to visit feeding stations. They will sample a variety of fare, but prefer such seeds as millet, cracked corn or black oil sunflower.
 
There’s something about winter that makes a junco’s dark and light garb an appropriate and even striking choice, particularly against a backdrop of newly fallen snow. Of course, the real entertainment from juncos come from their frequent visits to our backyard feeders. When these birds flock to a feeder and begin a furious period of eating, I don’t even have to glance skyward or tune in the television weather forecast. I know what they know. Bad weather is on the way!
Junco

Photo by Bryan Stevens                                                                                                                          A Dark-eyed Junco feeds on the ground beneath a feeder.

As September draws to a close, time to reflect on month of migrants

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As September comes to a close this week, I decided to look back and see how the pace of fall migration proceeded throughout the month here at my home in Hampton, Tennessee.

On the first day of September, which doubled as Labor Day this year, I saw a single Common Nighthawk, as opposed to the flock of 50 nighthawks I observed on the final day of August. I only saw one warbler, but it was a Chestnut-sided Warbler and different than the three species — Yellow-throated Warbler, Northern Parula and Magnolia Warbler — I saw on the final day of August.

Photo by Bryan Stevens A Yellow-throated Warbler makes a migratory stop in my yard on the first day of September.

Photo by Bryan Stevens                                                                                                           A Yellow-throated Warbler makes a migratory stop in my yard on the first day of September.

Other birds that helped me welcome September included several Gray Catbirds and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Brown Thrasher and family flocks of American Goldfinches and House Finches. Earlier in the day, I also watched and listened as a Common Raven flew overhead. The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are also still numerous.

I tried to carve out some time each day in September to look for migrants visiting my yard, but the weather and my work schedule didn’t always make that possible. Nevertheless, I spent a good amount of time scanning for migrants at every opportunity this past month.

I call my “migrant watching” my “lawn chair birding” because some of the time I am seated in a plastic lawn chair scanning trees and shrubs for any sign of movement. I spent a lot of time on my feet, however, since a flash of color or an unknown chip note sends me searching. My mother joins me much of the time, and she has a welcome ability to detect movement among the green leaves of the trees.

Photo by Bryan Stevens Some of the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks migrating through this fall still retain some of their rosy color.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
Some of the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks migrating through this fall still retain some of their rosy color.

One particular spot in the yard seems better than others for detecting migrating visitors. Some hawthorn and willow trees, as well as an American holly and wild cherry trees, line the creek that flows past the yard. On the other side, the fish pond borders these trees. The branches of dead conifers offer attractive perches for such birds as Eastern Wood-Pewees and Cedar Waxwings, as well as the occasional warbler.

On Sept. 5, I enjoyed another good evening of lawn chair birding, adding a few new warblers for the fall to my list. I saw four species, but two of them — immature Black-and-White Warbler and Black-throated Green Warbler — were new for the fall. I also saw Chestnut-sided Warbler and Northern Parula. A sizable flock of at least 50 Common Nighthawks passed overhead at one point in the evening. Other sightings included Eastern Phoebe, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbirds, Wood Thrush, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-eyed Vireo and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. All the resident feeder birds have enjoyed a good nesting seasons. The numbers of Song Sparrows in the yard are showing a definite increase. Three Mallards, which often spend the winter on the creek and fish pond, also made their return on Sept. 5 after an absence of a couple of months.

Redstart-Perch

Photo by Bryan Stevens                                                              A young American Redstart perches on high to hawk for insects.

On Sept. 6, I saw a Cape May Warbler (young male) feeding low in vegetation in the swampy area near the old rock springhouse in the backyard. It might seem odd to find a Cape May feeding so low to the ground, but it was at the base of the large Norway Spruce growing in my shady backyard. This is a new warbler for the fall migration season. The day also brought sightings of Magnolia Warblers and a Northern Parula. An Eastern Phoebe spent a lot of time snapping up flying insects. A few Common Nighthawk returned, and were joined in their soaring overhead by Chimney Swifts.

Sept. 8 was a little slow as far as migration goes, but I did manage to glimpse an American Redstart and a Cape May Warbler, as well as a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. The biggest excitement of the evening came with the discovery of a hatchling Snapping Turtle that had dug its way out of the nest that the mother turtle dug back in June.

Before a deluge of rain arrived on Sept. 11, my mom and I did some lawn chair birding and found six warblers — Wilson’s, Tennessee, Magnolia, Cape May, Chestnut-sided and Hooded — as well as a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a flock of five Chimney Swifts, Gray Catbirds, Brown Thrasher, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and all our feeder birds.

Photo by Bryan Stevens A Scarlet Tanager feeds on wild cherries.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A Scarlet Tanager feeds on wild cherries.

The Wilson’s Warbler, a male, was only the third of its kind that I have seen here at home. This was also the second male; a female Wilson’s also visited one fall.

I didn’t have a lot of time for lawn chair birding on Sept. 12, but I did enjoy observations of Gray Catbirds, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and a Brown Thrasher.

In addition, I encountered a large flock of Common Nighthawks over Bell Cemetery in Limestone Cove, Unicoi County. I also encountered a “swarm” of dragonflies over the now-closed swimming pool at Erwin Fishery Park. The swarm didn’t consist of just dozens or hundreds of these insects. There must have been thousands of dragonflies. I think the majority of them were Green Darners. They were harvesting some sort of flying gnats. At the same time, Chimney Swifts were plunging through the swarm, but I think the swifts were after the same gnats as the dragonflies. A flock of Cedar Waxwings also got joined the scene for awhile.

The rain brought out the warblers and other migrants on Sept. 13. I observed two Cape May Warblers, a Chestnut-sided Warbler, male Black-throated Blue Warbler, male Hooded Warbler, Tennessee Warbler and an American Redstart. I also watched Cedar Waxwings, Brown Thrashers, Gray Catbirds, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, American Goldfinches, House Finches, Song Sparrows, Eastern Towhees, Carolina Wren, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches and probably a few other birds. I guess that it’s true that foul weather brings out the birds. This makes sense. Under conditions such as bad weather, the birds probably have to work harder to find enough food.

On Sept. 14 — an overcast Sunday — I had time to do a little lawn chair birding before leaving for work. A new warbler for the fall list, a female Common Yellowthroat, put in an appearance, joined by a Cape May Warbler and two American Redstarts. A Belted Kingfisher also stopped by the fish pond.

I had time to do two sessions of lawn chair birding on Sept. 15. The afternoon session of lawn-chair birding with my mom really paid off. New for the fall was a Swainson’s Thrush. Warblers included three American Redstarts (including an adult male), as well as Tennessee Warbler, Magnolia Warbler and Chestnut-sided Warbler. We also observed were Indigo Buntings, Brown Thrashers, Gray Catbirds, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Cedar Waxwings and an Eastern Phoebe. I hope to go back out for another session before dark.

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

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

The evening session of lawn-chair birding on Sept. 15 delivered some results, too. Male Hooded Warbler and Black-throated Blue Warbler showed up, as did a rather drab Cape May Warbler. A Scarlet Tanager showed up to compete with the Gray Catbirds, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Cedar Waxwings for wild cherries.

I also had a close encounter with a young Ruby-throated Hummingbird, which hovered in front of me as it turned the tables and observed me for a moment. I wanted to try for a photo, but was sure if I moved I would scare it off. I did manage to get photos of the Hooded Warbler, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a pair of “kissing” American Goldfinch. Actually, it’s a photo of a female goldfinch feeding one of her insistently begging young. A nearby male goldfinch was besieged by six hungry youngsters.

This evening of Sept 20 will likely prove the peak for warbler migration in the yard this fall. We’ll see if any of September’s remaining days can top it. New migrants for the fall season included a Bay-breasted Warbler, Summer Tanager and a Blue-headed Vireo. The other warblers for an evening of lawn chair birding with my mom included Tennessee, Magnolia, Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided, Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Yellow-throated, Black-and-White and American Redstart. So, 10 species in one evening is rather good! In addition, we watched Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Gray Catbirds, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Cedar Waxwings and three Common Nighthawks soaring overhead. There was also an Eastern Wood-Pewee and, calling but not seen, a Red-eyed Vireo. All the feeder birds were present, too. We had Northern Cardinals, Eastern Towhees (including two recently fledged young), American Goldfinches, House Finches, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Carolina Wrens, White-breasted Nuthatches, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, Downy Woodpecker and a Pileated Woodpecker calling on the ridge.

Photo by Bryan Stevens A Black-and-white Warbler forages along a branch.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A Black-and-white Warbler forages along a branch.

Lawn chair birding was interrupted by rain on Sept. 21, but before then I did see some Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, a Brown Thrasher, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Gray Catbirds and a Tennessee Warbler. I have a feeling there would have been more to see if not for the rain.

The chill in the air on Sept. 22 ensured that fall’s imminent arrival would bring some cooler temperatures. The birds were rather active during lawn chair birding, but the diversity had decreased. I did see Tennessee Warbler, Magnolia Warbler and American Redstart, as well as Cedar Waxwings, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Gray Catbirds, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and assorted feeder visitors.

Lawn chair birding on Sept. 23 produced one new species — Palm Warbler — for the first day of fall. Other warblers included several Tennessee Warblers, well-marked Bay-breasted Warblers, American Redstart and Magnolia Warbler. I also saw Indigo Buntings, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (including males still showing quite a bit of color), Cedar Waxwings, Gray Catbirds, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Towhee and more. I also observed a male American Goldfinch taking some of his young to a sunflower head for a do-it-yourself snack. Young goldfinches must be very experimental in their tastes. This afternoon, I watched some clinging to branches over the pond so they could feed on pond slime/algae. Unless they were extracting bugs from the stuff, it seemed like an odd behavior to me.

Photo by Bryan Stevens A migrating Blue-headed Vireo has captured a prey item for a quick snack.

Photo by Bryan Stevens                                                              A migrating Blue-headed Vireo has captured a prey item for a quick snack.

Bird activity was subdued on Sept. 26, but during lawn chair birding I did get a new fall arrival with the Palm Warbler in the gnarled remains of a peach tree. I also saw a Tennessee Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Cedar Waxwings, Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, White-breasted Nuthatches, American Goldfinches, Eastern Towhee, Carolina Wrens, Carolina Chickadees and Tufted Titmice.

On Sept. 27, I took part in the annual Fall Bird Count conducted by the Lee and Lois Herndon Chapter of Tennessee Ornithological Society. The day produced some warblers, especially along the linear walking trail adjacent to the Watauga River. The species include Magnolia, Common Yellowthroat, Cape May and Northern Parula. You shoulI got home in time to add a few warbler species from my own yard, including Tennessee Warbler and Magnolia Warbler.

••••••

Michael Briggs of Erwin asked me via Facebook when he should curtail feeding hummingbirds for the season.

I informed Michael that I usually keep feeders up through at least late November, hoping to attract western “stray” hummers such as Rufous and Allen’s that come through in late fall and early winter. Depending on temperatures, I may keep at least one feeder available even later.

Photo by Bryan Stevens Although Ruby-throated Hummingbirds usually depart in early October, keep your feeders available to benefit stragglers and to attract western species of hummingbirds that migrate through the region.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
Although Ruby-throated Hummingbirds usually depart in early October, keep your feeders available to benefit stragglers and to attract western species of hummingbirds that migrate through the region.

‘Tooth’ of the matter: Sawbills harken back to days when birds still had teeth

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Everyone has probably heard the phrase “as scarce as hen’s teeth.” It means almost exactly what you think. Birds don’t have teeth, so it’s a way to describe something exceptionally rare. It’s a characteristic that sets birds apart from other creatures, such as mammals.

There are some birds, however, that come closer to having teeth than their other beaked counterparts. Mergansers would definitely fall into that category. The mergansers are a type of duck known collectively as “sawbills,” a reference to their long, thin bills with serrated edges that help them grip prey. The “sawbills” come closer than any of our other birds in having teeth, although not in the same sense as mammals have teeth.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • This female Common Merganser was photographed during this year’s Spring Bird Count.

Although classified as sea ducks, the mergansers are more at home in river habitats. There are six closely related species in three genera: Mergus, Mergellus and Lophodytes. The latter two genera have only a single species, the Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) and the Smew (Mergellus albellus).

The other mergansers in the Mergus genus consist of four species, Common Merganser, Brazilian Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser and Scaly-sided Merganser. The latter is an endangered species with only about 2,500 adult birds in the worldwide population. These remaining Scaly-sided Mergansers are found in the border regions of China, North Korea and Russia.

Mergs-OnWatauga

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A pair of Common Mergansers on the Watauga River in the Lynn Valley community of Elizabethton.

Another species, the Auckland Merganser, became extinct in the early 1900s. Sadly, the last evidence of this species dates back to Jan. 9, 1902, when the last wild pair was shot. After that time, this bird native to the Auckland Islands was never seen again.

In recent weeks, a couple of Common Mergansers spent a few days on the Watauga River in the Lynn Valley community. I saw them on a couple of occasions and also managed to get some photographs of the two handsome drakes.

In Europe, the Common Merganser is called a Goosander, probably a nod to its large size that makes this bird superficially more similar to geese than ducks. Early naturalists such as John James Audubon also provided this bird with a different name, referring to it as the “Buff-breasted Merganser.”

For many years, the Common Merganser was one of my target birds. Finally, more than 10 years ago, I saw my first Common Mergansers during a visit to Middlebrook Lake in Bristol with Reece Jamerson, Gil Derouen and the late Howard Langridge. Despite the word “common” in its name, this merganser isn’t particularly common in Northeast Tennessee. Its relatives, Hooded Merganser and Red-breasted Merganser, are much more regular visitors to the region.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • Hooded merganser females, or hens, have a gray-brown head and neck with a reddish-brown crest, which marks quite a contrast from the male’s appearance.

In addition to Bristol’s Middlebrook Lake, I have seen Common Mergansers on Watauga Lake and on the Holston River in Kingsport.

The Common Merganser, particularly the males, are easily identified. Apart from their large size, which is about 26 inches long for males, males of this duck have a dark green head and upper neck. The lower neck, breast and underparts are creamy-white with a varying amounts of a pink or reddish wash. The back is black, while the bill, legs and feet are red. Females are similar to female Red-breasted Mergansers but show a clearly defined white chin patch lacking in their close relative.

According to the website Ducks Unlimited, Common Mergansers breed from Alaska, the southern Yukon, Labrador and Newfoundland south to central California, Arizona, New Mexico, southern Chihuahua and east of the Rockies to Minnesota, Michigan, New York, New England and Nova Scotia.

Photo by Bryan Stevens • A female hooded merganser flaps her wings as another preens her feathers behind her.

They are also one of the biggest of North America’s cavity-nesting birds, utilizing natural cavities in trees, as well as man-made nesting boxes. They will also nest on the ground.

Common mergansers feed mainly on fish, amphibians, crustaceans, mollusks and other aquatic organisms. The last extensive population surveys of Common Mergansers took place during the 1970s, when the population in North America was estimated at 1.5 million birds.

••••••

While today’s birds, even mergansers, all lack teeth, that hasn’t always been the case. About 80 million years ago, a bird known as Hesperornis (“western bird”) swam the inland seas that stretched over areas from Kansas to Canada. They swam through those ancient seas because they could not fly.

This early 20th century illustration of Hesperornis is no longer considered scientifically accurate by scientists, but it does demonstrate one striking feature - the toothed jaws of this ancient bird.

This early 20th century illustration of Hesperornis is no longer considered scientifically accurate by scientists, but it does demonstrate one striking feature – the toothed jaws of this ancient bird.

The body plan of Hesperornis was similar to modern loons and even the mergansers. Instead of a serrated bill, however, this ancient bird had actual teeth in its long beak. Just like today’s loons and mergansers, it probably fished for its food.

At almost six feet in length, however, it dwarfed our modern mergansers and loons and probably fed on larger piscine prey. So, why don’t today’s birds have teeth? The best answer I have found is that teeth (and other solid bones) were lost in order to make the avian form more streamlined and lightweight.

The power of flight demands a great deal of energy, and teeth are an unnecessary weight. As a result, birds grew hollow bones and lost their teeth.

••••••

I have been taking part in the Great Backyard Bird Count and have enjoyed some interesting observations that I’ll discuss in future columns. I would love to hear from readers. Just post comments on my new blog at ourfinefeatheredfriends.wordpress.com. You can also reach me on Facebook or send email to ahoodedwarbler@aol.com. Please share the link to the blog with others who might be interested in the topic of birds and birding in Northeast Tennessee.

Birding the Big Apple brings surprises

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I am posting this column in observance of “Throwback Thursday.” I wrote this column for the Herald & Tribune of Jonesborough in July of 2002. It won me a second-place Tennessee Press Association award for “Best Column” the following year.

••••••••

During a recent trip to New York City, mainly for the purpose of visiting friends and seeing the sights, I also availed myself of the opportunity of trying to see a few birds in the Big Apple.

Photo by Bryan Stevens A Ring-billed Gull in flight.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A Ring-billed Gull in flight. Several of these gulls were seen during my 2002 trip to New York City.

At first glance, New York City doesn’t seem a haven for birds or any other sort of wildlife. Without any serious effort on my part, however, I managed to see 15 different species of birds. My tour guide and friend, David, remained courteous enough to indulge my occasional lapses into birding. David, perhaps like many New Yorkers, is familiar on a daily basis with the Big Apple’s three most prominent members of the bird family — the House Sparrow, the European Starling and the Rock Dove, or pigeon.

Everyone who has visited a city park, whether in Jonesborough or New York City, is probably familiar with the Rock Dove. Commonly called pigeon, the Rock Dove is not a native American bird. But their introduction to this continent paralleled the arrival of European colonists. Pigeons came to this country along with other farmyard animals, such as cattle and sheep. But, once here, the Rock Dove, which is a wild bird in Africa and in the Mediterranean, also managed to establish itself outside the farmyard. Nevertheless, more than most other birds, the Rock Dove still only thrives in the company of humans. In New York City, pigeons are a part of the landscape. They are everywhere! As a result, these birds can cause some problems. Their droppings can damage buildings and statues. They can also spread various diseases to humans. Efforts have been made to curb their numbers, but the pigeon looks to be a permanent part of the New York City landscape.

It’s no longer a paradise for pigeons in the Big Apple, however. The Peregrine Falcon, once endangered, has rebounded with protection from the government. The skyscrapers of New York City have replaced cliff faces as nesting sites for these sleek, aerodynamic predators. While I wasn’t fortunate enough to see a Peregrine Falcon while in New York City, they are there. Their presence has put some balance back into the food chain. The pigeons now have a natural predator.

Earlier this summer, David called me looking for advice about a problem with birds. Seems that a pair of House Sparrows had built a nest beneath his air conditioning unit at his apartment. The problem involved timing. David recently moved to a new apartment and he needed to take the air conditioner with him. In the end, David’s need for the air conditioner outpaced the nesting progress of the sparrows. Now, he’s convinced that the sparrows, like the gulls, are out to get him. More about the gulls later.

The House Sparrow is an non-native species introduced to the United States. The House Sparrow was released intentionally in the United States in the 1850s at different points between New York and New England. Other introductions of this species occurred at other points in the United States. The introductions were huge mistakes. By 1910, the House Sparrow had invaded the entire continent. The House Sparrow is also an aggressive bird. Soon, the House Sparrow came into conflict with a beloved American favorite, the Eastern Bluebird. The major competition between Eastern Bluebirds and House Sparrows is for nesting cavities. House Sparrows have the tenacity to evict even the larger Easter Bluebirds from occupied nests. Occasionally, the sparrows even kill nestling or adult bluebirds. I found the House Sparrow almost as numerous as Rock Doves in most areas of New York City.

But, there was still a third common bird — the European Starling. I encountered the first starlings of my trip in New York City’s famous Central Park. Ironically, Central Park is where the European Starling, now considered the most numerous bird in North America, got its start. The Rock Dove and House Sparrow got here first, but the European Starling didn’t waste any time once the first starlings were released in 1890. The first European Starlings were released at that time in Central Park because some fans of William Shakespeare wanted to release all the birds mentioned in The Bard’s plays. Apparently, only the release of the European Starling had any lasting consequence. Even today, starlings and Shakespeare are very much associated with Central Park. During the summer there is a popular Shakespeare festival held in Central Park. And, on any summer day, there will always be plenty of starlings in the park.

Those were three of the 15 birds I managed to observe on my trip. The remaining 12 species comprised a diverse and at times surprising list. I found American Robins, American Crow, Blue Jay, Chimney Swift, Carolina Wren and Downy Woodpecker within Central Park. In addition, at a large pond within the park I also observed a Green Heron and Mallards. The Robins, in particular, appeared as they would in any park setting. They hopped about on grassy lawns while foraging for food. David told me he recently saw a Roadrunner in the park. I told him that would be an extraordinary discovery since that bird is native to the western United States.

There’s a lot of water in and around New York City. Perhaps it isn’t a surprise to discover birds such as Double-crested Cormorants swimming in the East River. I also saw plenty of gulls. In fact, I saw three different species of gulls — Herring Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls and Laughing Gulls.

Surprisingly, gulls haven’t always been common in the vicinity of New York City. According to the book Wild New York: A Guide to the Wildlife, Wild Places and Natural Phenomena of New York City by Margaret Mittelbach and Michael Crewdon, gulls did not frequent New York City 100 years ago. Now, there are as many as one million gulls in New York City. The book also mentions one of the attractions: Staten Island’s Fresh Kills Landfill, the largest garbage dump in the world.

The cover of the book Wild New York: A Guide to the Wildlife, Wild Places and Natural Phenomena of New York City by Margaret Mittelbach and Michael Crewdon

The cover of the book Wild New York: A Guide to the Wildlife, Wild Places and Natural Phenomena of New York City by Margaret Mittelbach and Michael Crewdon

My friend David considers gulls evil omens. I tried to do some research into the role of gulls in folklore. I turned to the book by Laura C. Martin titled The Folklore of Birds. Her entry on gulls proved sketchy. Here’s some of what I learned. The word “gull” comes from a Welsh word, “gwylan,” which can be translated as “wailing.” The term “gull” apparently derived from the bird’s wailing or plaintive call. The Latin genus name, Larus, for gull is translated as “ravenous seabird.” So, that leaves us with a ravenous, wailing seabird. Apt descriptions, but not exactly a rich folklore. Birds such as crows and the various species of owls have much more ominous superstitions surrounding them.

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New York City has a “New York Rare Bird Alert.” If you would like to know what rare birds are being seen in New York City, dial (212) 979-3070. I dialed the number during my visit and received information about excitement regarding large flocks of migrating shorebirds, a Common Raven and nesting Blue Grosbeaks.

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My friend David now lives in Baltimore. I haven’t visited him there, but he has visited me in the mountains near Asheville, N.C. I’d like to thank him again for my taste of the Big Apple.

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I’d still love to hear from readers. Just post your thoughts here or email me at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com. Keep up with me on Facebook, too.

Get ready to take part in this week’s 2014 Great Backyard Bird Count

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Welcome to my new blog, “Our Fine Feathered Friends.” I hope everyone who has enjoyed reading my columns through the years will flock here to keep up to date with our birds and birding opportunities in the region.

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From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, bird watchers from more than 100 countries are expected to participate in the 17th annual Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb. 14–17, 2014.

I have plenty of time to participate this year, and that’s exactly what I plan to do. Anyone anywhere in the world can count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count and enter their sightings at http://www.BirdCount.org.

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. The GBBC is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society with partner Bird Studies Canada.

“People who care about birds can change the world,” said Audubon chief scientist Gary Langham. “Technology has made it possible for people everywhere to unite around a shared love of birds and a commitment to protecting them.”

In North America, GBBC participants will add their data to help define the magnitude of a dramatic irruption of magnificent Snowy Owls. Bird watchers will also be on the lookout for the invasive Eurasian Collared-Dove to see if it has expanded its range again. GBBC observations may help show whether or not numbers of American Crows will continue to rebound after being hit hard by the West Nile virus and whether more insect-eating species are showing up in new areas, possibly because of changing climate.

Last year’s GBBC shattered records after going global for the first time, thanks to integration with the eBird online checklist program launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab and Audubon. Participants reported their bird sightings from all seven continents, including 111 countries and independent territories. More than 34.5 million birds and 3,610 species were recorded—nearly one-third of the world’s total bird species documented in just four days.

“This is a milestone for citizen science in so many respects—number of species, diversity of countries involved, total participants, and number of individual birds recorded. We hope this is just the start of something far larger, engaging the whole world in creating a detailed annual snapshot of how all our planet’s birds are faring as the years go by,” said Cornell Lab director Dr. John Fitzpatrick.

“Canadian participation in the Great Backyard Bird Count has increased tremendously in recent years, and it’s wonderful to see this program growing globally,” said Bird Studies Canada President Dr. George Finney. “The count is introducing unprecedented numbers of people to the exciting field of bird watching.”

The GBBC is a great way for people of all ages and backgrounds to connect with nature and make a difference for birds. It’s free and easy. To learn more about how to join the count, visit www.birdcount.org and view the winning photos from the 2013 GBBC photo contest. The Great Backyard Bird Count is made possible in part by sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited.

I had a great time participating in last year’s GBBC, and I plan to do so again this year. If recent weeks are any indication, there could be plenty of interesting birds out there.

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Photo courtesy of Toy James
An albino American Robin at the home of Don and Toy James.

Don and Toy James shared a photo of an albino American Robin at their home in the Danner Subdivision on Jan. 15.

“My wife snapped this photo of an albino robin in our back yard,” Don wrote. “I have never seen one and thought it was interesting.”

Don said the robin was feeding on worms with the other robins in the yard.

“My wife said they all ate together and he flew away with them,” Don said. “They seemed to treat him as any other robin.”

I had inquired about any interactions they observed since sometimes birds will shun an albino invidual. Apparently, that wasn’t the case with this robin.

During a trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2006, I observed an albino Brewer’s Blackbird. An albino blackbird is almost an oxymoron. That observation remains my best look at an albino bird in the wild.

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I would love to hear from readers. Just post comments on my new blog at ourfinefeatheredfriends.wordpress.com.

You can also reach me on Facebook or send email to ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.