Townsend's Solitaire

Townsend's Solitaire - Myadestes townsendi

Mostly I see the Townsend's Solitaire in the mountains perched on the top of a tree. However, this Townsend's Solitaire was enjoying the Mountain Ash berries in my backyard. This is my first sighting in the seven years I've lived in Discovery.

I suspect this bird was en route South to warmer climes when the bright red Mountain Ash berries came into view. Now that the leaves have fallen, the berries are likely a vivid contrast to the mostly brown ground-scape.

Some Townsend's Solitaires winter in Alberta, so there is a possibility the bird might stay in the neighborhood.

Ground-sallying is a common feeding behavior. The Townsend's Solitaire alights from a perch and snatches an insect on the ground. These birds also catch insects in the air in "flycatcher fashion."

Solitaires sing throughout the year with two annual peaks. The first from April to May is in the breeding territory and the second from September to November is in the wintering territory. I will be listening for the winter song in the next few days. 

References

The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.

Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.

Beadle D, Rising J. Sparrows of the United States and Canada. Princeton UP. 2003.

Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.

Howell, Steve N. G. Molt in North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. New York. 2010. 

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.

Tudge Colin. The Bird. Crown Publishers. New York. 2008.

Northern Goshawk

Northern Goshawk - Accipiter gentilis

These raptors have a reputation for relentless pursuit of Snowshoe Hares and Ruffed Grouse, their traditional prey. However, anything smaller that moves is at risk when this talented hunter is in the neighborhood. In years when the Snowshoe Hare population falls, Northern Goshawks might migrate south. 

Accipiters have long toes and the prey is killed with the talons. After capture, and during flight, the Northern Goshawk extends long legs away from the body to minimize injury from the prey, and repeatedly stabs the prey with the talons until a vital organ is penetrated. The beak is only used for feeding.  

The location at the edge of a coniferous forest, the broad tail with a fourth tail band, and the distinct white supercilium confirm this as an immature Northern Goshawk.

References

The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.

Dunne P, Sibley D, Sutton C. Hawks in Flight. Houghton Mifflin. New York. 1988.

Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2000.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.

Mountain Goat

Mountain Goat - Oreamnos americanus

Recently, we saw a mother and her kid foraging in a rocky gully along the Kananaskis Highway. The mother bounded up the grassy hill and ran past us. However, the kid was intimidated by our presence, and as soon the young goat was about ten meters from us, the kid turned and ran back down the hill. The young goat repeated the run-up-to-us, pause and bleat, and then run-back-down manoeuvre about five times before the mother finally returned to the gully.

The mother's fur looked mangy because the autumn moult had started. Mountain Goats moult twice a year. The short 1 cm summer coat moults in autumn to allow the long 20 cm winter coat necessary for a Canadian winter in the mountains.

Male and female goats look the same and are difficult to tell apart. We presumed this was a mother, since kids and even yearlings stay with the mother. The pictures otherwise confirm the female gender. The circumference of the male horn is much larger at the base than the eye of the goat.

Female goats squat to urinate and males "stretch." The mother obliged us by peeing before she ran past us and down into the gully to rejoin her kid.   

The main predators include grizzly bear, wolf, and cougar. Golden Eagles prey on kids and juveniles. These large raptors swoop by and and knock the smaller animals off the cliff-sides and then feed on the fallen carcass. The most common cause of death is avalanche. Mountain Goats forage at higher elevations in the summer and lower elevations in the winter. Except during autumn rut, adult males and females live in separate groups.

References

Gadd Ben. Handbook of the Canadian Rockies. Corax Press. Jasper, Alberta. 1986.

Naughton Donna. The Natural History of Canadian Mammals. UofT Press. 2012.

Cooper's Hawk

Cooper's Hawk - Accipiter cooperii

A gang of young crows hang out in my backyard. They enjoy the husked sunflower seeds I set out. These black adolescents are not endearing. They make a lot of racket and they scare off the smaller birds. Periodically I chase them off.

Recently, a Cooper's Hawk did the job for me. At dawn, I looked out and saw several of the crows sitting on the metal arch at the back gate. Suddenly, they scattered. A Cooper's Hawk arrived and for a few moments, the sky above the gate was a flurry of birds as the crows disappeared in a variety of directions. The Cooper's Hawk took up the same perch on the metal arch.

The Cooper's Hawk arrived from the East, and was likely perched along the fence in my neighbour's yard. The fence is a favoured perch for the Cooper's Hawks and Merlins who prey on the smaller birds who enjoy the sunflower seeds. Smaller birds avoid the yard when the crows are present. A such, the crows were inconvenient for the Cooper's Hawk.

The short rounded wings of accipiters are well-adapted for quick maneuvering in dense forests, and the tight turns the Cooper's Hawk made above my fence were a perfect example of this attribute. Surprise is the hallmark of an accipiter.

References

The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.

Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.

Dunne P, Sibley D, Sutton C. Hawks in Flight. Houghton Mifflin. New York. 1988.

Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2000.


Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus

I mostly see the Eastern Kingbird during the spring and fall migration, and the sighting of the bird below on August 21, 2013, is a heads-up that the fall migration is underway. The longer wings of the Eastern Kingbird are aerodynamically adapted for the sustained flight at high speed, which is necessary for the long migration to Central America. A male and female often nest together in successive years but the birds do not migrate together, which implies they independently return to the same geographic area in the spring. 

The genus and species name are identical, which emphasizes the description. Tyrannus means tyrant, so this bird has a reputation for aggressiveness if the nest or territory is threatened.  

The spring photos below were on June 11, 2013. The changes in the feather coloration imply this is a juvenile. The feather change cannot be a molt, because the Eastern Kingbird molts after migration. 

References

The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.

Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.

Beadle D, Rising J. Sparrows of the United States and Canada. Princeton UP. 2003.

Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.

Howell, Steve N. G. Molt in North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. New York. 2010. 

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.

Tudge Colin. The Bird. Crown Publishers. New York. 2008.

Savannah Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow - Passerculus sandwichensis

Savannah Sparrows feed on the ground and often flush to a perch, rather than to the ground, and this behaviour helps distinguish the Savannah from other sparrows in my area. The bird below flushed to a perch close to the Elbow Valley Constructed Wetland.

References

The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.

Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.

Beadle D, Rising J. Sparrows of the United States and Canada. Princeton UP. 2003.

Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2000.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.

More Gadwall Ducklings

More Gadwall Ducklings - Anas strepera

The Glenmore Runoff Reservoir was home to at least five families this spring and summer and the following photos are ducklings from one of the families. 

References

The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.

Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.

Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2000.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.

Spotted Sandpiper Alarm Display

Spotted Sandpiper Alarm Display - Actitis macularia

This Spotted Sandpiper tried to lure me away from a chick and she was successful because I never did see the chick. The photo was taken at the end of a "broken wing" display. The sandpiper parent ran along the side of the river with the wing in an awkward position. 

References

The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.

Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.

Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2000.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.

American Goldfinch

American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis 

Goldfinches time their nesting such that the chicks hatch about the same time as the thistle flower turns to seed. Recently we enjoyed a mating display performed over the tree line of the garden.

This female goldfinch looks as if she is "willing" the thistle bud to suddenly open and instantly turn to seed.


Thistles have been flowering for weeks and there are lot of seeds. The goldfinch are now less common at the feeders because their natural food choice is abundant and closer to their nests.

References

The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.

Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.

Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2000.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.

Merganser Chicks

Merganser Chicks - Mergus merganser

The first chicks I reported this year were on June 2. A mother and nine chicks swam out of Merganser Inlet. During the winter and spring, I commonly see male and female mergansers on the pebbled beach in this location. The inlet is on the South side of the Elbow across from my customary hike.

These two adolescents in the photo below were from a family of six in Curly Creek on July 13th.

The following three photos of adults are spring photos from the area around Merganser Inlet. Perhaps some are the parents of the chicks above. 

Female Mallard

Female Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos

Male mallards have not been around for over a month. Mostly I see females either alone or tending ducklings of various ages. Mallards are single brooded and the 10 to 12 eggs are incubated by the female alone for 26 to 29 days and the ducklings are tended by the female and fledged at about 7 or 8 weeks of age. 
These two photos were taken moments apart and the difference that interested me is how the reflected image changed in the ripples.

References

The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.

Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.

Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2000.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.

Female Common Goldeneye

Female Common Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula

The male goldeneyes left several months ago. After performing their courtship display continuously for several weeks, the males mated, and then left. Goldeneyes are single brooded, and when the male has fulfilled his brief but necessary role, the female incubates 6 to 11 eggs for 27 to 32 days, and then tends the young until the ducklings fledge at 51 to 60 days.

The nests are in natural cavities in trees or stumps, usually 6 to 60 feet up, and the newborn chicks drop unharmed to the ground within hours of hatching. 

Goldeneyes winter along the Elbow River and I saw up to a dozen male-female pairs this spring but I never saw a pair in one area consistently enough to imply nesting, and so far this summer I have seen only a solitary duckling, which might well have come from much further upstream. Perhaps there are not very many suitable nesting cavities along this part of the Elbow River?

References

The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.

Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.

Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2000.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.

Song Sparrow Photo Shoot

Song Sparrow Photo Shoot - Melospiza melodia

Met up with the Song Sparrow just after brunch. 

"Give me a left profile hidden in those bushes."

"Turn around quickly." 

 "Right profile, please."

"Now face me."

 "Turn your head a bit to the left."

"Pretend you're speaking politely to another bird."

"Get angry at that bird."

 "Face me again."

"Final shot, left profile, look casual."

"Terrific shoot. I'll post these photos later today."

Swamp Sparrow

Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana

Until July 30th, I had no idea that Swamp Sparrows nested close to my customary hike. At the far end of the Glenmore Runoff Reservoir there is a marshy area where ducks nest. I can just see this area with my binoculars but usually the birds are too far away for me to identify. The western shore is a dense forest and until July 30th, I never attempted to bushwhack through this area. Took me 1.5 hours to circumnavigate the reservoir and most of this time was spent threading my way through brush so dense there were no deer trails. The reservoir bends into a narrow area lined with cat-tails and bull rushes that is not visible from the distant vantage point along my customary walk. The air was thick with humidity and bugs. The water was still and shallow. Swampy. Made perfect sense to see these sparrows.

Swamp Sparrows are double brooded and build their nests about a foot off the ground in the grass or cat-tails that surround marshy areas. The reservoir water rose only modestly with the flood, which I hope, allowed their first brood to survive. 

These sparrows eat more insects than seeds and their jaw muscles are less well developed and their bills are smaller than other Melospizza species such as the Song and Lincoln Sparrows.The legs are longer, which allows the Swamp Sparrow to wade in shallow water. 

References

The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Alberta. Federation of Alberta Naturalists. 2007.

Baicich PJ, Harrison CJO. Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds. Princeton UP. 2005.

Beadle D, Rising J. Sparrows of the United States and Canada. Princeton UP. 2003.

Fisher C, Acorn J. Birds of Alberta. Lone Pine Publishing. Edmonton. 1998.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2000.

Sibley David A. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.