Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas
The Elbow Valley Constructed Wetland is an ideal habitat for the Common Yellowthroat. These birds enjoy water with bulrushes, cattails, and willows. This male was singing up a storm on a willow by the shelter. I saw him yesterday morning and today he cooperated for some photographs.
In the Warbler family, the Common Yellowthroat and the Yellow Warbler are the most widely distributed in North America. Some Common Yellowthroats in the southern climes do not migrate and are sedentary, which is not a common Warbler trait.
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 Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis
Gray Catbirds are in the Mimidae family, which includes Mockingbirds and Thrashers. The genus name is Latin for "small thicket," a preferred habitat of the Gray Catbird.
Berries make up to 50% of the diet of the Gray Catbird. These birds visit my feeders. I put out oranges to try to attract Orioles, but the most consistent bird who eats the fruit is the catbird.
I heard this Gray Catbird before I saw the bird. The characteristic cat meow is only one of the songs in a wide repertoire. The Gray Catbird is a good mimic. A 4.5 minute recorded Gray Catbird song included 170 distinct phrases!
Gray Catbirds can recognize and remove parasitized cowbird eggs. This Gray Catbird was displaying in a territorial fashion. There was a Brown-headed Cowbird on a tall Spruce nearby and I wondered whether the display was for me or the cowbird?
The Gray Catbird winters in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
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 Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.
White-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys
White-crowned Sparrows have multiple broods of up to four in some regions. The shorter breeding season in Southern Alberta likely only allows two broods and a third in very exceptional years.
I have seen White-crowned juveniles in the back yard recently and I hear the adults singing more often, which I presume means that courtship and nesting for a second brood is underway.
The photos below show one of the sparrows that has been singing at dawn and dusk.
The next morning, there was a different White-crowned Sparrow on the same perch.
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 Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.
Robin's Nest
Ten days ago on June 19th, I discovered a Robin's nest in the rafters of the shelter of the Elbow Valley Constructed Wetland. There were two eggs in the nest on that day. I have checked the nest every few days. Either the nest has been empty or the mother has flown off with my approach. On subsequent checks I noted three, then four, and today five eggs. The average number of eggs is four, with a range of 3 to 5. Mom is likely finished laying. Incubation will last 11 to 15 days.
This, I believe is Father Robin, based on proximity to the nest and the simultaneous presence of the Mother Robin on the nest.
Incubation is only by the female, who looks settled on her five eggs.
Northern Raccoon - Raton laveur
Ben Gadd's book (original 1986 edition), which has been my Alberta Nature "bible" for the last thirty or so years, notes that Raccoons are "rare" in the Canadian Rockies, and this was what I have always believed.
Recently, when my daughter suggested Raccoons were the culprits that pillaged one of my sunflower seed feeders, I didn't accept this as a possibility. Humble pie. She was correct. I have not seen these nocturnal critters, but I now have more than enough evidence of their presence.
Northern Raccoons were limited to the United States until about a hundred years ago, and these animals reached Eastern Canada first, then moved west, and over the last decade there have been lots of sightings in Alberta.
Two months ago on April 12, 2013, I found some unusual poop in my backyard. I have never seen this scat before and when I looked in my library I could not identify the animal. Of course I didn't look under Raccoon scat. Why should I? Raccoons don't live in Calgary. Right? Turns out the poop is typical for Raccoons, perhaps a juvenile based on the diameter of the poops. Raccoon poop might contain Raccoon Roundworm eggs, which can be fatal if ingested (breathed in). I certainly was not aware of this and next time I will remove the poop with a mask and gloves.
To confirm my new suspicion, several weeks ago I spread sand on the pathway from the garden to my patio, and yesterday, I finally found a perfect Raccoon paw print.
Raccoons are most abundant in urban areas. These animals are nocturnal and most active from dusk to midnight.
Males are territorial and in the prairie regions the males aggressively defend their home range such that there is usually little overlap. I suspect the Raccoon in my backyard comes by (patrols this part of his territory) about once every week or so, and the frequency likely reflects the size of his home range. If food is plentiful, Raccoons are not so territorial and several males might band together to forage.
Raccoons are omnivores and will consume almost anything that is organic. The tactile sense of a Raccoon is exceptional. Dexterity with their front paws is remarkable. These animals are able to untie knots, open doors, unscrew jars (this is how they took down the feeder, which was screwed into a post), and lift of garbage can lids.
References
Gadd, Ben. Handbook of the Canadian Rockies. Corax Press. Jasper, Canada. 1986.
Naughton, Donna. The Natural History of Canadian Mammals. UofT Press. 2012.
Lincoln's Sparrow - Melospiza lincolnii
This sparrow is named after Thomas Lincoln, a young companion of John Audubon on his voyage to Labrador. The photo below looks as if the image might have been posed and coloured by Audubon!
These birds often nest in the woodlands around a bog. The photos were taken beside Blackbird Marsh, which is a boggy area for most of the late spring and summer.
These sparrows forage for insects from the tips of shrubs and trees, much like warblers, and this photo captured a Lincoln's Sparrow doing just that from tiny branches at the top of an aspen.
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 Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.
Rufous Hummingbird - Selasphorus rufus
These photos were taken close to the Elbow River and I have seen this hummingbird in the same perch on a regular basis. Another Rufous Hummingbird has established my garden as his territory and he is usually perched on the top of a Mayday every morning.
The territorial display involves a high climb and then a J-shaped dive to one quadrant of the territory. As the bird descends the vibration of the tail feathers makes a unique sound.
These hummingbirds are very assertive and they drive off the Calliope and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Earlier in the spring all three hummingbirds were in the garden but the Rufous drove off the Calliope Hummingbirds every time they visited a feeder. Now only the Rufous is around on a regular basis.
White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia Albicollis
The song of the White-throated Sparrow was one of the first I learned. The bird often sings incessantly and this embedded the tune in my memory.
The bird often sings into the dark on summer evenings. Recently a neighbour asked, "You're a birder. What is the bird that won't stop singing at night." My guess was she was referring a White-throated Sparrow.
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 Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.
Clay-coloured Sparrow - Spizella pallida
Clay-coloured Sparrows are the most common sparrow in my garden. These birds feed either on the ground or at the feeders and they are unobtrusive birds, unlike the White-crowned Sparrow, the second most common sparrow in the garden, which struts into the area and scatters all the smaller birds.
These sparrows nest close to the ground in shrubs by water and although I have not seen a nest, I know the areas where the birds do nest. They are territorial before they establish the nest but then forage and feed amicably once the nest is established.
If a cowbird parasitizes the nest, the female abandons the nest.
This Clay-coloured Sparrow was in a Silverberry Bush on a ridge above the Elbow River. Silverberry Bushes are a favoured nesting location.
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 Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.
Mallard Chicks - Anas platyrhynchos
I have seen three sets of Mallard chicks this year. These five ducklings were in Discovery Duck Pond on June 23rd, on the third day after the flood.
The mother below had three chicks in Discovery Duck Pond on June 10th, and in the Glenmore Runoff Reservoir, I saw another family of two chicks on June 13th.
Mallard females usually lay 10 to 12 eggs, so these small clutches are unusual.
Incubation is by the female alone for 26 to 29 days. The first set of new chicks imply that the eggs were laid in mid May. I have not seen male female pairs very often in the last month because the males have moved on to hang out with other males.
These chicks will fledge at 7 or 8 weeks of life, likely in early August.
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 Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.
Bank Swallow Bend - Ground Zero
On June 10th, 2013 I took this photo of a Bank Swallow colony on the Elbow River. This was home to about 50 swallow families. The distance from the water to the green brush on the bank is about 5 meters. I took the photo downstream to the East.
Ten days later, on June 20th, Southern Alberta suffered a terrible flood. Both the Elbow and Bow Rivers overflowed. Communities along the rivers were evacuated. But for essential services, work in the city stopped.
I took this black and white photo on the evening of June 20th. The Elbow River peaked about 10 hours later. The photo shows the same area as in the first image, but this photo was taken upstream from the colony because the entire area downstream was underwater.
The Bank Swallows continued to fly up to the side of the river, hoping I guess, that the nest holes would suddenly reappear. I saw similar activity for the next two days and then by the third day, there were few Bank Swallows around.
The river rushes louder now, but the river is also silent. Many nests were lost. I have not heard a Spotted Sandpiper for three days. All the smaller ducks were nesting and for those that nest in the shore grass, there will be no ducklings this year. Yellow Warblers nest several meters up in willow branches and these nests were lost, but these birds usually have a second brood so they will likely have young this year. Single brooded birds will not raise young this year.
Northern Flicker Sibs at Nest Hole
I've been patiently hoping to see young flickers at the nest hole waiting to be fed by the parents. This is expected at about 3 weeks of age.
Finally, on June 20th, I saw the first young flicker. The next day I saw two different flickers at the nest hole, and on June 23rd, the photos suggest that I saw up to four different young flickers. I cannot fathom how they all fit in that one nest. Presumably the adults no longer reside in the nest.
This is the first young flicker. I must have expected to see something less like a small "adult," because my first thought was that this was the mother. Then the fresh feathers and the short bill made me realize this was a young flicker.
The flicker in the above two photos is clearly different. The clutch is usually 6 to 8 eggs and I wondered how many there might be in the nest.
On June 23rd, this female was watching at an adjacent tree as I watched the nestlings.
While I watched, one young flicker, then another, then a third, and then possibly a fourth emerged from the nest hole. Each stayed for about a minute and then backed up into the nest. I sensed that the young birds were taking turns, and I imagined the siblings below pestering the one at the entrance, "Hurry up, it's my turn."
Often, but not always the young flicker vocalized.
This is clearly a third new young flicker with a definite malar mustache.
The young birds have clearly grown since the photos two days earlier on June 21st.
They looked around, to each side, up and down, perhaps looking for a parent to arrive and feed them.
If this clutch did hold 6 to 8 eggs, I cannot imagine the nest with this many birds. On both June 22nd and June 23rd I saw a young flicker perched at the top of a spruce tree in the adjacent forest. I heard the flicker call and then saw the bird on the tree top. The bird was clearly smaller and slimmer than the adults. Likely this bird hatched first and fledged first.
Northern Flicker Tongue Motion
While watching a young flicker at the nest hole, I was fortunate to obtain some photos of the tongue.
The sequence below shows the tongue go out and then back in. Not sure if there was a target for the tongue. Perhaps there was a tiny insect on the branch?
Northern Flicker Youth at Nest Hole
Young flickers are brooded by the male for the first three weeks. By 17 or 18 days the young will feed from the nest hole. Two days ago, June 20th, the day of the flood, was the first time I saw a young flicker at the nest hole, and today was the first time I heard the young bird.
Today, I heard this young flicker from quite a distance, well before I was close enough to see the nest tree. The bird repeated a nestling feeding call (eBird Macaulay Library) about once every few minutes. The parents were not in sight.
This photo shows the young flicker mid-call.
About a week after starting to feed at the nest hole, or by 25 to 28 days of age, a young flicker is ready to leave the nest. This flicker seems ready to go.
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 Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A Knopf, Inc. New York. 2001.
Wood Frog - Rana sylvatica
While trying to bushwhack around a flooded area, I saw a movement on the ground. The creature "disappeared" and I presumed was gone. However, to be sure, I paused, bent over, and looked carefully. The Wood Frog was the identical color of the mud and the wood.
The humidity was very high. The sun was above the forest canopy, the air was thick and warm, and the surface of every branch and leaf was wet to touch. Very tropical for Calgary. My glasses kept steaming up as I tried to take photographs. After each photograph, I wiped my glasses and each time the frog "disappeared." The camouflage coloration of this frog was so good that if I had not known where to look, then the frog would have been truly invisible. Amazing.
The Wood Frog hibernates by "freezing solid." There is no heartbeat, no respiration, and no neural activity. Once the temperature reaches minus 2 degrees C, the Wood Frog liver pumps out glucose and this carbohydrate is transported into cells in very high concentrations, and water follows such that the cells swell. This apparently prevents cell death. In the spring, the Wood Frog thaws out and hops away.
Gadd, Ben. Handbook of the Canadian Rockies. Corax Press. Jasper, Alberta. 1986.
