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.

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia

There are five species of sparrows that nest along my customary hike close to the Elbow River. Each sparrow has a unique nesting habitat.

The Song Sparrows choose locations more proximal to the Elbow River than the other sparrows. Song Sparrows are very widespread in North America and these birds occupy a variety of nesting habitats. Perhaps in this area, the closer-to-the-riverside locations are chosen to avoid competition with the other sparrow species? The other four nesting sparrows are the Clay-coloured, Savannah, Lincoln, and Swamp Sparrow.

Song Sparrows eat insects and seeds. The adult in the photos below is taking an insect meal back to the nest to feed either the first or perhaps the second brood of the season.

During spring, soon after they arrive, Song Sparrows turn up at my ground feeders. Later in the season these birds must feed closer to their nest because I rarely see them in my garden.

The Song Sparrow in the June 6th photograph below was on Kingfisher Island and directly opposite where I took the above photos on July 27 and August 3rd. Perhaps the birds are all from the same family.

These birds do have a terrific call. The species name is very apt and is from the Greek for "melody."

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.

Chipmunk

Chipmunk - Tamias minimus (Least) or amoenus (Yellow-pine)

Three of the five Canadian chipmunk species reside in South-western Alberta. The Least Chipmunk is the most widespread in Alberta and the only chipmunk in the northern and eastern areas of the province. The Yellow-pine and the Red-tailed Chipmunk also reside in the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies. This chipmunk does not have an especially red tail and is therefore either a Least or a Yellow-pine. There is no practical method to separate these species in the wild. In the laboratory, genital bone analysis is the preferred method to separate the species. 

I only see one at a time, but there are likely several chipmunks in my garden. They feed under the feeders and then "scatter-hoard" small caches in their territory. The other day I found small caches in my shoe and under a deck cushion. The chipmunk who stored the nuts in these locations is at the bottom of the food-cache learning curve.

Chipmunks have a winter burrow where they hibernate on top of their food hoard. These little animals wake up about once a week to feed and then go back to sleep. Summer nests are constructed in cavities and I am suspicious that there is a nest under my hot tub.

Litters of four or five young are delivered in late May or June and are weaned at 7 or 8 weeks of age. Young chipmunks should start turning up at the feeders this month. Perhaps the "food-cache challenged" chipmunk was just weaned?

References

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

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

Gadwall Ducklings

Gadwall Ducklings - Anas strepera

On July 30, 2013, I decided to bushwack around the entire circumference of the Glenmore Runoff Reservoir. The trees and brush on the West side are thick and the shore steep. At the North end is an area where ducks nest. The area is about two or three hundred meters from my usual vantage point. I knew Gadwalls had nested in the area but I did not expect to find four families!

I saw two families with a female and six ducklings, one family with a female and three ducklings, and one family (smallest ducklings) with a female and a male with two ducklings.

On July 13, I saw a mother with 5 ducklings on the Runoff Reservoir. The ducklings were all larger than any of the ducklings that I saw on July 30, and all looked flight-ready. This implies that the Glenmore Runoff Reservoir was home to at least five Gadwall nests this year.












The usual clutch is 8 to 12 eggs. I have not seen any families with more than 6 ducklings. During the inundation of June 20, the water level in the reservoir rose modestly and the nests in this location were spared the full fury of the flood.

The duckling above was swimming very fast and I managed a few hasty shots. My shutter speed was too slow for the light and the images are darker and not crisp, but courtesy of some adjustments with my iMac, I produced a "Monet Lily Pond-like" image. The duckling is reflected and shimmering (slightly out of focus).

The mother in the photo above and the two ducklings in the photos below were in the Runoff Reservoir on July 16, 2013.

  

Gadwalls are dabblers and are sometimes called "Grey Ducks," because the males have very nondescript plumage. The females are a nondescript brown and very similar to a Mallard female.

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.