The Cedar Waxwing

Winter just wouldn’t seem like winter, at least to a birder, without Cedar Waxwings passing overhead with a chorus of whistling trills or perched in a tree, rapidly devouring every berry in sight.  Even nonbirders enjoy watching these colorful cold-weather visitors that display long, sleek crests; striking black-and-white masks; waxy red tips on the secondary wing feathers; blue-gray tails tipped with yellow; and brown upperparts blending with the yellow underparts.

Waxwings, like Purple Finches and Pine Siskins, are somewhat erratic visitors to Mississippi.  Some years, huge flocks turn up on Christmas bird counts and strip hundreds of ripe berries or seeds from the trees, often in the company of American Robins.  During other winters, waxwings may be few and far between.

The amounts of food Cedar Waxwings can stuff themselves with never cease to amaze me, but certainly the variety of this food is just as great.  Mistletoe, holly, cedar and hackberry are just a few of the berry-producing plants that these birds will feed on, and insects are also taken, flycatcher-fashion.  Interestingly, waxwings are sometimes seen passing berries along to adjacent birds.

In the spring, Cedar Waxwings feed on mulberries and often the petals of flowering crabapple trees.  Make note of any Cedar Waxwings you see in late May or early June; they usually depart by this time.  There are a few breeding records for Cedar Waxwings in Mississippi, so be on the lookout for any nesting behavior among these birds.  Your observations could have ornithological significance!

One enjoyable thing about the Cedar Waxwing is that whether you are watching goldfinches and sparrows arrive in the fall or warblers and grosbeaks arrive in the springtime, there will almost certainly be a few of these spectacular birds around as well, making a great birding day even more memorable. 

Cedar Waxwings in May

Sources: 

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Guide to Birds of North America, Version 3.

Birds of Mississippi.  Turcotte, William H., and David L. Watts.  University Press of Mississippi.  Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.  1999.

 

Beat Boredom with Winter Birding!

For a lot of us, it has been a tough winter.  If you're like me, then there have probably been days when you've found it difficult to make yourself spend time outside—or perhaps extreme weather conditions have prevented you from being outdoors.  If malaise is the problem, then finding a new challenge—such as species identification—may help you to find more enjoyment in your surroundings.  If inclement weather is the issue, then you can still learn about birds and wildlife, giving yourself a head start for when all of that ice finally melts!

Aftermath of 2021 ice storm

How about brushing up on sparrow identification?  Sparrows may seem drab, especially in comparison with our spring and summer wood-warblers, tanagers, orioles, and buntings.  However, if you spend some time studying them, you may be surprised at the variety of colors and patterns they sport.  A growing appreciation for subtlety is one of the benefits of watching sparrows: https://astheraincrowflies.blogspot.com/2018/12/sparrows.html.

White-throated Sparrow

If you’re able to visit lakes, ponds, or the seashore, then you might also enjoy studying waterfowl: geese, ducks, swans, grebes, coots, etc.  Waterfowl tend to migrate farther south when food sources up north get harder to find, so, if you live in the Southeast, be on the lookout for large flocks of ducks to start appearing in your area after snow and ice events.  While waterfowl generally display flashier plumage than sparrows, some species have subtler coloration, and if you’re observing any of them from a great distance, identification may be tricky.  Here are some basic tips that I’ve compiled for common (and some not-so-common) waterfowl species: https://astheraincrowflies.blogspot.com/2020/12/winter-waterfowl.html.

Ring-necked Ducks and Green-winged Teal

Finally, have you noticed that some species of birds in your region seem to fluctuate wildly in numbers from year to year?  This may be due to dispersal patterns known as irruptions, which occur when food sources in northern climes are too low to sustain local avian populations.  Pine Siskins, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Red Crossbills, Evening Grosbeaks, and some species of sparrows are among the birds that can be considered irruptive.  Here is a piece about this phenomenon: https://astheraincrowflies.blogspot.com/2019/01/irruptions.html.

Happy winter birding!

The Blue-headed Vireo

In a few short months, the woods will be filled with the color and song of newly-arrived migrants: warblers, gnatcatchers, tanagers, and vireos, among others.  The Yellow-throated Vireo is one of our earliest migrants, and Red-eyed and White-eyed Vireos are some of the most numerous spring and summer forest birds, but even in the late days of winter there is a species of vireo living secretively in woods of the Southeast: the Blue-headed Vireo.

Blue-headed Vireos are hardy winter residents in the southern states.  They can be found in both upland and lowland habitats, in mixed or coniferous forests, where they feed on insects gleaned from bark, and also a few small fruits.  Like most vireos, they have a loud, scolding call, and their song is a series of short, whistled phrases.  Although they are usually silent in the winter, on warm days they can sometimes be heard singing.

The Blue-headed Vireo was originally grouped with two other species, the Plumbeous and Cassin’s Vireos—both of which occur in western North America—as one species, the Solitary Vireo.  It may be not be used anymore, but this name is still descriptive; outside of the breeding season, Blue-headed Vireos are rarely seen with other members of their species, preferring instead to forage with chickadees, titmice, warblers, and kinglets.  In fact, one of the best ways to locate one is to search through these flocks of small, jittery songbirds, until the slower, more deliberate movements of this reclusive bird catch your eye.

Once you find a Blue-headed Vireo, take the time to appreciate the colors of its plumage.  The namesake bluish-gray head contrasts with the bold white “spectacle” marks around the bird’s eyes.  The back is bright olive, and the wings have prominent yellowish wing bars.  The underparts are white, with yellow flanks.  The heavy, slightly hooked bill is very different from the thin, almost straight bills of the warblers and kinglets that the vireo feeds with.

This songbird arrives for the winter in October and departs for more northerly regions in mid-April.  Be sure to get out into the field to spot the colorful Blue-headed Vireo and other wintering songbirds this January!

Beach Sunset

I love walking on the beach near sunset, especially when the weather isn’t too warm.  The sand feels delightfully soft and cool, the clouds stretch across the sky in gorgeous pastel shades, and waves provide a relaxing soundtrack as they steadily lap the shoreline.

The seashore birds’ calls—some raucous, some guttural, and some piping—punctuate the sounds of the water and wind.  Black-bellied Plovers may look fairly drab in their winter plumage, but their plaintive, whistling notes are anything but dull.  These close relatives of the familiar, pasture-loving Killdeer remain on the Gulf Coast through the winter, but migrate north in the spring.  It amuses me that this bird doesn’t have a black belly at all during this time of year.

Black-bellied Plover at the shoreline

Like most egrets and herons, the Snowy Egret has a very unmelodious—even grating—call.  But few people would deny its elegance as it gracefully strides through the tide pools, hunting for small fish and invertebrates.  Although the water is a bit too cold for me, the Snowy Egret appears to pay it no mind.  Black legs ending in bright yellow feet are one of its identifying features.

Snowy Egret striding

While the egret moves off, the small, browinish Dunlin comes forward to prod the mud near the edge of the pool with its pointed beak.  The Dunlin is a common winter visitor and migrant on the Gulf Coast, and, on most beaches, only the grayish but equally small Sanderling outnumbers it.  These species may mingle with each other, but the Dunlin tends to feed in somewhat deeper water, as the slightly greater length of its bill would suggest.

Snowy Egret and Dunlin foraging

As I look up and slightly to the right, I see several more species of shorebirds, including Marbled Godwit, Willet, and Semipalmated Plover.  The larger individuals, such as the godwits and the willets, forage in the deeper water, while the smaller plovers and dunlins stay in the shallower sections.  The names godwit and willet may seem strange, but they were intended as transcriptions of the birds’ calls.  I hear neither of these species calling at the time, but the persistent chirps and whistles of the others more than make up for that.

Shorebirds foraging in the tide pools

The sun starts to drop below the horizon, signaling that it’s time for me to leave.  I will miss the sights, sounds, and sensations of the beach, and I hope that I can re-experience them soon.

Nature Viewing

The fall bird migration is starting to wind down in most places, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t many birds to observe.  If you know where to look, you may find a wider variety of species than you would have guessed would be present.  Come along and see!

Cattle Egrets, ubiquitous in fields and pastures across the southeastern U.S. during the summer months, have mostly made their way south to the Gulf Coast, Florida, Mexico, and Central America.  However, you can still find some stragglers here and there, mainly around large bodies of water.  In the photo below, a small flock of Cattle Egrets congregate in a shrubby cypress tree at Bluff Lake.  In a month or so, they will most likely have departed for warmer territories where insects are abundant.

Cattle Egrets roosting at Noxubee National Wildife Refuge

Anhingas, the long-necked “snakebirds” of southern swamps, seem to be increasingly common on inland bodies of water during the winter months.  This may be due to climate change, but, regardless of the cause, checking for these birds in the field right now is well worth the effort.  Watch for their long, snake-like necks that they hold above the water as they swim, or scan the trees for perched birds that are busy airing out their wet wings.  These seemingly odd habits stem from the fact that Anhingas lack the oily plumage that provides ducks and geese with waterproofing and improved buoyancy.  Instead of bobbing on the surface, they dive for fish under the water.

Anhinga at Noxubee NWR

Another species that you can still find in some numbers on lakes and ponds is the Common Gallinule, a close relative of the abundant American Coot.  Gallinules tend to be slightly more secretive and retiring than coots, generally staying close to the shorelines or swimming among floating vegetation.  Their vividly-colored bills and the white streaks of feathers across their flanks make them easy to identify.  You can also listen for their loud, squawking calls carrying across the marsh.

Common Gallinules swimming at Noxubee NWR

Some birds that are usually common year-round, such as Eastern Phoebes, may still come as pleasant surprises in the field.  The ice storm of February 2021 killed many of the flying insects that phoebes, warblers, and certain other insectivorous bird species rely on for food, so some of these birds starved to death.  Phoebe numbers, in particular, seemed remarkably low this spring and summer.  Recently, though, I’ve noticed phoebes returning to areas from which they had apparently disappeared—an encouraging example of nature’s resilience.

Eastern Phoebe perched in cypress tree

These are all just my observations, though.  If you’re a birder, the most rewarding thing to do is to make your own discoveries in the field.  You never know what you might find!

"Fall" in Love with the Refuge

On a warm day in late October, well over a decade ago, my mom and I drove to the Noxubee Refuge to spend some time birding and just winding down from a busy week.  It was a beautiful day, although humid.  Of course, the humidity might have had an effect on us, but it seemed to have very little effect on the wildlife at the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge--birds, mammals, butterflies.  

Butterflies were everywhere at Morgan Hill, our first stop.  The bright sunlight was drawing them out along the trail leading through the Black Belt prairie.  Most of the butterflies of the fall season are rusty-tinted, and these were no exception.  Gulf Fritillaries, bright orange with nearly three-inch wingspans, were very abundant.  Orange Sulphurs, less intense in color, were also common.  Angle-winged Question Marks and Commas showed up, also, along with a few Painted Ladys, Monarchs and one Red Admiral, dark brown with red-orange bars on its wings.  Cloudless Sulphurs brought touches of yellow to the scene.  They were not confined to the prairie, though; they had flitted in front of our vehicle as we had made our way down the road earlier.

Grasshoppers scattered as we walked, some of them unfurling delicate wings as colorful as some of the butterflies.  On the gravel-covered path, Buckeyes, little butterflies sporting peacock-like eyespots and red and white “paint” on their brown wings, were surprisingly numerous, and I saw one Variegated Fritillary.  Smaller than the Gulf Fritillary, this species has paler but more intricately patterned wings.  By looking closely at a small passionflower (also known as maypop) plant growing on the trail, I spotted two tiny Gulf Fritillary caterpillars.

Of course, there were birds to be seen in addition to the insects.  The sparrows had arrived in flocks, and Savannah, Swamp, Song, and White-throated Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos flew out of the grasses at every step we took.  Eastern Bluebirds eyed us from their perches atop the few small trees dotting the hill.  Zhip!  With a sharp call and a flick of its tail, an Eastern Phoebe joined them. 

When my mom and I arrived back at the parking area, a big Woolly Bear caterpillar lurched its way across the gravel and over to some leaf litter in the nearby thicket where it would be safe.  As we left the prairie, a female American Kestrel gave us a great show as it hovered over the field and then landed in a huge oak tree.  A group of eleven Wild Turkeys was foraging in the same area.

Next we headed to Goose Overlook for more watching.  The water was nice and clear at Bluff Lake, where the observation point is located.  It was a little early for ducks, but there were plenty of Canada Geese wading in the shallows.  Chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers and wrens chattered in the surrounding woods.  A flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers landed in a cypress tree, flicking their wings and scrambling over the branches for insects.  We were amused by these antics but soon decided to walk down Woodpecker Trail, a path cutting through areas of both pine and mixed woods.  There were lots of small birds and several small dusty-brown Carolina Satyr butterflies.  Our shoes and socks soon became spotted with clinging Beggar’s Lice from the many plants growing on the edges of the trail. 

After spending time at Goose Overlook, we headed back to Morgan Hill Prairie.  It didn’t take long for me to spot some species I hadn’t seen on the prairie earlier.  A small butterfly alighted on a twig, and from the orange, brown and white wings and long, beak-like extension of the head, it was evident that this was a Snout Butterfly.  Several birds suddenly flew up in front of us and landed in the small trees and shrubs—bluebirds, Savannah Sparrow, juncos—but there was something else:  a Palm Warbler.  This brown-streaked little bird with the yellow undertail was only a few feet away from us.  A small bright-green caterpillar was clasped in its bill, and at first it seemed that the bird would soon eat it.  But the caterpillar was still very much alive; and as we watched, it reached down and grabbed the branch that the warbler was perched on.  The bird jerked its head up, pulling the caterpillar off the branch, but the insect was not ready to give up.  Suspended from the warbler’s bill, it suddenly curled into a tight ball, and the bird dropped it.  Oops!  The bird was probably pretty upset about losing this meal, and it dived down into the shrub to search for it.  We didn’t hang around long enough to see what finally happened, but I can imagine the caterpillar crawling off with a great battle story to retell all of its short life.

It was time to head out of the refuge, so we left, reflecting that the relaxing yet entertaining day there had definitely been worth the bother of going.

The Field Sparrow: A Life History

The Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) is a small songbird in the family Emberizidae (Order Passeriformes) that occurs throughout most of eastern North America.  It is one of the relatively few sparrows that commonly breed in the Southeast. 

Field Sparrow in summer

Distinguishing characteristics of the Field Sparrow include a short, pink bill; white eye-rings; white outer tail feathers; and a plain, unmarked breast.  The species is found in a variety of old fields, woodland edges, fencerows, and agricultural areas.  It begins courtship and mating in early spring, with males chasing females and defending territory from other males.  Males maintain and defend their territories through physical altercations between males as well as by their song, which is a warbling trill.  In addition to this song, the Field Sparrow has several alarm and flight calls that are used in a variety of contexts. 

Field Sparrow in winter

Nest construction begins in late April and extends through mid-May.  The nest, which is placed at a height of 9-300 centimeters in vegetation, is built solely by the female, and is composed of grasses, roots, hair, and other fine materials woven into a cup shape.  The eggs have a cream or white ground color, are marked with spots in various shades of brown, and have a smooth surface.  There are usually two to five eggs laid in a brood, and the female incubates for approximately twelve days.  The mostly naked, altricial nestlings are fed in the nest by both male and female parents for a period of about seven to eight days. 

The most frequent foods offered to the nestlings include many insects in both the adult and nymph stages, and various species of spiders.  After the young birds fledge, the parents will care for them until they reach independence at about one month of age.  The adult diet consists mainly of seeds, but some insects are taken, too.  

The Field Sparrow is a widespread species, ranging from southeast and northwest Montana, central Minnesota, southern Ontario, southern Maine, and southern New Brunswick; south to northeast Colorado, western Oklahoma and Kansas, central Texas and northern Mexico, and through the Gulf Coast to central Florida.  Some populations of the Field Sparrow are migratory, although most are not.  In the northernmost regions of its range, it is present only during the breeding season, and in the southernmost regions (such as the Gulf Coast and much of Florida), it is present only as a winter resident.  Be on the lookout for Field Sparrows in grassland and forest-edge habitats as the summer wanes and the fall season approaches!

Source:

Best, L. B.  1977.  Nesting biology of the Field Sparrow.  Auk 94(2):308-319.