Birds of Summer

Summer is rapidly approaching.  The Migration Count, which took place over two weeks ago, was a lot of fun.  Even during that event, however, I could tell that the peak of bird migration was over.  That’s not to say that I didn’t see many interesting species on the count—but nearly all of them are going to be here through the breeding season, building their nests and raising young before migrating south in the fall.

What sorts of summer resident birds am I regularly observing where I live?  Well, Summer Tanagers seem to be everywhere.  Both the males and the females spend a lot of time in the large oak and pine trees around the neighborhood.  I haven’t yet found a nest, but I’ll be sure to post about it if I do.  These birds’ bright colors—rosy red for the adult males, and mustard yellow for the adult females—stand out against the green foliage, and their sharp pik-i-tuk-tuk calls and throaty songs add variety to the outdoor soundtrack.

Summer Tanager

In the lower-lying portions of the neighborhood, where I seldom venture, there are apparently enough bottomland hardwood tree species to entice Prothonotary Warblers and Northern Parulas.  I actually see far more of these birds at Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, but any woodland near water may harbor them.  I listen for the dry, ascending trill of the parula and the somewhat monotonous, ringing tweet tweet tweet tweet of the Prothonotary.  The Prothonotary Warbler builds its nests in tree cavities (and may use nesting boxes, if you have them), while the Northern Parula nests in hanging vegetation, including Spanish moss.

Northern Parula on the move

Prothonotary Warbler singing at Noxubee NWR

Indigo Buntings brighten any day with their upbeat, whistled, jumbled songs.  The males, of course, have iridescent blue feathers that appear indigo in dimmer light and vibrant turquoise in direct sunlight.  The females are subtler, with buff-brown plumage and often a hint of blue on the wings and tail.  The Indigo Bunting nests low in a tree or a shrub.  I’ve seen a couple of Painted Bunting nests in Arkansas—and that was after hours and hours of looking!  Indigo Bunting nests may be equally well concealed, but the abundance of the species in comparison to the Painted Bunting should make finding its nests a little easier.  Whether or not I ever discover a nest in this area, Indigo Buntings will remain fascinating to me.

Indigo Bunting in Arkansas

On the larger side of things are Mississippi Kites, which tend to stake out territories around rivers and streams.  I suspect that the kites I see in the neighborhood are nesting somewhere along the creek run.  They sometimes perch in the large snags at the edges of the fields.  Other times, they swoop through the treetops to catch cicadas and other large insects, giving distinctive two-note calls.  Perhaps surprisingly, I have not observed any smaller birds chasing the kites; either they view the kites as non-threatening, or they are deeply terrified of them.  I’m sure that the Red-shouldered Hawks in the neighborhood—which always seem to be mobbed by mockingbirds, crows, and other species—would appreciate similar treatment!

Mississippi Kite

This is just a small sampling of the avian life that I have seen over the past month or so.  No matter how routine and mundane things may seem, especially as springtime wanes, there is always something of interest to observe in nature.