I’m Weary!

Howling For Justice

I haven’t posted in several days and some of you may wonder why? It’s not that I’ve given up or am less interested in justice for gray wolves.  It’s because fighting the relentless persecution of wolves is tiring. I’ve written thousands and thousands of words about the gray wolves’ plight;  many, many nights not turning off the lights until the sun had started to rise on a new day. But that’s what being a passionate wolf advocate is all about.  I do it because I care.

Let’s take a look back at some of the things, not all, that have happened to wolves and wolf advocates in the last 26 months.

In the Spring of 2009 the Obama administration unceremoniously kicked wolves off the endangered species list,  Just mere months after that fateful decision, wolves were being hunted in Montana andIdaho.  Has that EVER happened to a…

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Red-breasted Sapsucker: Yes, They Exist And Are Active In Bellingham

Yes, there really is a Red-breasted Sapsucker (and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, for that matter too).  Sapsuckers are a form of woodpecker.  There are 4 species of sapsucker in North America, the Red-breasted is the most common type along the coastal Pacific Northwest.  (Inland in Washington, you are more likely to see a Red-Naped Sapsucker or a Williamson’s Sapsucker).

Instead of pecking and making a hammering noise, sapsuckers drill rows of shallow holes in trees, and then return after the holes have filed up with sap and insects.  They are quiet and not as hyperactive as other woodpeckers, but given its beautiful red head and breast, the Red-breasted Sapsucker is not exactly inconspicious.  Nor are they particularly shy about being spotted.   These beautiful birds can be destructive since they drill horizontal rows of holes in trees, but it is easy to forget about this when you spot one of these beautiful red, white and black creatures. I have been lucky enough to see a Red-breasted Sapsucker at my feeder here in Bellingham several times.

Savannah Sparrows

Sparrows are one of the more difficult species for a beginning birder to identify.  There are so many different kinds.  A good field guide is invaluable.  Things to lo0k for as clues are head patterns, color and shape of bills and feet,  overall body shapes, habitat,  season, and shyness.   I have suddenly begun seeing Savannah Sparrows everywhere lately.. at my feeder, up in Whatcom County, in Delta, British Columbia.  At least, I believe they are Savannah Sparrows based on the yellow color near the eyes, and the strong streaks on the white belly.  I had never seen a sparrow-like bird that had a yellowish streak on its face.  According to my field guides, this is the right time of year, and these birds had the typical Savannah Sparrow personality, visible and not hiding when seen,  which is great for identifying the bird and great for getting photos.

Goslings: Adorable Baby Chicks Everywhere

Its that time…. the Canada geese have completed their spring nesting and everywhere you go in this area you can not avoid seeing the vigilant moms and dads parading around with their young flock of adorable fluffy yellow goslings following close behind. It is interesting to watch how the geese engage in a form of communal child care, where one or two geese will be chaperoning a large group of goslings, while the other geese are off foraging.  I have also witnessed a pair of geese acting as sentinels for the entire community, sounding off loudly when dogs or people are in the vicinity and approach too closely, alerting all the parents to take care.  The goslings are still very young and are sticking as closely as possible to the adults.  But I know that as they grow, like typical teenagers, they begin to develop more of an attitude and bicker with the adults.  Well, just like humans, the Canada Geese should “enjoy them while they are young.”

Long-Billed Dowitchers

I love the spring and fall  migration season and the opportunities they bring to see shorebirds.   Recently, I photographed some long-billed dowithers in breeding plumage.  I was able to distinquish them from short billed dowitchers (which area also pretty long-billed) by the rufous belly, which is not visible in non-breeding plumage.

Dowitchers’ are found in groups, with their long bills and sometimes part of their head submerged into the mud.  They are pretty voracious in probing and eating.   The long-billed dowitchers prefer fresh water, which is where I found these birds, at the water sewage ponds on Iona Island in British C0lumbia.

Bird Flock Patterns….the ultimate abstract art

This Spring, I have enjoyed watching the patterns formed by flocks of birds as they take off in unison, all perfectly syncronized, turning on a drop of a dime, changing direction and shape, while maintaining perfect coordination.  I am not sure that anyone knows how the birds  move and change direction in perfect harmony with each other, without collusions, or confusion.  To bad humans are unable to work as well together….   These photos are the flock patterns of what I believe to be Dunlin at Semiahmoo, Blaine, Wa,, although I did see smaller western sandpipers mixed in the flock before they all took off.

Killdeer……Avian Actors

One of the most common shorebirds here in Bellingham and Whatcom County are killdeer,  a 10 inch brown and white plover with three black stripes across the face and breast and big golden brown eyes.  They have a reddish-brown rump, which they flash when they are alarmed.  I learned about the killdeer’s thespian skills when I first encountered one…it was walking around on the ground and appeared injured.  It was evening and I had no one to call to report an injured bird. After I got home, and looked up what the bird was, I then learned that they are known for pretending to be injured to lead potential predators away from their nest, which sits on the ground.  Sure enough, among the photos I took was one that appeared to show the “injured” bird sitting on a nest before she attempted to distract me away from the nest.  I frequently see killdeer in urban and rural areas, in grassy areas or along the shoreline.  These clever birds are very adaptable.

Western Kingbirds…. The Little Tyrants

Still on the birds I saw in Phoenix this weekend…. one bird that I saw in abundance that is more uncommon here in Bellingham are western kingsbirds, “Tyrannus verticalis”.   This bird is classified as a “Tyrant Flycatcher” in reference to its tendency towards aggression to other, and often much larger, birds.  These birds can ofen be spotted on wire fences, which is exactly where I saw many, watching for an insect to fly by.  I also saw many of these birds on the ground hunting for bugs as well.  I usually saw them in pairs.  I was not sure what they were at the time, but after consulting my field guides, those little yellow tummies and eye masks left no doubt that they were western kingbirds.

Why Did the Gambel’s Quail Cross the Road?

If  this is not the cutest little bird……. these were all over Phoenix, always scurrying away as fast as they could.  Not sure they were in such a hurry.  That little black tassle is just too cute.  These are known as desert quail, and there is nothing that I have seen even remotely like this in my little Northwest coastal corner.  I would NEVER trade the coast for the desert, but maybe we could trade some Northwest Crows, which are missing from Phoenix, for some Gambel Quail.  What do you say, Phoenix?

Green Heron in Phoenix, Arizona

I was able to sneak in about 2 hours of birding this weekend when I was in the Phoenix area for a family event.  I saw an overwhelming variety of birds that I had never seen before in that short time, all at little neighborhood greenways, artificial “streams”  and empty lots.

On of the most surprising was the green heron that came right out behind an apartment complex to drink water at the “fountain oasis” that had been created on the greenway. I had heard that we have green herons here in Bellingham, but they were pretty secretive and hard to spot. I hoped to have a chance this summer, but seeing a green heron just walk out, and even start walking towards me was such a treat.  I had to leave after a little while to let the heron get closer to where I was photographing, as it allowed better water access.