Birds After the Storm

Male Dark-eyed Junco, Oregon sub-species

The big Leap Year Blizzard came and went today. It didn't really amount to much considering how bad the forecasters made it sound. We probably only had four inches of snow here in Pierre, but the strong winds blew the snow into some pretty formidable drifts. There was enough snow, however, to bring the birds back to my bird feeders. A Dark-eyed Junco of the Oregon sub-species was cleaning seeds off my deck this afternoon. I usually see a few Oregon juncos every winter, but this was my first one this year. For a while there were so many Pine Siskins on the bird feeders that they had to literally wait in line, as you can see the bird doing in the picture below.  



Pine Siskin watching for an opening on the finch feeder

Birds Before the Storm

American Tree Sparrow in my backyard this afternoon

Central South Dakota is now in the midst of a winter storm that the weatherman says is the strongest of the season. News outlets have been warning us about this for several days now. The birds knew it was coming, too. The Pine Siskins and Dark-eyed Juncos have been visiting my feeders since early morning in numbers I haven't seen all year. Then about 5:30 this evening a flock of about 30 American Tree Sparrows showed up to glean the seeds that litter the ground. It has been two years since I have seen any tree sparrows in my yard. So, the birds are getting ready to ride out the blizzard. Winter in South Dakota! It sure is exciting.



American Tree Sparrow, Spizella arborea

A Kid and Candy

Immature Ring-billed Gull investigating candy wrappers

A while back I saw this immature Ring-billed Gull poking around in these candy wrappers. I had to chuckle because the bird was behaving very much the same way a human child does when around candy. And when another young gull came over to see what was going on, this bird drove the other one away. Yep, just like a couple of kids. Sometimes candy has a way of bringing out the worst in us. 

Hen Pheasant Camouflage



Ring-necked Pheasant female

Late this afternoon I saw some movement in the dry grass along the road up ahead. I slowed down to see what it was, and I found this beautiful hen pheasant in the warm glow of the setting sun. Her mottled brown feathers make her very well camouflaged for life in the grasslands. The male Ring-necked Pheasant may get most of the attention, but the females are beautiful birds, too.

Snowy Owls: Honoring God



Snowy Owl
Hughes County, South Dakota
January 7, 2012



Snowy Owl,
Lyman County, South Dakota
February 13, 2012

 















"The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls,

because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland."

Isaiah 43:20

I love this Bible verse. The whole idea of owls and other animals honoring God is interesting to contemplate. I think that animals honor God by just being themselves and living their lives in the ways God has created them. And I think that is how we can honor God, too. He wants us to live our lives in the way He created us. In the Book of Ephesians, Paul wrote, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10). So there you have it. We honor God by doing the good works He has prepared for each of us to do. If we do that, then we are honoring God in the same way the owls honor Him... by doing the very thing we were created to do. 



Snowy Owl
Jones County, South Dakota
December 20, 2011



Snowy Owl
Sully County, South Dakota
January 7, 2012



Snowy Owls on TV News

Snowy Owl on weather vane in South Dakota
Is it trying to find its way back north?

If you are like me, and you just can't get enough Snowy Owls... then you will want to watch this news story from KSTP in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Snowy Owl... Again!

Snowy Owl

This evening I saw my 10th Snowy Owl of the winter season. The bird was perched on a highway reflector post right on the edge of U.S. Highway 83 just south of Fort Pierre, South Dakota. These wonderful visitors from the tundra will be here for another month or so before they head back north. Get out and enjoy them while you can!

Mexican Falcon?

Prairie Falcon, Falco mexicanus

I see Prairie Falcons quite regularly out here in central South Dakota, especially in the winter. However, I had never been close enough to get any good photographs until last week when I spotted this cooperative bird on a fence post next to the highway. Prairie Falcons hunt small birds and mammals out on the open plains. They take prey up to the size of grouse and jackrabbits, but most of their diet consists of small birds like Horned Larks. The scientific name, Falco mexicanus, indicates that they are found in Mexico. However, that is mainly in the winter when some populations migrate south.

Birds Named for Mammals: Tufted Titmouse



Tufted Titmouse

Many people are surprised to learn that a titmouse is a bird, not a mammal. These birds are not actually named for the rodent, however. Titmouse is a Middle English word that is derived from the Anglo Saxon words, tit, meaning little, and mase, meaning bird.

Birds Named for Mammals: Gray Catbird

Gray Catbird

Gray Catbird is another bird that is named for a mammal. The catbird gets its name from its call, a hoarse, cat-like mewing. Though they make a sound like a cat, I would imagine that catbirds are not very fond of felines. Wouldn't you agree?

Birds Named for Mammals: Killdeer

Killdeer

The Killdeer is named for its frantic-sounding call, "Kill-DEER, Kill-DEER." These members of the plover family are quite common and conspicuous throughout North America. I consider the sighting of my first Killdeer to be a sure sign of spring. I haven't seen one yet this year, so it must still be winter. I will let you know as soon as I see my first one so you can uncover the rose bushes and get your lawn chairs out of the shed.

Birds Named for Mammals: Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret and Friend

Cattle Egrets are another bird with a mutually beneficial relationship with livestock. Scientific studies have shown that these birds find more food and expend less energy when they forage in areas with grazing livestock. This bird belongs to the genus, Bubulcus, which in Latin means little herdsman, so both the common name and scientific name signify its relationship with cattle. Originally a bird of Africa, the Cattle Egret has expanded its range to Europe and the Americas only in the last 200 years.   

Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis

Birds Named for Mammals: Brown-headed Cowbird

Male Brown-headed Cowbird with cow

There are about a half dozen North American birds that have been named for mammals. Today we focus on the Brown-headed Cowbird. The cowbird gets its name because of its close association with cows. I see cowbirds hanging out with cows all summer long here in South Dakota. As you can see from these photos, cowbirds like to get up close and personal with their namesake mammals. Cowbirds and cows are found together for good reason: both species benefit from the association. Cowbirds feed on the insects that are naturally attracted to livestock pens and pastures. Cattle are glad to have the cowbirds around because every insect consumed by a cowbird is one less insect to bother the bovines. No wonder we call them cowbirds. What a marvelous name!



Female Brown-headed Cowbird making friends with a calf

First Meadowlark

Western Meadowlark, my first of the year
February 14, 2012

Most Western Meadowlarks leave central South Dakota in the late fall and return in early March. It seems to me that those are the smart ones. There are a few, however, that will spend the winter here in sheltered areas with dense grass and weeds. I just hadn't seen any of these birds myself so far this year. Yesterday I spotted a Western Meadowlark on a fence post by the side of the road. Now I am wondering. Is that a meadowlark that spent the winter here? Or is it the first spring arrival? Either way, I was extremely glad to see my first meadowlark of the year. Spring is coming!

 


Western Meadowlark looking rather stern

Valentine's Bird?



Male Northern Cardinal munching safflower seeds

If we were to have an election for official Valentine's Day Bird, I don't think there would be any question as to the outcome. The classy beauty and bright red coloration of the Northern Cardinal perfectly symbolize the sentiments we wish to express on February 14th. Then, of course, there is the courting behavior for which cardinals are famous. During the process of mate selection, the male cardinal will pick up a tasty food item such as a seed or berry, and pass it to the female beak-to-beak. If the female takes the food and then passes it back to the male... well, that's the equivalent of saying, "I do." Isn't that sweet!?! It seems to me that cardinals may have invented Valentine's Day!

Three Highway 53 Birds

Snowy Owl

Tonight I found three cooperative birds along Highway 53 in central South Dakota. The first bird was a nice Snowy Owl on a utility pole. 



Ferruginous Hawk

After traveling another mile I saw a Ferruginous Hawk on a wooden fence post. The bird stared me down while I snapped its picture.



Short-eared Owl

Finally, a mile farther down the road there was a male Short-eared Owl in the fading sunlight, getting ready for a night of hunting. Three nice birds within two miles. What a nice stretch of road!  

Honoring Lincoln

Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii

Abraham Lincoln was born on this date in 1809. So, in honor of Abraham Lincoln, today we feature a bird that bears his name, the Lincoln's Sparrow. Well... actually the Lincoln's Sparrow was not named for Abraham Lincoln, it was named for Thomas Lincoln, an associate of John James Audubon. In 1834 while on a trip through New England, Tom Lincoln shot a small bird and showed it to Audubon. The great ornithologist recognized that the bird was a new species, and he named it Lincoln's Pinewood-Finch in honor of its discoverer. Later scientists re-classified the bird as a sparrow, and it was renamed Lincoln's Sparrow. I guess President Lincoln has had enough things named after him, he doesn't really need to have a sparrow named for him.  



Lincoln's Pinewood-Finch

Owls Forward and Backward

Long-eared Owl, Asio Otus
(Photo by Paul O. Roisen)



Eastern Screech-Owl, Otus Asio
(Photo by Paul O. Roisen)



Take a look at the Latin names of the two owls pictured above. You can see that one is Asio Otus, and the other is Otus Asio. I noted this oddity several years ago, but was never curious enough to inquire as to the meaning of each of those words. Well, I don't know if I am much better off now that I have researched the meaning of the two words. Asio was a word used by Greek philosopher, Pliny, to specify a horned owl. The Latin word, Otus, refers to a kind of owl with long ear feathers. So, there you have it. Whether you say it forward or backward-- Asio Otus or Otus Asio-- the meaning is the same. These are owls with feather tufts that look like horns or ears. Does that clear up any remaining confusion, or are you still scratching your head like I am?!

Snowy Owl Goes to the Ballpark

Snowy Owl

Snowy Owls are on my mind again today as the Great Snowy Owl Invasion of 2011-2012 continues. After not seeing a Snowy Owl for a few weeks, I saw one today that was almost a repeat of my Number 1 Birding Moment of 2011. As you may remember from that blogpost, I saw a Snowy Owl perched along I-90 on the highway sign indicating "Draper Exit 201." Today's owl was a mile away on the sign that says, "Draper Exit, 1 Mile." Can you believe that? Snowy Owls must like the little town of Draper, South Dakota!

And up in Minnesota the Snowy Owls are even visiting baseball stadiums. Check out this video of a Snowy Owl at Target Field, the home of the Minnesota Twins in downtown Minneapolis. If you still haven't seen a Snowy Owl this winter, keep looking. They are all over the place, and they should still be here for another month or so.

Charles Dickens

Common Raven

Today is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. An interesting fact I learned recently about Dickens is that he had a pet raven named Grip. The raven was stuffed by a taxidermist and is on display at the Free Library in Philadelphia. I may have to check that out sometime! Apparently Grip inspired Dickens to feature a raven prominently in one of his novels, Barnaby Rudge. I will have to check that out, too. Anyway... today we salute Charles Dickens and his pet bird, a Common Raven. God bless us, everyone!

The Sometimes Confusing Red-tailed Hawk



Light adult Red-tailed Hawk



Adult Red-tailed Hawk





Immature Red-tailed Hawk



Immature Red-tailed Hawk





Red-tailed Hawk



Immature Red-tailed Hawk



Here are six photos of Red-tailed Hawks perched on fence posts or utility lines. As you can see, there is quite a bit of difference in coloration among them. The adults with the bright rust-colored tails are not too difficult. It's those immature birds that can be confusing. The only way to get proficient at Red-tailed Hawk ID is to just get out there an observe a whole bunch of them. So, what are you waiting for?

State Capitol Wood Ducks

Seven Wood Ducks (4 hens and 3 drakes)
on the grounds of the South Dakota State Capitol

The grounds of the South Dakota State Capitol provide good birdwatching opportunities at any season of the year. Capitol Lake, fed by a warm water artesian spring, attracts waterfowl by the hundreds during the cold weather months. If you can look past the ubiquitous Canada Geese and Mallards, you can find some very interesting birds. One species that is always a treat to see is the Wood Duck. These cute little ducks actually breed on the capitol grounds and can be seen any day of the year if you know where to look. This winter I have generally found them hanging out along Capitol Creek just across Capitol Avenue from Capitol Lake. This spot is quiet, sheltered, and out of the way of the normal hustle and bustle of state business activities. Yesterday I took my wife for a walk on the trail that follows Capitol Creek from the lake to the Missouri River. We found nine Wood Ducks right where I promised they would be. I could only fit seven of the ducks into my camera frame at one time, but they still provide a terrific family portrait. Few things in the world are as cute as a Wood Duck!

"Greet... Aquila"

Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos

"Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus.

They risked their lives for me.

Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

Greet also the church that meets at their house."

Romans 16:3-5

The Golden Eagle belongs to the genus, Aquila, which in Latin means eagle. I am fortunate to live in an area that is home to a number of wintering Golden Eagles. The eagle pictured above has established a hunting territory along the highway south of Pierre, and I see it almost every day. However, this blog post is not primarily about eagles, but about a man named Aquila who lived two thousand years ago. Aquila is mentioned seven times in the New Testament, always in conjunction with his wife, Priscilla. As is evident in this verse from the Book of Romans, Aquila and Priscilla were close friends of the Apostle Paul. They were such close friends, that Paul tells us, "They risked their lives for me." Aquila and Priscilla, though they themselves never heard Jesus speak, lived their lives according to His words: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13. Aquila and Priscilla are quite an example for us. No wonder Paul sent them special greetings. How about you and me? How great is our love? Will anyone be writing about us some day, "They risked their lives for me?"  Hmmm...

National Wear Red Day

Male Northern Cardinal

Today is National Wear Red Day. So, please wear something red to help increase awareness of the dangers of heart disease. You can take a little fashion advice from these three birds. One option is to dress almost completely in red like this male Northern Cardinal.  



Male Red-winged Blackbird

Maybe you would like to dress like a little military general and wear gold-trimmed, red epaulets like this male Red-winged Blackbird.



Female Red-bellied Woodpecker

Perhaps the most sensible fashion advice would be to choose the more subtle approach like this female Red-bellied Woodpecker. Just use red as an accent color. Go with a nice red scarf or something. However you decide to do it... the important thing is to remind people to be aware of the importance of heart health. Get your red on!

Tired of Short-eared Owls?

Short-eared Owl
February 2, 2012

I know... I know... it seems like I have been writing about Short-eared Owls nearly every other day. But I can't help myself! I managed to get a short video of a Short-eared Owl this evening, and I just had to share it with you. When you pull up next to a cooperative Short-eared Owl on a fence post, this is exactly what you see.

Sunrise or Roughleg?

South Dakota sunrise with Rough-Legged Hawk just visible on center fence post

If you have been reading Ask the Birds and They Will Tell You this winter, you know I am a sucker for sunrises. I just can't get enough of them! I'm also, of course, a sucker for birds. When the two are together in the same photo opportunity it is quite a dilemma. Do I concentrate on the sunrise and ignore the bird? Or do I concentrate on the bird and ignore the sunrise? Recently I faced that problem with a Rough-legged Hawk on a fence post. I resolved the issue by taking dozens of photos-- some with the sunrise as the main feature, and some with the hawk as the center of attention. Here I am showing you two photos taken just seconds apart, but focusing on different things. Which do you prefer? The one that shows the sunrise in all its glory and the hawk as just a minor feature, or the one showcasing the hawk on the fence post in the early morning light?



Rough-legged Hawk at dawn