I was out putting food in my bird feeders this morning when  I heard this: http://www.naturesongs.com/bcheron1.wav.  It’s a Black Crowned Night Heron.  I searched the trees for it but didn’t see it.  Of course once you put the binoculars to your eyes you miss what’s going on around you.  It probably flew off because I didn’t hear it again.

Black-crowned night heron

Most birders in Calgary have seen Great Blue Herons along the city waterways or flying overhead as the birds come and go from their communal roosts.  But many people are not aware that you can also see their smaller relative, the Black-crowned Night-heron, within the city limits.

These birds are not very common in this area.  During the past five May Species Counts, between 6 and 21 Night-herons were counted, and that is within an 80 kilometre radius of the city centre.  In the 2009 count, only 13 birds were seen, all of them in the prairie area and none within the city limits.

There may well be many more birds around than these numbers indicate, since Night-herons, as their name suggests,  are mostly active at night.  During the day they roost in trees, bushes, or reeds and can be difficult to see, despite standing about 64 cm (two feet) high.

These birds have an almost worldwide distribution and in this part of their range they are migratory.  They arrive in the Calgary area during the second week of April.

The best place I know to see Black-crowned Night-herons within the city of Calgary is at a pond near Country Hills Boulevard and Deerfoot Trail in the Northeast.  The pond lies in the southwest corner of that intersection.  There is a gravel road (15 Street NE) that runs just west of the pond.  You can park there and see the herons from the road, or walk down.  I don’t recommend going near the pond until at least mid-July since American Avocets nest there and get quite agitated if you approach.  We don’t want to scare them off.

I don’t know if the Night-herons breed near this pond.  The earliest I have seen them there is the last week of  June, so I suspect that they breed elsewhere and come to feed after the breeding season is over.

In 2008 I saw as many as seven birds there at once, including two juveniles.  This year I have only seen adults.

Juvenile Black-crowned Night-heron

Black-crowned Night-Herons have also been reported at the ponds near Airport Trail (96 Avenue) on the west side of Deerfoot Trail, which is about one kilometre south of the Country Hills Boulevard location.  But it is very difficult to access that area safely.  The best you can do is pull on to the shoulder of Deerfoot Trail to have a look.

If you know of any other reliable locations for these birds within the city limits, please post a comment.

TWIRFMR: It’s great to have you with us, Black-crowned Night Heron. I know you’re nocturnal and not easy to spot.

BCNH: Yes, we tend to have an air of mystery surrounding us. We spend our evenings waiting for fish and amphibians to swim by then rest all day, hiding in trees or bushes.

TWIRFMR: You guys are classified as herons, but you don’t really look like the typical heron.

BCNH: So true, so true. We’re a little stockier, relatively speaking. And our bills are somewhat shorter. We’re cuter too! Wait, don’t print that.

TWIRFMR: Too late! Hey, you know what’s ironic? You’re seemingly everywhere in North America and pretty common in South America too however, no one really sees you.

BCNH: It’s our crazy schedule.

TWIRFMR: No doubt. So would it be safe to say that if someone took a photo of you, a close-up photo no less, then that someone must be a really dedicated bird lover not to mention a super-cool person?

BCNH: Um, not if said person was actually taking pictures of us at their local zoo instead of wading in the trenches at three in the morning with their subject matter.

TWIRFMR: I see. Oops! Looks like we’ve run out of time, Black-crowned Night Heron. Goodbye!

photo: TWIRFMR

Tucson’s Mexican Free-Tailed Bats.  We wandered down to the Rillito River tonight to watch the bats emerge for their nightly feeding frenzy.  It was spectacular.  Thousands of bats fly out from under the bridge within minutes, heading north to feed.  Quite an amazing site – a must see if you are ever in Tucson during the the summer.

Stalking beneath the bridge, a juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron…hoping for a batlet?

Over the past ten years or so we’ve seen a big time increase in the number of strange birds like this down and around the harbor.  I don’t know what to attribute it to but between the egrets, and herons and snowy owl, it’s becoming a bird lover’s paradise.  With my average camera I just didn’t have enough lens to capture this guy from the distance I was shooting with great clarity.  If you are a bird lover or wildlife lover you owe it to yourself to check out Steve Borichevsky’s Shooting My Universe and Jim Barber’s Jim B Media

These guys are pros with great equipment and steady hands to capture some incredible birding shots.

Black Crowned Night Heron, originally uploaded by captjoe06.

]]> http://wingandsong.wordpress.com/2009/04/11/a-windy-spring-day-at-bosque-del-apache/ Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:50:49 +0000 judysjottings http://wingandsong.wordpress.com/2009/04/11/a-windy-spring-day-at-bosque-del-apache/

As the caravan of Thursday Birders turned down Highway 1 in San Antonio to head towards the refuge, we drove slowly looking for birds along the road. We spotted a couple of American Kestrels, one which was hovering in place over a field. Several Eurasian Collared Doves perched on power lines. White-crowned Sparrows flitted in the bushes.

“Chippies,” said Sylvia from trip leader Mary Lou’s van. Sure enough several sparrows had bright rufous and white-striped top notches.

A Gambel’s Quail stood watch from a nearby fence post.

As we inched further down the road, a flock of blackbirds swirled, dove, and then settled down on a flooded field. When we got closer, they rose up in mass and circled before re-landing. The red shoulder patches of the male Red-winged Blackbirds flashed brightly as they flew. A few birds remained eating – Brewer’s Blackbirds.

We stopped at the receding pond just inside the refuge boundary. While the wind had dropped somewhat, there was still a stiff breeze. A flock of Long-billed Dowitchers were feeding on the far side, alongside Northern Shovelers and Green-winged and Cinnamon Teal. A small group of Wilson’s Phalaropes swam in circles as they stirred up a meal.

All of a sudden a large flock of shorebirds flew up en masse, flashing their white wing stripes. When they landed, we were surprised to discover they were Killdeer.

There were more White-crowned Sparrows foraging on the edge of the Visitor’s Center overflow parking area. A Crissal Thrasher flew across the driveway and scurried under a bush.

“Did you see the Painted Redstart?” Sei asked when we arrived at the Visitor’s Center. Their car had arrived before us and they had seen the colorful bird in the hedge row along the RV park.

While we stood visiting in the parking lot, a Swainson’s Hawk circled overhead, the first of several we would see.

Our first stop on the tour loop was at the Flight Deck. A row of Black-necked Stilts huddled in the water amongst a variety of waterfowl, similar to those we had seen in the pond on the way in.

White-faced Ibis - Photo by Ray Reid

Several meadowlarks landed in the dry grass along the road – and then seemed to disappear.

White Pelicans - Photo by Ray Reid

A Pied-billed Grebe paddled amongst the grasses in a receding pond next to the road.

Through the ‘window’ in the bushes, we could see a flock of 10 or more Ruddy Ducks swimming near the edge of the Boardwalk Pond.

Painted Turtles

A Say’s Phoebe flew out and then landed back on the end of a twig.

Black-crowned Night Heron

“You can see its red eye,” Annie commented as she gazed at the breeding male through the scope.

Five Snowy Egrets perched on the far side of the rookery. Off to one side was another white egret.

“I don’t see any golden slippers,” Pat announced. “It’s a Great Egret.” We would see eight more by the end of the day.

We ate our lunch on the Scout Deck. Two Great-blue Herons were perched on the snag in the main pond where there is often a Bald Eagle during the winter. We added Lesser Scaup to our list for the day. A Black Phoebe was busy just beyond the deck, and a Black-chinned Hummingbird buzzed in and out.

A few Northern Rough-winged and Violet-green Swallows made sorties over the water.

After lunch we made our way along the seasonal road and stopped at a location where a Lucy’s Warbler had been seen on the weekend. Pat played its song on her iPod, but all we heard was a Bewick’s Wren calling over and over.

Several more swirls of migrating White Pelicans circled overhead as they headed north.

We drove with our windows open. I heard the song Pat had been playing on her iPod. She heard it too, and we all stopped. She played the song again. It answered, but didn’t come near. Then a gust of wind came up, drowning out any bird song. However, an Orange-crowned Warbler started feeding in the catkins of a nearby cottonwood.

As we rounded the north end of the Farm Loop, several Mule Deer meandered across the field, and then broke into a run.

Black-necked Stilt

Despite the wind, it was a delightful day with 81 species.

Nesting Great Blue Heron

Today was my first attempt at surveying nesting sites for Great Blue Heron and Black-Crowned Night-Heron.  After a couple days of rainy and windy weather, today broke completely clear and a little on the cool side.  It was still a bit windy, but conditons were otherwise nearly perfect for a day of birding.  I have four sites spread out over two counties to survey, and I wanted to leave some time for pleasure birding after I was done.

My first couple sites went pretty much as planned.  I found them right away – the first site had several Black-Crowned Night-Heron, but the second site (in the middle of a residential area) apparently had been abandoned.  The next two sites were supposed to be located in the same county park, but separated by about 1/2 mile.   I searched and search, but was unable to find any nests.  Finally, a park ranger happened by and, after convincing herself that I really was doing bird surveys, took me to the nesting site.  Fortunately, the park authorities have place the nesting area off-limits, but I was still able to get close enough to observe several nests and adult Great Blue Heron (including the one show above).  It seems that the two sites listed on my survey route might actually be just one large site.

Overall, it was a pretty successful day.  After finishing my route, I spent some time birding at another nearby park and, while there, stumbled upon another Great Blue Heron nesting site.  Not knowing if the site has already been identified, I’ve sent the information to my contact at the Division ofFish and Wildlife and volunteered to keep an eye on it through the nesting season.

Now…back to painting!

Aus der neuen Rubrik: „ Caches die ich gerne machen würde, aber wohl niemals machen werde“, stelle ich Euch heute den Webcam Cache auf Hawaii vor.

Zuvor wie immer eine Perspektive aus Google Earth.

Ich nutze diese Software sehr gerne, führt sie mich häufig an Ort, zu denen ich sonst nicht kommen würde. Also auf nach Hawaii!

Hawaii Caches - Google Earth

Hättet Ihr vermutet, das es auf Hawaii 131 GeoCaches gibt? Also ich nicht! Davon die meisten als klassische Traditional Caches.

Natürlich lässt es sich auf Hawaii auch herrlich chillen. Ganz zu schweigen von der Begegnung mit der einheimischen Fauna, oder den Surfern auf dem Meer.

Hawaii Strandfoto

Black Crowned Night Heron

Surfer auf Hawaii

Ach Hawaii, ich komme

Und stelle mich auch brav vor die Webcam GC3D6D !
Denn mehr, als ein Foto machen zu lassen, benötigt man nicht, um den Cache zu loggen.

Hawaii - Webcam Cache

Birdblogging with back-to-back night herons. Same genus, different crowns. Story behind the photo below the break.

Black-crowned night heron

There were many years during which I was convinced the entire Sanibel population of black-crowned night herons was conspiring to avoid me. I saw my first one when I was a kid (probably about twelve or fifteen), when I was with my parents at the supermarket and one jumped up from the undergrowth and yapped incessantly at some loitering snowy egrets. Loved the sight of it, and bless him, he stood there for a couple of minutes so we could just stare at each other for a short while.

Good thing we did, too, because I didn’t see another one for more than a quarter century. My parents would regale me all those years with tales of the many black-crowned night herons they happened upon, while I’d grit my teeth with steam hissing quietly out of my ears wondering where the hell they’d all gone.

In the last few years, however, they seem to have returned with a vengeance, because now I’m seeing them everywhere. I suppose whatever slight the species suffered during that encounter in my tween years has hit its statute of limitations, and they’ve finally decided to let it go.

This one was lounging in the mangroves off the Bailey Tract at the Ding. Dunno why, but recently I’ve been getting some of my best shots there. Looking back over previous Photo Break posts, it doesn’t look as though I’ve posted many of them yet…I’ll fix that dreadful oversight in the next few weeks.

Ms Ruby and I went for a long walk on Saturday evening at sunset in Morro Bay.  Morro Bay is a wonderful place for walking.  It’s lovely and full of spectacular scenery.  Ruby is a delightful walking companion.  Ruby loves to walk.  She’s pretty good about bird watching, too.  My only complaint is that she is tends to pull at just the wrong moment and ruin my photographs.

Of course, if I’d teach her to sit and stay when I tell her to I could probably stop complaining about that little issue.

The marina at Morro Bay State Park is so lovely at sunset.  I love the way the light brings it all alive.

This seagull is so wonderful.  He just posed for me and let me find just the right shot.  Such a good bird!

But the best part was being there as the Egrets and Herons roosted.  These Snowy Egrets were so thoughtful in sitting where I could easily see them.  There were Great Egrets high up in the tops of Eucalyptus trees that I could see but not get pictures of.  But these guys were so thoughtful!  And noisy . . . for such delicate, lovely birds they make amazingly loud creaking noises.

After I saw the Egrets from below, I realized that there was a trail that wound its way up around the trees so that I was eye level with the egrets and herons.  This amazing juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron was so breathtaking to me!

Pretty much no matter where I looked, I saw amazing scenes and birds and just felt like I was about the happiest birding dogwalker on the planet!

Ruby and I will have to go birdwatching more often.  She’s really quite amazing — just gotta work on her sit-stay so she’ll stop ruining my shots! 

A herd of Canada Geese

After a three days of short and long hops like  confused bird on small and large airplanes and like a regular guy using rental cars, I went from California to Austin, Texas and then to Tusa, Oklahoma. Then back to Dallas, Texas. But finally I am in sunny California.

I am not an avid birder like The Bird Man, Gallicissa. Heck I am not even a birds feather. But his weblog has made me read a lot about birds and be inquisitive about them, and seeing them in different light. I even went to the Barnes & Nobel and picked up a book, to read in Barrow. I am learning that high Arctic birds are the specialty in Barrow, snowy Owls are common, seen a few before. I assumed they were snow patches, the first time I saw them. Also that spectacled and Steller’s Eiders are having their very short breeding seasons in June. Additionally, Yellow-billed Loons breed in the area. So instead of going hunting for seals and polar bears (I do not hunt but I follow Native American hunters, like one of my friends below) I will look for some birds.

But recent trip to a park, Lake Merritt, near my place I saw some birds and in response to Gallicissa’s wonderful work, specially the last post where he made Emma happy, I am posting the following. (I have put the names according to database searches I did, please correct if these are wrong.

I will be better prepared on my next visit and will try to take better photos. These are cropped chopped versions of large photos.

Hope RD will see some birds get rhythmic as he is in the isle now.

Black Crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Order CICONIIFORMES – Family ARDEIDAE

Canada Goose Branta canadensis Order ANSERIFORMES – Family ANATIDAE – Subfamily Anserinae

Double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax  auritus | Order PELECANIFORMES  – Family PHALACROCORACIDAE

Blue jay Cyanocitta  cristata | Order PASSERIFORMES  – Family CORVIDAE

Greater white-fronted goose Anser  albifrons | Order ANSERIFORMES  – Family ANATIDAE

Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata Order ANSERIFORMES – Family ARDEIDAE (ICUN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES least concern)

Look who I found fishing at Lake Katherine!!! It’s my first Black Crowned Night Heron.
Here is an interesting note: Night herons are just like other herons except they feed at night. I took this picture at 5:30PM, so I guess he was having breakfast!

He was very polite and allowed me to watch him up close. I was surprised! He caught 3 small fish and swallowed them whole which left a large lump in his throat for a few seconds. It was fascinating to see.

Isn’t he handsome? Do you see that white line on his back? That is a really long feather attached to his head. So beautiful, it reminds me of hair. 

OK, maybe this isn’t the most appealing photo…poor Mr. Night Heron…..you look like a rubber chicken! I still like you though, especially your red eye!

by Erik Baard

I think anything with the word “night” in its name benefits from a bit of mystery by association. As if Yellow-crowned Night Herons needed the help. With gorgeous plumage and reliably picturesque harbor backdrops, these birds are a favorite of NYC Auduban/New York Water Taxi tours and individual birders.

Fellow LIC Community Boathouse volunteer Ted Gruber snapped this shot in Steinway Creek, where it was perched atop a collapsed dock. A solitary Black-crowned Night Heron was nearby as well. I’ve found the black-crowned variety to be more common, but having both in view was ample reward for our early start and two crossings through whirl-pool filled Hell Gate. Okay, so I admit I love going through Hell Gate at peak current.

Yellow-crowned Night Herons have been spotted at City Island, but I would imagine that Staten Island and its nearby islands in the Arthur Kill would also provide good habitat. Any other recent sightings?

We didn’t get to see this bird lunge at a crustacean, insect, mollusk, amphibian, or fish. The action happens in darkness for this species. Instead it (the sexes look alike) simply held its place in a stately fashion. The species is threatened in our area, but ironically it’s also more widely dispersed than before; when the Bermuda Night Heron went extinct, environmental authorities there imported this North American species and plugged it into the vacant ecological niche.

Yellow-crowned night herons lay their eggs in overhangs, whether a living bush or a jutting piling or beam. We didn’t see if this one had a blue-green clutch of eggs because getting that close would disturb it. The geese and mallards along the East River shores and on North Brother and South Brother islands had full nests, so perhaps there’s a decent chance that New York City has an upcoming generation of Yellow-crowned Night Herons warming in Steinway Creek?

I’ll write a more complete report on the Steinway Creek at a later date. Due to an imminent property sale, the city and state should aid Astorians in seizing a rare chance to ecologically restore the petroleum-despoiled, sewage-filled waterway and its surprisingly verdant southwest bank. Toss in a kayak launch, and you’ll have a constituency to keep it green, blue, and clean for neighborhood youth…human and heron.

A free range black crowned night heron at the National Zoo in Washington, DC.

Bald Eagles Barred Owl Black Crowned Night Heron Canada Goose Eastern Bluebird

Great Horned Owls Pectoral Sandpiper Mallard Duck Peregrine Falcon Peregrine Chick

Ring-necked Pheasant Ruby-throated Hummingbird Tundra Swans Wild Turkey Catbird

Wild Turkey Red Tailed Hawk Tree Swallow Killdeer House Wren

The Kohala coast line of the Big Island of Hawaii is famous for its ancient Hawaiian fish ponds that dot the shoreline on the west side of the island. Like the rest of their Polynesian cousins, Hawaiians were expert aquaculturalists and adept at creating brackish ponds by taming the ocean tides and freshwater currents in order to harvest fish from these “farms”.

In 1800 and 1801, the lava flow from the eruption of distant Hualalai volcano created this fish pond called Ka’ upuleu by the old ones in reference to the singular flow of lava that both destroyed and created in its eruptive path from Hualalai.

In 1996, the Four Seasons Resort, my “office” this week, built a hotel around these fish ponds. Many locals consider this land sacred. The pond and accompanying shoreline has its own Kahuna or Hawaiian shaman to bless the land and keep it in good harmony with the ancestors.

While most residents and visitors glass the surf for signs of Humpback Whales, I prefer these magnificent ponds a mere fifteen feet away. I watch the sun rise and set from these ponds and in doing so — I am privy to some very interesting birds. Today I wanted to share these beauties with my bird watching friends. I hope I don’t fail you too much with my novice ID’ing. It’s been tough, especially since I am really supposed to be working.

This little guy is called the Auku’u here in Hawaii — you and I call it the black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli) and its considered an endemic species in this island. The Auku’u figure into many stories of Hawaiian mythology.

I was certain I had a lifer with this interesting bird. But I believe he/she is an immature black-crowned night heron. The eye stripe is the give-away.

Meet Ae’o. Ae’o is the Hawaiian stilt (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni) and is a endangered subspecies of the black-necked stilt. This part of the Big Island has the largest concentration of these endemic breeding birds. The Auku’u above likes to eat Ae’o’s chicks. He plucks them right out of the nest and dispatches them in one swallow. Poor Ae’o – life is hard enough without having to worry about your neighbor eating you.

This is the wandering tattler (Tringa incana) – what a great name – called ‘Ulili around these parts. ‘Ulili summers in Alaska and the Yukon and then gets real smart real quick and hightails it to Hawaii for the winter. I could watch this bird for hours.

Another migratory bird considered a “native” of the islands is the ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres). This bird migrates from the Arctic for the winter. Smart bird.

Most of the birds in Hawaii are exotic species. I was thrilled to discover these four birds above are considered endemic migratory birds.

The is a Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus) from India. It’s hard to be more exotic than that. They are thick through these parts and have a very loud call that echoes through the afternoon air inviting you stop for a cup of tea on the veranda and savor all that is foreign and different and delightful.

Here is a South American friend – the yellow-billed cardinal (Paroaria capitata) a close relative of another exotic local here – the crested cardinal or Brazilian cardinal. This little guy is taking a bath in an infinity pool – and he seems to love the view of the ocean. Even though the yellow-billed cardinal is from Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia – it’s extremely common in Hawaii. It’s presence here is most likely the result of the pet trade industry in the 1800’s. Both the francolin and the cardinal take advantage of the grasses that grow on the fringe of the ponds at Ka’upulehu.

We recently spent a week kayaking the Ichetucknee River in North Florida and although we’ve already posted a couple of great videos from our trip (see the Rattlesnake Rescue and Pileated Woodpeckers on the VodPod on the far right of your screen), we are posting this overview of the State Park and all of the wildlife we saw.  Its a great place to see a lot of amazing wildlife and if you can’t get to Florida soon, we hope it will inspire you to visit a park near you to see wildlife in their natural habitat.