AFF 12: Serenity in Black and White

Peace on Earth

Artsy Fartsy Fridays

Note: Inca Dove in Madera Canyon 11-3-2013

Song or Lincoln’s Sparrow? (WBW)

 Song Sparrow 9-29-2011 Colchester, CT

A couple of days ago I mis-identified this bird as being a Lincoln’s Sparrow on my blog. I would like to correct myself. After reviewing some photos I have a Lincoln’s it became readily apparent to me that this was a Song Sparrow and not a Lincoln’s sparrow. So, how did I get the two mixed up? Well, song sparrows can have a wide variety of plumages. When I saw this bird in the bush, I noticed the buffy breast overlaid with dark streaking and the buffy auricular circle or stripe. These are characteristics of a Lincoln’s sparrow, but this bird is much too chunky for the Lincoln’s and the streaking far too dark and heavy. Below you can see a true Lincoln’s sparrow held by Bill Hilton, Jr. at the New River Birding and Nature Festival I attended in 2009.

Lincoln’s Sparrow 4-27-2009 West Virginia

We were Birding by Butt on this day and we started the day watching a demonstration of the birds being banded after being caught in the mist nest set up that morning. When Bill held up the bird he asked anyone who knew what it was to raise their hand. I was the only ne there who could identify it as Lincoln’s sparrows are very secretive. However, I had just recently seen one in my yard in Sycamore Canyon in Arizona, where I lived at the time. since I knew what bird it was, I was given the privilege of releasing the bird after it was banded. I was simply in heaven! You can see the photos and read more in the links below, but today I want to make the point that this is a tiny sparrow, very delicate, with a buffy eye-ring, buffy malar stripe, and buffy breast overlaid with fine dark streaks. By looking at these two photos you can see the obvious difference. It always pays to take a second look. I have corrected the identification on my first post and in eBird. I hope this post helps you in your quest to learn how to identify these challenging sparrows!

 

• New Birds at the Feeders (My first Lincoln’s sparrow sighting)
• Sycamore Canyon Spring Birds (Lincoln’s Sparrow photos)
• New River Birding and Nature Festival Birding by Butt 
• Sycamore Canyon (My Other Birding Blog)

Easter Joy Montage

 Sunrise in Sabino Canyon 3-6-07

Happy Easter!

I hope you enjoy this photo essay of pictures from my archives that make me think of springtime and Easter.

 Tree Swallow at the Raymond Bog along the Airline Trail in CT 7-10-08

 Daylilies in CT 7-9-08

 Fountain in CT 6-29-09

 Butterfly on Palo Verde tree in Arizona 4-16-07

 Mountain Laurel in CT 6-17-09

 Queen Anne’s lace in CT 7-7-08

Ocotillo Blossoms and Thorns 4-24-07

Merry Christmas 2010!

Male Northern Cardinal at the Bog 11-18-10

Merry Christmas

from Kathie’s Birds to all my friends, family and followers!

Thank you for sticking with me through this year of so many changes. I hope to see you all again next year as we share many more birding adventures!

Another Discovery Near Steven’s Pond

It is cold, quiet and a bit windy when I park the car and follow the trail that leads down from the road towards the underpass of an old railroad grade, now turned into a hiking trail.

It is along this trail that I find the little forest birds  as they move swiftly through the trees. I stop suddenly when I am surprised by a Ruby-crowned kinglet that has landed on a branch right in front of me. Before I can snap its picture it is gone and I am standing there, mouth agape. Good thing it isn’t springtime, or I’d be catching flies!

On the way I pass Steven’s Pond again where the geese, ducks, and swans eat and rest.

I pass through the cold stone tunnel and emerge in the forest beyond, where trails branch off in all directions and I find myself on the shores of Lake Cochichewick. I see a wooden signboard ahead with a small peaked roof like a house.

As I head for it I discover another type of sign in its rafters, the remains of a summer nest. I wonder what species of bird lived here and I wonder even more if the chicks survived.

The sign below has a map of this place and I learn it is called Weir Hill. I see hiking trails all over, just waiting to be explored.  My feet are itching to go, and I briefly consider it, but I am unprepared for a hike today. I do not have water with me, or even the proper clothing.  I am fighting off a cough, and so I turn reluctantly back with dreams of other days and future hikes.

The path between the ponds leads me back to my car as I pass  a quiet and reflective pool.

I am feeling quiet and reflective also as I think about my new life here and all that has happened, and all that is going on.

I am distracted from my thoughts when an Eastern Blue Jay lands on a branch before me and digs at the wound in the bark. It sends chips flying like a woodpecker until it sees me, then it ceases its barrage and leaps to the branch below, watching.

I walk past a tangle of roots gripping the ground tightly like a giant hand…

…while the Blue Jay regards me warily, unsure of my intent. Then hopping to a higher perch in the tangle, it does what  jays do best, and sends its warning call over the forest, breaking the stillness with its voice.

Birding in New England

I am here.

Here in my hometown. Here in New England. When I lived here before I was not the birder I am now, so being here now is like seeing New England with new eyes. For the past few years I have only been able to count birds on my brief summer visits.  Now I am here for at least a year, if not longer.  Now I have a chance to see what I can see.

Upon my arrival here this September my current eBird stats are as follows:

• Life Birds-386 species
• Total species for the Year-250
• So far this month 31 species
• Connecticut Life Birds 94 species
• Maine Life Birds 85 species
• Massachusetts Life Birds 18 species
• New Hampshire Life Birds 8 species
• Rhode Island Life Birds 2 species
• Vermont Life Birds 0 species

Since arriving here in Connecticut I have been counting birds on an almost daily basis at my mother's house in Colchester as well as at the Lion's Pond on Halls Hill road, at Lake Hayward, and various other places around the state.  I have counted birds at the Hotels and restaurants and gas stations in Massachuesetts as well as at Great Meadow NWR in Concord, MA, and Kimball Farms in Carlisle, MA with my blogging friend, Dawn Fine. (What fun we had!)

Today Gus and I took a trip to Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly, RI where I added several species to my Rhode Island Life List.  One of those species was a Piping Plover, my first Life Bird since arriving here. For those of you who don't know what that means, a Life Bird is a bird species that a birder has seen for the first time.  Until today I had never seen a Piping Plover before.

Of course, we took lots of photos and I hope to publish them soon but for now just words and stats will have to do. I will be flying back to AZ on Sunday to supervise the packing of my household stuff. I will return next week and we will be preparing to move into the house we will be renting around the first of October.  As soon as possible after that I hope to have my own computer up and running and shortly after that I hope to be posting photos again.

I have written 2 new poems that will post on Kathie's Poet Tree, if you are interested. Now I am off to enter my newest birding data into eBird and I will post the update as soon as possible. The computer I am using is in my mother's bedroom and she would like to go to bed tonight so I will see how much I can get done before she kicks me out!

Kathie's Birds is Coming Soon!

I have a good reason to start a new blog.  All will be revealed soon!

On the wind the birds
whisper their beauty to me
with soft feathered songs

~Kathiesbirds 7-21-10