July, a busy time if you're looking! 7-29-24

July 29, 2024  •  Leave a Comment

July is the time for young birds to learn about their world!

 

7-14-24 Northern Mockingbird juvenile7-14-24 Northern Mockingbird juvenile 7-14-24 Northern Mockingbird juvenile with berry7-14-24 Northern Mockingbird juvenile with berry 7-14-24 Gray Catbird7-14-24 Gray Catbird

The juvenile Northern Mockingbird and Gray Catbird have been coming in for the Rough-leaf Dogwood berries. The catbird secretly checked out the bubbler one day, working its way around it.

 

On Sunday, 7-14-24 three birds dropped in at the Bubbler. Larger than Common Grackles, but a bit smaller than American Crows, I thought they were new species #127 for the Bubbler, and my very knowledgeable birding buddy, Connie Alwood confirmed them for me.  Fish Crows had been calling the previous week, a nasal "ca-ha" or "uh-uh", or a single "cah", not the drawn out "caw, caw" of the American Crow. So, they had been in the neighborhood a while. These birds are very adaptable to human modified environments, even stealing food off of golf carts says my friend, Tina! The Fish Crow has greatly expanded its range in the last few decades, moving up the Mississippi River into its tributaries. Actually, that's not too far from us, "as the crow flies."

 

7-14-24 Fish Crows, #127 at the Bubbler7-14-24 Fish Crows, #127 at the Bubbler
7-14-24 Fish Crows, #127 at the Bubbler7-14-24 Fish Crows, #127 at the Bubbler
7-14-24 American Crow and Fish Crow composite7-14-24 American Crow and Fish Crow composite


In this last photo, look carefully, it's not easy to see the difference between these two species. (Scale is approximate.) The Fish Crow is substantially smaller (on average 270-300 g vs. 500 g). Both are similarly proportioned, but the Fish Crow has a more slender bill, smaller  feet, shorter legs. The American Crow shows a longer-legged look with thicker feet. Feathers on the back of the American Crow show a decidedly "ringed" effect in the right light. That's simplifying things, but it gives one an idea of what to look for. It's not always easy to tell them apart even when they're near each other. Begging American Crows can sound somewhat similar to the Fish Crow but do not have the same abrupt ending that Fish Crow calls do. "The only reliable difference between the two is vocal: The Fish Crow sounds like an American Crow with a bad cold." (From Birds of the World)  The joys of bird identification are many!!

 

7-27-24 Bubbler mid-July #127 Fish Crow, Barred Owl   

The Fish Crow was Bubbler Bird #72 for the year and the young Barred Owl was #73. 

 

7-19-24 Red-bellied Woodpecker juvenile7-19-24 Red-bellied Woodpecker juvenile 7-26-24 Northern Flicker immature female7-26-24 Northern Flicker immature female

Another young Red-bellied Woodpecker has been eating some suet and it has an almost ghostly gray appearance right now. It will gradually get in more colored feathers. The little Northern Flicker took its first bath from the safety of the small rock it was clinging to, how brave!

 

While chatting with my neighbor, Bob, the other day, he noted that I've mentioned seeing hummingbirds. Yes, we do see them all summer. Part of that is due to the native plant nectar that is available. Though I have not found an actual nest in our yard, there's a very good chance of one here. We see males and females all summer. They've been at the bright red Cardinal Flower that has recently started blooming.

 

7-21-24 Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)7-21-24 Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) 7-21-24 Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)7-21-24 Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) 7-21-24 Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)7-21-24 Ruby-throated Hummingbird at Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

That flash of the red gorget tells us it's a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

  7-21-24 Ruby-throated Hummingbird immature at Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)7-21-24 Ruby-throated Hummingbird immature at Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

The striations on the throat of this bird indicate a probable young male. So, young birds are out and about, we're occasionally seeing one chase off another. 

 

Photo from 8-4-21

 

I was watering the front porch pots a few days ago when a young bird got right in my face! It was telling me to back off from its new patch of Coral Fuchsia "Gartenmeister". This is an annual flower, but it comes on strong as the native Coral Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) slows its growth and has fewer blooms. Feed more birds! 

 

7-25-24 Ruby-throated Hummingbird7-25-24 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 7-25-24 Ruby-throated Hummingbird7-25-24 Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Here's a male, on a favorite perch to protect its patch, ready to zoom in and chase off intruders. See its tongue reaching the sugar water? Slurp, Slurp! It's time to get feeders up! Hummingbirds will be on the move soon, heading south.
 

 

7-23-24 Great Spangled Fritillary7-23-24 Great Spangled Fritillary

A Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly has been visiting the Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) in the garden, which is home to many insect pollinators right now.

 

7-26-24 Garden in July7-26-24 Garden in July 7-26-24 Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)7-26-24 Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida) 7-22-24 Ironweed (Vernonia arkansana)7-22-24 Ironweed (Vernonia arkansana)

The garden is at its peak, with drifts of Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida). The Ironweed (Vernonia arkansana) is just beginning to open its purple flowers. All attract pollinators including hummers looking for tiny insects or nectar (Ironweed).

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) and perennial non-native Black-and-Blue Salvia (Salvia guaranitica x Black-and-Blue) fill in and attract hummingbirds, too. 

We took down the Eastern Bluebird box this morning. The third clutch of birds fledged on 7-23-24. I missed the actual fledging, but around 2:00 p.m. I did see the male calling to the nest box while five speckled fledglings followed to watch from surrounding branches! 

 

Enjoy the sights and sounds of nature in your yards!

 

 

 


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