Welcome to our blog!
It's all about our discoveries in our private Shady Oaks Sanctuary for birds, pollinators and wildlife. We gauge our success by the diversity of species we observe and document with our photography.
We hope you are inspired to create your own refuge!
September's Migration Tale 10-2-23
September - slow but sure this year,
ending with a Super Harvest Moon that brought in a 'really interesting bird'.
Two immature Chestnut-sided Warblers discuss the yummy dogwood berries.
Two immature Ruby-throats argue over rights to the feeder.
A Black-throated Green Warbler takes cover in the Smooth Hydrangeas while preening after a bath.
This Magnolia Warbler still has remnants of its black necklace.
Crane fly for breakfast, anyone? This Yellow-rumped Warbler thought so.
The Carolina Chickadee's job is to show the visiting migrants, like this Bay-breasted Warbler, how to really take a bath!
A class of four pay attention to this lesson, Wilson's, Magnolia, Nashville and Black-throated Green Warblers.
And, they're off! Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Green and Wilson's Warblers have at it. The longer they stay, undisturbed by humans, larger birds or animals, the more comfortable they become.
Chestnut-sided and Tennessee Warblers survey the bubbler area and wait for a turn.
A female Common Yellowthroat tucks into a quiet corner.
A Black-throated Green Warbler still in breeding plumage, graced us with its presence on Saturday, 9-30-23. What a looker!
A determined Blue-headed Vireo did its careful calculations and splash-bathed in the basin. This is always an amazing skill to watch!
Oh, a male Golden-winged stopped by the bubbler. Only females had been seen this spring, when so many males flew over, racing to the breeding grounds. What a thrill to see it, our most endangered species here.
Another Yellow-billed Cuckoo dropped in, and this must be an adult. The yellow mandible and orbital ring are visible.
The Harvest Moon, the last Super Moon of the year occurred early in the morning on Friday, 9-29-23, This bird came to the Blackhaw Viburnum right next to the bubbler basin that afternoon, about 4:40 pm. Birds were popping out all around the bubbler, American Robins, Eastern Bluebirds, a few warblers and I'm not sure what else because I locked onto this bird.
"WHAT IS THIS BIRD? I DO NOT KNOW THIS BIRD!" I did not recognize it as one I had ever seen. Yes, it looked to be in the Tanager group. But the photos I was able to get spanned only 22 seconds before it flew. It could not get comfortable with all the birds popping in and out. This was the best photo I could manage, the bird did not perch on an open branch. BIG Sigh...a clearer photo of details was needed.
It was obviously a young bird, see the yellowish gape at the base of the bill? But, what species? That question remains, I had my suspicions and pursued possibilities. Comments included, "You nailed it!" "What about that color?" "I've never seen that plumage, either." "That's a pretty dang big bill." "There's a lot of gray in that cheek."
I will keep you posted. Experts are being consulted, photos being sent around, no clear consensus as yet. This may take some time. We "continue to hold", as directed.
Happy October!
September musings 9-19-23
It's time to catch up! Leaves are falling, birds are chipping, foraging and bathing. Here are some highlights.
Yellow-bellied Flycatchers have been seen frequently in the thicket and around the bubbler, catching small insects or splash-bathing.
A silent Yellow-billed Cuckoo slipped onto this branch one day. In typical fashion, it sat and slowly looked all around before heading to another elm.
You may remember this post from July: How well do you know the Thrushes?
We've been seeing Swainson's Thrush and the uncommon Veery.
The last two were seen on the same day, 9/8/23. My eBird checklist was flagged, seeing two needed some evidence, so I added the photos. The middle photo shows a brownish bird, the last is more typical of the tawny coloration of the adult plumage. These birds are often seen in dimly lit, wooded locations and it is often challenging to identify them.
This is a first year Veery, seen on 9/12/23 and 9/13/23. I searched my guides and apps to find drawings of it in Sibley's. It has the "weak brownish lateral throat stripe, pale gray flanks and bright white belly." The lighter feathering on the wing was also in the drawing. It's always exciting to see something for the first time!
Young Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been busy protecting a patch of flowers or a feeder. The second bird is sipping nectar from Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) near the pond.
This hummingbird first caught my eye because of the bright red feathers on its throat. However, look more closely. This bird has a twisted bill. It had been at the flowers and seemed okay drinking at the feeder. So, I sent this photo and others to my friend, Lanny Chambers, a licensed hummingbird bander since 1999, and asked him for his thoughts. Lanny guessed it might be due to a mandible dislocation that didn't quite heal properly, possibly caused by a window strike or other collision. As long as the bill still keeps the tongue from drying out, the bird should be fine. Lanny had seen a couple of these plus dozens of healed bill fractures in birds he had banded. They were otherwise healthy and seemed to have adapted well. Still, Lanny wanted to check in with a veterinarian colleague about this bird.
Lanny wrote back to say, "I contacted Dr. Lisa Tell, a veterinary professor at UCSD and fellow hummingbird bander. She says "scissor bill" is usually a developmental problem, occurring before hatching, not an injury. She doesn't know if it's a genetic, environmental, or random mutation. So, my guess wasn't a good one. I consider Lisa the world expert on hummingbird health and pathology."
Again, we've seen something new and learned from it! Isn't Nature fascinating? Thanks so much, Lanny!
Now, for the warbler report.
An American Redstart, Black-and-white and Tennessee Warblers are featured first.
Bay-breasted Warblers and a Common Yellowthroat have frequented the bubbler.
Chestnut-sided Warblers have been at both the bubbler and the stream bed. The female in the last photo has been coming in for several days to the Rough-leaf Dogwood trees (Cornus drummondii) to grab berries. Another first here is seeing a warbler take berries. I've read that this is common in spring before they take off from Central and South America. Who knew this dogwood could be so important and nutritious to this little bird? Glad we had a bumper crop this year! (Photo is taken through a screen, that's why it's a little fuzzy.)
Black-throated Green Warblers have been active everywhere, splashing, finding insect food and having a nice break to rest and refuel here.
Ovenbirds and Northern Parulas came in yesterday to enjoy the water in this dry spell.
Ah, fall color is upon us, in trees and birds!
Wow, they are so beautifully camouflaged in our Missouri native trees. Do you see the bird in this Sugar Maple?
Yes, Bay-breasted Warbler. To see all the photos since the last post, use the following link.
Immatures and Migrants! 9-1-23
A cool front and the Super Blue Moon on 8-30-23 helped to fuel migration!
So, what's up?
Let's begin with this young Barred Owl, on its own one morning, investigating the Bubbler.
Barred Owls are often seen at dawn and dusk. The owlets are curious, alert and very active as they learn about their world! This is true of all the young birds. They need to learn whether on their own or with their brood mates.
These Eastern Bluebirds came together, "Follow the leader!"
Carolina Chickadees are just as adventurous!
And, you may recall, it is these two species, the Carolina Chickadee and Tufted Titmouse, that the migrants are looking for because they eat the same foods. They are indicator species of good habitat!
The first warbler of the fall showed up on 8-23-23, a Magnolia Warbler.
The next morning, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was quickly moving about, looking for caterpillars on several trees. A telltale bit of sticky leaf hangs on its tail.
A first of season ( FOS) female Blackburnian Warbler dropped in on 8-24-23, followed by a Chestnut-sided Warbler.
The Carolina Chickadee wasn't exactly thrilled that the Chestnut-sided was barging in on its Bubbler!
There was a second bird at the Bubble on the large rock.
On 8-25-23, our FOS Bay-breasted Warbler came in. It seemed early for this one, and indeed, it was a day earlier than the earliest state record. So, I documented this bird with the Missouri Birding Society's Bird Records Committee, and wait on their final decision.
I couldn't be absolutely sure of the age/sex of this bird, it is likely to be an adult female or first fall female. Males have more of a buffy tinge on the flanks.
Black-and-white Warblers have been seen on two days so far. These may both be first fall males, the females tend to have buffy flanks.
Red-eyed Vireos have been very active, splash-bathing at the bubbler in between grabbing the white berries of Rough-leaf Dogwood and catching insects. If you look closely, this bird has a brown eye, so it's an immature bird.
A lone Ovenbird was seen bathing at 7:15 am on 8-28-23. It is also a warbler species.
It was fun to see a first fall Yellow-bellied Flycatcher at the bubbler. The yellow eye-ring is a diagnostic detail on this Empidonax species. I missed getting a good photo of its front, but here is a comparison photo.
WOW! This is the report on 8-31-23, the morning after the Super Blue Moon.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Eastern Phoebes are still very busy feeding here. See the caterpillar in the Phoebe's bill? They have some time yet before they move on.
Yesterday morning, I was hopeful that many more migrants would show up. Red-eyed Vireos were here, like the pictured immature bird, along with one Philadelphia Vireo. The only warbler that I caught sight of was this Bay-breasted Warbler at the sump puddle. This one has buffy coloration on the flanks, typical of males.
It was about noon when I heard the signature chatter of a squirrel, warning of a Cooper's Hawk. Good time for a break, I figured, and I had no sooner gotten inside with the camera that I saw the very bird drop in at the Bubbler! It was an immature bird, with its own lessons to learn.
Everybody's gotta eat!
Have a safe, enjoyable Labor Day weekend.
Delights and a discovery 8-21-23
Daylight is waning, but the heat is on!
We've lost an hour and 25 minutes of daylight since the Summer Solstice. But, that hasn't stopped the heat dome that is now over us. This week, the temperatures are hovering at 100 degrees with much higher heat indices. Ugh!
Let's look at some of the bright spots and discoveries.
So, who owns the place? Right now the hummingbirds are everywhere, chasing each other from the flowers and feeders. Birds are constantly looking in every direction to hold their ground for another sip.
We've been seeing 1-2 Monarchs in the garden on different days, just males so far. Like the hummers, when there are two, they chase!
I had just finished photographing some flowers when I heard a soft flickering of wings. This moth took shelter outside the screen of the gazebo on a post. Oh, I had not seen this moth here before, a beautiful Banded Tiger Moth. I couldn't find photos of the caterpillar, but check out other photos of open-winged adults at this link:
Again this year, we have a white Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis alba) in the garden. This is a naturally occurring variety that self-seeded.
One of the last clusters of Coral Trumpet Honeysuckle was in perfect form. The following morning, an immature Ruby-throated Hummingbird had its nectar for breakfast while I had my own.
Summer fruit! The Rough-leaf Dogwood berries (Cornus drummondii) are still attracting attention from many species of birds. Even two immature American Crows have been in to grab some. The black Elderberries (Sambucus canadensis) are the first fruits from seven plants we installed two years ago. The largest plant had two large flower heads, and this one still has berries. Robins found them quickly!
Three male Northern Flickers were in a small dogwood by the driveway. 'Papa', on the right, was showing the younger ones how to get the berries.
The younger one flew off to check out the bubbler, but the older one was a quick study! Look at the 'mustache' on the young birds. The bird with berries has a darker one, that's why I think it is just a little further along in getting new plumage.
Another successful nesting pair has been the Red-bellied Woodpeckers. One of their young was working up the trunk of this black oak, and found ants to eat.
Flycatchers have been very active! The young Great Crested Flycatcher was seen low in this spicebush on a very breezy day. Eastern Phoebes continue to hunt at the bubbler area, splash-bathing, too. The bird in the last two photos was a bit challenging to ID.
Not only are fall warblers confusing, but so is the genus of Empidonax flycatchers. They rarely sing in the fall, and the only way to be certain of some of this group is to hear a chip call. Well, there are two that are almost impossible to tell apart in fall plumage unless they are 'in the hand'. These are the Alder and Willow Flycatchers. They once were lumped as one species. So, after asking two experts and reading up on them, that's how I've marked this one on my year list: Alder/Willow.
Stay cool and safe in this heat wave!
August already! 8-1-23
August has arrived!
According to my calculations, we have now given up 43 minutes of daylight since the summer solstice.
Summer has peaked!
The Rough-leaf Dogwoods (Cornus drummondii) were covered in white flowers in May, attracting small pollinators. Now, the berries are ripening and birds have really been after them. Thrushes, woodpeckers, catbirds and flycatchers all come in for the bounty.
Younger birds, like the speckled Eastern Bluebird, have to figure out the best approach, as the ripest berries are out on the furthest tips of the branches. Sometimes they can reach from a branch above. Often, they swoop down and pick them off on the fly. The robins and flycatchers, like the Eastern Phoebe will usually grab and go. We didn't plant these small trees, they were waiting in the seed bank to grow up after we removed all the bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) many years ago. They are an important plant in our woodland, supporting 94 species of Lepidoptera, or moth and butterfly caterpillars, vital food for birds.
On these hot days, the birds have been taking time to refresh themselves at the Bubbler.
One way to tell an immature bird is to look for the gape hinge at the base of the bill, which is usually a lighter color.
This Tufted Titmouse appears to have the pinkish gape, and it pants as it bathes to cool its body.
There is usually a mix of birds coming in around noontime. A Mourning Dove, Eastern Bluebird and American Robin find their space. At least for a while. This young bluebird scrambled out of the way until the larger birds finished. Ah, relief!
We've had many young birds around and this immature Great Crested Flycatcher was confirmation of another successful nesting this year.
This is a photo from a few summers ago of an adult Great Crested Flycatcher. They've been nesting here for nearly a decade.
Birds are constantly looking for food, and often in this small oak hybrid, they look for insects. This tree was keyed out to be a natural hybrid of a black and chinquapin (or chinkapin) oak.
This trio of Mourning Doves have been seen together lately. I suspect they are all young birds. The pair on the right hang out together and the larger bird on the left wants to be with them, or perhaps is trying out 'moves' for the next breeding season.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are taking nectar at the few remaining blossoms of the Coral Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) and the 'Black and Blue' Salvia.
Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is just beginning to open a few blooms, but will be in full swing in another week or so.
The dominant male or 'Flash', is protecting one feeder as best as it can. That's right! I noticed a real uptick in hummingbird numbers on Saturday, 7-29-23. They are right on time! Birds are on the move, and now you know to be ready with freshly filled feeders! It helps to fuel their insect catching ability so they can be ready to cross the Gulf of Mexico.
Check out the Migration Tools at: BirdCast
Click on the map for Upper Midwest and Northeast to check species arrival and departure dates. Fascinating!
"After a wild spring of some intense flights, what will this new season hold for migration? Will the top 10 states for spring, in terms of total birds overflying the state in a season, see the same ranking and name: 1) Missouri, 2) Oklahoma, 3) Kansas, 4) Nebraska, 5) North Dakota, 6) Wisconsin, 7) Minnesota, 8) Texas, 9) South Dakota, and 10) Florida?"
Enjoy our water lilies and think cool!