Welcome to our blog! It's all about our discoveries here in our Shady Oaks yard, a Sanctuary for birds and other wildlife. We began to restore habitat for wildlife here in 1996 and gauge our success by the diversity of species we observe and document with our photography. We hope you enjoy our images and come back often to see what's new!
10-18-24 Mid-October Mix
Mid-October = A Mix of Birds
That means year round residents, southbound migrants and overwintering birds could all be here on any given day.
Brown Creepers are here for the winter.
Eastern Phoebes will be moving a bit further south, but this species is a harbinger of spring and returns early. This year, our first one showed up on Leap Day, 2-29-24.
Two Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were seen chasing each other through the gardens on 10-9-24. There still could be a later bird, so I have two feeders filled. After Halloween, there is always a chance of a Rufous Hummingbird or other rarity coming through.
Swainson's Thrush spend the winter in the tropics, from central Mexico south.
Hermit Thrush spend the winter in the southern US. Depending on temperatures and snow cover, we may see them here frequently. This is the thrush with the rufous tail, which it cocks, then slowly lowers.
American Robins spend the winter here, though there is movement southward of the northern flocks. The first bird found a worm in the leaves by the bubbler rock.
Chipping Sparrow will winter just south of us in some southeastern states. I did have an immature bird here in January-March 2023.
Hairy Woodpecker is a resident throughout much of North America, though some northern birds migrate south for the winter.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers are also resident here in winter. Two were on the sugar maple looking for insects when a different woodpecker heard their chatter and came in to check them out.
Do you recognize this curious young bird? By January, it will begin to get new red feathers on its head and throat.
Yes, it's a Red-headed Woodpecker. The last photo is a bird that was here on 1-20-22. I had heard one this spring and in early October, so I was thrilled to see it come in. That's the thing, one hears more birds than one sees and opportunities to photograph aren't always there! This uncommon woodpecker is found year round in forest edge habitat throughout Missouri.
An Orange-crowned Warbler was foraging near the pond in the Arrowwood Viburnum and Sugar Maple. This dull little warbler rarely shows its orange crown, but one can be seen here:
A Yellow-rumped Warbler followed two Black-throated Green Warblers to drink at the basin.
A Ruby-crowned Kinglet popped in to watch the Tennessee Warbler drink at the bubble.
Yesterday, 10-17-24 one Black-throated Green Warbler stopped in to bathe. Later, our Haikubox picked up this call of a bird that is rare to find at this point in the year, a Mourning Warbler. It was not confirmed. You can click on the link and listen to its 'tsip' call.
Last but not least, the first Dark-eyed Juncos were spotted on 10-14-24. The night before, 7,728,000 birds had flown over our county, so that was technically my Big Day for fall.
Other species have been heard only, like the Great Horned Owl at 3 am. on 10-5-24 and Greater White-fronted Geese that were flying over on 10-12-24. A diminutive Winter Wren and splash-bathing Blue-headed Vireo have been seen on several days. We're still hoping for more birds to arrive such as Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Red-breasted Nuthatch. There's always a chance for other late migrants. We'll keep you posted!
Need one last look at all the October birds?
Begin here: October Birds
10-7-24 September into October
October
Leaves are changing, beginning to drop and birds have been dropping in!
Here are some of the highlights.
Cooper's Hawks have been making the birds very jittery for weeks, with good reason. It looks like this one took a Northern Cardinal. Everybody's gotta eat!
A first fall male and female Rose-breasted Grosbeak pair came to the bubbler on 9-24-24.
Nashville Warblers also arrived the last week of September.
Northern Waterthrush have been regulars through the first of October.
A Brown Thrasher really went for the bubble!
A first fall Common Yellowthroat played hide-and-seek in the Pickerel Weed in the pond while it bathed. It finally came out and perched briefly on Jewelweed for a good look.
On 10-4--24, a Blackburnian Warbler was first seen at the pond. Then, it zipped around to the bubbler to bathe.
Black-throated Green Warblers have been the most numerous of the migrants lately.
Not sure why, but Tennessee Warblers have come in much later than usual for our yard. In 2022, I photographed two in late July, a new record for Missouri. This year? They did not show up until 10-3-24.
American Robins have been devouring the Winterberries (Ilex verticillata x Red Sprite). Because of the early rains and good pollination this year, these shrubs have produced more berries than usual.
Our first of fall Brown Creeper has arrived!
There have only been a few times that several warbler species have been at the bubbler together. Here is a Bay-breasted, Tennessee and Nashville jumping in to join a chickadee.
Black-thoated Green Warblers have also enjoyed bathing in the stream bed of the large pond.
The first of fall Hermit Thrush arrived on 10-6-24 and showed at the bubbler.
Another first of fall bird, this Yellow-rumped Warbler found tiny insects yesterday on an American Elm (Ulmus americana).
Both kinglets have been documented now for fall, the Ruby-crowned and today, the Golden-crowned.
To all our readers, family and friends,
please stay safe in this hurricane season!
9-22-24 Autumn has arrived!
Fall Equinox
Sunday, September 22, 2024 at 7:43 a.m. CST
On this first day of fall, shortly after 8 a.m. Dan spotted this Barred Owl in a small green ash about 15 feet out from the gazebo. It was a very wet bird as we had gratefully gotten nearly 2 inches of rain overnight. It sat in the tree for a few hours, scanning for vole activity. A sure sign of fall is seeing these owls on a gray day.
American Redstarts, female and male, have been seen regularly this month.
The first Swainson's Thrush came in on 9-7-24 and stopped in briefly at the bubbler just after sunrise.
American Redstart female checking me out.
A shy Magnolia Warbler foraged in the smooth hydrangeas. What gives it away? The 'tail dipped in ink', which is diagnostic for this species.
Yes, you know these by now. Bay-breasted Warbler and American Redstart.
What we see in nature is sometimes sad and disturbing. This Ruby-throated Hummingbird had a dislocated lower mandible. So many questions about this bird, and the outcome did not look good as its tongue may dry out, according to my friend and hummingbird bander, Lanny Chambers. I watched the bird for just a few minutes and haven't seen it again, but thought the experience was important to share.
Here's a Magnolia Warbler viewed from the front as it foraged along a branch in a Blackhaw Viburnum. Most warblers have been staying half hidden like this one, and their fall plumage helps them to blend in.
This pair of Bay-breasted Warblers were back again, challenged by the chickadee. The male has the richer bay color on its flanks.
Another American Redstart, or is it the same one coming in again? I scratch my head a lot when it seems the same birds are moving around the neighborhood and returning.
The Bay-breasted Warbler is considered uncommon, though they sure do show up here.
On the last day of summer, another Swainson's Thrush came to bathe and sure seemed to enjoy itself.
About 5:00 p.m. that same day, the pair of Bay-breasted Warblers were back again.
And on Sunday, the Barred Owl finally turned and perked up as activity picked up in the woodland. It flew to a sugar maple then to a larger green ash for different vantage points before heading to another patch of oaks nearby.
And the first warbler of fall was none other than, you guessed it, a Bay-breasted! Yes, some falls are like this, but there are still large numbers of birds to come. Stay tuned!
Latest travelers 9-9-24
Focus is on Migrants!
Slowly but surely, they're trickling in to forage, drink and bathe.
Chestnut-sided Warblers first arrived on 8-27-24. The small size of warblers is best understood when seen near common birds, like the Tufted Titmouse and Northern Cardinal. Most warblers, like the Chestnut-sided, average 4.75"-5.5" in length.
Photos by Dan Terpstra
On Wednesday morning, 8-28-24, we drove up to Columbia Bottom Conservation Area, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Three Swallow-tailed Kites had been observed there for several days and we wanted to look for them. We did see three, flying with Mississippi Kites. Striking in contrast and the largest of the kites, they are so graceful to watch in flight. The last time we saw this species was on a trip to Costa Rica in 2012. We felt so lucky to see them. A fourth kite was confirmed a few days later. Three have also been seen at Eagle Bluff CA in Boone County.
This species is certainly a rare transient and summer visitant now, though it was a former summer resident statewide. "The disappearance of this species from the state as a breeder and regular migrant coincided with the virtually complete elimination of forest in those regions." From The Status and Distribution of Birds of Missouri by Mark B. Robbins.
Perhaps this species will have a chance to reclaim some of the breeding range it once had and nest in Missouri again.
To read more about this bird: Swallow-tailed Kite
We got back home before noon and saw some of the usual suspects here. Then, right about 4:00 pm, a small bird flew into the hydrangeas behind the bubbler from the west. A chipmunk was chasing titmice out of the basin. I continued to watch. I knew that little bird was still hiding. "Inquiring minds need to know!"
So, the chipmunk skittered to the gooseberry patch and the bird popped out and went right to the bubbler! It was a rare first fall male Mourning Warbler. As I studied it, it ticked all the ID boxes for a young Mourning Warbler. Split white eye ring, dark bluish gray hood with black speckling on the breast, yellow under tail coverts. This species has always been a difficult one for me to see here, so I was a happy camper! Was it related to the male that I photographed last year? Did that male pass along the migration map in its genes so the young bird found its way here? It's entirely possible.
A Northern Waterthrush has been around for several days, first checking in on 8-31-24. It walked through the bubbler area and went to the lower wetland where it found tiny larvae to eat. You have to look closely, but one is wrapped around its bill in the first photo.
Flycatchers are often in the woodland, chasing tiny gnats and flies. This Yellow-bellied Flycatcher is another rarity in both spring and fall. This one was here on 9-2-24.
Bay-breasted Warblers are uncommon in spring and fall. Our habitat provides concealment, sheltered places to rest, find food and water. So, we do typically see them in both seasons.
Lovely Black-throated Green Warblers are a bit more common in both seasons, and like old friends, they're always welcome here!
This is an immature Red-eyed Vireo. Why? Because its eyes are still brown! By spring, they will turn more obviously red in color.
American Redstarts are also warblers. The male is black with orange markings, the gray one is a female. Young males look a lot like the females, but have some black feathers showing and more orangey yellow patches.
This species was seen in spring, and a female had stopped in briefly last week. Finally, on 9-6-24, this male Golden-winged Warbler was observed in time to document it.
For many years now, I've tried to see the pattern of when these birds will come down to the water. Each bird has different needs, It may have dropped in at 5 a.m. as it flew over our yard. It needs to rest from its flight, but it's hungry and starts feeding upon caterpillars at first light. So, some will come to the water before 7:00 a.m., or maybe take a quick look and come back later. It's really not possible to predict but there are days when a lot more birds are here which increases the chances! It's a hopeful obsession!
We have had a few nights with very high numbers of birds crossing our county. There are many more birds to come!
We've lost over 2 hours of daylight and are heading towards the Fall Equinox on September 22, 2024.
Enjoy the fall weather!
Fall Migration is underway! 8-26-24
When we heard the last of the Mississippi Kites, it was time to say migration had begun.
Sure enough, that night showed an impressive number of migrants that crossed over our area! A few were seen the next day as they stopped in to forage for insects, to drink and rest.
About 10:20 a.m., a first fall female Summer Tanager dropped in at the bubbler, following a few usual suspects.
Here is a composite photo showing both Tanager species with examples of females. The Summer's plumage is typically more of a mustard or ochre tone whereas the Scarlet leans toward greenish yellow. Fall birds require a careful look!
A first fall Northern Parula came several times that day to the bubbler area. There is very little chestnut on the breast of this bird so I think it's a female. Time will tell.
A young Common Grackle drank heartily at the bubbler. It had been eating suet just a little while before.
Young woodpeckers like this Downy are learning to forage for food on their own. This bird is checking the stems of Smooth Hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens) for insects.
This is the first summer that we've put up a suet feeder and it has been popular with all the woodpeckers. This male Northern Flicker has been feeding two young of its own, both males. We've dubbed them, "the Flicker boys." We've watched them for days, they come in around lunchtime for some suet. The method seems to be that the male will show one of the young birds how to get the suet on its own. The other one waits on the railing and the adult fills up with enough for two. They take off to a nearby hickory and the young bird gets some from the adult at that point.
The Flickers work closely together in the mornings on foraging lessons by probing the soil with their bills for ants and insect larvae. It's a busy time for birds teaching their young!
An even larger number of birds crossed over the next night, spurred on by the waxing Super Blue Moon of August, or the full Sturgeon Moon. An alternative August moon name is Flying Up Moon, a Cree term describing the time when young birds are finally ready to take the leap and learn to fly. How appropriate! (Information per The Famers Almanac.)
About 7:30 a.m. that morning, we saw a Black-and-white Warbler in the Rough-leaf Dogwood next to the deck. A bit later, I checked the dripper bath for activity.
A gorgeous Baltimore Oriole was attracted to the dripping water, taking sips before taking a plunge. This bird seemed to thoroughly enjoy its bath. About noon, a Chestnut-sided Warbler was foraging in the Arrowwood Viburnum near the pond. I got great looks, but no photos. There were also a couple flycatchers, a Least and a Yellow-bellied. On Monday, 8/19/24, a very vocal Red-eyed Vireo was heard in the woods.
Seeing the warblers reminded me to review those confusing Fall Warblers! Here is my gallery with many views of these tiny migratory birds. Enjoy the collection and may it help you identify birds in your own yards or wherever you're bird-watching. The link will open a new page.