Happy Earth Day to You

Yesterday, I commemorated Earth Day by biking to Orchard Park and the nearby beaver pond to check in on the birds. At the east end of the pond, a pair of northern flickers continue to excavate their nest in a small snag, they are now tail-deep into the tree.



I spotted a lot of new beaver activity including this recent chew.


I thought I spotted one of the pond's architects, but a skinny tail indicated it was a nutria, the beaver's uninvited cousin. Also swimming in the pond were a pair of Canada geese, mallards, gadwalls, and a green-winged teal.


I spotted a couple more robin nests and a new bushtit nest on my way out of the park. Using Google Earth and Powerpoint, I made a crude GIS showing locations of the nests found so far.

The orange dots are robin nests and the gray dots are bushtit nests, As you can see, the robins either have small territories, or the males are courting multiple females. The breeding system of robins has received little study, so who knows? I may be able to clarify things later during nestling feeding time.

In other news, a pair of house finches has been visiting our deck to grab seeds and nesting material. You can't see it in this photo, but the female has an unusually large upper bill that has not hindered her ability to find a mate.

Now that I can identify the pair, I wish them well whenever they appear.

Weekend Highlights

We had a blast of summer weather this weekend and I think we made the most of it.

On Friday I made a few trips to Noble Woods Park and observed nesting behavior of many resident birds such as red-breasted nuthatches, bushtits, and American robins.

I spotted my first flycatcher of the year, a treat because they are one of my favorite bird families. It was an Empidonax of some sort and it was too early in the season to confidently identify members of this tough genus, so I simply enjoyed watching it dart from its perch and grab tiny insects with an audible snap of its bill. The bill looked pretty large so, if pressed, I would guess it was a memeber of the "western" or "Trail's" groups.

On Saturday, Sarah went hiking with her friends, so Andie and I took a walk through several local parks.

I brought Andie to a beaver pond built on a tributary of Rock Creek.


This pond is located within a buisiness park that is essentially empty parking lots and office buildings.

I have never seen another soul down here, except for pond-dwelling wildlife. After spending a few minutes near the pond, it is easy to forget that I am in the middle of a rapidly growing commercial area. In fact, a new Whole Foods located a few blocks away will open next week. I prefer the locally owned New Seasons, but I digress.

A beaver-engineered waterfall!

In Orchard Park, Andie and I checked in on the robin and bushtit nests and I found a bright reddish-orange beetle that my Kauffman insect field guide suggests is a member of the genus Nemognatha, a group whose grubs parasitize bee larva. It had small eyes and large mouthparts that made it look like an ant's head stuck on a beetle's body.


Back home, the Anna's hummingbird nestlings continue to grow. They are now grooming, stretching their wings, and projectile pooping. They should be ready to buzz out of the nest in the next few days.

I am amazed that these little birds begin nesting in the winter. Perhaps they start early to avoid competition from the more aggressive rufous hummingbirds, or, as a species that recently expanded its range from the south, they are hard-wired to nest early when productivity peaks in southern climates. Whatever the reason, early nesting apparently works for the species.