Chickadees of the north, bird vocalizations and more!

Sax-Zim Bog guided trip - January 28, 2011












Black-capped Chickadee (above) and Boreal Chickadee (right)


Yesterday I showed a friend from Northland College around the bog. She had never visited a true bog before, and I told her (as we were leaving for the bog at a little before 7am this morning), "you're in for a treat." My goodness, as with every trip that I make up to the bog, there is something new to see, some unique behavior or habitat tidbit to ponder about, and wildlife to see. During this last visit to the bog, we even got to see a Porcupine sleeping in a Tamarack, and Meadow Vole scurry along the edge of the plowed road.

One of the biggest surprises came from one of the smallest birds in the bog. In my previous visits to the bog this winter, I had been seeing two Boreal Chickadees visiting one of the birdfeeding stations at a time. They are so beautiful and cute, and are always seen together. Yesterday, a 3rd Boreal Chickadee joined-up with them, and all three Boreal Chickadees were feeding together. I've noticed that they occasionally partake in swift "dogfighting" scenarios; where they chase other chickadees into the woods.

During the winter, most songbirds stick to calls, and refrain from much singing, if they even sing at all during the cold winter months. Songs are typically performed to attract birds of the other gender (same species) to the area. Singing is usually related to breeding, with songbirds. The songs of songbirds are sung most often by the males, however there are a few species where females will sing during the breeding season. (A male Pine Grosbeak is shown to the left)

Some songbirds will sing to mark territory, but with most songbirds, this is where the calling begins. Calls are often performed in offense/defense behaviors, like scolding a predator for being in a songbirds' territory, or to scare-off another potential nearby mate (of the same species), or to keep other songbirds from a feeding area. The Black-capped Chickadees give a "chicka-dee-dee-dee" call. You may have heard this in your backyard before! Their song, typically heard during the spring and summer, is the "you-huuuuu" or "cheese-burrrger" song. They also give a gurgly call, which is often produced while eating, or close proximity to food that they are eye-ing up.

Click this link to hear Black-capped Chickadees calling and singing!

On very clear and sunny days, even in mid-winter, sometimes songbirds can't help but sing a few times. Songbird vocalizations are very complex, but it is thought that photo-period (amount of light in a day) can encourage/discourage birds to sing, or at least creates/halts that urge to sing. As the days become longer in the spring and summer, birds sing more. Pay attention to the birds singing during a clear, beautiful spring or summer day. You will likely hear birds all over (while you're standing around wooded areas, or maybe some vegetated areas of your neighborhood will help be where the bulk of the birds are). Stand outside again, on a cloudy spring/summer day, if not a rainy day. Hear the difference? :-) A Boreal Chickadee eating seed is pictured to the right.

Going back to the chickadee vocalizations... Boreal Chickadees have a similar, but slightly different call and song that they produce, in relation to the Black-capped Chickadees call and song. Boreal Chickadees have an adorable, high-pitched and raspy "chick-a-deeeeeeeeeee"
call. I have also noted Boreal Chickadees in Sax-Zim Bog producing an unusual gurgled call, somewhat similar to the Black-capped Chickadee's gurgle call, but just a hair different... and Cornell says that they lack a whistled-song. I'm not sure what these individual Boreal Chickadees have been calling-about, but they sure are fun to watch and listen to!
Click this link to hear a Boreal Chickadee call!


Another highlight of yesterday was seeing a total of 8 AMERICAN CROWS throughout the bog. They are not rare of course, but seem unusual from the majority of the large black corvids that I have seen in the bog throughout most of my past visits (Common Ravens are the predominant corvid species in the bog, with Blue Jays at some feeding stations, and Gray Jays scattered throughout much of the densely-wooded sections of the bog. (The sleeping porcupine is pictured to the left)




Here are the bird species observed on this trip:
Rough-legged Hawk - 2
Bald Eagle - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Hairy Woodpecker - 2
Northern Shrike - 4
Blue Jay - 4
Gray Jay - 9
American Crow - 8!
Common Raven ~20
Black-capped Chickadee ~20
Boreal Chickadee - 3
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 2
Pine Grosbeak ~50
*A Gray Jay is the photographed bird to the right of the bird list.


Quiz photo... which undertail coverts belong to which chickadee species?










Thanks again for reading my blog!
Good birdwatching,
Erik

Dark morph Rough-legged Hawks & more about the bog

No matter how many times I visit Sax-Zim Bog, I get the rush that I felt the first time I ever visited the bog, back during the owl irruption of 2004-2005. I remember taking a drive with two of my college friends, carpooling of course, during my first long-distance birdwatching trip. I was just giddy with excitement. At the time, I had never seen a wild owl, and was filled with the curiosity of wanting to experience the sights and sounds of this bog. At that point in my life, I was unaware of the fascinating behaviors of the food-caching Gray Jays, the bark-peeling of Three-toed and Black-backed Woodpeckers, the the concept of how much of a rare treat it is to see Boreal Chickadees, especially anywhere in the lower 48. Pine Grosbeaks... I had seen pictures of these chunky finches in field guides, but I did not know that they roam the skies and tree tops of the bog, in tight-knit flocks.

We arrived at the gas station just outside of the bog at the "Cotton" intersection a little before the sun came up, to get some snacks for the upcoming day of birdwatching that awaited just a few miles west. Shortly after entering the bog, we headed north on Hwy 7. What was this raptor to the right... sitting on a fence post? It made me think of a perched Red-tailed Hawk that had been dipped in dark-chocolate, from head to tail. I noticed the bird had a slightly longer-looking tail than a Red-tailed Hawk, and a more boxy-appearance down to the feet. Red-tailed Hawks can look poofy and fluffy, but this raptor had a sense of being relaxed and fluffy all at once! My friends Becca and Andrew told me that this bird is a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk. Wow, my very first Rough-legged Hawk! And what is a dark morph, I wondered at the time... Dark morph is a term given for raptors that have an overdose of melanin, or brown/gray/black coloration throughout their feathers, where typically paler sections of feathers occur. If you hear the term melanistic (too much melanin), it can sometimes refer to birds that are unusually dark for their species. I love gulls and gull watching, and will later share photos of a melanistic Ring-billed Gull I photographed this past fall. Anywho, back to the bog...


We must have watched that Rough-legged Hawk for over 20 minutes. It was a natural moment of bliss. The arctic-dwelling fluffball, as I like to call the Rough-legged Hawk was at ease. It slowly looked left, looked right, then quickly snapped its head back to the right; this time remaining focused on the snow. The intent stare of raptors is powerful. They hyperfocus, and remain focused on their prey as if life and death could be just around the corner... because it is. Birds of prey hunt for survival, and on average make a successful hunt once every seven attempts. I don't remember if this Rough-legged Hawk was successful, but I do remember the actions, the beauty of this bird seen through snow-globe snowflakes falling that day, and remember a special connection with this raptor. That day as a whole was incredibly memorable, as we saw over a dozen Great Gray Owls, several Northern Hawk Owls, Black-billed Magpies, and songbirds of every kind to be expected within the heart of a Boreal Bog.

The photos throughout this blog entry are of Rough-legged Hawks (and the habitat scene on top, from Sax-Zim Bog). The paler-looking Rough-legged Hawk is a light-morph. Like all Rough-legged Hawks, they have a dark carpal patch (black spot in the "wrist" or mid-section of the wing). This is something to look for when you're trying to identify them in flight.As stated earlier, Rough-legged Hawks can also exist in a dark-morph form. Rough-legged Hawks are one of the few raptors that you can actually tell the gender, mainly by the amount of speckling on the frontside of the bird, as well as the band thickness/number of bands on the tail.


Rough-legged Hawks come from the arctic regions of northern Canada, and come down "here" to the northern regions of the lower 48 to spend their winter months. Their ability to cope with the cold conditions during winter, as well as their amazing beauty is really something else :) Only a few more months until these pretty arctic fluffballs head back to the Arctic. Time to enjoy them while they are here!

Good birdwatching,
Erik

Past weekend of the bog, birdwatching, and Birds And Beers!

The results of the Brrrrdathon were recently released. The link below covers the amount of money raised for the bog, and the some of the some of the photo-contest photos that were entered. Although I'm relatively new to photo contests, this is the first photo contest that I've won. You'll get a kick out of the cleverly-thought-out trophies which were prensented during the post-Brrrrdathon gathering...

http://www.birdnation.org/brrrrdathon


This past weekend I enjoyed guiding a couple around Saturday morning at Sax-Zim Bog, and a college-friend around the bog on Sunday afternoon. Both trips to the bog were spectacular.
Below is my list from both days.Northern Goshawk
Ruffed Grouse
Northern Hawk Owl
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee
Gray Jay
Blue Jay
Common Raven
American Crow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Northern Shrike
Pine Grosbeak

Here are some of my favorite photos from this past weekend (all of Northern Hawk Owls).
The Sax-Zim Bog habitat is really unique. A Northern Hawk Owl is pictured here, perched on tree just after sunset. The light conditions for this photo are optimal for seeing the large and elusive Great Gray Owl.














Northern Hawk Owl in flight. This Northern Hawk Owl pursued three Ruffed Grouse shortly after the photo was taken!
















Northern Hawk Owls have a beautiful, almost creepy stare!


















Gotta itch on the foot! Look closely, and you'll see this Northern Hawk Owl is banded!







To add even more fun to the guided-trips this past weekend, was the Minnesota-renowned Birds and Beers event. Sharon Stiteler keep this fun event running. All of the birdwatchers met at Joe's Garage, a very pleasant and upscale bar and grille in Minneapolis. I love microbrews...enjoying the rich flavors, hearty aromas and beautiful colors of good beer. And hanging out with fun & exciting birdwatchers while having a good beer and delicious food, was just a fantastic time. After enjoying the birdwatchers' fantastic company indoors, Sharon showed me the thousands and thousands of roosting crows in a park in Minneapolis. Crows are so smart and intelligent, and are pretty funny to observe and listen to at night as they roost. They make sounds of clattering, clucking, an almost mumbling sound, and the classic "caw."

You can find more information regarding Birds and Beers, at Sharon's Birds and Beers site below
http://www.birdchick.com/wp/birds-and-beers/

Here are some photos I took of the roosting crows :-)




























I'm still learning more about the layout of blogs. Soon I'll be on top of things as soon as they happen :-) Thanks again for reading my blog!

Good birdwatching,
Erik

Hello, welcome, and many birds recently seen

Here is my first post, on my first blog, ever. I am really excited to share my experiences of exciting and beautiful birds with you :-)

My most recent bird-happenings were hanging out with my good friend Laura Erickson for an entire day last weekend. She and I were participating in the Brrrrdathon! Typical birdathons consist of raising money (for events, festivals, nature centers, habitat restoration, etc) via birdwatching. It's a win-win situation, for both the birdwatchers and the cause that is supported.

The area that Laura and I frequented most last Saturday was Sax-Zim Bog. In case if you're new to northern Minnesota, or are new to habitat types... Sax-Zim Bog is a Black Spruce and Tamarack Bog just a little north of Duluth. Much of the ground (during the warmer months) is saturated in what I think of, as a rich, beautiful smelling peat forest. Some people might call it a bit strong, but the smells of a Black Spruce Bog are wonderfully intoxicating. Reason being... the smells, along the sights and sounds are so unique. This bog hosts a wide variety of life that is ONLY found in bogs. Northern Hawk Owls and Great Gray Owls nest here in the bog, as do Gray Jays, Boreal Chickadees, and a wide host of summer-dwelling warblers, including the lemon-yellow & navy-blue, sought-after Connecticut Warbler! Pine Grosbeaks and Blue Jays can be found throughout specific areas in the bog, and the ridiculously cute and hardy Redpolls (both Common and Hoary) can be found in the bog. Woodpeckers are a treat too... as winter-time sightings (in one day) could consist of Downy, Hairy, Three-toed, Black-backed and Pileated!


After leaving the house at 5am Saturday morning, we covered a few areas just north of the bog, looking for Spruce Grouse, then headed slightly south into Sax-Zim Bog, and to try to see as many species as we could for this special birdathon (again, the Brrrrdathon), we visited Canal Park and a brief drive through of some Duluth locations. It was such an incredibly fun day, and I encourage any of the fans and readers to participate if they are interested next winter. Sax-Zim Bog is currently undergoing logging operations, and many people who are new to habitat types, or unfamiliar with bogs, do not realize the importance and unique beauty and wildlife-homes (niches) that exist in the Sax-Zim Bog.

Here is the list that Laura and I were able to build up over the day:
American Black Duck
Mallard
Common Goldeneye
Ruffed Grouse
Bald Eagle
Rock Pigeon
Northern Hawk Owl
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker
Northern Shrike
Gray Jay
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
European Starling
Pine Grosbeak
Common Redpoll
House Sparrow


Forgot to add too... we spend an entire day's worth of driving, on just under 7 gallons of gas, with her Prius :-) Carpooling and choosing the most fuel-efficient vehicle is best for long days of driving with birdathons, in addition to our regular transportation methods.

To learn more about the Brrrrdathon, the link is just the thing:
www.birdnation.org/brrrrdathon

To learn more about the upcoming Sax-Zim Festival (it's a blast), go to:
http://moumn.org/sax-zim

For my side business, I lead guided birdwatching tours and sell bird photography. I will be posting the fun birds seen on days of guiding, as well as the pictures that hit the spot. I hope you enjoy them, and am looking forward to sharing these fun birdwatching experiences with you! I'm new with blogs, but will eventually get the hang of inserting pictures and more!

Good birdwatching,
Erik