PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEB HIRT: Finch

Showing posts with label Finch. Show all posts

Sunday, February 19, 2023

021923 SNP Edition, Life At Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/lifestyles/life-at-boomer-lake-the-challenging-range-of-the-crossbill/article_07ed98f0-ae57-11ed-9dc8-5347fbe2f8a1.html

Sunday, September 16, 2018

Oklahoma Vagrants: Cassin's Finch

Uncommon in western montane coniferous forests, this finch has a more pointed and longer bill than the Purple Finch, as well as a longer primary projection. The most distinguishing characteristics between House Finch and Purple Finch are the short, deeply forked tail and the peaked head. They usually forage upon the ground, feeding on fruit, insects, buds, and conifer seeds.

First seen in Oklahoma in 2000, the American rosefinch has steadily become more common and was observed several times during 2018 at the Black Mesa Bed in Breakfast in winter, as well as New Year's Eve, as well as once in spring. It was also seen in the spring this year in Guymon. In Oklahoma, they appear to be moving west to central to likely survive climate change over the next few decades.

These birds breed throughout western conifer belts of the interior mountains between 3,000 and 10,000 feet. They favor most pines, spruce, and quaking aspen. Some prefer open sagebrush scrub with interspersed western juniper. Breeding numbers tend to change as the food supply does over yearly periods. Some northernmost birds will migrate south for the winter, yet others choose not to do so.

Cassin's Finch
Madera Canyon, AZ 2018

In late summer and early fall they will flock with Red Crossbills, Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks, and other assorted birds of the mountains to forage and seek out salt through mineral deposits. In the winter, they migrate to lower valleys, or altitudinal migration.

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Blue Grosbeak

Singing a rich, husky warble with a mumbling quality, the uncommon Blue Grosbeak makes itself known in open weedy fields singing from tall weeds or bushes. Characteristic of old fields turning back to woodlands, they breed in areas of mixed grass and shrubs with scattered trees.

Named for two noticeable field marks, the deep blue color and the large powerful bill, this songbird usually raises two broods each summer. It often uses snakeskin as a nesting material, perhaps to surprise possible predators. Nests are usually at clearing edges that are built near the ground, with incubation done by the female. Nestlings are cared for by both parents.

   Male Blue Grosbeak
   Big Thicket, TX
Most of these large finches nesting in the eastern US migrate across the Caribbean, as they are regularly seen there during both spring and fall migrations. What data exists shows that the Blue Grosbeak may be heavily parasitized by the Brown-headed Cowbird. In the fall, flocks will gather in rice fields before they fly south.  The flight call is a metallic klink.

A group of grosbeaks is known as a gross of grosbeaks.

The Blue Grosbeak and Birds of Northeast Texas:

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-natural-world-according-to.html