Showing posts with label Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Show all posts
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Friday, October 27, 2023
Sunday, January 29, 2023
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Friday, October 25, 2019
Boomer Migration Prior to Rains
Yellow-rumped Warbler, View 1
American Coots
Yellow-rumped Warbler, View 2
102219
0750-0853/45-47 F (wind chill 41)/clear/W-5/54% RH/30.06-30.09 Hg and rising
Just prior to this two day rain that began very early Wednesday October 23, birds were flying in an erratic manner and preparing by eating as much as they could.
There were a dozen or more migrant Killdeer between Shorebird Jetty and the most southwest jetty. I got the actual count when a man was walking his dog and drove them into the air and they went onto the secondary location. There were some Killdeer there, a smaller amount, but I was unable to get an exact count prior to the incident. There were at least six, but I used the dozen figure.
Since this was actually a minor seasonal cooldown, there were also a few ducks upon the water, which included eighteen Gadwall, a few Northern Shovelers (juveniles), and eight American Coots.
The coots didn't even notice me at Heron Cove, and just came nearer when the above shot was taken.
As many know, Ken Kaufman wrote a book on pishing, and gave many examples on the included CD, but I have developed many of my own calls over the years. One that I came upon was actually learned from a Palm Warbler that I once encountered at Boomer Lake. When the Palm Warbler moved out of my view, I used it to call it back last fall.
Several birds were in sycamores, western soapberry and even within the Bradford pear trees on the west side of The Cove. I'm being very conservative when I say that there were thirty-five Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warblers in the area, along with the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Carolina Chickadee, Eastern Bluebird, American Pipit, Chipping Sparrow, and Belted Kingfisher. Of course, the pipit will never be located in a tree, yet it had been clearly observed in the lowland nearby.
The warblers, kinglet, sparrow, and kingfisher all responded nicely to my own pish, and I could have shown many more photos of the warblers. The kinglet also availed itself, but was on the move, so out of the several shots that I obtained, none of them were worthy to be posted here. The chippie also hung in the brambles, but writer managed to get a lot of good looks for an extended period of time and just might have come up with other birds.
Then the rain hit and my birding adventures were curtailed. Perhaps tomorrow...
For the Palm Warbler Sighting:
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/10/oklahoma-migratory-species-profile-palm.html
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Saturday, January 26, 2019
December Melds Into January with New Year's More Recent Bird Trappings
Northern Harrier
Pied-billed Grebes
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Bonaparte's Gull
Red-shouldered Hawk
Ruddy Ducks
American Goldfinch
Northern Shoveler
Bonaparte's Gull
mid-December 2018 - mid-January 2019
The only photo worth getting at Christmas Bird Count on northwest Payne County was the distant Northern Harrier shot. It beautifully shows the white uppertail coverts so characteristic of the species.
The remainder are all from Boomer Lake Park, some mornings of which were on the colder side for ducks and other water birds.
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet seems to be coming less often, but as can be noted, it was a fairly good photo. These birds constantly tail flick and are on the move, rarely still for any appreciable amount of time.
The Bonaparte's Gulls were on the lake much more frequently this winter. We have had mostly light freezes but those have been few and far between. Today was more of a medium freeze found closer to the edges f the water, but spread out toward the inner part of the lake. Heron Cove was once again iced over.
We seem to be down to one Ruddy Duck now and winter's hawks make an occasional appearance.
The American Goldfinches are steady visitors this winter. Ducks have been visiting more during the cold, and fortunately this Northern Shoveler provided a nice in flight photo op. Pied-billed Grebes vary in numbers, but there is usually at least one most days and up to six have been observed.
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Fall Migration Still Waiting to Top Out or World of Birds On the Rise
Dark-eyed Junco (slate-colored)
Field Sparrow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Field Sparrow
Field Sparrow, View 2
Lincoln's Sparrow
American Goldfinch
American Goldfinch, View 2
Eastern Phoebe
Yellow-rumped Warbler
American Goldfinch, View 3
American Goldfinch, View 4
10-20 - 10-23-18
Last weekend and the first couple of weekdays brought two expected fallouts to Boomer Lake. This turned into the sparrow capital of the world, as well as songbird numbers increased. Being conservative, my opinion was in the neighborhood of a dozen winter Yellow-rumped warblers, but I believe it was close to twenty-five.
Also visiting were Orange-crowned and Nashville Warblers. Making attempts to get from one habitat change to another proved interesting, but just listening to the sounds of the birds that came in together, it was easy to tell what was near. However, finding each species was definitely another story.
After the Palm Warbler find, which was Boomer Lake's first recorded sighting, my spirits were high, and we did manage either a late migrating Gray Catbird, or the breeding catbird from these parts just decided to stay longer.
The Dark-eyed Juncos only stayed for a day, but the American Goldfinches and sparrows were eating every seed in sight.
After a brief sighting of about sixty Franklin's Gulls, Lady Luck asked me to settle down and enjoy the sights. So I did.
What I bring to you was just a basic representation of what I was able to find or at least be in view. The sounds of the Spotted Towhee rang through, it was briefly spotted once, but it has been staying put.
After a couple of days rain, it will be time to see what else flew in. Stand by for more information as soon as possible.
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Fall Migration and a First Time Surprise at Boomer Lake
Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal
Solitary Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper, View 2
Blue Jay
Palm Warbler (Fall Plumage)
Palm Warbler, View 2
Clay-colored Sparrows
10-05 through 10-17-18
A little more migratory movement was underway during this period and as time progresses, it is getting even better.
The Blue- and Green-winged Teals came through during the cold snap, and the Solitary Sandpiper was waiting for me after the rains ended, which left several low points filled with water, but just enough for the shorebirds to be comfortable with. I keep looking over those areas, which are still retaining water, but nothing else has come.
Clay-colored Sparrows along with several other LBJ (little brown job) species have infiltrated the lake. The migrants have been busy devouring fruit and seeds, barely looking up when a shadow is cast.
The big surprise was this beautiful Western Palm Warbler amid the Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and the Clay-colored Sparrows at a tree off by itself with shrubs. I could hear other sparrows, but had been unable to locate them in the area, but the next day was definitely another story.
Stay tuned for more.
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Courtesy Timothy Barksdale
One of the smallest birds, this nervous-appearing, constant wingflicker in continual motion possesses olive-green plumage with a pale eye ring, thin dark bill and legs with pale feet. Often confused with a warbler, this solitary bird often joins chickadees, titmice, warblers, and other small songbirds of the wood. When agitated or excited, the adult male will flick its bright red crown. It also has a dark bar on the base of its secondary feathers and appears to be a warbler or a tiny flycatcher with its rapid movement.
It has a loud, complex, and highly variable confusing song, and lays the largest clutch of eggs for its size, numbering up to a dozen. This songbird breeds in the western mountains of the US and the northeast, but mainly attends nests in the Boreal Forest of Canada. It breeds high within spruce-fir forests which lends difficulty to its breeding habits. They do favor mixed forest and old growth habitat. The adult male arrives first upon breeding territory and leaves last in the fall, even later than the juveniles of that season.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Boomer Creek Park, January 2016
In the winter, it prefers thick understory. Having studied the species extensively in the Boomer Creek area over several years (2015-early 2018), it was found that they will readily habituate to humans. One particular male would appear when called and was very amicable to numerous photographs, coming very close. However when disturbed by loud traffic and other abnormal non-forest noises, it would disappear, but return quickly. It never remained in the area longer than ten days. Its song consisted of rapid warbles, clear notes, and whistles, lasting approximately six seconds. Its song is so loud, one expects much larger than a four-inch bird.
The songbird enjoyed small insects and readily investigated old spider egg sacs, as well as red cedar fruit, and sally out after gnats or similar insects.
At Boomer Lake, another individual male bird was observed during the same period in 2016, which had a personality nothing like the original kinglet. It was shy and retiring, never singing, making observation much more difficult. It was not in the area longer than three days.
Most birds of the western part of the country will remain there, but many of the northernmost breeders will continue on to southern Mexico or slightly beyond for migration. Oklahoma's birds can be observed for the entire winter and into early spring.
For More Photos of Ruby-crowned Kinglet, See:
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2016/01/as-cool-wind-blows-stars-come-out-of.html
https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2016/01/steady-as-westerly-wind-blows.html
Monday, October 8, 2018
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
As the Cool Wind Blows, the Stars Come Out of Hiding
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Female Northern Cardinal
Harris's Sparrow
Carolina Chickadee
Female Northern Cardinal
Bald Eagle Pair(Male on the right)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Immature Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
31-42 degrees F/0750-1050 hrs./partly cloudy/light and variable winds
Most of these photos were from today, but the first two belonged to Monday. The Bald Eagle
pair was seen through the trees a half mile away, so I meandered out that way in order to obtain
a rare shot, since they are not seen together often. Since they rely on fish, none of the area birds
were bothered by their presence, and fearlessly went about their business.
Mr. Ruby-crowned Kinglet is getting quite familiar with me, and usually as soon as he sees me,
he swing over to say hello.
The sparrows have settled into the area for the winter, but most of them aren't there every day.
If I had to pick the most common, I would have to say over the years that it has been the
ubiquitous Song Sparrow, who I can see anywhere from twice to six times a day on a good day.
We're now in for a little warming trend, so let me get back to you on the weekend to see if anything
changes. The ducks have been coming in,m but I am not seeing the numbers that I normally
encounter for the winter.
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Steady as the Westerly Wind Blows
Song Sparrow
Male Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Male American Kestrel
Field Sparrow
Ruddy Duck
0738-1104 hrs./31-40 degrees F(22 degrees windchill)/sunny/15 mph wind gusts
Who would have ever known that today would have been a fabulous birding day if I had not gone?
I thought about going back with those early wind chills, nipping through my gloves. Now mind
you, I already have frostbite in my hands and feet, so it was sheer strength that kept me going. I
knew that today was going to be special, just like a couple of years ago when I knew that our
Bald Eagle would give me the perfect full frame photo. Always trust your gut instinct.
Obviously, I did just that, and I was reward with several shots of the American Kestrel, which I
have been trying to get for several months now. Photographing birds on manmade objects are
against mob principals, which is why I decided to wait, and after today, I'm happy that I did.
Rewards tend to come at the most trying of times, including the four-inch Ruby-crowned Kinglet, who is constantly on the move and rarely sows that red crown. Need I say more?
I STILL need to photograph the Golden-crowned Kinglet, who is generally forty feet up in a tree.
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