Male ruffed grouse, wild turkeys and American woodcocks court in woodlands in the Mid-Atlantic States by early April, each species creating a unique and intriguing show. Though we may not always see these handsome, upland game birds courting, we can hear them in the woods.
Because they share a habitat, these birds have characteristics in common, including being camouflaged on forest floors where they live, feed and nest. Grouse and turkeys are related in the galliforme (chicken) family. Woodcocks, however, are inland sandpipers, but they are similar to grouse and turkeys because of the environment they share. Each habitat shapes the creatures living in it into similar beings to be able to use the resources of that habitat.
Males of each of these species present courtship displays so females of each kind can find them for mating. Females of each species lay eggs in leafy depressions on forest floors. The chicks of each type of bird hatch with eyes open, fully fuzzed and camouflaged and ready to feed themselves within 24 hours of hatching. They must be all that to survive on the floors of woodlands where they can be easy pickings for a variety of predators. The single mothers of each species brood their young, warn them of danger and show them what to eat. Surviving youngsters grow quickly and are independent by late summer.
Before dawn every morning in April, each male grouse stands upright on a favorite fallen log. He fans his tail and beats his wings slowly in front of himself, "boom, boom, boom...........". He quickly accelerates the tempo of wing beating until it sounds like a muffled drum roll for a second or two. After about a minute's rest the grouse produces another drum roll and another until hunger, or a receptive female or two interrupt him to mate with him.
Each female grouse lays about one egg a day in her leafy cradle until she has up to 14 of them. The chicks hatch about three weeks later.
A small group of Tom turkeys stand together in April woods, fluff out their body feathers, fan their tails upright, drag their wings on the ground and gobble loudly to announce their presence to hen turkeys, encouraging those hens to mate with one or more of the Toms. Like grouse, each hen turkey lays one egg a day in a depression in the dead-leaf carpet on a woodland floor until she has about 12 of them. The poults hatch about four weeks later.
Male American woodcocks have elaborate courtship displays in three parts each evening soon after sunset during March and April. Each of these long-nosed woodsmen stands upright on a bare spot of soil in an open area near bottomland woods where they hunt earthworms and other invertebrates. There the crepuscular performer rests his long bill on his chest and vocally "beeps" several times for about a minute. Then he spirals upward, his wings whistling rhythmically because of a special feather on each wing, until he is almost out of sight in the darkening sky. At the zenith of his corkscrew climb, he sings a few series of bubbling notes that tumble to the ground, quickly followed by the plunging singer to the same bare spot, or another, to start his display over again, and again. Each male woodcock continues his courtship display time after time, evening after evening, being interrupted only by hunger or receptive females.
Each female woodcock lays four eggs in a clutch on a bottomland woods floor. And being a sandpiper, she would lay ONLY four eggs per clutch.
This April, and succeeding ones, listen for the displays of these species. They are intriguing, and bring the genders of each kind of bird together for mating.
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Spring Beauties and Bloodroots
Spring beauties and bloodroots are native, woodland wildflowers in southeastern Pennsylvania and in woods across much of the eastern United States. And these perennial plants have much in common. They are small, simple plants that hug the ground to avoid cold wind, yet can still absorb heat from the sun and the sun-warmed dead-leaf carpets on forest floors. They grow and bloom early in April when they get much sunlight on forest floors because the trees haven't developed foliage yet. The pretty flowers of spring beauties and bloodroots are pollinated by bee flies and other kinds of early insects. And both species were used by Native Americans that lived in this area, but now all native, woodland wildflowers are protected by law.
Spring beauties produce a few small, pink flowers at a time and continue to grow pretty, new blooms into early May. Each plant is six to ten inches tall and has a pair of grass-like leaves. Each blossom is one-half to three-quarters of an inch across and has five, pale-pink petals, each one veined deep-pink and five stamens with pink anthers. Many of those lovely flowers together form beautiful, pink carpets of beauty.
The adaptable spring beauties have also colonized some bottomland meadows that were carved from woods to graze livestock. Parts of those cow pastures are pink with the multitudes of spring beauty blooms, which are another food for our souls in spring. And small capsules filled with tiny seeds grow where the blooms were.
American Indians dug up, boiled and ate spring beauty bulbs as we do small potatoes. Sometimes called "fairy spuds" spring beauty bulbs resemble little potatoes.
Small, but beautiful, patches of bloodroots are common here and there on forest floors. Each bloodroot plant has one deeply-scalloped leaf that loosely surrounds the plant's single flower stem like a collar around a skinny neck. That stalk bears one lovely, white bloom that resembles a small tulip until it opens fully, when it looks like a daisy.
Each bloodroot plant grows up to ten inches high and its one blossom is one-and-a-half inches across and has eight to ten petals. The lovely flowers open in sunlight when insects are most active to pollinate them, but are closed overnight. A single, green seed pod, which is pointed at both ends, forms upright where the bloom was.
The adaptable bloodroot also flourishes along roadsides in woodlands. Probably bulldozers pushed ground in woods to the side to create roads in those woodlands. Bloodroot roots got pushed along with the soil and piled on the sides of the road. There the hardy roots sprouted and sent leaves and blossoms skyward every spring since.
Bloodroot is called that because the sap in its root is orange or red. Indians in the northeastern part of North America used that sap to dye pottery, basketry and themselves.
Early this April, or succeeding ones, look for the lovely spring beauty and bloodroot flowers in woods in southeastern Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. They brighten many human souls weary of winter.
Spring beauties produce a few small, pink flowers at a time and continue to grow pretty, new blooms into early May. Each plant is six to ten inches tall and has a pair of grass-like leaves. Each blossom is one-half to three-quarters of an inch across and has five, pale-pink petals, each one veined deep-pink and five stamens with pink anthers. Many of those lovely flowers together form beautiful, pink carpets of beauty.
The adaptable spring beauties have also colonized some bottomland meadows that were carved from woods to graze livestock. Parts of those cow pastures are pink with the multitudes of spring beauty blooms, which are another food for our souls in spring. And small capsules filled with tiny seeds grow where the blooms were.
American Indians dug up, boiled and ate spring beauty bulbs as we do small potatoes. Sometimes called "fairy spuds" spring beauty bulbs resemble little potatoes.
Small, but beautiful, patches of bloodroots are common here and there on forest floors. Each bloodroot plant has one deeply-scalloped leaf that loosely surrounds the plant's single flower stem like a collar around a skinny neck. That stalk bears one lovely, white bloom that resembles a small tulip until it opens fully, when it looks like a daisy.
Each bloodroot plant grows up to ten inches high and its one blossom is one-and-a-half inches across and has eight to ten petals. The lovely flowers open in sunlight when insects are most active to pollinate them, but are closed overnight. A single, green seed pod, which is pointed at both ends, forms upright where the bloom was.
The adaptable bloodroot also flourishes along roadsides in woodlands. Probably bulldozers pushed ground in woods to the side to create roads in those woodlands. Bloodroot roots got pushed along with the soil and piled on the sides of the road. There the hardy roots sprouted and sent leaves and blossoms skyward every spring since.
Bloodroot is called that because the sap in its root is orange or red. Indians in the northeastern part of North America used that sap to dye pottery, basketry and themselves.
Early this April, or succeeding ones, look for the lovely spring beauty and bloodroot flowers in woods in southeastern Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. They brighten many human souls weary of winter.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Painted Fields and Lawns
Large parts of many fields, pastures, lawns and roadsides in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania appear to have been painted pink and/or light-blue by early April. The pink is from the multitudes of small flowers in dense mats of purple dead nettles and the pale-blue is from the many thick carpets of Veronica's little blooms. These adaptable and hardy species of prostrate plants create pure rugs of themselves in those open, human-made habitats, or mixed clumps. And some of those pink, blue or mixed patches of little flowers are sprinkled with cheering, yellow dandelion blooms and the tiny, white blossoms of common chickweeds and hairy bittercress, making lovely bouquets in fields, lawns, roadsides and so on.
Loose groups of American robins, purple grackles and starlings, moving through those patches of lovely flowers to find and eat invertebrates and seeds, add their feathered beauties to those open habitats early in April. And field mice and wood chucks dig burrow homes among those same kinds of small, but beautiful, blossoms on roadside banks.
All these prostrate plants are aliens from Eurasia where they long ago adapted to agriculture. Growing low to the ground is why they flourish on regularly mowed lawns. They are ground cover on recently disturbed soil and add much beauty to it in late March into much of April. And they are prolific, spreading rapidly from seed.
Some dandelion flower stems grow over a foot tall. But when mowed regularly, only the inch-long stems of those same dandelion plants are able to produce seeds. Therefore, eventually, only dandelions with short flower stems are able to produce seeds.
Members of the mint family of plants, purple dead nettles stand about three inches tall and each plant has a few small, pink flowers above its leaves. Each plant's several small, heart-shaped leaves overlap each other like shingles or scales near the the top of its stem.
Most kinds of Veronicas, also known as speedwells, are flat, creeping plants in fields and, more commonly, on lawns. Each little bloom of this species has four petals, three of them light-blue, but the bottom one is white.
Little needs to be mentioned about the abundant and well-known dandelions, except they are cheery to see and their leaves and yellow flowers are food for cottontail rabbits, wood chucks and white-tailed deer. Several kinds of small, seed-eating birds, including northern cardinals, indigo buntings, American goldfinches, house finches and a few kinds of sparrows ingest their seeds late in April and through much of May.
The tiny, white blossoms of common chickweeds and hairy bittercress add a bit more variety to the attractive wildflower patches of dead nettles and Veronicas, whether pure one species or the other, or mixed. And it's gratifying to know they are a couple more species of plants adapted to cultivated fields.
Look for these small, pretty flowers in cultivated fields late in March and into April. They are all adaptable and hardy species that have adapted to human-made habitats and have made those built habitats more lovely to the eye during spring. And they help hold down the soil against erosion and add nutrients to the soil when plowed underground in preparation for planting crops. These poor plants do get turned under, but they were attractive in habitats with little enough beauties, at least for a little while.
Loose groups of American robins, purple grackles and starlings, moving through those patches of lovely flowers to find and eat invertebrates and seeds, add their feathered beauties to those open habitats early in April. And field mice and wood chucks dig burrow homes among those same kinds of small, but beautiful, blossoms on roadside banks.
All these prostrate plants are aliens from Eurasia where they long ago adapted to agriculture. Growing low to the ground is why they flourish on regularly mowed lawns. They are ground cover on recently disturbed soil and add much beauty to it in late March into much of April. And they are prolific, spreading rapidly from seed.
Some dandelion flower stems grow over a foot tall. But when mowed regularly, only the inch-long stems of those same dandelion plants are able to produce seeds. Therefore, eventually, only dandelions with short flower stems are able to produce seeds.
Members of the mint family of plants, purple dead nettles stand about three inches tall and each plant has a few small, pink flowers above its leaves. Each plant's several small, heart-shaped leaves overlap each other like shingles or scales near the the top of its stem.
Most kinds of Veronicas, also known as speedwells, are flat, creeping plants in fields and, more commonly, on lawns. Each little bloom of this species has four petals, three of them light-blue, but the bottom one is white.
Little needs to be mentioned about the abundant and well-known dandelions, except they are cheery to see and their leaves and yellow flowers are food for cottontail rabbits, wood chucks and white-tailed deer. Several kinds of small, seed-eating birds, including northern cardinals, indigo buntings, American goldfinches, house finches and a few kinds of sparrows ingest their seeds late in April and through much of May.
The tiny, white blossoms of common chickweeds and hairy bittercress add a bit more variety to the attractive wildflower patches of dead nettles and Veronicas, whether pure one species or the other, or mixed. And it's gratifying to know they are a couple more species of plants adapted to cultivated fields.
Look for these small, pretty flowers in cultivated fields late in March and into April. They are all adaptable and hardy species that have adapted to human-made habitats and have made those built habitats more lovely to the eye during spring. And they help hold down the soil against erosion and add nutrients to the soil when plowed underground in preparation for planting crops. These poor plants do get turned under, but they were attractive in habitats with little enough beauties, at least for a little while.
Saturday, April 1, 2017
Bonaparte's Gulls in Southeastern Pennsylvania
Bonaparte's gulls are special birds along the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers, and other rivers in North America, during March and April when they migrate northwest by the hundreds, flock after flock, to their nesting territories by lakes in the forests of interior Canada and Alaska. They are not seen much in southeastern Pennsylvania the rest of the year. Anyone who wants to see these petite and beautiful gulls must be along rivers early in spring.
The majority of Bonaparte's gulls winter along seacoasts, estuaries and the mouths of large rivers. There they flutter over the surfaces of large bodies of water to pick up tiny fish and other edible tidbits near the surface of the water.
Bonaparte's are pretty, little gulls. They are dainty, almost tern-like with swept-back wings. Early in spring when we see them migrating through the Middle Atlantic States and heading northwest, they are crisp-white below, with white tails and heads, and gray above with red legs, dark beaks and a black patch behind each eye. The most diagnostic feature on them, however, is the long, white stripe on each wing. Many of those white stripes together on flying Bonaparte's appear to be white flags flapping in the wind. Those striking, white streaks are evident from a distance and aid in identifying the gulls. Bonaparte's are the only gulls that have those waving white banners on their wings to be regularly seen on American rivers.
Bonaparte's gulls sit in little groups on the water or the gravel bars of mid-river islands to rest between feeding forays. Even there they are recognizable by the black spot behind each eye and appear dainty. And in the air, low over the water, they fly back and forth among their fellow gulls, gracefully and buoyantly with powerful wing strokes, with their bills held downward, and watch for small fish and other edibles near the surface. Many Bonaparte's are so low to the water that they seem to be walking on it. Interestingly, a distant feeding flock of scores of this species appears like a loose gathering of white butterflies fluttering into the wind. When potential food is spotted, each gull quickly drops to the surface with a little splash and snares the food with its beak.
Bonaparte's nest up to fifteen feet high in spruce and fir trees along lakes and rivers in Canadian and Alaskan forests. Each female lays two to four eggs in the cradle she made of twigs, grass and, finally, moss. The parents feed the young in those nurseries.
Be along the Susquehanna, Delaware and other rivers in March and April to see the beautiful, petite and migrating Bonaparte's gulls. They are a lovely, entertaining addition to the water birds along those rivers during spring.
The majority of Bonaparte's gulls winter along seacoasts, estuaries and the mouths of large rivers. There they flutter over the surfaces of large bodies of water to pick up tiny fish and other edible tidbits near the surface of the water.
Bonaparte's are pretty, little gulls. They are dainty, almost tern-like with swept-back wings. Early in spring when we see them migrating through the Middle Atlantic States and heading northwest, they are crisp-white below, with white tails and heads, and gray above with red legs, dark beaks and a black patch behind each eye. The most diagnostic feature on them, however, is the long, white stripe on each wing. Many of those white stripes together on flying Bonaparte's appear to be white flags flapping in the wind. Those striking, white streaks are evident from a distance and aid in identifying the gulls. Bonaparte's are the only gulls that have those waving white banners on their wings to be regularly seen on American rivers.
Bonaparte's gulls sit in little groups on the water or the gravel bars of mid-river islands to rest between feeding forays. Even there they are recognizable by the black spot behind each eye and appear dainty. And in the air, low over the water, they fly back and forth among their fellow gulls, gracefully and buoyantly with powerful wing strokes, with their bills held downward, and watch for small fish and other edibles near the surface. Many Bonaparte's are so low to the water that they seem to be walking on it. Interestingly, a distant feeding flock of scores of this species appears like a loose gathering of white butterflies fluttering into the wind. When potential food is spotted, each gull quickly drops to the surface with a little splash and snares the food with its beak.
Bonaparte's nest up to fifteen feet high in spruce and fir trees along lakes and rivers in Canadian and Alaskan forests. Each female lays two to four eggs in the cradle she made of twigs, grass and, finally, moss. The parents feed the young in those nurseries.
Be along the Susquehanna, Delaware and other rivers in March and April to see the beautiful, petite and migrating Bonaparte's gulls. They are a lovely, entertaining addition to the water birds along those rivers during spring.
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Spring Birds in Farmland
Spring has arrived in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and these days, the end of March, there are indications of it everywhere. On March 27 of this year, I drove through Lancaster County farmland around New Holland to see signs of that vernal season. I stopped at a built marsh and saw a few pairs each of the omnipresent mallard ducks and Canada geese, with at least one goose setting on a clutch of eggs. A loose grouping of over two dozen fish crows were perched in a few large sycamore trees. Having arrived there to raise young, the crows were calling excitedly the whole 20 minutes I was in that marsh. And a half dozen handsome, recently arrived tree swallows were entertaining to watch swooping and banking through the air over the wetland to catch flying insects. Four bluebird/tree swallow nesting boxes, freshly mounted on stakes in the marsh, is what helped attract the swallows. Probably four pairs of tree swallows will attempt to raise young in those boxes.
Driving by a shallow pool of water that was created for ice skating in a cow pasture in winter, I was pleasantly surprised to see three Bonaparte's gulls swimming on the water with a few mallards. Those dainty, petite gulls were busily snapping up gnats and other kinds of insects from the surface of the water. All three of these migrant gulls were still in their winter plumage of white tails and underparts, light-gray wings and backs, and a black patch behind each eye. Most bonnies migrate along rivers, but a few move inland, sometimes stopping at impoundments to rest and get food.
While watching the Bonaparte's, I saw two migrant pectoral sandpipers walking along the edge of the water in search of invertebrates in the mud and shallow water. They had wintered in South America and were going to the Arctic tundra to nest, but occasionally they must stop here and there to rest and feed. The pectorals and the Bonnies together made an interesting sight in local cropland.
Next I stopped at a farm pond, about a mile outside of New Holland, where nine ring-necked ducks, five of them drakes, were mingled with a few each of mallards and Canada geese. Usually ducks of larger waters, the ring-necks were intriguing to watch diving to the bottom of the pond to pull up water plants with their beaks. Then they would surface to swallow that food and dive for more. Soon the ring-necks will arrive on the American and Canadian prairie pothole ponds to raise ducklings.
At another farm pond on the edge of New Holland, I saw about 25 pretty, little American wigeon ducks mixing with mallards and Canadas on the water and feeding on short grass on the impoundment's banks. The wigeon, too,will soon go to mid-western prairie ponds to hatch young.
Moving on, I saw at least three pairs of green-winged teal on a slow section of Mill Creek. They, too, will eventually migrate farther north and west to nest. I also noted a couple of drake wood ducks swimming alone on different sections of that same part of Mill Creek. Their solitary existence told me that their mates were either laying eggs in nearby tree hollows or incubating clutches of eggs. And I observed an osprey along that same stretch of Mill Creek. It was migrating, but stopped at the creek to search for fish to eat.
While driving from place to place in Lancaster County cropland around New Holland, I noticed a sudden large increase in the number of American kestrels I was seeing on roadside wires. I suppose these attractive falcons are here from farther south and intend to nest locally. But I wondered what they could be eating in the manicured and harvested fields. There are many horned larks, and other kinds of small birds, in the fields, and field mice in roadside banks. And, in spring, I have seen kestrels eating earthworms that were turned up by plows. Kestrels seem to fare alright until their are lots of larger insects in the fields and along rural roads to feed on and give to their young in tree cavities and nesting boxes.
And while driving along, I saw a few pairs of beautiful eastern bluebirds investigating small tree hollows and bluebird boxes erected for them. They will settle down to rearing youngsters locally, if they can find unused nesting sites, but tree swallows and house sparrows give them competition.
And most everywhere I went in farmland that day, I saw loose groups of American robins and purple grackles, with a few red-winged blackbirds mixed in with some of the grackle flocks. One field full of grackles and robins even had three migrant eastern meadowlarks among the other bird species, all of them feeding on invertebrates and grain.
Early in March, generally, floods of grackles and red-wings pour into Lancaster County from farther south and inundate some fields and lawns to eat invertebrates and grain. And not long after, loose robin groups are on those same human-made habitats.
By late March, many grackles and robins are still feeding in the fields, but also starting to investigate suburban lawn nesting sites, the grackles mostly in planted, half-grown conifers with dense limbs and sheltering needles, and the robins in planted deciduous shrubs and young trees for the most part. Grackles usually form breeding colonies among the evergreens, but solitary pairs of robins raise offspring. And both species stalk across nearby lawns and fields to pick up invertebrates to feed their youngsters. They might compete with each other for food, but not for nesting places. And those different nesting habitats can spread the two species, reducing rivalry for food.
I saw several lovely and interesting examples of spring's arrival to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania farmland on March 27 of this year, but I know there was much I didn't see that day. Every environment, every season has much beauty and joy to offer to those people who look for them, wherever they happen to be. Nature is unending and truly wonderful.
Driving by a shallow pool of water that was created for ice skating in a cow pasture in winter, I was pleasantly surprised to see three Bonaparte's gulls swimming on the water with a few mallards. Those dainty, petite gulls were busily snapping up gnats and other kinds of insects from the surface of the water. All three of these migrant gulls were still in their winter plumage of white tails and underparts, light-gray wings and backs, and a black patch behind each eye. Most bonnies migrate along rivers, but a few move inland, sometimes stopping at impoundments to rest and get food.
While watching the Bonaparte's, I saw two migrant pectoral sandpipers walking along the edge of the water in search of invertebrates in the mud and shallow water. They had wintered in South America and were going to the Arctic tundra to nest, but occasionally they must stop here and there to rest and feed. The pectorals and the Bonnies together made an interesting sight in local cropland.
Next I stopped at a farm pond, about a mile outside of New Holland, where nine ring-necked ducks, five of them drakes, were mingled with a few each of mallards and Canada geese. Usually ducks of larger waters, the ring-necks were intriguing to watch diving to the bottom of the pond to pull up water plants with their beaks. Then they would surface to swallow that food and dive for more. Soon the ring-necks will arrive on the American and Canadian prairie pothole ponds to raise ducklings.
At another farm pond on the edge of New Holland, I saw about 25 pretty, little American wigeon ducks mixing with mallards and Canadas on the water and feeding on short grass on the impoundment's banks. The wigeon, too,will soon go to mid-western prairie ponds to hatch young.
Moving on, I saw at least three pairs of green-winged teal on a slow section of Mill Creek. They, too, will eventually migrate farther north and west to nest. I also noted a couple of drake wood ducks swimming alone on different sections of that same part of Mill Creek. Their solitary existence told me that their mates were either laying eggs in nearby tree hollows or incubating clutches of eggs. And I observed an osprey along that same stretch of Mill Creek. It was migrating, but stopped at the creek to search for fish to eat.
While driving from place to place in Lancaster County cropland around New Holland, I noticed a sudden large increase in the number of American kestrels I was seeing on roadside wires. I suppose these attractive falcons are here from farther south and intend to nest locally. But I wondered what they could be eating in the manicured and harvested fields. There are many horned larks, and other kinds of small birds, in the fields, and field mice in roadside banks. And, in spring, I have seen kestrels eating earthworms that were turned up by plows. Kestrels seem to fare alright until their are lots of larger insects in the fields and along rural roads to feed on and give to their young in tree cavities and nesting boxes.
And while driving along, I saw a few pairs of beautiful eastern bluebirds investigating small tree hollows and bluebird boxes erected for them. They will settle down to rearing youngsters locally, if they can find unused nesting sites, but tree swallows and house sparrows give them competition.
And most everywhere I went in farmland that day, I saw loose groups of American robins and purple grackles, with a few red-winged blackbirds mixed in with some of the grackle flocks. One field full of grackles and robins even had three migrant eastern meadowlarks among the other bird species, all of them feeding on invertebrates and grain.
Early in March, generally, floods of grackles and red-wings pour into Lancaster County from farther south and inundate some fields and lawns to eat invertebrates and grain. And not long after, loose robin groups are on those same human-made habitats.
By late March, many grackles and robins are still feeding in the fields, but also starting to investigate suburban lawn nesting sites, the grackles mostly in planted, half-grown conifers with dense limbs and sheltering needles, and the robins in planted deciduous shrubs and young trees for the most part. Grackles usually form breeding colonies among the evergreens, but solitary pairs of robins raise offspring. And both species stalk across nearby lawns and fields to pick up invertebrates to feed their youngsters. They might compete with each other for food, but not for nesting places. And those different nesting habitats can spread the two species, reducing rivalry for food.
I saw several lovely and interesting examples of spring's arrival to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania farmland on March 27 of this year, but I know there was much I didn't see that day. Every environment, every season has much beauty and joy to offer to those people who look for them, wherever they happen to be. Nature is unending and truly wonderful.
Saturday, March 25, 2017
Golden Eagles in Eastern North America
It's always a thrill to see a wild, stately golden eagle any place it may be at any time. I have seen several of those majestic, diurnal raptors in southeastern Pennsylvania over the years, in November when they are migrating south for the winter and here and there in deciduous forests near farmland in winter. They are big and truly magnificent in powerful, graceful flight, pumping and soaring along with seemingly little effort.
I recently saw on line that many adult golden eagles migrate north by the hundreds along the Appalachian Mountains of Central Pennsylvania during March. They are one of the earliest of raptor migrants during the vernal season. Younger birds that probably aren't paired to raise young go north later. And goldens migrate south late in fall, peaking during November, into December.
I've recently read that up to 5,000 golden eagles currently live in eastern North America, which is more than I thought are here. They nest mostly in the mixed coniferous/deciduous forests in eastern Canada and winter in deciduous woods among agricultural areas in every state east of the Mississippi River. But they particularly winter along the Central Appalachian forests, especially in the wooded mountains of Virginia and West Virginia.
In winter, golden eagles scavenge dead white-tailed deer, farm animals and other creatures in the wooded hills and farmland valleys of eastern North America, including in southeastern Pennsylvania. And because they are large and powerful, goldens also hunt and kill wild turkeys, gray squirrels, snowshoe hares, cottontail rabbits, two species of foxes and other critters of comparable sizes.
Young golden eagles fledge in July when prey is abundant. They learn to fly and hunt during the rest of summer, into autumn, building skills and strength to last them a lifetime of hunting for prey, migrations and reproduction.
The plumage of each golden eagle is dark brown all over with a golden sheen of feathers on the back of the neck, giving this species its common name. Like all hawk, eagle and owl species, female goldens are larger than their mates. Adult female goldens average 12 pounds, while adult males average 8 pounds. Like all raptors, golden eagles have long, sharp talons powered by strong feet and legs. And they have big, powerful beaks, with the top mandible hooked down for tearing up the animals they kill or scavenge into bite-sized pieces.
Be on Appalachian Mountain tops to experience the magnificent golden eagles migrating north to their nesting territories during March and into April. But they could be anywhere when pushing north. Watch for these majestic raptors soaring along the southwest-running Appalachians during northwest winds when migrating south in November. And look for them in their wintering areas of wooded mountains and cropland valleys from December through February. They are always stately in appearance no matter where they are or what they are doing.
I recently saw on line that many adult golden eagles migrate north by the hundreds along the Appalachian Mountains of Central Pennsylvania during March. They are one of the earliest of raptor migrants during the vernal season. Younger birds that probably aren't paired to raise young go north later. And goldens migrate south late in fall, peaking during November, into December.
I've recently read that up to 5,000 golden eagles currently live in eastern North America, which is more than I thought are here. They nest mostly in the mixed coniferous/deciduous forests in eastern Canada and winter in deciduous woods among agricultural areas in every state east of the Mississippi River. But they particularly winter along the Central Appalachian forests, especially in the wooded mountains of Virginia and West Virginia.
In winter, golden eagles scavenge dead white-tailed deer, farm animals and other creatures in the wooded hills and farmland valleys of eastern North America, including in southeastern Pennsylvania. And because they are large and powerful, goldens also hunt and kill wild turkeys, gray squirrels, snowshoe hares, cottontail rabbits, two species of foxes and other critters of comparable sizes.
Young golden eagles fledge in July when prey is abundant. They learn to fly and hunt during the rest of summer, into autumn, building skills and strength to last them a lifetime of hunting for prey, migrations and reproduction.
The plumage of each golden eagle is dark brown all over with a golden sheen of feathers on the back of the neck, giving this species its common name. Like all hawk, eagle and owl species, female goldens are larger than their mates. Adult female goldens average 12 pounds, while adult males average 8 pounds. Like all raptors, golden eagles have long, sharp talons powered by strong feet and legs. And they have big, powerful beaks, with the top mandible hooked down for tearing up the animals they kill or scavenge into bite-sized pieces.
Be on Appalachian Mountain tops to experience the magnificent golden eagles migrating north to their nesting territories during March and into April. But they could be anywhere when pushing north. Watch for these majestic raptors soaring along the southwest-running Appalachians during northwest winds when migrating south in November. And look for them in their wintering areas of wooded mountains and cropland valleys from December through February. They are always stately in appearance no matter where they are or what they are doing.
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Spring Near Home
On March 20, a few days ago, I drove around the New Holland, Pennsylvania area on errands and visited a few small nature spots in local farmland along the way. I stopped at a quarter-acre farm pond where I saw a pair of mallard ducks that probably have a clutch of eggs near that little impoundment, and a group of 19 migrant ring-necked ducks, 14 of which were drakes. I was thrilled to see so many ring-necks, including the attractive males, on a small, pretty pond so close to home. And those ring-necks were entertaining and inspiring to watch taking turns diving under water, time after time, to pull aquatic vegetation from the bottom of the pond and suddenly popping above the water line to consume the plants they dredged up with their shovel-like beaks.
Ring-necks are increasingly wintering in ever larger numbers in eastern North America and adapting to inland, human-made impoundments, large and small. And, although they are a species of bay ducks, with relatives that winter on estuaries and other large bodies of brackish water, ring-necks have always favored fresh water and are naturals on inland, freshwater lakes and ponds.
As I drove through cropland that warm, sunny day, I saw two pairs of eastern bluebirds, one perched on the twigs of trees and the other on fence railings farther down the road. Both pairs of those beautiful birds were watching for invertebrates in the grass and other vegetation below their perches. And when prey was spotted, they would drop to the plants, grab the invertebrates in their bills and fly up to a roost to eat their victims. Male bluebirds exhibited a striking flash of beautiful blue when they fluttered after prey.
Bluebirds will soon settle down to finding a nesting territory with a tree cavity or bird box in it. Then they will attempt to raise up to three broods during spring and summer. But bluebirds have problems with tree swallows and house sparrows that want to use cavities themselves, house wrens that destroy other birds' eggs and black rat snakes that crawl into a cavity and eat the eggs of young in the nest.
Continuing on my errands, I stopped at a half-acre farm pond where I was thrilled to see 28 migrant American wigeon ducks together in their own gathering among several mallard ducks. I never saw so many wigeon on a small pond so close to home. The adaptable wigeon, too, are wintering in ever larger numbers in eastern North America.
Most of the wigeon on that lovely, half-acre pond were paired and all of them were handsome. And it was interesting to watch them feed on two types of vegetation in and around that impoundment. Some of them shoveled up water plants lying on the surface of the shallows, while others grazed on the short grass on the lawn around the pond, much as geese and swans do.
Reflecting on the migrating ring-necked ducks and American wigeons, I was thrilled and inspired to see so many of each kind on small farm ponds. And since these attractive ducks were on the only two ponds I visited, I have to imagine they are also on many other impoundments. Perhaps, as their populations grow, they adapted to using impoundments they hadn't before. Maybe their population pressures are making them change their habits, including having migration stopovers close to the works of people.
At home in our neighborhood suburb on the morning of March 21, I was treated to several expressions of spring's arrival. The high temperature that day was 58 degrees and daylight each succeeding day continues to get longer, stirring all life to reproductive activities. Three mourning doves were cooing in our yard, two of them from each of two upstairs bedroom air conditioners where they have nested in past years. A northern cardinal was singing lustfully from a tree top while two male American robins were fighting over nesting territories. Among the bushes on our lawn, I saw a pair of tufted titmice that did everything together; certainly a mated pair. And I saw a gray squirrel seemingly at play and several newly arrived purple grackles that will soon set up a nesting colony in a grove of spruce trees in our neighborhood, as they've done in the past. Meanwhile, crocuses and daffodils continue to bloom and the fuzzies on our pussy willow shrubs are turning yellow with pollen.
These are a few of the signs of spring I enjoyed in the last few days in local farmland and suburbs. And, as that vernal season progresses, we will experience other natural events of spring, each in its own time. Readers can do the same.
Ring-necks are increasingly wintering in ever larger numbers in eastern North America and adapting to inland, human-made impoundments, large and small. And, although they are a species of bay ducks, with relatives that winter on estuaries and other large bodies of brackish water, ring-necks have always favored fresh water and are naturals on inland, freshwater lakes and ponds.
As I drove through cropland that warm, sunny day, I saw two pairs of eastern bluebirds, one perched on the twigs of trees and the other on fence railings farther down the road. Both pairs of those beautiful birds were watching for invertebrates in the grass and other vegetation below their perches. And when prey was spotted, they would drop to the plants, grab the invertebrates in their bills and fly up to a roost to eat their victims. Male bluebirds exhibited a striking flash of beautiful blue when they fluttered after prey.
Bluebirds will soon settle down to finding a nesting territory with a tree cavity or bird box in it. Then they will attempt to raise up to three broods during spring and summer. But bluebirds have problems with tree swallows and house sparrows that want to use cavities themselves, house wrens that destroy other birds' eggs and black rat snakes that crawl into a cavity and eat the eggs of young in the nest.
Continuing on my errands, I stopped at a half-acre farm pond where I was thrilled to see 28 migrant American wigeon ducks together in their own gathering among several mallard ducks. I never saw so many wigeon on a small pond so close to home. The adaptable wigeon, too, are wintering in ever larger numbers in eastern North America.
Most of the wigeon on that lovely, half-acre pond were paired and all of them were handsome. And it was interesting to watch them feed on two types of vegetation in and around that impoundment. Some of them shoveled up water plants lying on the surface of the shallows, while others grazed on the short grass on the lawn around the pond, much as geese and swans do.
Reflecting on the migrating ring-necked ducks and American wigeons, I was thrilled and inspired to see so many of each kind on small farm ponds. And since these attractive ducks were on the only two ponds I visited, I have to imagine they are also on many other impoundments. Perhaps, as their populations grow, they adapted to using impoundments they hadn't before. Maybe their population pressures are making them change their habits, including having migration stopovers close to the works of people.
At home in our neighborhood suburb on the morning of March 21, I was treated to several expressions of spring's arrival. The high temperature that day was 58 degrees and daylight each succeeding day continues to get longer, stirring all life to reproductive activities. Three mourning doves were cooing in our yard, two of them from each of two upstairs bedroom air conditioners where they have nested in past years. A northern cardinal was singing lustfully from a tree top while two male American robins were fighting over nesting territories. Among the bushes on our lawn, I saw a pair of tufted titmice that did everything together; certainly a mated pair. And I saw a gray squirrel seemingly at play and several newly arrived purple grackles that will soon set up a nesting colony in a grove of spruce trees in our neighborhood, as they've done in the past. Meanwhile, crocuses and daffodils continue to bloom and the fuzzies on our pussy willow shrubs are turning yellow with pollen.
These are a few of the signs of spring I enjoyed in the last few days in local farmland and suburbs. And, as that vernal season progresses, we will experience other natural events of spring, each in its own time. Readers can do the same.
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