Vickie Henderson Art

Wintering Bluebirds--the Magic and the Mystery

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:07:00 +0000

As I've watched bluebirds visit my mealworm feeder over the past several weeks, I've realized that this opportunity to observe and recognize members of the family that nested in my nest box this past season, is fleeting, and will never happen in quite the same way again.

The mated pair of my nest box bluebird family was not familiar with a mealworm feeder prior to their exposure this past spring. They did not approach it or show curiosity at the onset, even though the feeder is very close to the nestbox. Neither, did they have any experience with a human offering mealworms (nor did I). It was while watching their behavior as they exited the nest box that I noticed that they sometimes paused on the guard and looked down for insects. This gave me the idea to place the blue dish of meal worms in their direct line of vision as they rested on the nest guard after feeding young.

It was the female who first discovered the mealworms and landed on the dish with excited chirps, and who readily began to associate the blue dish with mealworms where ever it was placed. This eventually led her to understand and associate the blue dish in the feeder with mealworms. The male followed her example. Very quickly, using fine honed flight skills, the male and female flew into the mealworm feeder's guard with precision, flattening their feathers and barely touching the wire guard that serves to keep out larger birds.

Female adult feeding inside the feeder with young bluebird perched on top.

The first brood juveniles were less precise in their landings and entrance, but also became very adapt at entering the feeder and collecting mealworms both for themselves and to feed to the second brood nestlings. They also were not bothered by my presence, having seen me many times while in the company of their parents. I could still distinguish them from their parents by behavior. The male and female adults both often faced me when they landed, sometimes flying to a closer perch when I was present, and stared at me and wing-waved to solicit more mealworms. Their bond to me as a potential source of food has remained strong due to their exposure throughout their feeding of two nest broods during the summer. This behavior sets them apart even now.

The younger bird pictured in the top and third images, finds her way into the feeder, above, and stands alert behind the older female, possibly watching for her reaction or waiting her turn. Below, a second young bird does not attempt to enter the feeder, but teeters on the outer edge to grab home-made suet that has fallen onto the platform.

Having observed these feeding behaviors and able to distinguish the mated pair from the season's offspring even after the first brood youngsters began to molt and lose their juvenile spots, I have assumed that the bluebirds now visiting the mealworm feeder are the nest box pair and their offspring. Since the family left the immediate area after the second brood fledged, I have naturally assumed that the birds having difficulty entering the feeder through the guard are the second brood juveniles that had no opportunity to practice.

Having said that, last night I opened my new and wonderful resource for bluebird information, Studying Eastern Bluebirds, A Biologist's Report and Reflections, by David Pitts, and began to partially unravel some of my assumptions, or at least cast doubt on them. As always, with animal and bird observations, we try to make sense of what we are seeing based on what we know about a species or about individuals, but there are many variables and possibilities to consider.

Some of the interesting information that I read about flocking in Pitt's chapter on wintering bluebirds gave me pause, raising questions but not necessarily answering them. This is not a bad thing, of course. Unanswered questions cause us to observe more closely and open our minds to many possibilities.

To summarize, Pitt's winter observations of bluebirds he had banded led him to suggest that each wintering bluebird flock usually contained one adult male, one adult female, and two to six young bluebirds that had hatched the previous summer. The adults were often, but not always, the mated pair in the territory that included their nest box. The juvenile bluebirds in a winter flock, on the other hand, were usually not the offspring of the adults in that flock. However, fledglings from a late nest did sometimes remain with their parents into the winter. (aha!)

That last statement made me chuckle. Question answered, question unanswered. Am I seeing the inexperienced second brood juveniles returning to the feeder with their parents? Or am I seeing young birds from other local families or migrants that have joined this pair's flock for winter survival? It is certain I will never know the answer, but it is also certain that I am seeing young birds, numbering four to six, accompanying the familiar adult pair to the feeder, and that all of them are better equipped to survive the winter in the company of each other.

In the last three images, above, you are seeing the same young bluebird attempting to enter the feeder. She ultimately did not go inside, choosing to grab morsels of food from the outer rim, instead.

More observations on wintering bluebirds and flocking behavior in upcoming posts.

Links and Resources:

Studying Eastern Bluebirds, A Biologist's Report and Reflections by T. David Pitts

Feeding mealworms to bluebirds
My blog posts on my bluebird family
Bluebird art found on my website watercolor gallery and in my online shop.

Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival and It's Cranes

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:37:00 +0000

A spectacular watchable wildlife event!

Above you see thousands of sandhill cranes lifting off at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge as something unidentified stirs them all at once. The rare Asian hooded crane, which was in clear view several times during the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival on Saturday, is among the flying birds.

The Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge is one of the largest sandhill crane staging areas in the east, second only to Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area in Indiana. Sandhill cranes stop-over at the Hiwassee Wildlife refuge near Dayton, TN to feed and rest as they migrate south to Georgia and Florida for the winter. As many as 10,000 may remain, over-wintering in Tennessee.

Watching and listening as thousands of cranes take flight is an awe-inspiring experience. I never fail to wonder how they keep from colliding. With a wing span of 6-7 ft and so many in flight at once, it is certain they must bump each other. But clearly this doesn't interfere with their spectacular unison flight that at first travels in one direction, then divides into spiraling layers as they catch thermals and glide in search of another safe resting place (shown below).

More than 2200 people enjoyed the sandhill crane viewing at the festival on Saturday and close to that number were present on Sunday.

The festival was sponsored by the Tennessee Ornithological Society (TOS), Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and the Barbara J Mapp Foundation. Two of these sponsors are represented in the image below.

From left to right: John Noel (TOS), Melinda Welton (TOS), festival co-chair; Ed Carter, TWRA Executive Director (with raised glasses viewing the hooded crane), and Kirk Miles, TWRA Region III, Wildlife Program Manager. Cyndi Routledge (TOS) also co-chaired the festival activities, along with Dan Hicks (TWRA). Events were coordinated among three sites, the Birchwood School, the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge observation area, and the Cherokee Removal Memorial, where educational displays, interpreters, presentations and refreshments were available for festival participants.

According to the 2006 USF&WS Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife Related Recreation, more than 87 million Americans or 38% of the U.S. population, age 16 or older, hunt, fish or observe wildlife, spending $120 billion. This amount is "roughly equal to America's total spending at all spectator sports, casinos, motion pictures, golf courses, country clubs, amusement parks, and arcades combined," the survey reported. Within those wildlife related activities, 71 million or 31% of Americans observed wildlife and spent $45 billion.

Add to these economic benefits, known research that links positive health to nature-related activities including improved mental health, anti-aging benefits and enhanced child development, and we have a golden treasure in our migrating sandhill crane population that is truly hard to measure.

For me personally, having attended this festival since 1999, I enjoyed reuniting with many old friends and the opportunity to share crane stories with many new ones. A special thank you to everyone that said "hello" and introduced themselves. It was a special treat to meet people who know me through my blog posts and to hear their comments!

Links and Resources:

John James Audubon on Tour. Brian Fox Ellis' performances were one of the highlights of the festival presentations. Visit the link to read about his Audubon stories and other characters he interprets for schools, festivals and other events.

2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Activities
More on economic benefits of land conservation: American Land Conservancy
Psychological Benefits of Nature Experiences by John Davis, Ph.D.

Tennessee Ornithological Society
Tennessee Watchable Wildlife on Sandhill Cranes
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival
Directions to the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge

Top Crane Posts on this blog: Hooded Crane at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in TN
Crane Magic--Three Crane Species at Hiwassee. Other posts on: the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival, Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge and sandhill cranes.

At my companion blog, Vickie's Sketchbook: Sandhill Cranes and Art
Sandhill crane art in my website galleries

Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge and the Hooded Crane

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

While I'm typing this, the wind is howling outside my window and blowing snow, as though the winter has suddenly remembered Tennessee and is arriving in blustering style. Despite the discomfort these fronts bring, they often create the best crane viewing conditions, bringing cranes and many other wintering birds down into Tennessee to escape the harsh weather in more northern states.

Photo credit: David Roemer

To wet your appetite and prepare you for what you will see at the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival this weekend, January 14th and 15th, I am re-publishing last night's TN-bird post from Charles Murray. Charles is a member of the Tennessee Ornithological Society and a resident of Birchwood, TN, and has been at the refuge daily welcoming visitors and keeping all of us posted on the most recent bird sightings there. His latest post, Jan 12th, was especially fun to read!

Lots of things were happening at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Meigs Co. at Birchwood today. Two whooping cranes were seen from about 8-8:30 a.m. in a winter wheat field on top of the hill across the slough from the gazebo. A Ross's goose and 2 blue phase snow geese were noted. Several immature bald eagles were in view, including 2 immature bald eagles which did a talon-to-talon rollover display in mid-air. Then several of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources commissioners arrived and stayed for about an hour during which time they saw thousands of sandhill cranes and several eagles. The hooded crane was spotted about 1:20 p.m. in the same general area that the juvenile whoopers had been in earlier in the day. It was in and out of view until about 3 p.m. when it was chased by a sandhill crane and flew out of sight to the west. Hopefully, the hooded crane will still be in view Saturday and Sunday for the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival centered at Birchwood Elementary School. I went to the Cherokee Removal Memorial very late, about 5:50 p.m., where I shared a sighting of at least 4 whooping cranes in a flooded area on Hiwassee Island with a visitor from Oklahoma. 61 visitors included a person from Minnesota for the first time. Eleven states, Canada, and the district of Columbia were represented among the visitors [today]. People from 42 states and 10 nations have now contributed to at least 2614 visits to the HWR since December 14, 2011

Directions to the refuge can be found at Tennessee Watchable Wildlife--Hiwassee

Visitors to the weekend crane festival will need to park at Birchwood Elementary School and ride the shuttle buses to HWR. The buses will run at least every 15 minutes. Only handicap parking will be allowed at the HWR. Shuttles will also go to the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park. DRESS WARMLY! Predictions are for temperatures in the 20's in the mornings and 40's in the afternoons.

Charles Murray

Birchwood, TN

Photo credit: David Roemer.

See you at the festival!

Links and Resources:

Jan 12th news report and video of Hiwassee's cranes. Best part is the voice of the cranes. Read my previous post to learn about the sandhill crane and whooping crane migrations to the refuge.

American Birding Association blog post on hooded crane.

Mike Nelson's Flicker site with Hooded crane video and photo stream
Morgan Simmons Jan 10 article Knoxville News Sentinel: Rare Crane Joins Hiwassee Flock

Marcia Davis: Sandhill Crane Festival a Premier Wildlife Event

Make your plans to attend the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival

Directions to Birchwood and the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge
Sandhill Crane Festival Schedule of Events
Tennessee Ornithological Society
Tennessee Watchable Wildlife on Sandhill Cranes
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency: TN Sandhill Crane Festival
Hooded Crane is Season's Gift by Marcia Davis
Times Free Press--Rare Hooded Crane Seen
International Crane Foundation on the Hooded Crane

At my companion blog, Vickie's Sketchbook: Sandhill Cranes and Art
Sandhill crane art in my website galleries

Whooping Crane Reintroduction links:

Operation Migration's field journal.
Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership--Direct Autumn Release Program
International Crane Foundation
On this blog: Whooping Crane Family Series and Whooping Crane Ultralight Migration

TN Sandhill Crane Festival Celebrates Three Crane Species

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Make plans to join us at the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival, January 14th and 15th at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge and celebrate three crane species!

Photo credit: Mike Nelson (see links below). A Greater Sandhill Crane flying over the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge.

The Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge has had a rare visitor that has stirred excitement in the bird-watching world. A Hooded crane, native to Asia, has found its way to the refuge, located near Dayton and Birchwood, TN, along with thousands of sandhill cranes and the endangered Whooping cranes that visit the refuge in the winter months to rest and feed.
Photo credit: Mike Nelson. Hooded crane (dark gray with white neck) with sandhill cranes at Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Tennessee.

As of January 7th, more than 2388 visitors, representing nine countries and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and 40 states and the District of Columbia, have visited the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge since the Hooded crane was first reported on December 13th.

As many as eight endangered Whooping cranes (above) have been present on the refuge at one time during this migration and wintering season, and usually one or more is visible from the viewing platform. The presence of wintering Whooping cranes is attributable to the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership's (WCEP's) two re-introduction programs: Operation Migration's ultralight-led migration, and the Direct Autumn Release program.

Whooping crane juveniles must learn their migration route from their parents. Beginning in 2001, Operation Migration, a founding WCEP partner, has led groups of juvenile whooping cranes each fall on their first southerly migration journey through Tennessee to wintering grounds in Florida. These cranes then find their way back to their fledging grounds in Wisconsin in the spring, unassisted by humans, and migrate on their own the next fall. The beautiful cinnamon and white juvenile whooping cranes you see on the refuge have been captive-reared by the International Crane Foundation in Wisconsin and released in the Direct Autumn Release program. They have arrived at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge by following another more experienced Whooping crane or joining a flock of migrating sandhill cranes.

Photo credit: Mike Nelson. Two juvenile Whooping cranes (cinnamon and white) and one mature whooping crane foraging and preening with sandhill cranes at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge.

The Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge is a major staging area for migrating cranes in the east where they rest and feed along their migration journey. Staging areas are important stop-over sights where cranes replenish nutrients, add weight, and come in contact with other cranes for potential pairing. This is especially important for our eastern Whooping crane population which now numbers around 104 birds.

The Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival presents a wonderful opportunity to learn about birds and see the rare occurrence of three species of cranes foraging together in a staging wetland. There is no other place in North America where you can see three species of cranes together, and no other place in the world where three crane species will include the endangered Whooping crane. Add to this, the treat of seeing thousands of eastern sandhill cranes that were once on the brink of extinction, and you have a rare opportunity for winter bird viewing that you won't want to miss.

Above, you see the cover of the Discover Birds Activity Book, illustrated and authored by yours truly, as a special activity for children who attend the festival. The twelve-page booklet is sponsored by the Tennessee Ornithological Society (TOS) and was coordinated and produced by TOS member and co-chair of the festival, Cyndi Routledge. It contains fun information about wintering birds, images for children to color and a crossword puzzle to challenge young (and adult) minds. You will find this book at the TOS exhibit table at the festival!

The festival is co-sponsored by TOS, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), and the Barbara J. Mapp Foundation, and is free to the public. TWRA personnel will be available to answer questions about the refuge and the wildlife conservation work of the Agency. TOS members will be present at the viewing area to share their birding scopes and their knowledge of the birds you will find there, including bald eagles and many ducks and geese.

I am one of those TOS members and will also be available to answer questions on both days of the festival, so find me and say "hello". I would love to meet you!

Links and Resources:

Mike Nelson's Flicker site with Hooded crane video and photo stream
Morgan Simmons Jan 10 article Knoxville News Sentinel: Rare Crane Joins Hiwassee Flock

Marcia Davis: Sandhill Crane Festival a Premier Wildlife Event

Make your plans to attend the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival

Top Crane Posts on this blog: Hooded Crane at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in TN
Crane Magic--Three Crane Species at Hiwassee

Whooping Crane Reintroduction links:

The 2011 ultralight migration class is currently grounded in Alabama due to an FAA technical investigation. We hope this issue will resolve soon so the juvenile Whooping cranes can continue their southern migration. Stay up to date on the migration progress by visiting Operation Migration's field journal.
Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership--Direct Autumn Release Program
International Crane Foundation
On this blog: Whooping Crane Family Series

Linked to Bird World Wednesday at The Pine River Review
Linked to Bird Photography Weekly at Bird Freak.com

Rufous Hummingbird Wintering in Knoxville, Tennessee

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:23:00 +0000

Having a hummingbird in your yard is special any time of year, but having the rare experience of hosting a wintering hummingbird is over the top!

This beautiful juvenile Rufous hummingbird is not hanging out in my yard, but located at the second best place. He has made part of his wintering territory in the yard of friends. On Thursday morning (Jan 5, 2012) I had the exciting pleasure of seeing my first Rufous hummingbird, a life bird, and my first wintering hummingbird in Tennessee.

In the picture above, you see the hummer resting in a warm hand just before flying away with a loud chirp. He had just been banded by Mark Armstrong, past president of Knoxville's chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society. Mark has banded eleven Rufous hummingbirds this winter, all since November 15th of 2011.

Though most of us don't see hummingbirds in the winter, Bob Sargeant of the Hummingbird Study Group has been banding and studying wintering Rufous hummingbirds since the late 1980's. While most Rufous hummingbirds are believed to winter in Mexico, Sargent believes that the gene pool is changing and that a hardy species of hummers with the genetic message to winter in the US southeast has developed, evident from the consistent numbers appearing in winter months.

According to those expert at banding hummingbirds, during the 2011-2012 wintering season more hummingbirds are being reported in the southeastern United States than in previous years.

Links and Resources:

On this blog: Hummingbird Migration Surprises and Hummingbird banding

Wintering hummingbirds--Hummer Study Group
Rufous Hummingbird by Bob Sargent
Hummer Study Group
Knoxville Chapter, TN Ornithological Society
Tennessee Ornithological Society

Crane Magic--Three Crane Species at Hiwassee

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Several months ago I added the Blogger sidebar widget "most popular posts" and set it to show most popular posts in the past thirty days. From time to time, I check it to see what people are most interested in and which posts are taking the top four positions. I'm happy to report that presently CRANES are dominating that interest, hands down!

Sandhill Crane Displaying, watercolor by Vickie Henderson

The Asian Hooded Crane appeared at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge and was first reported on Dec 13th; my post on this crane has been in the top position ever since it went up on the 14th. What is more exciting are the updates provided by Charles Murray, a long-time resident of the Birchwood, TN, community, who visits the Hiwassee refuge frequently and reports activities via the TN-bird list serve. Below is his report from today, December 26th:

"...assists from a coyote and a bald eagle stirred up the sandhill cranes this afternoon and brought the hooded crane into view at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge. It had not been seen earlier in the day. A record number of visitors, at least 131, were present, and four more states were added--Illinois, Maine, Minnesota and Missouri. Twenty-eight states have been noted to date. Fourteen different states were represented today alone. The total number of visitors since the hooded crane was first sighted at HWR on December 13 is now AT LEAST 779! A juvenile whooping crane was still present, along with at least a few thousand sandhill cranes and at least two bald eagles. Several large and small flocks of ducks flew over or were in the slough at HWR as well."
---Charles Murray, Birchwood, TN

An awesome tribute to cranes!

Sandhill Cranes Landing, watercolor by Vickie Henderson (one of my favorite postures as they float in to land)

The second most popular post, having been in that position for the past several months, is my Whooping Crane Family post entitled, Happy Reunion. The post shows my observations of a whooping crane chick reuniting with its parents after an International Crane Foundation health check and actually shows the female parent feeding the chick while the chick swims. I attribute this post's popularity to the fact that Operation Migration is still making it's way south with the ultralight migration Whooping Crane Class of 2011, having faced one of the most difficult fall migrations thus far with lengthy weather delays. The crew is currently on holiday break and will resume the migration again in January. The migration's current stop-over site is in Franklin County, Alabama.

Thousands of people follow the progress of this migration, among them many students studying migration in their science classes. The adult whooping cranes in view at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge are largely present due to ultralight migration re-introduction efforts over the past ten years. The juveniles present, and a few of the adults were re-introduced through the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership's Direct Autumn Release Program. This program allows captive-reared juvenile whooping cranes to find their southerly migration route by following other cranes on their first migration journey.

Third in popular ranking and appearing in just the past week, my post, Sandhill Crane Hunting in Tennessee? Multiple Factors Say NO", originally posted in November of 2010. This post expresses my opinion about the sandhill crane hunting proposal in Tennessee which was successfully defeated when our Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission voted in January of 2011 to defer the proposed hunting season for two more years allowing more time to study the issue. But why has that post inched its way to the top three rankings now? My question was answered when I realized the highly opposed and unpopular Kentucky Sandhill crane hunting season is currently underway.

The season opened on December 17th and will continue through January 15th or until the 400 bird quota limit is reached. Many states are now holding sandhill crane festivals to celebrate the staging and wintering of thousands of migrating sandhill cranes and more people are becoming aware of Kentucky's hunting season.

Though Kentucky has succeeded in offering a sandhill crane hunting season, the price of that victory remains to be seen. Loss of public good-will and eco-tourism dollars may be the costly consequences of ignoring public opinion and input. And that input was received not only from Kentucky citizens, but citizens all over the country, particularly those in the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway states and Canada. We all share the same migrating population of eastern sandhill cranes.

Below, in the links section, you will find two insightful newspaper articles recently published in Louisville, KY and Tampa Bay, FL. One an opinion letter, the other an article about reactions to hunting sandhill cranes, they highlight events occurring in many states as communities and state parks capitalize on the wildlife viewing opportunity provided by staging sandhill cranes, offering not only a thrilling opportunity for family education and entertainment, but an opportunity to promote conservation while bringing millions of dollars into the state's economy. (see article links below).

The Asian hooded crane at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge has given people all over the USA, and visitors from Russia and Equador, the rare opportunity to view three crane species in the wild in one place in North America, and this is possible because the refuge is a major staging area for migrating sandhill cranes and whooping cranes in the east. In Tennessee we have been celebrating the recovery of the Eastern Population of Greater Sandhill Cranes and the return of the endangered Whooping crane for many years.

The 21st annual Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival, a free event for the public, will be taking place January 14th and 15th, 2012 at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge and Birchwood Tennessee. If food remains prevalent for the cranes and the winter remains as moderate as we've had thus far, you can bet we will still have three exciting crane species present for visitors to enjoy and celebrate!

Hardshell Gourd Basket by Vickie Henderson, featuring sandhill cranes and one whooping crane.

Links and Resources:

Hiwassee's Hooded Crane on NPR with video
Nashville Tennessean article Dec 29th: Rare Crane Draws Birders from 32 states.

Make your plans to attend the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival
Directions to Birchwood and the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge
Hooded Crane is Season's Gift by Marcia Davis
Times Free Press--Rare Hooded Crane Seen

Sandhill crane and Whooping crane gourd art baskets in my online shop

Top Crane Posts on this blog:
Hooded Crane at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in TN
Whooping Crane Family--Happy Reunion!
Sandhill Crane Hunting in Tennesseee? Multiple Factors Say No!

Shooting Sandhill Cranes? Not in our backyard! Tampa Bay Times Dec 31st
Tampa Bay Times--Migratory Sandhill Cranes to be Hunted in Kentucky Dec 24th
Louisville Courier Journal--pg 2, Promote Eco-tourism

Petition site: No Hunting for Sandhill Cranes in the East with more than 3060 signatures.
All my blog posts opposing the hunting of eastern sandhill cranes

Whooping Crane Reintroduction links:
Operation Migration's Ultralight-led whooping crane migration--In the Field
Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership--Direct Autumn Release Program
International Crane Foundation
My Whooping Crane Family Series

Christmas Wishes

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:48:00 +0000

Eastern Bluebird Family Pays a Visit

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:47:00 +0000

The female eastern bluebird that nested in the nest box during the 2011 breeding season paid me a visit this morning and brought her juveniles along. I could not be more delighted than when this family pays a visit. The parent female is indistinguishable from her daughter in plumage, but I can recognize her behavior.

Above you see her staring at me from the nest box. She had just checked the mealworm feeder and found it empty. There is a message in that look.

When the family arrives, they flutter up to gazebo shelves to take a look around from up high before approaching the feeder. Sometimes they arrive chattering, but this morning they were silent. I just happened to be outside. On this occasion, the parent female identified herself by what she did next. She flew to the shepherd's hook closer to where I was standing and wing waved. Can you imagine what pleasure that gives me?!

I gladly went inside to get mealworms and suet. I put both out from time to time and the titmice and wrens happily check the feeder every morning and empty it of all contents, including the cornmeal crumbs. The bluebirds scattered when I walked to the feeder, so after adding food, I whistled. Never worry that you can't whistle very well. Your whistle will be recognizable and birds will associate it with you and the food you bring.

Above you see the female feeding and I believe the other two are her juveniles. The male typically joins her inside the feeder.

Along with the bluebirds, I had dark-eyed juncos and white-throated sparrows visiting, in addition to the titmice, chickadees, red-bellies and downies. And the sweet little yellow-rumped warbler that likes to hang around made an appearance today. I rarely catch him/her in an image, so I was doubly delighted when she paused long enough to allow this one.

A bluebird, titmouse, cardinal and robin are all featured in my Autumn Birds note card set, a boxed set of 4 x 5 blank cards featuring new watercolor images of some favorite birds in autumn settings. Creating these cards and working with a printer has been a fun project and I am excited about the beautiful results.

Visit my cards online at my Vickie Henderson Art website. If you are near the Knoxville area, you can also find them at Knoxville's Wild Birds Unlimited.

Links and Resources:

Recommended for quality printing: High Resolutions

The Hooded Crane is still at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge near Dayton TN. Visit my post about this unusual crane appearance. And check out the young birders in the Chattanooga Times Free Press article on the crane.

Visit my bluebird family posts about the fun experience I had watching this family during the 2011 nesting season. You will also enjoy seeing the gazebo and the fun action that happens around it from time to time that I call "magic".

In 2009 I followed the nesting season of a pair of red-shouldered hawks. Watch for my Red-shouldered Hawk sketchbook to be in print soon!

Hooded Crane at Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Tennessee

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:31:00 +0000

A Hooded Crane has been identified foraging with sandhill cranes at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in east Tennessee. This crane species breeds in southeastern Russian and northern China, and a large percentage of these birds winter on the Japanese island of Kyushu.

Photo credit: Walter Sturgeon. Hooded cranes wintering in Japan. Birds with brownish heads are immature birds. Hooded cranes have a red bare-skin patch on the top of their head covered in fine black bristles.

This is only the third account of this crane species being present in North America. In 2010, a hooded crane was identified in Idaho, and earlier this year in April, a hooded crane appeared in Nebraska. It is not known whether these bird sightings are related.

Hooded cranes. Photo credit: Walter Sturgeon

The roads and fields of the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge are closed to visitors during the winter months providing refuge for many wintering birds and other wildlife. Sandhill cranes, whooping cranes, bald eagles, the hooded crane, and many other birds species can be viewed from the observation platform which remains available for public viewing (see link below).

The Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge is a great place to see thousands of staging cranes during the winter months, including the North America's endangered whooping crane. Mark your calendar now with the dates of the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival, January 14th and 15th in Birchwood, Tennessee. Many exhibits and programs, and spotting scopes and interpreters will be available to enhance your crane viewing experience.

Links and Resources:
Ann Paine's article on the hooded crane in Nashville's Tennessean
Rare Asian Crane report Dec 22nd, Chattanoogan.com
International Crane Foundation on Hooded Cranes
Details on the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival
Directions to the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge
Visit my sandhill crane art: Sandhill Cranes Landing and A Peek at my Current Project

A Special Visit with a Brown Creeper

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:20:00 +0000

I have been thinking lately about all the things I'm grateful for, a feeling that started long before the Thanksgiving holiday arrived. The feeling was helped along by the fact that my laptop screen shattered internally into a million colored lines a couple of weeks ago. This, of course, is not a disaster in the relative world of disasters, not even in the world of computer disasters, but as you may know, it can make you feel temporarily blinded. All digital creative work comes to a screeching halt.

Within a few days, a friend brought me an external screen to use temporarily while I decided what I should do to remedy the problem. This amazed me. Not the friend's instant generosity, but how gently and swiftly a solution arrived. Instead of feeling distress over this unexpected turn of events, all I could feel was gratitude.

And while looking at the image above, that same feeling came over me again. I enjoyed about twenty minutes with this brown creeper at eye-level, and each time I thought she/he had flown away, back she came, no intention of leaving, simply re-positioning herself for better foraging. And if that wasn't gift enough, take a closer look at the image. Notice not only the exquisite camouflaging patterns in the creeper's plumage, but the gorgeous aqua blue lichen, the darker green moss along side it, and those same muted colors glowing from the background light beyond.

All of this captured in the image quite by accident. I was simply being very still, intent on following this little bird with my camera for as long as she would allow it. When I saw this image, I instantly wanted to paint it. It says so much about nature's simple beauty and the hidden wisdom that it holds. A tiny little brown bird, so cleverly blending into the cracks and crevices of a tree's bark with its perfect shape and plumage patterns. Blink your eyes, and she disappears, even when you know she's still right there.

The brown creeper is similar to woodpeckers in that it uses its tail for a brace, spiraling up and around the tree's trunk foraging for insects using it's slender decurved bill like a pair of tweezers. Unlike nuthatches, creepers can only move forward up the tree, not down, facing downward, as nuthatches are able to do. This is part of the reason I kept thinking she was flying away. When she wanted to move down the trunk, she fluttered up from her current position and back down again, landing just where she needed to be.

We are fortunate to have these visitors in the winter months in the Tennessee Valley. They breed in higher elevations in Tennessee and in the northeast, and wander during winter months to warmer climates. Considered solitary in the winter months, according to Sibley's Guide to Bird Life and Behavior, they also may travel in mixed flocks. And small groups of creepers may congregate to roost in tree crevices at night, maximizing their warmth. Can you imagine that? A whole group of cuddling brown creepers!

And if that mental image isn't charming enough, my Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Tennessee describes the creeper as building its nest behind a slab of bark on a dead tree and laying eggs that are often arranged in the shape of a wreath. The young fledge in 13-16 days. "After fledging, the brood roosts in a tight circle with their heads inward."

The deeper we look, the more we discover the fascinating in nature. And to have these wonders all around us, wherever we are, is a certain reason to feel thankful.

Earlier in the week someone said to me, "being thankful is good for you". Wondering about her observation, I inquired further. She responded, "Thankfulness is directly related to happiness. The more thankful you are, the happier you feel." Helpful words to remember every day of the year.

Links and resources:
You may also enjoy reading my November article for Wild Birds Unlimited: An Intimate Visit with a Brown Creeper. To see the bird-related illustration project I'm currently working on, visit: A Peek at One of My Art Projects at Vickie's Sketchbook.

Hummingbird Alert in the East

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 02:13:00 +0000

Generally in the eastern United States, Ruby-throated hummingbirds have left the area by the first of November. Even though a few late Ruby-throats have been reported since that time, what is remarkable is the number of other hummingbird species currently being reported and banded in the eastern United States since the month began.

The following report was provided to the Tennessee List-serve today by Mark Armstrong, our regional hummingbird bander in east Tennessee:

"On November 19 I banded a young male Allen's hummingbird at a home near Russellville, Hamblen Co. [TN]....It has been a banner year for wintering hummingbirds this year. In the eastern TN area I cover I have banded 5 Rufous hummingbirds, the Allen's, a late Ruby-throat and I had a return Rufous that I banded last year. The Rufous that I've banded have been in Johnson City, south Knoxville, and 3 in Tellico Village, Loudon Co. The late Ruby-throat was in Monterrey, Putnam Co. but it has quit coming to the feeder. The return bird is in Oak Ridge, Anderson Co. My winter hummer season usually starts around Thanksgiving so it has been an early start and I'm sure more will come. I'm not the only one seeing a lot of hummingbirds. Other banders [in] the eastern US are getting record numbers of Rufous as well as Calliope, Broad-tailed, Allen's and Anna's. If anyone has thought about leaving a feeder out this would be the year to try it."

His ending comment says it all. I refreshed my feeder right after reading his report. We don't have the encouragement of frequent visitors or seeing the feeder nectar go down during the fall and winter months, but it is important to keep the nectar fresh. This time of year, nectar should be changed at least once a week, sooner during warm spells and when the feeder is frequented by woodpeckers.

The above image was taken in September of a juvenile Ruby-throated hummingbird.
Visit this link to see one of the Rufous hummingbirds that was banded in Tennessee recently.

More Fall Excitement

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:58:00 +0000

Have you seen the movie Bambi? Remember the scene when all the birds and animals of the forest gather around to see the new baby? That's what it feels like while I'm sitting on my patio sometimes, like a magical scene from Bambi. Of course, the birds and animals aren't gathered around me. They're coming to the sunflower seed and suet feeders despite my presence. That's actually my favorite interaction, the opportunity to watch them at close range as though I'm invisible.

I didn't have seed and suet feeders out while hummingbirds were migrating earlier in September and October, allowing plenty of space for nectar feeders. But when the last hummer departed, the quiet and stillness around the patio was too much! So I hung suet and sunflower seeds one morning and sat outside just to watch and enjoy. And I was rewarded, Bambi style.

I had not expected the feeder to attract so much attention after so many days of absence, but when seeds are offered, action happens. The number of chickadees and titmice arriving all at once in a very short time was surprising. It was also nice to think that some of these foraging chickadees might be the youngsters that fledged from my nest box this past spring.

And then there are the mammals, the chipmunks and squirrels that come around. I became annoyed with the squirrels in October as I watched them visit the holly bush over and over again, as many as three at a time, stripping it of green berries, sometimes tearing the tip of the limb off to carry away a whole clump. A day ago, I saw a small cluster of berries that had actually been allowed to turn red. It's at the end of a long limb at the top and probably hard to reach. While European holly berries are not a primary food choice for our birds, last winter these clumps of red berries attracted many species, allowing me to enjoy them on our coldest, snowy days in January and February. But the berries have all been harvested already. There will be no holly berries this winter to attract birds. Once that was settled and done, I managed to feel peace again with the squirrels. After all, they have to eat too.

Above you see another character that comes around frequently, especially when the seeds are out. He/she has given me several laugh-out-loud moments. Once, she came around the corner of the house, and upon seeing me, bolted in another direction. I thought she was running away to hide, but instead, she scurried up the leg of the bird bath and perched there taking a long drink.

Another time, I noticed her out of the corner of my eye, and turned my head to get a better look. Here she came, in my direction, cheeks bulging with food to the max, and an enormous acorn clutched in her mouth. She was so comical I laughed out loud, which of course, sent her into hiding behind a plant container. Not too long after that, she reappeared, and continued her path, scampering under my chair as she rounded the corner heading for her burrow.

Among the other birds that visited the sunflower seeds and suet, was this white-breasted nuthatch, above and below. Ever since I noticed a titmouse holding a dogwood berry with its feet while eating it, I have been fascinated with bird's feet and how they use them. At the banding station, I also discovered how beautiful they can be, with even their foot pads colorfully matching plumage. Each bird species has its own unique feet, perfectly designed in size, shape and color to suit the bird's foraging habits and habitat. The white-breasted nuthatch has enormous and powerful feet attached to that little body! And these feet are well adapted to clinging and climbing tree trunks as it forages and hides seeds for later consumption. When I saw the image below, I had the impression of this nuthatch sliding in on roller skates!

In addition to the size of his feet, notice that hefty claw in the back.

I'm currently in the midst of several art projects with very close deadlines, keeping me both close to home and very busy. And this is good news. I love creating. Below, a preview of one of my paintings in a collection called, Autumn Birds. I'll share more about these projects as I get them completed.

This is also my favorite time of year, a wonderful season to take a break from time to time, just to step outside on these beautiful autumn days and take in the changing colors and the sounds and sights of foraging birds.

Nature in all her beauty!

Links and Resources:

To see a tufted titmouse holding a dogwood berry visit: It's busy under that Dogwood
More posts on bird feet: A Nashville Warbler from Head to Toe and Bird Banding and Matters of the Heart.
More autumn posts.
In Time out for Woodpeckers find a red-bellied woodpecker foraging among fall dogwood leaves.

One Last Look at Ruby-throated Hummingbird Migration

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 09:00:00 +0000

Since my last post was about wintering hummingbirds and the presence of a Rufous hummingbird in east Tennessee, I thought I would take the opportunity to show you some of the juvenile images I took of young hummingbirds as they were migrating through on a grey day in late September.

I say young, only because their behavior was not typical of mature birds. For example, at any one time there might be two to three hummers perched in the holly on various branches, some exhibiting guarding behaviors, others clearly just trying for a turn at the feeder without too much harassment. As I've watched hummingbirds guard feeders throughout the season, I noticed that mature birds seldom tolerate another hummingbird in their chosen perch area once the intruder is detected. These little ones seemed oblivious and tentative. And watching them at close range was delightful.

So this post is a photo essay, paying tribute to hummingbirds and showing some of my favorite images from a morning with a very young appearing group of hummers. Of course, hummingbirds are beautiful anyway and easy to fall in love with. The garden and patio have seemed far too quiet without all that wing-buzzing and chirping going on.

Next post, I'll show you how I remedied all that quiet!

Links and resources:

Learn more about how bird banding helps us learn about hummingbirds.

Visit the Hummingbird Study Group to learn more about hummingbird species.

Contacts for reporting sightings of hummingbirds during winter months in the east: Bob and Martha Sargent, Rubythroat@aol.com or 205-681-2888

Posts about Ruby-throated hummingbirds on this blog.

A Rufous Hummingbird in East Tennessee

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:58:00 +0000

I receive emails from our Tennessee bird club's list service so I can see what kind of bird activity is going on around the state. This is especially fun during migration season and the winter months. Though, I seldom travel to the places where unusual birds are sighted, it does give me opportunity to get to know the birds that are in my area of the state--in this case a rare for our area Rufous hummingbird.

Photo by: Katherine Noblet, Johnson City, TN

Rufous hummingbirds do not breed or winter in the east, however, in recent years we are seeing them more frequently. The Rufous hummingbird pictured above is currently visiting Katherine Noblet's yard in Johnson City, TN in Carter County. That is about two hours northeast of where I live in Knoxville, in the Tennessee valley near the Smoky Mountains. But it certainly stirs excitement and anticipation. This is motivation and a reminder to everyone to leave a feeder out and stay alert for both late Ruby-throats and other migrating hummingbird species that you might otherwise not expect.

Besides visiting the nectar feeder, Katherine reports that the Rufous visitor is feeding on pineapple sage and skip laurel blooms.

Links and resources:

Visit this link to learn about how bird banding has helped us find out more about hummingbird migration. Some migration patterns are changing.

The range map to the left is from Cornell's web page on the Rufous hummingbird. Visit the link to learn more about this species and its habits.

You may also want to visit the Hummingbird Study Group for more information about this species and other hummingbirds.

Report sightings of hummingbirds in the east after November 1st to Bob and Martha Sargent, Rubythroat@aol.com or 205-681-2888. In east Tennessee, report sightings to Mark Armstrong, 865-748-2224.

For more of my posts on our eastern breeding Ruby-throated hummingbirds click the link.

The Excitement of Fall

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:00:00 +0000

I love fall. I love the crisp air, the changing leaves, the migrating birds passing through. And I love my patio and my bird bath. The patio with the deck overhead provides a sheltered place for me to relax and take everything in, even when its raining. And I never know what I might see. Sunday, for example, the unexpected.

Already seated, I had looked down at something, then up again to find a male bluebird drinking from the birdbath right in front of me. I caught my breath, feeling so excited to see a bluebird so close again. My resident bluebirds hatched their second brood in late summer. When the juveniles fledged, the parents only brought them back to the feeder area a couple of times, then they were gone. I mean, completely gone.
Without the need to protect their nesting territory for another nesting attempt, they had no reason to stay once the second brood juveniles fledged. This movement to different hunting grounds is an important survival behavior. The longer the bluebird family stayed in the nesting area, the more likely predators would detect the inexperienced fledglings.

The male flew up to a low branch and perched for a while, partially concealed by the leaves. I picked up my camera thinking he might return for another drink, but instead, his companion, a female, landed on the birdbath and drank. What a pleasure. It may seem like such a simple thing, but there are few things more beautiful or peaceful than sharing an intimate moment with a bird as it goes about its ordinary daily activities, seemingly undisturbed by your presence. (All the Eastern bluebird images you see here are of the female.)

And bluebirds are so quiet when they approach. They land with no fuss, no scolding, utter silence. And just as quietly, the female departed, joined in flight by the male as they flew in the direction of the front yard. They did not visit the mealworm feeder even though it had mealworms in it. I added them earlier when I first heard a bluebird singing near the yard. Maybe this pair was not familiar with mealworm feeders or maybe food is too plentiful this time of year for the feeder to draw their interest. But that's okay. The mealworms are not wasted. Most of the time, the titmice empty the feeder. Sunday, Carolina wrens also shared in the feast. It was while watching the Carolina wren at the feeder, that I spotted the hummingbird that also visited that morning.

A shy visitor, female or juvenile, she came back to the feeders several times but did not linger very long during any one visit. I was glad I happened to see her since she was the first hummingbird I've seen since Oct 9th. There are fewer and fewer hummers coming through now, generally late juveniles and late nesting females. It's easy to miss them and mistakenly think all the Ruby-throated hummingbirds have departed. This sighting on the16th of October is actually the latest date I've recorded a hummingbird in my yard in east TN in the fall. But even after November 1st, it is a good idea to leave at least one feeder out through the winter months. Other species of hummers have been documented in the east in the winter, and there are even a few records of Ruby-throats. In all, fourteen species have been documented in the eastern United states: Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Rufous, Allen's, Broad-tailed, Anna's, Costa's, Calliope, Buff-bellied, White-eared, Green Violet-ear, Magnificent, Broad-billed and Green-breasted Mango. If you see a hummingbird after November 1st, contact Bob and Martha Sargent at Rubythroat@aol.com or 205-681-2888.

I certainly don't need three feeders out this time of year, but I think of them as welcome flags, along with the flowers that are still blooming, advertising an oasis for thirsty, late travelers. Below, a female Rose-breasted grosbeak that visited my sunflower feeder a week ago. She is just passing through, on her way to the West Indies, Mexico or South America to spend her winter. Many migrants are passing through our yards this time of year, both seen and unseen.

Fall is a beautiful, exciting time of year!

Next post: Fall color and more fun around the bird bath.

Links and Resources:

Blog posts on the bluebird family that nested in my yard during the 2010 breeding season.

Visit these links to see juvenile bluebirds enjoying a bath and my experience with feeding mealworms.

Learn more about how bird banding helps us learn about hummingbirds.

Visit the Hummingbird Study Group to learn more about hummingbird species.

Contacts for reporting sightings of hummingbirds during winter months in the east: Bob and Martha Sargent, Rubythroat@aol.com or 205-681-2888

Posts about Ruby-throated hummingbirds on this blog.

The Big Year--Go See It!

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 23:49:00 +0000

Fun film.

When I went to see this movie, I met up with a group of birders from Knoxville's TN Ornithological Society (KTOS). Great company! Having commentary from a nearby experienced birder who knows birds all over the world adds another dimension to the movie. For example, he identified the Swainson's hawk that is in the wrong place, in the wrong season. And while viewing the portrayal of coastal bird "fall out", birds pushed inland by a storm, it was great to turn to a neighbor and say, "Really? Is it really like that?". The firm, no, was reassuring. I was glad I hadn't been missing something quite that spectacular!

The movie describes a type of birding that is foreign to me personally, but familiar to many, one that focuses on lists and going where ever the bird is to see it and add it to your list of sightings. In the movie, that list involves a competition among birders to obtain a list of the most species seen in a year's time. Despite the disclaimer that introduces the movie saying, "based on a true story, except where we've changed the facts", it is fun to see a depiction of this activity, the traveling, the amount of money that gets poured into the economy, the enthusiasm and excitement generated by seeing birds, no matter what the personal goal of the birder.

Most of all, if was fun to watch a movie about birds, showing various ways that birding, especially competitive birding, can challenge human nature. The story illustrated people from modest means to wealthy, and demonstrated that the activity can lead you where ever you want to take it, depending on the sacrifices you're willing to make to reach your goals. Especially enjoyable were the tender moments, when birds were viewed with awe and unexpected finds inspired a reverence that came close to the real experience. This is the one place where I wished for the producers to team up in a bigger way with documentary film producers, so that we could see a little more of the birds themselves. But this movie is a comedy, designed to inform, entertain, and poke fun. And in that vein, it's peppered with exaggeration and a taste of the conflicts that are inevitable in any passionate pursuit.

Who doesn't love birds? There's everything to love. This is a movie about loving birds, and about human nature as it unfolds while birders compete for the "big year". Go see it. If you're a birder you'll love it, both because its fun and because some aspect of it is about you. If you aren't a birder, you'll find it curious, and I hope that will lead you to some form of birding. Birds are full of magic and they're all around you. Take a closer look!

Visit this link to see the trailer that includes "fall out" and the Swainson's hawk.
More on the movie, the Big Year with trailers.
Roger Ebert Review
Review by John Pushock for North American Birding
Visit the Knoxville Ornithological Society

A Nashville Warbler From Head to Toe

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Wood warblers are among the most beautiful and elusive birds to observe. During fall migration they become even more challenging, with many changing from their brilliant breeding plumage into more subtle neutral shades, making it harder to both see them and to distinguish species.

The Nashville Warbler, shown above and below, is one warbler species that does not dramatically change in the fall, but retains much of its breeding plumage coloration. This warbler is named after Nashville, Tennessee, the location where it was first observed in 1811, by Alexander Wilson, the man who named the species. Since Nashville is my birth place and where I spent my childhood years, my curiosity has always peaked when hearing reports of both Nashville warblers and Tennessee warblers as they migrate through Tennessee, but until last weekend, I had never seen either. Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of seeing both these species for the very first time, and up close, at a banding session at Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge.

Birds are truly beautiful from head to toe and this beauty becomes even more amazing while viewing them at close range. I never fail to marvel at the shimmering iridescence that is often hidden even in plumage that gives the bird an overall neutral appearance. Since the work of banding is primarily to document a bird's presence, health and other information used to understand the overall health and status of a species population, not much time is available for photographing during a busy banding morning. But since this Nashville Warbler was our last banded bird for the session and quite alert and spunky, we had opportunity to admire and enjoy him.

His color details include: a clear and prominent white eye-ring, pale gray plumage on the head that blends into deep olive on the back and wings (no wing bars), a brilliant yellow throat and belly, a hidden "chestnut" crown (male) and the repetition of that beautiful yellow on its foot pads.

When painting an image, an artist strives to create unity with color and contrast, and with the repetition and mixing of colors that unite the finished work. In nature we find this same unity occurring naturally, as though a Divine Artist has picked up a brush and painted each bird with the most incredible skill and beauty. Add to this the complex function of each unique characteristic that is found in a bird species, and you have what I consider to be one of the greatest wonders of nature.

This particular male Nashville warbler had a crown patch the hue of deep red wine hidden beneath his gray feather tips. The reddish color actually occurs mid-way in the feather, with the tip and base being gray. From my position, light enabled me to see the red color glowing through the gray feather tips, though if you looked down on the head, there was only the appearance of gray. And who gets to see the beauty of a bird's foot pad, but the birds themselves and those of us lucky enough to be present at a banding table!

Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge is a haven for migrating birds. Planted in warm season grasses with many seed and fruit producing shrubby areas, fruit and berry trees along edges, and native wildflowers, it provides both abundant food sources for migrating birds and a wintering-over spot for birds that remain in the Tennessee Valley during the winter.

Right now the refuge is awash with vibrant fall colors in native wildflowers that are both beautiful and produce an abundance of seeds for birds and other wildlife.

Below, you can see seeds emerging from what I believe is a tickseed sunflower, a member of the Aster family.

And below, emerging seeds in the flower heads of White Crownbeard. This was only my glimpse as I was leaving the refuge. I'm looking forward to returning soon for a long leisurely hike and a better look at this year's fall season bounty.

Links and Resources:

Click on the links to see more about bird-banding and Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge.
You may also enjoy visiting the Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge website.
More of my posts on warblers can be found at these links: Wood Warblers and New River Birding and Nature Festival
Visit Cornell's information pages on the Nashville Warbler and the Tennessee Warbler
Information about the tickseed sunflower

The Beauty of Hummingbird Feathers

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 02:15:00 +0000

As long as these little jewels are around, I feel compelled to step outside and spend time among them, especially knowing that in only a few weeks they will be gone.

Above you see a male ruby-throated hummingbird guarding his nectar source by perching on top of the "flower". And I had a delightful time capturing the images you see below.

I was standing near the holly, a place where hummers like to settle, either to hide until they can approach the feeder or to wait in order to ambush other hummers arriving. I discovered by accident one morning, that they ignore me if I'm already there when they arrive. I'm very visible but quiet, standing with camera ready, so that when I actually do take an image, I'm moving very little. Busy and intent on feeding or defending their nectar source, hummingbirds land near me. If they didn't notice me before and are uneasy, they may move to a different twig, but generally they ignore me.

In this position, I am also directly across from a feeder that hangs from a shepherd's hook. In the images above and below, you see a hummer guarding that feeder by perching on the end of the hook. In the morning light, even though overcast, I was in the perfect spot to capture these images.

And I wanted you to see these beautiful feathers. Rows and rows of gorgeous, emerald feathers that glisten many hues, even in overcast light. Though the male's flashy ruby throat is dazzling, you have to agree that the ruby-throated hummingbird's emerald feathers are among the most beautiful you've ever seen. (click on any image to enlarge)

I also had a chance to sketch hummingbirds last weekend. Attempting this was exceptionally satisfying. Keep in mind, ruby-throats beat their wings at 40-80 beats per second, and can move at speeds of 30-50 mph. They were kind enough to hover and perch some while I sketched, but mostly they were on the move, any stillness quickly meeting disruption. There certainly was no waiting around for a hummer to appear. It was fascinating to watch them in this way, to turn off symbolic memory and actually search for the details, limiting focus and honing memory to try to catch one solid detail--the line of the back, the distance between neck and wings, the shape of the top of the head, how that beak connects to the face. Fascinating to feel the adjustments your vision and memory make, realizing you only get a glimpse, less than a second to get it down.

For more about this sketching experience visit: Sketching Hummingbirds in Flight at Vickie's Sketchbook. To see more of my hummingbird images on this blog visit: ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Hummers Swarming

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 04:15:00 +0000

When I arrived home from my office last evening, around 7:00, my feeders were swarming with hummingbirds. I use that term both because of the large numbers, and the buzzing of that many wings all at once! Amazing to experience in all aspects.

Three of the six feeders I had out were empty, so I quickly refilled them, then settled in a chair to watch the activity. Hummers jockeyed for feeder position and then just as suddenly, settled quietly in groups of seven or more until the next addition came along disturbing the whole group. A crisp gusting wind arrived along with the dimming light. We had a front coming through and the temperature had already dropped to 57 F, headed for around 52 F later. And, while this is not terribly cold, it represents a considerable and sudden drop for this time of year in east Tennessee.

There were clearly more hummers converging on the feeders all at once than I had witnessed on any other evening this week. I managed to catch as many as nine in some of the photos you see here, but there were more above and below the feeders than I could capture in one image. Multiply that by six feeders, with at least four to six approaching and feeding on each, and you have an idea of the numbers I was seeing.

What a spectacle and a privilege. Since the light was getting very low, I snapped a few images with the flash, thinking that I was probably accomplishing nothing. But even though the color of the birds changed from their normal emerald green to gold, the images didn't turn out as bad as I initially thought. I actually like the way the flash lit up their wings. So, I'm sharing them with you just to give you a bit more of the experience.

The individual images you see below, were taken earlier in the week in better light conditions. I enjoy trying to capture flight images and will show these to you in another post. I use the images for art reference, useful even when they aren't so clear, but also because I enjoy seeing the magnification through the lens. Sketching these birds while I watch is my next goal. I think I'm close. I've certainly watched them enough!

I've had one male at the feeders for the past few days that has a warning chirp considerably different from the others. It sounds a bit like the rhythm of a chickadee call, but higher pitched. In a synchronous moment, I managed to capture an image of him at the same time I heard his voice. It wasn't until I looked at the image that I realized his lower beak is damaged, bent so that it doesn't completely close.

These are not exactly the details you want to see, but I comfort myself in seeing that he seems healthy and preened, and has done a fair job of establishing his place at the feeder, guarding from the top from time to time. In fact, I've seen several males guarding from that position this season, maybe because of the heavy migration numbers. This one was in the middle of all the fray. I expect he, along with many others, said their goodbyes to this feeding station, and I'll be seeing a fresh group of faces with first light.

The Hummingbird Days of Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 01:05:00 +0000

This has become one of my favorite times of year. Not necessarily September's weather, but because a wonderful mob of hummers is passing through.

Just about any morning I have the opportunity, you will find me sitting on the patio, coffee in hand, sometimes camera, with hummingbirds all around me as I watch the interactions at the feeders. And the juvenile antics add a big plus to the pleasure. Just a day ago, I looked out the window before going out and found one juvenile perched on the top of the feeder he was guarding, and another one perched on the shepherd's hook with the feeder he guarded hanging below him. And today, I noticed two adult males feeding at the same time on one feeder. It's fascinating to know that subtle hummer communication made that possible, when otherwise, they would be embattled.

Unlike the northeast, we have needed rain badly in east Tennessee. So this evening when a storm moved in, I sat out under the shelter of the deck, enjoying its approach. Our temperature had reached 97 F, the humidity making that feel like 100 degrees of suffocating air. The storm blew in packing 30-40 mph winds with gusts up to 60 mph and within an hour the temps had plummeted to the low 70's. A welcomed change. As the wind picked up, I watched as several hummers tried to reach the feeders by flying into a headwind. It pushed them backward. This was not easy to watch. But their quick adjustment was heartening. After several attempts, they would adjust direction, sometimes moving to a different feeder to get a better angle or a different wind effect. As soon as the wind slumped, it seemed like hummers were falling out of the sky, and not peacefully either. They arrived again with full attitude until the gusts picked up again. Amazing creatures!

And my favorite moment of all this week happened when I was just standing in the right place at the right time. A petite little female landed on the feeder right in front of me. She was so close I could have reached out and touched her. I didn't move, just stood there watching her, in awe of her beauty.

A special moment in the hummingbird days of summer.

Links and resources:

For more information about hummingbirds and their migration click this link to my posts on Ruby-throated hummingbirds. And to see more of my hummingbird art, visit my bird gallery.

Late Plantings, Hummingbirds and Skippers

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 03:15:00 +0000

Though its late in the growing season, I had the urge to plant flowers earlier this week, a few of my favorite perennials--coneflowers and coreopsis. I think the urge may have been prompted by simply seeing these flowers at one of my favorite garden shops, while earlier in the season I had been unable to find them.

Skipper on Lantana

But also, the increase in hummingbird activity was an encouragement. As migrants pass through, I'm eager to provide plenty of energy-producing nectar to help them along their journey. Males were guarding the feeders yesterday, three at a time, dividing the four feeders into their three separate territories. It's fascinating to watch, each showing disinterest in the activity at a feeder only a few feet away from the one they're guarding. Today, it was clear there are also plenty of juveniles coming through, fanning tails and chirping loudly as they encountered each other. Delightful company while I'm working in the flowers, sketching, or just enjoying the patio.

And today, while photographing a Silvery Checkerspot, I became intrigued with the skippers that are visiting the flowers. In the past, skippers have struck me as drab brown butterflies of little interest. But today, through my camera's lens, I saw them in an entirely different way, with subtle color, expressive big eyed faces, and the appearance of floppy antennae.

Silvery Checkerspot on Coreopsis grandiflora, above. I think the seed pod is exquisite, too, with that mop of orange! In the images below, skippers on white and purple coneflowers.

I have Kaufman's Field Guide to Butterflies of North American, but I'm making no attempt to identify which skippers you see in these photos. Roughly one-third of all butterflies fall into the skipper family, a species group with subtle distinctions and high-speed flight patterns, providing a welcomed challenge to experienced butterfly enthusiasts. I'm a beginner, so I'll welcome ID help from those of you out there who have skipper experience.

Tonight, I've been watching the reports as hurricane Irene progresses northward up the east coast, and feeling concern for friends and family, as well as, all of those in the path of this storm. Sending heart-felt wishes for safety and comfort as people endure storm-related hardships in the hours ahead.

Below, one of my watercolor sketches of a white coneflower.

Links and resources:

To see more sketches of the garden, visit, Coneflowers at Vickie's Sketchbook
Information on skippers from Bug Guide and Wiki
Wiki on Coneflowers
Wiki on Coreopsis; this particular variety is Coreopsis grandiflora.
Kaufman's Field Guide to Butterflies of North America

Purple Martins--The Excitement of Fledging

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 13:37:00 +0000

If I needed any reminder of why watching birds is so compelling for me, my visits to the purple martin colony gave me exactly that. Tons of fun, new information, and surprises!

For example, haven't you always heard that purple martins are loved by landowners because they are insectivores and eat lots of mosquitoes? This notion turns out to be a compelling myth. They do eat lots of insects including dragonflies, damselflies, June bugs, beetles, grasshoppers, cicadas, and many others, but they rarely encounter mosquitoes. In an intensive 7-year study conducted by the Purple Martin Conservation Association, no mosquitoes were found among the 500 different food items purple martins brought to their young. The simple reason, purple martins hunt for food in flight, high up in the sky during the day and mosquitoes hang out in low, damp places during the same hours. And in actually, purple martin landlords love purple martins because they love purple martins!

Female purple martin study

Even though, I had seen images, I also was in disbelief about the huge size of the dragonflies that martins capture while on the wing. I thought, surely we don't have dragonflies that large in Tennessee, maybe west or north of us. But that doubt was quickly abated as I witnessed martins bringing enormous dragonflies to their young.

And as the nesting season progressed into late July, I had the pleasure of seeing curious nestlings poking their heads out of gourd cavities as they watched all the activity going on around them. If you've ever visited a martin colony, you know there is plenty of activity, especially when fledging is in progress.

I spotted one nestling that was so curious she was stretching far out of the gourd opening, moving farther and farther out until she was precariously perched on the deck. I felt certain she was going to fall off. But with all that curiosity and the instinct to fly, she suddenly spread her wings and off she flew on her first flight with Mom following and vocalizing in close pursuit! Breathtaking. I was so excited. I had just watched a purple martin nestling fledge!

And what happens once all those nestlings fledge? Martins remain at the nesting colony site for a while during the fledging period while the young strengthen their flying skills, but soon after, members of the colony move on to communal roosts as they begin migration to South America. For early nesters this migration begins in June, for others it is occurring now. A given roost may have birds from many different areas, and the members of the roost will change daily. The roost shown in the video below is in Nashville, TN and was photographed in August of 2010. In June of this year it was reported to have more than 10,000 martins gathering. An incredible sight and sound. (There is no sound on this video).

Links and Resources:
To listen to purple martins vocalize visit Cornell's page on purple martins.
Visit the Purple Martin Conservation Association's page on the purple martin roost.
To see all my posts on my observations of this colony visit: purple martins. The most recent post will be first.

You may also want to visit my Purple Martin with Prey painting and watch it take shape at Vickie's Sketchbook.

Purple Martins--Nesting Behavior

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 17:47:00 +0000

It is always amazing to me when a bird hangs in there, remaining on the nest while a nest-check is taking place.

One of the tasks of a purple martin landlord is checking the nests to record progress or problems as they look after the welfare of their purple martin colony. On one of my visits this summer to a martin colony in my area, I had the pleasure of being present for one of these nest checks. Not only was it intriguing to see the array of twigs, leaves and other items the martins add to their nests, but also to see the several martin females that remained on their nests while the nest check was in progress. Keep in mind, the rows of artificial gourd housing are lowered with a pulley-like system, so the bird is not only remaining on the nest through this lowering process, but through other nest checks until the portal in her gourd is finally opened for viewing.

Personally, I call that courage. But it is also true, that when landlords visit their birds on a regular basis, the birds become familiar with the landlord and are not alarmed when nest checks take place. The purple martin's historical reliance on housing provided by humans and preference for the safety of living near human activity, may also help foster this trust.

In my last post I showed you a purple martin female trying to maneuver a long twig into her nest cavity. Now, take a look at the pine cone in the nest above, and the image below. The cone was almost the size of my hand, clearly larger than the smaller, more oblong cavity opening that it was maneuvered through.

One has to wonder how a martin managed to grip an object this size, let alone, pull it into the nest cavity with an opening no larger than the one shown below!

And then there's the leaves.

A universal habit of purple martins is the addition of fresh green leaves to the nest, beginning with the completion of the loose nest structure and continuing until the eggs hatch. Both the male and female participate in this activity, but observations seem to indicate that males become more preoccupied with this task.

Above, you see a female martin plucking a maple leaf, and below, a male martin perched with a pear leaf before taking it into the nest.

A report on the Purple Martin Conservation Association website gives some delightful descriptions of this leaf gathering activity (link provided below). Practical theories for why fresh leaves are added to the nest include parasite control and thermal regulation, but the real purpose for adding the leaves remains a mystery.

August 9th: Update--Pine cones added by hand not beak!

Because the pine cones seen in the above nests did not make sense as nesting material, and one is quite large, I inquired about this occurrence at the Purple Martin Conservation Association, and also with the colony landlord. Many purple martin landlords collect pine straw and place it in the nesting cavities prior to martin nesting activity to encourage nest selection. Pine needles are often raked into a pile, and along with them, some pine cones. When grabbing a handful of straw to place in a nest through the opened portal, sometimes a cone that is not open won't be felt. This is what the landlord believed happened, especially in the case of the larger pine cone.

Coming up: More fun stories about purple martins!

Links and Resources:

Purple Martin Conservation Association: Green Leaves and Martins

To see all my posts on this colony visit: purple martins. The most recent post will be first.

Visit my Purple Martin with Prey painting and watch it take shape at Vickie's Sketchbook.

Purple martin eggs and babies

Purple Martins Finding a Summer Home

South Austin, TX--Saving Martin Babies from Heat

Intimate Visits with a Sandhill Crane Family

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:26:00 +0000

Sandhill cranes are loved wherever you find them. Recently I have become acquainted with several individuals who have spent many hours observing and documenting sandhill crane behavior as the families go about their daily lives. These are also talented individuals who have shared what they've learned with the rest of the world.

The image you see above is from Christy Yuncker Photo Journal, a website you will want to visit to find a wonderful collection of images and descriptions of sandhill cranes and their behavior. She and her husband, George Happ, are co-authors of the Sandhill Crane Display Dictionary.

Christy introduced me to Nina Faust, in Homer, Alaska, a videographer who has made a beautiful series of videos of a sandhill crane family living near her home. The videos are moving and intimate documentaries of a sandhill crane family engaged in its daily activities.

Before viewing, settle into your chair and relax. Each video will draw you into the moment as you hear the gentle purr of a sandhill crane parent and enjoy this intimate visit with a family of sandhills going about their daily life.

While the proposal to hunt the Eastern Population of sandhill cranes moves forward in the state of Kentucky despite overwhelming opposition, there is a parallel approval process occurring in the regulatory branch of the Migratory Bird Division of USFWS. This division reviews and approves the regulatory rules that govern proposed hunting seasons for migratory birds. Kentucky's proposed sandhill crane hunting season is currently under review and the public is invited to comment.

Two important deadlines:
August 1st--comment deadline in Kentucky.
August 5th--comment deadline for USFWS regulatory ruling.

By August 1st--KDFWR's comment period for the public to voice their opinion about the proposed sandhill crane hunting season ends August 1st, 2011. If you are opposed to the hunting of sandhill cranes in the east, please let your voice be heard. Send your comments to the following KDFWR email address: rose.mack@ky.gov

By August 5th--USFWS is holding a public comment period on the proposed sandhill crane hunt in Kentucky. Comments can be made via postal mail or online portal. You can make your comment online at the following link: Frameworks for Early Season Migratory Bird Hunting You may type your comment or provide it as an attachment. You will see a tab that provides for your comment at the top right. Click on the pdf tab to read the document. Sandhill cranes are discussed in item # 9, page 44735.

The postal mailing address is: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R9-MB-2011-0014; Division of Policy and Directives Management; US Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203

But don't stop there. Who do you know that can have an impact on this process? Role up your sleeves, make a phone call, send an email, send a letter, invite that person to discuss this issue with you. Everyone has access to their state's law makers. You will find your state's US legislators' phone numbers and mail addresses at this link. These are the people who have the power to stop a decision-making process that excludes the voice of the majority of US citizens.

Links and Resources:

Visit sandhill crane hunting for my previous posts on this issue. The most recent post will be first. When you reach the bottom of the page, click "older posts" to view more.
"No Hunting for Sandhill Cranes in the East" petition site with more than 2500 signatures. If you haven't already done so, add your voice to this opposition.
Christy Yuncker Photo Journal, a beautiful website with photo galleries and a wealth of information about sandhill cranes
Kentucky Coalition for Sandhill Cranes
International Crane Foundation's Assessment of the Kentucky Hunt Proposal
International Crane Foundation

Visit Julie Zickefoose's blog post on 10,000 birds for points to include in your letter: Last Gasp for Sandhill Cranes

Recent media articles on KY's sandhill crane hunt proposal. In particular read the July 10th article by Carol Besse.

Purple Martins--Contenders for Bird-World Personality Award

noreply@blogger.com (Vickie) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:26:00 +0000

Typically, its my observation of a species that inspires interest and the desire to create art, but it can also happen the other way around. I recently received a request for a painting of a purple martin, a bird that I was familiar with, but that I had never had opportunity to observe. I said, yes, of course. I love a challenge, especially when it comes with the opportunity to get better acquainted with a bird species. But then, I immediately wondered, how am I going to accomplish this? I don't even know anyone with a purple martin colony.

Not an obstacle. Purple martin landlords love their birds and many belong to a local and/or national purple martin organization. In this case, the Purple Martin Conservation Association located a colony landlord for me, who graciously allowed me free access to the colony, gave me the opportunity to participate in a nest check, even loaned me a ladder for a better view, all in a perfect location for uninterrupted observation.

Female purple martin above and below.

Observation time with these birds was totally fun. As martins return to the breeding colony in the spring, what you initially see looks like chaos. But there is the making of social order from all that activity. The birds are selecting mates, nest sites and compatible neighbors, and what appears to be confusion, is simply a highly social species sorting out relationships, and progressing toward the order that will see them through the breeding season in a colony of closely positioned nests.

So if you haven't had a chance to spend time with martins, you are in for a treat. The only thing lacking is the vocals. A very chatty species! Below you will see a series of images of a female trying to add a twig to her nest. Her determination was astounding. I didn't count how many times she tried before she actually succeeded, nor do I know whether her success was a learning process or just accidental trial and error, but she was no slacker in persistence. And whether her mate, or a neighbor, her efforts caught interest and comment from the male perched beside her. Also notice the beautiful blue sheen of sunlight on his feathers. (click on images to enlarge)

She was one of many birds going about this challenging activity. Both males and females were flying in with mouths full of nesting materials, all sizes and description. I'll show you more about this in my next post.

To see more of my sketches and the painting's progression visit: Purple Martins at Vickie's Sketchbook.

To learn more about purple martins, visit: The Purple Martin Conservation Association

For a visual comparison between the plumage of males and females and younger birds visit; Chuck's Purple Martin Page