Merry Christmas

Christmas has crept up on me again this year (seem to every year). A week ago it seemed a long way away and tomorrow its here!

To all those who visit my blog, I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May your New Year be full of excellent observations!

Early to bed and early to rise makes one healthy, wealthy & wise --
And a lot more likely to see cool birds!

Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens

Downy Woodpecker male

I get Downy Woodpeckers on my feeders all year round yet I never really get tired of seeing them. If I'm outside near the feeders when one is feeding, I often see it freeze, pretending to be part of the feeder or branches around it. They often let me get very close without flying away.

This one wasn't actually anywhere near my feeders but was nevertheless willing to let me get its picture before heading off. The male can be told from the female by the red patch on the back of the male's head. Its not terribly obvious in this shot, but if you look close enough you'll see it.

The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest of American woodpeckers, which contrasts strongly with the Pileated Woodpeckers I saw on a recent trip in Georgia! The woodpecker's feet and toes are different than other passerines and are designed to help them hang onto trees in positions that would otherwise be impossible. Woodpeckers use their tail for stability, propping it against the tree for support.

Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis

Northern Cardinal

The Northern Cardinal... another of those signs that winter is here. Well, winter isn't technically here yet but its sure felt like it lately. For a bird that is bright crimson, the cardinal is surprisingly timid. The Northern Cardinal is present all year round but with no leaves to hide behind, they become far more obvious at this time of year.

This is an exceptionally red male cardinal. Apparently the reddest males eat faster and have better breeding success than duller males. This would suggest that eventually there should be more bright red males than anything else but that's not what I see out there. This particular male was one of several I saw at Volo Bog recently. The habitat is perfect for them there with plenty of scrubby areas to hide in.

The cardinal has been quite a hard bird to get decent photos of [for me] considering how numerous they are. I was therefore pleased to get this shot and some others I haven't posted here. With the temperature dropping it is likely I will see some cardinals at my feeders soon. Today I saw a Red-bellied Woodpecker - the first for the season - at the suet. The nuthatches, chickadees and finches have already been regular visitors. I think the best thing about winter is that spring follows it!

Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis

Sandhill Cranes with legs drawn up

{Click on the image for a larger version}

I was out this morning trying to take advantage of the beautiful light and snow cover when I snapped this pair of Sandhill Cranes flying over. I quickly realized that something was just not right - cranes are supposed to have their legs trailing behind them! When I got home, I spent some time hunting for information about cranes flying with legs retracted and found very little.

What I did find was that there had been a study some while ago that found a strong correlation between temperature and whether cranes (their study covered Sandhills, Whooping and Common Cranes) flew with legs retracted or not. As the temperature dropped below -3°C (about 26.6°F) there was an increasing likelihood that the cranes would fly with legs retracted. The lower the temp, the more likely they would retract their legs. The speculation is that had they taken off from water, the water on their legs and feet may freeze, causing problems for the birds, so they retract them to prevent that.

Some readers may have seen this quite regularly. For me, it was the first time so it particularly interested me. The article noticed that wind also played a role in the cranes' decision. This morning was cold - really cold - so it was no surprise they flew 'wheels up'. I noticed at least a dozen large flocks of cranes flying south today (as well as this pair).

Literature cited:
JUAN C. ALONSO, JAVIER A. ALONSO. Why Do Cranes Sometimes Fly With Their Legs Drawn Up? Journal of Field Ornithology Vol 56, Number 4 (Link to original article)

American Kestrel, Falco sparverius

American Kestrel female

I went out for another day of owling after about 10" of snow. Not quite sure what I was thinking as I walked slowly through snow that at times was up to my knees in the little drifts. I looked a lots of holes in trees, clefts and branches but didn't see a single one!

On my way home, I stopped in at Glacial Park to see what may have been around. Along the entrance road - as there often is - was a single American Kestrel. There have been kestrels here as long as I can remember - they nested here this summer. This bird was hunting from the power lines, probably because the snow made it difficult anywhere else. I watched it almost catch a small vole or similar and also managed to get this shot of it flying.

I did all this from my car as I didn't want to disturb the bird (its hard enough to find food at this time of year without a heavy snowfall to contend with). Shoot from a car (essentially using it as a blind) is a recognized way of approaching birds without scaring them. The birds clearly don't see a car as a threat as large as a person. The added bonus is that it was a lot warmer in the car than outside!

This kestrel is a female, as can be told by the all rufous wings (males would have blue-gray wings) and rufous streaking underneath (the male would have blue-gray spots). The snow provides great 'fill-light', meaning the underside, which would normally be dark (as the sun is above the bird) is highlighted by the light reflected from the snow.