Roads End Naturalist

Exploring the natural world as we wander at the end of the road

Welcome to our new website! We hope you like it. Please let us know if you notice something missing or that needs a correction. ~Mike & Melissa

Watching Wolves

June 11, 2014
It was clear to me in an instant why nearly 100,000 people say they come to Yellowstone each year just to see wolves.

~Frank Clifford, in Howling Success

I have been going to Yellowstone since the early 1980’s, a decade before wolves were reintroduced. In my early trips, it often seemed like I had the northern range (areas like Little America and Lamar Valley) to myself. There were no major tourist attractions on the road out to the northeast entrance – no geysers, no canyons, no lodges or restaurants. Some days it seemed it was just the wildlife and me. After Gray Wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995, visitors suddenly “discovered” that part of the park as it was, and probably still is, the best place in the park (maybe even the world), to observe wolves in the wild.

I always feel a bit of pressure to make sure my clients see a Gray Wolf, and this trip was no different. The first couple of days with them were wolf-less. Luckily, the abundance of Grizzly Bear sightings took some of that pressure off. Then, on our first trip through Lamar Valley, in dwindling light, a black wolf crossed the road in front of us and gave our group a great view as it moved off across the sagebrush flats near the river. Over the next couple of days in the northern range, we saw a distant wolf on an elk carcass and watched as a large Black Bear claimed the prize without incident, and saw two wolves feeding at a Bison carcass far across the river in Lamar.

A Gray Wolf being escorted away from a Bison carcass

On the group’s last morning, we witnessed some amazing interactions at that same carcass. When we first arrived there were two wolves just leaving the carcass, and they were being herded by a group of several Bison that seemed none too pleased that these predators were dining on one of their own. The Bison eventually pushed the wolves away and convinced them today was not a good day to continue feeding. Meanwhile, a Grizzly came down out of the woods and eventually claimed the carcass, in spite of being initially held off by the same agitated Bison. Quite a Lamar farewell for my group – a Grizzly Bear, two Gray Wolves, and a protective herd of Bison interacting in the same field of view of our binoculars.

A large gray-colored wolf crossed the road near me in Lamar Valley

So, even though the group did witness some excellent wolf behavior, I still felt a tad guilty about what they had missed in my first two days in the park before they arrived. On the second evening, while parked in Lamar Valley, looking at a carcass of a roadkill Mule Deer that had been feeding various scavengers all day, I glanced out in front of the car and saw a wolf headed toward me. It was one of those rare moments when there is almost no one else around and a wolf suddenly shows itself.

The male wolf marking his territory

It quickly became apparent this was the alpha male of the much diminished Lamar Canyon pack, a wolf known to researchers as 925M. This pack now has only two adult wolves and an unknown (as yet) number of pups.

Wolf 06 crossed the road near us in June, 2012

It was in June two years ago, when I was with another group, that we were thrilled by the presence of what is probably one of the most famous wolves in the history of Yellowstone, a wolf known simply as 06. She was then the formidable alpha female of the Lamar Canyon pack, whose territory encompassed much of the prime wildlife habitat of Lamar Valley in the northeastern portion of the park. In December of 2012, she was legally killed by a hunter about 15 miles outside of the park boundary. After the de-listing of Gray Wolves from protection under the Endangered Species Act, states adjacent to the park opened hunting seasons. As with other wildlife, wolves do not recognize park boundaries, and on one of her packs’ forays just outside the boundary, 06 was killed. Another collared male of the pack was also killed that same hunting season. The end result was the disruption of the pack (the alpha male was the father of the remaining pack females and thus he left to start another pack). The current alpha female of the Lamar Canyon pack is the daughter of 06.

925M is the alpha male of the two-member Lamar Canyon pack

The alpha male is easily recognizable as he is a large, collared male wolf and he has a floppy right ear. After crossing the road near me, he marked his territory, and then paused and glanced around at the few cars that were starting to gather.

925M pauses for a quick look before heading up the hill

Although brief, it was an incredible encounter with a beautiful wolf. It will be challenging for a pack with only two wolves to raise their pups and defend their territory. But, reading Yellowstone Reports since my return shows that they have been successful thus far, with recent kills of a Mule Deer and an Elk. It will be interesting to follow this pair over the next year.

A light-colored Gray Wolf heads to a carcass in Gibbon Meadows

As if the encounter with 925M wasn’t enough, there was yet another wolf sighting the day before my group arrived. Coming through Gibbon Meadows, I saw a group of cars stopped and pulled over to catch a glimpse of a very light-colored wolf (probably a member of the Canyon pack) before it disappeared into the trees. The pack had killed an Elk and was coming and going to the carcass, which was hidden in the trees near the pullout. Later that same day, I returned to the site and waited. There were three Bald Eagles and some Ravens on the carcass, but no wolves. Just about when many in the crowd (including me) seemed to be getting ready to head out, the light wolf trotted out of the woods and headed our way.

The wolf pulling meat off the carcass

The wolf went directly to the carcass and was seen pulling and tugging at the meat.

Wolf carrying morsel from carcass

After several minutes, the wolf walked out of the trees, carrying a piece of the carcass under the watchful eyes of some Ravens.

The wolf appeared quite full after feeding on the carcass

The wolf walked out in the meadow and used its nose to scrape a shallow hole. It dropped the piece of meat into the hole. I heard several comments echoing my thoughts….as soon as that wolf walks away, those Ravens will be all over that meat.

The wolf laid down next to its cache

We should have given the wolf more credit….it walked a few feet away and then laid down next to its cache of food. After staring at us for a few moments, it laid flat for a good, long nap, but probably still had one eye open in case the Ravens got too close. After watching it for another 15 minutes or so, I decided to head north for the afternoon, feeling lucky to have seen another chapter in the life of a Yellowstone wolf.
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Songbird? Not so Much

June 9, 2014
…when I first heard them, I thought something was dying or being hurt. Then I realized it was just one of these birds “singing”.

~anonymous

Yellow-headed Blackbird habitat (click photos to enlarge)

Every time I visit Yellowstone in summer, I see and hear the beautiful male Yellow-headed Blackbirds as they establish and defend territories in marshy ponds. They can be regularly observed at wetland areas on the drive through Paradise Valley, and in the northern part of the park at Floating Island Lake, and in ponds along the gravel drive along Slough Creek.

My typical photo of these marsh-loving birds

The males have proven difficult to photograph over the years, since they are usually down in a marsh, partially obscured by grasses and twigs, But I keep trying, partly because the males are just so striking, and partly because they are just fascinating to watch.

Yellow-headed Blackbird male in marsh

After my group departed, I spent a couple of hours sitting near a productive Yellow-headed Blackbird habitat along Slough Creek, watching the males display. I also just like sitting in one spot and observing whatever comes along, and in places like this, you usually don’t have to wait very long. There were two adult males jockeying for position out in the marsh grasses, “singing” for all they were worth.

Yellow-headed Blackbird “singing”

The song and singing behavior of the brilliant male is quite distinctive. They usually perch in a prominent spot, although, much to the dismay of the photographer in me, they are frequently at least partially obscured by vegetation. After a few notes, they throw their head back and to the side, puff out their neck feathers, and let out their patented screechy/buzzy call. It has been described in a variety of non-complimentary terms…here is a sampler…a grating series of rattles followed by a harsh squeal; a few musical notes followed by a screeching buzz, rather like a heavy door swinging on a very rusty metal hinge; and finally, one of the most unusual of all bird calls and is decidedly unmusical, with its various hoarse chuckles, cacophonous strangling noises, and honking gurgles. I don’t find it all that unpleasant, just unusual. Visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology web site to hear a sample of their song.

Bold white patches can be seen on the male’s wings when in flight

Males are the only North American bird with a bright yellow head and chest, black body, and bright white patches on their wings when open. Females lack the wing patches, and are brownish, with a faint yellow patch on their neck and upper breast.

At last, a good pose!

While I was attempting to get a decent image of a male out in the marsh (without much success), one surprised me by flying up to a dead shrub near me in a great position for some images.

He let out a few notes before flying back to the marsh

He gave a few notes, perhaps challenging some of the immature males out in the marsh, and then flew back to claim his territory.

One male displayed an unusual foraging strategy

I almost headed back to the car at that point, but am glad I didn’t, as I soon witnessed some interesting feeding behavior. Every so often, a blackbird flew out of the marsh and walked among the shorter vegetation on the slopes, presumably picking at insects in the grass. But one adult male had his own method of finding bugs which I dubbed, the chip flip.

Yellow-headed Blackbird flipping bison chip

Once the chip was flipped, the blackbird did a quick scan and peck for any bugs underneath

I had read they sometimes have been observed flipping stones to get bugs, but this guy was walking around flipping every bison poo pile he came across, presumably hoping to grab one of the many insects associated with bison “chips”. A few of the dried scat piles were pretty large, requiring the bird to “put his shoulder into it” to get it all the way over. He may not be much of a songster, but he is a champion chip flipper, to be sure.

A champion chip flipper has a right to be proud
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What Grizzlies Eat

June 6, 2014
…almost everything is food except granite…

~John Muir on what grizzlies eat

Muir was probably not far off in that observation. Grizzlies (and Black Bears as well) have a tremendously varied diet according to the season and food availability. Grizzlies are omnivores, feeding on a wide range of both plants and animals.

Grizzlies are well adapted for digging (click photos to enlarge)

Grizzlies tend to use open areas more than Black Bears so are often seen out in meadows as they forage. Their long claws and musculature associated with the large hump over their shoulders, makes them well suited to dig plants, insects, and rodents from the soil. In the last post, I mentioned a Grizzly with cub seen foraging atop Junction Butte. She seemed to be digging repeatedly on a rocky slope. A week later, I hiked up to the top of Junction Butte (I had heard that a Grizzly and cub had been seen crossing the road away from Junction Butte so I hoped she was no longer in the area).

Atop Junction Butte

Vegetation atop the butte is sparse and much of the area is covered by loose rock the size of a basketball or smaller. It doesn’t look like a rich feeding ground so I was puzzled as to what the Grizzly had been eating. But signs of foraging by bears were everywhere.

Grizzly digging atop Junction Butte

Many rocks were flipped

The bear(s) had been flipping rocks, large and small. There was also some shallow digging between rocky patches. I flipped over a few rocks to see if I could find anything and saw only a few ants. I know Grizzlies are, somewhat surprisingly, fond of Army Cutworm Moths that seek shelter every summer under rocks on high elevation talus slopes. The moths migrate from the Plains up to several hundred miles away, where they feed as caterpillars, to feed on alpine flowers as adults on high slopes in Yellowstone and elsewhere in the mountains. Grizzlies have been observed eating an estimated 40,000 of these moths in a single day, so they can constitute an important dietary component. Literature suggests these massive moth aggregations occur on higher slopes than Junction Butte and are concentrated from late June to early September, so it was no surprise I found no moths. The mystery remains as to what she was digging.

Grizzly approaching Bison carcass

Another important dietary item for Grizzlies and Black Bears is carrion – the carcasses of Elk, Bison, and other ungulates found in the park. This is especially true in spring when bears are coming out of hibernation. Many of these carcasses are from winter-killed animals or those killed by wolves. After my group arrived, we watched a Bison carcass out in Lamar Valley (there was also a Bison calf carcass nearby so maybe the cow died giving birth) as it fed various animals from Ravens to Wolves.

Bison seemingly guarding the carcass of one of their own

Grizzly on carcass

As is often the case, a herd of Bison stayed near the carcass for many hours and managed to run off a couple of Wolves that had been feeding. When a large Grizzly approached a little later, the Bison held their ground for awhile, but finally moved off, letting the Grizzly in to feed.

Grizzly near Mary Bay

One of our last Grizzly sightings was a beautiful bear out the east entrance road near Mary Bay. Several cars had stopped to watch this bear digging in the flats near the lake. We joined the group just as the bear moved closer to the road and began to dig vigorously in one location.

Grizzly digging

It moved quickly in one spot for a couple of minutes before trotting off at a brisk pace to another clearing down the road.

Grizzly munching on possible prey

At one point it looked as though the bear grabbed something and chomped on it but it is hard to tell from the photos.

Pocket Gopher sign

One of the participants asked if we could go out and look at what the bear had been digging. After ensuring that it had left the area, I said yes, and we all walked out to examine the area. The Grizzly had dug up an area near obvious Pocket Gopher tunnels. We found these soil cores that appear after the snow melts. These are from where Pocket Gophers pack soil from their digging activities into tunnels in the snow. Pocket Gophers excavate huge amounts of topsoil (some estimates I have read said up to a ton of soil each year per gopher) as they search for plant roots and other foods.

Excavated Pocket Gopher cache of plant roots

They often create a cache of plant roots in underground chambers. Bears will raid these and steal the roots if they can find them. We found such a cache and what appeared to be a nest chamber (lined with fine plant material). I think the bear may have captured the gopher (and its young?) and left before consuming the stashed plant materials.

Grizzly after digging up Pocket Gopher burrow

Just before leaving the area, the Grizzly paused, showing us all its mud-covered snout and efficient digging claws used to capture a meal. I can only wonder how many of these small mammals and their caches a Grizzly must have to eat to curb its appetite. But, as the season progresses, Grizzlies will seek out additional food sources including the young of elk and other ungulates, spawning Cutthroat Trout, Whitebark Pine nuts, and many other types of vegetation. As always, it is a privilege to witness these magnificent animals as they go about their lives.

NOTE: I have great respect for bears, especially Grizzly Bears. I try to hike in groups whenever possible and always carry bear spray. Park regulations require you to be 100 yards or more from bears. Photos of bears included in this blog are all taken with long telephoto lenses and are cropped.
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Year of the Grizzly

June 4, 2014
Bears keep me humble. They help me to keep the world in perspective and to understand where I fit on the spectrum of life. We need to preserve the wilderness and its monarchs for ourselves, and for the dreams of children. We should fight for these things as if our lives depended on it, because it does.

~Wayne Lynch – from Bears: Monarchs of the Northern Wilderness, 1993

Having just returned from a trip to Yellowstone, I can honestly say this was the year of the Grizzly for me. For the first time in over thirty years of travel to this incredible park, I saw more Grizzly Bears than Black Bears. It probably has something to do with the timing of this trip – the earliest spring trip I have ever taken, and that, coupled with a late and heavy spring snow season, means many bears were still down at the lower elevations in the park.

Grizzly sow and cub atop Junction Butte (click photos to enlarge)

It started on the first full day in the park when a Grizzly sow and cub of the year (COY) were spotted atop Junction Butte near Tower Junction. Even through just binoculars, they were a little larger than the usual Grizzly dots seen through scopes in Lamar Valley, so it was a great way to start the trip. The sow was busy digging on the rocky slope but I could only guess what she might be after. The tiny cub stayed right up under her, so much so that it took a little while before I realized there even was a cub following her.

Grizzly busy digging for food in Hayden Valley

The next day, a sub-adult Grizzly was spotted near the road in Hayden Valley, digging for some unseen food. I think there might have been some carcass remains under the snow as I saw the bear pulling at something larger than any rodent out there from time to time and it remained in two small patches of snow for a considerable time before moving on. A lone Raven escorted the bear, hoping for some morsel left behind. One of the viewers along the road told me this was one of two young Grizzlies that are siblings and that are now on their own (making them 3 or 4 year-olds). They have been seen feeding in this area for a couple of weeks.

Grizzly sibling appears up on the ridge

In fact, it wasn’t long until the sibling appeared high on the ridge, before disappearing over the crest.

Grizzly pauses from digging to view the gathering crowd along the road

Grizzly with snow on nose from digging

The bear closer to the road kept digging and pulling and would occasionally pause to look at the gathering crowd of spectators.

Grizzly looking at photographer

It finally moved off, continuing to sniff and dig every now and then. Then the bear suddenly stared intently off to the right. A lone photographer had broken ranks with the crowd along the road and climbed a nearby hill. He was still beyond the required minimum distance (100 yards for bears and wolves), but by separating from the group, he had become an anomaly, and had caught the bear’s attention.

Grizzly standing for a better look at a photographer

The bear stopped and stood up briefly for a better view of the man on the hill, then dropped and slowly walked away, still pausing to smell and dig every now and then as it slowly passed up and over the rise.

Grizzly family in Hayden Valley

The next morning I made another run up into Hayden Valley, just in case the bears were back. There were no bears at the first spot near the road, but a half mile beyond is a wide area along Alum Creek that stretches far into the distance on the west side of the road. After looking a few minutes, I could see six Grizzlies from one spot, the most I have ever seen at one time in the park. The group included a family of three – a sow and two 2 year old cubs. The other three bears were solo, which is typical. All were far off in the valley, requiring a scope for a decent view.

Studies have shown that Grizzly populations in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (an area much larger than the the 2.2 million acres of the park) have increased from an estimated 136 in 1975 to 741 in 2013. Scientists believe there are about 150 Grizzly Bears that now have at least part of their home range within the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park.

A lone Grizzly casts a long shadow on the snow in Hayden Valley

After seeing a solitary Grizzly high on a snow-covered slope, the day ended in a dramatic fashion with a closer than usual encounter. A group of cars was seen at a pullout in Hayden – a bear jam in the making. A large bear had just swam across the Yellowstone River and was approaching the area where a tributary entered the river. I thought there was a chance the bear might turn and follow the stream to the road so I moved the car back up the road to the next pullout. There was one other car there. I started to walk back to the crowd but looked over and saw the bear walking at a steady pace toward my pullout. It was still a couple of hundred yards away, but I hurried back to the safety of the car, hoping the bear would cross on the ridge on the opposite side of the road at a distance of a hundred yards or so.

Grizzly coming over the ridge near the car

I was wrong! The bear suddenly popped up over the low ridge just across the road from where I had parked. One other visitor was out and I hollered at her that the bear was approaching. We both were on the other sides of our vehicles from the bear and I had thrown gear into the car and was about to get in when the bear came down to the road, turned, and ambled up the road away from us before crossing and heading down the hill.

A close up view of a Grizzly as it crossed the road

I had my 500 mm lens plus a 1.4x teleconverter, which was way too much lens for the distance, allowing only a head shot as it walked away. I could see the large bear (most likely a male) had been in a few fights and was heavily scarred on its snout and neck. I also learned that in that situation, my steadiness on the camera is very limited, so most of the images were a bit blurry.

Grizzly and reflection

It was a dramatic moment and one that reinforced the importance of staying near (or better yet, in) my vehicle in situations like that. The old Grizzly barely even looked our way as more cars pulled into the parking area, so maybe he is used to people staring at him in his wanderings. But as he shuffled along the creek and moved off into the valley, I felt lucky to have been one those to experience his presence. Tomorrow, more on Grizzlies and what they find to eat this time of year.
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Mike Dunn
Back in Paradise

May 22, 2014
I am back in Yellowstone leading a group, so posts will be limited for a few days. Great to be here so early, the brief season between winter and summer…absolutely beautiful. Look for more when I return.
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Not Just a Garden for Elk

May 16, 2014
Each May for the past several years, I have made a pilgrimage to my parent’s home in Damascus, Virginia. It is my Dad’s birthday and, of course, Mother’s Day, so a perfect time to visit. It is also a perfect time to visit for the spectacle of spring in the mountains. We almost always manage a day trip up to Elk Garden, part of the Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area. Named for the elk that once roamed these mountains, Elk Garden lies between the two tallest mountains peaks in Virgina – Whitetop and Mount Rogers. The elevation at the roadside parking lot at this saddle between the peaks is about 4500 feet. And this year, I made it to the Mt. Rogers Naturalist Rally, an annual gathering of over 100 people that come to learn about the flora, fauna, geology, and history of this unique area. I joined the morning salamander walk and learned a lot about that often difficult to identify group of mountain salamanders (we found eleven species and well over a hundred individual specimens). Unfortunately, it was raining (although the area needs the rain), so I was not able to do much photography until after that hike.

Rich herbaceous layer in the forest at Elk Garden (click photos to enlarge)

This is probably the richest display of wildflowers I have ever seen, so it is a delight to visit each spring and see what is at peak bloom. This year was simply spectacular in spite of the dreary weather.

Fringed Phacelia

The forest floor at Elk Garden is carpeted with the deeply fringed petals of this beautiful wildflower. As the petals begin to age, they become tinged with purple. This is an unusual species in that it is one of the few winter annuals to be found amongst the many perennials in these rich woodlands.

Flower buds of Trout Lily

Cluster of Trout Lilies

There are also huge populations of Trout Lily on these slopes. And this year, there were all stages of these flowers, from unopened buds, to waning yellow blossoms.

The slopes were also covered with Trillium

Splashes of maroon and pale yellow were found everywhere you looked. These stately flowers are a type of trillium, specifically a species known as Wake Robin. This common name supposedly refers to the time of year when it blooms – spring can officially begin when this species flowers, as its appearance is supposed to wake up the robins.

The dominant color of this species at Elk Garden is maroon.

There is also a cream-colored or pale yellow variant.

This species can be highly variable in color with maroon and white being fairly common elsewhere in its range. But here, I saw no white flowers, just lots of maroon and some pale yellow and cream-colored ones.

Don’t forget to take in the back side of this flower

I saw several people attempting to get “the shot” of these often slightly nodding flowers, which usually requires some contortions. But, the reverse side is worthy of a look as well (and not nearly as tough to get).

Wood Anemone

Spring Beauty

Scattered in patches across the several slopes I visited were patches of two small flowers that are true harbingers of spring – Spring Beauty and Wood Anemone. Spring Beauties can be almost all white or have some intense pinkish purple lines on the petals. Wood Anemone looks like a delicate 5-petaled flower, but, it actually lacks petals altogether. The five white floral parts are the sepals.

Yellow Mandarin

Blue Cohosh

Two less common species offer a more subdued floral display. Yellow Mandarin tends to hide its flowers under its leaves. Blue Cohosh has beautiful, blueish-green foliage, and flower clusters that require close inspection to appreciate.

Rose Twisted Stalk

The delicate blossoms of Rose Twisted Stalk

Rose Twisted Stalk is shy wildflower in spite of its heavy metal band sounding name. It occurs in a few patches along the main trail up the slope from the parking lot. The small rose-colored flowers hide beneath the lance-shaped leaves. And the plant does have a stalk that is branched and twisted, giving it a distinctive zigzag appearance.

The unusual shaped flowers of Squirrel Corn

I always look for the unusual flowers of Squirrel Corn along the trail. Many of the flowers were in poor condition, either because they were past their prime, or because of what looks like a dry spring in this area.

Squirrel Corn leaves

Squirrel Corn leaves in black and white

The lacy leaves of Squirrel Corn are almost as attractive as the unusual flowers, especially when covered with rain drops. I always like black and white versions of these images that have so much pattern to them.

Tree growing on large boulder

This unique area has always drawn me to it and I have visited often over the years. The wildflowers are definitely worth a spring trek, so I will be back again next year to celebrate the beauty of the wild garden of the elk.
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Garden Birds – Blue Grosbeak

May 12, 2014
Its pleasing song and engaging appearance have made the [blue} grosbeak a favorite cage-bird among the southern [people], who know it as the “blue pop”.

~ In Biological Survey Bulletin, 1907

Though many wild birds were often kept as cage-birds decades ago (and still are in some areas of the world), I am glad the Blue Grosbeaks I am seeing are free and on the wing. They prefer shrubby and open habitat like those found along the power line right of way, so I see a few every summer. But I was very pleased with how many I saw last week as I staked out the garden area for migrating birds.

Blue Grosbeak inside garden fence (click photos to enlarge)

The only problem was they were less than cooperative about having their picture taken. A couple of males visited the garden and spent time on the ground, foraging for insects. I believe they were also eating some of the seed heads of the wheat straw I put down to help control weeds. But, until a few days ago, they always managed to keep hidden amongst garden plants or the grape vine.

Blue Grosbeak partially hidden in cherry tree in garden

One female (who is brown in color) showed up for about 20 seconds one morning and then flew off down the power line. But, that was enough to get two males going and one finally landed in the small Black Cherry tree I have allowed to grow alongside one of the garden beds (as a host plant for various caterpillars). He still was partially blocked from my camera’s view by the top of the fence and some leafy branches in the foreground, but you could tell what he was at least.

He finally perched near the top of the cherry tree in plain sight

After a couple of minutes, the brilliant blue male flew up to a branch tip and was in full view. They are beautiful birds, with an intense blue color all over, except for some rusty brown on their wings, and black at the base of the beak. And that beak is impressive – large and silvery in color, making for a striking contrast to the black and blue of their head.

Blue Grosbeak male showing the brownish edges on some feathers. These will wear away in coming weeks leaving an all blue coloration except for the wings.

Their coloration and similar habitat make male Blue Grosbeaks easy to misidentify as Indigo Buntings, but Blue Grosbeaks are larger (especially the head in proportion to overall body size), have a much larger beak, and have the chestnut wing bars. The all brown female Blue Grosbeaks are even more similar to female Indigo Buntings, but, again, the beak and presence of chestnut wing bars can help differentiate the two species.

Blue Grosbeaks nest near the ground

I will keep my eyes open for nesting behavior as I walk the power line in coming weeks. Blue Grosbeaks build a compact nest low to the ground in shrubs, vine tangles and small trees. I have found nests at the Museum’s field station at Prairie Ridge, but hope to see one or more close to home, so I can learn more about the behavior and food habits of these striking birds. If I could only get the male Blue Grosbeaks, Eastern Bluebirds, and Indigo Buntings to perch on the same snag…now that would be a picture.
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Garden Birds – Summer Tanager

May 7, 2014
The summer red bird arrives sometimes in the latter part of April, and all through the summer his scarlet form enlivens and presents a beautiful contrast to the green foliage.

~J.W.P. Smithwick, The Birds of Bertie County, NC, In The Wisconsin Naturalist (a monthly magazine), 1890

Summer Tanager males are our only “all red” bird (click photos to enlarge)

The tanagers are back! I wonder if Northern Cardinals migrated, would I get as excited about them as I do the return of the tanagers? Here in my woods, there are both of the usual eastern species – Scarlet and Summer Tanagers, but the latter are more common. And it is always a thrill to hear and see the first ones.

Summer Tanager male on twig near the garden fence

Summer Tanager males are considered our only all red bird. But, in looking at my photos, I can see that, while they are almost all red, many have varying traces of darkness in their wing tips. By comparison, the wings (and tail) of the Scarlet Tanager male are all black. While I see the Scarlet Tanagers in the trees near the house, they have yet to come down to the garden or the suet feeders, so I still don’t have any photos.

Summer Tanager male with a hint of yellow in its wings

Molting young male Summer Tanagers may have patches or hints of yellowish-green in their feathers since they resemble females in coloration during their first year.

Summer Tanager female

Female Summer Tanagers are much more difficult to see in the forest as they are yellow-green with some hints of darkness in their wings. I have yet to photograph a female Summer Tanager out by the garden this spring, so my only images are from two years ago, when one regularly visited my suet feeder outside a window. My camera schedule never seemed to mesh with her comings and goings, so my results were limited.

Summer Tanager male on an overcast day

There have been a couple of male Summer Tanagers visiting the suet feeders this past week so I managed a few shots on nearby perches.

Summer Tanager with a bit of suet still on its beak

They typically come in fast, stay for just a minute or two, and then fly off. This is especially true of the feeder out by the garden, where it is much more open, and the birds probably are a bit more nervous.

Summer Tanager that just caught a bee on the wing

Tanagers feed on a variety of fruits and insects, often snagging flying insects in the air. Summer Tanagers are often called “beebirds” for their habit of catching bees and wasps and for raiding wasp nests (often under the eaves of houses). I have seen “my” birds snag several small bees in mid-air.

Subduing a bee

They then typically fly to a branch and rub the bee against it to subdue it before swallowing.

Male Summer Tanager giving a call note (nicitating membrane is covering the eye in this photo)

I usually hear the distinctive sounds of the tanagers before I catch a glimpse of them. The Summer Tanager’s song has been compared to that of an American Robin (but usually shorter and bit slurred). Males and females give a distinctive call sounding like pit-ti-tuck, often adding extra syllables, and repeated many times.

Summer Tanagers winter in South America

I hope to see and photograph these spectacular birds frequently throughout the summer, until they head back to their winter home in South America next autumn. In the meantime, if my day has a tanager in it, it will be a good day.
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Garden Birds – Brown Thrasher

May 5, 2014
Perhaps, if we had more neglected brush heaps and tangles of unkempt shrubbery and vines about our grounds, we might tempt the thrasher to be
more sociable and nest near our homes.

~Dr. W.G. Erwin in Bent’s Life Histories of North American Birds

A Brown Thrasher sitting on top of a tangle of grape vines (click photos to enlarge)

I see Brown Thrashers all year in North Carolina, but, in winter, I find them more often in the Coastal Plain, rather than around my home. But, a few weeks ago, a male Brown Thrasher appeared in the garden and began singing from near the top of a nearby ash tree. His is a beautiful, varied song, befitting a member of the Mimic Thrush family, which also includes the Gray Catbird and Northern Mockingbird. Of the three, I think the song of the Brown Thrasher is the most pleasant to the ear – clear, and often, melodious. They are said to have a songbook of over 1,000 song types. Brown Thrashers repeat their song phrases twice, while Gray Catbirds only once, and a Northern Mockingbird, three or more times in a row.

Brown Thrasher on branch near the grape vine

In addition to their paired song phrases, Brown Thrashers are easily identified by their large size (up to 12 inches), long tail, rufous-colored back and wings, and a speckled breast.

They have two whitish wing bars and a long, powerful, slightly down-curved beak.

But what I notice most, and love to see in low-angle light, is that intense yellow, glaring eye. A friend came over recently and as we sat and watched birds out by the garden fence, he commented on the Brown Thrasher feeding nearby. If they were 12 feet long instead of 12 inches, we would all be very afraid of them as they go running about, thrashing the earth with that giant beak, and staring with that intense yellow eye. He said they remind him of some sort of small predatory dinosaur.

Brown Thrashers spend much of their time on the ground

When not feeding, the Brown Thrasher at my garden is either singing from a prominent perch, or skulking in a thicket or the tangle of vines on the fence. It comes to my suet feeder, but forages mainly on or near the ground, eating primarily insects this time of year, supplemented with fruit of various sorts, with an occasional small lizard or other large prey thrown in. One early observer described their feeding behavior in this way…

It apparently seldom scratches for its food, as do the fox sparrow and the towhee, but uses its long, strong bill much as a haymaker uses a pitchfork in spreading hay; thus, with powerful sidewise strokes, it sends the leaves flying in all directions, and then stops to pick up what desirable morsels it finds beneath them.

The common name, thrasher, most likely is derived from this feeding behavior, although others have suggested it may be from the way a bird will often thrash a large grub or other insect on the ground to subdue it. And one writer noted that he had been thrashed by one of these formidable songbirds when he approached its nest. In fact, I saw several descriptions of how some Brown Thrashers will valiantly defend a nest against humans, dogs, and predators such as snakes, often drawing blood with jabs of that sturdy bill.

Brown Thrasher giving me the eye before disappearing into the grape vines

I have not experienced this aggression even though a pair nested in the grape vines on the garden fence two years ago. When I was out working in the garden, often only a couple of feet away, the bird on the nest would simply stay put, perhaps knowing they were safe in an impenetrable mesh of sinuous stems. But, I don’t think I will be reaching in there to test their resolve should they nest again this year. I can’t get that image of a small glaring dinosaur out of my head.
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Garden Birds – Common Yellowthroat

May 2, 2014
When invading its haunts one is impressed with the vigorous personality of the male. He nervously raises his alarm with a variety of scolding, interrogative chirps and chattering notes and his dark inquisitive eyes sparkle with excitement through the black masks. He darts with nervous animation from place to place, then disappears in the dense cover only to appear again to denounce the intrusion.

~Alfred Otto Gross, in Life Histories of Familiar North American Birds

Common Yellowthroats have been visiting the garden for a few minutes each day this week (click photos to enlarge)

Just last weekend, I mentioned to a friend that I have yet to get a decent image of a Common Yellowthroat, despite seeing them frequently on birding outings. While I will keep trying for a better photo, I am happy that at least one of these beautiful warblers has decided to come by the garden while I was prepared with appropriate camera gear. I say one, but it is possible there have been a few different individuals cruising through the neighborhood, based on what appear to be some subtle differences in the distinctive black masks of the males I have photographed the past few days. I have seen only one of the much more drab-colored female Common Yellowthroats in that time, and only for a few seconds, before she darted off, portrait-less.

Male Common Yellowthroats are readily identifiable by the yellow throat and bold, black mask, edged in blue-gray.

That black mask and their nervous, fidgety behavior, make me think these little guys are always up to something. At the garden, I usually see them hopping from twig to twig in some of the bushes bordering the fence.

Common Yellowthroat male pauses briefly on the fence

They often move down the fence row, going back and forth through the mesh, and end up in the tangle of grape vines at the corner, before flying off.

Moving along the fence row

On average, they are probably only with me for one or two minutes in any one visit. If I am out there long enough, one might make another appearance a couple of hours later.

Common Yellowthroat with a White-throated Sparrow in background

They are a bird of the tangled grasses, twigs and vines of brushy habitats, often near wetlands. Their distinctive witchety-witchety-witchety call is often heard before the birds are seen. They will readily pop up for a quick look if you pish or squeak on the back of your hand in appropriate habitat.

Common Yellowthroats, as well as many other species, seem to enjoy the tangle of grape vines on the fence

Common Yellowthroats are believed to be one of the most widespread breeding warblers in the United States and probably occur in all 100 counties in North Carolina. Their nests are usually low to the ground in the fork of blackberry bramble or some other tangled location.

These spunky male warblers are one of my favorites

I usually see them in the garden area most often in the spring. Once the nesting season is in full swing, I think they spend more time further down the power line, where the creek crosses through a huge patch of tree saplings, grasses and blackberries. A tough place to penetrate for we humans, but I hope to spend some time down there this summer, watching for the witchety bird as it goes about its daily routine.
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