I once knew a [beginner} bird-watcher who, not aware that altricial species attain full body size before leaving the nest, spoke seriously of the gnatcatcher as a tiny mockingbird.
~Francis Marion Weston
Indeed, I often describe these active birds as looking and behaving like a tiny mockingbird. They are always fun to watch as they hop through the branches, or hover beneath one, snatching an insect meal. And their small size, white eye ring, blue-gray coloration, and exaggerated tail, make them easy to identify.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher showing that distinctive, and active, long tail (click photos to enlarge)
They seem to be in constant motion, especially that noticeably long tail. In the writings on this bird in Bent’s Life Histories, Francis Marion Weston describes it like this…Certainly the most expressive feature of the gnatcatcher: as of its larger counterpart, the mockingbird: is its long, ever-active tail; now up and down, now from side to side, it is never for an instant at rest.
This is a fairly common species throughout much of North Carolina in spring and summer, with occasional winter stragglers in this area. You usually have a better chance of seeing a few in winter in the Coastal Plain. But most migrate to Mexico or Central America for the colder months before returning in March and April.
A pair has been active for a week or more in the garden area, gathering nesting material, including fine grasses and some dog hair I placed in a hanging basket on a tree branch for use by local nesters Their nests are beautiful examples of avian architecture, resembling a larger version of the delicate lichen and spider silk construction of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
Male singing. Note the dark forehead and line over the eye.
And I agree with Weston’s assessment of the field marks used to separate the sexes on this diminutive songster… The distinguishing mark of the male gnatcatcher in breeding plumage: the black forehead and line over the eye : is useful as a field mark only at very short distances. Luckily, this guy perched along the fence for a couple of minutes so I could study him in detail as he sang his heart out. I’ll be on the lookout for their comings and goings in the garden the next couple of weeks, hoping to spot their beautiful nest somewhere in my woods.
Note – the last two mornings have added a few new birds to the species list posted on Monday for the garden area:
Black Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk (both seen flying over the power line)
Ovenbird, Northern Parula Warbler, Great Crested Flycatcher (heard in adjacent woods)
White-crowned Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Prairie Warbler seen in the garden area
Indigo Bunting on an overcast day (click photos to enlarge)
If, as Thoreau says, the bluebird carries the sky on its back, the Indigo Bunting may sometimes be carrying storm clouds. These common open space birds are now arriving back in NC from their tropical winter homes and the males have dressed for the occasion. During the winter, both males and females are primarily brown, nondescript birds. But for their spring breeding season, males molt into our only all blue-colored bird. But, the blue we see in feathers is not from a pigment, like, say, the red in a Northern Cardinal. Rather, blue in birds is a structural color – the blue we see is caused by the way light is refracted and reflected in the structure of the feather itself. And, especially for the Indigo Bunting, it needs sunlight hitting it at the right angle for us to see that brilliant blue color. Otherwise, it looks brown or even black, much like a storm cloud on the horizon.
There are hints of brown edging to some of the blue feathers of this male Indigo Bunting
These are said to be one of the most abundant songbirds in the East since their preferred habitat, brushy edges like in power line right-of-ways, etc., are often created and maintained by human activity. I see them every year along the power line corridor, but I hope to spend a little more time this summer listening for their distinctive calls (the male sings all day, even in the heat of summer) and enjoying their brilliant blue attire.
One attraction in coming to the woods to live was that I should have leisure and opportunity to see the spring come in.
~Henry David Thoreau
Perhaps he meant to say… one attraction in retiring was that I should have leisure and opportunity to see the spring come in. I have lived in the woods for many years and always marveled at the arrival of spring, but it has always flown by into the heat and dark greens of summer too quickly. It seems I have never had the time to really watch it, to see its daily, sometime hourly, subtle shifts. I am cherishing it this year. The early spring wildflowers have peaked here in the Piedmont, but now is the time for the birds. I spent a couple of hours Sunday morning with friends walking the trail at Mason Farm Biological Preserve in Chapel Hill where we totaled over 50 species, including some great warbler sightings (even a nesting Northern Parula).
Bird watching at the garden usually provides some results (click photos to enlarge)
So, I am now spending time at home, watching the tree tops, and checking the feeders and garden area frequently for new arrivals. If I am in the mood for some photography, I will pull the car out to the garden and sit, window down, bean bag on the door panel, and watch. I placed some dead snags around the fence for perches and just added a water feature. The diversity of plants, the cover provided by the grape vine growing along one fence, and the fact that this is an edge habitat, make the garden an attractive place for any passing bird to stop and check out.
Feeding station near garden
There is also a feeding station between the garden and a large plum tree (a favorite of the local birds due to its thick branching pattern and good cover). On most days, it is like a busy airport in this area with flights coming and going between the garden fence, the nearby woods, the plum tree, and the feeders. And this time of year you tend to get some international flights. Yesterday was a very good morning. The total for the day was 34 species, with 30 of those being seen in, or flying over, the garden in two hours in the morning. A complete list is at the end of this post. Over the next few days, I will post a few pictures of some of my favorite visitors.
The bird that started it all on Monday morning, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
It all started when I got distracted from some household chore by a flash of color at the feeder outside the living room window – a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Certainly one of our most striking birds, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks nest in our mountains and hardwood forest further north, but pass through much of the rest of the state in fall and spring migrations to and from their winter homes in the tropics. They have been regular visitors at my platform sunflower feeders for many years for a couple of weeks in late April and early May. They are deliberate in their behavior and will often stay at a feeding station for a considerable period of time before disappearing into the tree tops. Then, it may be a couple of hours before they reappear, so I keep one eye on the feeders this time of year and hope to catch a glimpse of one. They are definitely one of those birds that cause you to stop whatever you are doing and pay attention.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak at suet feeder
Their huge beak is well designed for crunching hard seeds (and bird banders’ fingers) so I was surprised to see one at my suet feeder near the garden. With the migration in full swing, I recently lashed a dead branch onto the feeder pole to provide a more natural perch for photography of any visitors. The grosbeaks took full advantage of it to chip away at the suet.
A second male landed at the feeding station
While I was observing the one at the suet cage, another male landed and started feeding on an adjacent tube feeder with suet nuggets. You can see some differences in the plumage between the two birds – you can supposedly distinguish individual males by subtle differences in the shape and extent of their rose-colored breast and shoulder patches. After looking at the images I think I may have three different males – compare the first image at the platform feeder with the one above and below and look at the rose shoulder patches (or lack thereof) and the heads.
Branch placed near suet for perch
The two males stayed with me for 20 minutes or so, feeding, and then both flew up into the trees. The grosbeaks did not reappear at this feeding station until much later in the day. But, I did hear their melodious song a few times from my woods off and on during the day. The song is somewhat like that of an American Robin, but richer in tone. Thoreau stated that the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is our richest singer, perhaps, after the Wood Thrush (which was also calling from these woods early and late in the day).
The breast patch outlines may be distinctive for individual male Rose-breasted GrosbeaksThere are many reports this week from birders that have Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at their feeders
At one point, one of the males landed on a snag along the garden fence. He perched there for a couple of minutes, surveying his world, and helping me appreciate the beauty of mine. Make some time for yourself these next few weeks and get outside and catch some of the surprises of the season – it will be well worth it.
Species list for 2 hours of garden watching on 4/28/14:
Eastern Bluebird male has brilliant blue plumage on its back (click photos to enlarge)
I probably have used that famous HDT quote before in a post, but it is so apt. Although the color of a male is so intense this time of year that it exceeds even a perfect Carolina blue sky. Bluebirds are among the most beloved of our songbirds. They are beautiful, they have a pleasing song (and are one of the first birds to sing every morning here), and are readily attracted to be our neighbors if we put up an appropriate nest box.
Here we are “stalking” bluebirds
They are also pretty tolerant of our presence, so it is fun to spend time observing them and photographing their behavior. Such was the case a few days ago when I hosted some clients (and friends) from the Netherlands out to the house to photograph some our North Carolina songbirds. There’s nothing like the reaction of visitors from another land to help you appreciate the uncommon beauty of our everyday species such as Northern Cardinals, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, and Eastern Bluebirds. I put out some lawn chairs where we could observe the nest box without disturbing the birds and we managed to spend over an hour watching the comings and goings of the busy parents.
Hungry baby Eastern Bluebirds
The reason for all this activity was the five hungry bellies inside the nest box. My friends got some great images of the parents as they ferried a variety of meals to their fuzzy young. I had loaned a lens so I was just watching the procession, but was also making mental notes on where the birds landed on their approaches and what they were catching for food. I spent the next couple of days sitting near the box for an hour or two each day to photograph the dynamic duo as they practiced the art of bird parenting. So, Thoreau told me what the Bluebird carries on its back and now I have a better idea of what they put in their belly.
Male Bluebird with Green June Beetle grub
One of their favorite perches near the nest box is a fence post. In fact, there are several fence posts scattered under the power line that they regularly use as perches for scouting the grasses for food. Two larger diameter fence posts are also favorite places for the male to subdue some of the large prey he regularly brings to the young. He is particularly adept at spotting and catching the apparently abundant large grubs of Green June Beetles. I wrote about these unusual grubs in one of my early posts (see Crawling on Your Back – Doing the Grub). Once he grabs one of these behemoths, the male Bluebird will fly to a post and begin to slam the grub onto the wood using quick up and down and side to side motions of his head while dangling the grub from his beak.
Male Eastern Bluebird pauses on a branch before delivering the tasty grub to his hungry young in the nest
When the grub is sufficiently dazed, the male carries it to the nest box. I am amazed that any of the current babies can actually swallow one of these things, but swallow they must, as this seems to be one of the primary food items that the male captures.
In my observations these past few days, the second most common food brought in by the male is worms.
Eastern Bluebird with worm and beetle for nestlings
Often, he will have more than one crammed in his beak, and, occasionally, will add a condiment of a beetle or other insect.
The female tends to bring smaller items – spiders, flies, and small insects (although she did bring in a small lizard, a Ground Skink, on the day I was just observing). She is much more cautious than the male and approaches the nest box slowly when I am out in the chair. She often flies behind the box and perches in a tree where it can be tough to get an image without a lot of background busyness.
Post and branch set up near nest box
To help with the backgrounds, I often put out natural perches near areas I want to photograph birds. In this case, I tapped a metal fence post into the ground and fastened a dead branch to it with cable ties. This allows quick a set up and I can easily change the branch for a different look.
Female Bluebird on planned perch
The female seems to like this particular perch more than the male and often lands on it as she approaches. Here she has two food items in her beak – what looks like some sort of grasshopper and a glow worm (lightning bug larva).
Female Bluebird on top twig of planned perch
On two of her trips, she brought a food item which I have yet to identify. It is an amorphous blob, perhaps a cocoon or egg mass of some sort?
Bluebird with mystery item close up
On one side, there is some faint striping.
Bluebird with mystery item close up from other side
When she turned her head, it looks almost like there is a thin veil-like cover on part of it. If anyone has any ideas as to what this may be, please drop me a note. I have seen her bring two items like this over the past two days.
Male Bluebird from the other nesting pair out on the power line
In addition to these busy parents, there is another pair of bluebirds raising young in one of my hollow log nest boxes a few hundred feet up the power line. I haven’t spent as much time with them, but they are also bringing food to their young. I saw the female with a fly of some sort and the male brought in a few crickets and worms. It is impressive to see the quantity and variety of prey these birds capture. It is also important to understand how it can be so harmful to these, and so many other species, if the areas they forage in contain significant amounts of harmful pesticides or herbicides.
I may have another few days worth of watching until the nestlings fledge. But, I am anticipating at least one more nest from each of these parental pairs before summer’s end. Another reason that Bluebirds are a favorite of so many bird lovers.
Even the genus name says it, Stellaria, star. But the usual common name, Giant Chickweed, doesn’t do it justice. In fact, it does it a slight injustice because many of us associate the name, chickweed, with an introduced common yard weed. But this delicate beauty is one to seek out and appreciate, not yank from the flower bed or garden.
The petals of Giant Chickweed are deeply divided
The scientific name is Stellaria pubera. The genus name refers to the star-shaped arrangement of the petals. At first glance, the flower looks like it has ten petals. A closer look shows that there are actually only five, but each of them is deeply divided. The species name refers to the tiny hairs (pubescence) that cover the stems and other parts of the plant. The common name, chickweed, is in reference to the seeds which are eaten by birds.
Giant Chickweed’s delicate flowers occur in rich woodland soils in much of the eastern Unite States. I spotted several plants a few days ago when I returned the Marbled Salamander larvae to their pool. It is growing alongside Spring Beauty and Windflower (Rue Anemone), making for eye-catching splashes of white amongst the leaf litter and greening forest floor.
Giant Chickweed is a showy addition to our rich woodlands in spring
The simple pleasures of seeing wild flowers such as these or of catching a glimpse of a migrating warbler are among the many reasons we should all take a walk in the woods this time of year. Each time I am out, I see something new, and I am reminded of all that spring has to offer us if only we take the time to appreciate it.
In a recent post, I mentioned that I sampled the woodland pool near the house earlier in the week. The Marbled Salamander larvae have grown considerably since my last visit. Almost every dip of the net brought up one or more of the large, squirming pool predators. When first caught, they were very dark, which is typical of these larvae. But, after being in a bucket overnight, the few I brought to the house turned a much lighter color than normal. I placed them in my small photo tank for a few shots the next morning before taking them back to the pool to set them free.
Marbled Salamander larva (click photos to enlarge)
Marbled Salamander larvae are easily distinguished by being the largest salamander larvae in area woodland pools this time of year. This is because, unlike the rest of our pool-dwelling species, they hatch in the fall, rather than the spring. The row of light spots along their sides is another diagnostic feature. The ones I caught this week were all large, between 2 and 3 inches in length. In this area, they usually transform and leave the pools in April or May, so these guys are just about ready to become full-time land-dwellers.
Spotted Salamander larva just after hatching
When they hatch, Marbled larvae feed on zooplankton and small macroinvertebrates. By the time spring arrives, they are large enough to gulp down much larger prey, including the hatching larvae of a common pool neighbor, the Spotted Salamander. The photo above shows a newly hatched Spotted larva caught in the pool this week. It is less than an inch long and still has the balancers, the two fleshy appendages under the head that help them maintain an upright position in the water. These are present for only the first week or so after hatching. Look closely at the image and you can see one pointing downward between the eye and the gill of the larva.
Marbled Salamander larva
With the number of Spotted egg masses that are just now hatching, there is a buffet of small prey available to the Marbled Salamander larvae. They patrol the pool and use a lunge and gulp feeding strategy to capture a variety of other organisms as well, including small tadpoles, aquatic insects, and even terrestrial insects that fall into the pool. If food is scarce they are also known to nibble on their cousins, so it is not uncommon to see Marbled larvae missing portions of their tail or limbs.
Close up of head showing external gills
I plan to visit the pool again over the next few weeks and look for transforming juveniles around the edges. They will lose the bushy external gills and crawl out of the water to begin a terrestrial life, returning to this, or another low-lying spot, only to mate and lay eggs in the fall. Marbled Salamanders are among the many interesting and beautiful creatures that require these fish-less woodland pools to survive. But I worry about the future of many of these pools. I worry that fewer and fewer people know about the beauty and wonder that lies just beneath the surface of such shallow water habitats, and see them, instead, as just a mosquito hole or a place to drain and tidy up. It doesn’t take much disturbance to the landscape to alter the hydrology of a wetland area and leave it high and dry, eliminating this critical habitat for so many of our fascinating neighbors. If you, or someone you know, has such a pool on your property, I encourage you to sit by it, dip a net in it, get to know it and the inhabitants, and protect it. Our world will be a better place if you do.
The feeling of respect for all species will help us recognize the noblest nature in ourselves.
~Thich Nhat Hanh
I visited the nearby woodland pool yesterday to check on the Spotted Salamander egg masses I photographed a couple of weeks ago. After a couple of dips with the net, I was astonished at how large the abundant Marbled Salamander larvae have grown and wondered if any of the Spotted larvae will survive. A couple of more dips revealed a creature that requires a bit of studying before most folks could appreciate it – yet another efficient predator of the pool, a Giant Water Bug.
Giant Water Bug hanging at water surface (click photos to enlarge)
Belonging to the insect order, Hemiptera, these are medium to large aquatic bugs that live in quiet pools and ponds. This particular species is one of the smaller ones, perhaps an inch long. They all have piercing-sucking mouth parts, seen in the photo above as a backward curving beak coming out from under the “nose” of the bug. They breathe by positioning themselves at the surface of the water and poking their breathing tubes (located on the rear of the abdomen) into the air. They pull in an air bubble and hold it under the wings as the dive and breathe.
Giant Water Bug
Giant Water Bugs are voracious predators on all things pond-dwelling (I placed one in a bucket and when I got it out it had grabbed and was feeding on a small tadpole). They can inflict a bite if handled carelessly (hence one of the common names, Toe-Biter). When they grab prey, they inject it with paralyzing fluids and digestive enzymes. Their front legs are modified as raptorial legs for grabbing their victims (much like a Praying Mantis) and the last two pair are adapted for swimming.
Giant Water Bug – male with eggs on back
One of the more unusual aspects of their ecology is that in some species, female Giant Water Bugs cement their eggs to the back of a male. The male carries the eggs until they hatch ( a couple of weeks), presumably protecting them from predators, and aerating them by fanning them with his hind legs underwater.
Close up of eggs
A former co-worker at the museum, Chris Goforth, did extensive research on this group of organisms for her dissertation, and recorded many of their fascinating behaviors in a series of blog posts ( a sample can be found here – http://thedragonflywoman.com/?s=giant+water+bug+fun+facts).
I hope you all have a Happy Earth Week. Be sure to get outside and look for these or some of the other amazing creatures we share the planet with that may be living in s woodland near you.
I spent a couple of days late last week with some clients from the Netherlands and a Dutch friend of theirs that now lives in North Carolina. They had been with me for a couple of days last Fall, but arrived a day before the Federal Government shutdown and had to totally reschedule their plans which had been to visit many of our national wildlife refuges, parks, and seashores. They really wanted to experience some of the wildlife of eastern North Carolina, so decided to come back for a short visit to Pocosin Lakes and Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuges this past week. And I think they are glad they did.
Black Bear in field (click photos to enlarge)
I arrived at our meeting place a little before they did, and out in the field was a young Black Bear foraging for food. My group had just texted that they were close, but the bear, of course, started to meander toward the nearby woods. Luckily, it found enough of something to keep it interested in the field until they arrived for a look. Not an especially close look, but a good way to start our trip.
White-tailed Deer
We encountered several deer over the course of our stay along with a variety of birds from Wild Turkey displaying along the roadsides, to American Coot and Pied-billed Grebes feeding in the impoundments. While watching the latter that first afternoon, we spotted some dark objects in a tree on the far side.
Black Bear and cub in tree
It was a mother bear and her new cub. I am so accustomed to seeing bears with two and three cubs here at Pocosin Lakes, that it was unusual to just see just a single cub up in the tree. This little guy seemed to be hanging on for dear life, while mom was moving around, apparently feeding on some of the newly emerging leaves. I suppose there might have been a less adventurous sibling or two down below out of our sight.
Immature Bald Eagle with Turkey Vulture flying in the distance
After driving through the refuge until sunset, we spotted another bear, making four for our first afternoon, along with more deer, an eagle, and some of the usual small bird life.
The next morning was overcast, windy, and much colder than it normally is for mid-April. I must admit, I was a bit worried that we might not see much wildlife under those conditions, especially the abundant frogs, warblers, and butterflies I had seen a few days earlier. After a slow start, I decided we should go for a walk down one of the dirt roads and explore the nearby patch of woods. If nothing else, they could see lots of wildlife tracks and sign, especially of the bears that use this area. The wind was blowing steady from the north making for a cold hike, more like some of my mid-winter outings. At least everyone would appreciate the car after this. After a few minutes, we headed into the woods to get out of the wind. The first thing that struck me was the refuge had done a controlled burn in the woods since I had visited in February – I’m not sure I have ever been in these woods after a burn.
Poison Ivy was everywhere
The second thing I noticed was the incredible abundance of Poison Ivy. The new growth was thick with it – on some of the paths we walked, covering large patches of ground along the roadsides and in the woods, climbing tree trunks – everywhere. I warned the group to watch out for it, but getting it on our shoes and pant legs was inevitable. A recent study in Duke Forest, where researchers pumped increased levels of carbon dioxide into forest enclosures to mimic increased greenhouse gases in the environment, showed that Poison Ivy rwas one of the species that esponded with vigorous growth. Perhaps this is a sign of things to come (or perhaps it is in response to the burn, or it has always been this way and I just have not been in these woods this time of year). Whatever the cause, it makes you think twice about every move you make. As usual, there was abundant bear sign, and as I was showing some to my guests, one spotted a bear (Marja turned out to be an excellent wildlife spotter). We watched it slowly amble away into the thickets bordering the lake. Shortly afterwards, she spotted another bear nearby. A quick look showed it to be a different one, slightly larger and much blacker than the first. This is what I always hope will happen – to be able to observe bears in the woods, doing what most wild bears do, rather than out along a road or in a crop field.
Young Black Bear in tree
We had walked only a few feet when I heard something and stopped. Then I saw a bear coming down out of a small tree. After being on the ground a short time, it climbed back up, using a couple of small trees and vines to work its way about 20 feet off the ground. Then it began feeding. After looking at it through the scope, I could see it was eating the emerging leaves of a vine common to these woods – Supplejack (Berchemia scandens). We watched as the bear pulled vines toward it and munched the leaves. It repositioned itself and turned its attention to other nearby leaves, balancing on small limbs and the tangle of vines as if it were a circus performer on a high wire. The bear fed this way for 15 minutes or more as we watched. I think it had an idea we were there, but, since we were quiet and still, it seemed unconcerned. Finally, it started to climb down and I whispered to the group that it looked like the most likely path out of the tangle of vines was towards us. Indeed, the bear turned and ambled out in our direction. It glanced our way, and started walking off away from us.
The sun had come out after we got into the woods, but I had left my camera in the car in order to carry a scope, so the images and short video clip of this incredible encounter are from my phone. The bear still seemed oddly unconcerned about us but I decided to have everyone walk in the opposite direction. The bear climbed out on a suspended tree trunk, then dropped off and glanced in our direction. There is something magical about being able to watch an animal like this as it goes about its daily routine. It helps me understand some of what they face, how we share some similarities in what we do, and yet how amazingly adapted to their surroundings they are. I think we were all on a “bear high” the rest of the afternoon.
Eastern Hognose Snake
As we headed out of the Pungo Unit toward Lake Mattamuskeet, we came across a small Eastern Hognose Snalke crossing the road.
Eastern Hognose Snake defensive posture
I got close, hoping it would display some of this species’ unusual behavior of playing dead, but, after it spread its neck, hissed, and sprayed some musk without feigning death, we left it alone.
New Holland Trail swamp at Lake Mattamuskeet
The day ended with another incredible wildlife moment which I, unfortunately, have no record of, as my camera was buried under some gear in the back of the car. A Gray Fox came out alongside our vehicle far down Wildlife Drive at Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge. It hunted alongside the road for several minutes as we watched, passing only a few feet from our car, catching many small insects or perhaps frogs, and licking it lips several times in apparent satisfaction. Another incredible moment with wildlife.
Reflections in swamp at Lake Mattamuskeet
It was an amazing day and a half with up-close and personal time spent with some interesting wildlife. The bear and fox were behaving as if we were not around, a rare treat when out in the woods with a group of people. And while I did not get any great images of the experience, I am so happy to have shared it with such a great group of folks.
The Dutch camera brigade stalking a dragonfly
We had a lot of fun. They are all excellent wildlife spotters and appreciate learning about our North Carolina wildlife, both large and small. It is a privilege to be able to share the places I love with people like this group of folks I now call friends.
…it seems to vanish mysteriously, skulking in some sheltered nook, with only its bill above water, well deserving its common name of “water witch”.
~Arthur Cleveland Bent
Dabchick, Hell-diver, Water Witch, Podilymbus podiceps – all names for a diminutive water bird now known as the Pied-billed Grebe, or simply PBG. These are the the most widespread and common of our grebe species. They prefer freshwater habitats and are most likely seen in North Carolina in the cooler months.
Pied-billed Grebe in winter plumage (click photos to enlarge)
Their winter dress is pretty drab – brown back with a lighter belly, indistinct eye ring, a whitish throat, and a short, tan, chicken-like bill, usually with no stripe.
Pied-billed Grebe in winter
Occasionally, I see winter birds with hints of their breeding plumage, in this case a faint bill stripe, and a darkened throat patch.
Pied-billed Grebe in breeding plumage
This weekend at Pungo, I saw a couple of PBG’s in their breeding plumage – bluish-white bill with a dark vertical stripe, a bold white eye ring, dark forehead and a very dark throat. They were in one of the marsh impoundments managed by the refuge for waterfowl.
Pied-billed Grebe and American Coot
There were several American Coot feeding on aquatic vegetation (they will also eat aquatic invertebrates and small vertebrates such as tadpoles and small fish). Mixed in amongst them were a couple of Pied-billed Grebes. They feed on almost any small aquatic organism they can catch including fish, crayfish, tadpoles, and large aquatic insects. I have watched PBG’s dive and surface with a decent-sized fish and they sometimes struggle to subdue and swallow it. Their diving behavior when feeding is pretty typical – a head-first surface dive.
Pied-billed Grebe skulking away when disturbed
But when disturbed by a potential predator (or guy with a camera), they rarely fly, and often skulk away, slowly sinking into the water, instead of a using a more vigorous dive.
Pied-billed Grebe starting to submergePied-billed Grebe slowly sinking
Both of the birds I saw this weekend exhibited that behavior, and in an expert manner. Noted ornithologist, David Allen Sibley, describes this behavior – “by contracting their abdominal muscles and thereby compressing their plumage, while at the same time exhaling, small grebes can submerge themselves from a resting posture on the water’s surface without diving. In this manner they can adjust their buoyancy, for hunting or concealment from predators; small grebes are often seen with only the head or bill above the surface.”
Pied-billed Grebe with only its head above the water
I had seen the submarine behavior in winter, but have never witnessed them with just their head above the water surface until this trip. After sinking once, one bird surfaced with just its head showing. This individual was well out in the water a fair distance from me. It gradually moved slowly away from me in this partially submerged mode.
Later, two different birds showed me their amazing ability to disappear. I was looking at some frogs from my car when I noticed a slight motion in the water near the road edge. It was a PBG head staring at me from less than ten feet away – just the head above the water. Before I could get the camera on it, it sank. I waited, hoping to get a closer image similar to the one above. Nothing. I waited. Nothing. I was watching the nearby aquatic vegetation, assuming I could see the escape route of the PBG by movement of the vegetation. But nothing moved. I waited about five minutes and moved on, figuring I had just missed its escape somehow. A few minutes later, I saw another one close to the road edge. It, too, sank before I could get the camera in position, and again, I waited. To my amazement, even after 10 minutes, I could not find any trace of the water witch. Perhaps, as I have read since returning, they both surfaced next to some piece of emergent aquatic vegetation, with just the tip of their bill showing, allowing them to breathe while remaining hidden. I must admit to being frustrated by being fooled by something with a name like hell-diver. If they are still around later this week when I am with a client group (this species is on record as occasionally nesting in NC), you can bet we will spend some time with several sets of eyes looking for that bill tip poking out of the water.
Being aware of the splendor of the seasons, of the natural world, makes us understand man’s critical need for wild places. Living with familiar things and moving in the seasons can fulfill that profound need common to us all: a sense of place.
~Jo Northrop
It was time. Time for another trip to that place I find so special – Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. It has been over two months since my last visit and I was getting antsy, so this past weekend’s nice weather prompted me to get in the car and go. Of course, I was hoping for bears or bobcats, but would take whatever nature would give me, as spring was starting to explode across the state.
Red-winged Blackbird male singing (click photos to enlarge)
One of the first sounds I heard as I drove in was the distinctive, konk-la-ree call of the Red-winged Blackbird. Back in February, there had been tens of thousands of Red-winged Blackbirds foraging in the fields. Now, only a few males are singing from prominent perches, defending a territory, attracting a mate, luring a naturalist with a camera a bit closer.
Red-winged Blackbird male
Males prominently display their red shoulder patches during the breeding season and respond to any nearby male that sings. I watched two going at it, calling back and forth, for several minutes. This one, perhaps a younger male (due to the brownish edges to its feathers) was always on a lower perch relative to the other, all black-feathered, male. These close-up views always make me appreciate the beauty of these birds and the sharpness of their bill.
White-eyed Vireo
I was hoping to see some early spring arrivals and did manage a few such species in my day and a half – my first Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Northern Parula Warblers and Purple Martins of the season. Then, while driving slowly down one of the refuge roads, I heard the unmistakable call of a White-eyed Vireo, and stopped to search. In a few seconds, the pale-eyed gaze of this beautiful thicket-loving bird greeted me. The call is described in most guides as CHICK-a-per-weeoo-CHICK, but I prefer QUICK, take me to the railroad, QUICK. The distinctive white iris’ are found in the adult birds – immatures have dark eyes.
Green Heron
I also got quick glimpses of several Green Herons in roadside canals, but one bird went “out on a limb” for me as I drove past. I stopped and watched it raise its crest and stare at me with those intense heron eyes, before it flew off into the dense shrubs below.
Horned Lark
Another species that I have found here mainly in early spring is the Horned Lark. This is a bird of open habitats, and I usually spot them in barren fields before the crops have been planted. Their dorsal coloration looks like the bare dirt habitat they prefer, so I usually notice them while I am driving slowly and see what looks like a dirt clod moving. But a closer look reveals their subtle beauty and the unusual “horns” (tufts of feathers) of the adults. These birds do nest in NC (they are ground nesters), so perhaps this one already has a nest somewhere in the acres of open fields on and near the refuge.
American Coot
There were also some leftover “winter” birds, including several small flocks of American Coot, a lone Ruddy Duck, and a few scattered Blue-winged Teal. Although there are scattered records of all of these nesting in NC, I believe it is a fairly rare event, and I anticipate they will all be gone in a few weeks.
Bullfrog male
I spent some time surveying one of the marshy areas looking for some American Bittern, as it was about this time last year that I heard them calling in an impoundment. Though one finally flushed out of the marsh while I was watching some Pied-billed Grebes, there was none of the unusual bittern calling to be heard. But there was the deep bass sounds of Bullfrogs coming from the marsh, especially on the first afternoon. The second day was much windier and this may have inhibited their calling. At first, I was trying to locate the callers along the edges of the marsh grasses. But, then I started spotting Bullfrog heads poking up out of the open water, mixed in with patches of emergent vegetation.
Bullfrog head showing large tympanum of male
The ones I saw were all males. In male Bullfrogs, the tympanic membrane (external ear drum) is considerably larger then their eye (in females it is about the same size as the eye). The deep resonating calls have been likened to sounds made by cattle and have also been described by the phrase, jug-o-rum, jug-o-rum.
Large Black Bear far off in a wheat field
Overall, the trip produced fewer wildlife sightings than I had hoped. While I did get plenty of views of Wild Turkeys, some Muskrats, Nutria, and even a couple of Gray Foxes, it wasn’t until late the second day that I spotted my first Black Bear, a youngster along the road edge on the south shore of Lake Phelps. As I drove into the Pungo Unit for my final few hours of daylight, I finally saw a large adult Black Bear lying in a field of winter wheat. It was chowing down on the lush greenery and raised up to a sitting position when I stopped to look. After watching it for several minutes I drove on, leaving it to its dinner. I am a bit surprised I didn’t see more bears, but will look for them again later this week when I have a client group down that way. In spite of few bears on this trip, I look forward to whatever this special place cares to offer on my next visit.
Roads End Naturalist 