Category Archives: Songbirds

To See or Not To See Ultraviolet Light

August 13, 2024Bird Anatomy, Birds of Prey, SongbirdsKate St. John

Female European starling, Golden eagle (photos from Wikimedia Commons)

13 August 2024

Just because an animal has UV receptors in its eyes does not mean it can see ultraviolet light. A recent BBC video, below, reveals some surprising things about the use and perception of ultraviolet light in starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and raptors, especially golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). For instance:

Starlings and golden eagles both have UV receptors in their eyes.
Female starlings have feathers that reflect UV. The more UV a female reflects the more successful she is at breeding. Male starlings like the glow we humans cannot see.
UV light scatters more. If you can see UV light, it makes images blurry.
Raptors have UV receptors in their eyes but they cannot see it because their lenses filter it out. The golden eagle’s vision is sharper because he cannot see UV.
Scientists used to think kestrels hunted by seeing the UV reflective paths of rodent urine. Nope. Kestrel eyes filter out UV so that theory has been disproved.

Interesting conclusions:

Because I thought that raptors could see UV, I used to wonder how flashy UV-reflective songbirds managed to evade predators. Answer, the predators cannot see that flashy stuff!
UV light damages the eye so there is an advantage to not seeing it for most of one’s life.
Human eyes have UV receptors but we cannot see it because our lens filters out UV. There are exceptions based on age and lack of lenses.
- Exception#1: Young people up to age 30 can see near UV, the wavelengths closest to our visible color range, per a 2018 Univ of Georgia study.
- Exception#2: Those without lenses in their eyes can see near UV. This includes those born without lenses and those who had cataract surgery in the early days. Claude Monet had cataract surgery in 1923 with no lens replacement and could see near UV.

Read more about human perception of UV light in this Live Science article: Can Humans See Ultraviolet Light?

Swarms of Swallows

August 12, 2024Bird Behavior, Migration, SongbirdsKate St. John

Tree swallow (photo from Wikimedia Commons)

12 August 2024

On Friday I wrote about a swarm of dragonflies. Today it’s a swarm of swallows.

On 31 July my sister watched more than two dozen tree swallows swarm over her yard in Tidewater Virginia. They were feasting on flying bugs for about 20 minutes, and then they were gone.

After they finish breeding, tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) gather in ever-growing flocks in July and August and begin their southward migration. In transit they seek out swarms of insects that may include true flies (Diptera), dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata).

Peak tree swallow migration occurs in early to mid-fall. I was at Cape Cod on 1 October 2017 when I witnessed a huge flock at West Dennis Beach. Abundant bugs attracted the tree swallows; abundant swallows attracted a falcon who captured one in his talons (top right of photo below).

Thousands of tree swallows and one falcon with prey, West Dennis Beach, MA, 1 Oct 2017 (photo by Kate St.John)

On 6 October 2021, Mike of Mike’s Nature Connection witnessed a similar flock on Cape Cod.

video embedded from Mike’s Nature Connection on YouTube

If you live in the Mississippi or Atlantic flyways, or at their wintering grounds in Florida or Louisiana, there’s still time to see swarms of tree swallows. Watch their annual movements in this weekly abundance animation from eBird.

Tree Swallow Weekly Abundance throughout its range (animation from eBird)

See this map for yourself at eBird Status and Trends > Tree Swallow > Weekly Abundance.

Yesterday at Frick Park: Blue Things and Cuckoos

July 29, 2024Insects, SongbirdsKate St. John

Chickory opening slowly as the sun gets higher, Frick, 28 July 2024 (photo by Kate St. John)

29 July 2024

Yesterday there were just four of us on the walk at Lower Frick Park. Charity Kheshgi took the picture so she’s not in it.

Small group at the Frick Park outing at Commercial Street, 28 July 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

Of all the things we saw, a surprising number of them were blue. Chickory was just opening in the morning sun. We saw and heard two indigo buntings.

Indigo bunting still singing at Frick Park, 28 July 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

Ebony jewelwing damselflies were courting above the creek. The female jewelwings looked blueish.

Ebony jewelwing, female, Frick Park, 28 July 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

The males glowed iridescent emerald green.

Male ebony jewelwing, Frick, 28 July 2024 (photo by John Dzikiy)

Best Insect Experiment:

On the way upstream I found two funnel spider webs hiding behind the boardwalk railing. Not a great picture but it shows the hole where the spider is hiding. I have never been able to fool a spider by touching its web so I didn’t even try.

Funnel spider lair. It’s hiding in that hole, Frick Park, 28 July 2024 (photo by Kate St. John)

On the way back we saw red nymph spotted lanternflies. Of course this invasive insect is expendable so … Would the spider come out if we dropped one on his web? Indeed he did and he was fast! He zipped out, stung(?) the nymph, hid for a moment and then raced out and carried the nymph back to his lair.

Best Bird: On the same outing a year ago we saw one yellow-billed cuckoo by the creek. Yesterday we heard two but did not see them. If I had to pick a Best Bird I’d say it was either an indigo bunting or scarlet tanager.

Scarlet tanager, Frick Park, 28 July 2024 (photo by John Dzikiy)

Our checklist is below. View it online here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S189301480

Frick Park–Nine Mile Run, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, Jul 28, 2024 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
1.7 miles, 23 species, 4 participants

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) 2 Heard
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 3
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 4
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) 4
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 6
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 5
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 15
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 3
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 5
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 3
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 1
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 2
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 4
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 2

(photos by Kate St. John, Charity Kheshgi and John Dzikiy)

Yesterday at Duck Hollow: A Powdered Dancer

July 8, 2024Insects, SongbirdsKate St. John

Powdered dancer damselfly, Duck Hollow, 7 July 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

8 July 2024

Eight of us gathered yesterday morning, 7 July, to look for birds at Duck Hollow. Alas, I forgot to take a group photo.

It was hot.

We stuck to the shade and saw two fly-by ospreys and a host of juvenile songbirds. We also saw a Best Insect — the powdered dancer (Argia moesta) damselfly pictured above — and a Best Mammal sighting of two juvenile muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) swimming in Nine Mile Run creek.

We learned about the immature plumage of northern rough-winged swallows (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) when several perched on a wire and one turned its back. Through binoculars you can identify immature birds by their reddish-brown wing bars. Click here to see.

Juvenile northern rough-winged swallow, Duck Hollow, 7 July 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

We also saw two juvenile northern mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) — a first for me.

Juvenile northern mockingbird, Duck Hollow, 7 July 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

In 90 minutes we tallied 23 species. It was hot and getting hotter so we went home.

Duck Hollow, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, US
Jul 7, 2024 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
23 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 30 — Youngsters w adults. Adults flightless.
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 6
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) 15
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 1
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 1
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) 2
Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) 1
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) 3
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) 14 — At least 3 immatures
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 3
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 4 — Two juvenile birds
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 12
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 6
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 3
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 5
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S185899887

Thanks to Charity Kheshgi for the photos.

Sounds Like A Bug

June 25, 2024Migration, SongbirdsKate St. John

Clay-colored sparrow singing in Minnesota (photo by Lorie Shaull via Flickr Creative Commons license)

25 June 2024

Today I’m with a group of friends looking for a bird that sounds like a bug in Clarion County, PA.

We’re at Piney Tract, State Gamelands 330, where we expect to hear — and maybe see — grasshopper, field, Henslow’s and song sparrows.

Piney Tract, Clarion County, 1 June 2017 (photo by Kate St. John)

Many grassland sparrows sound like bugs — hence the name “grasshopper” sparrow — but the bird we’re looking for is a clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida) who sounds like this:

This bird is special because he’s outside his normal range.

Here’s one in North Dakota.

Clay-colored sparrow in North Dakota (photo from Wikimedia Commons)

Dan Mendenhall saw the bird last Friday so we stand a good chance of finding it. See Dan’s photo here.

Seen On Laurel Mountain

June 15, 2024Phenology, Plants & Fungi, SongbirdsKate St. John

Canada warbler, Laurel Mtn, 9 June 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

15 June 2024

During spring warbler migration I try to see as many species as possible as they pass through Pennsylvania and Ohio. Unfortunately, I missed some of my favorites this year, most notably the Canada warbler (Cardellina canadensis), so Charity Kheshgi and I went to Laurel Mountain last Sunday to find them on their breeding grounds.

The air was filled with veery (Catharus fuscescens) songs when we arrived at Laurel Summit State Park.

We thought we’d be able to see at least one of the two Canada warblers we heard singing along Spruce Bog Trail, but not. However, we got lucky on the Picnic Trail when the bird pictured above and below approached us making his warning call.

Here’s an example of what he sounded like:

There was plentiful shade in the forest, but that made the birds harder to see. This ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) is nicely lit but still in the dark.

Ovenbird, Laurel Mtn, 9 June 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

We found other delights on the mountain. A tiger swallowtail butterfly sipped nectar from pitcher plant flowers at Spruce Bog.

Tiger swallowtail at pitcher plant flowers, Spruce Bog, Laurel Mtn, 9 June 2024 (photo by Kate St. John)

Pennsylvania’s state flower, mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), was in bloom.

Mountain laurel in bloom, Laurel Summit State Park, 9 June 2024 (photo by Kate St. John)

This trillium gone to seed showed well in dappled sunlight.

Trillium gone to seed, Laurel Mtn, 9 June 2024 (photo by Kate St. John)

We heard more birds than we could see, ultimately tallying 24 species in our checklist here.

Little Bird Attacks Big

June 11, 2024Bird Behavior, Peregrines, SongbirdsKate St. John

Blue-gray gnatcatcher attacks peregrine fledgling, Cleveland Zoo, June 2021 (photo by Chad+Chris Saladin)

11 June 2024

During the breeding season birds try to drive predators away from their nests and young. Though small birds aren’t equipped with sharp beaks and talons, they relentlessly dive bomb raptors to make them leave the area.

In June 2021, Chad+Chris Saladin filmed a pair of blue-gray gnatcatchers (Polioptila caerulea) attacking a recently fledged young peregrine at the Cleveland Zoo. Gnatcatchers are really small so they barely ruffle a peregrine’s feathers.

Blue-gray gnatcatcher (photo by Steve Gosser)

But the young peregrine was so new to flying that she wanted to stay put for a while. One of the gnatcatchers pecked her head. “Hey!”

Blue-gray gnatcatcher attacking peregrine fledgling, Cleveland Zoo, June 2021 (photo by Chad+Chris Saladin)

Watch the encounter in this video by Chad+Chris Saladin. Chris explains what’s going on to passersby.

(video embedded from Chad +Chris Saladin on YouTube)

You may see chickadees attack blue jays, blue jays attack crows and red-winged blackbirds attack just about anything. This is the time of year when Little attacks Big.

UPDATE on the Pitt Peregrines: Yesterday, 10 June 2024, I was happy to find all four peregrines at the Cathedral of Learning at 12:15pm. Ecco was on camera on the green perch, Carla was on a stone peak at 38NW, one of the juvies was eating on the southwest dining ledge (approx 28th floor) and the other was on a grommet at 25SE. (The adults never perch on the grommets.) The Pitt peregrine juvies have been flying for more than a week now and are learning valuable skills.

Crowded Nest But A Mother Can Dream

June 7, 2024Nesting & Courtship, SongbirdsKate St. John

Sitting Room Nuthatches have a full house, 30 May 2024 (screenshot from WildlifeKate (@katemacrae)

7 June 2024

We last caught up with WildlifeKate’s (@katemacrae) Sitting Room Nuthatches just after their eggs hatched on 13 May. You may remember them as the tenants who yanked out the decorations, added mud to the walls, and filled the room with dried leaves at Gwyllt Hollow, Wales.

By 30 May the youngsters had grown so large that the apartment was very, very crowded.

The nuthatch tenant are realising this studio apartment is just not big enough for the whole family! Dreaming of bigger spaces, Nora looks longingly out of the entrance, dreaming of the day when she doesn't have all her current responsibilities…#GwylltHollow #NuthatchNinjas pic.twitter.com/2t0FhXKPT4
— WildlifeKate (@katemacrae) May 30, 2024

The crowding didn’t last long. They all left the nest.

screenshot from Live Feed of Sitting Room Nuthatches on 7 June 2024 (from WildlifeKate (@katemacrae)

From harried mother to empty nest, the kids grow up so fast!

p.s. these are Eurasian nuthatches (Sitta europaea).

Seen This Week

June 1, 2024Nesting & Courtship, SongbirdsKate St. John

Kentucky warbler, Harrison Hills Park, 27 May 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

1 June 2024

This week was “All Peregrines All The Time” with a notable exception.

On Memorial Day Charity Kheshgi and I wanted to see a Kentucky warbler (Geothlypis formosa) so we went to Harrison Hills Park where they breed. It didn’t take long to hear one singing in an extensive thicket along the Pond Trail but we could not see him. We waited patiently for him to appear.

What an elusive bird! We never saw him fly from one end of the thicket to the other though he did it many times. He even flew, unseen, over the trail we were standing on. We must have waited half an hour before we got a glimpse of him in the shadows.

And then he perched and sang (photo at top). Ta dah! A Life Bird Photo for Charity.

We also saw an eastern wood-pewee (Contopus virens) building a nest.

Eastern wood-pewee with nesting material, Harrison Hills Park, 27 May 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

She had already decorated the exterior with lichen …

Eastern wood-pewee nest in progress, Harrison Hills Park, 27 May 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

… and was now working on the nest lining. She placed material inside the cup and used her belly to form the interior.

Eastern wood-pewee building nest, Harrison Hills Park, 27 May 2024 (photo by Charity Kheshgi)

Her mate sang “Pee Wee” in the woods nearby.

Birds of the World says the “female often gives a plaintive, two-noted wee-ooo when nest building” but we didn’t hear that sound. She was busy.

The Tenants Have a Family

May 17, 2024Nesting & Courtship, SongbirdsKate St. John

banner from Gwyllt Hollow Sitting Room Nuthatches

17 May 2024

In early April WildlifeKate (@katemacrae) introduced us to a pair of Eurasian nuthatches (Sitta europaea) who were remodeling a nestbox she’d provided at Gwyllt Hollow in southern Wales.

The sitting room was beautiful before they yanked out the decorations, added mud to the walls, and filled the room with dried leaves up to the chair rail.