Nature & Wildlife

Winter doesn’t technically start until next month, but Mother Nature sure has another plan for Northern New England. In other posts, I have mentioned that we have been in Maine for five years this November. We have never had snow on the ground for Thanksgiving. Maybe some ice, but never any snow. It feels more like Christmas than Thanksgiving. Anyway, here are a few photographs that I took from during yet another one of our snow storms. I took a few photographs of the birds braving the snow and I also took a few photos of the snow falling throughout the day. It ended in the early evening and all was quiet and peaceful again.

It seems like we have been getting snow daily lately. This cold weather has been something and it isn’t even December yet! It is supposed to be a beautiful sunshine filled Thanksgiving and 12 degrees Fahrenheit. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday – keep warm out there!

Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis)

Dark-eyed junco

White-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Red-breasted nuthatch (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

Dark-eyed junco

Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

White-throated sparrow

Blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

White-throated sparrow

Downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

White-throated sparrow

Northern cardinal

Snow covered eastern white pines (Pinus strobus)

Snow covered birch (Betula) and beech trees (Fagaceae)

Falling snow in the backyard.

Here is a short video of the snow tapering down:

Apple trees (Malus pumila) after the falling snow.

Clear skies after the falling snow.

A late afternoon sky.

A few days before today, we had some snowfall followed by freezing rain, wind and bitter cold. We are expecting a pretty significant amount of snow and I wanted to get outside to photograph a few spots around the yard before they are covered under a blanket of snow. I always enjoy these times, because it’s like nature knows what is about to happen and everything seems to quiet down and become peaceful. Blizzards on the other hand, are a whole other story. There is a sort of energy in the air. Before a blizzard is a time for making sure all of your emergency supplies are in order and you are prepared to live without power for a lengthy period of time. This snow storm isn’t going to be anything close to that, so I figured I spend the day in the great outdoors with my camera. The following photographs are of various highlights of my afternoon outside.

The sun before the storm.

This is what the driveway looks like after our first significant snow storm. There is always a layer of ice below and on top of the snow. This happens every year and this will remain on the driveway until May.

A close-up of the ice.

This is snow in the backyard, covered with a layer of ice.

A beech leaf in the snow (Fagaceae).

An ice covered beech leaf.

Apple trees in the backyard (Malus pumila).

The garage with a snow covered roof

After photographing the backyard, I decided to see what kind of wildlife photographs I could take. Here are just a few of our visitors.

One of my three daily American red squirrel visitors (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus).

Blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)

Downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

White-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Tufted titmouse

Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura)

White-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

Tufted titmouse

Mourning dove

Black-capped chickadee

American goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

After I photographed some wildlife, I decided to see what was going on with the stream. As the cold weather approaches, the stream will become ice and snow covered.

I thought the water looked photo-worthy and I went back into the house to get the tripod and here are a few photographs that I had taken.

(f/8, 1/15th sec., ISO 100)

(f/22, 0.6 sec., ISO 100)

(f/18, 1/2 sec., ISO 100)

(f/29, 0.8 sec., ISO 100)

(f/8, 1/15th sec., ISO 100)

(f/22, 1 sec., ISO 100)

Here is a short video of the stream:

If the weather isn’t too bad, I’ll be out taking more photographs from around the yard while it’s snowing and I hope to share those as well.

Many of our migratory species of birds have left Maine for the winter. We have seen many species of resident and varying-distance migratory birds making their way back to the area. October is also a wonderful month to observe migratory birds on their journeys back to their winter destinations. This fall has been especially wonderful for observing warblers. I have seen many different types of these birds and few have even been frequent visitors at the feeders. In this post, I would like to share a few photographs of the species of birds that I have seen this month. I will also include some migration information about them.

The red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) is a small songbird that is often a permanent resident, short-distance migrant or irruptive species if its food supply fails.

This individual has shown up a couple of weeks ago and has been very amusing so far. I believe it is a young bird and it has been quite vocal and not shy around people. This nuthatch has been the first and last bird at the feeders each day. We can usually expect there to be about three to four of these birds at the feeders during the fall and winter.

The tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) is a small year-round resident songbird in the tit and chickadee family (Paridae). These birds are also quite vocal and frequent visitors at the feeders.

The common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) is a large and colorful blackbird that is a resident or short-distance migrant.

This photograph is one of three grackles that showed up at the feeders. These birds usually show up in great numbers and take over the feeders during the summer. These three birds kept to themselves and weren’t aggressive toward the other birds at all. Perhaps, this was because, there were so few of them and they were outnumbered by the other birds.

Dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) are a species of juncos. These birds are a resident to medium-distance migrant. Juncos that breed in Canada and Alaska migrate to the southern United States during the winter.

These birds usually show up in flocks along with the black-capped chickadees.

The hairy woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus) is a medium-sized resident woodpecker. Birds from some northern populations may wander away from their home range during winter. Birds that breed inland or at high elevations may move to the coast or to lower elevations during some winters.

This woodpecker shows up everyday. Her male offspring shows up everyday as well.

The blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is a passerine bird in the family (Corvidae), native to North America. These birds are a resident or short-distance migrant.

The blue jays seem to come and go during the spring and summer. The young birds have been showing up quite frequently to the feeders as well as eating left over apples on the apple trees.

The chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina)) is a species of American sparrow and a short-distance migrant.

I haven’t seen many of these birds in the yard since we’ve been here until now.

The white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) is a passerine bird of the American sparrow that is a short to medium-distance migrant. Even though these sparrows are found in the Northeast year-round, the birds that breed here tend to leave in fall and are replaced by wintering birds that bred farther north.

I usually see one male that sings his heart out during spring and summer. I didn’t see any of these sparrows until a couple of weeks ago. There are now quite a few at the feeders and in the yard.

The European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a chunky and medium-sized resident to short-distance migrant.

These bird usually show up in great numbers during the summer and take over the lawn. This month there were about three coming to the feeder and they weren’t aggressive toward the other birds at all, which is usually the case.

The white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is a small songbird of the nuthatch family and is a year-round resident.

There have been three of these birds frequenting the feeders. This is about the same number every year.

The American goldfinch (Spinus tristis) is a small short-distance migrant in the finch family found in North America. These birds are erratic migrants that follow cone crops.

There have been a few of these birds this visiting this month, but I expect to see more during the winter.

The purple finch (Haemorhous purpureus) is a bird in the finch family.

I have seen many more females this season than usual.

The purple finch (Haemorhous purpureus) is a resident to short-distance migrant.

There have been quite a few of these birds showing up to the feeders this season.

The downy woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) is a resident woodpecker and the smallest in North America.

These birds usually don’t show up as much as the hairy woodpeckers, but they will be looking for suet very soon.

The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is a year-round resident bird that is also known informally as the redbird, common cardinal or just a cardinal.

I find it very strange that we haven’t had these birds on a regular basis. We have always seen several of these birds in all of the places we have lived. I have seen one juvenile male the whole time we have lived here. This male stayed for a couple of minutes and I haven’t seen him since.

The northern flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a medium-sized bird of the woodpecker family. These birds are a year-round resident or short-distance migrant. Flickers will leave the northern parts of their range to winter in the southern U.S.

I will see quite a few of these birds in the yard for a couple of weeks in October and then they will be gone.

The black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is a small, nonmigratory, North American songbird and the state bird of Maine.

These birds will come to the feeders, take a black sunflower seed and then fly away. This will go on all day long.

The mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) is a year-long resident and member of the dove family, (Columbidae).

These birds are always here in the yard or at the feeders in great numbers.

The yellow-rumped warbler (Setophaga coronata) is a North American bird species.

The yelllow-rumped warbler (Setophaga coronata) is a short to long-distance migrant. Populations migrate to wintering grounds in Mexico and throughout Central America.

I had seen an adult male earlier in the spring. I have also seen quite a few juveniles this month and there is one coming to the feeders on a regular basis now.

The palm warbler (Setophaga palmarum) is a small songbird of the New World warbler family.

The palm warbler (Setophaga palmarum) is a medium-distance migrant.

I have never seen this type of warbler before. They have been spending a lot of time in the backyard.

Resource used for this post:

allaboutbirds.org

The black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), is a common sight in the woods and at backyard feeders here throughout the state of Maine. Even though the black-capped chickadee is a non-migratory bird, I have found that they do leave the property and feeders for a short time during the late summer. These birds will leave around the end of July and make their way back to the property around the end of August or beginning of September. We have been here for almost five years now and this happens every year. I have never observed this behavior from these birds anywhere else that I have lived. They could be seen or heard all year-round. This pattern of behavior is most likely due to reasons, such as territory, breeding patterns and the availability of food sources. I do miss their coming to the feeders for this short time during the summer, but I am very glad when they return. They are now back in the yard and have also been frequenting the feeders. I try not to take their absence personally, I suppose this is just how nature works. They are back and doing a wonderful job of cleaning me out of birdseed! It was getting rather quiet around here without their energetic presence. In this post, I would like to share some information about these cheerful songbirds.

The black-capped chickadee was designated the official state bird of Maine in 1927. These birds are also the state bird of Massachusetts and the provincial bird of New Brunswick.

The black-capped chickadee is a passerine bird in the titmice family (Paridae).

Black-capped chickadees are wide spread in North America. They can be found from coast to coast, including most of Canada and the northern two thirds of the United States.

The black-capped chickadee is a small bird about 4 to 5 inches in length, with a short neck and a large head, giving it a distinctive spherical shape. This bird has a short beak, short rounded wings with a wingspan of 6 to 7 inches and a long and narrow tail. The males and females looks alike, but the males are slightly longer than the females.

Black-capped chickadees have a black cap and bib, white cheeks, chest and belly. The back is a soft gray, the wing feathers are gray edged with white and the underparts are a soft and buff color on the sides. The cap extends beyond the eyes, making the eyes a bit tricky to see.

Black-capped chickadees consume insects, spiders, berries, suet and seeds (especially sunflower seeds at feeders) make up the majority of their diet. These birds will seldom remain at feeders and grab a seed to eat elsewhere. They will forage for food by hopping from twigs and branches and collect food from a surface, often hanging upside down to reach the underside of branches to eat insects, larvae, caterpillars and spiders it finds or catches insects in mid-air. They sometimes store food under bark or lichen to recover later.

During the winter, vegetable matter, including seeds and fruit, makes up about half of their diet, but that decreases to 10-20% during warmer months. During the summer, caterpillars become an increasingly important part of their diet. They have also been seen scavenging fat from carrion.

Black-capped chickadees can be found in a variety of habitats. These birds can be found in deciduous or mixed woodlands and coniferous forests. They are common in forest edges, parks, yards, wetlands, willow thickets, cottonwood groves and disturbed areas.

Northern populations of black-capped chickadees must withstand short days and very cold temperatures during winter. Under these conditions, individuals go into torpor. This lowers their body temperature at night and they enter regulated hypothermia, saving significant amounts of their energy. In addition, they have exceptional spatial memory to relocate stored food.

The voice of the black-capped chickadee is a clear chick-a-dee-dee-dee or dee-dee-dee. The song is a clear whistle, fee-bee-ee or fee-bee and the first note is higher. Males will begin singing in mid-January and the song increases in frequency as winter progresses. Females may also sing occasionally. The contact call is a sharp chik or tsik, often leading into a chick-a-dee call. Chickadee nestlings make an explosive hiss and slap the inside of their nest cavities when an intruder is present.

Black-capped chickadees are monogamous and will form long-term pair bonds. They are cavity-nesters and may use existing woodpecker cavities or other natural holes. Individuals can also supply nesting boxes for these birds. These birds will also excavate or enlarge their own cavities in rotten wood. Both sexes excavate, but only the female builds the nest. The female will start the foundation with moss and it is lined with soft hair. The female will incubates 6 to 8 eggs for 12 to 13 days. The male brings the female food during this time. In the first few days after the young hatch, the female broods the young almost continuously. As the young grow, the female will join the male in providing food for the young. Fledglings leave the nest at about 16 days, but stay in the breeding territory for another 3-4 weeks before heading off on their own. There is normally 1 brood per year.

Black-capped chickadees are non-migratory. These birds live in pairs during the spring and summer. In the fall and winter, they will live in small flocks of six to ten individuals. These flocks are very territorial and will chase intruders away.

Resources used for this post:

allaboutbirds.org & audubon.org

The weather here in Maine has been around the mid 50s to 60s and we have even experienced a few enjoyable nights in the 30s. The humidity hasn’t left us though and this past Wednesday was especially hot and humid. We had a bit of rain the day before and it felt as though summer had returned. It was in the mid 70’s, partly cloudy and extremely humid. I was doing a few things around the house and I spotted a few wild turkeys in the backyard. I went upstairs to see if I could get a better view and upon further investigation, I discovered there was quite a sizable flock.

I had to grab my camera of course and hoped to get a few photographs. I made my way outside, trying to make as little noise as possible and took as many photographs as I could. The turkeys didn’t seem too concerned with me and I started clicking away. Usually, I don’t have such luck and these birds always head for the woods as soon as I get outside. I usually have to settle with taking pictures through the windows. The flock consisted of hens and juveniles and I was hoping they didn’t feel my presence as a territorial threat. I used the fence as a blind, but I’m pretty sure they knew I there and they still didn’t leave. At one point, the turkeys were only about 20 feet from the fence. The flock spent the whole day here for the most part foraging, preening themselves and enjoying the here and there sun with the passing clouds. We have had many flocks of turkeys come through the property, but never here all day. They stuck to the same pattern all day, after foraging and preening, they would go into the woods and then make their way back out into the lawn. At the end of the day, they made their way back into the woods.

This went on all day and I was able to take many photographs and some video. My lens kept fogging up, because of the humidity. I had to keep wiping my lens frequently, but I think I was able to get a few good shots. In this post I would like to share these photographs and video with you as well as some information on the wild turkey.

The wild turkey is North America’s largest year-round game bird. They are found in 49 of the 50 states (all except Alaska). They can be seen from southern Canada to southern Mexico.

Wild turkeys are very large and plump birds with long legs, wide, rounded tails and a small head on a long, slim neck. Adult males can weigh from 11 to 24 pounds and measure 39–49 inches in length. The adult female is typically much smaller than the males, weighing between 5.5–11 pounds and 30 to 37 inches long.

Wild turkeys have a dark overall bronze-green iridescence to most of their body feathers. The wings are dark and blackish and boldly barred with white. Their rump and tail feathers are broadly tipped with a rusty color or white and the legs are grayish-green. The bare skin of the head and neck will vary in color from red to blue to gray.

The male’s feathers have areas of red, purple, green, copper, bronze and gold iridescence. Adult male are called toms or gobblers and they have a large, featherless, reddish head, red throat and red wattles on the throat and neck. The head has fleshy growths called caruncles. The long fleshy object over a male’s beak is called a snood. Each foot has three toes in the front, with a shorter, rear-facing toe in back; males have a spur behind each of their lower legs. They will typically have a “beard,” this a tuft of coarse hair consisting of modified feathers and grows from the center of the breast. The juvenile males are called jakes.

Females are called hens and have feathers that are duller overall, in shades of brown and gray. In some populations, females have a beard, but it is usually shorter and thinner than that of the male. A juvenile female is called a jenny.

Wild turkeys prefer mature mixed conifer and hardwood forests especially such as oak (Quercus), hickory (Carya), or beech (Fagus), with varying openings such as pastures, fields, orchards and seasonal marshes. They can be seen along roads and in backyards with woods. They also require grassy openings and hay and pasture lands for raising young.

Wild turkeys mostly forage by walking on the ground. These birds travel in flocks and search on the ground for nuts, berries, insects and snails. They often scratch in leaf litter to expose food. They will sometimes climb in shrubs or trees to eat berries. They will forage most actively in the early morning and evening.

Wild turkeys have excellent eyesight, acute hearing and are good fliers, although they often walk or run from a source of danger. Despite their weight, wild turkeys, unlike the domesticated turkey, are quite agile fliers. In ideal habitats of open woodland or wooded grasslands, they can fly beneath the canopy and find places to perch. They can fly up to 60 miles per hour and a distance of 1 mile. At night, turkeys fly up into trees to roost in groups.

Wild turkeys have many vocalizations, gobbles, clucks, putts, purrs, yelps, cutts, whines, cackles, and kee-kees. In early spring, males older than 1-year-old gobble to announce their presence to females and competing males. The gobble can carry for up to a mile. Males also emit a low-pitched drumming sound. They also produce a sound known as the spit, this is a sharp expulsion of air that comes from an air sack. Hens will yelp to let toms know their location.

In the early spring, male wild turkeys gather in clearings to perform courtship displays. They will puff up their body feathers, flare their tails into a vertical fan and strut slowly while giving a gobbling call.

Male wild turkeys are polygamous and will mate with as many hens as they can. They can may be seen courting in groups, often with the dominant male gobbling, spreading its tail feathers (strutting), while drumming/booming and spitting. Their heads and necks are colored brilliantly with red, blue and white. The color may change with the turkey’s mood, with a solid white head and neck being the most excited. Courtship begins during the months of March and April, which is when turkeys are also still flocking together in winter areas.

When mating is finished, females will begin to search for nesting sites. Nests are shallow dirt depressions covered with woody vegetation. Hens lay a clutch of 10–14 eggs, usually one per day. The eggs are white to pale buff in color, dotted with reddish brown. The eggs are incubated for at least 28 days. The downy young called poults are precocial and leave the nest in about 12–24 hours.

Predators of eggs and nestlings include raccoons (Procyon lotor), Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), spotted skunks (Spilogale ssp.), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), groundhogs (Marmota monax) as well as other rodents. Predators of poults in addition to nestlings and eggs also include several snakes species, including rat snakes (Elaphe ssp.), gopher snakes (Pituophis catenifer) and pinesnakes (Pituophis ssp.). Predators of poults include raptors such as bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), barred owl (Strix varia), red-shouldered (Buteo lineatus), red-tailed (Buteo jamaicensis), white-tailed (Geranoaetus albicaudatus) and Harris’s hawks (Parabuteo unicinctus) as well as the Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperii) and broad-winged hawk (Buteo platypterus).

Predators of both adults and poults include coyotes (Canis latrans) gray wolves, (Canis lupus), bobcats (Lynx rufus), cougars (Puma concolor), golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) and possibly American black bears (Ursus americanus). In addition to poults, hens and adult-sized fledglings can be vulnerable to predation by great horned owls (Bubo virginianus), northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), domestic cats (Felis catus) and the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Humans have now become the leading predator of adult wild turkeys.

When approached by potential predators, wild turkeys and their poults will usually run away rather than fly away from potential predators. They may also fly short distances if pressed. Sometimes, if cornered, adult turkeys may try to fight off predators. Large male toms can be especially aggressive while defending themselves. When fighting off predators, turkeys may kick with their legs, using the spurs on their back of the legs as a weapon, bite with their beak and ram with their relatively large bodies and may be able to deter predators up to the size of mid-sized mammals. They also have been seen to chase off humans as well. After being hunted out of large parts of their range, wild turkey populations are increasing once again.

Here are a couple of short videos of the visiting wild turkeys:

Resources used for this post:

allaboutbirds.org & audubon.org

Late August through October is a perfect time to observe new birds as they migrate to their winter homes. A couple of days ago, I spotted a pair of common yellowthroats in one of the front gardens and was able to take a few photographs. I believe this male is pretty young, as his black mask is still developing and the other warbler was a female. The common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), is a New World warbler. These small songbirds have olive backs, wings and tails, as well as yellow throats, chests and white bellies. They have chunky, rounded heads and medium-length, slightly rounded tails.

I usually see these birds around the yard much sooner during the summer and I thought I had missed my chance before they begin to migrate. These warblers enjoy the diverse vegetation that our yard provides. These birds forge low to the ground and inhabit areas with dense undergrowth. I have seen males in the backyard among the raspberry and blackberry bushes as well as the side and front gardens. I have seen the females in the same places as the males, but at the feeders as well. In this post, I would like to share a few photographs and some background information on these fascinating birds.

Common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas), can be found in North America, ranging from southern Canada to central Mexico.

Common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), males have a distinctive black face mask with a white border at the top and a bright yellow throat that extends into its breast. It is yellow below to under the tail, with a solid olive back.

Female common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas), are plain olive brown in color, with the same yellow brightening the throat and under the tail as the males, but lack the black mask.

You can find the common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), typically inhabiting cattail marshes and other wet habitats with low dense growth. These birds nest in briars, moist brushy areas, tangles of rank weeds and shrubbery along streams and overgrown fields. During migration and winter, they are still commonly found in marshes, but also occur in any kind of brushy or wooded area.

Common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas), will spend much of their time searching low on the ground in dense thickets and fields, searching for mostly insects. They feed mainly on insects, including small grasshoppers, dragonflies, damselflies, mayflies, beetles, grubs, cankerworms and other caterpillars, moths, flies, ants, aphids, spiders and a few seeds.

The male common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas), have a very distinctive, rolling wichety-wichety-wichety song.

Both sexes of common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas), give a full-sounding chuck note that is easy to recognize.

Common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas), are mostly monogamous. Females appear to prefer males with larger masks. Breeding habitats are in marshes and other wet areas with dense low vegetation The female selects the nest site and builds a cup-shaped nest, which is usually within 3 feet off the ground in vegetation such as shrubs or grasses. The female will lay 3-5 eggs. Eggs are in incubated by the female only and eggs will hatch after 10 days. Both parents feed the young for at least 2 weeks. They will usually raise 2 broods a season. When the first brood leaves, the female will start the second brood and the male feeds the fledglings.

Routes of migration can vary based on the season and location of common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas). During fall migration, from August to October, common yellowthroats in Canada, Western, Eastern and Central U.S. and regions outside of the United States will all have unique migration routes. Some populations in the southern United States and Mexico will stay year-round. Many individuals that winter in Central America fly across the Gulf of Mexico on their way north in the spring. When migrating in the fall months, adults and immature birds tend to arrive at their migration destinations around the same time. Migration differences in timing and routes are also seen during the spring months from early February to late May across the United States, Canada and other areas. Males will generally arrive at their destination site before the females during the spring migration.

Resources used for this post:

allaboutbirds.org & audubon.org

Whether out in the field or at feeders, it can be quite difficult to tell the difference between the female purple finch (Haemorhous purpureus) and female rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus). The purple finch is often mistaken for the rose-breasted grosbeak. Perhaps this is due to their sharing similar coloring as they do not share the same bright colors as the males. Hopefully, with further research into their field markings and behavior, we will be able to distinguish between the two species.

As previously mentioned, the male purple finch and the male rose-breasted grosbeak are quite easy to tell apart due to their bright coloring. The females are far less colorful, so we will have to explore other differences.

Male purple finch

Female purple finch

Male rose-breasted grosbeak

Female rose-breasted grosbeak

A female purple finch on the left and a female rose-breasted grosbeak on the right.

Size & Shape

The female purple finch is a stocky bird (4.5-6.5 in, 12-16 cm). They have large heads, short tails that are notched at the tip and a medium-length wing. The gray bill is stout and powerful and is larger compared to the bills of other sparrows. The female rose-breasted grosbeak is a medium-sized songbird (7-8 in, 18-21 cm). These birds are stocky with a large head and very large pinkish-colored triangular bills. They are broad-chested, with a short neck and the tail is squared and medium in length.

Color Patterns

The female purple finch is coarsely streaked on the chest, sides, flanks and lower belly. These finches also have strong facial markings including a whitish eyestripe and a dark line down the side of the throat. They also have nondescript wingbars-like markings. The female rose-breasted grosbeak and immature grosbeaks are heavily streaked on the chest, sides and flanks that fade to a mostly white lower belly. They have a bold whitish stripe over the eye. Females will flash a yellowish-color under the wings and show white patches in the wings and tail. They also have two white wingbars.

Voice and Sound

The call of the purple finch is a short, whistled phrase similar to a vireo song tweeyoo. The female rose-breasted grosbeak gives a short, sharp, penetrating squeaky iik sound, sometimes compared to the sound of a sneaker on a gym floor. They also give a harsh and repeated squawk when alarmed. While in flight, the call is a soft and wheezy wheek sound.

Habitat

Purple finches can be found in woods, groves and suburbs. They breed mainly in coniferous forests or mixed deciduous and coniferous woods. During the winter you can find them in a wider variety of habitats, including shrublands, old fields, forest edges and backyards. During migration and the winter, these birds can be found in a wide variety of wooded and semi-open areas, such as forests, suburbs, swamps and overgrown fields. Rose-breasted grosbeaks breed in eastern forests. They can be found in both deciduous and conifers trees. They are common in regenerating woodlands and often found along forest edges and in parks. During migration, they will frequent fruit trees to help fuel their flights to Central and South America.

Feeding Behavior

Purple finches forage for seeds and insects up in trees and shrubs, also in low weeds and sometimes on the ground. When not nesting, they may forage in small flocks. The diet of the purple finch includes seeds, buds, berries and insects. During the winter, their main source of food is seeds and includes the seeds of trees such as ash (Oleeae) and elm (Ulmaceae), as well as weed and grass seeds. They also eat buds of many different species of trees and many berries and small fruits. Their diet also consists of some insects such as caterpillars and beetles, mainly during the summer months. Young finches feed mostly on seeds. The rose-breasted grosbeak forages for food in shrubs and trees. They will hover and take insects from foliage or bark or catch insects in mid-air. Their diet consists of mostly insects, seeds, and berries. About half of their annual diet may be insects, including beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, true bugs, and others, also spiders and snails. They eat many seeds, including those of trees such as elms (Ulmaceae), and will sometimes eats buds and flowers. They may feed heavily on berries and small fruits during the late summer and fall.

Both finches and grosbeaks will visit feeders, but only the purple finch will be a year-round visitor here in Maine. In regard to attracting these two species, I have found that both species really enjoy black sunflower seeds at my feeders.

Migration

The purple finch is a short-distance migrant. Purple finches are unpredictable migrants that follow conifer cone crops. They will leave Canadian breeding grounds to winter widely across the Central and Southeastern United States, returning to specific regions roughly every other year. Birds that breed in the Northeastern United States and along the Pacific Coast may not migrate. The rose-breasted grosbeak is a long-distance migrant. Rose-breasted grosbeaks fly from North American breeding grounds to Central and northern South America. Most of them will fly across the Gulf of Mexico in a single night. Some migrate over land around the Gulf. Rose-breasted grosbeaks that winter in Panama and northern South America tend to be from eastern parts of the breeding range, while those wintering in Mexico and Central America tend to be from western parts.

I hope these points will help you to distinguish the differences between these two species. I also hope you have an easier time identifying them the next time you are observing them out in the field or enjoying them at your feeders.

Resources used for this post:

allaboutbirds.org, audubon.org & The Sibley Guide to Birds

The hummingbird moth belongs to the genus of sphinx moths (Hemaris), in the family (Sphingidae). While in the garden, individuals can easily mistake the familiar humming sound of these moths in flight for bumblebees or hummingbirds. Hummingbird moths beat their wings rapidly and hover over flowers to collect nectar. This moth looks almost identical to a hummingbird or bumblebee at first glance, but after you take a closer look, you will notice it is, in fact, a moth.

In this post, I would like to share a few photographs of a hummingbird moth visiting my flower gardens and some information about these moths to help you identify them. The next time you are out in the garden, I hope you will be able to distinguish between the hummingbird, bumblebee and hummingbird moth.

Hummingbird moths (Hemaris), are also called hawk moths, sphinx moths, clearwing moths, bee moths and bee-hawk moths. In their caterpillar stage, they are called hornworms.

Hummingbird moths (Hemaris), have plump barrel-shaped bodies that are covered by a thick coat of fur and have short tails that open into a fan. Individual’s coloration will significantly differ in variation. Often, the back side of the moth is olive to golden-olive in color on the thorax and burgundy to black with light olive to dark golden patches on the abdomen. The underside will be a white to yellow on the thorax and burgundy to black on the abdomen. Their wings are covered by scales and as some species begin to fly, they will lose many of these scales from patches on their wings, leaving a mostly clear wing with reddish-brown borders and veins. The antennae are thicker at their base and are curved at the ends. They have six legs that often dangle as they fly and feed.

The hummingbird moth (Hemaris), beats its wings quite rapidly and has a general wingspan of 4 to 5.5 centimeters. These moths have the ability to beat their wings almost as fast as hummingbirds at 70 beats per second and hover above flowers while searching for nectar. It can also fly up to 12 miles per hour, which is slower than a hummingbird, but still noticeably fast in a flower garden. They can hover, fly sideways or fly backwards.

The hummingbird moth (Hemaris), can be found in second-growth forests, meadows and generally in gardens and suburbs.

Hummingbird moths (Hemaris), have long tongues called proboscis or haustellum, that are curled up when the moth is not feeding.

The hummingbird moth (Hemaris), seeks out nectar from many plants such as bee balm (Monarda), phlox (Polemoniaceae), honeysuckle (Caprifoliaceae) and verbena (Verbenaceae). Some species are diurnal, meaning you will see them feeding during the day, particularly at dawn and dusk.

Hummingbird moths (Hemaris), tend not to fly away when approached. Every summer, while I’m out photographing these moths, I like to hold my hand out over them in order to feel the rapid beating of their wings. They don’t seem to mind my touch, as they are focused and busy flying from flower to flower.

Hummingbird moths (Hemaris), are abundant in the summer months. They are a migratory species and capable of traveling long distances. These moths are found in a large portion of North America, ranging from Alaska to Oregon in the west and from Newfoundland to Florida in the east.

There are about twenty species of chipmunks found in North America. Here in Maine, we have the eastern chipmunk (Tamius striatus). The other species of chipmunks are smaller, belong to the genus (Eutamias), and live in the West. The eastern chipmunk is a small, striped rodent, belonging to the squirrel family (Sciuridae). Every spring and summer we enjoy watching these critters as they chase each other around the property, especially in the pool area. They also keep the cat quite entertained for hours as he watches out the windows. Unfortunately, because of their antics, we have also had to save a few from drowning in the pool. I usually just scoop them out with my hands. During the past five years, we have lost two chipmunks due to drowning. We have since put towels on a couple corners of the pool in order to give them a chance to climb out to safety.

Another activity the chipmunks like to participate in, is stealing bird seed from the feeders. I don’t mind if they take the extra seeds that have fallen onto the ground or even a small amount from the feeders themselves, but these little thieves take way too much. I have one chipmunk in particular, that has become my favorite bird seed bandit. I believe it is a female, as she lets me get pretty close. We play the same game everyday. How many times do I have to open the door, before the chipmunk is in the feeders again? I usually end up bringing a few of them in earlier than usual. I have to bring the feeders in at night anyway, because of the squirrels.

This year, I put a cylinder feeder out for the birds that don’t like to come close to the house and this has especially been a favorite for this chipmunk. I have watched her empty the whole feeder in about two days. I watch her run back and forth in a comical way, with her cheeks totally full of seeds. This chipmunk is very cute, but very persistent. As I am writing this, I have had to get up several times already to get her off the feeders.

In this post, I would like to share some information about the eastern chipmunk and answer the questions, how much seed is this chipmunk storing for the winter and where is it taking all of it?

The Latin name for chipmunk means striped (striatus) and storer (Tamias).

Eastern chipmunks are about 5 to 6 inches long and weigh 2 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces. It has a reddish brown coat with one white stripe that runs down the center of the back in between two black stripes on each side that ends in a dark tail. The tail can be long, short, tapered or flat. If you observe closely, you may be able to recognize and identify your frequent visitors by their tail length and shape. The fur is lighter on the underside of its body. There is also a tawny-colored stripe that runs from its whiskers to below its ears. There are four toes each on the front legs and five toes on the hind legs. It also has two fewer teeth than other chipmunks species.

The eastern chipmunk prefers to live in open deciduous forests and at the edges of woodlands. Chipmunks can also be found in gardens, bushy areas and in rocky areas such as walls near houses and other structures.

Eastern chipmunks are known for storing their food so that they will have a large supply available to consume throughout the winter. They spend a great deal of time doing so, especially in the fall. Chipmunks will store more food than they need for the year. Chipmunks can store up to 8 pounds of seed for the winter.

Eastern chipmunks are mainly active during the day, spending most of its day foraging. Chipmunks are omnivores and most of their diet is made up of bulbs, seeds, acorns, fruits, berries, nuts, corn, green plants, mushrooms. It also eats insects, worms, snails, bird eggs and small mammals like mice.

Eastern chipmunks have large cheek pouches that allow them to transport their food for storage. These pouches can reach the size of their body when they are full. They empty their pouches by squeezing its cheeks with its paws.

Eastern chipmunks are not usually seen in the winter, because they spend a few months during this time hibernating underground. They don’t sleep all the way through the winter. They will retreat to their burrows and wake every few days. They raise their body temperatures to normal and feed on their stored food.

The burrow is also an important part of life for the eastern chipmunk (Tamius striatus). Burrows can be as simple as a single chamber or made up of several chambers. The burrow will have a nest and this where the chipmunk will sleep, give birth and hibernate. This area may also be where the chipmunk stores its food. Chipmunks may also dig additional storage chambers for the food they have gathered.

The eastern chipmunk lives a solitary life, except during the mating season. Chipmunks can have two breeding periods a year. The two breeding seasons are from February to April and from June to July. The female is pregnant for 31 days. They will have one or two litters of three to five young called pups. At birth, the pups are hairless and blind with transparent skin. As the pups develop, they remain underground. At 2 weeks, they will have fine and fuzzy hair. At 3 weeks, they can hear and at 4 weeks, they can see. When they are fully weaned at about 6 weeks old, they will start to venture out of their burrow. At this time, the mother will keep a watchful eye on her young and eventually the young chipmunks will disperse to find a food source and burrow.

The eastern chipmunk are very vocal and can be heard chattering as they gather food. They communicate with each other with chirping sounds and this increases when they feel threatened. They have several predators such as hawks, foxes, raccoons, weasels, snakes, bobcats, lynx and the domestic cat. Chipmunks can live three or more years in the wild and may live as long as eight years in captivity.

Here is a short video of my favorite bird seed bandit in action:

Resource used for this post:

Guide To Animal Tracking And Behavior by Donald & Lillian Stokes

A few mornings ago, I was drawing back the curtains in the kitchen window and I discovered something was out of place. I suppose when you do the same thing everyday, you just notice these things. Anyway, I looked a little closer and I spotted a juvenile broad-winged hawk (Buteo platypterus) in the front yard. I grabbed my camera and went outside to see if I could take a few photographs. I was expecting the hawk to fly away as soon as I went outside, but it stuck around for a bit. The following photographs were taken over two mornings. I believe the young hawk has moved on to a different location, because I haven’t had the chance to see it again.

The broad-winged hawk is a raptor belonging to the genus (Buteo).

The broad-winged hawk is a small and compact raptor and a little larger in size than a crow. Similar to most raptors, females are slightly larger than males. These hawks have chunky bodies and large heads. While in flight, their broad wings come to a distinct point. The tail is short and square. The young red-shouldered hawk is similar to the young broad-winged hawk, but the red-shouldered hawk is chunkier.

Adult broad-winged hawks have reddish-brown heads, barred underparts and broad black and white bands on their relatively short tail. The undersides of the wings are pale and are bordered in dark brown. Juveniles are a lighter brown with coarse streaking on the underparts, particularly on the sides of the breast and the tail is narrowly banded.

The voice of the broad-winged hawk is a piercing, thin and high whistle on one pitch.

Preferred habitats of the broad-winged hawk include dense deciduous and mixed woodlands, often near openings created by roads, trails or wetlands.

Broad-winged hawks are carnivores and the type of food they eat depends on availability. During the summer or nesting season, these hawks will consume chipmunks, shrews, voles, frogs, lizards and sometimes other nesting birds. In the winter, broad-winged hawks will eat insects, frogs, snakes, crabs and some small mammals. They can survive on the water found in their prey as they rarely require the need to drink water. These hawks will hunt from perches underneath the forest canopy and sometimes soar above the canopy or openings such as roadways.

Broad-winged hawks breed in large deciduous or mixed forests close to water throughout the eastern United States and southern Canada. The nest is constructed by both sexes, consisting of a small platform of sticks that is lined with soft materials. These hawks will also use pre-existing nests of other hawks, as well as the nests of crows and squirrels. The female will lay 2-3, sometimes 1-4 whitish eggs, that are usually spotted with brown. The female will incubate the eggs for 28-31 days. The male will bring food to the female during incubation. The female will remain with young almost constantly for the first 1-2 weeks after they hatch. The male brings food to the nest and the female feeds it to nestlings. The young hawks may climb out of nest onto nearby branches at about 4-5 weeks. At 5-6 weeks, the young hawks will learn how to fly and hunt.

During the summer, broad-winged hawks are distributed over eastern North America and as far west as British Columbia and Texas. These hawks migrate in flocks down south to winter from Mexico down to southern Brazil.

Resources used for this post:

allaboutbirds.org & audubon.org