Nature & Wildlife

A couple of years ago, we had a family of groundhogs take up residence under our shed in the backyard. You can read all about them here. I haven’t seen any of these family members until now. About a week ago, a groundhog found its way into the pool area. It squeezed under the fence door and walked around like it had been here before. The only groundhog that has ever come into this area is a groundhog from that family. Could it be the groundhog I call Rebel? Well, a couple of days later I found its tracks on the garage floor and discovered that it has taken up residence under the woodpile in the garage. The groundhog was also using the same burrow under the porch in the front that Rebel had used before moving on. I can’t be sure, but I think this might be the same groundhog from a couple of summers ago. It seems to be quite familiar with its surroundings and is repeating the same behavioral patterns. Here are a few photographs of the groundhog that I have taken during this past week.

A groundhog (Marmota monax), looking into the pool

A groundhog (Marmota monax), looking out from inside the fenced-in pool area

A groundhog (Marmota monax), inside the garage

A groundhog (Marmota monax), looking out from under wood pallets

Another view of a groundhog (Marmota monax), looking out from under a woodpile

A groundhog (Marmota monax), coming out from under a woodpile

A groundhog (Marmota monax), outside its temporary residence

An alert groundhog (Marmota monax)

A groundhog (Marmota monax), eating in the flower garden next to the front porch

A groundhog (Marmota monax), eating cilantro (Apiaceae), in my herb garden

A groundhog (Marmota monax), foraging for food during a rainstorm

A groundhog (Marmota monax), in the front yard

A groundhog (Marmota monax), eating grass (Poaceae), in the front yard

The back of a groundhog (Marmota monax), sitting upright in the grass

This has been quite an exciting season regarding our wildlife sightings. The pool area has been a hot spot in particular. Our first sighting involved seeing our first porcupine here on the property. On this particular evening, we were cleaning the pool and we heard something out in the woods. It was way too loud to be deer and was plowing through the tall grass like Godzilla. We saw that whatever it was, it was low to the ground and brownish in color. At this point is was getting dark and visibility was low and then, this animal began climbing one of the trees. With whatever light that was remaining, we discovered the animal was indeed a porcupine. It was totally oblivious to our being there and was eating away. I watched it for as long as the remaining light would allow for. We have yet to see it again and we will just have to savor this one experience.

Our second wildlife sighting was a bit more dramatic than the porcupine. This involved a ruckus coming from the pool area one night. To our horror, we found two skunks frantically trying to get out of the pool. Along with the visual drama of this event, the skunks had sprayed and what a stench! Before we could come up with a sort of rescue plan, the skunks were able to climb out of the pool on their own. I have watched our many chipmunks chase each other around the pool deck and somehow end up in the pool. I fear this is what had happened with the skunks, even though we have had plenty of skunks come through the pool area without any drama. We have since hung a couple of towels on two of the corners, hoping the animals will use this to aid in their climbing out of the pool. Hopefully the towels are working. I have only found a couple of frogs using the towels and no animals present in the pool.

Our next sighting and the point of this story, was of a a snowshoe hare. One morning I was working on the computer, that so happens to face the doors that lead out to the pool and a snowshoe hare was trying to squeeze under the fence to come into the pool area. Did I mention that there is a fence around the pool? Well this doesn’t mean anything to these animals and they have dug holes underneath the fence to get in or squeeze under the fence door. This is where we keep the garden and bird feeders, so this is where all the good stuff is. The hare was unable to fit under the fence and it simply moved on. The hare has taken up residence pretty close by, because I have been seeing it around for weeks now. This is pretty exciting, because we haven’t seen any evidence of rabbits or hares recently. We used to see tracks in the snow everywhere on the property and in the last few years, nothing. I hope the hare will stay around the property, as long as it sticks to eating the wild vegetation and not my vegetable and flower gardens!

This will bring me to my next point. Here in Maine, we have two rabbit-like species, the snowshoe hare and the eastern cottontail, a true rabbit. In this post, I will share some information about the snowshoe hare and then discuss a few differences between the snowshoe hare and the eastern cottontail.

There are eight species of snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) in North America, also known as the varying hare or snowshoe rabbit and is in the family (Leporidae), and the order (Lagomorphia) that includes rabbits, hares and pikas.

The snowshoe hare is active year-round. They can be found in North America from coast to coast. Hares inhibit areas with heavy snowfall and distribution includes Canada, New England the Appalachian Mountains, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Minnesota, Michigan and Montana.

Snowshoe hares can be found in boreal forests and upper forests located in mountains, preferably with a dense shrub layer.

A distinctive feature of the snowshoe hare is its large hind feet. It has the name “snowshoe,” because of the large size of its hind feet. The soles of the feet also has fur for protection against freezing temperatures. In deep snow, the hare’s feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks. The hare’s feet aid in supporting the hare in two ways. First, the hare is given an edge over larger predators. Second, with each new layer of snowfall, hares are able to reach higher branches for feeding.

The color of the snowshoe hare’s coat changes, giving it the sometimes name of the varying hare. For camouflage, during the autumn, the coat of the hare will change from a rusty brown into its winter white. Its flanks will remain white year round. This helps the hare blend in with the dried vegetation peeking out from the shallow snow. As winter progresses, its coat will turn all white except for its nose and ears, which will be tipped in black. Just the tips of the fur will turn white, while underneath will remain gray. In the spring, the hare’s coat will change back from white to brown. This coat change can take several weeks. This will occur not from the temperature change, but due to changes in the length of day.

Snowshoe hares are crepuscular to nocturnal, being most active at dusk and before dawn. They can be active during the day on occasion, but they are normally resting at this time.

From its home, the range of a snowshoe hare can be from about 15 to 30 acres. Hares will develop a network of well-developed trails through grasses and vegetation. In the early winter, these trails will be covered in light snow providing adequate camouflage. By late winter, hares will not frequent these trails as often and will prefer to remain in the more dense coverage provided by shrubbery or evergreens.

The snowshoe hare’s main defense is to sit still and attempt to remain unnoticed. Once discovered by prey, hares will attempt to find cover in another animals burrow, but will usually rely on their speed and leaping abilities.

Snowshoe hares can run up to 30 miles per hour and leap 12 feet at a bound. With an extensive knowledge of the trail system around their homes, hares will use this knowledge to their advantage and circle the area when chased. When confronted, hares will thump their hind feet, hiss or make grunting noises and give a high-pitched scream when caught. Predators of the snowshoe hare include the bobcat (L. rufus), Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis), mountain lion (Felis concolor), American marten (M. americana), fox (Vulpes and Urocyon spp.), coyote (Canis latrans), wolves (C. lupus), long-tailed weasels (Mustela frenata), minx (M. vison), fishers (Martes pennanti), domestic cats (Felis catus), and dogs (C. familiaris), black bears (Ursus americanus) and some birds of prey.

Snowshoe hares are primarily vegetarian, but will occasionally feed on carrion. During the summer, when food is abundant, their diet includes a variety of grasses, flowers and ferns on occasion. This photograph shows our visiting hare feasting on the dandelions (Taraxacum), in the front lawn. It would eat the whole stem and leaves and let the flower head drop and then move onto the next one. During the winter, hares will feed on the twigs of trees and the leaves of evergreens.

Snowshoe hares also practice cecotrophy. They have two types of droppings, a hard, round pellet and a soft, mucous covered pellet. The soft pellets are voided during the day and reingested directly from the anus. This provides supplemental nutritional benefits from its food, being high in protein and B vitamins.

Outside the breeding season, hares with remain solitary or can be seen in groups. The breeding season is stimulated by the new growth of vegetation and will vary with location. Breeding usually begins in late December to January and may last until July or August. During the breeding season, males may fight other males, causing injury with their teeth. Males can also be seen chasing females several weeks before mating.

What are the differences between the snowshoe hare and the Eastern cottontail?

A snowshoe hare on the left and an eastern cottontail on the right

Although snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus), and eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) can look the same, they are a totally different species. Here are a few differences. The eastern cottontail is a true rabbit. Snowshoe hares are larger than eastern cottontails. Hares have a larger body, longer ears and much longer feet. The eastern cottontail is named for its short, white cotton-like tail. They shed twice a year. Their summer coat is short and brown and their winter coat is longer and grayer. They don’t share the same seasonal color change as the hare.

The hare is mostly solitary and the cottontail can be found in groups. Hares can be found in open areas and prairies. Hares spend most of the day resting in shallow depressions called forms. Forms are chosen randomly and typically located in dense cover. Cottontails prefer to be around trees and shrubs and will use forms and burrows made by other animals, because they do not make their own. Hares will try to outrun predators, while cottontails prefer to hide.

Hares are a precocial species, born fully furred and with their eyes open. They are also ready to get up and move around within hours of their birth. Rabbits on the other hand are an altricial species, blind, hairless and cannot regulate their own body temperature. They will need the attention of the mother for the first two weeks of their life. The gestation period of the hare is 35-40 days and litters average around three to five young called leverets. They can have up to four litters a year. The gestation period for the eastern cottontail is 28 days, ranging from 25 to 35 days. They will have 3 to 4 litters each year. Litter size can be 1 to 12 and averaging around 5 young, called kits.

Here is a short video of our snowshoe hare in one of his spots in the backyard:

Resources used for this post:

Guide to Animal Tracking and Behavior and maine.gov

Maine is home to a wide variety of nonmigratory and migratory species of birds. Now that it is almost the middle of July, we have been enjoying our resident species and the arrival of many new bird species for the season, as well as sightings of their offspring. In this post, I would like to share a few photographs of the species of birds that I have seen. I will also include some migration and breeding information about them. These will be divided into two sections, nonmigratory and migratory species.

Nonmigratory Species

Black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus), will usual breed once a year, but a second time is possible if the first one doesn’t survive. The female will choose and build the nesting site in dead or rotten branches of alder or birch trees. The nesting site may be in other natural cavities, abandoned woodpecker cavities or nest boxes. The nesting season is from late April through June. Clutch size consists of 6-8 eggs, that are white in color with fine dots of reddish brown concentrated at the larger end.

Tufted titmice (Baeolophus bicolor), will use a hole in a tree, a natural cavity, nesting boxes or an old woodpecker nest for nesting sites. Eggs are under an inch long and are white in color or cream with brown or pink spots. Clutch size averages around 5 to 7 eggs. Offspring will often remain with their parents through the winter and after the first year.

Mourning doves (Zenaida macroura), will often nest in either deciduous or coniferous trees. Nests can also be found in shrubs, vines, the ground human-made structures. These doves are generally monogamous. The male gathers the materials and the female builds the nest. Clutch size consists of 2 white eggs that are incubated by both parents. The young will leave the nest at about 15 days and wait nearby to be fed for the next 1-2 weeks.

Hairy woodpeckers (Leuconotopicus villosus), will make their nests in a dead stub of a living tree. The cavity is often made in a branch or stub with an entrance hole on the underside. Nest making will begin less than two weeks before the start of egg-laying.

Hairy woodpeckers (Leuconotopicus villosus), will lay from 3 to 6 white eggs, laid on a bed of wood chips. These woodpeckers only breed once a season and both the male and female will incubate and care for their young.

American robins (Turdus migratorius), breed from April to July and they will usually have 2 to 3 broods per season. Nests are built by the female with some help by the male. They will build their nests in dense bushes or in a fork between two tree branches and sometimes close to human-made structures. A clutch consists of 3-7 light-blue eggs and is incubated by the female. Males may help in taking care of the young, while the female builds the next nesting site.

The mating season for blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata), begins in mid-March and peaks in mid-April to May, extending into July.

Both male and female blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata), will help in building the nest. Nests are built 10 to 25 feet off of the ground in the crotch or thick outer branches of deciduous or coniferous trees. It is cup-shaped and made up of twigs, small roots, bark strips, moss and other plant material. Other materials include, cloth, paper and feathers, with mud sometimes added to the nest.

Blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata), will typically form monogamous bonds for life. They usually have 2-7 eggs that are bluish or light brown with brownish spots. The young will leave 17-21 days after hatching. The family will then forage for food together until fall and then disperse for the winter in order to avoid competition for food.

The American goldfich (Spinus tristis), will begin nesting in July and August. Nests are built in deciduous shrubs or trees or sometimes in conifers or dense weeds. Construction materials include, plant fibers, spiderwebs, caterpillar silk and lined with plant down from thistles, milkweed or cattail. The nest is built by the female and is a compact cup shape placed in branches at a height of about 30 inches. Nests are so well built, they can hold water. This may be problematic for the young birds, if not properly covered during construction. They will lay 4-6, sometimes 2-7 eggs that are pale bluish white, occasionally with light brown spots. Males will feed the females during incubation. Young will leave the nest about 11-17 days after hatching.

The female pine siskin (Spinus pinus), will build their nest in a well hidden tree. This will usually be a conifer on a horizontal branch far from the trunk. The nest is a large, shallow open cup of twigs, grass, strips of bark, rootlets, lined with moss, animal fur and feathers. There are 3-4, sometimes 2-5 pale greenish blue eggs, with brown and black dots often concentrated at larger end. The female incubates the eggs and the male will feed her during this time. Young will leave the nest about 14-15 days after hatching.

The purple finch (Haemorhous purpureus), will build their nests far out on the limb of a coniferous tree or in oaks, maples and cherries. The female will do most of the nest building from materials such as twigs, sticks and roots making up the exterior and the interior lined with grasses and animal fur. The clutch size is made up of 2-7 eggs that are pale greenish blue in color, marked with brown and black.

The clutch size of the purple finch (Haemorhous purpureus), is made up of 2-7 eggs that are pale greenish blue in color, marked with brown and black.

Both the male and female downy woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens), will excavate a nesting site in a dead limb or dead tree. They have one brood per season, consisting of 4-5, sometimes 3-6 white eggs, that are incubated by both sexes. The young will leave 20-25 days after hatching and will spend many weeks with their parents.

European starlings or common starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), breed in the spring and summer. Males attract females by building nests, decorated with flowers and fresh green materials. Later on, females will take the nest apart after finding an acceptable mate. The female lays 4-5 eggs over a period of several days. Eggs are a glossy pale blue, sometimes white and ovoid in shape. Starlings also engage in intraspecific brood parasitism, meaning, unpaired females will lay eggs in another pair of starling’s nest. Fledglings may also invade neighboring nests.

Migratory Species

The song sparrow (Melospiza melodia), is a resident to medium-distance migratory bird. Northern populations of the song sparrow may migrate to the southern United States or Mexico during winter.

Nesting sites are built mostly by the female and include the ground under a clump of grass or a shrub. Higher nesting sites may be in shrubs, low trees, or marsh vegetation, often above water. Nests are an open cup of weeds, grass, leaves, strips of bark, lined with fine grass, rootlets and animal fur. There are typically 3-5 pale greenish white eggs, that are heavily spotted with reddish brown. Both parents feed their young. Fledglings will remain with their parent for roughly about another three weeks.

The chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina), migrates at night in flocks. Migration is spread over a long period in both spring and fall. They are found throughout Maine in the summer, but they will leave for the southern states, Mexico and Central America in the fall.

Chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina), males will have more than one mate. Nests are built by females and sites include conifers, deciduous trees or on the ground. The nest is a small open cup made of grass, weeds, rootlets and lined with fine grass and animal fur. There are usually 3-4 pale, blue green eggs with brown, purple markings and mostly black at the larger end. Both parents participate in the feeding of their young.

Indigo buntings (Passerina cyanea), breed in eastern North America and winter primarily in Mexico and Central America, as well as in the Caribbean and sometimes in southern Florida.

Nests are made in dense shrubs or a low tree. The nest is made by the female and materials include leaves, coarse grasses, stems and strips of bark, lined with soft grass or deer fur, bound with spider webs. The clutch consists of 1-4 eggs, but will usually contains 3-4. The eggs are white and may be marked with brownish spots. Most breeding pairs will raise two broods per year and the male may feed the newly fledged young while the female incubates the next clutch of eggs.

The rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus), migrates northward between mid-March and mid-April to breed, from regions of southern Mexico, the Caribbean, South and Central America. Individuals will then migrate back down south in late September or in October. These birds will arrive until late May, with the males arriving and establish a nesting territory first, with females arriving later.

Female rose-breasted grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus), build nests in deciduous trees, large shrubs and sometimes conifers. The nest is an open cup, loosely made up of twigs, weeds, leaves, lined with finer twigs, rootlets, and sometimes animal fur. There are typically 3-5 pale greenish blue, spotted with reddish brown eggs. Both parents feed their young. They will have 1-2 broods per year and the male may care for the young, while the female builds a new nest.

Eastern wood peewees (Contopus virens), are one of the last migrants to return in the spring from overwintering in Central America and in the Andes region of northern South America.

Nests are an open cup nest constructed of grasses, bark, and lichen, attached to a horizontal tree branch with spider webs. Trees used for nesting include oaks, pines, birches and maples. Females lay 3 sometimes 2 translucent-white eggs with brown flecking toward the larger end of the egg. Parents will perch nearby and keep in contact, providing them with food until the young are able to fly and join them.

During migration, some ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris), will embark on a nonstop 900-mile journey across the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean from Panama or Mexico to the eastern United States. During the winter, these hummingbirds may spend most of the winter in Florida, southern Mexico and Central America.

The female ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), will build a nest in a protected location either in a shrub or a tree. During courtship, males will fly in a U-shaped “pendulum” arc, or making short passes, while making a low continuous sound in front of a perched female. Nests are built by the female in a tree or large shrub and placed on a horizontal or sloping branch, surrounded by leaves for cover. Construction includes a compact cup of grasses, plant fibers, spider webs and lined with plant down. The outside is camouflaged with lichens and dead leaves. These hummingbirds will lay 2 white eggs, incubated by the female. They have 1-2 broods per season, sometimes 3. The nest will stretch as the young grow and the female may begin a second nest, while feeding the young from the first nest.

Resources used for this post:

allaboutbirds.org & audubon.org

Whether bird watchers are enjoying birds from their backyards or out in the field, many individuals are faced with the question, is that a hairy or downy woodpecker? These two species are quite common, year-round visitors in North America and once you know what to look for, it is not as difficult as one would think to tell the difference between the two. While I was taking an ornithology course in college, we were to taught to distinguish between the two species, by overall size and beak description. Although these two points of identification are a good place to start, sometimes they just aren’t enough. In this post, I would like to discuss further ways to help us determine the difference between these two species of woodpeckers.

Size & Shape

The hairy woodpecker (Leuconotopicus villosus), is a medium-sized bird and about the same size as a robin (9.25″ long). These woodpeckers are about 1/3 longer than the downy woodpecker and weighs almost 3 times as much. In comparison, the downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens), is a small woodpecker, about the size of a house sparrow (about 6.5″ long). It can still be difficult to distinguish between the two species unless they’re side by side. For further investigation, we will look at bill size.

Bill Size

The hairy woodpecker has a long and strong chisel-like beak that is almost the same size of its head. The bill of the downy woodpecker is a short and small needle-like beak and dainty in comparison, about 1/3 the length of the bird’s head. While observing the two types of woodpeckers, make sure to take notice of these bill characteristics and this will help in your identifying which type of woodpecker you are looking at. The male and female of each species are roughly the same size, so if you are looking at two types of woodpeckers of different sizes, the larger is most likely to be a hairy and the smaller a downy woodpecker. Now that we can gauge overall size and bill size, you are closer to telling the difference between the two species. To further our identification skills, lets explore color patterns.

A female hairy woodpecker on the left and a female downy woodpecker on the right. Notice how much larger the hairy woodpecker’s bill looks than the downy’s.

Color Patterns

Both species are black and white in color and the wings are checkered with white. In most of the Eastern United States, hairy woodpeckers will have all white outer tail feathers. In the Pacific and Newfoundland, black bars can be found on the outer tail feathers. The head has two white stripes and there is a white patch that runs down the center of a black back. Males have a red patch that is often split, toward the back of the head. Downy woodpeckers on the other hand, have outer tail feathers that are white with black bars, giving them a spotted effect. The head is boldly striped and the back has a broad white stripe down the center. Males have a small red patch on the back of the head.

Another color pattern aiding in identification, pertains to the “comma mark.” The hairy woodpecker has a distinct, well-developed “comma-shaped” black mark that extends from the shoulder on to the breast. The downy’s mark is often less obvious, but can sometimes be a useful distinguishing mark.

A male hairy woodpecker on the left and a male downy woodpecker on the right.

While observing these birds, it is also important to take note of fledglings, in order to minimize further confusion. As the males of both of these species have red coloring on the backs of their heads, fledglings will have red on the top of their heads. Young hairy woodpeckers will sometimes have a yellow patch. Young birds can have extra black marks or white stripes as well. You can probably get a better picture in identifying which species your observing, while at nesting sites or when these birds are visiting your feeders.

Take notice of the red marking on the top of this juvenile male hairy woodpecker’s head.

Behavior

Hairy and downy woodpeckers share most of the same habitats. Although, hairy woodpeckers prefer mature woods with large trees and abundant insects. They will typically move up tree trunks or along large branches, while leaning back against their stiff tail feathers and springing upward with both feet at the same time. You can find downy woodpeckers in open woodlands, particularly with deciduous trees. They move quickly over tree trunks, branches, leaning with stiffened tail feathers for support. Downy woodpeckers move horizontally and downwards on trees with more ease than most other woodpeckers.

Voice and Sound

Both of these species have short, sharp calls. However, if you listen carefully, you can hear the slight differences in their calls. Hairy woodpeckers have a contact call that is a short and sharp peek or peech sound. When agitated, this is described as being a stuttering peek sound. They also have a sharp rattle that stays at one pitch, described as a rapid high kweek sound. The downy woodpecker contact call is a short, gentle flat pik sound that starts out in a rapid string of high-pitched notes that descend in pitch toward the end.

Also, listen for different drum sounds. The males and females of both species will use their bills to drum on trees as a way of communicating. The hairy woodpecker’s drum sound is a very fast buzzing and usually slows down toward the end. The downy’s drum is slightly slower than that of the hairy, about 9-16 beats per minute.

When I put my feeders out in the morning, I usually hear the short calls of the hairy woodpeckers. The same female has been frequenting my feeders every season for a couple of years now and she sure lets me know when she is hungry. While I’m hanging the feeders, she can hardly wait. I have lost count as to how many times I have felt the wind on me, from her wings beating on her way to the feeders. Next, this will bring me to what these two species of woodpeckers eat.

Food Sources and Feeders

The majority of the hairy woodpecker’s diet is mainly made up of insects, such as the larvae of wood-boring beetles, bark beetles, moths pupae and ants. They also eat bees, wasps, caterpillars, spiders, millipedes and in some cases, cockroaches, crickets and grasshoppers. Downy woodpeckers also eat mainly insects, including beetle larvae that are found inside wood or tree bark as well insects such as ants and caterpillars. They eat pest insects such as tent caterpillars, bark beetles, corn earworm and apple borers. About 1/4th of their diet consists of plant material, such as berries, acorns, and grains.

Both species of woodpeckers are common visitors to bird feeders, eating suet and sunflower seeds. I have had many of these two species come to my feeders and I have had a lot of success and happy bird customers coming back with C & S suet cakes and Feathered Friends premium black oil sunflower seeds. My woodpecker visitors have been enjoying in particular the orange, cherry and berry flavored suet cakes this season from C & S.

It is a good idea to set up a few types of feeders and experiment with different brands and flavors of suet as well as different brands of sunflower seeds to help you figure out what your woodpeckers visitors will enjoy best. These two types of foods are excellent sources of fats and proteins for energy. This will aid in their survival during the harsh winter months and the breeding season for exhausted parents feeding themselves and their offspring. Good spacing of feeders is also beneficial for decreasing the chances of spreading diseases and make sure to clean your feeders frequently. Also, I always think the more feeders the better, because of competition with other bird species. Hairy woodpeckers can be quite aggressive at feeders and this may deter the smaller birds from coming to feed. This will bring me to my next point in making sure you are identifying these species correctly using a few tools and resources.

A female hairy woodpecker feeding suet to her young.

A male downy woodpecker feeding suet to his offspring.

Tools and Resources

Now that you have both species of woodpeckers coming to your feeders, I would recommend taking photographs of the two species for comparison. There is also the free Merlin Bird ID App for instant bird identification. You can learn all about that here. If you like to do things the old school way, like me, you can observe your photographs and consult field guides for proper identification or doing internet research as well. I am always referring to books for help and doing research on The Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds. For more resources, you can also check out my resource page here. For the field, I would also recommend taking photographs, a good pair of light weight binoculars and field guides.

If you look for these key points as I have discussed to identify the difference between the hairy and downy woodpecker, you should have great success. I hope these points have helped you and remember to listen, as well as observe. Happy birding!

Resources used for this post:

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

As I mentioned last month, I wanted to come back to Mosher Hill Falls to take photographs of the falls from the base with the correct equipment. You can read all about that here. I didn’t expect to achieve perfection, but I wanted to experiment with a few different settings on my camera. We have had a good amount of snow over the winter and plenty of rainfall this spring, so the falls were flowing pretty nicely. As the season progresses, the water flow will become quite slow. The conditions were optimal and it turned out to be a great day for photographing the falls.

A few parts of the hike were challenging, but well worth the trip down to the base. At the top of the falls, you have to cross the water to get the trail that leads down to the base. Toward the base, the rocks are very slippery and things get a little narrow. This was quite an adventure while carrying two camera bags and a tripod, but mission accomplished. The only decent vantage point for taking photographs of the waterfall is from the left side. I had taken these photographs between 3:30 pm-3:45 pm. I also took a video of the falls and I will include that at the end of this post. I will list the equipment I used and the settings for each photograph below. I think the photographs turned out okay, but the exposure was a little too bright for my taste. I hope to look into neutral density filters in the future for better control of lighting. I would also like to see what kind of results I can achieve while using these filters for photographing different subjects such as flowers.

Equipment and Steps:

1. Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 wide angle Lens
2. SLIK Pro 330EZ Tripod with 2-Way Pan/Tilt Head
3. SMDV Remote Shutter Release Cable
4. Canon Rebel T6i set on shutter priority
5. Used a small aperture
6. Used a low ISO
7. Adjusted shutter speed

Crossing the water to get to the trail that leads down to the base of the waterfall.

The top of Mosher Hill Falls.

A view of Mosher Hill Falls from the trail.

Another view of the falls.

Heading down toward the base of the falls.

(f/5, 1/40th sec., ISO 160)

(f/5.6, 2 sec., ISO 100)

(f/5.6, 2 sec., ISO 100)

(f/5.6, 1 sec., ISO 100)

(f/4, 1/30th sec., ISO 100)

(f/5.6, 1/40th sec., ISO 160)

As the seasons change and time moves on, so have a few of the species of birds here in Maine. With seasonal migration, many birds will move from one place to another to gain more advantages of the favorable conditions of their surroundings. This is quite an exciting time for bird watchers and photographers alike, for the opportunity to catch a glimpse of a variety of species of birds. The following photographs are of a few newcomers for the spring and summer, as well as a few year-round and familiar faces.

Male rose-breasted grosbeaks (Pheucticus ludovicianus) are stocky medium-sized song birds. They are black and white with bright red extending from the throat down to the middle of the breast.

Gray catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) are medium-sized songbirds that are a uniform slaty gray color with a small black cap, blackish tail and a rust-color under the tail.

The purple finch (Carpodacus purpureus) is a stocky bird with a short tail, medium-length wings and a stout bill. Males are a delicate pink-red on the head and breast, mixed with brown on the back and a cloudy white on the belly. Females have a coarsely streaked underside and strong facial markings consisting of a whitish eyestripe and a dark line running down the side of the throat.

Black-and-white warblers (Mniotilta varia) are medium-sized warblers with a long, decurved bill. The head of these warblers often appears somewhat flat with a short neck. The wings are long, the tail is square and short and they also have long toes. These birds have bold stripes in black and white. The wings are highlighted with two wide, white wing bars. The coloring of the male has more obvious black streaking, especially on the underparts and the cheeks and a black ear patch. The females are paler with a white throat, grayish ear patch and a bit of a buff color on the flanks. The undertail coverts also have distinctive large black spots.

The American goldfinch (Spinus tristis) is a small finch with a short, conical bill and a small, head, long wings and a short, notched tail.

Hairy woodpeckers (Leuconotopicus villosus) are medium-sized with a somewhat square-shaped head. The bill is chisel-like and is close to the same length as the head. The long tail feathers are used as a fulcrum to lean against surfaces for feeding. Coloring includes contrasting black and white. The wings are black and checkered with white. The head has two white stripes and in the male there is red toward the front of the head.

Adult male American goldfinches are bright yellow with a black forehead during the spring and early summer. They also have black wings with white markings and white patches, both above and beneath the tail. Adult females are duller yellow beneath and olive above. The winter birds are drab and unstreaked brown, with blackish wings and two pale wingbars.

Female rose-breasted grosbeaks are heavily streaked above and below, with a white eyebrow stripe and a pale bill.

Northern parulas (Setophaga americana) are small New World wood-warblers with a short tail and a thin, pointy bill. These warblers are blue-gray above with a greenish back patch and two white wing bars. The breast is yellow and the belly is white. During the summer, males have rufous breast bands and prominent eye crescents. At the end of their breeding season, males will begin to molt into a duller version. The females are similar to the males, but duller and lack breast bands.

The main natural habitat of the American goldfinch are weedy fields and floodplains, where plants such as thistles and asters are commonly found.

The black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is a small and compact bird with a small beak. Coloring includes a black streak that runs from the beak to neck over the top of the head. There is also have a distinctive black bib on the underside of the neck, with white streaks down the sides of the face. They have gray above and below ranges in color from white to light rust brown. The feathers also have white edges.

American goldfinches are also found in cultivated areas, roadsides, orchards and backyards.

Unlike most waterfowl, wood ducks (Aix sponsa) will perch and nest in trees and are comfortable flying through woods. Males have a glossy green head cut with white stripes, a chestnut-colored breast and buffy sides. In low or harsh light, the will appear dark overall with paler sides. In the late summer, males will lose their pale sides and bold stripes, but retain their bright eye and bill.

The female wood duck is gray-brown in color with a white-speckled breast. The juveniles are very similar to females.

The American goldfinch is migratory, ranging from mid-Alberta to North Carolina during the breeding season and from just south of the Canada–United States border to Mexico during the winter.

Downy woodpeckers (Picoides pubescens) have a straight, chisel-like bill, blocky head and wide shoulders. These woodpeckers give a checkered black-and-white impression. The black upper-parts are checked with white on the wings, the head is striped and the back has a broad white stripe down the center. The outer tail feathers are typically white with a few black spots. Males have a small red patch on the back of the head.

Male mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) have a dark, iridescent-green head and a bright yellow bill. The gray body is situated between a brown breast and black rear. Female Mallard Ducks are mostly brown in color with dark, coarse streaks and dark eye-stripe. The bill is an orange-brown color and both sexes have distinct iridescent purple-blue speculum feathers edged with white.

American goldfinches are very active and acrobatic finches that cling to weeds and seed socks.

Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are large waterbirds with a long neck, large body, large webbed feet and a wide flat bill. They have black heads with white cheeks and chinstrap, black neck, tan breast and brown back. Soon after hatching, Canada Goslings will begin to peck at small objects and spend most of their time sleeping and eating. Goslings will often remain with their parents for their entire first year.

During migration, rose-breasted grosbeaks will frequent fruit trees to aid in the fueling their flights to Central and South America.

The indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea) is a small and stocky songbird, around the size of a small sparrow. The beak is short and conical and the tails is short and rounded. During the breeding season, adult males are a bright blue and only the head is indigo. Females are brown above and a lighter brown below. Immature males resembles the female in color, perhaps with hints of blue on the tail and shoulders and darker streaks on the underside.

Here we go again. The last time the power had gone out, we had experienced a considerable amount of rainfall and wind and lost power for almost 24 hours. You can read all about that here. This time it was around 6 pm when we lost power and we had experienced a really lovely day here in Maine without any weather issues. We asked each other, what now and how long is it going to be out this time? I had plenty of work to do and without electricity, that wasn’t going to happen. The sun was still shining and I figured I could grab my camera and take a few photographs around the yard. I also had to plant seeds, but I thought I would take advantage of the fading daylight first with my camera. We put in a new garden in the front of the house last year with a nice slate rock path. In order to control the weeds, I would like to cover the path with creeping thyme. I wanted to start growing the seeds inside and then I can make sure they don’t magically disappear. I don’t want to have to compete with the weeds and outdoor critters such as the slugs eating my plants. This way I will be able to check the progress of growth indoors. Luckily, the power came back on at 7 pm and on a positive note, I was able to take a few photographs and get a head start on the front garden.

A stream in Maine during the spring.

A red trillium flower (Melanthiaceae) blooming in the woods.

Succulents (Crassulaceae) growing in the woods.

A male northern flicker (Yellow-shafted) (Colaptes auratus)

An American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) in the front yard.

Early spring apple blossoms (Malus domestica).

A male rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus).

A male yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)

Birch Catkins (Betula) in May.

Fern (Embryophyte) in the spring.

An American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus).

Ferns (Embryophyte) in the woods.

Bluets (Rubiaceae) in the yard.

A chipmunk (Sciuridae) with cheeks full of bird seed.

Another view of a chimpmunk (Sciuridae).

An American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus).

A slate rock path in the garden.

The front of a dwarf creeping thyme seed packet (Thymus serpyllum).

The back of a dwarf creeping thyme seed packet (Thymus serpyllum).

A clear bag of dwarf creeping thyme seeds (Thymus serpyllum).

Holding dwarf creeping thyme seeds (Thymus serpyllum).

Planted creeping thyme seeds (Thymus serpyllum).