nature – Page 3 – ginnybirdbeakspeak

Nests – Carolina Wren

Seeing a bird’s nest abandoned in a tree or lying on the ground evokes so many pleasurable feelings. As a child, finding a bird’s nest was similar to finding a beautiful treasure. I would rush to pick it up, carry it home and place it on my dresser. I was always fascinated by things in nature…rocks, leaves, shells, bird nests, bird feathers, driftwood….they were all precious objects that gave me pleasure in how they looked or how they felt in my hands and my imagination would fly with the prospect of what stories they could tell if they only could.

The feather soared high in the sky helping propel a bird in its daily chore of searching and securing food. It perched in the tops of trees and scanned the panoramic landscape. It was slipped between the beak of the bird as it preened. The nest held eggs that ultimately hatched into babies that grew into birds who then abandoned the nest since it had served it’s purpose.

Examining the nest can be an interesting activity.The kinds of materials used to build the nest can sometimes give us hints as to the species of bird that constructed it. A cracked flower pot turned on its side inside a basket on the front porch makes an ideal nesting spot in the eyes of a Carolina Wren. An old boot, floppy hat, or any type of container may prove to be the chosen spot for a wren’s nest. Male and female will gather sticks, leaves, twigs, string, roots, plastic, hay and build a messy nest that tunnels down and to the side. She may line the tunnel and the inside of the nest with grass, moss, dried leaves or feathers. Just imagine how many trips they must make to construct this fine piece of architecture. The Carolina Wren that I discovered one day on the front porch of a country farmhouse had done just that. I could hear tiny peeps of begging baby birds and their parents would flit in and out constantly delivering food for them, totally undisturbed by my near-by presence. Looking into the nest, I could barely see a few tiny beaks. These babies successfully fledged and the nest was abandoned. This is not always the case though. Many times the Carolina Wren makes a bad choice in nest location making it vulnerable to predators…cats, raccoons or possums.

That old cracked flower pot had been recycled by a small Carolina Wren. I guess beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder and “This Old Pot or This Old Boot” was just fine for her “This Ole House”..

Happy bird searching!!!

March 28, 2016 by gkennedy2171 Categories: Nests, UncategorizedTags: bird nests, bird watching, Carolina Wren, nature 2 Comments

The Whoopers

A few years ago, I was determined to travel to Port “A” to see the Whooping Cranes. If ever there was a success story of bringing a species back from the brink of extinction, the Whooping Cranes are that story. Although they certainly aren’t out of the woods yet, they have managed to bounce back from certain demise.

In 1941, the total world population of these birds numbered just 16. Loss of habitat, unregulated hunting, animal predators all took their toll on these magnificent birds. Conservation groups worked hard to try to protect the remaining 16 birds and through their efforts and the passing of the Endangered Species Act in 1967, the world population of these birds has grown to ~ 603. They are huge white birds with a distinctive red cap on the top of their heads. They have a large “bustle” of feathers on their rear which gives them a similar appearance to the Ostrich. They are five feet tall and have wingspans of seven feet. They migrate from Canada where they nest and hatch their young to Port Aransas Texas where they winter at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. The young are fed by their parents for up to eight months and migrate South with them. Current population of the only wild migratory “dance” of whooping cranes is ~310. Unfortunately, these birds still face survival challenges.

When I first visited them, I expected to see huge flocks of them, but was surprised to learn that usually they are in groups of three. Mom, Dad and Fledgling peacefully wintering by themselves on an area approximately one half mile in circumference.

Conservationists and wildlife experts recognized that one flock of Whooping Cranes does not assure the survival of these beautiful birds. There are too many exogenous forces….hurricanes, tornadoes, oil spills…which could decimate this one remaining flock. So there have been several projects launched in an attempt to establish another group. One of these, Operation Migration, involved the hatching of captive bred chicks in Wisconsin to be led by ultralight planes on their migration south to Florida Because these chicks did not have parents to “teach them the ropes” humans devised this unique experiment and set it in motion. The hope is to establish another migratory group and by so doing double the Whooping Cranes chances of surviving a catastrophic environmental event. The people who participated in this did not interact with the chicks in any way other than to dress in bird-like costumes when around the chicks and when they were teaching them to follow the ultralights. Over time, the chicks imprinted on the ultralights and did follow it on their migratory journey. On their journey south, the young birds are memorizing the terrain and will be able to return north without assistance to breed. Unfortunately, a large number of the first group of these transplanted chicks were killed by a huge storm that devastated Florida. To date, the efforts to re-establish another migrating flock of whoopers continues and as of February 2015, the count of the Wisconsin to Florida group is ~95.

A few weeks ago a newspaper article recorded the death of two whoopers. They were shot by a teenager and the birds were part of a small introduced flock in Louisianna. The punishment is so minor that it breaks my heart each time I hear of these happenings. Education efforts must be accelerated in our primary schools if we are to avoid such incidents in the future and enable the population of these endangered birds to grow beyond certain extinction numbers.

Birds in captivity are spread out over eleven different locations in the United States. Numbering 121 birds, they are used for egg collection and reintroduction programs. These birds are our insurance policy for the future survival of these very special Cranes.

From November to April it is worth a visit to Port Aransas or Rockport to board one of the tour boats that can get you up close and personal for viewing of these spectacular birds. In the meantime, check out this you tube video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGX52B9iXXU

Happy Bird Searching!!!

March 12, 2016 by gkennedy2171 Categories: Favorite Birding Haunts, Musings, UncategorizedTags: bird watching, endangered bird species, nature, Port Aransas, Rockport, ultralights, Whooping Cranes 2 Comments

California Birding

When my daughter and her family moved to Southern California I was blessed to be able to enjoy this beautiful part of California and of course expand my birding opportunities when I visited. Some birds on the West Coast are different from ones that I live side by side with in Central Texas and on the Gulf Coast, so it was with great anticipation that I ventured out to explore different birding areas that I previously scoped out on the internet.

As one might imagine, the Southern California coastline is high dollar real estate and approximately 90% of it has been developed leading to the loss of natural wetlands that are imperative for the survival of many bird species. Fortunately there are pockets of these wetlands that have been protected to ensure that some of these areas remain for our bird friends. One in particular that I can’t wait to revisit is the Tijuana Estuary at Imperial Beach. It is part of approximately 2500 acres that is part of the Tijuana River watershed.

On my first visit there, California was experiencing what they call a “California King Tide” which basically meant that the salt marshes and estuaries were flush with water. That translates into great birding opportunities. The tides flow in, fill the shallow estuary basins, providing food and shelter for many species of plants, animals and invertebrates. The depth of these ponds and the types of soil can determine what species live there. It is a careful balancing act that many times unfortunately can be upset by man.

On this particular day, a few we were fortunate to spot were Whimbrels, Egrets, cormorants, common rails, house finch, California Towhee, American Kestrel and Western Grebes.

Walking beaches and trails in search of birds makes one hungry. And what better way to satisfy that craving than seeking some street tacos to assuage our hunger. Easily available in a town bordering Mexico.

If you are lucky enough to be visiting Southern California check out this wonderful protected natural resource if you just want to enjoy some beautiful scenery or experience the thrill of finding a new “lifer” bird species. Find more information at http://www.trnerr.org.

Happy bird searching!!!

February 20, 2016 by gkennedy2171 Categories: Tijuana Estuary, UncategorizedTags: birdwatching, California bird watching, nature, Tijuana Estuary Leave a comment

Junior’s Adventures

Many years ago, my BFF and I took our girl scout troop on one of their year-end trips and our destination was the vacation home of one of our scouts. It became our home base as we engaged in different day activities. One of those was the YO Ranch in Central Texas. It is quite a fancy place today, but back then it was a taste of the Old West combined with an African wildlife adventure. It was an opportunity for our girls to see up close and personal many exotic animals they had never seen before. It was fun!

We went dam sliding, horseback riding, floating in tubes on the Guadalupe River while eating watermelon, enjoyed outdoor theatre presentations and just thoroughly savored an escape to a paradise in Ingram Texas.

Roaming throughout the 27,000 acre YO working ranch were giraffes, deer, and mountain goats to name a few. One of the main attractions of the YO Ranch back then was their Ostrich and Emu population. The day we visited and bounced around in trucks touring the property, we were allowed out of the vehicle to walk around. I most remember the open prairie with a few scattered trees throughout. I don’t remember a whole lot about why we were walking around, but we suddenly became aware of our guide yelling at us to run toward one of the trees. We took off running and glancing around we understood why. Romping quickly toward us at a rapid pace was a huge Ostrich and he was closing fast. We reached the tree and stayed there as our guide drove the truck over to us and shooed Junior away.

Why is this Junior’s Adventure? Time passed and Junior was a fond memory of happy times spent with our scouts. One day while reading the newspaper, we discovered that Junior had moved on from the YO Ranch to be a junkyard guard bird. We knew he was aggressive since we had personally experienced it and apparently he was better suited to guarding junk than roaming around the ranch attacking paying guests. I am sure he lived a happy life doing what he liked to do best….terrifying people!

Happy bird searching!!!

February 16, 2016 by gkennedy2171 Categories: UncategorizedTags: birds, girl scouts, nature, ostrich, YO Ranch 1 Comment

Cornell Live Bird Cams Revisited

Bird Feeder on Sapsucker Pond, Ithaca New York

It’s winter. For those of us in Texas, this means almost perfect weather….nice temperatures, clear skies, many leafless trees and excellent bird watching. Not so for many parts of our country where falling snow and adverse weather conditions may limit outdoor time for many people. Enter Cornell University’s Live Bird Cams.

Each year I open each of these cams on my computer and delight in watching many different species up close and personal as they build nests, lay their eggs, incubate, feed, nourish and teach their offspring survival skills and then watch them fledge for the first time. Each of these bird events is highly anticipated by thousands of viewers all over the world. Ah, what a wonderful thing is this internet. Allowing each of us windows into different worlds that may literally be a world away. A giant thank you to Cornell University for supporting and facilitating these cameras and an equally large thank you to all the volunteers that moderate these sites teaching us about these birds, their habits and behaviors. I have learned so much and have also discovered that viewing birds on the camera has transferred to better identification skills for me in the field.

Laysan Albatross and chick. Look closely and you can find the baby.

In Hawaii I get to enjoy a Laysan Albatross as she and her mate build a simple nest of a few sticks on the ground, tend to their young for a long seven month period before that one youngster takes to its wings for the first time. Last year I felt privileged to watch the young Albatross trundle up a hill that overlooked the ocean, open her wings and launch herself into the air for the first time. She will spend the next couple of years soaring high above the ocean. It was a magical moment filled with raw emotion….the sheer beauty of this bird instinctively thrusting herself into the Albatross life.

Drama unfolds at these cam sites. Red-tailed Hawks Ezra and Big Red have been successful for many years in raising their young on the Cornell University campus. Campus goers actually write notes in chalk to them on the sidewalk below their nest site. One of their fledglings was injured in a crazy impossible accident involving a greenhouse roof on the campus that closed on the young bird and injured his wing. The dedicated BOGs (birders on the ground) that track the fledglings movements called for help and he received the best veterinarian care in the hopes he could be returned to the wild. Unfortunately this didn’t happen so E3 is now being used for educational programs. His life is happy and he definitely will not have to worry about survival in the wild.

Dottie and Casper are two barn owls that live in Texas. I’ve watched and rooted for their offspring, one in particular. Ollie was the fourth egg to hatch and seemed to be struggling to survive since his older siblings seemed to get the lion’s share of the food Mom and Dad brought to them. But as I watched Ollie got stronger, beating the odds that he might experience the siblicide fate of so many. Today Dottie has returned to the nesting box, but so far no sighting of Casper. There has been another male owl periodically and all of us “watchers” are anxiously awaiting Casper’s arrival. Did he survive the winter? Is this new male owl (already named Dash) his replacement? Only time will tell.

Ruffed Grouse – Bird Feeder, Ontario Canada

And even when the birds have finished their nesting and young raising chores, the bird feeders on Sapsucker Pond and in Ontario Canada continue to provide great bird watching and many surprises throughout the year. It was on the Sapsucker Pond feeder that I saw my first Pileated Woodpecker. And in Ontario I saw my first ruffed grouse.

Blue Jay and Dove sharing the feeder on Sapsucker Pond

If you are wheelchair or home bound these cams are for you. If you work in a cubicle with no windows to the outside world, these cameras are for you. Or if you just wish to have a secretive look at birds in their natural environment and watch them work their many wonders, then these cams are for you. I know they have greatly enhanced my serenity, my knowledge of birds and my identification skills. So check them out. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Happy bird searching!!!

All photos captured from Cornell Live Bird Cams via my computer. Thank you Cornell!

February 7, 2016 by gkennedy2171 Categories: Musings, UncategorizedTags: barn owls, bird watching, Cornell University, laysan albatross, live bird cams, nature, Sapsucker Pond Leave a comment

Bird Of the Month- February 2016

Black-Crowned Night Heron, Galveston Island

February 5, 2016February 5, 2016 by gkennedy2171 Categories: Bird of the MonthTags: bird watching, Black crowned night heron, nature Leave a comment

Sister Time

I travel light. A few clothes thrown into a tote bag, my binocs, a camera and I am off for another weekend visit with my sisters.

My two sisters just celebrated birthdays. One in December and the other just last Saturday. Recently I heard a young aspiring contestant on a television program describing her age in terms of how many times she had been around the sun. For her it was 20 times. For me and my sisters it is a whole lot more. I find myself thinking about how fortunate I am to have had both of my sisters so close to me throughout my entire life. Each time I complete one more trip around the sun, my oldest sister always describes in minute detail my arrival into their world. I always love hearing her descriptions and never tire of it. I get to enjoy a moment in my life of which I was totally unaware. So we now have a new way of reporting our ages. It is not measured in “years of age” but as how many “trips around the sun” we have been fortunate enough to complete.

So on Friday night we shared a home cooked meal, birthday cake and many memories.We laughed and enjoyed the camaraderie that comes with sisters knowing each other so well. On Saturday two of us checked out some of the birds in the Burton area and near-by Lake Somerville. We were making memories with every bird we spotted. And secretly I am always hoping that my passion for bird watching will transfer to them.

We spent some time at the Big Red Barn just outside of Round Top, Texas where antique dealers had gathered for a winter show. Walking up and down the aisles I am always entranced with the merchandising skill of the booth vendors. They hawk their wares by using them in new and different ways and displaying old and much-loved items in such ways that I am tempted to purchase even though I have no clue where to put them nor why I feel I must have them. They are sorcerers!

Exhausted, but filled with satisfaction of a day well spent, we visited a local cafe for dinner before returning to her home to watch a movie. Nothing fancy, just a day spent with someone I love and who loves me equally.

Every encounter builds memories and each is emblazoned in my mind forever. They are important and meaningful and I hope to share many, many more with my sisters.

Happy bird searching!!!

PS: Still searching for Mr. Pileated Woodpecker!

January 26, 2016 by gkennedy2171 Categories: Musings, UncategorizedTags: bird watching, Burton, nature, Round Top, sisters, Texas 3 Comments

Burton Birds Revisited

Just a few of the birds I managed to capture with my camera this past weekend.

American White Pelicans – Lake Somerville – January 2016

Happy bird searching!!!

January 25, 2016January 26, 2016 by gkennedy2171 Categories: BBC, UncategorizedTags: bird watching, Burton Texas, Lake Somerville, nature 2 Comments

Beauty From the Beast

The beast was a hurricane named Ike. He roared onto the Texas Gulf Coast on Galveston Island in 2008 and in his passing he wrought great destruction to the sleepy resort city of Galveston. The wind ripped trees from the ground and the salty ocean tidal surge washed ashore and in its path left thousands of dead trees and other vegetation. But from the death of some of these great oak trees sprung a whole new cottage industry for some very talented artists. They cut and shaped from the dead trunks of these trees beautiful sculptures many of which are reminiscent of ocean front icons that have been used by authors to describe coastal areas throughout the centuries. And others are just plain whimsical.

The Causeway leading onto Galveston Island is lined with oleander bushes that have been there as long as I can remember. They bloom profusely throughout the hot Texas summer and combined with crepe myrtles they announce the arrival into a city filled with beautiful foliage and blooming plants. Many of the homes date back to the early 1900’s and have historical markers. The gardens that surround them are meticulously tended and lovingly maintained to enhance the homes that they adorn. Many of these homes are located in the Garden District. The very name tells you to expect an oasis of beautiful flowers and plants. Salt water destroys….be it plants, trees, paint on houses, rust on cars….inland, where it does not belong, it is a killer. Birds of Paradise, plumbago, crepe myrtles, roses, hibiscus and so many other varieties had to be replanted. After Ike, the rebuilding began. The people who inhabit Galveston Island are survivors. They have experienced many hurricanes…some barely dusting the island with blustery winds and rain and others like Ike that are killers dealing fatal blows.

There are many entertaining things to do in Galveston….shopping on the Strand, the Pleasure Pier on the sea wall, Moody Garden’s Rainforest, perusing souvenir shops, walking the beaches, birdwatching, fishing and the list goes on and on. The one that has become a must see tourist attraction is called the Tree Sculpture Tour. Self guided or with a guide, it is fun and entertaining to seek and find the homes that have engaged one of those entrepreneur artist to turn a dead tree in their front yard into an art object. It is truly remarkable to see how beautiful they are and certainly an example of one of the highest forms of recycling.

I am sure that another hurricane will eventually make its way to Galveston Island. Mother Nature is a powerful force when it takes the form of a hurricane. Rebuilding after one is the price one pays for living on the Gulf Coast. Is the price too high? Only the person living it can answer that question. The love of beach life, the smell of the salty air, the warm gentle Gulf breezes and the healing powers of a walk on the beach are powerful motivators for challenging Mother Nature for a piece of real estate that offers what many islanders consider to be “the good life”!