One good tern

I am a bit unsure about my identification. The common tern (Sterna hirundo) or Forster's tern (Sterna forsteri)? I can only go by checklists at ebird sightings that show Forster's tern much more common during February along the Texas/Louisiana coast than the common tern. If it is truly Forster's tern, this bird has the distinction of being an exclusive resident of N. America. One look at its wings tells you it is a speed demon that can turn on a dime. This tern was not recognized as a separate species until 1831 and was named in honor of Johann Reinhold Forster, a German pastor/naturalist who accompanied Capt. Cook on his 1772 trip around the world.

Shore Bird

Living in a land-locked state, I don't get to enjoy even the most common of shorebirds like this Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus). However, this bird does spend its breeding season in land-locked northern states and in Canada; I just happened to be along the coast where it spends its winters.

A Different Grackle

Pair of serenading males
Disinterested Female

I first noticed these Great-tailed Grackles (Quiscalus mexicanus) many years ago when my wife was having to see a specialist in Houston. I wasn't much of a bird watcher back then, but I did notice that these birds looked different. It finally dawned on me that it was their tails; most bird tails are horizontal but these birds had tails that were vertical (or at least that is how I explained it at the time). Also, the call of these birds was unlike anything I had heard in Arkansas. A few years later I got involved in a mission in Acuna, Mexico (across the rio from Del Rio) and would see them all over the place. These are a few shots I took while in Galveston, but it seems that these birds are quickly extending their range. They started in Mexico and quickly spread through out the southwestern US and are now moving due North. Give it a few years and I might see them at my backyard feeder.

On the Bayou

These Blue-winged Teals (Anas discors) were along the roadside as we traveled through the bayous of Louisiana. The diversity of birds in this state is amazing. This duck loves the warm water because it is one of the last ducks to fly back North in the Spring and first to fly South in the Fall. These Teals are great at long distant migration; one individual was banded in Alberta, Canada and shot a month later in Venezuela.

Water Turkey

Also known as the snake bird, this Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) is a common swamp bird. We spotted this guy in the Louisiana bayou (see the other entry on the shirtpocket blog). However, they do occur in Arkansas, but I have never seen one. It is a graceful flyer, soaring like a turkey vulture, but swims with only its head above water.

Tropical Dove

While traveling through the bayous of Louisiana, we stopped to take pictures of a few water fowl when this flash of red flew by and lighted on this branch. I quickly got off one shot of the bird and disappointingly noted that it was "just" a dove. However, upon arriving home to check my pics more closely I was delighted to see this was not just another mourning dove but instead was a species of dove I had never seen before, an Inca Dove (Columbina inca). The giveaway to its identity is the red tipped wings (only seen in flight), scaly back, and white margin on the long gray tail. This is a tropical dove that is found in the dry, hot areas of the southwest US and Mexico, but is expanding its range North so I will be watching for it in Arkansas (global warming maybe good for something).

Another Bayou Bird

Spotted in the bayou, this double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) seemed to be as curious in me as I was in it. Its blue eyes were hypnotic. This cormorant is the most common of all the cormorants and is being blamed by sports fisherman for the decline in game fish.

Cedar Waxwing

I was visited yesterday by a flock of Cedar Waxwings (Bombycillia cedrorum) which proceeded to strip my Bradford pear trees of last years fruit. They are a very handsome bird which survives totally upon fruit. This total fruit diet is rather rare for N. American birds. Brown-headed Cowbirds that parasitize their nests usually loose their offspring because their chicks can not survive on an all fruit diet as do Waxwing chicks. Occasionally, these birds become intoxicated and even die from eating fermented (over ripe) fruit.

Loons

I had become quite accustomed to Lake Loons in New Hampshire; it seemed they were everywhere and everything (B&B, restaurants, general stores, etc.) was named after them. Even in Canada I was told that the $1 was called a "Looney" because of the engraving of the loon on one side. Their erie call was unmistakeable and I did enjoy hearing and watching them. However, I honestly didn't know they came to places like Arkansas during the winter or at least spent sometime here on their way to the coast. Also, the common Loon (Gavia immer) looks quite different in the winter; this one really fooled me. Notice how faded out their colors are compared to the summer plumage and all the white about the head. I assume they do not make the distinctive call during the winter months because I grew up on Lake DeGray and I never recall hearing a Loon.

Pied-billed Grebe

The Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) is a common, year round resident of our local lake. It can be hard to photograph because it likes to dive under the surface rather than fly when frightened.

Coot

Spent a little while this morning on Lake DeGray where we spotted a couple of loners paddling around. The American Coot (Fulica americana) is a common sight on our local lake. One of the things that I think is cool about this bird (besides its name) is the fact that it has webbed toes instead of webbed feet; check out the pic.

American Tree Sparrow

This one is tricky. This American tree sparrow (Spizella arborea) is easily confused with a chipping sparrow; the main difference being the rusty rather than black eye stripe. Also you can make out the faint central breast spot on this tree sparrow, which is diagnostic of this species and two white wing bars. We in Arkansas are on the southern edge of its winter range; it spends its summers in northern Canada and Alaska . Some interesting facts about this bird is that in the summer months it is strictly an insectivore (eating bugs only!) and in the winter eats seeds only, which makes sense seeing that it spends the winter in cold climates. One study suggested that these birds look for predators out of their left eye, while juncos look for predators with their right eye. Speaking of eyes, sometime look at the eye placement on birds. The prey birds have eyes on the sides of their heads (to look out for enemies), while the predatory birds have eyes in the front of their heads (called binocular vision) so they can focus on prey from greater distances. Think about the eye placement of this bird compared to an owl.

Youngsters

Females
Rearview of Male

Male (note the beginning of a shoulder patch)

Mixed Group (male in center)

A flock of immature and female red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) came to the backyard today along with a flock of grackles. The males have not earned their stripes yet, but you can see just the beginning of one if you look closely.