Birding for All

My tabby Oscar is not easily impressed when it comes to the plethora of birds out the windows at our house. Usually it takes something like the mallards who fly in for spilled seed, or a blue jay, as long as it's loud and active (which isn't normally a problem.) Rose-breasted Grosbeaks - not so much. My dad suggested that Oscar is perhaps more of a Big Game Hunter. (I do interject at this time that my cats are indoor cats only. They also contribute to bird conservation with the donation of their shed haircoats going to nesting material bags that I will soon be hanging out on the clothes lines.)

Crows, however, are a big hit for Oscar. Nice pine in the yard next to mine that makes a good perch for lots of birds in the neighborhood. Oscar's fanny wiggle usually tells me when something "good" is outside.

Now Lily, my other cat, firmly appreciates a good hawk when she sees one. She tries her "cat chatter" to entice it closer, but as of yet, no dice. Oscar's approach is not quite the light touch; his noggin has recorded more window strikes than the feathered neighbors.

Feeders

Not much exciting with this selection of pics - just a reminder that different types of feeders will bring in different species of birds. The platform feeder shown first is shared by a Northern Cardinal and female Red-bellied Woodpecker, and a while later the Black-capped Chickadee took a sunflower almost as big as his head. The latter also took to the suet cage with relish.

More Barred Owl

These pics prove that owls are not just out at night. Barred Owls are often active during the day, especially on cloudy days. They might not be at the top of their game - obviously this bird was pretty doze-y, but it was actively hunting in between "naps", as you can see from the pics here.

Red bellied woodpecker

A male Red-bellied Woodpecker too advantage of the suet at Lowry. The males have the red nape, crown and forehead, while females have noticeably less red on the forehead. Do you see how the bird uses his stiff-feathered tail as balance and/or leverage while he leans back or pulls chunks of suet?

Downy Woodpecker

This female Downy was at Lowry for a recent banding. At Springbrook this past weekend, we had a Downy - with a possible brood patch already coming in!!!! In addition to size - the Downy Woodpeckers are about 6 inches long, the Hairy Woodpeckers are about 9 inches - there are a couple of other ways to tell them apart. Calls are different, the bills are MUCH shorter on Downys, and if you look at the second to the last picture - the Downys have barring on the white outer retrices (tail) feathers. The Hairys do not have that same distinct barring.

Great words to think about

The writer Adam Frank posted this essay last week - it relates to why/how he (and I relate to this) uses science as the lens in which to view life. Or is that science is what shapes how we view life?

"In response I wanted to reflect on what science brings to the table. Some of what I have to say relates to the practice of science. I also think it's important to consider what science asks of us, and what it gives back as an approach to life.

Science certainly provides a powerful sense of meaning as an activity. Will my scientific papers be read 100 years from now? I hope so, but doubt it (sigh). Either way, the process of trying to honestly enter into a dialogue with the world establishes a context for my own life that sometimes allows me to rise above the petty day-to-day squabbles of broken washing machines and general knuckle-headedness. By entering into that dialogue with great effort and earnestness, the world ceases to be something merely "at-hand," something merely there for distraction or entertainment.

Instead, it's fully alive and fully present. The ever-opening sky, the wheeling stars and even the nightly stream of crows I watch heading to their evening roosts all become a poignant mysteries that speak of greater powers than I will ever fully understand. They surround me, whispering that there is more, so much more, to the world than my small concerns. Practicing science keeps my feet on the ground and my ear to the wind. It keeps me alert so that I might still hear that quiet call.
You don't have to be a practicing scientist to know any of that. You don't have to write papers to carry out your own research, your own fervent investigation into the texture of your own being.
The questions are always there.

They are waiting for you everyday when you open your eyes to yet another strange day in this strange world. The practice of science is just a codification of something that has always been possible for human beings. With integrity and honesty in our own investigations of what it means to be alive for these briefest of moments, we can all enrich our work, be it nursing, building, teaching or cooking.

Science always asks for excellence. In reality, life always asks for excellence, too. It asks us to give our best, to be attentive, to awake to the everyday miracle that is every day.
Nothing is more full of meaning and nothing holds out a greater hope for us all. As individuals in a culture we are forever re-inventing, this collaboration of investigation with the universe is the very essence of a meaningful life."

American Tree Sparrows

The American Tree Sparrow has an odd name, since they are rarely seen actually sitting in trees. Most times you see them on the ground. From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology - "The name was given by early European settlers for the superficial resemblance of this species to the Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus).
In summer, males sing persistently to proclaim possession of territory. Individual males sing only a single song type each, although song types are widely shared among males. Females build a nest on the ground and incubate the eggs alone. Both parents help to raise the single brood of 4 to 6 young.
Although many aspects of the behavior and natural history of American Tree Sparrows are well studied, gaps still exist in our knowledge of this species; little is known of population structure, population regulation and dynamics, and dispersal, for example. In addition, most studies of the breeding biology of this species have been conducted in northern Manitoba. As American Tree Sparrows breed over a wide geographic area, it is likely that aspects of their biology may differ across their range."

They are always a winter treat! I love the bi-colored bills, and like all sparrows - lots of subtle colors.