Maggie's Farm

Just kidding. We would never post a "Name This Bird" this easy to answer. Among many interesting and enjoyable experiences this past weekend was getting this close to a Red Tail who was hunting the marsh edges at the Mass. Audubon in South Wellfleet. Pocket camera, no telephoto:

Great tool for the places wheere you cannot take a tractor. It's the 17 HP, and it will shred a 2" sapling with ease. Here's the DR site.

Can you name year and make of the truck?

Ten years ago we sat with a good pal, now deceased, and his wife on the porch of his golf club, sipping after-dinner single malts and smoking Cubans. And watching the Hummingbird Moths who were all over the solid planting of pink Cleome below the porch.

One of those magical moments. There are other reasons to plant annuals like Cleome, but those moths at dusk are the best reason. Here's a pic of one from Gardener's Index hovering over a Cleome:

Finally, somebody remembered to give me this book for my birthday.

Just need to finish reading my Baroque book first.

Does it seem to you that they keep making books with smaller and smaller print these days...?

...I'd buy this W. 12th St. townhouse as a pied a terre. I'd let all my millions of best friends use it, too, when they visited NYC. There would be a maid and a cook who lived on the top floor, and three reserved parking spots at the garage down the street.

All day long I'd biddy biddy bum...

With the lousy economy, and the closing of so many Wall St. firms, prices are coming down a bit, but such places remain pricey from my humble standpoint. They are asking $29 million for this typical and rather ordinary one (see photos at link). I guess lots of people want to have places in Manhattan these days.

People who are not familiar with 19th century NY townhouses do not know that they all have pleasant little gardens in the back. Lots of landcaping businesses in NY specialize in townhouse mini-gardens. Little fountains, mini-patios, quiet lighting, pots, plants that like the city, etc. I once knew somebody whose Mom kept her pet tortoise in her NY garden for many years. Animal probably outlived her. It fed on bugs, worms, weeds and grass in the garden, and vegetables left-over from Chinese take-out. Crunched up those skinny dried hot peppers without batting an eye. It lived in the kitchen in the winter.

I think it was a Greek Tortoise (Testudo graeca) that she snuck home in her luggage from a trip to Corfu in the late 1950s. Gerald Durrell, brother of  Lawrence Durrell, loved those tortoises when he summered in the Greek islands. Those animals can live well over 60 years. They become precious living heirlooms, like parrots.

Photo of T. graeca in its natural spartan habitat:

The smallest North American turtle lives in similar habitats to those of the Spotted Turtle (one of my favorite reptiles), and is a relative of the wonderful Wood Turtle. Nowadays, they have changed the official name to Bog Turtle.

(When I was young, I located a colony of Spotted Turtles in a sedgy marsh on the edge of a stream. On a sunny day, they'd be basking on the little tussocks, and splash into the shallow water when you walked by -not walked, actually - hopped from tussock to tussock in one's Keds. Spotted Turtles are listed as endangered too, now. Like Muhlenberg's, Spotteds seem to live in small colonies in specialized habitats which are senstive to human - and dog - intrusions.)

The Bog Turtle likes marshes with wet sedgy meadows in limestone areas. Despite their name, they do not live in acidic Sphagnum Bogs. They are rarely seen because they like to burrow in muck, but they are probably endangered. I have never seen one in the wild, even though our beaver marsh overflow is probably perfect habitat for them with its grassy hummocks, rivulets, beaver channels, damp meadows - and all of our Berkshire limestone and marble ledges and bedrock.

If you have ever encountered one, tell us.

The range of these turtles is dispersed:

Muhlenberg's Turtle was named after amateur botanist and sedge expert Gotthilf Henry Ernst Muhlenberg - an interesting character who played a role in the Revolution. Muhlenberg College in PA was named after his dad.

I was working yesterday, so Mrs. BD visited a friend on the shore to do some kayaking (that was before she came home to do her weeding).

She reported that the sky was filled with Ospreys, and young ones were perched in the trees on the little islands, screaming for more sushi.

Her friend told her that there are now 19 pairs of Ospreys breeding in the immediate area. 20 years ago, none. That is a remarkable conservation achievement. 30 years ago, they were rare in the Northeast although they were never rare in Florida.

I love to watch them fishing, hovering then diving with their talons forward, and then struggling to free themselves from the pull of the water. The young ones seem to learn how to do it, but it's a wonder they don't all drown.

The Osprey has worldwide distribution. A summary of the magnificent Osprey here.

A re-post from a couple of summers ago -

Two young Carolina Wrens fecklessly fluttered into our den today while the door was open. The pup promptly swallowed one, as any half-trained retriever will do, but I gently grabbed the other and carried him out to a safe branch. He crapped in my hand, but I don't mind that at all. Glad to be of service. I will take it as a frightened "Thanks," like when God grips you.

Birds frequently fly into our house. A couple of years ago, two dumb young flickers flew down the dining room chimney, and their beaks are sharp. They were tough to catch with the 11' ceiling. But I will never forget my friend who found a befuddled Screech Owl perched on an andiron in his fireplace. He called me and asked what to do. I said grab him firmly but gently around his wings, and open your hand outdoors. It worked out fine, but the bird was confused a little by the sunlight and took a magical minute or so to compose himself perching on his hand, reorient himself, and then to fly into a dark, dense pine.

Our Carolina Wrens are noisy in spring (a piercing "teakettle teakettle teakettle"), invisible during their breeding season, and out and about again now. I thought they were migratory, but I had one at my feeder last winter, and apparently they are not, entirely. Harsh winters kill them off, but their populations bounce back.

They look twice the size of our happy House Wrens, and are noisier. Rugged little guys.

Saw many of these in bloom on Cape Cod, growing in sandy dry soil. Seems to be a succulent variant of some wildflower. (I do not know what they are, but I know they are not Joe Pye Weed.)

Our leisurely Cape Cod habits are to take an early morning 1-hour brisk exercise walk before breakfast with maybe a quick dip after, then a slower nature walk later in the morning. All interspersed with swims, of course. Choice of ponds, Wellfleet Bay, Cape Cod Bay, or ocean - all within a few miles.

One cool thing for amateur naturalists is the variety of habitats you can encounter in a one hour walk on the Outer Cape ("Lower Cape"). I scouted out this remote sand road where, within a mile, you go from dunes to salt marsh to fresh water marsh to open meadow to Pitch Pine forest.

A hand-painted sign nailed to a tree on this road read "Caution: Dogs, Kids, and Turtles." Meaning Box Turtles.

All decent humans love Box Turtles.

My bird list of commonly seen or heard was modest on this trip: Osprey, the 3 gulls (Herring, GBB, Laughing), Green Heron, Pine Warbler, Parula Warbler, Yellow-throat Warbler, Yellow Warbler, RE Vireo, Cedar Waxwing, Cormorant, Tree Swallow, Piping Plover, Killdeer, Semipalmated Plover, Willet, Mallard, Black Duck, Goldfinch, Song Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Kingbird, Common Tern, Great Crested Flycatcher, Chickadee, Cardinal, Grackles, Cowbird, Red Wing. Forgot some. Most shorebirds are up north breeding on the tundra now.

Typical Outer Cape uplands: Pitch Pine and Scrub Oak, with grassy patches where enough sun gets through. Here be Box Turtles:

Large salt marsh between the South Wellfleet Audubon and Lieutenant Island, with a hummock where the Diamondback Terrapins lay their eggs:

Low tide, Cape Cod Bay, way out on the western shore of Great Island this weekend. Heaven. You can even bring your doggie. No people there, either, except me and the Mrs. and the rare beachcomber.

A dune knitted together by a clump of Bayberry overlooking Cape Cod Bay, near Duck Harbor:

A guy has devoted his life to re-establishing the Puffin colonies in Maine.

One could do many worse things in life.

That sandwich sign made me wonder whether the Puffins were being attracted to this rock by the idea of a free lunch. Foolish birds.

You can read a bit about the Atlantic Puffin here.

Re-posted today because I had a female Ruby-Throated flirting with me yesterday while I was watering some hanging baskets of flowers. Fearless critter. Seemed to want to frolic in the spray.

Chances are that the first time you saw a hummingbird, you paid it no attention, imagining it to be a passing dragonfly or some other fleeting buzzing bug. In the Eastern half of the US, we have only one species – the Ruby Throated.

This 3-4-inch bird is usually only seen when hovering over flowers, because otherwise he is tiny and darting in flight, and his wings are a humming blur. You have to be very close to hear the hum.

These insect-like birds are probably more abundant in your area than you realize, but if you want to see them often, you need a hummingbird garden. (Those sugar-water hummingbird feeders offer no real nutrition, and the red coloring is thought to be somewhat toxic.) He feeds on nectar and small bugs hidden in the flowers, and prefers flowers which are designed for pollination by hummingbirds – often red in color and vase-shaped for his long beak. Red Trumpet Vine (in photo) is a favorite, as is azalea in the south, but they like monarda too. I find their favorite at my place is Crocosmia – which is in bloom now along with the monarda, and the trumpet vine on my wall. I highly recommend Crocosmia – the bulbs are a bit expensive but, once established, they multiply rapidly and they have attractive foliage. White Flower Farm has a large selection. In the woods, I typically see hummingbirds around patches of Jewelweed, which likes damp areas.

Read more about the Ruby Throated here. How do these fragile creatures make it across the Gulf of Mexico to winter in South America?

The print is Audubon's, the Ruby Throat with Trumpet Vine.

Speaking of hummingbirds, don’t forget the Dixie Hummingbirds.

Warbler migration season has reached its end, but our readers need a tougher challenge. Here 'tis. It is cheating to go to the link (I'll thank him with a link for the photo later today).

Hint: It's a female. Another wonderfully charming female below the fold, mostly safe for work -

A view of the farm this weekend -

Had too much work to do to spend much time birding this weekend, but I tend to have outdoor situational awareness:

Yellow Warbler, Yellow Throat Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, Mallard, Wood Duck, Canada Goose, GB Heron, B Oriole, Turkey Vulture, Wild Turkey, Wood Duck, Red-Tailed Hawk, RT Hummingbird, Blue Jay, Chickadee, Mourning Dove, Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Bluebird, Robin, Kingbird, Phoebe, Wood Pewee, Wood Thrush, Veery, Hermit Thrush, Song Sparrow, Ovenbird, Crow, Raven, Downy WP, Brown Thrasher, Pileated Woodpecker, House Finch, House Wren, RE Vireo,  Black and White Warbler, and numerous unidentified warblers.

Did not see any Meadowlark, Killdeer, or Bobolink. Probably passed through already, but I wish they would make summer homes here. I do not know why they don't.

This reasonably common migratory bird of the Eastern US is usually located by his loud, piercing calls. I have spent plenty of time tracking down the call, only to say to myself "Oh yeah, of course - I forgot" when I find the guy up in some treetop.

This bird should definitely be in The Handbook of Loud Birds of Central Ohio - or of anywhere.

Info below the fold -

This migratory bird, resembling a miniature Mockingbird in appearance, in habits, and even in song sometimes, summers in the Eastern and Southwestern US. The last one I saw was quite tame, flitting around the top of shrubs along our stream, occasionally uttering his "spee" call.

You can read about this bird here.

Do our readers ever see these little guys?

I was a bit of a nerdy, introverted kid, with a strong naturalist, conservationist, and hunting bent which has continued into my so-called adulthood.

I owe my Mom (and my Dad) gratitude for introducing me to these interesting things. They are both curious people who do not like to not know about things around them, in whatever depth they are able to pursue.

The energetic curiosity of parents, as of teachers, must surely be a good inspiration for growing rugrats. Thanks, Mom and Dad.

While an expert in nothing, I have learned enough over the years to see and understand more of what's going on outdoors than the average bear. As our readers know, I am interested in the geology, the geography, the wildlife, the plants, the seas, and habitats in general.

I have been birding since I was around 10, when I started with weekend groups from the local Audubon Society, but I remain a novice. Female warblers can drive me nuts, and Fall warblers - forget about it.

Birding can be challenging, physically like hiking and mentally like Organic Chemistry: birds have seasonal plumages, and many vary during their first couple of years of life. Like hunting or fishing, it provides a mission for one's expeditions to the Great Outdoors. I am not one of those obsessives who pursue a Life List: I just like to see what is around in whatever corner of Creation I happen to find myself.

Even when hunting, I tend to have my binoculars with me.

From Birding popularity is flying high, report shows. One quote:

Using data from 2006, a new report, "Wildlife Watching in the United States," found that expenditures for watching birds and other wildlife were equivalent to the revenues generated from all spectator sports, including football, baseball and NASCAR; amusement parks and arcades; nonhotel casinos; bowling centers; and skiing facilities -- combined.

Photo is a tough diagnosis for amateurs, especially when among flocks of Herring Gulls. Sometimes seen on the coast in the Northeast in winter: Glaucous Gull. A big, tough denizen of the high Arctic.

Who's Maurice Strong?

Deputy shot; illegal immigrants suspected. Am Thinker: Some truths about illegal immigrants. TimesWatch: Times Again Hails Grand Total of Four Illegal Immigrant Marchers

Also, Legal Immigrants Fed Up With Illegal Immigrants

Has the Obama deficit panel already failed?

McCotter is acerbic. He does good acerbic.

Chicago Mayor Begs World Court to Overturn Second Amendment

Anchoress: Secular Sex Abuse Gets a Look – Poll Added

Boehner: How does gaining 100 seats in November sound?

A couple of birder friends and I took an early morning trip down to the Jamaica Bay Refuge  in Queens, NYC, for some early warbler-watching last Saturday.

Since we had already had a wave of warblers passing through further north, it seemed like a good time to get a head start on the May warbler-watching before all the leaves came out. Wrong. Not a single one. As with hunting or fishing, it is so often "You shoulda been here yesterday."

Our birds have not bought into the global warming hysteria. The Spring migrants were absent, and the winter birds had left already. I did not even see the usual flock of breeding Ruddy Ducks.

The Jamaica Bay Refuge is a unique oasis. Behind you is JFK with planes constantly overhead, out to the ocean side is Far Rockaway, and in front is Brooklyn with Manhattan rising in the distance. It's a special green and watery stopping-place for migrants on the Atlantic Flyway, but the refuge hosts plenty of breeding birds too. Mixed habitat: beaches, woods, vast bayberry fields, salt- and fresh-water marshes.

Plenty of Tree Swallows. Here's my pal walking up to one of them while fumbling with his fancy camera, Far Rockaway in the distance:

 More photos etc below the fold -

This feature back by popular demand. I will post the info later today, although our readers will figure it out first.

We seem to have some knowledgeable birders here. What a world!

Name the bird, from this site.

I heard my first warbler of the Spring early this morning, the zee zee zee of a Black and White high in a budding Maple.

I went to All About Birds to double check my birdsong memory (which was correct this time), I found that they link a new feature for migrating birds: a monthly map called eBird. Click on the month, and see where they are. I checked it for the Black and White.