Birds of Quail Valley and Fort Bend

American Bittern

American Bittern

This glimpse is all you might see of the American Bittern emerging from undercover. This solitary member of the heron family winters along the Texas Gulf Coast. This photo was taken just before Valentine's Day 2015 on the San Bernard River in Brazoria County Texas. The San Bernard is one of the few rivers in Texas that empties directly into the Gulf of Mexico.

You'll find Bitterns November to March or April on the lower Texas Coast. They start to move north in March or April depending on the prevailing winds and weather. 

American Bittern "hunkered down"

Seeing them is mostly finding undeveloped areas with natural grassland and/or wetlands. You may not see them, you can't miss hearing them, sounding like an eerie clock or pump.  A pumping “oong ka chunk” resonates throughout the area.

American Bitterns eat a varied diet from crustaceans to grasshoppers

Grasping non-webbed feet typical of wading birds

This well-camouflaged heron may only be heard as they walk slowly and stay under cover in vegetation. However, they mostly choose less dense vegetation.

This 2 to 3 foot tall forager is mostly brown with white stripes. Adults develop black stripes as well. 

 

American Bittern in flight

 American Bitterns are usually solitary and found in undeveloped open spaces with natural grasslands that are not mowed. Like many grass prairie birds, they beg for preservation of wild space and undisturbed corridors for safe migration. Support Conservation efforts.

To hear the American Bittern's unforgettable sound, follow this link to Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds.

Janice Scanlan writes, researches and edits this blog as well as writes a monthly feature in Fort Bend Independent featuring Margaret's pictures of local birds.

Photos copyrighted by international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Looking for the right feeder for your birds?
Cornell's Project Feeder Watch has a site with over 100 common birds and feeders that attract them. Press this link.   

 

Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

Male Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

The Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker is a woodpecker that winters in the southeastern US, Mexico and Central America. While mature woodpeckers have a red cap, the male also has a red throat. All mature Yellow-Bellieds have a yellow wash on the breast. When will my field glasses allow me to see through a tree? I've had the distinct drumming from a neighbor's locked garden, but can't see the Yellow Bellied on the other side of the tree!

Good view of the distinctive horizontal drill holes.

Their drumming is distinct and sounds like Morse Code. They also will drum on metal including streets signs. The drilling stands out with neat horizontal rows that may need to be re-drilled or may form sap wells. They especially like high sap trees like birch and maple. If you're worried about your trees, think of the gallons of Maple Syrup humans drain from Maple trees. Sapsuckers actually capture insects in their small sap drills. How much can a 7 to 9 inch bird consume or peck?

Yellow-bellieds are well-camouflaged from the back.

You may hear them or see their drills before you see them. From the back they are well camouflaged on a tree, so that movement or sound may be your only clue.

Immature male Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker with red color starting to speckle-in on the throat.

Females don't often drum, so you may not hear her; but by mentally removing the red speckles on the throat of the image above, you can visualize what a mature female looks like. You readily can see how the short-tail provides balance and leverage to peck on a tree. Special plates in the skull, keep their brains safe from concussions.

Immature Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker in Mulberry Tree.

 

All woodpeckers have a short-tail for leverage to peck.

The Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker is a medium-sized  (7-9 inches) woodpecker. They will migrate north in the later spring. They mostly nest in the pine and hardwoods of Eastern Canada so from Texas we don't have any picture of fledges, which are very brownish with no white. The yellow-wash on the breast is just beginning to color in the image above.

Other Fort Bend Woodpeckers already featured in this blog to date are

Downey,

Red-Bellied, and

Pileated Woodpeckers.

 

Start getting your Hummingbird feeders ready. It will only take a nice northernly wind from Mexico and Central America to start neotropical migration of hummers to the Gulf Coast. Winter hummers are present on feeders already.

Talk on Hummingbirds
Sugar Land Garden Club, March 17, 2015 at 9:30 AM.

Selasphorous Hummingbird: Is it an Allen's or a Rufous?

Janice Scanlan will show Margaret Sloan's fabulous pictures of Hummingbirds from Fort Bend, Central and South America as well as show garden plants that attract them in our area. Many practical tips about bringing and keeping Hummingbirds coming back to your garden. Janice's talks are laced with humor and memorable stories that illustrate.

Talk is free to the public. For more details, visit Sugar Land Garden Club website meetings page.

 

 Janice Scanlan writes, researches and edits this blog as well as writes a monthly feature in Fort Bend Independent featuring Margaret's pictures of local birds.

Photos copyrighted by international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Looking for the right feeder for your birds?
Cornell's Project Feeder Watch has a site with over 100 common birds and feeders that attract them. Press this link. 

Cooper's Hawk

Immature Cooper's Hawk

I knew from the Blue Jay's early warning system something was happening in the front garden. There were about 6 or 8 of them in the tree top of the Live Oak screaming "thief, thief, thief!"

On a lower tree limb perched an immature Cooper's Hawk like the one on the left. He or she was about 16 inches long so it could have been a young male or female.

Yes, this is a Bird of Prey specialized for flying at high rates of speed in trees and thickets. The Cooper's favorite meal are smaller birds; hence, the warning was on target for the birds.

Henpecked. The Cooper's fits the definition of henpecked. The males are smaller than the females, by a "good weight size."

Cooper's Hawk "males are 13 to 16 inches, with the females being 16 to 19 inches. Considering the difference in size and the type of diet, the males are quite solicitous of the females and only approach their mate is cooing softly and not agitated. During nesting the male not only builds the nest, he has 90% of the responsibility for feeding the female and her chicks for 3 months. 

Before you feel too harsh about this fascinating bird, remember man is on the top of the food chain, but predators of all kinds have their place in nature.

To see mature pictures of the Cooper's Hawk as well as learn more, especially if one is preying on your bird feeder, press here.

Other Winter Birds we're seeing in grass and wetlands . . .

 

American Bittern

The American Bittern is a winter visitor along the Texas Gulf Coast. Often heard, not seen, this one poked its head up from the tall grass and reeds along the San Bernard River near the Coast (in Brazoria County, Texas). The San Bernard is one of the few rivers along the Texas Gulf Coast that empties directly into the Gulf of Mexico, not a the coastal bay system.

 

LeConte's Sparrow

 

Nelson's Sparrow

 

 

Savannah Sparrow

 With more and more development, we are losing our tall grasslands and wetlands that support so many of our birds that depend on those habitats. Support keeping open space  open and natural!

Photos copyrighted by international birder Margaret Sloan.

Story and Research by Janice Scanlan.

 

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Phoebe

01-21-2015 UPDATE:  A Magic Moment in my Garden . . . One of the delights of winter in my Quail Valley enclosed garden is the intermingling of Winter and Nesting birds . . . especially the smaller birds.  Carolina Wren males, which are a nesting bird here, show off their "Real Estate" to a female who select him as a partner if she likes what she sees. She then selects the nesting site and the work begins. On my fence this morning a male was strutting his stuff to potential suitor . . . and she like what she saw. As the female was exploring 4 potential nesting sites she would consider (yes, he is probably considered at least a millionaire in the bird world), our Bird of the Month, the Eastern Phoebe (2 different ones), showed up, followed by a flock of Carolina Chickadees a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet and a Tufted Titmouse on the multiple feeders. Alas, no camera with me, much less Margaret and her photographic magic. I just stood still and savored the moment for about 10 minutes. Janice

Bird of the Month: The first bird John J. Audubon banded in North America, the Eastern Phoebe is a prominent winter bird for our feeders, although they live in Fort Bend year round. You're more likely to find them breeding closer to the Coast, but near water. Being primarily insect eaters, Eastern Phoebes come for suet and will eat fruit as well in the winter under 60 F.  This hardy flycatcher winters further north than most flycatchers. A subtle bird that can be easy to miss in the garden because they move fast and "pump" or wag their long wedged tails. Velvety gray on lighter gray with a pale yellow rump, which is often the tell-tale sign as they fly away. In our gardens you will see them in shrubbery and perched in low trees or on suet feeders. 

Winter Migrant  Birds We've Seen This Month 

Ruby Crowned Kinglet        Suet Feeder, in small trees and shrubs

Blue-Gray Gnatcahtcher            "                    "                     "

American Goldfinches        Colony of 8 or 9 on Feeder, fence and trees

Gray Catbird                      Heard meowning in live oak, but didn't see

Bald Eagle                        Open Space, Hunting

Scroll down to November 2014 post for more on other birds in our late fall/ winter gardens.

Winter Migrant Birds We're Watching to See:

American Whitle Pelican    Lakes

Belted Kingfisher               Oyster Creek - High Lines

American Kestrel                           "                "

Brown Thrasher                 Brush Piles

Cedar Waxwings                Flocks in smaller berry trees and berry bushes

Foster's Tern                      Lakes

Winter Hummingbirds        Feeders
   Rufous, Allen's, Black-chinned, Calliope

Sparrows                         Grasslands grown over 9 inches
    White-Crowned, Chipping,Field, Vesper, Savannah, LeConte's,Lincoln's

Warblers                           Suet Feeders, Shrubs, smaller trees

    Yellow-rumped  Warbler (Butter Butts)
    Orange-crowned Warbler
    Palm Warbler
    Pine Warbler 

To see more Eastern Phoebe pictures by Margaret, press here

Scroll below to see more year round birds as well as winter visitors to our gardens.

 

Photos copyrighted by international birder Margaret Sloan.

 

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

 

Researched and Edited by Janice Scanlan.

  

 

 

Holiday Cards with Birds

How are birds depicted on holiday cards? It often depends where you live (Northern or Southern Hemisphere) and your religious or ethic background. The cards you may choose may reveal your preferences for more traditional or secular cards as well. One size doesn't seem to fit all.

North America . . .

Male North American Cardinals
are often found in card shops and on the Internet. The red color is associated with both Christmas & "Seasons Greetings" cards.

 However, non-red birds such as Carolina Chickadees are often seen all "puffed up" on holiday cards in stores. Carolina Chickadees and Northern Cardinals are widely dispersed and often seen during the Holidays especially in the Eastern US.

 Female Northern Cardinal is not red,
but struts some beautiful rufuous.

 

Central or South America Rainforest Birds are seen on South American cards. It is summer in the southern hemispheres!

 

Several varieities of Macaws, the largest of the Rainforest Parrots, are seen at Moody Gardens Rainforest Pyramid. The playful South American cards often picture Macaws in Santa Hats!

 

Scarlett Ibis is another beautiful red rainforest bird
at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas

 

Rainforest bromeliads and orchids grace "Christmas Tree" display in the Moody Garden Rainforest.

On the Internet you may find more pure photographic cards taken in nature, while in stores they are often illustrated. Other red birds seen include Summer Tanagers, Pine Grosbeaks, Vermillion Flycatchers, Red Crosbills that are found in North America. But partridges and quail are popular as well.

Past holidays this blog has featured male, red House Finches, Winter Hummingbirds (not red for their jewel and irridescent colors) that perch near red berries or Northern Mockingbirds that dine on red berries. There are many birds to enjoy during the holiday season!

Doves: Hanukkah and Seasons Greetings Cards

Cards wishing Peace and Shalom use white doves on wing as well as Mourning Doves. Instead of Red, Hanukkah and Seasons Greetings cards wishing Peace use more Asian and Middle Eastern influences of rich royal blues, emerald greens and purples. These colors are becoming popular combinations in holiday lighting as well. A variety of doves live in Fort Bend, but the beautiful pink hues of Mourning Doves are found on holiday cards. More on doves in Fort Bend.

Hindu Diwali cards use Peacocks and jewel tone colors  as well as red and other intense colors. Fort Bend has a large Diwali Celebration of Lights in Sugar Land.

Japanese Cards use Cranes with beautiful stylized oriental themes. 

  In Galveston, a Breakfast with the Sandhill Cranes, is likely to become a popular birding event . . . and don't forget the flyovers of all our water birds.

There are many venues to enjoy birds in our Gulf Coast region and through out the world.

While I didn't find a tradition for cards in Islam, I did learn that a bird in flight is considered the Sprit of Allah.

Consult bird maps for birds in your locale. Visit local arboretums, parks, and wildspaces to see them in nature and watch for them if your garden might support their habits. 

Photographer Margaret Sloan and writer/researcher Janice Scanlan
wish you a Wonderful Holiday Season and Happy New Year!

 all photographs except those of Moody Gardens are copyrighted by Margaret Sloan. To see more of her work, visit Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Enjoy your garden and nature! Even the falling leaves!

Friends at Thanksgiving

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher with insect

 Give thanks for the friends you’ll be seeing this Thanksgiving!  Smaller migratory birds take opportunities of obliging winds and this past week two dependable November friends returned as well as a year round returned to our garden (likely for a warmer clime).

The Blue Gray Gnatcatcher (above) looks like a small mockingbird of gray and charcoal with a long tail that shows up at Suet Feeders as well as in foliage and Oak, Maple and Ash trees. They love insects and with warmer weather this week will likely be seen gleaning foliage . . . my visitors particularly love a Japanese Maple and insect glean in some azaleas in a very protected area where I also have spider webs. They are fast and stay in motion so unless like our photo above shows with the recent catch, they are moving and/or flight very quickly. Read more, see more pictures.

Ruby Crowned Kinglet.
The Ruby Crown is hidden pin feathers.

A closely allied bird the Ruby Crowned Kinglet (above) showed up the same day – a pair as matter-of-fact—one actually flashing its red pinfeathers on its tiny olive green head. Rarely have I seen such a display, but I can almost tell time from the hourly visits of these tiny birds. Read more, see more pictures.

 

The year round Carolina Wren
returned to a thicket near a fence.

But I was really rewarded in the garden when our cinnamon colored Carolina Wren told one of their many stories—not singing, almost clucking showed up on the fence coming out of some thick evergreens. Read more, see more pictures.

It’s hard to decide which bird to select in the fall because the great fly-overs are bringing the Wood Ducks, White Pelicans, Cranes (Whooping and Sandhill), Snow Geese and other large migratory birds that travel the same routes using large rivers and tributaries much like interstate highways and farm-to-market roads.

Wood Ducks         Read more, see more pictures.

White Pelicans     Read more, see more pictures.

Fly-over birds      Read more, see more pictures.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds has an interesting story that contributed to our information on large versus small bird migration,  Flyways for Flyweights: Small Birds Capitalize on Weather Patterns During Epic Migrations by Hugh Powell about migrations from Canada to and across the Gulf of Mexico.  In their "Find" search feature type in migratory patterns and scroll down to the article. All About Birds

Photos copyrighted by international birder Margaret Sloan.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and Edited by Janice Scanlan.

 

 

 

Pileated Woodpecker

 

Fort Bend's largest woodpecker, Pileated Woodpeckers mate for life with the males taking nest-providing very seriously. Males take responsibility for hollowing out nesting cavities in dead trees and particularly tall trees with the female helping finish. Generally making new nests each year, takes 3 to 6 weeks.

Classic forward white under-pattern of wings, which they flap like crows with long, deliberate strokes.

The two photos above appear to be more about training young, not nest-building, as the trees are live. If you see a Pileated pecking on a tree, the area is likely dead and usually full of their favorite meal, Carpenter Ants, or with termites or woodboring beetle larvae. And can they can “saw in” with a triangular cut.

Pileateds will also eat fruits and nuts and occasionally feed from backyard seed and suet feeders.

Extremely territorial (except in winter) a pair will patrol their woodland territory but are otherwise shy.

 Male Pilieated Woodpecker above. Both males and females have the classic red-crested head and look of “Woody Woodpecker” and are around 16” in length or about the size of a crow.

Female Pileated Woodpecker above. Females’ crests are slightly smaller, but otherwise identical to males. Juveniles for a very short period of time are more muted and “brownish.” 

Pileateds have extremely long tongues, and their feeding on decayed parts of trees provide nests hollows for owls, smaller woodpeckers, swifts, and pine martens.

Woodpeckers and wood creepers are found throughout the Globe. In the Costa Rica rain forest, a very similar bird to our Pileated Woodpecker is the Lineated Woodpecker. While their breasts differ and the Lineated are slightly smaller (12" to 14" versus 16" for the Pileated), Central American woodpeckers have many similarities to our common woodpeckers in behavior and markings--just a different address. To see our Southern woodpecker cousins, press here, to go to Margaret Sloans' website.

For a contrast of the breast as well as see a typical nest excavation of a dead tree for a hollow for nesting, go here. Another contrast is the Lineated Female is more actively involved in overall nest building.

Other Fort Bend woodpeckers already featured on this blog are:

The 4" long Downy Woodpecker

The 9" long Red-bellied Woodpecker

Photos copyrighted by international birder Margaret Sloan.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and Edited by Janice Scanlan.

 

Hummingbirds . . . migrating south

Writer of this blog, Janice Scanlan, speaks on Hummingbirds at Brightwater Garden Club, Mon. Sept. 22, 7 pm, Brightwater Clubhouse. No charge. Contact Diane Giltner @ 281.499.0695

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, particularly females and immature males have taken an early migration ride on the recent dips south of the jet stream. Breezes more like September have brought hummers to our gardens and feeders early. They look for red and orange, small flutes containing nectar such as the Hamelia Patens commonly called Hummingbird Bush above, that with proper light and drainage adapts to the Texas Gulf Coast and Zone 9 heat and humidity conditions.

Unlike the male with his Ruby Throat above, female hummingbirds can be deceptively hard to identify. Until recently this wasn't much of an issue because the Ruby-throated were the only regular migratory visitor to Fort Bend County, near the upper Gulf Coast of Texas. Not anymore . . .

Especially early (usually a winter visitor) is the male Rufous Hummingbird pictured above, photographed 8-10-14 at Margaret’s garden sanctuary in Quail Valley.

Once hummers establish a pattern, they can be doggedly persistent in returning to feeders.

Hummingbirds are confined to South, Central and North America.

Most of the hummingbird species live in South America (more than 700 species), with only 28 species in North America (Mexico, US, and Canada). However, research shows a trend of hummers migrating north from the South American rainforests. The major reason seems to be more sources of food.

The Green-Breasted Mango Hummingbird provides an example of this northern movement. This one was photographed by Margaret in Costa Rica (and she has photographed them as far south as Ecuador) has now moved along of East Coast of Mexico . . . and is a fall and winter visitor as far North as the Rockport / Corpus Christi area. Yes, the more exotic plummed are further South.

Bringing more of nature’s jewels to your garden . . .

It pays to advertize . . . and bright red or orange . . . is a big trigger. Think in nature . . . there are fields of small fluted flowers that show up from the air . . . but may be harder to see in the home garden with fewer of one species or trees that obsure them. Any red plant, object or garden art the hummingbirds can see will attract them. Purple is also a color they like, but they will adapt to other nectar sources once they discover your garden is hospitable. Some people even hang red plastic streamers to blow in the wind!

Hummingbirds feeders . . .Hummers will come to feeders alone, but the more plant diversity and other food sources have them staying in your garden longer "working the garden." Keeping the nectar clean and not fermented to alcohol is a must. Nectar is best made with table sugar, as honey and other sugars sources can get moldy very fast. Use one part table sugar to 4 parts of water. Many experts recommend boiling the water first to take out impurities and then dissolve your sugar in the solution. Red on the feeder is enough (and red dye in the nectar is unneeded and possibly harmful). The hummers have likely fed at feeders like yours before!

Make enough nectar solution to refrigerate part of your solution to change often to keep it fresh and appealing. If the nectar looks the least bit cloudy, it's time for a change. Also if hummers aren't drinking, you have another clue.

Black-chinned hummers are more common to Central Texas/west, but do visit the Gulf Coast in the winter. Black-chinned females are very hard to distinguish from Ruby-throated, but that may not be a challenge that you care about--the enjoyment coming from watching.

Cleaning the feeder is important so make sure you buy a feeder easy-to-clean (especially the inside). I soak the feeders in soapy hot water for at least 10 minutes and rinse throughly and well. If I see any mildew, I soak the feeder in one part bleach and 9 parts water, then use the soapy water.  Audubon recommends using bleach solution monthly whether you see mildew or not to prevent disease. There are both single feeders and multi-port feeders with perches. All have advantages and disadvantages. Starting small to see if feeding is for you is likely a good beginning.

Hummingbirds cannot walk, but the do like understory trees and bushes or areas they can perch. They and Swifts are flying wonders in the bird world . . . and it does take a lot of nectar as well as insects to fuel them!

Habitat . . . In general, the more organic methods you use in your garden the more appealing it is to hummers. Their source of protein (nectar is for energy) are insects, which they especially like to harvest from spider webs, which is also a source of nest-building materials.

They also like multiple heights of plants and non-geometric "transition edges." They like areas with leaves where they can stay dry during a heavy rain storm so their feathers don't get drenched so they can continue to fly. They do enjoy little water misting stations at bird baths to cool off.

 

Janice was thrilled last January when a Selasphorus male Hummingbird changing from immature plumage was in her hummingbird garden within 3 feet of where she was working.
Was it Rufous or Allen's? Perhaps one day enough hummers will come she will know the difference,
but the delight of the experience that her work was paying off was enough!

If your garden is more formal, hummers will come, but not in large numbers nor will they linger and entertain you often for hours in the morning and later afternoon. Margaret Sloan's garden sanctuary is an wonderful example of the garden diversity that birds need by ensuring food, shelter, and water with plants appealing to hummers. Click here to take a peek of her garden.

Janice Scanlan's talk on hummingbirds conveys her stories of how she started small and built on success with practical, common sense ideas that translate to finding ways to attract hummers to a number of kinds of gardens. The bonus is she shows Margaret's photos including some of the exotics from the South.

 Booted Racket-tail Hummingbird . . . from Ecuador and surrounds

Photos copyrighted by international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

Other Hummingbird stories in this blog:
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. 

Winter Hummingbirds

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Want more Hummingbird fun . . . Cornell's All About Birds has some Hummingbird fun featured this month.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan.

 

 

Molting Plumage

It’s not a bad hair day . . . it’s a juvenile male Northern Cardinal acquiring his first adult plumage as his beak begins to re-color as well. Many birds molt or replace their plumage in the later part of summer as it is after breeding and before migration, which requires much energy, as does molting. So molting takes place during a "down time" in the bird's life cycle.

Even birds as bright as the adult Northern Cardinal, feathers fade and suffer from wear and tear. The bird on the left shows the bright winter plumage replaced after summer. The male on the right photographed in August shows how the feathers have faded. 

And right on schedule, I noticed my adult male cardinal starting to molt last week. He seems to take baths more frequently during molting as well. As a child our Peacocks and Peahens seemed to hide during molting when they completely lost their tails, but it was probably because they weren't spending time displaying at the mirror that made them seem to hide. Yes, the females display too--just not as dramatically!

 Birds with a single molt cycle include Chickadees, Flycatchers, Hawks, Hummingbirds, Jays, Owls, Swallows, Thrushes, Vireos, and Woodpeckers.

There are many variances such as the one of the American Goldfinch.

 Both of these pictures are male American Goldfinches. The bright yellow male on the left is in "alternative plumage" for mating, which happens in the late spring. Most of the plumage of the adult, male American Goldfinch is like the one on the left for 6 to 9 months of the year. It is normally the plumage we see on the Gulf Coast as the American Goldfinch does not breed here, but heads further north. As their breeding plumage fades, the bird completes its full molt before migration in the fall.

Some birds, particularly those that live in areas that inflict heavy damage on their feathers, molt twice a year, such as the Marsh Wren which winters in our area. Marsh Wrens live in particularly abrasive vegetation of reedy marshes and cattail swamps.

Other birds plumage reveals age and change over several years -- anywhere from 2 to to 5 years.

Multi-year plumage changes. In Fort Bend, Texas, the Little Blue Heron is very dramatic in its changes over 3 years.

Little Blue Heron flock with Snowy Egrets their initial year . . . possessing different beak and leg colors but are otherwise very similar (picture on left) to Snowy Egrets. The center picture shows the "calico" stage which is blue and white. The mature Little Blue Heron is blue shading into a maroon neck (bird on right).

The Bald Eagle takes 4 to 5 years to develop its breeding feathers and white tail. Birds of Prey like eagles that depend on precision flying for their survival, molt a few feathers at a time to keep their wings in top flight condition for hunting.

Bird plumage is one of the most identifiable characteristics of birds, but distinguishing birds during molting or a various life stages can be quite challenging and frustrating for novice birders. Particularly using Field Guide pictures alone for identification can be frustrating because there can be many variations. Using range maps, habitat, calls and vocalization, behavior, and measurements and the shape of the bird are other means that support an identification. If you suspect you have an immature bird, google in immature and the species name such as immature red-breasted woodpecker (seen in the right picture). That's one that tripped me because of the length of time in immature feathers!

A bird bander, who came to Margaret's to identify some female hummingbirds, thought she had a Ruby Throated hummer. Yet as she began to measure, the bander finally arrived at Black-Chinned.

Female hummers can be hard to identify.

Pictures help but cannot show parts of the bird or may be obscured by light and or angle of the shot. Identification can make for some exciting quandaries as well as arguments, even by the experts!

For more complete and scientific explanation of molting nomenclature, All About Birds website from the Cornell University Ornithology Lab is an excellent source for authoritative, ready and easy-to-read information. Press here to read the full article.

Photos copyrighted except immature red-breasted woodpecker by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan, who took the lower quality photo of immature red-breasted woodpecker in her garden. Click photos to enlarge them.

 

Gardens that Attract Birds

Margaret Sloan's garden in Missouri City has really become a bird sanctuary. She has documented with photos more than 150 species visiting her garden. The garden attracts all variety of birds with open space for birds like hawks, eagles and vultures that need open space for flying. Various heights and textures as well as food sources in plantings make the garden attractive for many kinds of birds.

We enjoyed watching the Purple Martins come home at 8 pm after doing their job of eating large insects such as wasps, beetles, grasshoppers, dragon and damsel flies to feed their young on the balcony of the Martin House.

A thicket of trees stands between her garden and Oyster Creek for water birds as well as birds drawn to the thicket such as the Great Crested Flycatcher that stays high in the trees so you really need binoculars to view and are more likely to hear initially than see. It's knowing they are there as well as their habits, identification markings, etc.

Nesting boxes and shelter with brush piles for birds that like insects and gathering insects, beetles and prefer feeding on the ground such as Thrashers, aptly named because you often hear them "thrashing around." The upper parts of these thickets also appeal to sping and fall warblers and other migrating birds that eat insects from shrubs and taller grasses. Flycatchers and birds of prey often visit the upper and tall vantage points of thickets.

Fresh sources of water, which includes a drip feature and upper drinking perch as well as fresh water during the day for drink and bathing. Having the upper drip and perch allows more birds to enjoy the fresh water as all do not come to bird baths or bowls.

Various food sources including nectar from flowers, seeds, berries all seasonally working with migration, wintering and nesting patterns.

Margaret not only attracts birds that come to feeders, but also birds that don't . . . by not using pesticides and providing habitat, her garden brings a full complement of birds that visit Fort Bend County near, but not on the Gulf Coast of Texas. By having open space our aerial birds that feed on insects such as mosquitoes she sees swallows, night hawks, purple martins, swifts or Birds of Prey such as Hawks, Falcons, Kestrels, Eagles, Vultures, all can be seen from this garden. 

By being on Oyster Creek, water birds can either be seen on the water such as ducks, as well as herons, egrets, spoonbills that can be seen feeding in or near the water. 

Wood Duck male in breeding display with female. The male is only in this plumage for 2 to 3 months. Think of seeing this bit of "pre-nuptial" molting from your back garden! The rest of the year he looks much like the female.

To learn more about plants and arrangements in this garden (and notice between 2010 and 2014 Margaret added 30 additional species to her documented visitors), visit the 2010 garden tour of the Quail Valley Garden Club.

 

Downy Woodpecker

 

A mature male Downy Woodpecker (left) feeds a young male.

Early summer is a great time to see Downy Woodpeckers and their young, as they are year round residents in Fort Bend. Notice how much more distinct the mature male is (crisper red cap as well as black and white patterns) than the young male. Females do not have the red cap.

These sparrow-sized woodpeckers (6 to 6.75") are often seen in multi-species flocks particularly with chickadees, titmice and wrens in Fort Bend. Main diet is beneficial to your trees as they clean them of many pest insects and larvae. You may hear males drumming in the spring. Never fear, they are not pecking holes but attracting mates. They do not sing or chirp.

 

Downy Woodpecker male sunning after a bath

 

Downy on each side of suet feeder. Sorry for lower quality photo, but good indicator of bird size

Downy Woodpeckers come to feeders containing suet or black-oiled sunflower seeds as they fly quickly between trees and “hop” up, down and around trees. They are very fun to watch.

 

Downies in western states have more white than eastern birds and the 4 pictures above.

Another Utah Downy is also more dusky than the crisper black and white of eastern Downies

Watch closely for young during the late spring, early summer.  Nests are in tree cavities often left by larger woodpeckers that have left cavities in dead wood searching for insects. Except for the areas of the country that have few trees (arid to dessert), the Downy Woodpecker is a year round bird in much of North America that has woodlands.

Photos copyrighted except Downeys on suet feeder by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan, who took the lower quality photo of Downies on the suet feeder in her garden. Click photos to enlarge them.

 

Green Heron

The Green Heron is a summer visitor to Fort Bend and lives year round nearer the coast on inland waterways, marshes, ponds and streams. The photo above depicts the beautiful plumage, but you’re more likely to see from a distance a hunkered, stocky bird standing quite still on water’s edge that appears dark brown or gray with slender yellow legs as the picture below shows.

Fish are their favorite food, which they stalk then stab with their large bill. A “tool-using” bird, they lure fish by dropping food such as bread crumbs on the water. This bird appears to have a lure in its mounth ready to drop in the water.

One of the smaller herons (around 16 inches—about the size of an American Crow), they are smaller than Yellow-Crowned Night Herons which are quite numerous in Quail Valley especially on Oyster Creek and marshy ponds on the golf courses.

Water birds are some of the very interesting birds you're likely to see near our creeks, marshes, ponds and water features, particularly golf courses without bulkheads that allow roughs such as the Quail Valley El Dorado and La Quinta courses.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

 

Black-throated Green Warbler

The April 26, 2014, Quail Valley Backyard Tour featured as one of its five diverse gardens the nature garden of Janice and John Scanlan . . . Photographer Margaret Sloan was generous to help with questions from birders, would be birders and those curious about photography. At first the birds were spooked with the public, but quickly began to ignore all the attendees. Besides the usual number of frequent and seasonal visitors to the garden, we had visits from two migrating Warblers . . . a Chestnut-sided Warbler and a Black-Throated Green Warbler . . . who returned 3 times to the Scanlan's large Yaupon Holly Tree. . . Margaret got this photo.

The Black-throated Green Warbler viewed from the ground . . . it's a Green Warbler due to the dull olive green "cap", back and wings, but what a face and throat!

See our feature on Chestnut-sided Warblers as well as a dazzling multi-flock downed by a storm for us to enjoy.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

To see photos of the Scanlan nature garden, press here.

Nutmeg Mannikin

Nutmeg Mannikin is one of several exotic bird species establishing breeding colonies along Upper Coastal Texas. This Southeast Asian finch is among other non-native birds including the Egyptian Goose, Orange Bishop, and Monk Parakeet, all seen and photographed in Quail Valley.

This sparrow-sized finch prefers grassy, weedy areas near water and comes to seed feeders.

In 2013 the Nutmeg Mannikin was recognized by the American Birding Association as an established exotic species in California. This is not a trivial process and requires several years and much documentation and photographs of actual breeding colonies. If you are interested, press here to learn the guidelines for this process, which is just a manner of time in Upper Coastal Texas.

The immature Nutmeg Mannikin lack the distintive breast pattern, but otherwise resemble the matures.

 If you are interested in making your home garden more attractive to birds, Photographer Margaret Sloan will be at the Quail Valley Backyard Tour, Saturday, April 26 at the 2910 Nancy Bell nature garden from 10 to 4. Press here for more information.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

 

Red-Winged Blackbird

 

Mature male Red-winged Blackbirds have brilliant epaulets of red with a lower band of yellow contrasted against their striking black feathers. Most often you’ll see Red-winged Blackbirds near marshy ponds, golf course hazards that have rough areas with tall grasses, or in tall grass prairies.

Female Red-winged Blackbird is quite a contrast to males and are brown with rivulets. Much rarer to see as they stay in the tall grasses to feed, they may be seen at feeders when they are migratory or when food is low for year round residents. In their breeding area they use tall grasses, mud and other materials to weave intricate nests they attach to cattails or similar tall grasses near to the high water mark.

Male Red-winged Blackbird is one of the most widely dispersed birds in North America ranging from Mexico to Alaska. It is most prevalent year round in the US.  Though in the spring through fall, many Red-wings migrate to breed in Canada. They are both migratory and year round in Fort Bend so this male is at a platform feeder, which they will use, as they are ground feeders, but platform feeders simulate ground feeding.

The polygamous males can mate with up to 15 females in one territory. And do the males sit atop tall plants, sing and show off their epaulets in their breeding territory. They police this territory and will run any creature if they get too near their breeding territory.

 

One of my favorite memories as a child was going out to a farm pond that was breeding territory to a Red-winged. The male sat atop a cattail and sang most of the day. It was a beautiful sound. However, I learned not to get too close as he would run humans . . . and even larger animals such as cattle and horses.

 Lang Elliott and Beth Bannister have a wonderful full-sound video of a Red-winged policing his territory and making sure you know he's there. It is part of a series of 60 videos on nature's music, The Music of Nature.Copy the following link and paste in your web browser to enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3QicOAiBXk

Irv Smith attended a bird walk and bird count on March 5 at Seaborne Creek Nature Center south of 59 on Hiway 36 in Rosenberg.  I noticed on his bird count, he saw 50 Red-winged Blackbirds among 47 different species identified on that day by experienced birders for the novices (and those inbetween).

Seaborne Creek Nature Center, is run by Texas Master Naturalists as part of Texas Agri-Life Extension in Fort Bend. It is located across 36 (east side) from the Fort Bend Fairgrounds at:

3831 State Highway 36
Rosenberg, TX 77471
832-595-3960

To get current information or learn more, press this link.

Learn about Project FeederWatch which occurs from November to April . . . anyone can help keep count of the birds on feeders and it makes for some great family fun! Learn more.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

White-Crowned Sparrow

White-Crowned Sparrow  . . . if you think of sparrows as “Little Brown Jobs,” the White-Crowned may change your mind. Not only do matures have striking black head stripes with a white crown, they are also  7 inches long and more the size of a Northern Cardinal, not the average 5” size of many sparrows.

Immatures have brown instead of black head stripes and their breasts are more rippled.

Fitting that we feature the White-Crowned Sparrow during the Sochi Winter Olympics, since they are quite athletic and are commonly known to fly 300 miles in one day.  They also frequently sing, even in winter, and are known to form song patterns from their birth territories.

You’ll find White-Crowned Sparrows where brushy areas meet grasslands, where they consume seeds and insects. They will come to bird feeders, but winter here for our winter days when insects come out as well as the seeds found in grassy areas gone to seed.

The White-Crowned have such distinct patterns, they are the featured illustration to learn “bird topography” in Bill Thompson’s and editors of Bird Watchers Digest book Identify Yourself: The 50 Most Common Birding Identification Challenges.  This book is extremely helpful because it's more about identification than anatomy.(Our Fort Bend County Library has this book and a very good selection of books on birding as well as gardening.)

Even "immatures" (see below) show the crown, only in brown and beige rather than black and white.

Other larger sparrows with distinctive patterns that winter in Fort Bend County Texas are Harris’s Sparrows and White Throated Sparrows. White-Crowned will not chase them from territories, but will bully Chipping Sparrows and Juncos from their breeding and feeding territories.

Learn about Project FeederWatch which occurs from November to April . . . anyone can help keep count of the birds on feeders and it makes for some great family fun! Learn more.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

American White Pelican

 

White Pelicans are commonly seen on lakes, lagoons, and in the air. Many winter in Fort Bend--that and migratory fly overs are the primary time we get to enjoy them in Fort Bend County, Texas.

Before the 1970’s White Pelicans’ breeding colonies were mostly north of 40° N Latitude. They now have large and small breeding colonies on the Texas Gulf Coast. Beginning in the Laguna Madre near Brownsville on the border with Mexico, breeding colonies have spread along the entire Texas Gulf Coast.

Graceful by air or water, this big bird wattles on land with its large body, webbed feet.

Unlike its Brown Pelican cousin which dives for food, the White Pelican lands and feeds by dipping its head in the water to scoop up fish. In fact, White Pelicans may circle around a school of fish to feed. Sounds like a Pelican "Rodeo" or circled wagons.  Literally the White Pelican casts it pouch like commercial fisherman cast nets. However, most of the fish these birds enjoy are not commercially sought after fish on the Gulf Coast.

Since the White Pelican winters here, can migrate fall and spring . . . or has breeding colonies that are year round, this is a great bird to enjoy in a variety of habitats and ways all along the Texas Coast.

A migratory "fly-over" the White Pelican enjoys soaring on low, mid and high thermals. A flock is quite a sight to see in the air or landing. This flock is flying on a lower thermal likely looking for new fishing spots so they are not in the classic V they fly during migration.

Why do migratory birds such as geese, ibis, ducks and pelicans fly in a V? A report in the journal Nature, and a report syndicated by the New York Times and picked up by the January 16, 2014, Houston Chronicle, reports how with high tech equipment followed a flock of 14 northern bald ibis migrating from Austria to Tuscany. Long story short . . . everyone saves energy being in the in the V, but the leader who change positions periodically. Each position in the V requires changing wing phasing. The fancy way to say this is the V provides aerodynamic advantage via an updraft of air in the wake of the flapping wings.

Larry Leggett of Quail Valley submitted the following picture, which I have cropped a couple of times to show how American White Pelicans fish in groups. Two of the birds are showing how the birds dip the heads to the side to fish unlike the saltwater Brown Pelicans that dive for food.

Below is detail of one group of fishing White Pelican's. Please note how one pelican is dipping its head to the side like a fisherman casting his net. Thanks Larry for the photo! Photos on Kiamesha Weir near Quail Valley Golf Course La Quinta #5.

The two photos above courtesy of Larry Leggett

Talk on Nature's Highway . . . finding and attracting birds.
Monday, January 27, 2014, 6:30 pm, Brightwater Garden Club.
Brightwater Clubhouse. Free to public. Contact Diane Giltner 281 499-0695.
Living in Fort Bend County with its diverse habitat for birds provides novices and dedicated birders many opportunities to enjoy birds. Janice Scanlan, who writes this blog thanks to Margaret Sloan's wonderful pictures and knowledge, will speak at Brightwater Garden Club on practical ways to find and attract birds  . . . and the role your garden can play . . . illustrating with pictures.

Learn about Project FeederWatch which occurs from November to April . . . anyone can help keep count of the birds on feeders and it makes for some great family fun! Learn more.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

Winter Hummingbirds

Little Jewels of the garden every hummingbird displays some irridescence. The Rufous Hummingbird male (pictured above) is one of several Winter Hummingbirds we may glimpse winter through spring. In Fort Bend County, coastal Texas southwest of Houston, this is usually December on; but with birds “occasionals” can casually show up during any season.

The male pictured above is not in breeding plumage (or perhaps light is too low to catch it) that flashes iridescence of copper where black is on his thoat. Thanks to Margaret's upclose shot, we have our red jewels in the background. Just last week (12-2-2013), Margaret glimpsed a male in full breeding plumage in her Quail Valley garden on Oyster Creek in Missouri City, but was inside . . . he was gone before she could get her camera.

Contrast the smaller breast markings just starting of the immature Rufous male above. Most US Hummers live in Western States. North America  has 23 species of Hummingbirds with 8 only living above the Mexican border.

The only true eastern hummer of the 8 is the Ruby Throated Hummingbird, which is a dependable fall/spring migrant in our area. For species comparison, Ecuador alone has 163 species of hummers.

Our Winter Hummers may include Calliope (male pictured above), black-chinned, broad-tailed (4"), Allen’s and an occasional ruby–throated (our most common 3 3/4" spring/fall visitor).The Calliope has a streaked, purpleish-red, irridescent throat in breeding plumage and an irridescent green back (like many females, black-chinned, broad-tailed and ruby-throated hummers).

The Black-chinned Hummingbird (above either a female or immature male) is tiny (3 1/4”) as are the Rufous, Allen's and Calloipe. Black-chinned mature males have a solid violet band below the black throat (unlike the streaks of violet of the Calliope). The white feathers on the tail, are also seen on other hummers with wide tails, which include the black-chinned, broad-tailed, rufous, and calliope. However, the color patterns can vary and are often one of the best distinguishing markings a good field guide will illustrate, if you're lucky enough to get a good look at the tail in good enough light. Notice how much longer the black-chinned's beak is than the other hummers pictured.

The tiny Rufous is our most common winter visitor. The Rufous breeds all the way to Alaska, so this tiny bird is quite migratory and one of the most dependable visitors to the east part of the lower US. Banders believe most of our winter hummers, are coming from the Rocky Mountains.

Now, this piece has talked more about green-backed hummers, but the astute observer has likely noticed the male Rufous is more brown and white with greenish, dark wings.

The Allen's Hummer has much the same coloring, but a green back. The Allen's female is a "dulled-out version of the male." But when the male of either the Allen's or the Rufous is developing their adult colors, you may just want to refer to them by the first part of their scientific name, Selasphoras, as the picture below demonstrates.

Is the above hummer an Allen's or a Rufous? The tail or call would likely provide the best clues.

You may want to keep some of your feeders out. While during a mild winter, Fort Bend may have Cuphea (like the candy corn variety above) or Shrimp Plant blooming, we can't depend on that. You'll never see the numbers of hummers you see of the Ruby-Throated, but you may glimpse on warmer days in the upper 40's and above, some of our little winter jewels!

To survive cold times, our winter visitors go into Torpor, which is similar to hibernation. Janice experienced Torpor up-close and personal when a Torolosa Juniper blew down in a Norther. In uprighting the large juniper, I noticed something unusual in the wet, cold grass.

It was a Hummingbird in Torpor. At the time I didn't know if it was dead or alive, but took it in the house and put it in a box with a screen on top. Then, I put it under an incandescent light that was 40 watts and far enough away to warm slowly and gradually. While reading, I heard the familiar flutter of wings as the hummingbird flew and hovered in the small box. This was in January, but fortunately the weather sunned up with a warmer afternoon.  Releasing and watching the hummer fly away was a big thrill.

At the time, I thought it was a ruby-throated female. Now I know it could have been an immature male or female of a number of species discussed today.  I wish I had known more about the tail patterns then to better identify, but the thrill of release is an experience I'll never forget.

Happy Holidays from Margaret Sloan and Janice Scanlan!

January Update to this post. . . The day after our first and a rare "hard freeze" I visited Margaret's garden the next day. It was still quite cold and blustery and overcast in the early to mid afternoon. We were treated to 7 Hummingbirds "working the feeders" including 3 Rufous, 1 or 2 Allen's, a Black-chinned and a Ruby-Throated. Yes, we really do have Winter Hummingbirds when it is cold! I have just had Rufous . . . but excited about that because they tend to build year after year.

Visit Cornell's All About Birds, for some great photos and id tips on Allen's Hummingbirds.

and more . . .

On February 28, 2014, Rufous Hummingbirds are still enjoying their winter visit to Quail Valley, Missouri City, TX.

Rufous Male Hummingbird

See our article on the Ruby Throated Hummingbird.

 

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

Red-Tailed Hawk

Mountains, deserts, prairies, rain forests in Central America and urban areas all boast Red-Tailed Hawks. They live year round in the continental US and summer from Alaska across Canada below the Arctic Circle. They range to Central America.

“And watch a hawk making lazy circles in the sky” . . . if you’ve been in an open space or on a car ride, it is very likely you’ve seen Red-Tailed Hawk circling in the sky. Watch if you take a Thanksgiving trip. You'll likely see them anywhere in the Continental US.

18-24” this large hawk is bulky bodied. You may think you’re seeing an immature Bald Eagle, until you see the much larger eagle. Fall to winter is one of the best times for watching birds of prey.

Starting to bank, Red-Tails need open space to manuever, so unless you have a large yard or live on an open space, you likely won't bring Red-Tails to your garden. But they may be only a walk or car ride away.

They eat rodents, small mammals, reptiles and other prey their keen eyes spot. Starting to swoop in, notice how the talons are coming down in the photo above. It is rare for them to prey on dogs and cats, but it is always a good idea to keep your smaller pets away from open spaces that appeal to raptors.

Fort Bend is an area where the Red-Tails’ 8 variations of color come into a rare confluence and can be seen along with many other raptors.  We have both Eastern and Western color morphs, so you may see two varieties of darker Red-Tails, those with less or no rufous on their back tails, some without black banding on the lower tail, etc. The bulky body and yellow legs may be your best souce of identification. For example, Red-Sholdered Hawks are similar, but not bulky bodied. But you can't miss the scream of the Red-Tail! (courtesy of Cornell's All About Birds)You've heard it in many soundtracks whether it matches the bird screaming or not!

The "Katy Prairie Loop," part of which is in Fort Bend, is world-famous for seeing the confluence of Red-Tail Hawk color varieties . . . but the wealth of variety can create some confusion for the novice or intermediate birder. Just enjoy. Experienced birders with the photographic equipment submit their spottings to other birders for IDs. And the experts can disagree.

If you'd like to see more of the birds of our area, Texas A&M Nature Guides has a Finding Birds on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail by Ted Lee Eubanks Jr., Robert A. Behrstock & Seth Davidson, Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas. It has many short birding trips and stops along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

 

Gray Catbird

 

In the Catbird’s seat, anyway the Gray Catbird that is a bird you may have heard, and thought it was a cat meowing. In Fort Bend, Texas, it may be a nesting bird or a winter bird. Some may be year round.

Sometimes hard to see much less photograph, this bird is related to the Mockingbird and Brown Thrasher. Example in this photo, a shadow obscures the rusty undertail or rufous rump. The next picture clearly shows the rufous rump.

It is like the Mockingbird in that it is a great mimic and meow is just one of its sounds it strings together—or it could be a cell phone ring tone.

A song can be 10 minutes long. The males are extremely territorial and may sing one of these long songs perched in a tree proclaiming its territory, but that is less like its normal behavior preferring brush and thickets.

Unlike the Mockingbird, the Catbird behaves more like a Brown Thrasher and can be normally found near a brush pile in thickets near understory trees or shrubbery-- skulking around. You may hear them foraging, but not see them. Clearing brush, threatens birds like the Gray Catbird.

It’s deep gray with a black crown as well as a beautiful bit of rufous on its rump/under tail distinguish it.

A ground forager, the Gray Catbird loves insects such as ants and beetles, but may eat fruits and berries as well. It also likes caterpillars, moths and midges.

To attract these beneficial birds to your garden, have many kinds and heights of plantings with some being thick with underbrush or vegetation near shrubs or understory trees. They like making very short flights.

 

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

Yellow Warbler

The Yellow Warbler is one of 50 species of Warblers in the Americas
that are making their fall journey through Gulf Coast Texas back to Central and South America.

Brilliant yellow with some chestnut markings, these tiny 4.7 in 5” birds
are most likely to be seen along creeks and bogs.

Often they perch on top of shrubs and you may even see them briefly hover.

Insect gleaners, they don’t come to feeders, but eat caterpillars, wasps, beetles and other insects.

As with all warblers they move quickly so glimpse them while you can . . .
they are just passing through, but usually do so more leisurely in the fall.

Widely dispersed, the Yellow Warbler can be seen in 49 states and most of Canada.
Given the pinion tree, this Yellow Warbler was likely photographed near Margaret's Utah home.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban Fort Bend,Texas backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

Carolina Chickadee

The Carolina Chickadee is a year round bird in Fort Bend. They come to feeders, but don't remain long. Taking only one seed, Chickadees normally go to a shrub or small tree to dine.

A Carolina Chickadee feeds a fledgling on the right in their typical manner on a limb or in a shrub.

More often they dine alone. Taking only one seed, Chickadees normally go to a shrub or small tree to dine. They share this trait as well as feeding on a branch with Tufted Titmice, the most common bird they co-flock. Both are also omnivorous and glean insects as well as eat seeds and suet.

Inquisitive, intelligent and acrobatic these little 4 to under 5 inch grey birds have distinctive black caps and throats. They inhabit deciduous forests, parks and gardens with trees and shrubs. They like personal space. They are quite territorial in the feeding and flocking habits.

 During breeding season, they are mostly in breeding pairs, but may flock in groups of 8 during the rest of the year. Like Tufted Titmice, they nest in cavities and both depend on woodpeckers to construct them. They will also use nesting boxes, tubes and sometimes drain pipes. Found in the Southeastern US, their Black-capped Chickadee cousins are found in the Northeastern US and are more brownish than grey.

Besides Tufted Titmice, you often see them in multi-species flocks with Carolina Wrens, kinglets, woodpeckers (Downey and Red-Bellied in my garden) and waiting in trees for House Finches to clear off feeders. During migratory season, they are common with warblers. While Tufted Titmice may hide seeds, Carolina Chickadees have been known to steal those seeds.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

 

Wood Stork

Wood Storks (seen in the foreground with the Snowy Egret in the rear) are one of two Storks that visit North America. We are fortunate in Fort Bend to see these birds in late summer and fall. Mature birds have browner and "woodier looking" bills with no feathers on their heads and necks, while immature and juveniles have more golden bills and feathered heads. They stand 40" tall.

Wood Storks are loosely called "migrants" along the Gulf Coast, but it might be more correct to say they are roaming for food along waterways and inland marshes and swamps after breeding along the coasts of Mexico and peninsula of Florida. It is common to see them on Oyster Creek, at Brazos Bend State Park and other waterways in Fort Bend and coastal counties. Originally from South America, the populate the northern half of that Continent.

This mature Wood Stork's brown bill, lack of feathers on the head and neck, contrasts with the juvenile in the picture above with its feathered neck and head as well as lighter bill.

Our  photographer Margaret Sloan heard of a flock flying over Sienna and then captured this photo of a juvenile that had stopped at the pond near the spillway on #17 El Dorado on the Quail Valley Golf Course.

Taking flight, Wood Storks are ever looking for a new source of food. When the "mud bug" or crawfish farmers lower their ponds in Jefferson County Texas, they are quite popular with the Wood Storks.

Also known as Wood Ibis, they are most often found in multi-species flocks feeding in marshes. See how many species you can identify in this photo. Click to enlarge the photo.

Editor and writer of this blog, Janice Scanlan frequently sees Wood Storks on the Oyster Creek Trail between Mosley and Lost Creek Parks as well as on the Quail Valley Golf course near ponds. Some have been spotted on Oak Leaf Court in Quail Valley near a home that has a large free form salt water pool with a natural stone bottom. A heavily wooded area, it is just north of Oyster Creek--one of nature's highways. While the other stork seen in North America, the Jabiru, might be seen in Fort Bend, it would be a rare event. The Wood Stork is dependably seen late summer and fall.

How many birds did you identify? I see Roseate Spoonbill, Immature White Ibis (hint they are more brown when they are young), Great Egret, Snowy Egret. Do you see more????

Get prepared for hummingbirds! Don't forget hummingbirds will arrive late July. Get your feeders ready. House Finches have been using one of my platform hummingbird feeders all summer for water so don't be surprised if in our dry weather, you have other visitors. Get a recipe for your hummingbird feeder.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

Tufted Titmouse

June is a bountiful month for nesting birds, and the Tufted Titmouse is a common year round and nesting bird found around homes and gardens in the eastern US including eastern Gulf Coast, SE Texas. The adult males and females are identical, but single birds are more commonly seen in similar places with woodpeckers, chickadees, and wrens year round in our area as well as with kinglets and nuthatches during the winter. This small bird a little smaller than a sparrow is quite distinctive with its pointed head crest and small, but rounded, stout beak.

Unlike chickadees, they do not gather in large groups during the first of breeding season, but stay very close to their territory in pairs . . . but you may not often see them together. I have pairs in two distinct parts of my garden and most frequently in June see them around Carolina Chickdees. In fact, I have one feeder that really only the titmice, chickadees and woodpeckers like due to its grasping (non-perch) design. Since the Carolina Chickadees and Tufted Titmice normally take one seed at a time, they fly to an understory tree to dine. Mine enjoy a Yaupon Holly and a Japanese Maple for dining. The maple has hanging bromeliads that also serve as drinking fountains.

During nesting season they also acrobatically forage on insects, but will also eat berries, nuts and suet. This variety of food makes it easier for them to remain in one territory year round. Not as quick as chickadees and wrens, these curious birds will often look at me straight on. One sang busily to me last week. Their calls and songs are pretty, but without the volume of the Carolina Wren.

The adults differ from the juveniles in that the juvvies are two shades of gray and do not have the black mark above their beak nor the russet flank under the wing. They nest in cavities of trees, nesting boxes and occasionally drain pipes. They cannot create their own nest cavity and depend on woodpeckers to craft them. Their nests use all kinds of hair including pet and human hair.


Bringing them to your garden: Tufted Titmouse frequent backyard bird feeders. They love sunflower seeds and have the strong beaks to open them, but will eat suet, peanuts, berries and other seeds as well. Insects during warmer seasons my divert them from feeders. They build their nests in cavities, so putting up nest boxes is a good way to attract breeding titmice to your yard. Enjoy understory trees and bushes and will forage in leaf piles.

A group of hanging bromeliads serve as drinking fountains for Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Chickadee.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan. Click photos to enlarge them.

 

Thus far, this perch design seems to appeal to Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Chickadees, but discourage more aggressive feeders such as House Sparrows. So far, only a pair of House Finches rather than the colony of 12 in the back garden.

 

 

Other nesting birds besides the Tufted Titimice this month with young in Janice's garden:

Summer Tanagers, Carolina Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, Downey Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Robins, Mourning and White Wing Doves, House Finch, and Carolina Wrens. Be sure and visit Oyster Creek and Stafford Run as well as Mustang Bayou and the Brazos to see multitudes of water fowl young. In MacNaughton Park and on the golf courses, watch for Bald Eagles. Select nesting birds other nesting birds.

Eastern Wood-Pewee

The Eastern Wood-Pewee is a medium-sized flycatcher (around 6.25 inches) you might miss as it migrates through Fort Bend from the “neotropics.” It pauses on the Gulf Coast to regain its strength and helps us with our considerable insect population before it flies further north to nest. 

Some may nest as near as the deciduous forests in Montgomery County, but can range on North to Canada. They mostly are seen in Fort Bend near deciduous trees and streams where there are mid-story trees and shrubs.

You can't miss its persistent "pee-ah-wee" song. In fact, this past spring, a big team formed to do a giant chain Wood-Pewee song calling to celebrate the giant migration of birds from the "neotropics" -- Central to upper coast of South America, that the Gulf Coast is so fortunate to be part.

These plucky birds can be quite curious. Margaret had one just keep "posing" for her. Eastern Wood-Pewees normally are coming through our area when insects are abundant, but keeping a suet feeder in a mid-story tree is always a good idea for insect eaters when the insect population is low—or for nut-loving birds year round.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan

 

Blackburnian Warbler

The Blackburnian Warbler is one of 21 or so species of “tropical” warblers that pass through Fort Bend and Quail Valley on their journey from South and Central America to breeding grounds, many along the Canadian border with USA.

Blackburnians are distinct, being the only warbler with an orange throat. They are eye catching. During a photo shoot last week of flowers blooming for the April 27 QV Backyard Tour, we glimpsed a Blackburnian stopping in one of the gardens.

 The Blackburnian Warbler winters on the upper coast of South American and flies north in late March, April and early May over the Gulf of Mexico and along the Eastern Coast of Mexico usually in multi-species flocks. Central Texas East is the western edge of their flight path. The Blackburian only flock during migration, but in Fort Bend, you will normally see them singly. However, go to High Island or Winnie or other area birding areas and you might be lucky to see them literally "fall out of the sky" after their trip over the Gulf of Mexico or Mexican eastern coast.

Being insect gleaners and eaters, they are often in shrubs stirring up insects. If you see movement in shrubs or understory trees, stay still and watch because they move very quickly and fly fast.

Females and immatures are less flashy, but still beautiful.

The exception to seeing them in flocks was last year in early May. A large multi-species flock was forced down by a storm. Ironically, this was the day before Mother's Day in May, which is the Sugar Land Garden Tour date, but they were forced down in Quail Valley along Oyster Creek. Blackburnians must like garden tours. Actually, this multi-species flock was really something to behold . . . so we wrote stories about it.

Warblers are flying north and mostly breed in eastern lower Canada and in parts of the Eastern US. Their flight and behaviors are quite remarkable. Type warbler in our search feature if you wish to learn more about these fascinating birds that grace our presence on Gulf Coast Texas, spring and fall.

Quail Valley resident and photographer Margaret Sloan has documented over 150 species of birds in Quail Valley alone. You can tour five distinct gardens in this eco-system, all attract different birds, Saturday, April 27.

Photos copyrighted by international birder and photographer Margaret Sloan. See the species she has documented in Quail Valley.

Blog edited and researched by Janice Scanlan.

Sandhill Crane

Fly-overs are common in Fort Bend Winter and Spring . . .

The Sandhill Crane is one of the few cranes species in the world not endangered.

Cranes hold their necks and legs straight out in flight. While they are about the size of the Great Blue Heron, herons hold their necks in an S shape in flight and often "walk Egyptian." Sandhills make a deep, rolling trumpeting and rattling sound.

 Sandhills land in grasslands, meadows and wetlands where they eat insects, seeds and invertebrates. You may be lucky to see one in a nearby pasture in Fort Bend, but are much more likely to hear or see a fly-over. Sometimes across the light of the moon.

Sandhills are more gray to taupe. Adults have the distinctive red eye patch. Immatures are mottled gray.

 

Fort Bend County is in one of the two major southern routes that “feeds” a complex migration path that converges where 500,000 cranes come together on a central part of the Platte River in Nebraska before moving into breeding grounds in Canada. This occurs between March 1 and April 7^th.

 

 

Whooping Cranes in this picture contrast with the Sandhill Cranes pictured above them. They are larger, adults are white, not gray like the Sandhills, and the red patch on Whoppers' heads extend on top of the head.

However, on another migratory path from Cuba, Florida and Mississippi, the Sandhills are endangered. The Whooping Crane, of course, is the most famous endangered crane. Several “Whoopers” have been spotted flying over, but with a population of 600, that is less common to see. While the Whoopers are white, grayish taupe Sandhills usually fly in larger numbers.

 

 Fly-overs in Fort Bend. Living in a migratory path of many species of birds makes Fort Bend an interesting place to live, but sometimes challenging if you’ve caught the identify-the-bird bug.

 

American White Pelicans in flight.

Besides the marvel of the great flocks of Sandhill Cranes, the you can see Whooping Cranes and American White Pelicans in a video produced by the Crane Trust, which started out to save the Whooping Cranes thirty years ago. These are all birds plus the Snow and Greater White-fronted Geese are all fly-overs you can enjoy now in Fort Bend. You can often see the White Pelicans on our larger ponds . . . and occassionally may catch a Sandhill in a nearby pasture.

 Don't miss the following video! It is inspiring.

See a video produced by the Crane Trust on the convergence of 500,000 Sandhills on the Platte River in Nebraska. It is magnificent.

Snow Geese in flight.

 Often you hear before you see. Here is a link to Macaulay Library copyrighted by Cornell Lab of Ornithology to hear the Sandhills, which is quite distinctive from the honking Snow Geese.

Please click on the photos to enlarge them.

 Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan

 

 

 

 

 

Related articles

Sandhill cranes arriving in Platte River Valley

Forster's Tern

 

 

In winter, Forster's Terns are especially prevalent on the La Costa and Bermuda Dunes Lakes on the Quail Valley Golf Course (El Dorado #15, 16, 17).

Forster’s Tern is another winter visitor to Fort Bend that is quite common over our ponds and lakes during winter. Graceful fliers they glide above ponds, then abruptly plunge into the water to fish.

 

In winter they have only a black marking from the eye to the ear; but during summer breeding, adults take on a distinctive black cap.

Forster’s Terns breed in marshes and have interesting floating nests that can co-mingle eggs of other tern species.

White to light gray, this 13 to 14 inch tern lives on the Gulf coastal waters year round, but many migrate to summer breeding grounds in the Rocky Mountains; eastern North and South Dakota; Western Minnesota; as well as lower, central Canada.

 

Gracefully gliding over water, Forster's Terns adruptly plunge into water to fish.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan

 

 

Bald Eagle

 

 

Mature Bald Eagles have white heads and tails with a brown body. They are 4 or 5 years old before they reach their "breeding feathers" and are long-lived to around 28 years in the wild.

 Rivers, creeks and streams are Bald Eagles' “highways” and hunting grounds. They need open space these corridors provide in the most forested areas so they can hunt in open spaces. Holding their wings like a board to circle and hunt for prey, Bald Eagles are large enough to cast a noticeable shadow when they fly over head.

 

Bald Eagles cast a noticeable shadow flying overhead.

  They live near water with fish and waterfowl such as ducks and coots being favorite meals. However, they will eat carrion, small mammals and invertebrates.  Mature Bald Eagles weigh about 8 pounds and can lift half their body weight (2 to 4 pounds) so keep small pets protected. They will pilfer from other birds such as diving Ospreys and will take from fishermen, if convenient.They also will live near fish-processing plants.

 

Fish and water fowl are favorite meals. However, in dryer climates such as the Southwest or during the winter, raodkill is a common meal with highways a common place for spotting the Bald Eagle.

Juvenile Bald Eagles are commonly dark brown and can be mistaken for Golden Eagles, though they have larger heads and shorter tails. Juvenile Bald Eagles are strong fliers and may cover 250 miles in one day . . . sporadically searching for new territory. Being large-bodied, they waddle on the ground and can lose some of their majestic bearing seen in flight or perching.

Large-bodied, Bald Eagles may lose some of their majestic bearing on ground.

Immature Bald Eagles are blotched with white. Long-time winter visitors, East and Gulf Coast Texas now boast year round birds. More birds are seen during the winter.

 

Immature Bald Eagles are blotched with white and have not taken on the adults golden beak.

Nature you can touch today.
Quail Valley Golf Course commonly attracts Bald Eagles with its mature trees, ponds and open spaces. It is further developing its course for Audubon Certification to continue attracting these majestic fliers as well as other birds and wildlife.  Margaret Sloan has posted as of this writing 148 bird species seen from her Quail Valley residence on Oyster Creek.

Other Winter Birds
But Bald Eagles are just one of our Winter Birds. I have especially enjoyed seeing two Ruby Crowned Kinglets dining on a suet feeder. These tiny birds, just larger than a hummingbird, are quite bold and allow me to get with a couple of feet of them. Other Winter Birds sighted are Wilson's Warblers, American Goldfinches, Cedar Waxwings, Butter Butts, several varieties of sparrows. But there are many more.

Great Backyard Bird Count . . . Feb 15 - 18. If you can spare 15 minutes one or more days. It's lots of fun for the family and easy to do. It will be global this year! You don't have to be an expert. All you need is an interest in birds to enjoy this activity. Learn more.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 150+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan

 

 

House Finch

The House Finch loves living around homes. Living in Christmas and other wreaths, hanging plants, and under house eaves are the type of places they thrive and nest. So wreaths, liking conifers and the red head, breast and rump of the male make this Finch a perfect December bird of the month.

 

House Finches love black-oiled sunflower seeds. If they find your feeder,
you can expect a flock of up to 50, including red males and the rather plain females.

If they discover your feeder, House Finches love black-oiled sunflower seeds. If they come in a large flock, you likely will have fledglings and other House Finches visiting your feeder next summer. True vegetarians, House Finches eat seeds, plants, berries and fruit.

 

Male House Finch with red coloration.

The young male above is taking on his red coloration. Diet determines how red the males become and males can be an orangy yellow. (see below). Females prefer the redder males likely seeing them as "good seed providers."

Male House Finch with the more unusual orangey yellow coloration.

 

I thought I had a radical clan of House Finches as they had chased out the very aggressive House Sparrows. However, according to Cornell University's All About Birds website, House Finches, though about an inch smaller, will chase House Sparrows away. I had such an aggressive female with a brood, that she actually bit a squirrel who tried to horn in on the feeder.

 

Female House Finch

The females can be hard to differentiate from Purple Finches, Cassin Finches and even House Sparrows when you have many types of birds in the garden.

If you’ve had a House Finch take up in a wreath on your door, move the wreath to a new location under cover if the bird flying out startles you. However, House Finches are unusual in that they, unlike other birds, don't mind their nests being disturbed.

House Finches, likely because of backyard feeders, have become more dispersed in smaller flocks than once believed. If you wish to encourage nesting, Cornell Labs has full instructions for a simple nesting box I plan to build . . . because it's so simple.

Happy birding and bird watching in the new year. For some family fun with the kids and/or grandkids get involved with Project Feeder Watch. You don't have to be an expert. All you need is an interest in birds to enjoy this activity. Visit Project Feeder Watch to learn more.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 130+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan

 

Chipping Sparrow

The Chipping Sparrow is a bird that winters in Fort Bend so they’ve been showing up lately for the seed harvest.

With a jaunty reddish brown cap, you may miss them when House Sparrows are near. Both are seed eaters and forage on the ground or on seed platforms.

Sometimes the distinct grayish white stripe over the eye may alert you to a Chipping Sparrow before you see the cap.

The Chipping Sparrows gravitate to tree and grassy areas so watch for them in parks, your garden if it has trees and grassy or understory areas where there are seed to forage. However, the aggressive House Sparrows may overwhelm their numbers unless you spot the reddish brown cap or see the distinctive gray rump when they fly.  

For photo comparisons with House Sparrows see the next pictures of male and female House Sparrows.

 

House Sparrows don't have the reddish brown cap
nor the velvety gray breast and rump of the Chipping Sparrow.

The male House Sparrow may have more gray, but it is less rich than the Chipping Sparrow.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 130+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan

 

 

Inca Dove

Inca Dove is the smallest of the 5 species of doves found in Fort Bend. Margaret’s photo feature this month shows the deep peach to rusty underside of the Inca Dove’s wing, which is unusual to see when the bird is not in flight. Early settlers in Texas watched all species of doves because they fly directly to water holes and helped settlers locate precious water.

Inca is also the most “scaly” of the doves and sometimes has the bluish cast of the photo above. As ground foragers doves like seeds, scattered on the ground or on platform feeders. You'll find them under feeders picking up the dropped seeds.

They may perch even on top of the feeder, but will not be successful in "using" the feeder. The "fish scales" contrast with the smooth texture of the Mourning Dove below.

While other doves are throughout the US and North America, Incas are confined to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona as well as Mexico and the Pacific side of Costa Rica. Sensitive to cold, they form pyramids that may have up to 12 birds with 3 or 4 at the bottom and pyramid up.  

Margaret has photographed 5 species of doves in her Quail Valley backyard alone: Rock Doves,White-winged Doves, Eurasian Collared Doves along with Incas and Mourning Doves. Select this link and scroll for pictures in Birds of Quail Valley.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 130+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan

Common Nighthawk

The Common Nighthawk is usually seen flying at dusk and dawn foraging for flying insects.

Sometimes called a bull-bat because of its darting and erratic flying patterns, this bird is so intricately camouflaged, it is rare to see them during the day, much like an owl.

In flight they look like a large bat and the white bars on their wings that look like “headlights.” They breed throughout North America and normally winter in a large portion of South America.  

Found in grasslands and open space. The one time you may catch a non-flight glimpse of them is perching on a low post, fence rail or roofline.

Ground nesters, because of being nocturnal birds as well as being well camouflaged, not much is written about the Common Nighthawk's behavioral habits.

The males during breeding season may also be seen and heard in a dramatic “dive bomb” that heads straight to the ground then  turns upward about two to three feet above the ground. They way they move their wings creates a dramatic drum like booming sound. To hear their calls, then dive display drumming sound, press this link to visit Cornell's All About Birds . . .Macaulay Library

You Tube has a video that demonstrates the eratic flight pattern. Press here.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 130+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan

Little Blue Heron

Nesting birds can be readily misidentified because many change, some more than others. . .

The Little Blue Heron changes dramatically in its appearance shown above.

The fledgling and juvenile Little Blue Heron are white for about 1 year. Afterwards, they enter a calico or "tie-dyed" slate blue and white stage until they reach adult plumage, which is slate blue with a "muddy" purple to maroon head and neck. This species is the only heron that makes a white to slate blue change.

The white coloration may actually protect them by allowing them to feed with Snowy Egets, which are a flocking species. During their initial year of life, being part of a flock provides "safety in numbers." Little Blue Herons are a small heron 24 inches high, like the Snowy Eget, but have yellow to greenish legs instead of black legs (with golden feet) as do the Snowy. Their bills are also bi-colored, not dark like the Snowy. After a year, dramatic changes begin to happen.

Like other wading, long-legged birds, they like crustaceans, fish and frogs.  Once they molt to adult plumage, they feed more alone, but may be seen around other similiar-sized Herons such as the Tri-colored Heron and the Reddish Heron, which are both slightly larger than 2 feet in height and more likely to be closer to the Gulf coast, but are seen in Fort Bend (Texas) particularly in marshes and along creeks and rivers and ponds. Brazos Bend State Park is an excellent place to see the life cycle during the summer.

Little Blue Herons feed in a slow, sweeping motion. They can migrate and range from the SE US all along Mexico and Central America to Peru and Uruguay in South America. They are Year Round residents of the Gulf Coast.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

See a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 130+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan

 

Blue Jay

July is an all red, white and Blue Jay month in Fort Bend County Texas, a suburban county near Houston. There are many of these common and recognizable birds coming to feeders as many new young are leaving the nest in the late spring and early summer in coastal Texas. This Blue Jay sunned for a long time showing the beautiful feathers. The blue feathers are not colored blue, but brown . . . the way the light passes through the feather produces the blue.

Blue Jays have complex social networks and are quite intelligent. The photo above shows the subtle markings on the face that vary by individual and make them recognizable to their social network. The jay is holding a sunflower seed, which is a favorite snack from feeders.

Some have been known to use tools.  If you look carefully in the picture above, they hold their seeds or acorns while they dine and use this gripping capability to use sticks as tools. Blue Jays love acorns of all kinds and especially like Oak Trees. They are credited with spreading Oaks during the glacial period.

They are clever and cunning. To clear feeders of other birds, they may mimic the sound of Red Tail Hawks for example. They make a wide variety of calls and let their network know when danger is in the area such as a hawk, snake or other predator. The bird in the picture above has the crest down, which denotes a less aggressive bird.

The bird above is showing the crest, but is likely a young bird still developing facial markings. Year round birds and nesting birds in Fort Bend, they also migrate north and south from central to eastern US coast. However, their migration may happen one year and not the next.

In the summer months you will see many chicks and fledglings like the one above bathing. The fledgling has feathers, but will be fed by his parents for a short time upon leaving the nest until he or she learns to forage and becomes a more skilled flyer.

Chicks are downy, unable to fly, and likely have fallen from the nest. They will likely die unless returned to the nest that is usually near and above where you find the chick. It is not true that the parents will not feed them if you touch them. Return chicks to the nest, but leave fledglings alone unless they are in danger or injured. It's a good time to keep cats and dogs inside to allow the fledglings and chicks a better chance at life.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link.

Just see a bird you don't recognize in Fort Bend? Margaret has photographed 130+ bird species just in her suburban backyard alone. Narrow your initial search by viewing her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link. They are organized by types of birds, so if it's a water bird for example, you may find one that helps you narrow your search. Then if you "google in" the name of the bird, you'll get info and all kinds of information and images. Sometimes if a species is remarkably different from adult you may find nothing, contact us and we'll do our best to help.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan

Yellow-crowned Night Herons

Yellow-crowned Night Herons range from coastal Central and South America as well as the coastal areas of the Southeastern Gulf and Mexico and all of Florida year round.  As you will see comparing the picture above with the one below, breeding adults are very different in markings from juveniles.

Nesting high in trees, often over water, these birds take 11 days to construct their elaborately built nests, often from large sticks up to inch in diameter that the male and female break from trees and line with leaves and Spanish Moss. They have been known to nest as far north as southern Illinois, and mostly east of the Mississippi River.

These beautifully pale yellow crowned birds were once hunted for the lovely head feathers seen during breeding. While the immature and juveniles are speckled brown, the mature and nesting birds are a velvety medium gray, with a black face, white cheek and pale yellow crown. They also have bright yellow legs that become more orange during breeding.

The Yellow-crowned love crustaceans including crayfish and crabs, but also eat insects and occasionally snakes and small mammals. Besides wading to fish, you’ll often see them sunning to dry their feathers as well as near lakes, streams near forested areas.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link. View her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Researched and posted by Janice Scanlan

Loggerhead Shrike

No, it’s not a masked Northern Mockingbird, and you likely won’t find it in your garden unless you live on an open space. It does closely resemble the Northern Mockingbirds in size and flight.

This year round bird is often seen on the Missouri City Edible Arbor Trail on Oyster Creek near FM 1092 where is has an open woodlands and grassy area to hunt. It sits on a Jujube Tree hunting and pays little attention to us on the trail. Loggerheads sit on low trees and dive for prey which include insects, amphibians, reptiles and small mammals and birds.

Unlike raptors with strong gripping talons, this small bird of prey, uses its hooked beak to impale the spinal cord. It then uses thorns on plants such as the Jujube to hold its prey while it rips it apart. Macabe little bedtime story.

On 5-12-2012 we had quite a birding event. Press here to learn more.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link. View her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Blog by Janice Scanlan.

5-12-2012 Mullti-flock Migration

Heavy rains and winds forced a multi-flock of tropical visitors heading north to breeding grounds into Margaret's back garden on Oyster Creek. She writes her final count,   "I actually had 35 migrant species and 33 local species in the yard for a total of 68.  As mentioned previously, there were 14 different warblers!  Wow!"

Here are 3 of the Warblers that visited.

 

Blackburnian Warbler

 

Magnolia Warbler

 

Chestnut-sided Warbler

For more on tropical bird migrations, see our post on Chestnut-sided Warblers. To learn more about this "bird fantasy land story" press here.


Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link. View her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Blog by Janice Scanlan.

 

 

 

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler.  It's warbler season on the Gulf Coast from now through roughly May 7.  It is the time for surprises in your own garden.  An unusual bird pops in for a brief rest, and if you're lucky, you'll be looking when it shows up.  That's how Margaret happened to see this distinctive warbler in her garden.  Warblers have many subtle identifying characteristics, but the Chestnut-sided is the only yellow-capped, white breasted, with the chesnut-striped between the wing and breast.

If you want a better chance to see them and many other species of warblers, head to the coast at the end of April or early May -- the prime time for this particular species. These warblers fly from Central America, where they winter, and migrate across the Gulf of Mexico. They literally “fall out” of the sky when they see a welcomed source of food, at last. The Chestnut-sided fly with multi-species foraging flocks.

I still marvel at the feat of these "tropical" warblers that winter in Central America, nest in Canada and the Upper Eastern US are less than 4.5".

As of April 1, twelve species of Warblers had been sighted at the various Audubon sanctuaries and wild life refuges in the Greater Houston area. Since then, a record breaking year for 2012 of 21 species sighted!

The Chesnut-sided prefers second growth and scrubby forests. It is an insect gleaner from the back-side of leaves and usually moves quickly to stir up its prey.

Warblers are like the many species of sparrows . . . many have only small distinctions. The Houston Audubon Society offers many classes, nature walks and experiences during Warbler season on High Island from Mid March to early May. It alone has 17 sanctuaries in our area. Add the National Wildlife refuges near Angleton and Lake Jackson as well as Anuhuac, there are an abundance of birding opportunities in our area.

Or you can learn all about "Going Coastal" and why Fort Bend and the Columbia Bottomlands of the Brazos, San Bernard and Colorado Rivers is a state recognized Important Bird Area (IBA).

Here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds video of Birding Warblers. Its a simple guide to basic birding that features warblers that have flown from the Gulf Coast on to their nesting lands and are near Ithaca, New York, in the video. You'll also learn a tidbit about Audubon and the Chestnut-sided Warbler as well as see them in action. Happy birding.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link. View her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Learn how to attract birds to your garden, enjoy the Quail Valley Garden's Club visit and tour of Margaret's backyard.

Photo of Margaret Sloan birding.

 

 

 

Blog edited by Janice Scanlan.

 

Cooper's Hawk

 

Cooper’s Hawk is a year round resident as well as a winter visitor in Fort Bend. A medium hawk 16-18 inches in height, the Cooper’s is quite a aerobat and is adept in flying through treed areas. With a very long tail, it has a flap-flap, glide wing pattern.

 

It can be easily mistaken for the Sharp-shinned Hawk. However, the Sharp Shinned Hawk is a winter visitor only in Texas so time of year can remove some of the guesswork.

 

Cooper’s Hawks hunt for other birds and two of its favorites are Mourning Doves and Rock Pigeons. The Cooper’s is becoming quite comfortable in urban and suburban areas and particularly likes sitting on fences and preying on bird feeders. However, they usually do not go for smaller birds, but do like Northern Flickers, American Robins, several varieties of jays, quail and chickens as well as doves and pigeons.

 

If a Cooper’s is sitting on the fence stalking your feeders, remove the feeders for a few days and the  Cooper’s will likely move on if you wish to discourage them.

 

 

The male is smaller than the female and gives a new meaning to hen-pecked. It is quite solicitous of the female and listens for the tone of her voice. He builds and tends the nest, providing almost 90% of the young’s food for 90 days.  

 

To read a story about the Cooper's Hawk, press here.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link. View her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Learn how to attract birds to your garden, enjoy the Quail Valley Garden's Club visit and tour of Margaret's backyard.

Blog edited by Janice Scanlan.

 

 

 

 

 

American Goldfinch

 

Why don't I see one like the male above in full breeding plumage in Fort Bend? First of all, this beautiful specimen was taken in Utah toward the end of May. The American Goldfinch is a true vegetarian bird so it breeds in the summer so that it has thistle which has gone to seed to line its nest for it's young to eat. Fort Bend American Goldfinches are usually winter visitors, but you might see a straggler in May in full plumage. The gold contrasts beautifully with the black cap and black wings with white bands.

 The Goldfinches you are likely to see in Fort Bend and Texas flock to feeders, particularly those with nyjer (which is a treated thistle that won't geminate in your garden) or black oiled sunflower seeds. And like the birds above, are still a striking and beautiful bird, just more subtle. Janice with her enclosed garden with water features and Margaret with her wide open garden on Oyster Creek both commonly get flocks of 50 in their very different gardens. The feeder above has nyjer seed.

Contrast the wing color of the winter visitors in Fort Bend at the feeder with the striking male in breeding plumage below.

 

 The male in winter or non breeding plumage below have some gold, but as you can see at the feeder, you can tell males and females apart, but in a group they may blend together. I always think they look like they are in colorful tuxedos.

 

The female below is more olive with less gold, but the same lovely pattern on the wings.

 

Whether winter or in breeding plumage, this welcome visitor always tells me it's a lot colder North of here and our winter birds are coming to Texas.

What being a vegetarian means is that beyond seeds, American Goldfinches don't eat insects for protein and don't need that kind of protein in their diets. Cowbirds, who tend to lay their eggs in other bird's nests, to be reared by the bird that built the nest, usually die in American Goldfinch nests due to lack of protein.

 

If you are in most of the eastern US or in Northern Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Northern Nevada, or the plains states or lower Canada past May, the main natural habitats are weedy fields and floodplains, where plants such as thistles and asters are common. They’re also found in cultivated areas, roadsides, orchards, and backyards. American Goldfinches can be found at feeders any time of year, but most abundantly during winter.

The Great American Bird Count 2012 Feb 17-20

 Learning about birds is easier, when it's narrowed down what birds you might expect to see. The Cornell Lab or Ornithology, Audubon Society and Bird Watch/Etudes D'Oiseaux Canada co-sponsor this event annually. You don't have to be experienced to participate or have fun.

Identification forms specific to your area. You can download a short or long form for your area by entering your ZIP code (or where you'll be) and download a form to print out. What's neat, is that I downloaded the long form, and it gave me confidence that I had identified correctly an immature Wood Stork that was with a flock of White Ibis along Phase II of the Oyster Creek Trail in Missouri City. There are only two storks in this area, but the gold bill was throwing me off. Mature Wood Storks bills are brown like their heads, but are gold in immature storks. Seeing either bird is rare, but it makes it a lot easier to narrow down the bird, no matter what field guide you're using.

Contest Rules. The contest rules (and some neat bird prizes) are here.

Margaret Sloan has volunteered to help with identifications. Email your questions to [email protected].

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link. View her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Learn how to attract birds to your garden, enjoy the Quail Valley Garden's Club visit and tour of Margaret's backyard.

Blog edited by Janice Scanlan.

 

 

 

 

Harris's Sparrow

We have an unusual winter visitor this year likely due to the drought. The Harris's Sparrow usually winters in central and north Texas. Photographer Margaret Sloan was very surprised to find several in her back yard. The bird shown here is immature.

The Harris's Sparrow is a large sparrow more the size of a small songbird like a Northern Cardinal than house sparrows. The photo above is a young male who is just starting to get his black bib under his chin. These birds maintain a strict pecking order for food with adult males, the larger the black bib, the higher the pecking order. In fact, dyeing a bird’s bib causes him to rise in pecking order. The photo below shows a male much higher in the pecking order because of his large black bib.

Harris's Sparrows winter along hedgerows, shelterbelts, agricultural fields, weed patches, and pastures in the Central US. It only breeds in Canada and nowhere else in the world at the edge of tundra or boreal forests.

It feeds primarily on the ground, picks food from the ground, and scratches some in litter with both feet. It will come to feeders.

The Harris's and the White-throated Sparrow (which has a striking color pattern) are two wintering sparrows in Texas, but the White-throated, also posted this month, is more common in Fort Bend.

We've been getting questions about squirrel-proof feeders. For more on this subject and a hilarious video on the National Wildlife Federation website, click here.

Read about other birding "Novel Events" in Fort Bend.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link. View her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Learn how to attract birds to your garden, enjoy the Quail Valley Garden's Club visit and tour of Margaret's backyard.

Blog edited by Janice Scanlan.

More . . .

Tony Estus writes that in late December his wife thought she saw a Flamingo and basically he told her it must have been a Roseate Spoonbill. A few days later, Tony saw a bird take off from the pond on the left side of the Eldorado #4 tee boxes. He got a good look and then had to agree with his wife, that she was right and not crazy like he told her she was. Seeing is believing! Ironically I (Janice Scanlan) saw what I thought was a Flamingo at quite a distance in MacNaughton Park in late December, but I'm having eye surgery in February and my far vision is not very dependable . . . but the height and bill shape were just too like a Flamingo even at a distance. All About Birds does not include the Flamingo (American, Caribbean, or Greater). Where they exist (and there used to be a group on Red Fish Island in the Houston Ship Channel ten or fifteen years ago) they are considered to be escapees of the Greater Flamingoes. They seem to be fairly regular wading birds in the Florida Everglades, but still escapees. Since they need a brackish or salt water diet, they likely escaped from a zoo or a private collector. Moody Gardens has a fairly large collection as does the Houston Zoo.

 

 

White-throated Sparrow

The White-throated Sparrow is a winter visitor to Fort Bend that breeds in the Northern US and Canada. It has a lovely yellow lobe between its bill and just over the eye, a white throat, gray breast and brown and black wings. They have crisp facial markings.

During migration and winter, you’ll find White-throated Sparrows along edges of woodlots, hedgerows, thickets, weedy fields, suburbs, backyards, and city parks. They also nest close to the ground and like grass seeds, goldenrod seeds, and insects and beetles. They come to birdfeeders and like millet and black sunflower seeds. They like to forage in leaves so brush piles encourage them.

Males and females can have tan or white strips between black stripes on their heads. This white stripe contrasts with the tan stripe in the photo above it. However, both persist because males tend to like white stripped females where females tend to like tan stripped males, but can be either and usually pick the opposite of themselves. They pair for summer, but often select a new mate then next year. Winter flocks have hierachies, but coloration seems to have no bearing on the pecking order. They have also been known to breed with Dark-eyed Juncos that produces a duller, less crisply marked hybrid.

They hop long the ground and have a beautiful singing voice that you can hear on the Cornell All About Birds site.

We've been getting questions about squirrel-proof feeders. For more on this subject and a hilarious video on the National Wildlife Federation website, click here.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link. View her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Learn how to attract birds to your garden, enjoy the Quail Valley Garden's Club visit and tour of Margaret's backyard.

Blog edited by Janice Scanlan.

Squirrel-Proof Feeders

We get a lot of questions about squirrel-proof feeders. While some slow them down, these clever little guys often find a way to foil the best design. About the best we've found use a "hanging shield" and have a wire mesh perch that surrounds the feeder and is weight-sensitive to close the perch openings.

If you've found a solution, please tell us about it!

However, the National Wildlife Federation probably has a better solution called National Squirrel Appreciation Day, which is on January 21. We suggest you go to the following link and scroll down to number 3 and watch the You Tube Video. It's better than any picture or any information I could put up on this site on this subject!

Northern Mockingbird

The Northern Mockingbird couldn’t sing in the newspaper photo, but he found a festive place to wish you a happy holiday along with some of his favorite things, berries.

If you hear a multitude of bird songs in your garden, you likely have a Northern Mockingbird, which plain gray-brown coloring is quickly appreciated with its great personality and songs. One imitated my cell phone ring so well, I tried to answer the phone!

The State Bird of Texas, the Northern Mockingbird is a year round resident throughout the US and Mexico. Very territorial, these birds can put on quite a show.

The fledglings show the same plucky personality. They have a more mottled breast than the mature birds gray breast.

They love all kinds of berries, but eat insects in the summer. Expect to see them throughout the garden, feeding on the ground or in hedges and trees. Besides song, their antics to protect their territory make this medium songbird a real standout.

The final picture shows two young birds whose breasts are still mottled. But the songs just belt forth all day . . . with infinite variety of these great songwriters and mimics. To learn more about their songs, calls, and "chaks" visit Cornell's All About Birds.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link. View her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Learn how to attract birds to your garden, enjoy the Quail Valley Garden's Club visit and tour of Margaret's backyard.

Blog edited by Janice Scanlan.

 

Wood Duck

Fall means more ducks in Fort Bend, and the Wood Duck is one of the most beautiful. The males are in intricate “jewel” tones with each feather a variety of patterns. Its head feathers resemble a Spartan helmet.

The females are more muted colors in browns, but the intricate white patterns around her eyes are elegant.

As you can see from the young male above, the Wood Duck is a year-round resident in Fort Bend. However, they are also migrants of those who nest further north and on the Pacific coast. The migrants fly into Mexico and warmer areas of the Southwest for winter.

Wood Ducks live in swamps, ponds and nest in tree cavities. Because of fewer natural cavities for nesting, nest boxes are often used to encourage this beautiful bird. Their young can drop out of the nest almost 300 feet without being harmed. From their nests in over-hanging trees, the young may drop directly into the water. They also have a unique claw on their feet that allow them to perch in trees.

Good news for golfers, Wood Ducks eat insects and Duck Weed as well as a variety of aquatic plants, insects, and small mollusks. The pairs breed twice a year and especially where nest boxes are used, may lay eggs in other nest for other Wood Ducks to raise.

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link. View her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Learn how to attract birds to your garden, enjoy the Quail Valley Garden's Club visit and tour of Margaret's backyard.

Blog edited by Janice Scanlan.

 

American Redstart

The American Redstart is a warbler migrating through Fort Bend on its way to winter in Central and South America. It summers in the Eastern US, throughout the secondary forests in all of Canada and some of the upper central and western US. Boldly colored for a warbler the black and orange male flashes its wings and tail to startle and flush out insects.

It is a bird about the size of a wren that is most often seen in scrub and tree foliage as insects and some small fruits are its favorite meals. The female and immature males, while muted in comparison with a gray and yellow coloration, still flashes and moves quickly when gleaning foliage for insects.

More flashing is shown above. Some males are polygamous and after his first mate nests, looks for a second mate.  However, he does so in a second territory and therefore maintains two separate territories.This behavior, no doubt, keeps life simpler  . . .

Photos copyrighted by Quail Valley resident and international birder Margaret Sloan. View her international and national bird pictures by pressing this link. View her full photo album of local birds, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Learn how to attract birds to your garden, enjoy the Quail Valley Garden's Club visit and tour of Margaret's backyard.

Blog edited by Janice Scanlan.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

 
The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker found in the Eastern United States and forest areas. They also come to bird feeders. One hangs upside down and uses his beak and long tongue to get past the squirrel barriers to get bird seed from our back yard feeder.

The Red-bellied has red feathers under white ones on their bellies, but are easily identifiable by the red on head tops (cap) and nape of necks and black and white barred backs. Not to be confused with the Red-headed Woodpecker, which has an all red head and solid black back, the Red-Bellied is much more abundant.

They often nest in tree and wood cavities and are quite territorial. Wood cavities such as this are prime spots. They have quite a problem with European Starlings robbing these nest sites. This mother (in the photo above) has a tasty spider for her chick, but it took a few tries before the chick ate the spider. Like many birds such as the Hummingbird, insects are an important source of protein in the diet of Woodpeckers and you will often hear them drumming on bark hunting for insects, but they most commonly pick along to forage the bark for insects as they “hop” up trees, particularly pines and hardwoods.

They have a fairly wide range of food sources and like Loquat fruit.

Males and females have a slightly different range of food as males have longer tongues that can get food from crevices. This helps the species be successful and adaptable to changing weather and food conditions. We are on the edge of their "western" territory. Let's hope they find food and water to continue in our area--fortunately areas just east of here have had more rain this year.

To hear the various kinds of sounds Red-bellied Wookpeckers make besides drumming, hear the kwirring and various sounds by visiting Cornell's All About Birds. If you see a Red-Bellied flying erratically, it's likely a young bird practicing evasive moves. The bird above is likely immature and just stretching it's wings and beginning to get it's red cap and nape . . . the face has not "paled" yet. Overall, the Red-Bellied can appear "pale" overall after maturity.

Photos copyrighted by Margaret Sloan. View her full photo album, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Learn how to attract birds to your garden, enjoy the Quail Valley Garden's Club visit and tour of Margaret's backyard.

Blog edited by Janice Scanlan.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Fort Bend Bird of the Month is the Black-Bellied Whistling Duck. The Black Bellied is found mostly in Mexico and South America, but is making its way with new colonies on the lower Texas Gulf Coast and in spots in US such as Louisiana, the Carolinas, California and Arizona.

Adult males and females are colored the same with red bills, gray heads, rufus chests, black bellies, long necks and long, pink legs. They nest in tree cavities so keeping old trees not in danger of falling on homes or buildings is important to keeping the black-bellied colonizing in Fort Bend--and owls and lots of other birds use tree cavities for young.

It used to also be called a Tree Duck because it was the only duck that perched. Yes, you’ll see them perched, sometimes in odd places. And check out their feet!

One landed in my backyard and was standing on a frog bench and moving his legs like he was prancing. Because I have ornamental fish, I immeidately checked his eating habits. They eat aquatic grasses, grain, insects and mollusks—so it explained his interest in my feeders and lack of interest in the pond.

This duck is closer to Geese and Swans with its social behaviors and longer legged water fowl. They are becoming more common in Fort Bend and live near marshes and waterways.

While they have been common in Quail Valley for sometime with our marshy ponds and Oyster Creek, Fort Bend Independent reader Dan Herron spotted some in Stafford at at the West end of Francis Street, on a lake that is more or less the headwaters of Willow Waterhole Bayou. 

To hear sounds and learn other trustworthy information visit Cornell's All About Birds.

Photos copyrighted by Margaret Sloan. View her full photo album, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Learn how to attract birds to your garden, enjoy the Quail Valley Garden's Club visit and tour of Margaret's backyard.

 

Carolina Wren

The Carolina Wren is a welcomed bird in many ways. They busily glean insects from the ground and foliage and protect our plants from insect infestations. Below is one with an insect.

With their characteristic upturned tail, they are busy, active, and fun to watch. They even like nesting in your wreaths or hanging baskets often better than in plants and trees. Their side entry nests are intricate, but don’t disturb or mom will fly at you. They move fast . . . so don't expect the same pose for very long.

And don't always expect the upturned tail, but you can't miss the song. The males pack an amazing volume for their size. I call one of mine Pavarotti because he loves to sing from my Magnolia and Japanese Maples.

This little fledgling pictured below will grow to about 4 ¾”—and have the characteristic upturned tail when it grows out. Don't you want to protect this little guy (or gal)?

You will often hear Carolina Wrens before you see them. To hear their characteristic song, visit the Cornell Ornithology Lab All about Birds.

Photos copyrighted by Margaret Sloan. View her full photo album, Birds of Quail Valley by pressing this link.

Learn how to attract birds to your garden, enjoy the Quail Valley Garden's Club visit and tour of Margaret's backyard.