Conservation for Migratory Birds
Today we announced $25 million to conserve habitats for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds, and landbirds.
With the help of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service_Federal Duck Stamp dollars and North American Wetlands Conservation Act grants, USFWS and partners will conserve more than 170,000 acres.
Learn more: http://www.fws.gov/
photo: Northern Pintail Ducks, byJM Garg
My Season of Spring Migration on the Texas Coast
Though Spring migration of birds isn’t over yet this year, its winding down along the Gulf Coast of Texas. Its been a good year for me, as it was a good year in general in SE Texas. This is a major stop and refuel area for birds who have spent the winter in central and South America, and are migrating back to their breeding range, in more northerly climes.
I had 3 birds that kept eluding me season after season, and I had hoped to get at least one of them this season. However, I GOT ALL 3!!! These 3 birds are rare here, but not unheard of. I saw a Swainson’s Warbler (bttm), a very secretive bird, here at the park where I work, and finally saw a Black-billed Cuckoo (2nd row) and a Cape May Warbler (top R), who usually migrate far east of here, at the bird watching mecca of High Island, TX.
I’ve also seen a lot of shorebirds this season, and I’m still hoping to get a Blackpoll Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler; Prairie Warbler, and Black-throated Blue Warbler.
Here’s me season’s list for this year so far…
(photos: TL - Steve Maslowski, USFWS; TR - American redstart by Snowmanradio; 1Mid - Big Dipper2 | Flickr; 3L - Blackburnian Warbler by Mdf ; 3R - Painted Bunting by Dan Pancamo; Bttm - Julio Mulero | Flickr)
A Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) male takes some time out from spring migration to frolick in a bird bath at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in Southern TX, USA.
(via: Laguna Atascosa NWR)
Kentucky Warbler (Geothlypis formosus)
A rich, rolling “churee churee churee” rings out from the lush understory of the woods, then the songster itself flits up to a low branch and sounds out again. This golden and olive warbler with the black mustache spends much of its time on the ground in deep woods, where it nests, but the patient birder can often catch a glimpse of one, especially as males stake out their territories each spring.
The Kentucky Warbler’s characteristic loud song is heard less frequently today, and continued losses of bottomland hardwood forests across the southeastern United States may be the reason why. However, destruction of habitat on its wintering grounds through clearing for agriculture and pasture may pose an even greater threat…
(read more: American Bird Conservancy)
(photo: Greg Lavaty)
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea), male, Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge, LA, USA, freshly arrived from its wintering grounds in Central America.
The Prothonotary is the only warbler known to nest in tree cavities, usually near or over standing water.
(photo: John Flores)
Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis)
Striped bass, or rockfish, is a large, predatory fish with dark stripes across its silvery sides. Usually grows to about 20 in long and weighs about 30 lbs, but some can be as long as 6 feet and weigh as much as 125 lbs. Considered to be semi-anadromous because most do not travel all the way from the ocean to their spawning grounds in freshwater rivers (though they do migrate in to fresh water)…
(read more: Chesapeake Bay Program)
(photo: D Ross Robertson/LifeDesks)
The Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis)
… also called Atlantic striped bass, striper, linesider, rock, pimpfish, or rockfish. The striped bass is a typical member of the Moronidae family in shape, having a streamlined, silvery body marked with longitudinal dark stripes running from behind the gills to the base of the tail. Maximum size is 200 cm (6.6 ft) and maximum scientifically recorded weight 57 kg (125 lb).Striped bass are native to the Atlantic coastline of North America from the St. Lawrence River into the Gulf of Mexico to approximately Louisiana. They are anadromous fish that migrate between fresh and salt water. Spawning takes place in fresh water.
(read more: Wikipedia) (artwork by Timothy Knepp, USDOI)
North Atlantic right whales migrate seasonally along the East Coast of the United States and right now are spending time off of Massachusetts feeding.
You can track real-time sightings here: http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/psb/surveys/
And read more about these endangered whales here.
(via: Smithsonian’s Ocean Portal)
A young male Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) enjoys some Potato Tree (Solanum erianthum) fruit at The Audubon Society’s Sabal Palm Sactuary in south Texas.
(via: Sabal Palm Sanctuary)
Golden-cheeked Warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia)
ENDANGERED
If you’re lucky, you might spot the Golden-cheeked Warbler on its breeding grounds in central Texas at this time of year. The snazzy-looking adult male is particularly striking, with a golden-yellow eyebrow and cheek-patch, split by a black eye-stripe that joins its black nape and back.
The Golden-cheeked Warbler depends on the bark of the Ashe juniper for nesting material and tends to forage in deciduous oaks. Its ideal habitat consists of mixed juniper-oak woodlands.
Major threats are habitat fragmentation and degradation caused by ranches and housing developments, the effects of global climate change, lack of prescribed fire, which clears the forest understory to provide habitat, and removal of Ashe juniper trees. Habitat fragmentation compounds the impact of additional threats such as cowbird parasitism, overbrowsing by deer, and the spread of oak wilt fungus…
(read more: American Bird Conservancy)
* Help ABC conserve this and other birds and their habitats!
Illustration of Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) nest by N.E. Jones
from Illustrations of the nests and eggs of birds of Ohio, by Howard, Jones, et al. (1886)
Houston Audubon Bird of the Week: Kentucky Warbler
Currently in Houston area, spotted at High Island and outside Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary. Main feature: black sideburns down face, robust body, underparts yellow, yellow eyestripe, olive back and wings. Diet: insects. Wingspan: 18-22 cm, length: 13 cm.
Fun Fact: Only knows a single song, and often, competing males will sing in an identical pitch during mating season.
Photo by Greg Lavaty
American Redstart Migration
Spring is a great time to see warblers as they migrate through or to our areas to breed. Their migration stories are amazing. We share these birds with other countries…
visit http://www.savingoursharedbirds.org/shared-responsibility for more about these wonderful warblers.
(via: )
The Shy Albatross (Thalassarche cauta) is a medium-sized bird that ranges extensively across the Southern Ocean. It measures 90–100 cm (35–39 in) in length and 210–260 cm (83–100 in) in wingspan, making it the largest of the mollymawks (a group of medium sized albatrosses in the genus Thalassarche).
(photo: JJ Harrison) (via: Wikipedia)
AN OSPREY’S WORK IS NEVER DONE.
Just back from his 2,600 mile migration, COLEY has thrown himself into hunting, breeding and home repair. Expect eggs soon! Get all the news on this fascinating bird at http://tinyurl.com/c3w3c8h
(via: NRDC BioGem’s Defenders)
