August Birds

August is a time when food is plentiful; birds are teaching their youngsters how to find food; and others are beginning their southern migration.

An adult male Red-bellied Woodpecker was showing one of his kids how to find insects tucked under pieces of tree bark. They practised searching on several trees. These birds will likely stay in the area all through the winter.

Eastern Bluebirds were also teaching their offspring how to find food. Thousands of small caddisflies were on the move, so hopefully they had lots of success! If you look carefully, a male Bluebird is close to the top of the photo, and a juvenile bluebird is closer to the bottom of the photo and slightly to the left. Since insects are their preferred food, Eastern Bluebirds generally head south for the winter.

The Bobolink (female in photo) is one of the world's most impressive songbird migrants, traveling some 20,000 km to and from southern South America every year. Throughout its lifetime, it may travel the equivalent of 4 or 5 times around the circumference of the earth!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bobolink/overview

Nashville Warbler - resting and refueling in Canatara Park to get energy for the next phase of migration. Many warbler species are currently heading south. In Canatara Park on Tuesday morning, a minimum of 15 species were spotted.

American Goldfinch eating thistle seeds.

A juvenile Green Heron watching for its next meal.

A stealthy Great Blue Heron is on the hunt in Canatara Park.

Herring Gull, 1st year: Deryl calls this the "Chocolate Moose" stage, because of the colour and their large size! Herring Gulls don't get their final adult colouring until 4 years of age.

Adult Ring-billed Gull with an unidentified "prize", perhaps part of a fish skeleton.

I saw my first migrating Sanderlings on Tuesday. They feed by running down the beach after a receding wave to pick up stranded invertebrates or probe for prey hidden in the wet sand. They eat crane flies, midges, mosquitoes, beetles, butterflies and moths.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sanderling/lifehistory

Video: Sanderlings running on Canatara Beach.

Some birds fly off course during migration. A couple of Red-necked Phalaropes visited south Lambton county recently. (They typically follow the east and west coasts of North America during migration.) Female Phalaropes are larger and more brightly coloured than males. They can get into fierce fights over the males they want to mate with. Then after they've laid their eggs, they take no part in raising the young, often seeking out another male to lay another clutch. The males do all of the incubation. They breed in the Arctic tundra and winter in tropical oceans.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-necked_Phalarope/overview

A Snowy Egret also visited Lambton County; the first time since 1995!  During breeding season, they have bright white feathers, yellow facial skin, black legs, and bright yellow feet. Adult Snowy Egrets also develop long, wispy feathers on their backs, necks and heads. In 1886, these plumes were valued at $32 per ounce, which was twice the price of gold at the time. Plume-hunting for the fashion industry killed many Snowy Egrets and other birds until reforms were passed in the early twentieth century. The recovery of shorebird populations through the work of concerned citizens was an early triumph and helped to create the conservation movement.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snowy_Egret/overview

1st year Wood Duck, resting on a piece of driftwood.