Pine Grosbeak

Over the weekend, aside from these Pine Grosbeaks, Erika and I saw very few birds in northern Minnesota’s Zax-Sim Bog, usually an excellent place to list a variety of otherwise hard to find species.

Pine Grosbeaks breed across Canada, south through the Rocky Mountains. Typically unwary, three female grosbeaks fed on roadside berry bushes and on gravel in the middle of our snowy road. These grosbeaks irrupt into the eastern United States, but less frequently than other winter finches, and seldom reach as far south. Rocky Mountain populations do not wander more than a few miles from their breeding habitat (Adkisson 1999).

Although Pine Grosbeaks might be expected, during exceptional flights, to reach southern Minnesota, Erika and I have not seen them in Northfield. We have seen them previously in the bog, and, over the years, I have banded a few in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Common Eider (Pacific)

On Friday, Erika and I finally drove up to Duluth, Minnesota, to search for the Common Eider that has been seen since 10 November 2014. The bird was within a large flock of Mallards, Black Ducks, and even a few Pintails. Despite its different-shaped bill and pale color, the bird could be difficult to spot among the other ducks. (When first reported, there were two individual eiders in the area, representing the first winter records for the species in St. Louis County.)

Last November I posted a photo of one of the Atlantic races of the Common Eider and concluded, as have most observers, that the Duluth bird is a Pacific race. The distance between the eye and the back extensions of the bill is much greater in the Duluth bird than in the Atlantic one (fide Ken Able). The extensions are more pointed in the Duluth bird. Finally, the Duluth bird is much paler brown. Sibley suggests that birds of the western Arctic are so distinct from other Common Eiders that they “seem to be good candidates for splitting."

One may be surprised that an inhabitant of the north Pacific would show up on Lake Superior. Perhaps not coincidently, a huge low-pressure storm, the most intense ever reported in the region, blew up the Pacific and into the Bering Sea and Alaska. Barometric pressure reached near record lows and winds approaching 100 mph. The low pressure area spun clockwise, bringing warm weather to Alaska, but pulling frigid Arctic air into the continental United States, including Minnesota (Accuweather.com). This weather system may also be responsible for pushing Pacific Common Eiders to our region (fide Peder Svingen and Matt Dufort).

Limber Honeysuckle

This Limber Honeysuckle flower was photographed during one of Erika and my summer cycling trips in Rice County, Minnesota. The leaves are opposite and the uppermost pair are perfoliate. The plant grows in open woods and woodland edges. It will develop red berries.  The flowers attract hummingbirds and bumblebees.

Native American uses for Limber Honeysuckle included as a cathartic, menstrual difficulties, kidney stones, diuretic, flu drug, emetic drug, and variously as a love or anti-love potion (wildflower.org). The hollow stems were also used as straws and in pipes.

Red-shouldered Hawk

On Tuesday, the Red-shouldered Hawk reappeared at our Dundas, Minnesota, banding site. The raptor had been absent since 19 November. Of course, it is a guess that this individual is the same as the previous bird. If it is the same, then its bloody breast feathers are nicely cleaned. Another interesting difference is that the small birds at the bird feeders, and especially the Blue Jays, repeatedly mobbed the hawk. The jays sometimes struck the hawk’s back.

In November the small birds paid little attention to the hawk. We assumed that the hawk’s preference for small mammals made it little threat. Perhaps the hawk’s diet has shifted during this long, cold winter. Several hypotheses exist for why small birds mob predators.  Mobbing alerts nearby birds of the nearby predator. The hawk probably has trouble keying in on a single mobber, thus there may be safety in numbers. Mobbing may also drive a dangerous predator away. The Red-shouldered Hawk was clearly bothered by the jays. Note, in the center photo, the hawk peering skyward, watching for the jays. Finally the hawk flew off southward.

Roadside Hawk

Roadside Hawks are quite common from eastern Mexico south to northern Argentina. Often they are the most common hawk in their range. Ornithologists have described at least eleven races of this species. The photograph, taken in northern Argentina, appears to be Rupornis magnirostris saturatus, which is found from Bolivia through north-central Argentina.

The Handbook of Birds—Alive describes Roadside Hawks as being “very catholic” in their prey selection. These hawks take almost anything, mainly insects, reptiles, birds and small mammals. They are known to follow army ant swarms and eat insects trying to flee from the ants. They also hunt along the edges of grass fires, where they occasionally get singed. On the other hand, they are occasionally eaten by boa constrictors!

Why Are Grebe Eyes Red?

This Eared Grebe certainly sports bright red eyes. The photo was taken of a breeding bird at Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge many years ago.

Why are loon and many grebe eyes red? I remember reading in one of my loon books that, because red is filtered out of water after a depth of 15 feet, the eye would be indistinct to prey. This camouflage may be important, if prey key on eyes of predators. Many creatures make use of an opposite phenomenon—butterflies and moths, for example, often show eye spot patterns on their wings, thus dissuading potential predators, who in turn, do not wish to become prey themselves.

One problem with this hypothesis is that young loons and most young grebes have dark eyes. Other grebes do not even have red eyes, as is the case with many other diving waterfowl. Perhaps red eyes are used to attract mates. That sort of answer is a stock fall-back reply to unanswerable evolutionary questions. A third alternative is that red eyes allow divers to see more clearly under water. The answer many be a combination of all three hypotheses.

Snow Bunting

Yesterday, I drove John Holden to see the Snowy Owls photographed in the last two posts. The morning was gorgeous but, at -10 degrees Fahrenheit and with a wind chill probably around -20, temperatures were unpleasant. The good news is that we had no problem finding one; the bad news was, to our surprise, the owl was perched on the ground right next to the road and quickly flew.

Twice during the morning we happened upon large flocks of Snow Buntings. We wondered how the buntings handled extreme weather. These Snow Buntings voraciously consumed weed seeds. The species roosts in open areas in small impressions in the snow. When temperatures drop below 20 degrees F, they block the wind by perching behind snowdrifts. They are not known, however, to huddle in tight-knit groups. During blizzards, buntings get covered with snow and, during extreme conditions (like when temperatures drop below -30 degrees), they burrow into the snow (Montgomerie and Lyon 2011).

Snowy Owl 2

Yesterday I took Erika to see the New Year’s Day Snowy Owl. I believe this individual is not the same bird we saw on Thursday—the back and breast seem to be definitely heavier barred. Nevertheless, both individuals appear to be males (see previous post). Although somewhat closer to the road than the first bird, both were in the same quarter-section. This photo is also greatly enlarged.

Snowy Owl

On New Year’s Day, Dave Bartkey reported seeing a Snowy Owl just south of Nerstrand, Rice County, Minnesota. Gene and Susan Bauer and I gave chase laster that morning. I really don’t know how Gene spied the owl. If you can’t find it in the first photo, try enlarging the image on your computer screen. I took the first photo at a smaller magnification than the second photo, knowing that it would make a good blog image. The second photo is taken at about 500 mm and greatly enlarged. Following owl-watching ethics, we did not chase the owl across the field. 

Snowy Owls range from small, almost pure-white males to heavily barred, large females. Males and females at the far ends of this spectrum are fairly easy to tell apart. Intermediately sized and barred individuals are often questionable as to sex. Kevin McGowan has posted an excellent review of Snowy Owl variation, which is worth reading if you are interested. I have photos (taken in previous years) of what I believe to be a slightly darker male as well as an individual that is, due to her extensively barred underparts, probably a female.

2014 Banding Report

Let me assure my gentle readers that neither this juvenal Northern Saw-whet Owl nor the bander were in any way injured while taking this photograph. I banded this owl on 23 June 1983 in western South Dakota, at the confluence of the Cheyenne and Bell Fourche rivers.  At this location, some 70 miles east of the Black Hills, stands a remnant grove of Ponderosa Pines. I led a summer field trip with about a dozen college students to study the plants and animals found in the area. Banding not only tells you where birds go, but also what birds inhabit an area and, sometimes, their breeding condition.

I post this photo both because this plumage is rarely seen and to let you know that I have updated my annual banding reports to include 2014, and to compare those totals with statistics from 2008-2013. This year, 2014, saw 789 individual birds banded, the lowest in my seven year’s of banding near Northfield. The average is 1207 per year. Species showing above average numbers include American Goldfinch, Tennessee Warbler, and Hermit Thrush. Birds with below average numbers include American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, and Chipping Sparrow. Just click on the tab below the banner at the head of this blog to see the complete details.