Common Goldeneye

I photographed this rather bedraggled-looking Common Goldeneye at the west outlet of Black Dog Lake in northern Dakota Co. I am not sure how to explain this appearance, since this species is a hearty duck, often found in Minnesota winters.

I was surprised to learn in Eadie et al. (1995) that fish constitute only a very small portion of a Common Goldeneye’s diet (4%). Crustaceans, insects, and mollusks are their prized prey (70%), filled out by vegetation (26%). Goldeneyes are diving ducks, and can remain under water for almost a minute. They swim underwater with closed wings. They can capture more than one prey item per dive and usually consume their catch while submerged.

American White Pelican

On Wednesday, Erika and I found a solitary American White Pelican sitting on the ice at the west outflow of Black Dog Lake in northern Dakota County, Minnesota. This water, as it enters the Minnesota River, is often open, since the lake is heated by a nearby power plant. The water is aerated and attracts an abundance of small fish. Consequently this location often supports a number of waterfowl and gulls during the cold, winter months.

This pelican probably was hurting. Possibly its wing is broken. On these photos, notice the ice on the black of the wing feathers. A bird capable of flight would likely shed such ice. It seemed odd to me that the bird chose to stand and rest with its feet in the cold water. Perhaps, however, the water was warmer than the surrounding ice.

Extremely Cold Woodpecker and Dove

On Monday morning, temperatures in Northfield fell below −20 degrees F. This Downy Woodpecker had more problems than the cold. The bird is severely wounded, with feathers missing from the lower back. Hanging from the wound is what appears to be a mostly decomposed leaf. Perhaps this leaf frozen to the bird has acted like a bandage.

Also at the feeder this frigid day was the Mourning Dove in the bottom photo.  Most birds in the cold seek shelter. Once on a similarly cold day in South Dakota, I found a Mourning Dove that had dug itself a snow cave—but froze anyway. Birds survive extreme cold by having seasonal increases in metabolic rates and by lowering their body temperatures at night (Natural Source). Birds normally maintain body temperatures of around 106 degrees. They accomplish this body temperature by fluffing their feathers and growing additional down during the winter. Birds also maintain high levels of fat. Most birds shiver by twitching their muscles. Many birds can shunt blood away from their extremeties and towards their internal organs (Yuhas 2013). 

Downy Woodpecker

On a frigid day this week, this Downy Woodpecker was “frozen” at the suet feeder. A predator must have been lurking nearby. Fluffed up as the bird was, it was hard to tell the breast from the back. The wing runs down the center of the bird. 

Another interesting note: unlike most Downy Woodpeckers, this bird lacks black spots on its white outer tail feathers. These woodpeckers can often be differentiated from the larger Hairy Woodpecker by the Downy’s dark-spotted outer tail feathers. Sibleycorrectly cautions that not all Downy’s show these spots.

Short-tailed Shrew

Up popped a shrew from a hole underneath the bird feeder. I should have listened to my wife.  Erika immediately identified the critter as a Short-tailed Shrew. Because of the white throat and white patch behind the eye, I was not so sure. I asked for help from the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union listserv. All the two dozen respondents agreed with Erika. The tail is just too short for it to be anything else. Thanks to all of those people who responded to my plea for help.

What about the white on the head? If you enlarge your computer view of these photos, you may notice that the white is bare skin, not fur. Apparently this shrew suffers from mange. Many of my correspondents mentioned that, in the winter, Short-tailed Shrews commonly forage under bird feeders.

This year is not the first time we have had a shrew under our feeder. Last year a shrew poked its head out from under the snow cover. Before we could fetch our camera, a Red-tailed Hawk swooped down and carried away the poor shrew. As Tom Klein wrote, “I would hate to be an insectivore at this time of year.” 

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Sometimes we don't appreciate our common birds. For example, the Red-bellied Woodpecker, a frequent visitor to the suet feeder, is a stunning bird—sort of a flaming zebra! Non-birders occasionally call this a “Red-headed” Woodpecker. These people do not notice this woodpecker’s red belly—see my post of 20 April 2010. Another friend habitually identified it as a “Ladder-backed” Woodpecker. His field guide illustrated all of the striped-backed woodpeckers under the heading of “ladder-backed woodpeckers.” Erika and I listed this Red-bellied Woodpecker on New Year’s Day, as we once again began building a year bird list.

2013 Banding

I am surprised by my 2013 banding results, which can be seen by clicking the appropriate tab at the top of this blog. After a dismal fall season, I assumed I would report mediocre results. Instead this was my second biggest banding year in Minnesota (since 2008). I banded 1741 individual birds at my study sites in Northfield and near Dundas (plus an additional 75, which are not included in this report, at either River Bend Nature Center or the Carleton College arboretum).

No doubt, the 750 juncos that I banded this spring greatly contributed to my success, as did 107 White-throated Sparrows. Other most-banded species include 91 Myrtle Warblers, 79 Nashville Warblers, and 95 American Goldfinches. Further details can be seen in my report. This year was the first that I did not band a new species to the list, which now stands at 101.

Thanks to Erika Tallman, John and Kathy Holden, Tami Vogel, and others who assisted during the year.

Red-headed Woodpecker

Yesterday, 28 December 2013, Erika and I took advantage of 43-degree (F) weather for a short walk at Big Woods. This State Park is a reliable location to find Red-headed Woodpeckers, which can be elsewhere difficult to find. We found three—this first fed in an interesting manner. Notice that the bird is not propping itself by its stiff tail. Instead the woodpecker ran/hopped sideways in the upright posture evident in the first two photos. It tore at the rotten wood and devoured what appears to be a large grub.

As indicated by the striking black patches in its white wings, the last woodpecker is relatively young. The bird carried a large acorn to the top of a tall tree. If only I took this photograph more quickly, before the bird cached the acorn in the  top of the tree!

Mourning Dove

Despite Mourning Doves' being “notoriously sensitive to cold weather” (SD Game Fish and Parks), they do attempt to winter in our northern states. I saw two on Monday at a local bird feeder near Dundas.

They require cover, preferring river valleys with plentiful food sources like bird feeders or left-over grain. They do not always survive. In South Dakota, I once found two Mourning Doves that buried themselves in a snow drift, making themselves a snow cave, but were overcome by −40 degree temperatures. 

Inspection of this photograph will indicate that this dove’s portrait was not taken in the winter, but during a South Dakota spring near Aberdeen. The odd, greenish wash on the dove’s body is due to reflections from the Russian Olives in which the bird roosted.

Waved Albatross

Like the penguins of my last post, Waved Albatross are also restricted to the Galapagos Islands. Most breed on Española Island, which is where Erika and I took this photograph in the mid-1970s. Birds sighted on one other Galapagos island and Isla de la Plata, much closer to the mainland of Ecuador, may have been breeding. When not nesting, these albatross are encountered off the coasts of western South America (Wikipidia).

Birds of the World—Alive lists the Waved Albatross as “Critically Endangered.” Despite breeding in a national park, populations have declined since 2001. These birds scavenge dead prey, mainly squid and large fish. Over-fishing and El Niño fluctuations reduce prey populations. Local people also harvest albatross for feathers and/or food. Recently introduced Southern House Mosquitos, which are a vector for avian malaria, are also a threat.

We were impressed that the Waved Albatross, which has “obligate bi-parental care,” builds no nest. Eggs are laid in depressions on the ground. Once researchers were dismayed that they could find none of the eggs they had previously marked. They discovered that the albatrosses pick up their eggs with their feet and breast feathers and may move the eggs up to 30 feet a day!