Tag Archive for 'Pacific Wren'

Tropical Sharing

Published on December 2, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

It was with much trepidation and excitement that I picked up Guido Berguido, of Advantage Tours Panama, early in the morning to take him birding in Discovery Park. Excitement and pleasure to be able to share the park that I love with a fellow birder. Trepidation of showing a birdwatcher from the tropics the best of the winter Pacific Northwest. How would our paltry number of brown birds compare to the brilliant diversity and rainbow of colors available in his own country?
The day dawned bright, cold, and clear as the sun made a rare November appearance. Not a moment after we stepped out of the car, a Pileated Woodpecker swooped over our heads. A very good sign indeed. Strapping on binocular, we slowly made our way along the trail toward the old alder grove in the south end of the park. Guido had expressed a desire to see a Varied Thrush and the hunt was on. The thrush’s monotone whistle echoed through the forests, but they were nowhere to be seen. As we waited for them to make an appearance, a Sharp-shinned Hawk flew through the bare branches and alighted next to ANOTHER Pileated Woodpecker. As I was feebly trying to explain that sightings of these large woodpeckers are very rare, the hawk began harassing and chasing the Pileated around the tree trunks. The small male was dwarfed by the magnificent black and white woodpecker, but did not hesitate to chase and harangue the annoyed bird. Once again, the whistle of the thrush called us back to our goal.

As we sought visual contact with this iconic Northwest species, we were distracted yet again by two Brown Creepers dancing on the trunks of nearby Bigleaf Maples. Their high, thin calls added to the morning chorus. They paused, posed, and jigged about on the old bark reminding Guido of birds of home. Moments of enjoyment were interrupted yet again with the invitation from the Varied Thrush – come see us, we’re hidden over here!

Walking along the edge of the old forests, a flash of movement caught my eye – Guido! Here you go! A stunning male Varied Thrush jumped up to an eye level branch, frozen in a pool of bright sun. His deep orange and black shone brilliantly in the thin sunshine. A moment later he was joined by a female posing with her muted shades of rich color. After long looks and muttered joy, Guido turned and with a huge smile gave me a high five. This was the satisfaction of a six-year search coming to an end.

Relieved and energized, we continued on our exploration of the park, enjoying the white flashes of a flock of Dark-eyed Juncos, the ticking of a Fox Sparrow, and the scolding of a Bewick’s Wren. The cat call of a Spotted Towhee brought us to a halt. As we watched, the male worked his way to the top of a bramble. Turning this way and that to show off his rufous, black-and-white plumage in the brilliant light. WOW! Guido was stunned by the shimmering orange/red of the towhee’s eye. Nice to know there is a little bit of color in our dark northwest.

Guido continued to heap praise upon the showing of birds as we crested the hill overlooking the meadow. The brisk wind easily cut through his tropical clothing, but his mind was not on the cold – rather it was on the magnificent Bald Eagle soaring overhead. An adult hanging gracefully in the wind over the bluff. Soon the eagle was joined by a Red-tailed Hawk laying motionless in the air. Full lift from the wind held the raptors aloft as long as we needed to drink in every detail.

Finally I surrendered to the cold and led Guido to the northern forest in the shelter of the trees. Our arrival was greeted by the “mouse of the forest,” the Pacific Wren. Again, its skulking attitude reminded Guido of tough birds to see in Panama. Soon we were surrounded by a large mixed feeding flock. Tiny feathered bodies flitted about the trees giving us a variety of views of the warm rufous of the Chestnut-backed Chickadee, the stunning crowns of the Golden-crowned Kinglets, a red flash from the Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and the joy of listening to the incessant dee, dee, dee of the Black-capped Chickadees. We only stopped craning our necks long enough to look at yet a THIRD Pileated Woodpecker hammering away at a nearby snag.

The morning was wearing down as we strolled through the gold of the fallen maple leaves. We remembered with joy the pink of the Anna’s Hummingbird’s gorget, the orange of the Spotted Towhees eye, and the excitement of seeing floating raptors, hammering woodpeckers and best of all – the stunning Varied Thrush. Trepidation had been replaced with gratitude for the wealth the Northwest has to offer, even for birders from the tropics.

Misery to Magic

Published on October 25, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Oh no! It’s a miserable wet rainy morning, and Ramblin’ Rose is off to southwest Washington for another birding adventure. It’s September, a time in the Northwest for guaranteed crisp, clear, blue days. But this year, the fall has been temperamental with record rainfalls. The weather was so horrendous, two clients had even declined to get out of bed. But the rest of us took a deep breath, loaded up, and headed south. The rains only increased; hydroplaning and peering hopelessly through the dark,  I white-knuckled the van down the highway.

Our first stop for coffee was shocking, as the darkness had lightened to a dim gray and the torrential downpour had slowed to a fine mist. Our spirits were quickly lifted with caffeine and daybreak. Entering Grayland, we were greeted by the sight of a Common Loon FLYING above the tree tops paralleling the road. We cheered for it to lift its heavy body above the trees, wires, and road as it struggled on its southern migration.

We arrived at K street, and a quick scan produced a Whimbrel, a Common Tern, several species of gulls, and oddly enough a Turkey Vulture on the beach feasting on a young gull – the victim of some unknown crime. The wind and rain were still blowing in our faces, so we continued along to Tokeland. The sight of a flock of Western Scrubjays pulled us to the side of the road. Highly unusual to see such a species in this area. Upon our arrival at the marina in Tokeland the winds had calmed and within 50 feet of our scopes and binocs was an enormous group of Marbled Godwits, their blushing rufuous plumage, glowing under the pale gray sky. We intensely scanned the group and revealed a lone Bar-tailed Godwit a few feet away from a singular Willet. The rarity of the Bar-tail encouraged everyone and the enjoyment level began to rise. We meandered about the dock, picking up a few more species till the call of the tide forced us to move back north.

Midway Beach was our next destination, and as we ventured along the small lane I rolled down the windows to enjoy the sun breaking through the leaden sky. A fortunate choice, as a cacophony of sound rolled into the van. Halting in the middle of the rarely-traveled lane, we piled out of the van. Every tree, branch, shrub, and inch of ground was covered with an immense mixed feeding flock. Flashes of color and sound filled the morning – Red-breasted Nuthatches giggled, Fox Sparrows ticked, and Pacific Wrens burst forth with liquid song. Townsend’s Warblers brightened the willows, Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Golden-crowned Kinglets were the sopranos of the choir. There was life at every level celebrating the departure of the rains. We enjoyed the repast till again the call of a high tide pushed us to move.

Arriving at Midway Beach, we cautiously approached two Teal dabbling in the pools of water behind the dunes. Unwilling to bump the feeding birds, I encouraged the group to slow and stop. A moment passed till we realized that in addition to the two Green-winged Teals, there were approximately two THOUSAND ducks feeding in the shallow waters a few yards south of these tiny dabblers. Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees! Northern Pintail and American Wigeon composed the bulk of the group. A lone Baird’s Sandpiper graced the landscape in front of the murmuring flock. Two Northern Harriers pulled our attention from the waterfowl and reminded us again of the incoming tide. As we were preparing to depart a flock of White-fronted Geese saluted us from on high.

Off to Westport to relax and enjoy lunch. Perched above Gray’s Harbor, our food was overshadowed by the amazing birds surrounding us. Brown Pelicans traced calligraphy against the sky, now warm and bright with sunshine. We followed their graceful flights as they rose in unison over imaginary waves. All three species of cormorant put on a show of diving, hunting, flying, and silently perching nearby. The beauty of Heerman’s Gulls was not lost on anyone. Large, dramatic Western Gulls coursed the sky above the rounded puppy dog faces of Harbor Seals peering above the waves. Polishing off the last brownie we tore ourselves away from the spectacle to head to Bottle Beach.

This new state park is usually a delight for birders, and today was no exception. As we strolled along the boardwalk, Virginia Rail, Common Yellowthroats, and Marsh Wrens called from the wetlands. Several species of sparrows sounded the alert as we neared the beach. Once on the beach we were astonished and pleased by the large rafts of waterfowl littering the shallow bay. Northern Shoveler, Black, White-winged and Surf Scoter, Gadwall, Mallard, Scaup and yes, even more Northern Pintail and American Wigeon. It did not seem possible that this many birds could find this sanctuary, but they had and so had we. Reluctantly, we tore ourselves away from the wondrous flotilla as the trip back to Seattle was long distance and the afternoon was quickly waning. Our slow pace back to the van was rewarded with large numbers of Purple Finch, a stunning Western Scrub-jay, American Goldfinch, and a gaggle of female Red-winged Blackbirds. As we paused to watch the wealth of the wetlands, the sky – which had been so warm and blue throughout our birding adventure -  quickly darkened once again and descended upon us. The returning rains reminded us of how the day began. We were promised pre-dawn misery, but the day had delivered magic, and now it was time to return home.

Dog Days of Summer

Published on August 25, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

What do you do when there are no birds? Seriously, NO birds! Ramblin’ Rose clients had invited me to do a tour for them at their annual campout near the base of Mt. St. Helens tucked deep in the forest along the Cispus River. Lovely area, brimming with bird life a few weeks ago – but deep in the dog days of summer, the birds have dispersed. Even the resident Pacific Wrens are skulking in the shadows rather than filling the forest with their liquid songs.

Undaunted, we arose pre-dawn and ventured to a nearby trail winding through the trees and along the edges of an old beaver pond. Surely the edge and the water combination would produce a few species. As we meandered along the silent trail a hint of panic was welling up in me. Expectations were that I would show them and teach them about birds – but there were none.

But a quick glance around revealed that the rest of nature was still in abundance. Stooping, I picked up a Yellow-spotted Millipede and encouraged everyone to smell the black multi-legged critter curled up in my hand. Immediately everyone in the group was smiling in amazement. Yes, they smell of almonds – a lovely rich scent. But why? The scent is to dissuade and warn any predator of the presence of cyanide and the danger that lurked within. The combination of warning colors and almond scent was working as hundreds of millipedes were safely enjoying the feast of newly-trimmed plants along the trail’s edge.

Next we sorted through several different species of fern for which the Northwest forest is famous. We saw the diminutive and delicate oak fern next to a robust sword fern. I explained separating the lady fern (whose fronds form the shape of a woman) from the bracken fern with its fronds growing near the top of a long singular stem. We paused to enjoy the beauty of maidenhair ferns cascading down a bank. Chosen for their strength and deeply colored beauty, their black glossy stems were used by many native groups in the northwest in basket weaving.

Whoa – what are those fantastic bright red berries? We stopped in awe of the deadly baneberry plant. Less than six of these little berry beauties will kill you. In fact every part of the plant is poisonous – including the leaves, stems, and roots.  Yet despite this fact, natives of the area discovered chewing the leaves and placing the mixture on wounds had healing powers.

Decorating all of the ferns and understory plants were dome web spiders. These amazing creatures spin a canopy of silk in the shape of a dome or upside-down bowl. Once this creation is complete, they position themselves under the ceiling of the web in anticipation of insects who – in their attempts to fly over the dome – collide with the nearly invisible trip wires above the bowl. Crashing into these traps, the insects fall to the roof of the dome to be consumed by a hungry spider.

The group was captivated looking high and low for spider webs, plants to identify and any other natural wonder. Wow, look at the size of that slug! Sure enough, the fantastic banana slug – another Northwest specialty – was sliding up a stump. We all took turns gently touching the slug to experience the magic of a natural anesthesia within the slime; another predator deterrent. We even took the opportunity to practice a little natural medicine of our own. Would the numbing slime actually stop the itch of the incessant mosquito bites? Sure enough, the itching was gone within seconds thanks to the magic of the banana slug slime.

And so it went along the trail.  A chorus frog sat camouflaged on a fern frond, ready to leave the wetlands for the long winter ahead. Red-legged frogs were hopping away to disappear in the forest duff, gently stroking the velvet leaves of the thimbleberry and hastily avoiding the nasty barbs of the devil’s club till finally FITZBEW! A Willow Flycatcher has never sounded so good! Just on the edges of the old wetlands and at the end of our time together we enjoyed the sounds of the flycatcher. Moments later, a Common Yellowthroat graced us with her presence. Now we could finally say that we have had a bird walk.