Nature
Notes for May 24, 2013
May
is the month when the most colourful migrants return. Many of the most
colourful birds are the warblers. They are tiny, weighing in at between 8 and
15 grams.
Last
weekend at the annual Warblers and Whimbrels weekend at Presqu’ile ProvincialPark, my husband and I were able to show several of these birds to an admiring
audience. We captured and banded male American Redstarts (orange and black),
Common Yellowthroat (yellow and gray with a black mask). Nashville Warbler (yellow
body, gray head with a few rusty red feathers on the crown), NorthernWaterthrush (more subdued shades of brown and cream), Cape May Warbler (female,
so subdued shades of gray), Yellow-rumped Warbler (bright yellow, white, black,
gray), Yellow Warbler (yellow with red streaks on the breast), Magnolia Warbler
(a different pattern of yellow, white and gray), Chestnut-sided Warbler (lime
green head, chestnut flanks).
These
little birds, despite their bright colours, can be very difficult to see among
the newly emerging foliage on the trees.
We
also captured four Baltimore Orioles, a slightly larger bird, bright orange and
black, which even non-birders can often see and usually identify.
Other
brightly coloured birds which were in the park, but not handled included
Scarlet Tanager (male is bright red with black wings), Rose-breasted Grosbeak
(male is black and white with a splash of red on the upper breast) and IndigoBunting (male is bright blue).
Most
of these species winter in the tropics and are arriving back in the north to
take advantage of abundant insect prey to feed and raise a family.
Some
of the birds listed will continue further north. The Yellow-rumped Warbler
breeds primarily in the Boreal Forest and may be headed as far at the Yukon. On
the other hand, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat and American Redstart all
breed at Presqu’ile. Chestnut-sided Warblers nest throughout Northumberland in
brushy roadsides, hedgerows and shrubby old fields.
Baltimore
Orioles, a member of the blackbird family, often nest in urban areas as well as
in the surrounding countryside. Despite their orange colour, they can be
difficult to see when in a green tree. Often, their hanging pendulous nests are
not found until the trees shed their leaves in the fall.
Scarlet
Tanager and Rose-breasted Grosbeak both favour deciduous woodlands in which to
nest. Readers who live near these forests may have the good fortune to see
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at bird feeders all summer. To see the Tanager takes a little
more effort because they don’t come to feeders. They don’t eat seeds, but
insects and fruit.
One
of the most strikingly beautiful birds appeared yesterday at my backyard bird
feeder in Port Hope: a Red-headed Woodpecker. We haven’t had one in the garden
for a number of years, although they nested in a ravine a few blocks away last
year. There are nesting Red-headed Woodpeckers in Cobourg as well. Male and
female are alike in plumage – completely red head with large blocks of black
and white on the body and wings.
Many
of these colourful birds will be around until at least August. With only a
little searching, readers should be able to find some of them.
