Kaleb Friend Photography Birds & Conservation

As common as these birds may be on the West Coast, this was my first sighting of a red-breasted sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber). I know, I know, but we all have strange gaps in our life lists and this was one of mine! When it landed on this skeleton trunk, I could only think to drop to one knee to achieve some foreground blur from long grass in front of me. 

Where these birds’ range overlaps with other sapsuckers, differences in their territorial displays have been studied. Despite recent intrusions of the red-breasted sapsucker deeper into the zone where they hybridize with the red-naped sapsucker, they were LESS aggressive in their behavioral displays but MORE so in terms of vocalization. Scientists concluded that behavior therefore wasn’t fueling the increase in hybrid zone movement of the red-breasted species. But it makes me wonder if it instead suggests that you get more mates with song 🎶 than with fists 👊 !
💐 

Huge thanks to @garett_meiners for the inspiration and hosting of #woodpeckerfest3 !

#lifebird #RedBreastedSapsucker #Sphyrapicusruber #bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds #eye_spy_birds
#noplayback #birdwatching #nanpapix
#best_birds_planet

Sometimes you have to lower the lights to cover the muck. Sometimes you just have to bury yourself in it until you feel grounded in the earth. 

American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) in the mud flats adjacent to saltmarsh habitat of the San Francisco Bay, once home the densest concentration of salt marshes on the West Coast of the United States and currently the site of one of the most multifaceted habitat restoration efforts in the world. 

San Francisco Bay 12.23

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots  #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds #eye_spy_birds
#americanavocet #recurvirostraamericana #birdwatching #nanpapix
#best_birds_planet #bird_briliance

From Under the Sea-Wind by Rachel Carson, “To stand at the edge of the sea, to sense the ebb and flow of the tides, to feel the breath of a mist moving over a great salt marsh; to watch the flight of shore birds that have swept up and down the surf lines of the continents for untold thousands of years…is to have knowledge of things that are nearly as eternal as any earthly life can be.”

Celebrating World Shorebirds Day
Juvenile marbled godwit (Limosa fedoa) 
San Francisco Bay, 07.24

bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds #eye_spy_birds #shorebirds #marbledgodwit #limosafedoa #birdwatching #nanpapix
#best_birds_planet #bird_briliance

I took this image right after the juvenile American robin toward the back (Turdus migratorius) had pecked its parent’s head, perhaps dissatisfied with the fare being offered. Happy back to school everyone! 

Thanks once more, to @garett_meiners for the excuse to post and for yet again being the host with the most! #juviebirdfest 

San Francisco, CA 08.23

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #americanrobin #birdsofcalifornia #raw_birds #birds_captures #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds #eye_spy_birds #birdbehavior #birdwatching
#best_birds_planet #bird_briliance

Orange-crowned warbler (Leiothlypis celata), on native red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) during its spring emergence. 

Santa Cruz Mountains, CA 03.24

#leiothylpiscelata #orangecrownedwarbler #nativeplants #themeofthemonth #bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds #eye_spy_birds
#noplayback #birdwatching #warblerwednesday 
#best_birds_planet

What if I told you that the ability of the grackle to consume everything but the kitchen sink increases the chances that it will ultimately become extinct? I’m not talking in the next 50 or even 1000 years; I’m talking millions of years. That’s exactly what scientists have suggested from studying macroevolutionary trends in both birds and mammals. Specialist feeders tend to outcompete generalists over time. They are specialists afterall, honed hunters of their chosen quarry. Specialist feeders also tend to speciate more (adapt and differentiate into separate species), many acquiring omnivory. While it may be initially adaptive, that event is perhaps more adequately understood as an evolutionary act of desperation, a last cry before that species is snuffed out. I can’t imagine grackles or starlings dying out before specialist feeders like hummingbirds or the avocado-loving quetzals. And that’s because that’s not what these studies are saying. Omnivores DO outcompete specialists on a species level over relatively short periods of time. They adapt more readily to rapid changes in habitat that would threaten a highly specialized individual. BUT, omnivores tend to resist speciation themselves. They don’t have that push toward adaptive radiation. Adapt, migrate or die, as they say. With nowhere to go evolutionarily, over millions of years, evolutionary stagnation leads to extinction. 

Grackles are part of the Family, Icteridae, the Blackbirds of the Americas, which also include orioles, meadowlarks, named blackbirds and caciques, among others. Most of these are pretty strong omnivores, except the caciques, who are primarily insectivores. Statistically speaking, caciques group are more likely to persist over evolutionary time than any of the other Icterid representatives! (Omnivores might have an advantage during a mass-extinction event though. Let’s all work to avoid testing that out.) 

common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 
Washington DC 06.24

#themeofthemonth #bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds #quiscalusquiscula #themeothemonth

Celebrating pollinators on the summer solstice! 

Calypte anna helping to pollinate a native red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum), and getting a little something for his trouble in the form of nectar. 

San Francisco, California 01.24

#birds #hummingbirdsofinstagram #birdsofcalifornia #calypteanna #eye_spy_birds #raw_birds #pollinatorweek #birdphotography #birding #wildlifephotography #nativeplants #bird_brilliance #best_birds_of_ig

If you think defining a species is challenging, I present to you, the Ipswich Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis princeps), a poster child for the confusion of the designation of subspecies. Are they visually, geographically, and phenologically (timing of migration, breeding, etc) distinct from “inland” Savannah sparrows. They winter in the dunes and rocky shores of the US Eastern Seaboard and breed, nearly exclusively, on a narrow crescent of an island off the coast of Nova Scotia in Canada. But they still are considered only a subspecies due to the lack of significant genetic divergence.

I recently read an article challenging the rank classification of subspecies, both scientifically and philosophically. While “species” is believed to be a functional and discrete thing, representing biologically and/or evolutionarily significant units — “real things in the real world” — “subspecies” can be seen as a means by which we zealously categorize our own human observations. At worst, it is a means of aggrandizing superficial differences for reasons other than science. At best, it is an attempt to predict the trajectory of a subpopulation on its way to formal species status — what was once a subspecies might one day attain enough genetic isolation to become a different species, like the radiative evolution of Darwin’s finches of the Galapagos. I’ll delve into more this in a future post or maybe just on my website in a blog out next month.

Thank you for the inspiration and for being a fantastic host @garett_meiners ! You are more than half the reason why I post these days!

02.23
New Jersey

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #bestoftheusa_birds #eye_spy_birds #sparrow_appreciation_society 
#noplayback #birdwatching #savannahsparrow #passerculussandwichensis 
#best_birds_planet #bird_briliance #thesparrowfest2

Up until 2010, Pacific wrens (Troglodytes pacificus) were lumped as a single species with their Eastern (winter) and European (eurasian) counterparts. It’s not surprising as their overall appearances are nearly indistinguishable except to the most trained eye and even then, identity is best confirmed by geography (less reliable), song (more reliable), and genetic code (most reliable). What constitutes a species has changed over the last several hundred years, most notably by the introduction of phylogenetics, the study of relatedness through analysis of the genome. One of the techniques for that exploits the predictable mutation rate of a small fragment of DNA within the mitochondria of the cell, independently inherited (usually but not exclusively maternally) from nuclear DNA (the part that we usually associate with inherited traits from parents). Genetic isolation is a major consideration when separating species and, in the case of the winter and the Pacific wren, scientists estimate that the split took place about 4 million years ago. It’s less than the blink of an eye in geologic time or even in the timeline of the history of life on this planet, but it is enough that the birds are genetically distinct so when they hybridize, which they rarely do, those hybrids have not been found to successfully breed with either of the parent populations. While Pacific and winter wrens are nearly geographically separated now, it’s conceivable that that might change as climate shifts. It’s possible that genetic differences between the two species may enrich the collective potential genetic pool and confer greater survival fitness at some point in the future, even if it isn’t advantageous now. And that has implications for conservation, further demonstrating why it is vital to preserve as much diversity as possible. You never know who holds the genetic advantage to conquer a changing landscape.

Pacific wren
San Francisco 04.24

#birdphotography #ornithology #birdconservation #birds #birdwatching #birdsofinstagram #pacificwren #troglodytespacificus #raw_birds #bird_brilliance #bird_captures #eye_spy_birds

I’m accustomed to the robin-like call of the hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus) but, until moving to California, I’d only heard them sing on their breeding grounds on the East Coast. They don’t tend to sing where they winter. Or so I thought. 

In the San Francisco Bay Area, as in some other Western locations, at least some are year-round residents. Hiking along a trail in the dead of (California Coastal) winter, I thought I heard a faint warble coming from the nearby brush. I paused and a hermit thrush came foot-patting out from under the scrub. After a pause, it started again with its flute-like song. It was not as fervent as what I had heard in the Allegheny Mountains last spring, but the strains had that characteristic haunting quality that made the air feel like glass. 

According to a Journal of Field Ornithology article from 24 years ago, Eastern (New Hampshire) and Western (Arizona) hermits’ songs have regional differences. Among other variations, the beginning whistled note was longer and higher and the rest of the warbled verses were shorter in Western birds. Reading this made me wonder if resident birds (perhaps even those studied in Arizona) sang distinctive tunes from their migratory relatives (like those in New Hampshire) and if that wasn’t responsible for some of the differences observed. If there are any ornithological musicologists out there, I would love to know more!

Thank you for hosting #thrushfest @garett_meiners !! And for the motivation to post!

#birdsong #musictheory #hermitthrush #catharusguttatus #birdphotography #birdsofinstagram #birdstagram

When it comes to conservation, it can be helpful to look at why certain species are secure as much as it is to look at why some are in peril. The white-headed woodpecker (Dryobates albolarvatus) is thriving through most of its range in the mid-elevation pine forests of the Western United States, actually increasing in population over the last 50 years. They show strong preference for large-coned conifers like mature ponderosa and sugar pines but are by no means the habitat specialists that the red-cockaded woodpecker, the only North American woodpecker to be endangered, is. From the time of European settlement up until about 1890, clearing of old growth pine forests in the West was largely unchecked. Huge swaths of trees were burned to reveal mineral deposits along the forest floor. Habitat was fragmented and stripped of its resources. 

By the end of the 19th century, a multifaceted change in public thinking had gained momentum and some environmental contextualization, if not actual awareness, was percolating into legislation. Ultimately, after many failures, the mad exploitation of the Western forests slowed. The white-headed woodpecker directly benefited from improved forest conservation and management strategies (though some would argue that the latter in particular is still abysmal). 

While most signs point toward a secure future for the white-headed woodpecker overall, there are actually places where it’s imperiled (Oregon and Idaho). Furthermore, because the bird does have more narrow habitat requirements and because its range is limited, it is still at risk from being extirpated from localized areas and could easily become threatened by poor forest management practices. Ever-deepening understanding of the forest ecosystem and how to best support it is essential for this species and many others to continue to thrive. 

Thank you @garett_meiners for hosting this incredible party! 

#dryobatesalbolarvatus #woodpeckerfest2 #birdsofcalifornia #woodpeckersofinstagram #whiteheadedwoodpecker #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #birding #birdingphotography #birdsofinstagram

The red-throated loon (Gavia stellata) is the smallest loon species in the world. Lithe and elegant, it dons an understated silver and white plumage in the winter. 

From my spot on the shore, I watched this juvenile approach within minimum focal range as it pursued a small school of fish into the shallows. On two occasions, the formidable hunter dove and attacked the school from below, driving the panicked fish right out of the water and into the air, only to grab them upon their inevitable return to the water. 

San Francisco, CA 01.24

#redthroatedloon #gaviastellata #loonsofinstagram #waterbirds #bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds #eye_spy_birds #birdwatching #nikonusa 
#best_birds_planet #bird_briliance #wbg_club

Having fun with #theborbfest suggested by our generous host, @garett_meiners prompt.

Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna) in two flavors. Please swipe to see both and take the poll if the mood strikes you. 

Which one do you prefer?

I’m not used to seeing heavy rains in California. I missed the record-breaking season last year, still residing on the East Coast. But we just got about 2.5 inches of rain over the last 24 hours in San Francisco! I’m just glad it isn’t breeding season yet for the birds. 

Despite recent declines in population, the Clark’s grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii), with its estimated population of 7300-14,000 and a wide range, doesn’t meet criteria for being endangered. But it is still a species of special conservation concern. With low-lying nests made from wetland vegetation, their clutches of eggs are particularly susceptible to flooding and wave action from storms. Conversely, when humans drain fresh water reservoirs for their own use, they also degrade essential wetland habitat for both these and the related Western grebe. Fertilizers used on adjacent agricultural lands pose an additional threat. 

There has been some discussion of loss of species integrity as they readily interbreed with Western grebes, particularly in the Clark’s males who remain unmated late into nesting season, analogous to the golden-winged genome being diluted by their kin species, the blue-winged warbler. 

Conservation efforts are already underway for both the Clark’s and Western grebes in key states with protection of wetland habitat, limitations placed on drainage of reservoirs, and restrictions on use of agricultural pesticides. There is also an effort to create floating nesting platforms that are less susceptible to flood and extreme tides that will help breeding grebes weather an increasingly unstable climate. 

More on bird hybridization and revamping how we think about species and about conservation in future posts!

San Francisco 11.23

#clarksgrebe #aechmophorusclarkii #grebesofinstagram #conservation #bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #waterfowl #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #birdwatching #nanpapix

Black-necked stilt (Himantous mexicanus) bathing in the pink post-sunset glow. 

(I had a long explanation about this phenomenon of light but I feel asleep proofreading it so please enjoy the visual glow on its own)

Northern California 11.23

#birdsofcalifornia #shorebird_habitat #shorebirdsofinstagram #himantopusmexicanus #blackneckedstilt #bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds #eye_spy_birds
#noplayback #birdwatching
#best_birds_planet #bird_briliance

Warning: if you don’t want to feel like you’re in a high school science class, stop reading now and just look at the duck photo!

Over millennia, animals have developed several different strategies to sense and interpret light but, in my opinion, there is none so elegant and marvelous as the vertebrate eye with its ability not only to sense light but to concentrate it and make an image, much like the mechanisms within our cameras. It is the culmination of a million tiny advancements from the first light-sensing organ in our deuterostome ancestors 500 million years ago. Even more remarkable than our own eye is the avian eye, particularly in aquatic species. Their visual acuity is many times greater than our own and some have evolved an amazing mechanism to maintain that acuity underwater. Most people are familiar with the loss of focus when they open their eyes while swimming. This is because light is focused both by a flexible structure known as the lens and by the cornea and the liquid parts of the eye, which rely on the difference in the speed by which light passes through it and the surrounding air. But the refractive index of water is so close to that of the aqueous eye itself, that the focus capabilities of the watery parts of the eye are nearly negated and we lose focus. 
Aquatic birds, such as the hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) in which this was studied, have a bizarre adaptation so their underwater vision isn’t compromised during their underwater pursuit of prey. They are able to contract the pupil so forcefully that it can act as a rigid little hole. A second muscle can then force the center of the flexible lens behind it into the aperture, like a water balloon bulging through a smaller opening. This bends the lens so significantly that it now makes up for the loss of function of the water-based portion of the eye and the light is again perfectly focused onto the retina! 
Okay, I was excited to read about it. 🤷‍♂️ 

Northern California 11.23

#birdseyechallenge #ducksofinstagram #hoodedmerganser #lophodytescucullatus #birds #birdsofnorthamerica #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #birdsofcalifornia #moodyportraits 
@skeysimages

Answering the age-old question, can a duck smile? 

Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)

Northern California 11.23

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds 
#birdwatching #ducksofinstagram #ringneckedduck #aythyacollaris

Some birds bring light to the darkest days.

Soon-to-be renamed Townsend’s warbler (Setophaga townsendi)

Northern California 09.23

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds 
#noplayback #birdwatching #setophagatownsendi #townsendswarbler 
#best_birds_planet #bird_briliance #eye_spy_birds #best_birds_of_ig #birdsofcalifornia #warblerwednesday

Habitat is Home

The coyote bush (Baccharis pilularis) is an evergreen shrub, much beloved by migratory songbirds as it attracts a veritable smorgasbord of insects, particularly during its late summer bloom. It is native to California and is drought-resistant, which is a good thing because this particular bush resides on the exposed Southern side of Mt. Davidson, the tallest hill in San Francisco, and isn't subjected to the coastal rainforest microclimate that makes up the majority of this protected urban greenspace. The bush is dioecious, with male and female flowers occurring on separate plants. Here, a Wilson's warbler (Cardellina pusilla) searches for its next meal on a female plant whose  fluffy white flowers have not yet opened. 

Many species of birds seem to use urban greenspaces preferentially for stopover points during migration. This has long been a bit of a mystery. But recent investigations, including data collected by NASA, suggest that both the city lights, which attract the nighttime migrants, and the creation of heat islands, which provide a greater abundance of greenery for cover and food sources, are probable causes. The increasing reliance on these urban oases underscore the importance of preserving wild urban spaces and supporting native plants. 

Much of American Bird Conservancy's work in securing habitat for birds in Latin America, where the Wilson's warbler winters, has involved securing land in remote areas that become protected reserves. They've done this with over 1.1 million acres of wild habitat there and elsewhere in the Americas. You can support their work by making a gift right now to ABC’s Habitat is Home 1:1 Match Campaign, looking to raise $1 million for bird conservation by December 31. I'll have a link in my stories!

Northern California 09.23

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds 
#noplayback #birdwatching #cardellinapusilla #wilsonswarbler 
#warblerwednesday #habitatishome #warblersofinstagram #birdsofcalifornia

Pygmy nuthatches (Sitta pygmaea) are without a doubt adorable. Between their diminutive size and an insistent call that sounds like a squeaky toy gone wild, they are arguably the cutest of our North American nuthatches. But their appearance belies their hartiness. These guys have been seen at altitudes of 10,000ft in mature stands of Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). Part of their robustness is owed to their being highly social little birds with a variety of communal strategies for survival. One of those awww-inducing strategies is that about 1/4-1/3 of pygmy nuthatch pairs get help raising their young from anywhere from a single to a trio of other males, most likely sons from previous broods*. Another, perhaps even more precious tactic, is that at night, groups of birds will huddle together for warmth in roosting cavities in trees, stacked in various formations as space allows*. The image of a pyramid of tiny, fluffy birds cuddling inside a tree is painfully cute and is surely a remedy for any pre-holiday blues. 

*adorable tidbits brought to you by Cornell's All About Birds and a bunch of articles about communal breeding and winter survival strategies 

California 08.23

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds 
#noplayback #birdwatching #sittapygmaea #pygmynuthatch 
#nuthatchesofinstagram #birdsofcalifornia

I am still devastated by the present state of the world and am finding it hard to post. But there is solace in nature, where the light and the dark aren’t right or wrong but are just the presence of photons. Or their absence. 

Hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)

San Francisco, CA 11.23

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #ducksofinstagram #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds #birdwatching #natureheals #lowkeyphotography #darkness #hoodedmerganser #lophodytescucullatus

The weight on my heart is ponderous. I am at a loss for words. And although the Book to which she refers is not my Book, I once again find solace in her words. 

“I am trying to find the lesson
for tomorrow. Matthew something.
Which lectionary? I have not
forgotten the Way, but, a little,
the way to the Way. The trees keep whispering
peace, peace, and the birds
in the shallows are full of the
bodies of small fish and are
content. They open their wings
so easily, and fly. It is still
possible.”

excerpted from “After Her Death” by Mary Oliver

Northern California
08.23

#piedbilledgrebe #podilymbuspodiceps #peace #birds #birdphotography

I'm guessing that there's less than an ounce of crabmeat in this striped shorecrab snack, maybe a full ounce with shell on. That amounts to about 30 calories, to help fuel the fall migration of this Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), which has already made the trip from its nesting grounds in the Arctic. It may remain here in California all winter or be compelled to continue its course southward, flying as far as Southern Chile. Bar-tailed Godwits, similar in weight to the Whimbrel, burn about 3 cal/km while in flight. At that rate, this Whimbrel would have to consume over 900 of these crabs to prepare it for that final push South. That is an impressive amount of snacking. I can't help but hope that it finds adequate food and a safe harbor here, making its return trip in the spring that much easier. 

Manomet is a group dedicated to shorebird recovery that has worked with partner organizations to individually map shorebirds routes and gather crucial data about migration and habitat needs. They followed a bird named T6 from northern Alaska, down the coast of California, all the way to southern Chile and then back, including a non-stop leg over the open Pacific of 8000km and a round trip of a mind-boggling 30,000! 

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds #birdwatching #whimbrel #nemeniusphaeopus #shorebirds #shorebirdsofinstagram #birdmigration #snacktober

That moment of eye contact. The moment where (if I weren't holding my breath already to stabilize the camera) I would be breathless. In those moments, I can't help but imagine the world through the bird's eyes. Two months ago, it might have spent day and night defending its nest or raising young in a part of Alaska so remote and difficult to access that humans may never have set foot there. If you have a quick look at the range maps of the Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala), you’ll appreciate the extremely limited real estate they occupy during breeding season, isolated to the meadows and grasslands of the near-shore (within 2km) of Western, Sub-arctic Alaska. Their wintering grounds, in contrast, extend along a long but skinny stretch of coastline from Southern Alaska to Southern Baja California. The true "snow birds" among them who winter the furthest south will need to fly over 3000 miles to return to their breeding grounds. And, although breeding pairs don't overwinter together, especially the ones who successfully raised chicks are apt to find one another again on summering grounds. Loyalty to their nesting locations is a necessity — how else could you find one another — and fidelity among Black Turnstone males to their mates is nearly 90%! 

The IUCN website lists them as Population Stable but, with only about 100,000 individuals, they are a species of high concern in both US and Alaska Shorebird Conservation Plans. Key threats are from habitat destruction, mostly on wintering grounds, and from increasingly frequent storm events secondary to climate change. While they are tough birds, saltwater encroachment into and erosion around their nesting habitats from these events are a real concern. 

Northern California 08.23

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #eye_spy_birds #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds 
#shorebird_habitat #birdwatching #arenariamelanocephala #blackturnstone 
#best_birds_planet #bird_briliance #shorebirds

Last summer, I drove with my family across Utah as part of our cross country road trip.  We passed these vast, uninhabited stretches of wilderness — desert, arid grassland and sandstone bluff. But where I found a family of Say's Phoebes (Sayornis saya), was within the miniature oasis of a cabin rental property near a small, concentrated water source.

For a synanthropic species, like the Say's Phoebe (Sayornis says), this manmade habitat was close to heaven. While most song bird populations have declined due to urbanization and agricultural development, the Say's Phoebe has learned to adapt to the human-modified landscape, using awnings or porticos of buildings to house their nests and taking advantage of the sparse vegetation (or badminton net) within cleared land to spot their insect prey on the fly. 

Hearty thank you to @garett_meiners for the inspiration to post a bird on a human-made perch! 

Immature Say's Phoebe 
Utah 07.22

#thefenceparty #saysphoebe #sayornissaya #birdsofutah #beautifultyrants #flycatchersofinstagram #birdsofinstagram #birdingphotography #birdphotography

It is fitting that several conservation and environmental health organizations took today, World Shorebirds Day, to file suit against the Utah State Government because of their slow-moving and ineffective policies that allow excessive amounts of water to be diverted from entering the Great Salt Lake. Even now, after a record-slashing year of precipitation, about 50% of the area once covered by lakewater still remains dry. 

The Great Salt Lake is a wintering ground and major stopover point for MILLIONS of birds from over 300 species. The drying of the lakebed itself has dangerous health consequences for humans living nearby as well. I'll have two informative links in my stories if you want to do a deeper dive into the issues at play and I'm happy to chat with anyone who wants to message me about this topic. I would also encourage you to visit the breathtaking gallery by @makarrenphotos and read some of her thoughtful and informative posts about the GSL. 

Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) amidst the sea foam of the churning Pacific Ocean. While this image was taken in California, 20.000 Marbled Godwits were recorded along the Great Salt Lake in August alone (in the Shorebird Survey concluding in 2001) out of a global population of around 170,000. 

Northern California 08.23

#marbledgodwit #limosafedoa #birdsofcalifornia #shorebirds #shorebirds_habitat #shorebirdsofinstagram #birdconservation #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds 
#raw_allnature

With their throats of fire and elusive nature, favoring the topmost canopy of the highest trees, these birds are nothing short of mesmerizing. The Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) is a crowd-pleaser, even when observed from the underside, 60ft away, oblivious to the neck pain it is causing in its earth-bound observers. With the Blackburning, a half-dozen or so additional species of wood warbler occupy roughly the same breeding grounds and tend to nest in the same tree species in the Northeastern (Boreal) forests of North America. Instead of one species out-competing the other, they have evolved to coexist, each species showing a preference for a different section along the height of the tree. I can imagine why the black and yellow of the Black-throated Green and Magnolia Warblers would favor them hiding in the dappled light of the mid-canopy. But the flame-orange color of the Blackburnian's throat seems out of place near the treetops, where the mere flash of it might expose them to predators. Maybe it's because the Blackburnian isn't trying to blend in with the diffused and varied light of the forest, but with the sun itself. 

Blackburnian Warbler seen, remarkably, at eye level after bathing in a stream
Northern Virginia 05.23

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography 
#noplayback #birdwatching #blackburnianwarbler #setophagafusca #birdecology

“He exists exactly as if he were a product of the pond and the sky and the blades of light among the reeds and grasses, as if he were deliberately willed into being by the empty spaces he eventually inhabits.”

Excerpted from “The Dream of the Marsh Wren” by Pattiann Rogers

Delaware 07.21

Thank you to @garett_meiners for hosting another wonderful celebration of birds day!

#birdsofdelaware #wrensday #wrensofinstagram #wrenfest #bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birds_captures #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #marshwren #cistothoruspalustris

When European settlers arrived in North America and started clearing millions of acres of pristine forest for lumber, pastures and farms, and the building of towns, they inadvertently supported the expansion of secondary growth shrubs and scrubland, certainly along the edges of their claimed lands. From historical records, this likely resulted in the unintentional expansion of species that thrive in such habitat, including the Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor). And humans likely now have an outsized roll unfortunately, in speeding declines in the Prairie Warbler, estimated over 60% in the last 60 years as a consequence of aggressive urbanization and prevention of the natural cycle of forest succession. 
Fortunately, organizations like @americanbirdconservancy and their partners are actively involved in woodland restoration throughout North America, including intentional creation of areas of early successional growth, the habitat on which the Prairie, and several other species, depend. Their efforts have improved the health of 100,000 acres over a decade.
This warbler looks almost as pleased as I was reading that!

Washington DC 05.23

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #birds_captures #feather_perfection #planetbirds #eyespybirds #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds 
#noplayback #birdwatching #prairiewarbler #setophagadiscolor #birdconservation #warblerwednesday

Among the infamous tail bobbers, pumpers and waggers of the bird world, is the Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum). While many might place them lower in the hierarchy of tail flicking, they still fall definitively in the group of diverse birds that bob their back ends for surprisingly diverse reasons. Wagtails may use the movement to startle insect prey into the open while Motmots may use it to declare and maintain territory. The Black Phoebe has been observed to increase its tail pumping in response to recorded calls from a Cooper’s Hawk. It is speculated that the more enthusiastic movement is meant to demonstrate that the songbird is aware of the predator’s presence, is healthy, and not worth the pursuit, as it’s escape is almost certain. That saves both predator and prey the energy of a fruitless chase. 
In any case, it’s a fascinating behavior shared by many early spring migrants - Phoebes, Waterthrushes and yes, Palm Warblers. Clearly, the benefit outweighs the calories burned to maintain the near-constant dance move, a particularly important calculation for the second most northern warbler migrant in North America. 

Palm Warbler (yellow subspecies) surrounded by common blue violet (Viola sororia) and bokeh of spring beauties (Claytonia virginica)

Washington DC 04.23

#bird #birds #birdsofinstagram #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography #bestbirdshots #raw_birds #warblercrazy #birds_captures #eye_spy_birds #birdsofnorthamerica #wildlifephotography #bestoftheusa_birds 
#noplayback #birdwatching 
#best_birds_planet #bird_briliance #birdsandblooms #setophagapalmarum #palmwarbler #warblersofinstagram

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