Killdeer Chicks and Blueberry Threats

Of course this was the morning that I forgot my good camera, when I could have gotten great pictures of a mama killdeer rescuing her chicks from a big, bad threat.

Mike and I were picking blueberries, deep in the bushes that we inherited with our farm purchase a year ago.  (36 gallons of berries gathered so far.)  I was down on my low stool, getting the hidden gems at the bottom, when I heard our resident killdeer make her characteristic “che-ee” sound from the old garden area to our left.  She must have been teaching her chicks to spread their wings a little, because this was quite distant from their usual home in the woods and water hole near the entrance of the property.  But now she had detected peril.  Two tall creatures were in the blueberry bushes, and too close for comfort! One was even wearing a floppy hat!  This was dangerous.  She continued her noises, worked on a plan, and stayed close to protect her chicks.

Mike made his own human version of the “che-ee” sound, which must have worked, because as I continued collecting low-hanging berries, I could hear the mama moving toward us, but coming in a wide arc around the bushes and at a safe distance away. And following her, here came the three chicks making much lighter and softer sounds.  When I stood up I could see two of the little ones had made it to the gravel to my right, heading with determination for home and stopping every second or so, the way killdeer move when they’re checking out their surroundings.  And Mama was alongside on the low deck beside them, chaperoning their travel.

But trouble was brewing.  The third chick got turned around, and instead of heading for home, was moving straight toward the wall of the barn instead.  Mama was worried.  Her cheeping sounds got louder and more intense.  

And then, even as his siblings were approaching safety, the stray chick got even more confused, getting behind the four-wheeler instead of turning toward home. Mama was not leaving him.  Her calls got more urgent, doing everything possible to get him going in the right direction.  We kept picking berries, but the unfolding sight was too interesting to ignore.

Finally, success.  Mama slowly got the little one turned in the right direction.  The two ran with their typical intermittent killdeer motion across the deck, properly pointed toward the watering hole.  They scooted across the gravel and made it to the woods.  The silence told us that Mama was no longer upset and that all three babies had made it to safety from those big, bad, blueberry-picking threats.

The killdeer were safe and happy.  We got two more gallons of berries.  Even if the camera did get left at home, it was a good morning.

American Goldfinch - Brilliant Bird of Mid-Summer

The local bird of mid-summer has to be the American goldfinch, which has been compared to a flying stick of butter.  It’s about that size, and its color is similar, although brighter.  A glimpse of a breeding male goldfinch will take a first-time observer’s breath away. It is brilliantly yellow, and brilliant is an understatement.  This bird is colored a yellow that is so intense that the first time someone sees one, he is not sure that he’s really seen a natural bird.  Yes, it’s that bright.  And that beautiful.

In addition to the bright yellow color, a breeding male has a black patch on its forehead that looks like a jaunty cap topping it off, and its jet-black wings also complement its color perfectly.

By July most birds are winding up their nesting and raising young for the year.  Not so with the American goldfinch.  It’s just getting a good start.  That’s because they like milkweed and thistle, plants that come out later in the season.  The goldfinches incorporate these seeds into their nests as well as feed them to the young birds.  The beautiful design of  goldfinches allows them to reproduce when milkweed and thistle seeds are more prominent.

One way to attract goldfinches is to hang a bag of nyger seed, which is a great substitute for thistle.  Nyger is sterilized (to prevent it from germinating), and net bags of this tiny seed are easily found at hardware and grocery stores.  If the seed is relatively fresh, goldfinches will almost mob it at times.  They are picky, however.  If they ignore a nyger bag, the seed is probably old, and the birds won’t come to it.  They also come to sunflower seed in feeders year-round.

The contrast between a breeding male and a winter male is striking.  In the winter, a male goldfinch is drab – a grayish brown color with gray-black wings and a hint of yellow, almost indistinguishable from the female, who is grayish brown and yellow year round.  But around the end of March, the male’s bright breeding color begins coming in.   Soon it has taken on the lemony butter hue for which it is so well known. 

These birds are common around our area.  Anyone who keeps eyes open has a good chance of seeing one out in open areas.  Even after many years, I still find it a mid-summer treat to look up and see the undulating flight of a pair of goldfinches, the bright yellow of the male leading the way as the two dip and rise through the spring and summer sky.  

Mockingbird - Singing Its Heart Out

Anyone familiar with Harper Lee’s famous book To Kill a Mockingbird knows that Atticus tells his daughter Scout that it’s a sin to kill one of these birds, and neighbor Miss Maudie further explains, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us.”

Well, Miss Maudie is right that mockingbirds do sing.  Extensively.  A mockingbird has one of the clearest and most obvious singing voices in the bird world.  And at times they don’t limit their singing to the daytime.  Not long ago a friend posted a video on Facebook that she had taken close to midnight one evening.   The video was completely black, but the audio was a mockingbird in full singing mode. “Isn’t this bird ever going to be quiet?” she asked in desperation.  

Mockingbirds are one of our most common bird species, seen regularly on power lines and fences, in neighborhood yards and urban parks, and over open country fields.  They can be observed irritating crows in flight.  They have an understated beauty with their sleek pearl-gray, dark gray, and white coloration.  Mockers have long slim bodies, and are easily recognized when flying because of the white patches on their wings and down both sides of their tails.

Mockingbirds are mimics with great ability to copy other birds’ songs.  Once while on a lunch break at a summer job in Greenville, I counted 20 song changes from a mockingbird, without a single repeat.  And the various calls continued after I had to go back inside.  While a few other birds also do some mimicking, none have the extensive repertoire of this gregarious bird.  

Most people think that the mocker sings for the sheer pleasure of singing.  However, it has much stronger reasons for its outbursts of song.  The mockingbird is extremely territorial and will aggressively defend its area.  But a mockingbird does not sing year-round -- it limits its vocalizations to spring and fall.  In the spring and early summer it is setting up territory for nesting, and in the fall it is setting up its winter boundaries.  A careful observer will notice that, as it sings, the mocker flies from perch to perch around the perimeter of the area it has chosen.  

And therein lies the rub with Miss Maudie’s explanation. Yes, this bird sings and sings, appearing to vocalize its heart for our pleasure.  However, the mockingbird’s song is not so much a joyful cry as it is a warning to all other birds:  “Stay away!  This area is mine!”

Painted Bunting - Jewel of the Beach

Painted Bunting - Jewel of the Beach

Years ago, Mike and I pooled our change, took our baby on a whirlwind two-night beach trip, and stayed at a beyond-rustic little inn on Pawleys Island that would be swept away two months later in Hurricane Hugo.  (“Breakfast Included” at this place meant we got a Styrofoam bowl with some cereal and milk.)  On a car trip exploring the area, we somehow wandered into the back part of Litchfield Plantation and were attempting to turn around in the maintenance parking lot - when a flash of bright colors landed in a bush right in front of us.  “Mike!”  I exclaimed (if you can “exclaim” in a whisper), “Painted bunting!”  It was a life bird for both of us and was the highlight of that brief run to the beach.  We’ve been privileged to see a number of them since then.

Painted buntings are the jewels of the beach.  Their bright colors - blue head, yellow-green back, and red underparts - make the males unmistakable and unforgettable.  The females are yellow-green only, and though not as flamboyant as males, are still pretty.  These beauties used to be seen strictly along the coast and only in the summer, but their range has been expanding so that sometimes they are seen as far inland as Columbia (as well as expanding upward from Texas into the Midwest), and some are even staying year-round near the coast.  

You can find painted buntings at the beach, but you won’t find them while sunning along the tide line. Buntings like scrubby areas, so as you are taking your bicycle or golf cart ride or walking around your area, look for undeveloped places filled with brush and bushes.  With vigilance you have a good chance of seeing one in this habitat.  They also like to sing from exposed perches, so you may hear their lovely song from above before you see them.  Keep your binoculars handy.

A great place to see painted buntings in the summer - we have never failed to see one here - is at Huntingdon Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet.  Enter the park, cross the causeway, and take a left.  Check out the bird feeder at the observation deck on your left, across from Sandpiper Pond nature trail parking lot - that feeder is usually filled with white millet, a favorite of painted buntings.  Continue driving slowly down the road toward the beach access, listening for a beautiful trilling song and keeping your eyes on the exposed perches at the tops of trees.  On a hot summer day, you have a great chance of seeing one of these beautiful birds.

And, no matter how fancy or rustic the place where you are staying, if you are a bird enthusiast, finding one of these summertime jewels will be the long-remembered crowning touch of a beach trip.  

Carolina Wren - Small but Mighty!!

Carolina Wren - Small but Mighty!!

I pulled into our garage after a long day of work, gathered my things and got out of the car to head inside, and – bam!!  A little brown ball of feathers dive-bombed me and made it clear that I had invaded HER territory!  I ducked and headed for the door, while she flew to the top of the garage door opener.  Then I saw the reason for her ferocity – She was building a nest there.  In OUR garage.  Wait – is it our garage, or is it hers?  She would have me believe that she had taken over the ownership.

Carolina wrens are the forceful but delightful personalities in our local songbird world.  These small brown birds are inquisitive, busy, and constantly moving.  They are fun to watch as they flit about on their daily activities.  They are the largest of the wrens (less common winter wrens and house wrens are also seen in our area at various times) and yet are only about 5.5 inches long and weigh an ounce or less.  A Carolina wren’s head and back are a beautiful honey brown color, and its underparts are white with a rusty wash.  These birds have long, slightly downturned bills, and distinct white stripes through their eyes.  And they have short stubby tails that are usually cocked at a 90 degree angle to their bodies.

And they are loud!  You likely have heard one even if you did not see it.  Their song is one of the brightest and cheeriest of the songbirds, usually heard as “TEA-kettle, TEA-kettle, TEA-kettle.”  They have other calls that also strongly announce their presence.  They thrive in town settings as long as enough trees and low growth in the area provide cover for them, and their rich melodic sounds will let local residents know that they are around.

These little birds will nest anywhere.  In addition to the top of our garage door opener, we have had them attempt to nest in a pocket of an old flannel shirt of my husband’s, and on a shelf in our storage room.  If we remove the beginnings of a nest, the wrens persistently attempt another one.  And another.  One year we had to leave the garage door shut at all times because of one particularly determined wren.  

Carolina wrens usually eat insects; however, they do come to feeders, especially in the winter.  They are attracted to suet more than to sunflower seed.  They will suddenly appear at the suet, get their fill, and then be gone again.  They are too busy to hang around socializing with the other birds at a feeding station.

The cheery behavior of Carolina wrens brings smiles to people’s faces.  Listen for their sounds, then watch for them in woods or in brush piles around more open areas.  They are a pleasant diversion in difficult times.  They are small but mighty in every way! 

Ospreys on the Nest

Ospreys On The Nest

I could sense my friend’s excitement even in her text.  “We think we’ve got a bald eagle nesting in the cell tower near our house!”  Knowing the nests that are present on several cell towers in our area, I suggested to her, “Are you sure you’re not looking at an osprey?”  Soon she sent another text:  “You’re right, we used our telescope and can see it’s an osprey.”  She may have been a little disappointed, but she needn’t have been.  An osprey may not be a bald eagle, but it’s still an unusual nature observation.  And they are large and beautiful raptors.

These birds, which used to be known as fish hawks, are about six to eight inches smaller than eagles and have white underparts, as compared to mature bald eagles which are all brown except for their heads and tails.  

Ospreys are known to mate for life and often return to the same nest, adding to it each year.  After hatching, the 2-4 nestlings are cared for by their parents until flight occurs at about seven weeks.  Young birds can be observed strengthening their wings by flapping until they rise above the nest and then sink back down.

A really fortunate observer at the lake can see an osprey swoop down and catch lunch or dinner.  We’ve seen that happening while enjoying the Galley Restaurant for our own dinner,.  When an osprey spots a fish, it hovers over the water, then plunges feet first to catch its meal in its talons.  The male usually does the fishing to bring food back to the nest when young are present.

I know of at least four cell towers or high platforms in Anderson where ospreys nest, and more are no doubt around.  This is a relatively recent phenomenon for which we can thank the presence of Lake Hartwell (and the DDT ban).  Ospreys used to nest only near the coast; however, they have followed water routes and are now nesting inland.  If you can safely pull over when you pass a cell tower, look to see if you see messy sticks poking out around the top.  If so, you are probably looking at an osprey nest.  And if you’re lucky, you’ll see birds, either adults or maybe little ones as well.  The nests are so high that you’ll need binoculars to get a good look.  The cell tower nest at the corner of Highway 24 and Alice Drive is a good one to study, because a pull-off provides a safe spot where watchers can park and observe the activity.

Looking up and seeing an osprey nest, and following the progression of the little ones as they mature, is a wonderful experience  for my friend, who is now watching the nest near her home.  She’s getting a great education in nature study.  And now that ospreys nest in our area--you can, too.  

Red-Headed Woodpecker - Uncommon but Regal

Red-Headed Woodpecker - Uncommon but Regal

My husband and I were enjoying a late afternoon breeze on our back porch one July afternoon, when we observed a highly unexpected event.  The woodpecker I most wanted to see in my yard finally appeared!  A flash of white, black, and red swooped through the air and lit on a tree trunk about a hundred feet away – a stunning red-headed woodpecker had finally made an appearance.  It was a red-letter day (no pun intended) for this bird-watcher.  We watched it peck at the trunk for several minutes and got a great look at it since it stayed in view so long.  I even got a good photo of this brilliant bird before it finally took off for other parts.  That was almost a year ago, and I’ve not seen one since that day.  

The red-headed woodpecker is classified as “uncommon” in most areas of the eastern U.S., including ours. I’ve spotted them in Anderson just a handful of times over the past few years – once on River Street, once at the intersection of West Whitner and Tower, several times on Moultrie Square, and more recently on Mar-Mac Road (we observed a nesting pair half a dozen times there a couple of years ago).   This bird is so striking that an occasional glimpse of one is very satisfying.

Large patches of black and white on its back, belly, and wings make the red-headed woodpecker’s appearance very dramatic.  And that head!!  It looks like a brilliant red hood was lowered onto its head and draped around its shoulders. This woodpecker is unmistakable and easily identified when seen.  Its coloration makes it one of the most beautiful birds around.

Many people confuse the red-headed woodpecker with the red-bellied, which is more common in Anderson and surrounding areas.  The two birds are approximately the same size, and the red-bellied does have some red on its head (as do most woodpecker species).  However, the red-bellied woodpecker does not have the broad white patches on its belly and wings or the intensely ruby shaded head and neck, and is thus not as striking in appearance as the red-headed.  Its black and white coloration is interspersed over its body, and is said to be ladder-backed.  It is still a bird to appreciate, but it doesn’t have the same dramatic effect on an observer as does its more flamboyant cousin.

Even though I won’t see one often, during travels I will always keep my eyes peeled for red-headed woodpeckers.  They seem to pop up at the most unexpected times and unexpected places.  Keep looking as you travel around town, and you may be blessed with a quick view of this stunning, beautiful bird - the uncommon but regal red-headed woodpecker.