- May 24 12:55 pm
#88072
When one's primary goal is to obtain photos, more Bird Watching occurs than might take place from a Lister. In order to take better photos, it helps to watch and learn the behaviour of the subjects. I could recount an interesting corroborating story WRT Bobolinks, but not now.
When Spring arrives a new Birding season starts. But the change is not only the arrival of migrants, but also in the behaviour of local birds and migrants.
For example, one Spring at a low tide at the White Rock Pier I watched two Caspian Terns, each carrying a relatively large fish, approach another Tern. The two with the fish were likely males offering to a female. Something akin to a suitor bringing a gift of a box of chocolates.
Recently, at Iona I watched a Caspian Tern holding a fish chase another Caspian. I assume it was the same Spring behaviour. A male seeking acceptance from a female. The chasee ignored the chaser and he finally landed and ate the fish himself.
Another birding behaviour is the asking from a female for attention. This often occurs when the female sits low on a branch when a male is nearby. In the below example a presumed female Mourning Dove (which was much closer to me than these Doves usually allow) sat low and about 10 meters further away from me a presumed male was perching in a normal manner.
At Grant Narrows I watched a female Rufous Hummingbird gather nesting material from reeds (we called them “bulrushes” as kids). It is likely learned behaviour, as such plants are not always present where Rufous nest. Hummingbirds are very curious birds, often watching from cover and likely saw other birds, like RW Blackbirds gather this material and started to copy.
Also in the Spring, the resident Black Turnstones change into breeding plumage. I’m not certain if these birds migrate north as one year they were present all through the Summer
Many birds start singing to claim a territory and/or to attract the attention of a breeding mate. This can occur in both directions. For example one Spring I watched a female Bullock’s Oriole sit on a branch and sing for about 20 minutes non-stop. Below are photos of local Wrens singing. The very noisy Marsh Wren looks similar to the Pacific Wren, but the PW has a softer song with higher notes. The Marsh Wren is likely more interested in declaring territory than is the Pacific Wren as they commonly build several nests on their breeding territory and claim any female who uses any of their nests.
One Spring I watched a pair of Red-necked Grebes swim/dance together off shore at Point Roberts. Not as ostentatious as the dance of the Western Grebes, but still interesting to watch
Then we also encounter explosions of colour during Spring after the drabness of Winter. For example this Violet-green Swallow is very bright and a tough photo of a flying Tree Swallow has some nice blue in it.
When Spring arrives a new Birding season starts. But the change is not only the arrival of migrants, but also in the behaviour of local birds and migrants.
For example, one Spring at a low tide at the White Rock Pier I watched two Caspian Terns, each carrying a relatively large fish, approach another Tern. The two with the fish were likely males offering to a female. Something akin to a suitor bringing a gift of a box of chocolates.
Recently, at Iona I watched a Caspian Tern holding a fish chase another Caspian. I assume it was the same Spring behaviour. A male seeking acceptance from a female. The chasee ignored the chaser and he finally landed and ate the fish himself.
Another birding behaviour is the asking from a female for attention. This often occurs when the female sits low on a branch when a male is nearby. In the below example a presumed female Mourning Dove (which was much closer to me than these Doves usually allow) sat low and about 10 meters further away from me a presumed male was perching in a normal manner.
At Grant Narrows I watched a female Rufous Hummingbird gather nesting material from reeds (we called them “bulrushes” as kids). It is likely learned behaviour, as such plants are not always present where Rufous nest. Hummingbirds are very curious birds, often watching from cover and likely saw other birds, like RW Blackbirds gather this material and started to copy.
Also in the Spring, the resident Black Turnstones change into breeding plumage. I’m not certain if these birds migrate north as one year they were present all through the Summer
Many birds start singing to claim a territory and/or to attract the attention of a breeding mate. This can occur in both directions. For example one Spring I watched a female Bullock’s Oriole sit on a branch and sing for about 20 minutes non-stop. Below are photos of local Wrens singing. The very noisy Marsh Wren looks similar to the Pacific Wren, but the PW has a softer song with higher notes. The Marsh Wren is likely more interested in declaring territory than is the Pacific Wren as they commonly build several nests on their breeding territory and claim any female who uses any of their nests.
One Spring I watched a pair of Red-necked Grebes swim/dance together off shore at Point Roberts. Not as ostentatious as the dance of the Western Grebes, but still interesting to watch
Then we also encounter explosions of colour during Spring after the drabness of Winter. For example this Violet-green Swallow is very bright and a tough photo of a flying Tree Swallow has some nice blue in it.
- By GMcD