A friend of mine from South Carolina posted her photograph of a mystery bird on social media recently asking us "experts" what we thought that it could be. In the old days, I being quite snarky at times might have replied, "Well it's not a turkey!" followed by several emojis. But that was before my pride was handed to me by a Birdologist (why aren't they called this anyway?). So treading politely on my friend, I instead replied, "I believe it is a Wood Stork?" As luck would have it numerous friends agreed and so it was dubbed.
Please don't tell my Ornithologist friends this; but Wayne and I have a whole category of birds that we call farm birds. I'm not writing about chickens, ducks, geese, and the peacocks that live at the end of Lily Pond Road or even pigeons; I'm writing about those birds that flock in the spring and fall moving through the neighborhood gleaning what may. I have many a relative who has fostered in me this interest in annoying birds and to them they fall into two categories: the filthy starling and the Blue Jay. Though they dump my feeders daily, I choose to favor Blue Jays, especially in bleak November and snowless Decembers. Seeing that their greedy manner is outweighed by their flashy, blue feisty nature, I have chosen to embrace this squawky alarmist that scatters wildlife at my presence.
I am instead, speaking to the, grackles, European Starlings, cow birds, crows and yes. I'm tossing in Redwinged- blackbirds. I include them not because they seasonally skip across fields among the noisy hoards of other blackbirds; but because, in the field I can't for the life of me, tell a female Redwinged from the shapeshifter starling! I concede the point, that breeding Redwinged-blackbirds are to my eyes, not typically spotted among the summer field birds; but rather are found in and around wetlands (that should offer help with the task of sorting them out anyway.) To my expert oligist friends and extreme bird hobbyists, let's be honest here; farms in the valley prosper because of fertile soils brought here by the water. Our farms were once lake then river bottom; and today here in Vernon, our farms border the river and include wetlands and wet soils. So if you are a bird expert shaking your head right about now, I make no apologies for my willing lack of discernment. That turkey does in fact swim.
To those with a keen sense of this and that, who are asking "what about Ravens, birds of prey and vultures, aren't those birds seen on farm lands too?" And to those who have real life experience with grassland birds, (the actual farmers and birders) who are asking why I haven't included: Bobolink, Meadowlark or sparrows?" I invite you to be guest bloggers on Nature Finds.
For the rest of us who most likely at one time or another searched "Wood Storks in VT" or "What is that black bird with a green head?" shall we continue with today's quest?
Welcome. Today outside of our front window, our yard became invaded by a motley crew. A casual glance would have concluded black birds; but soon some brazen chaps began hanging off of the suet feeder and revealed their dappled presence. "Starlings in the front" Wayne said. Meanwhile I was looking out the back window watching what were certainly truly farm birds, and so cast back, "Are you sure?" We've had this conversation far too many times to not attempt to get to the tail feathers of it all.
Definitely not a blackbird and arguably much more exciting is, Judy Smith's sighting of a Wood Stork in SC. Our migratory grackles are probably hanging with the storks in Florida this time of year.
According to eBird, Grackles are hard to identify (oh joy) with three kinds in North America: the Great-tailed, the Boat-tailed and the Common Grackle (of which there are two subspecies of Common).* I guess it's all in how you look at the tail? Okay eBird nerds, there is more on the Grackle than I can hope to understand so let's narrow this down. I'm only interested in Grackles that spend time in Vernon, so let's eliminate the Great-tailed and the Boat-tailed. This leaves the two varieties of Common Grackles, the Bronzed and the Purple. The Bronzed being west of the Appalachians and the Purple (of which there are two varieties) being the one I have been looking for. Our Purple Grackle is purply black all over with some purples having green on their back. But of course the females aren't as iridescent as the males; so does that make them just plain old black in appearance?* They have black bills with males having yellow eyes during breeding season. In any event, our Grackles with their long, luxurious tail feathers, fly out of here by November's end so Grackles couldn't be at my feeder this morning.
*Grackles are you getting them right?: eBird
According to All About Birds, European Starlings were purposefully introduced to NYC by fans of Shakespeare. Clearly it's been awhile since high school and so I haven't a clue as to their importance in Shakespeare; but if it's anything like the popularity of Harry Potter's Hedwig, then I can relate. Truth be told, I would rather the owl than starling. The starling might have been a better match for the Potter books however, as they are true shapeshifters and can imitate up to twenty bird calls.* In the fall, these birds sport white tipped feathers giving them a speckled appearance. By summer, the white tips of the feathers have worn away leaving them glossy black with a dazzling purple and green sheen. Their tails are short and their bills long. Their bills are yellow during breeding season and in my estimation are woodpecker shaped. Immature starlings are brownish with heavy speckling on their back and underneath with a brown bill.
*European Starling Overview: The Cornell Lab
The Brown Headed Cowbird is another introduced bird with a breeding plan that gives it a bad reputation. Females lay their eggs in other birds nests where the offspring out compete their host's for resources. Clever or lazy, it's a great propagation strategy as it frees the Cowbird up to lay more eggs. The males, thankfully are easily identified with their black body, brown head and finch like beak (think ice cream cone). Females are another matter as I would assuredly confuse females with finches. They are dull brown with soulful black eyes. All About Birds states that she has white streaking on her belly (is this a unique quality?) Juveniles are brown "with scaly-looking back and streaked underparts."* Oh good grief, I hope that all my cowbird sightings are male!
Brown-headed Cowbird Identification; The Cornell Lab
Male Red-winged Blackbirds are thankfully easy to identify with their shiny black body and red then yellow shoulder feathers. They remind me of "look at me" Army Generals donning their dress uniform shoulder boards. I sure am grateful that male Red-winged can tell females apart from the other girls; because I find it near impossible to! They too have a cone shaped bill with dull brown feathers. It seems they differ from the female Cowbird because their streaking is all over and they have a hint of yellow around the bill. Better visit the Optometrist before attempting an in the field identification. Isn't it fun that these birds all flock together by the hundreds if not tens of thousands once breeding season is over?
Red-winged Blackbird Identification; The Cornell Lab
Red-winged Blackbird: American Bird Conservancy
Black from bill, to tail, to feet, American Crows " are almost as large as a chicken."* I assume we are talking Plymouth Rock and not the bantam variety of chicken. They are intelligent, adaptable and like teenage humans, they tend to congregate and raise a racket. It's no leap to learn that colonists, farmers and recreational sharpshooters (to no avail), have made a concerted effort to eradicate them. Humans are odd ducks don't you think? We introduce and bolster one species due to some fanciful invented literary worth, and in the same instance attempt to wipe out another species that predates our own arrival on the continent. I learned today that the American black Crow's population has dropped by 45% since the introduction of West Nile Virus to the US in 1999.*
American Crow; Wikipedia
Mystery black birds with cone shaped bills, sweep my deck for seed.
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