Overlooked

At first glance, this duck looks a lot like most other female ducks. The basic brown feathers provide a subtle, similar, and widely worn type of camouflage. 

However, when she displays her large, spoon-shaped bill, species identification is quickly resolved. Worldwide there are ten bird species in the spatula genus. Locally, there is only one with such a large distinctive bill, the aptly named, Northern Shoveler.

Elsewhere, there are three other species with similar-looking bills and the common name, Shoveler. Curiously, they all reside in the Southern Hemisphere, i.e. Africa, S. America and Australia, and unlike the Northern Shoveler, none of them are migratory. Each of these other species (i.e. the Cape Shoveler, the Red Shoveler, and the Australasian Shoveler) resides in the most southern portion of their respective continents. I suspect this is due to the lack of ice-free land closer to the South Pole. Apparently, there is no better place to be during their breeding season and also no more productive wintering grounds closer to the equator. 

Click Here to see how the Northern Shoveler migration involves nearly all of the Northern Hemisphere.

An adult male Northern Shoveler also has an easily identifiable bill. However, even when their bills are hidden, by feathers or distance, their breeding plumage provides a uniquely identifiable pattern.

My friend Marcus taught me that the head is dark, the chest is light, the sides are dark, the hips are light, and the tail is dark. Regardless of which way the bird is facing the pattern is always, "dark-light-dark-light-dark". 

None of our other local ducks have this distinctive pattern.

When the males are in eclipse plumage (and also when immature) they are difficult to distinguish from females. Eclipse plumage typically happens during late Summer and early Fall while they are growing new flight feathers. This photo was taken in September.

Sometimes, an adult male in breeding plumage will still have dark little half-moon shapes on the chest which I suspect are the last remnants of their chest feathers from their eclipse plumage. This photo was taken in February.

It is good to know that not every male in February is at exactly the same stage in their plumage replacement. Curiously, the bill on this bird is neither the black of an adult male in breeding plumage or the bright orange of an adult female.

Regardless of their particular plumage adult males have yellow irises that are lighter than the yellow-brown irises of the females.

Note the darker irises. 

This photo also shows how the Shovelers utilize their spoon or shovel-like bills. Inside the bills are comb-like lamellae which filter microscopic food out of the water. I suspect the depression in the water surrounding the front of their bills is caused in part by water flowing into the bills.

It is challenging to see, but the filtered water then exits on each side near the rear of the bill.

Shovelers often swim in circles with their bills just below the surface. Apparently, the circling helps to concentrate the density of their food. 

This feeding function reminds me of filter-feeding whales.

A simplified way of classifying ducks is to sort them into diving ducks and dabbling ducks. Diving ducks become fully submerged while searching for food, like fish and crustaceans. Dabbling ducks tend to focus more on plant material that they can reach with only their heads and chests underwater.

Shovelers are considered dabbling ducks, even though they filter feed more often than dabbling. Last Friday, the Shoveler on the right was dabbling. The one on the left had not yet fully committed.

Soon, it gave in to the urge. Like other dabbling ducks they use their webbed feet as positioning paddles to help maintain this vertical position. This results in this oddly undignified position during which their tails wave at the world. I am surprised that I have never seen a Bald Eagle snatch a dabbling duck out of the water. It does seem like the perfect opportunity for a raptor.

Northern Shovelers are usually quite well-behaved. When circling and feeding they never seem to get irritated by their neighbors. They seem quite well-mannered.

On Friday, when the male on the left passed a bit close to the bird on the right it raised its head.

 

A second later, they both lowered their heads at the same time.

Next, they lifted their heads together. This head pumping was repeated multiple times. I have read this can be part of the mating process. However, since this occurred between two males it seemed more like a friendly greeting. It reminded me of how one might say, "Pardon Me" when bumping into a stranger in the grocery store. It worked. They each went on about their business without any conflict.

In February 2016, near the beginning of the breeding season, these two males were not in such a forgiving mood. 

I did not notice a female nearby so I suspect this was a territorial battle.

The spray of water emphasized the thrashing, splashing and chasing. The open wings provided a flash of normally hidden colors.

Ultimately, the intimidation worked and one gave up and left.

The victor proudly did a series of wing flaps.

The green on the lower secondary wing feathers is the speculum. The patch of pale blue above the white stripe is on the upper coverts. These coverts cover the base of the secondary wing feathers. 

From the head to the tail, the exterior feathers on a bird are arranged so that they cover the base of the next feather enabling the feathers to shed water and keep the bird's downy under feathers dry. I suspect that humans learned how to arrange shingles on their roofs by studying the arrangement of feathers on the birds they were eating.

Here is a closer look at a Northern Shoveler's speculum.

Of the ten spatula species, there are two others that I have seen around Union Bay. They are the Cinnamon Teal and the Blue-winged Teal. These two species are closely related to the four Shoveler species. Based on an online review of photos, I believe the males of these species all have this same pattern of color on their speculums and secondary coverts.

This photo from 2017 shows a bird (on the right) with the bill, eyes, and head coloring of a Northern Shoveler, however, it also has a white mark at the base of the bill. This mark looks like it might belong on a Blue-winged Teal. I suspect the two species are genetically similar enough to occasionally interbreed.

Another stunning color on a Northern Shoveler is the bright electric orange of their feet.

The next time you see a group of Northern Shovelers quietly paddling in circles, I hope you are inspired to take a second look. Even though they are normally calm and quiet, they are still uniquely interesting.

Have a great day on Union Bay...where nature lives in the city and Black Birders are welcome!

Sincerely,

Larry

Going Native:

Each of us, who breathes the air, drinks water, and eats food should be helping to protect our environment. Local efforts are most effective and sustainable. Native plants and trees encourage the largest diversity of lifeforms because of their long intertwined history with our local environment and native creatures. Even the microbes in the soil are native to each local landscape. 

I hope we can inspire ourselves, our neighbors, and local businesses to respect native flora and support native wildlife at every opportunity. I have learned that our most logical approach to native trees and plants (in order of priority) should be to:

1) Learn and leave established native flora undisturbed.

2) Remove invasive species and then wait to see if native plants begin to grow without assistance. (When native plants start on their own, then these plants or trees are likely the most appropriate flora for the habitat.)

3) Scatter seeds from nearby native plants in a similar habitat.

4) If you feel you must add a new plant then select a native plant while considering how the plant fits with the specific habitat and understanding the plant's logical place in the normal succession of native plants. 

*************** 

Keystone native plants are an important new idea. Douglas Tallamy, in the book "Nature's Best Hope ", explains that caterpillars supply more energy to birds, particularly young birds in their nests, than any other plant eater. He also mentions that 14% of our native plants, i.e. Keystone Plants, provide food for 90% of our caterpillars. This unique subset of native plants and trees enables critical moths, butterflies, and caterpillars that in turn provide food for the great majority of birds, especially during the breeding season. 

Note: Flowering plants and trees, i.e. those pollinated by bees, are also included as Keystone Plants.

This video explains the native keystone plants very nicely:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5cXccWx030

The Top Keystone Genera in our ecoregion i.e. Plants and trees you might want in your yard: 

Click Here

Additional content available here:

https://wos.org/wos-wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Native-Plant-Resources-10-7-22.pdf

******************

In the area below, I am displaying at least one photo with each post to help challenge us to know the difference between native and non-native lifeforms. 

Is this tree native to our area? What species is it?

Scroll down for the answer.

******************

Bitter Cherry: Yes, it is native in our area. The scientific name is Prunus Emarginata. In addition to flowers that attract native pollinators, this tree is one of the top species for facilitating the reproduction of butterflies and moths, via their caterpillars. Caterpillars are one of the largest and most helpful food sources for a large variety of young birds. Given the trees productivity and relatively smaller size it may be the all around best tree to plant in our PNW yards. You can learn more about why it is special by Clicking Here and Here.

*****************

The Email Challenge:

Over the years, I have had many readers tell me that Google is no longer sending them email announcements. As of 2021, Google has discontinued the service.

In response, I have set up my own email list. With each post, I will manually send out an announcement. If you would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Something like:

                Larry, Please add me to your personal email list. 

My email address is:  

                     LDHubbell@comcast.net

Thank you!

*******************

The Comment Challenge:

Another common issue is losing your input while attempting to leave a comment on this blog. Often everything functions fine, however, sometimes people are unable to make it past the robot-detection challenge or maybe it is the lack of a Google account. I am uncertain about the precise issue. Sadly, a person can lose their comment with no recovery recourse. 

Bottom Line: 
If you write a long comment, please, copy it before hitting enter. Then, if the comment function fails to record your information, you can send the comment directly to me using email.

My email address is:  

                     LDHubbell@comcast.net

Sincerely,

Larry

Parting Shots:

Free Spirits

Waxwings are a curious conundrum. They are free spirits, but they also flock together. They wander widely, while also being constrained within their social matrix. They may show up in different and distant locations from one year to the next, from week to week, and even from day to day, but they are always in a group. Someday, some smart scientist will determine how they choose the timing of their departures. 

They love fruit, especially, in the Fall when it is ripe. I suspect that following the fruit, as it ripens, is included in their decision-making process. Weather can vary greatly from year to year and, in turn, it can impact when and where fruit ripens. Nonetheless, when they find fruit, sometimes, they stay until it's gone, and sometimes they do not. The mystery continues.

I have watched them feeding on a Cotoneaster bush that was heavily laden with fruit. The next day, ninety percent of the berries were still there and the Waxwings were gone. Maybe, they only use Cotoneaster as fuel, to power their search for something sweeter. 

On the other hand, I have found them feasting on the fruit of Hawthorn trees, more than once. On October 29th, they were on Foster Island feeding on the bright red berries. By the time I found them, the fruit was getting fairly sparse and much of what was left looked like it was past its prime. A week later, I could not find them on Foster Island or anywhere else nearby.

Most of the birds I found, on the 29th, were adult Cedar Waxwings. Please note the subtle yellow tummy and also the white under-tail coverts.

Besides the adults, there were also some first-year Cedar Waxwings. At this stage, the young ones have stripes on the chest instead of the clean subtle transition (from a beige chest to a yellow belly) like an adult.  

However, the bird in the first photo was not a Cedar Waxwing. Did you notice anything uniquely different about it?

There are two fairly obvious clues in that photo, and in this one, that will help you differentiate this bird from Cedar Waxwings. One is the rufous coloring both above and below the face mask. The second is the solid grey of both the chest and the belly. These are not the only differences, they are just the ones most easily seen when the bird is facing you.

A couple of other critical distinguishing features are:

• The mosaic of colors on their folded wings and
• The rufous feathering of their under-tail coverts.

Worldwide, there are three species of Waxwings. They are all strikingly beautiful, they all have black masks, they all may have tiny, red, waxy structures on the tips of their secondary wing feathers, and they all live in the Northern Hemisphere. 

Japanese Waxwings are found in Japan and nearby in Northeastern Asia. Cedar Waxwings are typically found only in North America. Bohemian Waxwings are much more dispersed. Depending on the time of year, they can be found in Europe, Asia, and North America. 

The next two links dynamically display 52 weeks of sightings for the Cedar and Bohemian Waxwings. Be sure to press the white triangle, found on the blue background, to get the maps moving.

• Cedar Waxwing 

For the Bohemian Waxwings you should start by clicking once on the plus sign, to enlarge the globe, then rotate the globe so that you are looking at Greenland. This is the best perspective for seeing the all the Bohemian migrations at one time. (Then click on the white triangle.) 

Both the Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings migrate east to west, as well as north and south.

•  Bohemian Waxwing

Sadly, there is no dynamic display for the Japanese Waxwing. Unlike the other two species, their annual migration appears to be more of a conventional, north-to-south movement.

•  Japanese Waxwing

You will not be able to enter the Birds of the World online application unless you are a member. However, as a guest, should still be able to see their range map, by scrolling down slightly. 

By the way, Birds of the World is a wonderful resource and it is available free with a Washington Ornithological Society membership.

This is only the second time in a dozen years that I found a Bohemian Waxwing in the Arboretum. According to Birdweb, the Bohemian Waxwings are irregular visitors to Puget Sound. I understand this to mean, they are even less common here than birds classified as "rare". Needless to say, I was quite excited to see this bird.

Bohemian Waxwings weigh roughly twice as much as Cedar Waxwings. They also have more of a gray tint, which is most obvious when directly compared to the beige back of a Cedar Waxwing. The Bohemian is on the left.

Here we can see the bright coloring on the tips of the Bohemian's primary and secondary wing feathers. As mentioned earlier, both species may have these red wax-like structures, which gives them the name Waxwings. However, the Bohemians have considerably more white and yellow highlights. The arrangement of which, when their wings are folded, leaves me wondering where these colors are located on their extended wings.

This older photo, of an adult Cedar Waxwing, shows that, with primarily just the red "wax", their wing tips are almost subtle by comparison.

I understand that older adult males are not the only ones to have the red "wax", but they are said to have the most.

This photo shows the Bohemian's colored highlights on the extended left wing. The primary feathers have mostly yellow tips on the leading edge and corner, except for, the first two or three which have white. Also, we can see a streak of white on the ends of the upper primary coverts. Finally, the secondaries have white tips followed by the occasional round, red roll of "wax". 

It is interesting how the yellow and white highlights are completely hidden when viewing the underside of the bird's right wing. Could this be evolutionary camouflage? The bright colors are only viable when they are facing away from a predator, on the other hand when they are flying towards a predator their plain wings make them more difficult to notice.

I was transfixed by the Bohemian. It would pick a berry and then fly away to a safer location to consume it.

Multiple times it returned and repeated the process. Here, I suspect it was searching for predators before deciding if it was safe to look down and pick the berry.

It seems as if the fruit is calling its name.

It cannot resist. It is a frugivore after all.

This time it decides to stay and grab a second helping. Notice how the highlights are hidden when viewing the underside of the wings.

I counted at least six times that the Bohemian left and returned. Each time it came and sat directly in front of me with the sun shining over my shoulder. I was practically holding my breath while wondering when this streak of amazing good fortune would end.

These key Bohemian Waxwings characteristics will be most useful when your find a flock of Cedar Waxwings. With your binoculars, you will want to try and scan every bird in the flock. Look for the quick flash of white and yellow on the back, or from the front for the rufous around the face. 

I don't worry about noticing the difference between the beige or grayish-brown back, given the subtlety involved. The lack of a yellow belly on an adult may also be helpful. In any case, when you finally spot a free-spirited Bohemian in a flock of Waxwings, I am sure you will smile with delight and satisfaction.

A few moments later, a young Northern Harrier flew over. I believe this might be the first one I have ever seen around Union Bay. Although, the local cattails and marsh have always seemed like the perfect habitat for the Harrier's low-flying hunting style. 

I am assuming this one was a young bird because of the dark eye. Adult Harriers develop light-colored irises. I expect this bird was scouting around trying to find its next meal while also trying to find its place in the world.  I am not sure if a Waxwing would make a meal for a Harrier, but it would certainly be a nice appetizer.

Surprisingly, the Waxwings did not panic and fly. Instead, they immediately stopped moving. There was no noise, no fluttering wings, and no picking of fruit. They sat perfectly still. Each Waxwing I could see was facing the Harrier and thereby hiding their bright contrasting colors. It was as though they became one with the tree. They were very hard to see. 

The Harrier either missed them or decided they were not worth the effort. It turned and flew south, apparently, back out over the cattails along the west side of Foster Island.

A moment later, an American Robin flew north towards the Waxwings. It came from the same direction that the Harrier had gone. It was probably looking to distance itself from the threat. The moment the Robin flew over the Hawthorn tree the whole flock flushed. The Waxwings sprang to life and followed the Robin away to the north.

It has been a busy week. The last time I looked there were no Waxwings in the Hawthorn trees on Foster Island. I wonder when and where we will see them next.

Have a great day on Union Bay...where nature lives in the city and wandering visitors are always welcome!

Sincerely,

Larry

Going Native:

Each of us, who breathes the air, drinks water, and eats food should be helping to protect our environment. Local efforts are most effective and sustainable. Native plants and trees encourage the largest diversity of lifeforms because of their long intertwined history with our local environment and native creatures. Even the microbes in the soil are native to each local landscape. 

I hope we can inspire ourselves, our neighbors, and local businesses to respect native flora and support native wildlife at every opportunity. I have learned that our most logical approach to native trees and plants (in order of priority) should be to:

1) Learn and leave established native flora undisturbed.

2) Remove invasive species and then wait to see if native plants begin to grow without assistance. (When native plants start on their own, then these plants or trees are likely the most appropriate flora for the habitat.)

3) Scatter seeds from nearby native plants in a similar habitat.

4) If you feel you must add a new plant then select a native plant while considering how the plant fits with the specific habitat and understanding the plant's logical place in the normal succession of native plants. 

*************** 

Keystone native plants are an important new idea. Douglas Tallamy, in the book "Nature's Best Hope ", explains that caterpillars supply more energy to birds, particularly young birds in their nests, than any other plant eater. He also mentions that 14% of our native plants, i.e. Keystone Plants, provide food for 90% of our caterpillars. This unique subset of native plants and trees enables critical moths, butterflies, and caterpillars that in turn provide food for the great majority of birds, especially during the breeding season. 

Note: Flowering plants and trees, i.e. those pollinated by bees, are also included as Keystone Plants.

This video explains the native keystone plants very nicely:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5cXccWx030

The Top Keystone Genera in our ecoregion i.e. Plants and trees you might want in your yard: 

Click Here

Additional content available here:

https://wos.org/wos-wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Native-Plant-Resources-10-7-22.pdf

******************

In the area below, I am displaying at least one photo with each post to help challenge us to know the difference between native and non-native lifeforms. 

Is this Hawthorn tree desirable in our yards? Is it a native to our area?

Scroll down for the answer.

******************

Common (or English) Hawthorn: No. I believe it is an Old World Hawthorn tree that out-competes native plants and trees and has thorns that deter native creatures (and deters removal by humans). Nonetheless, the Waxwings love the fruit and contribute to its dispersal. If you have one of these trees, my suggestion would be to remove it when it is small and replace it with a native Bitter Cherry. The cherries will also attract and feed the Waxwings, without the invasive issues.

*****************

The Email Challenge:

Over the years, I have had many readers tell me that Google is no longer sending them email announcements. As of 2021, Google has discontinued the service.

In response, I have set up my own email list. With each post, I will manually send out an announcement. If you would like to be added to my personal email list please send me an email requesting to be added. Something like:

                Larry, Please add me to your personal email list. 

My email address is:  

                     LDHubbell@comcast.net

Thank you!

*******************

The Comment Challenge:

Another common issue is losing your input while attempting to leave a comment on this blog. Often everything functions fine, however, sometimes people are unable to make it past the robot-detection challenge or maybe it is the lack of a Google account. I am uncertain about the precise issue. Sadly, a person can lose their comment with no recovery recourse. 

Bottom Line: 
If you write a long comment, please, copy it before hitting enter. Then, if the comment function fails to record your information, you can send the comment directly to me using email.

My email address is:  

                     LDHubbell@comcast.net

Sincerely,

Larry

Parting Shots: