Big Year Movie Out October 14

OK, a movie about birders on a Big Year. Bound to be a comedy of course, with Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black. I am probably going to have to go see it. If we can't laugh at ourselves....

Good birding!

Sandpiper Migration Underway

Although we are still in the height of summer in terms of heat, fall migration has started and sandpipers are passing through on their way south. I decided to try to beat the heat yesterday morning and got out at 7:00 AM--84 degrees--to the chat trail in Lake Wichita Park. I walked to the barrow pit in hopes there would still be some water, and consequently some birds.

I make no bones about the fact that I find shorebird identification difficult. I have to have a good view for a long time to be sure of any but the most distinctive shorebirds, especially the peeps (the smallest of the sandpipers.) Fortunately, I got both.

The first was a spotted sandpiper, easily told by the distintive bobbing motion it makes as it walks along the shore line. The photo below (courtesy of Mike Baird, Wikimedia Commons) doesn't show the spots on the underside. I has a lot more difficulty with the two small peeps. I easily spent 20 minutes watching them and working with my field guide to identify the Baird's sandpiper. (Photo below courtesy of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.)

The black-necked stilts are still present in decent numbers and easy to identify. There were also some blue-winged teal on the barrow pit.

Warblers are also beginning to come through on migration. I saw several yellow warblers along the trail and around the barrow pit (photo below from Wikimedia Commons.)

I was sitting on one of the benches along the trail looking over the barrow pit. The stilts were unusually quiet. Then all of a sudden all of the birds starting making noise. When I looked up, there was a Cooper's Hawk flying over the water, probably looking for breakfast. A couple of killdeer flew up and mobbed him into the trees. I don't recall seeing shorebirds mob predators before, but obviously they do.

A little later, I was trying to identify a little Empid (no luck there) when I had the chance to watch two black-chinned hummingbirds chasing each other all over the area.

On the way back to my truck, I watched a pair of orchard orioles searching through the willows for bugs. All in all, a good morning.

Good birding!

Daily Savings Club at Wild Bird Unlimited

I'm not into selling things on this blog, but I know some of the readers are members of the Daily Savings Club at Wild Birds Unlimited, Smith's Gardentown. Well, this week they have double points for Savings Club members. If like me, you need to stock up on some seed, this would be a good week to go.

I was just thinking this AM that I was going to have to go get some food--the gluttons are going through the seed. Even though I only have one feeder going right now, I have lots of visitors.

Good birding!

Victor Emanuel Story in Texas Monthly

Texas Monthly has a very interesting profile on Austin bird lover Victor Emanuel that those who like to watch birds will enjoy.

Good birding!

Book Review: The Atlas of Birds

I have been reading The Atlas of Birds: Diversity, Behavior and Conservation, by Mike Unwin and published by Princeton University Press. Another "must have" bird book.

I admit, the book was not exactly what I expected when I ordered it--it's better. A compendium of interesting and useful information about birds throughout the world, with an emphasis on their conservation. Yes, there is lots of information about where the birds are--and in the illustrations it is easy to see why the rain forests of South America are so vital. You can also see at a glance those countries that have birds found no where else and see the areas identified as Important Bird Areas for conservation purposes.

The book also has information about the various bird families--what makes them unique. Especially interesting to me are the small vignettes of various species. Just two of the interesting facts in this book:

• A Ruppell's vulture was recorded over West Africa at a height of 7 miles, which makes it the high-altitude record holder for birds



• Swifts are almost entirely aerial, feeding, mating and even sleeping on the wing. A newly fledged swift will not reach breeding maturity for 3 years and may spend all of that time exclusively on wing.

In addition to a lot of interesting and useful facts and dozens of maps, the book is full of eye-catching photos.

This book is a winner for any birdwatching enthusiast. The price (softcover) is $22.95, although I did see you can get it from Amazon for $15.35.

Good birding!

Swift Night Out

The Driftwood Wildlife Association hosts A Swift Night Out each year. The August Swift Night Out is scheduled for August 5, 6 and 7. Just locate a chimney swift roost, count the number of birds that enter at dusk and email the number to the Driftwood Wildlife Association.

A Swift Night Out is also scheduled for September 9, 10, 11.

Parrots Name Their Chicks

We humans think we are special, but as we study birds and other wildlife, we find that many of the behaviors that we think are distinctly human are not. Here is a short piece on parrotlets naming their young.

Good birding!