Ring-Billed Gull

"Tina, look at the seagulls outside!”

Not something I expected to hear being in Missouri and on a day with cold, windy and rainy weather. The only place I had ever seen seagulls is Florida and other beaches in the South. So when Linda told me to look at the seagulls I thought to myself “yeah right” and walked over to the window.  Sure enough there they were. I saw three large white birds soaring through the strong breeze and dipping their beaks briefly into the choppy water to catch fish. I could not believe my eyes. Was the wind so strong it blew these guys all the way from Florida?

Come to find out it is apparently not uncommon to see gulls in the Midwest, especially during winter when the birds are migrating south. In fact, 19 of the world’s 45 gull species have been sighted on the Mississippi River near St. Louis. The gulls that visited us yesterday were not exactly typical “seagulls” but they were definitely in the same family as the birds I observed on beach vacations. The sky was very cloudy and the windows were fogged up due to the rain so I did not get as good of a look as I would have liked. I stepped outside briefly and used my binoculars to get a better look and I have come to the conclusion that the birds were “Ring-Billed Gulls”.

First of all let me explain why we saw these gulls inland. They nest and breed in the northern states and Canada, then migrate to the South for winter. It is during this period of migration that the birds can be found around any river, lake or stream. I always thought gulls were only around saltwater but many of them live near freshwater or at least visit freshwater sites during migration. I guess these birds saw the lake by the bookstore and decided it would be good enough to grab a snack from. Since it was windy the birds looked like they had to work extra hard to fly but they coasted along in circles until they found the spot in the water they wanted to dive to. The strong wind made the water rough which brought the fish closer to the surface. It was really cool watching them catch the fish. They did not do it like the Kingfisher, who dove almost completely into the water headfirst catching the fish. Instead, the gulls would fly down to the water and sit briefly almost like a duck and put their beak in the wavy water and then quickly fly away once they caught some food. It was very interesting to see this unique type of fishing.

Like most gulls, Ring-Billed Gulls are opportunistic feeders and will eat earthworms, insects, and even scavenge through dumpsters for trash. The Ring-Billed Gull has the nickname of “Fast Food Gull” since it is frequently seen hanging around fast food restaurants looking for food.  I think it should be “Dumpster Diver” because according to my research they love to eat trash out of dumpsters, off plows and they even follow ships and feed off of the refuse dumped overboard. It seems they will pretty much eat anything.

The Ring-Billed Gull resembles your typical “beach” seagull. It is mostly white with pale grey pointed wings and black on the tips. Adults are 19 inches long and have a wingspan of 49 inches. It was hard to differentiate this gull from the others found in the Midwest since they are so similar. However the reason I believe I saw this type of gull and not the similar Herring Gull, is because I saw black on its beak and the Ring-Billed Gull has a black ring around its beak.

Like many other birds, the Ring-Billed Gull returns to the place they were hatched once it is time for breeding. They then return to the same breeding ground year after year often nesting just within a few meters of last year’s nest site.  They lay 1-4 eggs and the eggs are olive colored with dark brown speckles. The chicks are semiprecocial at hatching which means that they are hatched with eyes open, covered with down, and capable of leaving the nest soon after hatching. Some of the gulls may leave the nest cup at just one day old. Even when they leave the nest they still stay around and get fed by the parents until it is time to fledge. They usually fledge after around 5 weeks.

I am not sure where these birds came from or how far they were traveling. They were probably just dropping by for a snack on their way to their winter homes. I am just lucky that Linda caught a glimpse of them when she did so that I could witness these three out of the ordinary (for SCC) birds. I feel lucky to live in the center of the country during this migrating time. I hope other various ‘foreign’ birds stop by for a visit. Because the day may have been cold, windy and gloomy, but seeing these guys in flight made my day a little bit brighter.

Red-Tailed Hawk

Next time you are walking on campus take a look up at the top of the light posts around you and chances are you will see a large bird on top of one of them. It seems every day when I park my car or head to the parking lot after work I can find a Red Tailed Hawk perched above me. Sometimes I am luckier and the hawk will be flying overhead showing off its massive wingspan. 

The bird you see is most likely a Red-Tailed Hawk. If you haven’t seen a Red-Tailed Hawk on campus, you may have seen one perched high atop a utility pole along the highway. Heck, I’ve even seen one at Mid Rivers Mall’s parking lot! The Red-Tailed Hawk is one of the most common hawks in North America. This hawk is a large bird of 2-4 pounds with a wingspan of 43 to 57 inches. There are many color variations but most red-tailed hawks have a dark brown back, pale underparts and a brick colored tail. The Red-Tailed Hawks I have seen on campus tend to have brown and white streaks on their underparts. They almost look spotted from afar. This coloration makes it easy for them to blend into the rocks and camouflage themselves while hunting for prey. Something I find interesting is that not all Red-Tailed Hawks have a red tail because the Red-Tailed Hawk is actually a grouping of 14 sub-species (some of which do not have the red tail). Also, the female hawk is larger than the male. These raptors have strong, hooked beaks and a loud voice that has been compared to a steam whistle. The call of the Red-Tailed Hawk is frequently used in media as a generic raptor sound effect even if the bird is not a Red-Tailed Hawk.

The Red-Tailed Hawk has keen eyesight. It can spot a mouse from the height of 100 feet. The hawk’s eyesight is 8 times as powerful as humans. They are efficient hunters which makes them a great bird for falconry (the art of training falcons for hunting). However, falconers can only use the hawks for falconry if the bird has left the nest and has yet to reach its breeding age (around 2 years old). Otherwise the birds are protected by law.

Red-Tailed Hawks eat everything from small Beetles to Jackrabbits twice their weight. Rodents comprise up to 85% of the Red-Tailed Hawk’s diet. They also eat mice, ground squirrels and lizards. Sometimes the Red-Tailed Hawk has to compete with Crows over carcasses. The Great Horned Owl is also a competitor to the hawk because it hunts the same prey and uses the same foraging method. The Red-Tailed Hawk also competes with the Owl for nest sites. The most predation of these hawks occurs with eggs and nestlings being taken by owls and raccoons. 

Something I read about but have yet to witness is the mating ritual of the monogamous Red-Tailed Hawk. It is an acrobatic display in which the birds dive and roll in the sky before falling to the earth. They even grab ahold of one another with their talons before breaking apart. They later nest in trees and incubate their eggs for 30 days. (Both the male and female incubate the eggs.) Young hawks are called “eyeasses” and after 42-46 days they begin leaving the nest for short flights. This fledgling period lasts up to 10 weeks. It is during this time in which the birds learn to fly and hunt. I wish I could see a baby hawk. Maybe the hawks around here will lay some eggs! 

I chose to write about this bird today because of one particular red-tailed hawk that frequents our campus.  Just outside my window across the lake there are rocks that soak up the sun and provide a nice warm perch for birds to sit. Every day at some point I look outside and a Red-Tailed Hawk is staring in the direction of the bookstore. He/she sits on the highest rock and perches proudly. Almost as if he/she is guarding me. I’m sure it is just looking for food or taking a break from hunting, but it is still reassuring to sometimes tell myself that it is actually my guardian-hawk looking after me! 

The Red-Tailed Hawk is just one more species of feathered friends that SCC is home to and I am constantly grateful for its presence.

The Belted Kingfisher

I have been waiting all day to have a chance to tell you about the bird I saw today. I actually saw this same bird a few days ago, but I had unfortunately left my binoculars at home and by the time I noticed the bird he had flown away. So I was extremely happy to have the chance to see him again today.

It happened when I was taking a break around 3:00 pm. I was taking a little stroll around the lake outside the bookstore (my usual bird siting area) and enjoying the beautiful, sunny weather. After a few minutes with my binoculars in hand and no birds around I started to get disappointed and realized I should go inside and get back to work. Just when I was approaching the doorway, I heard a squirrelly chirping noise and lo and behold we had a bird visitor!

As soon as I saw the way the bird was hovering about 30-50 feet over the water I knew exactly what he was going to do next (because I had seen a bird like him do it before). I got out my binoculars and watched as he abruptly dove head first into the water and came flying out with a bright orange fish hanging from his beak. How cool!

After he caught the fish, the bird flew over to the rocks across the lake and sat on top proudly holding his goldfish. He seemed very pleased with himself. Once he was perched on the rock it was easier for me to get a good look at him through my binoculars. He had a beautiful bluish head and back, and white throat and underparts. The feathers were kind of iridescent and purplish and they contrasted so beautifully with the bright white collar around his neck. He had an interesting shape, too. He was very tiny but he had a pretty large head with a shaggy crest. He was stocky with a fairly long beak and a short tail. What a pretty bird!

I went inside and immediately began searching through id pictures for my latest visitor. He was blue, but not a blue-jay. He resembled a tree swallow, but he didn’t have the long tail and tree swallows don’t eat fish! Wait a minute---FISH! He’s a Kingfisher!

A Belted Kingfisher to be exact. Turns out Belted Kingfishers are one of few bird species in which the female is more brightly colored than the male. (This is known as reverse sexual dimorphism.) There are 93 different species of kingfishers but the Belted Kingfisher is the only member of that group commonly found in the US and Canada. I had no idea this bird lived anywhere NEAR us here in the Midwest. He looked almost tropical or exotic!

The Kingfisher I saw was most likely a male because he was lacking the reddish feathers on his chest. He did have the dagger-like bill and the crest on top of his head though. He was stocky and stout and overall CUTE. When identifying this bird, however, the dead-giveaway was his behavior. It is described as an ‘aerial dive’ type of feeding. These birds are pros at it. They watch the water from a perch or while hovering and plunge into the water headfirst in order to catch prey in their bill. This is exactly what I saw my bird do with the goldfish. In addition to fish they eat amphibians, insects, small mammals and reptiles.

The bird’s call is described as a “loud rattling cry” or a “heavy fishing reel” but I think it sounded more like a squirrel or a louder version of hummingbird chatter. If it weren’t for this loud call I probably would have missed the bird completely so it’s a good thing they are so vocal.

The Kingfishers nest in burrows and banks near lakes, rivers and ponds. Human activity such as digging gravel pits and building roads has actually expanded the breeding range for Belted Kingfishers because it has created banks where they can build nests.

Thanks to this bird visitor we can add "Belted Kingfisher" to the list of birds spotted on SCC Campus. I really hope this guy becomes a frequent flier at our school!

A Vulture!?

Today we had a special visitor outside the bookstore and I would have missed the chance to see him if my coworkers had not alerted me. I was sitting at my desk when I heard them say “Tina did you SEE that!?” I ran to the window and yes, I definitely saw it. My eyes were fixed upon an enormous black bird soaring in the wind just over the lake. I tried to see what kind of bird it was because it did not look like our typical hawks (Red-Tailed) around here.  It was gigantic and so beautiful—I had to get closer. I went outside to try to get a better look and the bird flew over the lake and to the Visual Art Building’s roof. When I was outside I was able to appreciate how it was gracefully gliding over the water and only flapping its wings when changing direction. What a truly beautiful creature. I went online to research and identify what type of bird it was and quickly discovered the majestic, glorious animal to be…..A TURKEY VULTURE.

WHAT?! I thought vultures were supposed to be mean, nasty, ugly birds that just eat dead things with flies on them. I shook my head and thought ‘this can’t be what I saw’ but the various photos online confirmed that the bird I saw was indeed a Turkey Vulture.

The part about vultures eating dead things is true. Turkey Vultures are one of few birds that are able to rely on sense of smell to find food. They are attracted to the smell of mercaptan, a gas produced by the beginnings of decay. Turkey vultures eat carrion (a fancy word for carcass) and almost never attack live prey. They have good immune systems that keep them from catching diseases that dead animals might carry. I wonder what this vulture was looking for on the other side of the lake….

While eating dead things may sound gross, these birds really have an important job. They are helping us out by acting as nature's cleaning crew. These birds help control the spread of disease because they are able to dispose of the animals that could have passed disease onto other animals or even humans. Thank you, Mr. Vulture!

The Turkey Vulture’s flight style is described as slow, teetering soaring. It holds its wings in a “V” shape in order to maintain stability and lift at low altitudes. The vultures also fly low to the ground in order to more easily pick up the scent of dead animals. This certainly describes the way the bird was flying outside today. It just coasted in the wind and occasionally flapped its wings only when necessary.

The Turkey Vulture is described as a large, mostly black, hawk-like bird with a featherless red head. Most people are familiar with vultures since they are commonly depicted in cartoons and movies. I remember seeing vultures in Snow White and who can forget the silly vultures in The Jungle Book?

I feel grateful for being able to observe this bird today. I now have a completely different outlook on Vultures. I mean, sure, the birds like to eat carcasses and sometimes poop on their legs to cool off (yes I really did read that somewhere) they are extremely lovely and peaceful in flight.

I learned a lesson today. No matter how ugly or nasty someone or something can seem—there is beauty there somewhere!

Great Blue Heron

Hello fellow birders! It has been a long time since I have posted to this blog, but that is certainly not due to a lack of birds. In the past few weeks I have been visited by birds including the barn swallow, killdeer, green heron, red-winged blackbird, northern mockingbird, mallard, common grackle, cowbird, and European starling. I have been enjoying watching these birds but I have simply not had the time to sit down and tell you about them. 

With so many birds to choose from it is difficult for me to decide which one to profile first. I was thinking about it and then I looked out my window and the bird himself helped me decide. Standing there across the lake was (and still is) a beautiful, exquisite Great Blue Heron.

Before I started working here at St. Charles Community College, I had never seen a Great Blue Heron. A coworker of mine pointed the bird out one day and I was so impressed with how big and graceful it looked. I could not believe he was just standing there outside my window. I wanted to take a picture in case I never saw it again. Well, I did not have my camera that day but it was not a problem because this bird visits me pretty much every day. I do not know if it is the same exact Great Blue Heron, but it has become quite normal to see one out there on a daily basis.

The Great Blue Heron is the largest and most widespread heron in North America. (There is also an all-white form found from southern Florida into the Caribbean and frequently known as the Great White Heron.) It can stand up to 54 inches tall with a wingspan of up to 79 inches long. It is simply amazing to see this bird gracefully fly down to the lake.

The bird is mostly a grey/blue color with a white crown and shaggy feathers on its neck and back. He has long legs and a long, thick bill. One day, when my friend and I went outside to see him up close he let out a loud, harsh croak when he flew away. It was not the noise I would expect to come out of such a beautiful creature!

I have noticed that this bird is always alone. Great Blue Herons are generally solitary feeders. Great Blue Herons eat mostly fish but they will eat mice, turtles and other animals as well. These herons like to congregate at fish hatcheries and eat the fish that are sick or diseased since those are the fish that tend to swim closer to the surface of the water. Herons locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. Occasionally the herons even choke to death trying to swallow a fish that is too large. The lake here at SCC is very shallow compared to past months since we have not had rain lately. This is giving the Great Blue Heron more shallow water to wade through with his long legs. This could be why he has been hanging around so often. 

Every time I see the Great Blue Heron outside the bookstore I feel lucky. I am so grateful to have the chance to observe and appreciate the beauty of this bird. It is like a little zoo in my workplace. 

Come back soon--I have so many more birds to talk about!

American Robin

American Robin

Today my choice of bird may surprise you because most everyone is already familiar with it. You don’t have to be a bird enthusiast to identify the American Robin. The robin is the state bird of Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin. Robins are usually the first bird to wake up and sing to us in the morning as well as the last to sing at night. There is even a color named “Robin’s Egg Blue” which almost everyone seems to recognize. It may seem super common, but just because they are numerous and something you see every day, it does not make them any less cool.

I chose to write about these birds today because honestly, they chose me. I was just thinking about which bird to spotlight next on my blog and on my way to my car I was walking by the art building. There is a sidewalk that goes behind the building where the art classes store some of their metal scraps and some other various materials. All of a sudden I see a bird swoop down towards a man coming out the back door of the building. The bird was squawking loudly and had its feathers all poofed up in a huff. The bird flew across to the fence facing the building and continued to chirp an “alert” call. I recognized this sound as the tweet the robins use in my backyard when my dog is approaching a baby bird or a nest. I said to the man “There must be a nest over there.” He was laughing because I think it spooked him. He said the bird had been flying in and out of that area all day. Sure enough, when we walked closer to the doorway there was a nest in the corner of a metal archway above our heads. I’m not sure what the contraption is actually used for. But it really did make a nice spot for the robin’s nest. Hopefully the robins won’t get too bothered by the door opening and closing—but I’m pretty sure they will be just fine because I have seen nests in weirder places!

I think my favorite thing about robins is their nesting habits and their ability to care for their young so diligently. We have a robin family who visits our windowsill (actually it’s above the window) every Spring. It is one of my favorite times to observe nature in my backyard. From the time the robins begin building their detailed nests, until the day the first fledgling hops out of it, the robins provide entertainment and photo opportunities galore. Robins will usually return to the same nesting site every year. They will typically have 2 to 3 broods of eggs in one season. They use the same nest so they take a lot of time to carefully build it. 

It is difficult to determine the sex of an American Robin. Female robins look just like males, except their reddish-orange under parts are duller and their heads are not quite as black as the male. If, however, you see a robin building a nest, it is the female. The female robin chooses the nest site and builds the nest from the inside out. She uses the wrist of one wing to press dead grass and twigs into a cup shape. Robins will use other materials they find including feathers, paper, hair or even yarn. The female bird reinforces the nest using mud gathered from worm castings. This makes the nest heavier and more sturdy. Fine dry grass lines the inside of the nest and it is ready to be used.

The American Robin is the largest of the North American Thrushes. They are commonly spotted in neighborhoods and parks. They are almost always seen hopping around in the grass hunting for food. Robins mostly eat earthworms but they also eat invertebrates, fruits and berries. I even have a robin who visits underneath my bird-feeder and looks for fallen nuts and seeds. Sometimes robins will eat enough honeysuckle berries to become intoxicated. They tend to eat more worms in the morning and the berries in the evening. While bounding across grass the robin will cock his head to the side keeping his eyes on the ground looking for movement from bugs and worms. Often it appears as if the birds are actually listening to the ground but they are really just using their eyes to find prey.

And now for some sad facts. On average, only 40 percent of nests successfully produce young. Only 25 percent of those fledged young survive to November. From that point on, about half of the robins alive in any year will make it to the next. Despite the fact that a lucky robin can live to be 14 years old, the entire population turns over on average every six years. This is all due to many factors. Because the robin feeds on lawns, he can be poisoned by pesticides. Robins are also preyed upon by hawks, snakes, cats and dogs. In fact, my 15 year old mutt Lucy unfortunately got ahold of 2 fledglings this summer and it was devastating for me to witness. After the mom and dad bird took so much time and care to raise and feed their little babies it was really hard to see them get caught by my dog. I guess that’s nature’s way. But many of the babies did survive and they are flying around the neighborhood singing to us today.

Here on campus I have seen many robins:  young fledglings, juveniles and adults. I was especially happy to see the new nest by the art building. There is something really special about a bird’s nest. It makes me proud of the birds and hopeful for their babies. Also, I’m happy to see a new nest on campus because that means ultimately—more birds!

Eastern Kingbird

After over a week of frustration, I have finally figured out what species this bird is. Every day after work while walking to my car I have been hearing a series of chirps from a bird that I did not recognize. I am not familiar with every single birdsong in the area, but I can usually recognize the more common ones. This bird presented me with a challenge though, because I could hear him loud and clear but I could never get a good look at him. I would be able to pinpoint the tree the bird was in, but I could never find the actual singer. I swear after a few days it felt like these birds were actually taunting me. Just as I would get close enough to the tree the birds would fly farther away to the next tree. Yet they would keep chirping as if they were singing how foolish I looked squinting up at them. 

Well this morning to my delight I was able to get a great view of these pretty fellas. My coworker and I were walking in from the parking lot and the birds were soaring over us. There were probably 5 or 6 of them all together. Since they were flying and almost floating above us I was able to see their bright white underbellies and the shape of their tails with a distinctive white stripe on the end. That was my "Aha!" moment. This new SCC bird friend  is the Eastern Kingbird.

The Eastern Kingbird is a medium sized song-bird with black upperparts and white underparts. It's long tail is dark with a bright white stripe on the end. He has a bright yellow-orange patch on his crown that is rarely visible. I was not able to see the patches on the birds on campus. According to my research, the Eastern Kingbird typically perches in an exposed location such as the very top of a tree or on a fence. They live in open areas since they need lots of space for hunting and trees for building nests.

This bird is a type of flycatcher and it's name Tyrannus tyrannus means tyrant. This name seems fitting because the birds are very territorial and are known to chase off birds no matter what their size. In fact, it is not uncommon to see an Eastern Kingbird chasing off a crow, raven or even a hawk. Also, a kingbird was observed to once knock a Blue Jay out of a tree and cause it to hide under bush to escape the attack. Cool!

Eastern Kingbirds feed on insects and typically they will catch them in the air and fly back to their perch. They also eat berries and fruit mainly in their wintering areas. In winter, they can be found along the Amazon. You will only see them here in MO during the summer breeding season. The Kingbirds nest in trees mostly in agricultural areas but can also be found using urban parks and golf courses. Maybe the birds I see everyday are visiting from the "Mid Rivers Golf Course" across the street!

Not only are these birds aggressive, they are also smart. The Eastern Kingbird can recognize and remove cowbird eggs from their nests. (Cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds' nests which typically fools the bird into parenting the cowbird young. What lazy parents!) Eastern Kingbirds are also known to hide their nests well and defend their young from predators.  The juvenile kinbirds look just like the adults only their upper feathers are more brownish and they lack the yellow-orange crown.

I am very excited to discover this beautiful bird frequents our campus. Sometimes I start to complain about how far I have to walk from the parking lot to get to my building (especially in the heat) but now I will enjoy looking at and listening to the cheerful chirps of the Eastern Kingbird.  

Great Egret

The Great Egret

When I first saw this beautiful bird on campus I thought I was seeing things. Surely this majestic flamingo-like bird was not in St. Charles, MO! But then a co-worker of mine told me, "Oh yeah, those are here all of the time." You see, I am lucky enough to work at the bookstore here at SCC and we have the perfect view of a scenic lake lake right outside the building. I had noticed geese swimming there before but I had never seen this elegant snow-white bird:  The Great Egret.

You may recognize this bird as the symbol of the National Audobon Society. He is a large, white heron with long black legs and feet, and a straight yellow bill. The Egret has a long neck which it pulls back into an S-curve while flying.

  

The Great Egret is the largest of all egrets which are a type of heron or wading bird. The word "egret" actually comes from the French word "aigrette" and means both "silver heron" and "brush," referring to the long filamentous feathers that can be seen flowing down an egret's back during the breeding season. The egrets use these feathers to attract mates during courtship. These feathers are very beautiful, so beautiful that  the birds were almost hunted to the point of extinction. Plume hunters in the late 1800s and early 1900s reduced North American populations by more than 95 percent. Luckily the birds were soon protected by law and are no longer in danger. I sure am glad they are able to visit us today. It is important to note, though, that the egret is threatened by losing it's wetlands to droughts, draining and mostly pollution.

The Great Egret is a skilled hunter who feeds mostly on fish but also likes to eat insects, birds, small mammals, reptiles and frogs. Maybe that is why the egrets visit our campus. We have a huge frog population and it is very likely that you will see at least one dead frog on the sidewalks no matter what day it is.

Great egrets nest high above the ground in trees. I have not seen a nest or a juvenile egret, but you can tell from the photo above they are pretty darn cute! These birds will roost with other herons and egrets but typically hunt alone or in small, loose groups. Every time I have observed an egret it has been just a single bird. I cannot say whether it is the same bird each time or a new one. Maybe one day I will get lucky and see a pair of them or even a fledgling!

So if you are ever walking around campus and you think you see an albino flamingo or a really skinny stork, chances are it is a Great Egret. Be sure to stop and appreciate it's beauty.