Friday, April 20, 2012
Robin Distress Call
I briefly tortured this robin by standing near its nest and watching him puff up his chest and crown feathers and make a bunch of noise.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Birdapolooza
Let it be known that the official winner of Birdapolooza 2012 is Tuesday's Lab Group. Congratulations!
Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's competition.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's competition.
Tuesday 4/17 Lab Birds
Brown Thrasher
Brown back, Barred chest, and yellow eye
Carolina Chichadee
Black cap and chin spot. Gray body.
Carolina Wren
Brown Body with white 'eyebrow.'
Eastern Towhee
Black head and back with Reddish and white belly. Call resembles name.
Northern Cardinal
Bright Red body with Black patch around beak.
Northern Mockingbird
Mostly gray body with white patches on underside of the wings
Tufted Titmouse
Mostly Gray body. Gray tufted feathers on head
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Birdapolooza
Birdapolooza Spring 2012 is now closed! Lindsey and I will be reviewing everyone's submissions and will present the final tally tomorrow afternoon.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this years's competition! Your pictures were wonderful.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this years's competition! Your pictures were wonderful.
Birdapolooza - Thursday Lab
Newport News Park by Swamp Bridge and Overlook
4/17/12
Northern Flicker
Description: Large woodpecker, brownish color with deep black spots and bars along the back.
Pileated Woodpecker
Description: One of the largest woodpeckers in the United States, Black with white stripes around face and neck and red crest. Males have red stripe on cheek as well.
Nashville Warbler
Description: Medium warbler, greenish back wings, yellow overall.
CNU Ornithology Spring 2012: Birdapalooza Tuesday Lab
Monday, April 16, 2012
Birdapalooza Thursday Lab
Common Grackle
Diagnostics: CALL [squeaks, croaks, whistles, "swaaaak"]
Glossy blackbird; medium sized; iridescent purple sheen on back, head, neck, and breast
Diagnostics: CALL [squeaks, croaks, whistles, "swaaaak"]
Glossy blackbird; medium sized; iridescent purple sheen on back, head, neck, and breast
Picture Credit Jay Paredes
Birdapolooza - Thursday Lab
Newport News Park, Newport News
A dark-gray, chicken-like bird with a black rounded head and white bill and forehead. At close range you can see a small patch of red on the forehead.
Black cap and bib separated by white cheeks. Back, wings, and tail are a soft gray.
Pale brown on the head and chest. Soft gray chest and wings. Pale yellow belly. Bright yellow tip on tail. Narrow black mask outlined in white on face. Red, waxy tips on wing feathers.
Dull, dark brown body. Pale brown iris that turns yellow as it grows older.
Male: White chest outlined in black and white stripes. Black face and back. Yellow eyes. Rusty sides.
Female: Brownish head and tail. Blackish-brown wings. White patch at base of wings. Brown eyes.
Lions Bridge, Newport News
Glossy, purple-green head with large white patch on the back. Black back and white underparts. Wings have a large, white patch.
Unstreaked chest. Gray face with white eyering. Pink bill.
Birdapalooza- Thursday
Newport News Park
4-16-12
Green Heron
Description: Small heron, greenish black cap, greenish back and wings fading from grey black into bluish color, brownish neck with white vertical line extending down. Bill is long and sharp.
Prothonotary Warbler
Description: very small warbler, bright orange yellow head, greenish back with blue gray wings.
Muscovy Duck
Description: Large duck, black and white with iridescence, white on head and neck, bill color can be varied, red wattles are around the bill.
Domestic Duck
Description: White duck with brown patterning around the chest and light brown around head. Bill is orange in color.
Swan Lake Richmond
4/15/12
Canada Goose Hybrid
Description: Body similar to canada goose but was in an area with inhabited by greylag geese.
Birdapolooza
Wow - one day to go in Birdapolooza and the score is too close to call! Tuesday's lab has 59 bird species. Thursday's lab has 64 species. Everyone has one more day to contribute to birdapolooza. We can't wait to see which class ends up with the largest count.
Birdapalooza Tuesday Lab
Newport News Park, Mariners Museum Park and Deer Park. 4/14/2012
1. Boat-tailed Grackle: Black bird, smaller than a crow.
2. Red-bellied Woodpecker: red on head, black and white checkered back.
3. Pied-billed Grebe: Small, duck-like, short beak with black at tip.
4. Downy Woodpecker: small, black and white body, usually red on head, tail bars, similar to Hairy. Smaller beak.
6. Brown-headed Cowbird: Medium sized, black body, brown head. Water drop call.
7. Fish Crow: Medium sized black bird, similar to American Crow, Uh Uh call.
8. Muscovy Duck: Large black and white body, red warty tumors on face.
9. Purple Finch: Similar to house finch, small body, heavy red coloring.
10. Barn Swallow: Blueish body, half rust half white chest, small.
11. Bald Eagle: Large brown body, white head and tail.
12. Mallard Hybrid: half mallard, half unidentified, product of rape.
13. Greylag Goose: Large grey body, orange bill, sits high in water, white rump.
14. Brown Pelican: Large body and bill, yellow forehead.
15. Killdeer: Smallish bird, grey on back white on chest, black stripes across face and chest.
16. Pileated Woodpecker: Large black and white body, red crest. Black stripes across white face.
17. Hooded Merganser: Black white and grey body, long slender bill, large crest with white that does not extend around its entire head.
18. Domestic Duck: White body, orange bill
19. Field Sparrow: small, greyish body, stripes on face.
20. House Finch: Small body, similar to purple finch, less red.
Heard
21. Brown Thrasher: peek-a-boo call, yellow eye, brownish body, long tail, white chest with streaks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Thrasher
22. Eastern Towhee: Drink your tea call, sparrow, red eye, black, white and orange body.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pipilo_erythrophthalmus_-Quabbin_Reservoir,_Massachusetts,_USA_-male-8.jpg
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ovenbird/id
1. Boat-tailed Grackle: Black bird, smaller than a crow.
3. Pied-billed Grebe: Small, duck-like, short beak with black at tip.
4. Downy Woodpecker: small, black and white body, usually red on head, tail bars, similar to Hairy. Smaller beak.
5. Yellow-throated Vireo: Small, yellow down chest, white mid body to tail.
6. Brown-headed Cowbird: Medium sized, black body, brown head. Water drop call.
7. Fish Crow: Medium sized black bird, similar to American Crow, Uh Uh call.
8. Muscovy Duck: Large black and white body, red warty tumors on face.
10. Barn Swallow: Blueish body, half rust half white chest, small.
11. Bald Eagle: Large brown body, white head and tail.
12. Mallard Hybrid: half mallard, half unidentified, product of rape.
13. Greylag Goose: Large grey body, orange bill, sits high in water, white rump.
14. Brown Pelican: Large body and bill, yellow forehead.
15. Killdeer: Smallish bird, grey on back white on chest, black stripes across face and chest.
16. Pileated Woodpecker: Large black and white body, red crest. Black stripes across white face.
17. Hooded Merganser: Black white and grey body, long slender bill, large crest with white that does not extend around its entire head.
18. Domestic Duck: White body, orange bill
19. Field Sparrow: small, greyish body, stripes on face.
20. House Finch: Small body, similar to purple finch, less red.
Heard
21. Brown Thrasher: peek-a-boo call, yellow eye, brownish body, long tail, white chest with streaks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Thrasher
22. Eastern Towhee: Drink your tea call, sparrow, red eye, black, white and orange body.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pipilo_erythrophthalmus_-Quabbin_Reservoir,_Massachusetts,_USA_-male-8.jpg
23. Northern Parula: Achoo sneeze call, grey back, white and yellow chest, white around eyes.
24. Ovenbird: Teacher teacher call, heavy black barring on chest, grayish yellow-brown body, two dark stripes on top of head.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ovenbird/id
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