Anhinga
It is often called the Snake Bird due to its appearance and way of moving but it has a lot of other names as well. In some southern states it is often known as the Water Turkey, in Florida it sometimes has the more elegant The Grecian Lady applied to it, Mississippi has the Water Crow and the word Darter is also widespread. Most authorities settle on the Anhinga, also reflected in it’s Latin name Anhinga anhinga. It can often be seen swimming with most of its body submerged and the long neck and head above water.
Anhinga
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Black-crowned Night-Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
It’s always interesting to find a bird whose plumage is a bit different from the norm. In this case it is a Black-crowned Night-Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, in which adults normally have a light yellow colored legs (see image below). In this case they were very red. While this may be just a variation, I suspect it is because it belongs to an older bird.
Black-crowned Night-Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
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Bank Swallow Colony
Many species of birds are showing declines in their numbers, and the Bank Swallow,Riparia riparia, is unfortunately one of them. It builds communal nests in soft soil, and here in Ontario, there are rarely seen except on the shores of the Great Lakes. It was interesting to find this active colony which had taken over a sand pile which a local farmer had pushed up in order to plant some trees. I have checked back on it and they seem to be doing well.
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Pyrrhuloxia, Cardinalis sinuatus
Similar to the familiar Northern Cardinal, the Pyrrhuloxia, Cardinalis sinuatus, is resident in the northern parts of Mexico and and southern parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. They prefer desert scrub as well as riparian woodland.
 Pyrrhuloxia, Cardinalis sinuatus juvenile |
 Pyrrhuloxia, Cardinalis sinuatus |
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White-bearded Manakin snapping his wings
The Manakins are a fascinating family of birds. They often have an interesting display where they males group in an area to dance for the females. This is called a lek. When White-bearded Manakin are in an area of the rainforest, you often hear a snapping sound. If you follow that sound you will see that it is produced by the males who snap their wings in an effort to impress the females.
 White-bearded Manakin, Manacus manacus |
 White-bearded Manakin, Manacus manacus |
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Cape May Warbler, Dendroica tigrina
The Cape May Warbler, Dendroica tigrina, breeds in the northern part of North America from New England across the Great Lakes and thins out near the Rocky Mountains. It winters in the West Indies. It is a boreal forest dweller which feeds largely on Spruce Budworm.
 Cape May Warbler, Dendroica tigrina |
 Cape May Warbler, Dendroica tigrina |
 Cape May Warbler, Dendroica tigrina |
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Yellow-billed Magpie, Pica nuttalli
The Yellow-billed Magpie, Pica nuttalli, is found only in California, where it helps promote healthy Oak forests by burying acorns.
Yellow-billed Magpie, Pica nuttalli
When the West Nile Virus arrived in California in about 2004, it became a large problem for the Yellow-billed Magpie who seem to have a low level of immunity to the mosquito-carried disease. It is estimated that over half the population of this species succumbed to the disease in the next two years. The California Audubon has conducted surveys of the species and there is some evidence that the bird has rebounded in numbers. Hopefully this is because of a developing immunity.
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Dolphin Gull, Larus scoresbii
One of the most unusual members of the Gull Family is the Dolphin Gull, Larus scoresbii, with its outlandish bill and dusty gray plumage. It is native to southern Argentina and Chile, as well as the Falkland Islands.
 Dolphin Gull, Larus scoresbii |
 Dolphin Gull, Larus scoresbii juvenile |
These images are from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, where it was the only gull I saw other than the larger Kelp Gull. The bird above to the left is a juvenile.
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Fairy or White Tern, Gygis alba
The Fairy or White Tern, Gygis alba, is found throughout the tropical Pacific, the southern Atantic, and the Indian Ocean. It is a small Tern which often lives in close proximity to man, as it does in Honolulu, Oahu. In fact the image above was taken from our hotel room there, on the 18th floor. The have the unnerving habit of laying their eggs on a bare branch.
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Ring-billed Gull, Larus delawarensis
There is a huge Ring-billed Gull, Larus delawarensis, colony at Hamilton Harbor, Ontario, and there is a good place to sit in a parked car and get a close up view. The interaction of a large number of birds competing for space and food is fascinating to watch. A few weeks ago, the chicks began to hatch and many have reached a good size. This family group had moved to the waters edge, and occasionally one of the adults would fly off and return to regurgitate some food for the chicks, which occasioned great excitement.
Ring-billed Gull, Larus delawarensis
The adults are very attentive. As the day became hot, an adult came over and shaded a chick.
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