A Humming Christmas Ornament

WHAT IS LIGHT EMERALD GREEN and whirs around your head in the cold of late December? It couldn't be a humming bird. Not possible. But what if it is...? 

 A friend of mine recently let me know that he had a very uncommon visitor at a hummingbird feeder he had been maintaining. All through the fall and into winter he had been changing the water to keep it thawed during the daylight hours. Nighttime low temperatures had consistently been in the twenty's, even the mid-teens, and there were two inches of fresh snow on the ground. How could there be a hummingbird here in Northeast Washington in late December? 

My friend is a serious birder and he has had several unique finds in his bird-friendly yard. And in this case, the unique bird was a female Anna's Hummingbird  (Calypte anna). My friend invited me to come over and have a look. The day after Christmas I ventured to his house. He pointed me to a chair in his covered porch, about eight feet from the feeder. He said he had been up at 5:00 a.m. to put out fresh, unfrozen hummingbird food. He replaced the feeder contents several times each day during the December cold to make sure it was never frozen.  He had been hoping to have an Anna's make a visit and his perseverance paid off. 

Our rare arrival was an adult female. Wearing a light emerald green back and crown, this whirring Christmas ornament was at the feeder in less than ten minutes from the time I sat down. My friend had been timing the visits and said she had been feeding every fifteen to twenty minutes. Where had it come from and where had it been during the preceding autumn months, and now mid-winter cold? This was one tough hummer.

Adult female Anna's Hummingbird approaching feeder

My presence on the covered porch was met with initial caution. The bird hovered at the feeder, but would not feed. It flew off after a few seconds. Within minutes it returned, but this time approaching  me from behind, her wings sending the telltale hum we all recognize. But this was feeding time. It was cold and she needed the energy from the feeder contents as a matter of life and death. She approached the feeder, gave me a glance, and began to feed while still hovering. After a few quick sips she darted away to a nearby cluster of aspen trees.

The Anna's hummingbird is named after the Duchess Anna Messena. She was married to the second Duke of Rivoli and was a woman of some prestige in nineteenth century Italy. Up until the mid-twentieth century the Anna's was not found much further north than southern California and Baja Mexico. Their rapid expansion northward is attributed to the planting of flowering ornamentals in cities and towns. The Anna's is now a regular year-round resident  west of the Cascade Range as far north as Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In recent years there have been more sightings in eastern Washington and northern Idaho as migrating Anna's move through in the fall. Occasionally, they are now spending the winter in places like Spokane...and now, maybe even, Colville! It is thought that these new visitors are from the coast and move into the Cascades and interior British Columbia mountains in summer, and then pass south through the inland northwest. But some are not continuing their migration and are taking up residence in our neck of the woods. 

As I sat in the porch chair the Anna's returned regularly to continue feeding, each time spending a little longer at the feeder, even perching for a minute at a time. Her discomfort level with my presence was balanced with her need to refuel and survive. It was time for me to move on and let her be. This was a life bird for me, an unopened Christmas present that was almost overlooked. But I must respect the cost and the giver and not overstay my welcome.

Anna's Hummingbird perched at feeder, December 26, 2020, Colville, WA

I hope your winter birding is as fun and refreshing as mine has been. The year 2020 has been fraught with stress and uncertainty. I am so glad the birds don't care about all that. I'm glad they let us peak into their lives and remember there is life, and it must be lived.

Merry Christmas to you, and a joy-filled and peaceful New Year in 2021. 

Good Birding,

         - Hawkeye

YEAR OF THE JAYS

 IT ALL STARTED  last fall when we started seeing more Steller's Jays in our corner of the state. Through the winter and into the the spring they continued to make appearances on a regular basis. Even in summer, when you thought they had moved on, one would make an appearance at our feeders, announcing their presence with typical Jay scolds or a surprisingly good imitation of a Red-tailed Hawk scream. Sightings in town and in the countryside became pretty regular. Their indigo and blue feathers, bold crest, and raucous scolding are a treat anytime. 

Steller's Jay in Kettle Falls

Always, on the fringes, rare sightings of actual Blue Jays have been made in Stevens or Spokane Counties, or in North Idaho some where. But they are never in abundance and hard to locate.  Three Blue Jays made a brief stop in Kettle Falls about 10 years ago, seen just outside of the Forest Service Ranger Station building. Another lone Blue Jay was seen at a feeder of east of Colville a few years back. 

But something new is afoot. Several recent sightings of Blue Jays have been made in Stevens and Ferry Counties.  A few weeks ago a couple of Blue Jays were spotted at a feeder in the Huckleberry Range off of Scott Road. More recently a couple were seen at a feeder in Ferry County, up in the Kettle River Valley. And today, today, I had one at my backyard feeder! 

Blue Jay in Kettle Falls (through a living room window)

Blue Jay inspecting suet a block

Maybe this is the Year of the Jay! Both Steller's and Blue Jays seem to prefer large seeds, such as peanuts (unsalted, shelled or in the shell) and sunflower. They will also heavily use suet blocks that feature fruit and berries.  Keeping a variety of feeders (Nijer thistle seed, sunflower, general mixes) and suet blocks is a sure fire way to attract birds when the cold and snow take over. Birds look for other birds feeding and are attracted to the sight and sound of birds darting in and out of the feeders and chattering excitedly. I'm sure that's how the Steller's and Blue Jays found my house, right in Kettle Falls. 

Steller's Jays are seen  fairly regularly  in Stevens and Ferry Counties. The Washington Birder  website shows them as "Common". The Blue Jay, however, is shown as 'Rare" in Stevens County (with 5  or more sightings on record) and "Rare w/ 5 or fewer sightings" in Ferry County. In recent years sightings of Blue Jays seem to be increasing in a westward direction form North Idaho into the far eastern edge of Washington. Seeing them now in the forests and valleys of NE Washington is not too surprising, then. 

Keep an eye out for Blue Jays and let us know if you see any! Take pictures and share them with the group. 

Good Birding,

  -   Hawkeye

Winter's Bottleneck and the Cure for the Common Covid19

The Winter Bottleneck 

Late winter has been described as the Great Bottleneck in wildlife ecology. A large population of most wildlife enters winter each year, but the survival of many until the next year is not assured. Winter habitats may not provide sufficient food and cover or these large populations. Animals stressed and worn out from battling winter conditions are often in poor health and susceptible to disease, hypothermia and predators. Nearly all wildlife face this bottleneck of large numbers of animals trying to fit through a narrowing availability of resources as winter progresses. Even species that hibernate or migrate to warmer climates are faced with competition for suitable denning sites or a reliable and abundant supply of food.

The Bottleneck is especially harsh for those species that over winter in Northeast Washington. Food sources get covered with snow that can last for months. Temperatures can plummet below freezing and lock up drinking water and require extra energy from fat reserves and food supplies. Late winter storms don't care.

Male House Finch at sunflower seed feeder

All this is to say that if you have a bird feeder, keep it well supplied during these late winter days. Eventually the snow will disappear and natural food sources will become more abundant. Until then, there will be competition among species for the same supply of seeds, berries, and hiding cover.

American Robin grabbing the last of the berries

White-tailed Deer and Wild Turkeys in competition for seeds?

And what about the human population this time of year? Covid19. We now face our own bottleneck and competition for scarce resources (toilet paper and hand sanitizer anyone?). Our habitat is being diminished at an alarming rate with school closures, event cancellations and self-quarantining. 

What Can We Do About it? Expand your habitat and feed the soul. Get outside and do some birding, of course!  

Cure For The Common COVID19
- Birding is a great way to separate yourself from the crowds
- Birding provides distraction from the stress of constant bombardment of negative news
- No school? Get the kids out into the Classroom of the Outdoors! Have them identify and look up as many bird species as they can. Have a competition and prizes for who can spot the most different kinds of birds. Or maybe awards for the first 5 bird species, then another award for the first 10 species, etc... Learn to photograph birds or sketch them. Write a short essay on "What I Did During the Great Covid19 Epidemic of 2020."
- Birding is an unlimited supply of enjoyment. No shortages. No price gouging. No tense exchanges in the store as the shelves empty.
- Relax. Breathe virus-free air. Touch a clean tree branch. Walk away from the crowds.


Need some ideas on where to go or how to go about it? Drop me a line at newbirders@gmail.com and I can help you out!


Stay Well and Good Birding,

                 - Hawkeye

One Man's Rust is Another's Gold

"Honey, I've gotta go," I said to my wife. "There's a life bird at my friend's house and it may still be there if I hurry!" I scrambled to my pick up, my parting words still echoing in the hallway as the door shut behind me. "Hey, wait!," my wife called out,"Where are you headed and what kind of bird is it?" No words have ever fallen on ears more deaf. Riding the fine line between hurry and stupid I made the ten minute trip in eight, hoping against reason that the object of my pursuit would still be present.

As I made my way up my friend's driveway I scanned the shrubs and trees he had carefully planted in years past. He had made is property bird friendly, knowing that it would draw birds to his yard, observing them easily from his front deck. I knocked on his door and we walked to the deck. "Normally, I've seen it fly in from the west, across the driveway into those trees." My friend pointed to a patch of young fir trees and various shrubs. "It's been hanging out with some Red-winged blackbirds," he added. "I last saw it yesterday at about 9:00." It was 9:30 and it wasn't showing yet. A twinge of anxiety involuntarily set my jaw and I carefully put my binoculars on every quail, chickadee and finch that strayed into the yard.

My friend's yard is strategically located between forest, pasture, cottonwood river bottom, and a perennial creek. Over the years it has attracted several rarities for our northeastern Washington county, including a Harris's Sparrow and a Palm Warbler in recent times. And now, once again, here in the middle of winter, another rarity had arrived. But not today...at least not yet.

I stayed for about 20 minutes, not wanting to create an awkward moment by camping on my friend's deck. I decided I would continue my birding elsewhere in the county, about an hour to the south. Yeah, that was the ticket. Get out of town, away from the uncooperative bird that had rousted me out of my house and alienated me from my wife.

I was in and out of cell coverage, but at about 11:30 I was alerted to an email from my friend - "It just showed up!" The time stamp indicated the message was sent at 10:00, about 2 minutes after I had left! The twinge of anxiety was now a reflexive muscle twitch in my neck and shoulder. What to do? Was it even possible the bird was still there, an hours drive away? I wasn't having great luck where I was at (although a Clark's Nutcracker and a pair of courting Red-tailed Hawks did highlight the day). I guess I could casually drop by again on my way home, shoot the breeze, curse my bad luck, etc.....see the bird.

I again made my way up my friends driveway, scanning the trees, the fence posts, the power lines, the ground under the shrubs. "Yeah ,it showed up just after you left," my friend reported. "Came in from the west." My right eyelid twitched perceptibly. "You okay?", my friend asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," I chuckled. "Thanks for keeping me up to date. I'll head home now." Back in my pickup I headed down the driveway. But wait. What? Was that motion in the top of that young fir tree? Now it vanishes. Now the outline of a dark robin-sized bird. I roll down the window and hear the gurgling song. Yes, that sounds right. Now it flies to a bare tree branch, followed by a second bird!

They perched three feet apart, the tell tale rusty margins on the wings and on the chest and back of the male. The female an overall rusty brown with lighter shaded stripe over the eye. Piercing bright eyes with stark black pupils on both birds told me I had struck lifer gold. Rusty Blackbird. My camera was brought to bear, snapping out 7.5 frames per second. I hurried back to my friend's door, knocking rapidly. "Take a look!", I said, showing the images on the screen of the digital camera. My friend and his wife were as happy as I was, thrilled at the photos I was able to take.

My wife met me on the front porch, "Hi sweetheart. You're finally home. Well, did you see it? What was it, anyway?"

"Yesssssss! I saw it, finally," I crowed triumphantly. "Life bird!"

''That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you. Come on, what was it?", impatience taking hold in her voice.

A knowing smile came over my face. A brief dramatic pause. "Rusty Blackbird"

"What, you couldn't find a shiny one?  Stayed out in the rain too long, no doubt. Poor dear."

My wife is great. She endures my birding habit, encourages me,  and is genuinely happy when I get a new life bird. But, oh, she can get her payback. (Love you, honey!). I examined the photos I had taken and found three that stood apart. I printed copies of them and put them in the mail to my friend. He and his wife thought they were great and she pans to frame them and put them up in their home.

Rusty Blackbird pair.

Rusty Blackbird female

Rusty Blackbird male

To some people, perhaps most, the thought of a Rusty Blackbird seems incongruous. What's the big deal about a blackbird with an odd name? To a birder, it means that persistence, camaraderie, wonder at the diversity of life, can all come together in an unexpected moment. What is rusty for one person can be golden for another.

Good Birding!

                       - Hawkeye