70-80 North American Birds to be Renamed???

 

Blackpoll Warbler sitting on my back fence after flycatching from some nearby fruit trees.

A few people have mentioned this too me lately - so this is probably not a shock to any blog readers- but yes - it seems that many birds named after various people in North America will be renamed.

This happened already a few years ago with the bird formerly known as "oldsquaw" which was a derogatory name for indigenous women - and the bird was renamed as a Long-tailed Duck. I am perfectly content with that decision. Long tailed Duck is a perfect name for that species--- and we should not be disrespectful to indigenous peoples when naming waterfowl.

I had also read recently that a minority birder was not happy that John James Audubon was racist (John James Audubon - Paintings, Facts & Life (biography.com)).  I was sad to hear about this.  I don't  know the extent of his racism - but I don't know if we should just erase that part of ornithological history. He is a pioneer in birding, making field-guides and conservation.  Wokeness and political correctness is a theme in the last few years. The challenge is --- should we "throw people away" that didn't meet today's norms when we don't know or understand the cultural and historical context? Should we remove Sir John A MacDonald from our $5 bill and from our history books? Slavery and Racism are abhorrent and unacceptable. I have read article that state that there is more slavery today than at any point in human history (More slaves now than at any other time in history (thestar.com) ) --- and what are we doing about that?   A recent Netflix Documentary "Sea-Spiracy" suggests that most seafood we eat - particularly from Asia - is probably connected to someone being exploited, servitude, or slavery. Watch Seaspiracy | Netflix Official Site.  Its interesting to me to think that even the Bible (old and new testaments) as well as the Quran have generous mentions of slavery. Its seems like God who created the universe would inspire the prophets to challenge the norms of their day. 

Here are 2 articles about this name-changing effort that is taking place:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/inside-aos-recommendation-bird-common-names/
https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/02/us/bird-species-names-changing-scn-cec/index.html

This poor boy named Ibqal (from Pakistan) was sold into slavery at the age of 6, chained to a carpet weaving machine and forced to work 14 hours a day, at the age of ten he was freed from slavery but then he was killed by Mohammed Ashraf, (the owner of a factory in Pakistan) for protesting child labour. He died in 1995.

On a lighter note, I had seen lots of birds in my backyard, especially on weekends when I am not rushing off to work. Some photos below include a Swamp Sparrow, and a Grey-Cheeked Thrush which were pretty cool to see from my back yard.

Eastern Phoebe

Hermit Thrush

Grey Cheeked Thrush

Swamp Sparrow

This morning - (actually closer to noon) I had seen a bright yellow breasted warbler - a Nashville Warbler which is just starting to get late enough to be considered rare. I feel I have seen this same bird for the last 2 or so days! A Fox Sparrow and an Eastern Towhee were around as well. 

Can you find a Nashville Warbler in the photo above?

Good Birding,

Dwayne

Grey Hairstreak and other Recent September Migrants

Grey Hairstreak at Point Pelee

[Editor's Note: This posting is a hodge-podge mix of like three separate nature viewing hikes. My last posting about Fringed Gentian Wildflowers merited its own post so this one covers the last two weekends.. Thanks... ]

Seeing this Grey Hairstreak last weekend was a nice recent nature viewing highlight.There are years when I don't see this so it is somewhat rare in my opinion.  Shortly after seeing it, I was informed that a Funereal Duskywing was seen at the tip of Point Pelee --- but the small group of butterfly enthusiasts that I was with could not re-find it. The Duskywing and Crescent species below are sometimes confusing to identify but the time of year helps with their identification. 

Over the month of September, I've had amazing birding in my back yard.  Palm, Nashville, have been the most common, but Common Yellowthroats, American Redstart, Wilsons have been seen in lesser numbers.

Today at Pelee, I walked around with the family, and noted few birds.  At one point, Blue Jays were going crazy near the tip, and looking up, it would easy to see 5 sharp shinned hawks and even a Peregrine Falcon! A few Sanderlings and a group of about 10 Surf Scoters flew by in the short time I was at the tip.

Last weekend, I joined Jeremy Bensette for an OFO guided hike at  Point Pelee. It was pretty birdy and one of my personal highlights was Grey Checked Thrush, Winter Wren and a nice assortment of Warblers. A perched Carolina Saddlebags dragonfly was a nice find.

Hermit or Grey Cheeked?

I've seen many thrush species in the month, but have questioned myself ... I think I'm seeing Swainson's Thrush and Grey Cheeked... but what about Hermit Thrushes?

Good birding!
Dwayne

Tall Boneset? It was over 5' tall. Growing in the sandy soils of Black Oak Heritage Park.

Sarah R in the news

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/point-pelee-s-birds-set-to-star-in-adult-colouring-book-1.3237021

VW Accused of fooling emissions tests with software

http://www.businessinsider.com/volkswagen-scandal-bad-for-environment-2015-9

2015 On Pace to being the hottest year in the last 140 years

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/earth-has-warmest-summer-on-record-how-did-canada-fair/57334/

Asian Carp found in Lake Erie:

http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/asian-carp-found-in-lake-erie

May 17-18 Birding: Pelee, Kopegaron Woods, and Oak Openings Metropark

Kopagaron Woods last Friday was pretty amazing. I had attempted to twitch a Scissor tailed Flycatcher in Wheatley, and figured I would stop by Kopagaron Woods. It was pretty amazing. There was a small group of warblers and migrants which were staying very low due to the cold temps that had moved in late last week. Right near the entrance to the forest path was amazing. Northern Waterthrush, Ovenbird, Canada Warbler were present with many Bay breasted Warblers, Chestnut sided, Magnolia, Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanagers all very close to the ground! Veery and Swainson's Thrushes were very present as well.

Female Blackpoll Warbler

The following day, I spend the morning at Point Pelee and upon arrival, I was able to see a Pacific Loon that Jean Iron had ontbirded just as I arrived at the park. She had it in her scope as I reached east beach! More Philadelphia Vireos were seen along east beach.  Some nice highlights as the afternoon progressed were: Northern Parulas at close range, Canada Warblers, Yellow breasted Chat and Ruby throated Hummingbird nectaring Wild Columbine Flowers!

Northern Parula right along Tilden's Woods footpath

Yellow breasted Chat - Perhaps on breeding territory? Lets hope! This guy was singing from a thicket making all kinds of weird noises... Trying to impress the ladies!

Hummingbird nectaring on Wild Columbine flowers

Some nice Thrush species were seen as well. On Saturday, Veery, Swainson's Thrush, Robins, Wood Thrush, Gray cheeked Thrush were all seen. In fact, I think all the Eastern Thrush Species were in the park with the exception of Bicknells! Along the Tilden Woods Footpath, I heard my first singing Wood Thrush for the season. It's song was amazing to hear. If you have a few minutes, and want an amazing read and description of the wood thrush, click here to read John James Audobon's account of this bird. You owe it to yourself!

Sunday, my family visited Toledo Zoo, but stopped by Oak Openings Metropark for a quick 20 minute walk. I hate rushed birding, but in that twenty minutes, I had seen:
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Indigo Bunting
Eastern Bluebird
Lark Sparrow
Red headed Woodpecker - (seamingly lots - 4 seen along a 50m walk)
Eastern Kingbirds

Oak Openings is the Easternmost Stronghold for this beautiful western sparrow

I stopped by a small area withing the Oak Openings to look for the re-introduced Karner Blue butterfly. I spoke to a few women in the parking lot who informed me that the re-introduced Karner Blue is basically not "thriving" as their website suggests and that there is only one area which they might still be seen at, but it is off bounds to public, and hasn't been seen yet this year. Along the parking lot, Eastern tailed Blues and Dreamy Duskywings were visible along with Tufted Titmouse at close range.

Good birding!
Dwaynejava

Wild Lupine - Easily Seen at Oak Openings and the foodplant for the extirpated Karner Blue butterfly

Point Pelee's OFO Convention Birding

I stopped into PPNP this morning for a short birding walk. As usual, I only had a precious two hours to bird the park, so I rolled the dice and decided to walk the Delaurier Path. This path has been really good in the past, especially in the fall because there is lots of edge habitat (forest/field and forest/marsh) as well as several wet sloughs. The area around the sloughs (the elevated boardwalk & octagon platform) are loaded with dogwood berries, wild grapes, sumac and jewelweed.

The Delaurier parking lot provided a brief look at a (house?) Wren, and a few warblers were seen along the path, but really, I hardly saw much as I rounded the Delarier path. I did have good looks at Northern Flicker and many overhead Sharp Shinned Hawks. Perhaps that's why nothing was really out in the open. Even though birds were hardly seen, it was cool to see so many Ruby throated hummingbirds. Along the path, batches of Jewelweed would be guarded by a perched Hummingbird (see above photo). I must have seen about 15 hummingbirds along this path. 

Then, just as I rounded the Delaurier path, I ran into a group of birders from the OFO convention that was talking place this weekend at Point Pelee. I think the group was led by Bruce DiLabio, and his son Ben (the leader calling his son Ben tipped me off). Bruce and the group quickly spotted a Grey Cheeked Thrush which would have been a lifer. Another group member mentioned seeing a flycatcher skulking in the same bush. Ben later mentioned seeing a Yellow bellied Flycatcher as well (another potential lifer)!

Yellow bellied Flycatcher. An unexpected and exciting lifer.

I did not really see any birds at first, and I then followed the group along Ander's Path to see some hard-fought warblers, Magnolia, Black throated Blue, and a Blue headed Vireo, preening in a pine. The group quickly left Ander's Footpath shortly after (they rushed off to NW Beach). As I was about to leave myself, I tried one more time for the Grey Cheeked thrush and luckily, it perched out into the open, along with the yellow bellied flycatcher... Both lifers at #282 & #283.

A Grey cheeked Thrush. Do you see it's gray facial features? Its almost identical to a Hermit Thrush!

While exciting to get two more lifers, I must say it was a cautious excitement because these two particular birds are tough to identify. The flycatchers are so similar I really am not 100% sure of what I'm looking at when I see one. Also, the spot-breasted Thrushes are all very similar as well. But I'm quite confident the identification is correct. The thrush above is obviously not a Swainson's Thush.  Lifers are few and far between as you approach 300!

Good birding,
Dwaynejava

PS: I checked the onion fields for American Golden Plover (they were reported there yesterday) but no such luck. I think I'm the only birder in Ontario who has not yet seen an Am G. Plover!

Lifer summary:
Grey cheeked Thrush #282
Yellow bellied Flycatcher #283