iBird for iPod - Overview

 In January I downloaded iBird Explorer Pro from iTunes and thought that I would share my experience with this electronic bird guide. Like anything it takes a little getting used to it but I am coming to really enjoy it. The iBird Pro version has detailed information about 920 birds, mostly North America but also contains many of the rare European and Asian birds that have made their way to our shores. So far, I have yet to search for a bird that is not in the database.

As a new birder and photographer I am laden with my binoculars and camera equipment. There is no room left for me to carry a field guide so my practice has been to take pictures and return home to begin the study. With my portable, compact iPod, I am now able to check out a bird while "on the fly."  Apparently, this product has been on the market since 2005 and has been evolving ever since.

There are several features of the program that are very useful. It has multiple means of searching for a bird whether you know the bird or not. It is possible to search by wing shape, flight pattern, tail shape, range, common or uncommon.

Once a bird is identified there is quite a lot of information available about the bird. (Not as good as some of the best field guides, but good nonetheless.) There are illustrations, pictures, range, facts, identity info, bird song, similar birds and the ability (if in a Wi Fi zone) to connect directly to Flickr or Birdpedia for more information.

 The text is written in a user-friendly manner and is very helpful. Another feature that I really like is the ability to enter a note for each bird. In my case I use this feature to input the date and location of a sighting. Over time, this will become a very useful historical record of my bird sightings.

I really haven't begun to explore all of the Apps that are available to enhance the birdwatching experience but I know there are some out there. On the basic iPod there is a Notebook feature that is standard. This tool also complements the daily record keeping

of birding. In this space I can record the area birded, distance travelled, time birded and the sightings for the day. This assists me to keep more accurate records when I return to my computer.

iBird may not be for every one but I am growing quite fond of mine. This program is also available for iPhones and iPads.

Birds pictured here today are the Glaucous Gull, the Ring-billed Gull, the Domestic Duck and the Common Redpoll. 

Snipe, Sniper or Sniping

 I recently had the pleasure of joining one of Dave Brown's Southern Shore Bird Tours. As usual it was a productive and learning experience. Among the birds we saw were three snipe. So, I guess we were "snipers" sniping out the very well camouflaged snipe. Sniping is used here in the very positive sense of the word, not attacking someone or their ideas. Did you know that sniping is a word now being used by e-bay relating to sniping an auction. Don't think that is a very positive connotation.

 The first two pictures here show a Wilson's Snipe very near the road around Ferryland. This bird has been seen before and was just sitting and waiting for us. I have to admit I was the last to discern it as it blended in so well with its surroundings and as it hunkered down to stay absolutely still when we arrived. As it became more comfortable with the car's presence, it began to move about.

Later in the day we came upon these two snipe in Renews. While on the Christmas Bird Count in Renews, we flushed a snipe in the same area and once again or a return trip. However, because these birds are so fast, I really didn't see it then.

 Well, on this day these two snipe were feeding in a trench and did become very still for quite some time but relatively quickly, they settled back down into their feeding and preening routine. We watched them closely and noted a clear difference between them. However, it was impossible to accurately identify them without seeing the underside of the wings.

 Is it possible that one is a Wilson's and the other is a Common Snipe? We considered the odds to be quite high because there have been a number of the rare Common Snipe spotted in recent weeks. Yet, without the good look there was no definitive ID. We returned to the spot later in the day in the hopes of getting the crucial look but given the short amount of time we had to dedicate to looking, we were unable to detect the distinct difference.

I have added this last picture of the two snipe found earlier this year in Tor's Cove. The Common Snipe in this location was accurately identified and documented by Dave Brown. Visit his site for the detailed description. It is excellent. When I look at the two pairs of birds (one pair from Tor's Cove and the other from Renews), they look the same. Is it possible that the pair that dissappeared from Tor's Cove moved to Renews?  This is a puzzle for a dedicated sniper to figure out.

Birding from the Car

 I have been feeling somewhat under the weather for the last week, and it has hampered my birding efforts as well as everything else. I have managed to fit some birding in during this time but limited my activity to what was close by and what I could photograph from the car.

I have also dedicated some time to working through my accumulated pictures and have selected a collections of some of the better pictures taken during this time to share today.

 This winter there have been many Northern Flickers. Hardly a day goes by when I don't see one. When I photographed the one above, there were three in a group on a rooftop. This bird is so stunning, and I feel like I have never really captured its beauty. This is one of my better shots of this bird, and I really like the flicker surrounded by the clean snow.

By luck I came across this juvenile Bald Eagle at QV Lake standing atop a power pole. I had about ten minutes tops to see what pictures that I could produce of this huge bird. The Bald Eagle is extremely cognizant of all of its surroundings, and it rotated continuously around this post looking for its prey. It didn't seem bothered at all by the numerous onlookers and photographers.

 I really enjoy watching raptors as they just radiate power and confidence. These eagles at the lake are an annual attraction for photographers and birders alike. They regularly scour the lake looking for any carcass that may be lying on the ice in the lake. Occasionally, as I saw last week, the eagle will chase a seagull. I caught sight of this event last Sunday but by the time I tried to get near them and stop, the event was over. No matter how often the Bald Eagles show up, the walkers will stop, stand and stare until the the bird moves on.

I have been watching for an adult Bald Eagle all winter in the hopes that I might catch a ten minute session with one. So far that hasn't happened and the chances are diminishing as the ice begins to melt out of the lake.

 At one point during the Winter six American Coots were spotted at QV Lake where they wintered. Some seem to have already left the area. As the temp warms up it is likely that they will all move on.

In the meantime they have provided many hours of entertainment because of their unique look and behaviour. They bob as they move through the water, they actually run on the water to lift off into flight, they walk around like chickens on the shoreline and have become much more comfortable with people over the months.

 This is the third year in a row that I am aware of that American Coots have come to stay at the lake. I can't help but wonder if it is the same birds returning or if it is a new crop each year. Only banding would reveal that. One thing for sure, they are hardy and are able to survive some severe blasts of weather. We have had a fair share of that this year.

 There is no doubt that they enjoy the warmth of the sun. With a hint of Spring in the air, I found this Coot resting on the beach where all of the snow has melted and its dark color can soak in all of the warmth of the sun.

 About a week ago I took a drive to Flatrock and area. On my return trip I stopped into Torbay Beach. There I found five Black Guillemot that were clearly molting out of their winter plumage into their breeding plumage. It is very difficult to photograph this bird because it will immediately turn away from people and begin to drift farther and farther offshore. I was lucky to get even this poor shot of one that just wasn't quick enough to escape my lens.

 Even more than the Northern Flicker the Dark-eyed Junco is a constant on every birding outing and in my backyard. Yet, I really don't have any good pictures of this quick little bird. It displays great flashes of white when it flies.

While testing my camera settings on this bird I shot both of these images without much intent of getting a good picture. I was pleasantly surprised when I downloaded the pictures and found two quite clear shots. This certainly motivates me to not overlook those great little birds that are around us all the time. I will work harder to do them justice.

I have a few more pictures yet to post and then I will have to drive out of town to look for new birds. There is a bit of a lull in birding now which I understand it typical during March. Soon the Spring birds including the Fox Sparrows, Song Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Savanna and Swamp Sparrows will return. There are other sparrows that often visit this province but I have not seen them. That will be a goal for my Spring birding.

Consolation Prize - a Mink

There are still problems with the alignment feature of this blog so please forgive the placement.

On the weekend I tried my best to find a new bird, something that I have not seen before. That just didn't happen. On Saturday I took a long drive through Bauline, Pouch Cove, Flatrock, Marine Drive, Logy Bay and home again. Nothing new! In fact there were surprisingly few birds along the way....except at Flatrock. There I saw huge rafts of Common Eider (from quite a distance). I have never seen so many. Something spooked them and they lifted off by the hundreds. When I scanned the point with my binoculars, I saw two distant figures with cameras in hand. A recent posting on NL Birds describes what happened as the photographers surprised the birds and got a surprise themselves. Check the discussion group for a link to a picture of the lift-off.


On my way through Torbay I stopped in at Torbay Beach. There I saw several Black Guillemot in their transitional plumage. There were at least five on the water at one point. While there, a flock of seven Eurasian Wigeons flew in and settled to feed in the area of the sewage outflow. Suddenly, I saw something quite large displacing the water. I watched intently for a while as all of the birds lifted off and there I saw a very large Harp Seal working the shallow waters. After about five minutes it dissappeared and didn't resurface again while I watched.

Yesterday, the weather was beautiful and our scheduled birding trip for today had to be cancelled due to the snowfall warning (happening now). Being more restless than usual I got in the car and drove to Renews. I was sure that I would see the Red Knot (a new bird for me). It had been seen in the same area by several people, and I thought I would be next. No! The two of them were nowhere to be seen and even the Black-bellied Plover that is usually ever-present was not there. I checked all areas of the shoreline but turned up nothing. I had to give up. I drove in through the community of Renews in the hopes of seeing several small birds that would make me feel better about making the long drive. What did I see?  Two European Starlings! That's all.
 
I headed back toward St. John's with some time to spare so I took a detour down into all harbours along the way. In one I found a large adult Bald Eagle sitting on a low rock surrounded by Crows, but my car startled them all and the lift off happened before I could get too close. The one consistent bird around many of the smaller inlets was a Kingfisher in every pool. During the day I saw four. I did check Tor's Cove but there was no sign of either snipe there. I don't know where all of the birds go on a beautiful day but it would be nice if they would match their behaviour with the great birding weather days.
 
I would have to say that the highlight of my day was seeing this lone Mink near Fermuese. It darted up to cross the road in front of me. I knew I only had moments to try to record the event so it was a sudden burst of scrambling to stop the car, get the window down, grab my camera and capture only a couple of shots of the hind view. This is the first Mink that I have seen in a long time so I came home somewhat satisfied that I had a good consolation prize for my hours of birding effort.