Bonaparte's Gull Arrives in St. John's

 After much waiting, Mike Parmeter spotted our first 2013 Bonaparte's Gull at Pier 17.  It was thought there was one earlier in the winter, but there were no pictures to confirm it. Now there are!

 Viewing birds at Pier 17 is getting more and more difficult as the fences are up and viewing areas typically blocked, and all this is compounded by the tricky light in the area. It is either too dark or too bright or there is a direct glare from the sun. I was able to see this bird standing by the fence near the Terry Fox monument. It is quite a distance from that location to the area where the Black-headed Gulls gather, making it harder to see the detail on the birds.

It is common for the Bonaparte's to associate with the BHG. Given the distance and the challenging lighting, it is necessary to scrutinize each gull in the flock.  Shown here is an adult BHG with an immature. The one on the right, when viewed through binoculars, can appear to have a black bill. It was only through pictures that I was able to discern that it was really deep maroon. However, there were other clues that this was not the Bonaparte's. This adult bird was the same size or slightly bigger than the juvenile standing near it. The Bonaparte's is actually an inch or two smaller than BHGs.  The insert of the Bonaparte's gives the best side-by-side comparison of the adult birds of both species.

This is one of those birds that when you see it, you are sure. If there is any wavering in the identification, then it may well be the Black-headed Gull. I really wanted to see it up close, but no one offered to let me in the gate:-(

While at the pier, it was also nice to see this adult Black-headed Gull already changed into its breeding molt. There were several birds in varying degrees of transition, but this was the most advanced. We all know what that means - despite the cold, snow and freezing rain, Spring is, indeed, on its way.

One Lonely Common Redpoll

 Until February 7, I had only seen one small flock of Common Redpoll in St. John's, and that was in 2011. To my disappointment, last year offered no opportunity at all to view them.  So, I consider myself very lucky to have watched this lone Common Redpoll that showed up at a feeder in town about a week ago and stayed for only a couple of hours.

These pictures taken through a window don't really show how lovely this little bird is. Every now and then the sun would catch the red cap, and it was "bedazzling."

I had hopes that we were about to experience a large influx of these birds move into the area, since there have been numerous reports of sizable flocks in West and Central Newfoundland. While it did seem they were moving our way, all of the crazy wind must have caught them up and blew them back where they came from.

For now, I am quite happy having had the chance to see this one. However,  I would do a happy dance, if a large flock and maybe even a Hoary Redpoll would blow into town!

When Common Birds Become Uncommon

 Last summer it was possible to come upon a pair of Pine Grosbeaks on most every outing. No trouble telling the difference between the genders with this species. The drab gray and olive/yellow colors of the female are a major contrast to the reds and grays of the male. Nevertheless, the stout body and beak of this species make for an easy identification.

The Pine Grosbeak is the largest finch resident in North America and is present year-round in Newfoundland, that is until this winter. It is known that when food sources are scarce, this species will move southward. Have they stayed in the province? It is hard to say. I haven't seen a single post where a Pine Grosbeak has been reported over the last few months. Nevertheless, one does show up on the NL Winter List. I think the last small group of Pine Grosbeaks was spotted on Middle Cove Road in the first few days of December.

 In previous winters, I have been able to locate the Pine Grosbeak by its rich melodious song ringing through the woods. There seems to be no sound coming from the treetops this year, not even the White-winged Crossbills or Pine Siskins.

Hence, to enjoy the PG during this winter, I have to resort to looking at pictures taken over the summer. This shot, taken at the end of July, shows a male going through its molt. I recently learned the first-year male of this species closely resembles the female, with slightly richer tones. I will certainly keep that in mind this summer to see if I can identify a first-year male.

 The tameness of the Pine Grosbeak makes it quite easy to study and enjoy them when they are around. Over the summer, it was possible to get with in 5 to 6 feet of them while they focused on eating the seeds of the dandelions. Too bad, I can't lure in a large flock to my yard to feast on my plentiful weeds!

 While many birds lose their vibrancy during the winter, the Pine Grosbeak seems to actually become brighter.  I recently heard, second-hand, of a red bird with black spotted by a non-birder in CBS. Immediately, my mind went racing to the more exotic species with red and black. Then, reality set in: It was likely a White-winged Crossbill or a Pine Grosbeak that was showing really red against the backdrop of the snow.

In 1986, the Pine Grosbeak was featured on the Canadian $1000.00 bill. This bill no longer exists in Canadian Currency and for this winter, neither does the Pine Grosbeak.

Where are the finches?

None of these pictures were taken over the last three months. In fact, it is pretty hard to find a finch these days.  The first two shots of this female White-winged Crossbill were taken in October. I do have one possible photo of one taken at Exeter Ave. last week, but the bird is so obstructed by branches, it is hard to tell for sure.

The branches in these shots tell the tale. In October, I can see what was left of a very poor cone crop.  As I look at the cone-bearing trees in my backyard, the story is the same. There are so few cones left that none of the usual finch have been showing up in my yard this winter.

Even the Purple Finch is uncommon this year. There have been only three females hanging around the Upper Rennie's River trail. I have had one female come to my feeder, and I am aware of a report last week of one male Purple Finch at a feeder around town. This is such a contrast to last year when I saw dozens of these colorful birds eating berries in the snow on Strawberry Marsh Road.

Even Pine Siskin have been hard to find this year. Again, I had only two drop by my feeder on two occasions this winter, not to be seen again. I am aware of only two feeders in town where small numbers can be seen fairly regularly.

I have seen small flocks of American Goldfinch about twice a week, often congregating around feeders, but the numbers still seem low. Red Crossbills, in small numbers, have been reported at two feeders on the outskirts of St. John's. There is not a single Pine Grosbeak to be seen anywhere. Although, the number of Evening Grosbeaks in the area seems to be steady this year as they gather at the same two feeders as last year. Basically, we have been finch-free this winter, and I miss the color and the activity these great little birds bring to backyards.  I, along with many others, eagerly wait to see the the Common Redpoll are going to drop in on us in the days to come.

 

With the Backyard Bird Count coming up, I will be watching closely to see how many finch, of all kinds, are reported.