The Zen Birdfeeder

A Visit to Storm King Art Center

Last Sunday we visited the Storm King Art Center in New Windsor, New York.  We met friends there and were lucky enough to be there on a  beautiful sunny fall day.

"Mother Peace" by Mark Di Suvero

Storm King is described as "a museum that celebrates the relationship between sculpture and nature."  Huge works of art are placed throughout the grounds, some nestled in amongst the trees, many gracing the large fields, but all of them incorporating the landscape into the art.

"The Arch" by Alexander Calder

Many of the pieces are huge, constructed of massive sections of metal, beams, and the like.

"Iliad" by Alexander Liberman - people provide scale

I really liked the "Storm King Wall".  Created by Andy Goldsworthy, it runs across a field (which is probably visible from the New York State Thruway), down a steep hill, then appears to submerge into a pond only to re-emerge on the other side of the pond.  It then weaves serpentine-like through the trees.  It was beautifully built, with little light showing through the wall, unique stone worked in, and occasionally naturally-accented with lichen and  moss. 

"Storm King Wall" by Andy Goldsworthy

"Storm King Wavefield" is a new work by the Vietnam Memorial's creator, Maya Lin.  Just introduced this year, Wavefield is an 11-acre earthwork of "undulating hills that give the appearance of ocean waves."  It was really cool, though hard to capture in photos.  In another couple weeks or so, the background hills will be in full fall colors.

"Wavefield" by Maya Lin

There were two smaller pieces that really fascinated me, the "Nickel Couch" (of welded nickel coins) and "Butterfly Couch" (of welded half-dollars), both by Johnny Swing.

Detail of "Nickel Chair" by Johnny Swing 

If you're ever traveling north on the NYS Thruway past exit 16, you'll be able to see some of the Storm King artwork.  Then make time to visit.  Hopefully you'll enjoy good friends and good weather for your visit as well.

"Endless Column" by Tal Streeter

The "IT" Bird of the Midwest Birding Symposium

Silent film star Clara Bow was the original.  The "IT" girl.

No, despite the salt & pepper hair, I'm not old enough to have been around in the days of Clara Bow.  But in 1927, she starred in a movie called simply "It" and upon the film's release, she became known as the "It" girl.  The film was based on a story by English romance novelist and screenwriter Elinor Glyn who helped define the term "IT Girl":

    "IT" is that quality possessed by some which draws all others with its magnetic force. With "IT" you win all men if you are a woman — all women if you are a man.

And at the recent 2009 Midwest Birding Symposium in Lakeside Ohio, the Kirtland's Warbler was the "IT" bird.  IT too seemed to have a "magnetic force", capable of attracting all birdwatchers, men and women, alike.

Kirtland's Warber
Used with Permission (see below)

IT didn't even have to be named after the announcement of the initial sighting.  IT was first reported on Saturday morning and IT stayed around all day Saturday, pretty much in the same area of East Harbor State Park.  Anytime there was a break in the action at the symposium (which was often), a wave of  birders would head over to the park to try catch a glimpse of IT.  If you were skilled and lucky, you'd get a photograph of IT.

As you'd approach the trailhead where it was seen, you'd ask others "Is IT still there?"  As you'd leave, others approaching the trail would inquire "Is this where IT is?"  As you returned to the Lakeside grounds, fellow attendees would inquire "Did you get to see IT?"  Those that had seen IT were grilled by those still looking for IT; "Was there black in the lores?", "How bold was the side streaking?", "Did you ever see IT near the ground?"  

Why is IT so special?  What is ITs quality that draws people in?  Laura Kammermeier of Birds, Words, & Websites does a wonderful job of sharing information about IT in her post "Revisiting The Kirtland's Warbler".  She was one of those skilled and lucky enough to capture images of IT (and excellent ones at that).  Make sure you check out her post.

So I won't belabor the point further other than to say that this bird is an IT bird because IT is our rarest member of the warbler family.  How rare?  There are only an estimated 3,600 Kirtland's Warblers on this entire planet.  IT is seldom seen in migration.  And yes, I was one of the lucky ones to see IT. 

How fortuitous it was for a bunch of bird lovers to have been gathered in a spot only a few miles from where IT decided to spend one day of its long migratory journey.  The symposium was excellent in so many ways, but the short visit by the IT bird - the endangered Kirtland's Warbler - made it unforgettable and perhaps, unsurpassable.


Related Links
Kirtland's Warbler - RightBird, WBU's Online Field Guide
Kirtland's Warbler - Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Kirtland's warblers in Wisconsin Photo Gallery
Watching the warbler

Sources
It Girl - Wikipedia "It Girl"
Clara Bow - Wikipedia "Clara Bow"

Kirtland's Warbler image posted with permission from Whatbird.com.  Copyright 2002-2007.  We appreciate their approval of our request.

Submit Sites Now to New York's Watchable Wildlife Program

Reprinted with modification from an article in New York Birders - July 2009, the newsletter of the New York State Ornithological Association.

Karner Blue Butterfly on lupine

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in partnership with the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Empire State Development, New York City Parks, The Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy is in the process of updating and enhancing their wildlife viewing program and guide called New York's Wildlife Viewing Guide.  They are inviting you or your agency to provide input about areas in New York State where the public can reliably find and view wildlife and natural areas.

They will produce a printed guidebook and Web site that will feature information on wildlife and nature viewing in New York.  The guidebook will be promoted and sold by Watchable Wildlife Inc. as a resource for outdoor enthusiasts, bird watchers, hikers, wildlife photographers, campers, or anyone seeking a rewarding outdoor experience.

Bird and wildlife watching is one of the fastest growing outdoor recreational activities in the U.S. and can be enjoyed by people of all ages and experience levels, in both urban and rural settings.  In 2006, an estimated 3.7 million people participated in bird and wildlife viewing in New York, contributing $1.6 billion to the state's economy.

Great Blue Heron

THE PROCESS

1. The first step in the program is to collect as much information as possible about sites in New York State where the public can reliably find and view wildlife and natural areas through a site nomination process.  The list should include parks, wildlife management areas, forests, outdoor education centers, preserves and private lands that allow public access.  Anyone can nominate a site using the site nomination form.  Download site nomination form

2. After compiling a list of sites, a steering/site-selection committee will select the sites that will appear in the guide and on the Web site.  The sites selected for the Web will begin appearing on the DEC website this summer.

3. The final phase of the program will involve printing and distributing the guides to retail stores and libraries, and the completion of a companion Website.  They anticipate the publication will be available to the public by Spring 2010.  Wild Birds Unlimited - Saratoga Springs NY will most likely carry the guide.

Please email completed Site Nomination Forms to: watchable@gw.dec.state.ny.us or by mailing directly to NYSDEC, Attention Maria Katchmar, Bureau of Public Outreach, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4500.  Or you can fax nomination forms to 518-402-9036, Attention Watchable Wildlife. 

If you have specific questions about the overall project or the nominating process, please contact either Harold Evans at DEC's Bureau of Public Outreach or Maria Katchmar at 518-402-8044 or by email at makatchm@gw.dec.state.ny.us.

The primary goal is to encourage the public to get outside and enjoy New York's wonderful wildlife and natural resources.  Commensurately, as communities see the economic benefits associated with nature-based recreation, they will make land use and economic development decisions that are sensitive to and supportive of conservation and stewardship.

Thank you in advance for any assistance you many provide to us with the nature and wildlife viewing program and in helping everyone enjoy the great state of New York.

Nashville Warbler

Digibinning Medina Park's Heron Rookery

While staying in Bellevue Washington in late June for our WBU Annual Meeting and Vendor Mart, we took a walk  to one of Bellevue's many city parks, Medina Park.  The Seattle area is serious about their dog parks and Medina is no different. We headed for the section of the park that is closed to dogs-off-leash; unfortunately many park users thought the signs didn't apply to their dog.

What we were surprised to discover in this city park was a heron rookery.  In the last week of June, these guys were just about ready to fly.  In fact, I thought we'd get to witness one or two taking their first flights, as they stood on the end of a branch and tested their wings, just short, it seems, of taking flight.

We counted upwards of 16 young herons in about 6 or 7 different nests.  I wondered how many park users were not even aware of what was going in right above their head!

All I had with me that day was my pocket Sony digital camera and my Vortex Viper 8x42 binoculars.  So I used what I had - I digibinned!

Digibinning is taking digital images through your binoculars.  It's tough to accomplish: handheld binoculars + handheld digital camera = unavoidable shake.  I still used the 2 second delay and burst mode to try to help things out.  Here are the images that turned out halfway presentable.

Birds at Chenango Valley State Park NY

A couple weeks ago, we visited our friends Barry & Sue Stevens, owners of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Johnson City NY.  When we were leaving, we picked up lunch and stopped at Chenango Valley State Park for a picnic followed by a short walk around Lily Lake. 

I don't have lots of pictures, but we did see a number of birds and lots of nesting activity.  As we ate lunch, a Red-eyed Vireo, White breasted Nuthatch, Chipping Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Tree Swallow, American Robin, Black-capped Chickadee, and Red-bellied Woodpecker welcomed us to the park.

Red-eyed Vireo

Early in the 1.5 mile loop trail around the lake, we heard multiple Hermit Thrushes singing their ethereal song. One end of the lake was like a Red-winged Blackbird nursery. A majestic Bald Eagle (my first of the year) soared over the lake, as did an American Crow.  Another first of year was a Great-crested Flycatcher; then we saw another one on the other side of the lake.

Red-winged Blackbird

We heard a Tufted Titmouse though didn't see him, but did get to see a Veery and Song Sparrow.  On the far side of the lake was a first-of-year Scarlet Tanager.  As we made the turn for home an American Goldfinch sang his heart out from the top of a tree, a Belted Kingfisher rattled across the lake to his fishing perch, and a Northern Flicker flew by, flashing his white rump patch.

Veery

Near the end of the trail, we heard non-stop chirping, so we stopped and decided it was coming from a nest hole about 20 feet up a tree that was just on the edge of the trail.  We didn't have to wait more than 2 minutes before a male Hairy Woodpecker came to tend to his noisy brood.  He entered the hole, was in for a short while, then emerged.  They say you can estimate the age of the nestlings by whether the adult enters the nest or not; from what we saw, I think they were still quite young.

Hairy Woodpecker male at nest hole

We were amazed by how thin and worn, almost emaciated, the male was compared to our well-fed hairies at home.  I guess it really does help them to have an easy food source during nesting time!  (Click on the image of the woodpecker to enlarge to see how thin this bird is!)

Back in the picnic area where we started, we watched a pair of Eastern Phoebes, and eventually tracked down their nest plastered on the side of the restroom building.  If babies were in it, they were little and very quiet!

Phoebe nest

Nearby, a phoebe parent with grasshopper lunch was waiting for me to leave!

Eastern Phoebe

The Red-bellied also seemed to be checking out a nest hole but we couldn't tell if it was occupied.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

All in all, we saw (or heard) 23 species but our best memories were of the nesting Hairy Woodpecker and Eastern Phoebes.  What a treat that was!

I'll finish with some of the wildflowers that lined the trails.  Any help with ID is appreciated!

 

Fringed Polygala

Wild Violet

Great Adirondack Birding CelebrationJune 5-7, 2009

The seventh annual Great Adirondack Birding Celebration (GABC) is scheduled for June 5-7 at the Adirondack Park Agency Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC) in Paul Smiths.  Wild Birds Unlimited - Saratoga Springs is proud to be a sponsor of this birding event.

Ovenbird

The 2009 Great Adirondack Birding Celebration will feature birding trips, lectures, workshops and the popular Teddy Roosevelt Birding Challenge. Lois and I will be there in the WBU booth with a nice selection of Eagle Optics and Vortex binoculars and spotting scopes, including digiscoping set-ups, as well as a supply of Birds&Beans™ Bird-Friendly® coffee.

2009 Schedule
The keynote speaker Saturday evening will be Dr. Bridget Stutchbury, author of "Silence of the Songbirds" (she also is one of The Voices for the Birds for Birds & Beans Bird Friendly Coffee.)
Download the 2009 Schedule of Events

2009 Field Trips
Download the Schedule of Events

Registration
Registration is now open.  Download the registration form here.

What birds might you see?
Great birds like the Bicknell's Thrush, Gray Jay, and Black-backed Woodpecker.  Download a checklist of birds from last year's celebration.

For more information about the Great Adirondack Birding Celebration, contact Martha Van der Voort at (518) 327-3000. 
We hope to see you there - make sure to stop and introduce yourself!

Wordless Wednesday

Boat-tailed Grackles
Naples FL

Submitted to Bird Photography Weekly #30

Birds from my Florida Trip

I mentioned in my last post that we just got back from a short vacation in Florida.  Really short - just 3 days in between travel days.

My dad and his wife rent a condo in south Florida, between Naples and Marco Island.  While not there to "bird", we did take the opportunity to observe and record 32 Florida birds.  26 of them were new 2009 birds for me, bringing my year list to 62.

Boat-tailed Grackle

We saw Boat-tailed Grackles before we even left the airport tarmac in Ft.Myers.  These birds were everywhere, as were the Snowy Egrets and White Ibises all along the highway as we headed to Naples.

Within the development, Northern Mockingbirds sang continuously.  If you hear a cardinal-robin-jay-finch-sparrowbird, it's your friendly mockingbird!  Turkey Vultures and an occasional Black Vulture were easy to find; the Turkey Vulture has yet to return to upstate New York this year.

Turkey Vulture

The ponds in the development were full of life - Cormorants, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Glossy Ibis, Limpkin, as well as turtles and this rather large alligator.  The ibis and limpkin were on the same shoreline as the alligator, but keeping a safe distance away.

Snowy Egret and Cormorant

Can anyone help identify these turtles?  The larger one was probably 2-2 1/2 feet long.

Glossy Ibis

 
Limpkin - I know, I can't believe I didn't get him with his head out of the water!

The condo backed up to an undeveloped area and it was there that each day we'd see between one and three Palm Warblers.  (Thanks to Hope for the ID help!)  This little guy would even cling to the screens on the patio! 

Palm Warbler (taken through a screen :( )

Also hanging around the condo was a male Northern Cardinal, Mourning Doves, and numerous Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

We drove to Marco Island for lunch the first afternoon and afterward went down to the beach.  This is a large group of Black Skimmers.  I thought it was interesting how they were all facing the same way into the wind.

A couple Royal Terns and Ring-billed Gulls mixed in with the skimmers, while the two Laughing Gulls stood in the surf.

Royal Tern and skimmers

Ring-billed Gull and skimmers

Laughing Gulls

On Wednesday morning we took a kayak tour in the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.  This mangrove estuary of 110,000 acres is home to 150 species of birds and other wildlife.  Follow this link to see a map of the managed area. 

They offer 2-hour guided tours on Saturdays and Wednesdays that give visitors a chance to explore the waters of Rookery Bay.  Our tour was led by Education Coordinator Susan C. along with Water Quality Manager Chris G.  Here's Susan with a cluster of oysters (she put them back!)

Besides more egrets, ibises, and cormorants, we also saw a Tri-colored Heron, Great Egret, and Little Blue Heron.  This pair of Ospreys were tending their nest on top of the "Manatee Zone" sign.

White Ibis

Little Blue Heron

Osprey

I enjoyed watching Brown Pelicans fish.  They'd fly about 6-8 feet above the water, and when you saw them suddenly fly upward, you'd know they were going to start a sharp dive to catch a fish below the surface of the water.  I just couldn't get an image of them in action though!

Brown Pelican

We paddled near this rookery, which is white-washed with bird waste.

Pelicans at rookery

On the tour we also encountered Bottlenose Dolphins and an alligator.  If you ever visit the Naples area, you should consider taking this interesting and affordable tour.

On the morning we left, we took a short walk down to the development's boardwalk and had a fun time seeing birds that we'll see soon in New York.  Gray Catbirds were everywhere, mewing from tree to tree.  We saw the first Yellow-rumped Warbler of the year and also saw a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and an Eastern Phoebe.  It was like getting a preview of what's to come at home!

Grey Catbird

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Red-bellied Woodpecker and Grey Catbird

Red-bellied Woodpecker

As we were getting ready to head back, a Red-shouldered Hawk arrived, initially posing next to the owl decoy on the boardwalk.  He eventually perched on a tree just off the boardwalk; the light made it hard to capture an image but here's my best shot at it.

Red-shouldered Hawk

My 2009 list took a huge leap on this trip, especially considering that this was not a "birding" trip per se.  Just goes to show how many birds are just around, hidden in plain sight!

The Georgia Aquarium

While in Atlanta last week, we did take about 1/2 day to visit the Georgia Aquarium.  What a cool place!

Easy to get to from the Peachtree Center MARTA exit (MARTA is Atlanta's user-friendly rapid transit system), the aquarium is a great way to spend an afternoon.

We started our tour in the Tropical Diver section, where the fish are so brilliantly colored they can look fake.  It reminded me of snorkeling in Hawai'i and made me want to go back!  The jellyfish are mesmerizing to watch and the pure blue backdrop accentuates their every move.

Outside the Georgia Explorer section is a touch pool where you can touch sharks (smooth and fibrous) and rays (soft and silky).  I'm not real brave doing this type thing, but if the 4-year old next to me can touch a ray, then darn it, I can too.

Georgia Explorer highlights some of the fish right off the Georgia coast.  I liked the shrimp display the best, though it just seemed to make me hungry for lunch.

We moved along to River Scout where the freshwater fish are less colorful, but still cool to watch.  The alligator display was neat because you could look at them at eye level.  There were lots of fish in this display that were familiar to me like bass, bluegills and crappie.  Again, lunch was calling me.

Unfortunately, the otters were sleeping the entire time so we didn't get to enjoy their antics.

Then we moved on to Coldwater Quest where we got to see Nico the beluga whale, octopus, and sea otters.  Outside Coldwater Quest is another touch pool where I got to touch a sea anenome (barely imperceptible to the touch). When you put a finger in their tentacles, they cling on (if I was a fish, I'd be dead then), but you can't feel a thing.

Nico the beluga whale

It was recommended that we save the Ocean Voyager exhibit for last and I'm glad we did.  First you walk through a 100-foot long tunnel under the tank.  This a REALLY cool as fish large and small swim right over your head!


Sawfish

This was a very large fish I named Elvis.  A member of our party said it scared him.

The tank houses the aquarium's 4 whale sharks as well as a huge manta ray, groupers, hammerhead sharks, sawfish, and thousands more fish. 

Then you walk into the auditorium-type area where in front of you is an aquarium window 23 ft. high and 61 ft. wide.  They had a sample of the acrylic window that is 2 ft. thick holding back 6.3 million gallons of water.  Here's a link to the Ocean Voyager webcam - check it out, I just saw the whale shark again!

The Whale Shark is at the top of the photo.



It's good to have a human in the picture so you get an idea of scale.

We didn't pay to take in the Titanic exhibit but still had a great time.  I'd recommend a visit to the Georgia Aquarium if you ever visit Atlanta.  Remember, do the Ocean Voyager last and have fun!

Back from Atlanta and a Mention in "Birding Business" Mag

Just returned yesterday from a trip to Atlanta for the BirdWatch America show and AmericasMart.  Both of these are buying shows, an opportunity to find new product for the store for the first half of the year.

At BirdWatch, I got to talk again with Bill Thompson III who writes the Bill of the Birds blog.  Bill is the editor of BirdWatcher's Digest, a family-run magazine founded by Bill (II) and Elsa Thompson. Elsa is still active in the business, as are Bill III's siblings Andy and Laura.  You always feel welcome at the BirdWatchers Digest booth.

I also chatted with Steve Moore who is behind the BirdwatchRadio website and podcast.  I've listened to Steve's podcast for about a year now and it was nice to talk with him in person.  The link to Steve's podcast is in my "Nature Programs on my iPod" list in the right column.

I also finally met Sharon Stiteler of the Birdchick blog.  Sharon writes for the industry publication "Birding Business".  She has authored a couple books, including "City Birds, Country Birds", which is available at WBU-Saratoga Springs NY.

When I introduced myself to Sharon, she told me that a short article in the December issue of "Birding Business" highlighted The Zen Birdfeeder!  I'd link you to the article but the publication's website is a little behind.

The "Blogging Zen" article was part of their Industry News section, and it gave us a thumbs up by saying that our blog  "...links to an online store. It offers bird tips. And it transcends these basic links with a personality and mission fused into the site..."  The article itself was news to me, but was quite an honor, as those of you who have been mentioned in your industry's media know!  Thanks Sharon for the heads up.

I didn't do any birdwatching while in Atlanta, unlike the Northwest Nature Nut who took in some birding while there.  More on my Atlanta visit in the next post.