[Umpqua Birds] More Wanderers and Wanderings
- From: Matthew G Hunter <matthewghunter@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: umpquabirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 20:52:20 -0700
Two days ago a male PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER was calling just behind the
house. They are normally at least a quarter-mile away.
This morning I could hear another WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, calling out back.
As I mentioned a few days ago, I don't think they breed within a mile or
more, perhaps several miles.
Starting a couple weeks ago, my son Daniel noticed a regular flight of
COMMON RAVENS going northwest near our place each evening. Numbers have
been from about 5 to 10 most evenings. Tonight there were 15. They come by
roughly between 6:30 and 8 pm. So far, most of them look like adults. I
wonder if the numbers will build and continue....
Regarding aging ravens and other birds this time of year: Most larger birds
in the sky this time of year--ravens, crows, vultures, hawks--give us good
views of their flight feathers. Adults of these species are often in molt
during early to mid-summer and on these birds we can see missing feathers,
gaps, or awkward looking wings. In contrast, the young of the year, fledged
for several weeks or months, have a nice full set of feathers, giving the
wings nice full even shapes (they will molt these for the first time next
summer). Sometimes this time of year an adult has a good full set of
feathers, but when you see one with some obvious missing feathers,
especially if the gap is symmetrical, you can be pretty sure it is a
molting adult. This difference fades as summer goes on and the adults
obtain a full set of flight feathers again.
Happy Observing,
Matt Hunter
Melrose, OR
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