[Cormorant]

Cormorant addendum

Double Crested Cormorants at Mystic Harbor, Connecticut.

Gayle

[Cormorants]

Cormorants

I will mention several types of cormorants in the United States.  The most widespread  is the Double Crested Cormorant.  It winters along all the coasts and breeds in the interior of the US and Canada.  The wingspan is 38â€�.  It is distinguished by two tufts on the crown in breeding season, white in the western population and dark in the eastern one.  It has an orange beak and an orange throat patch.  The kink in its neck is visible when in flight.

Brandt’s Cormorant may be found along the Pacific Coast.  Wingspan is 48â€�.   It has a band of pale feathers around a bright blue throat patch in breeding plumage.  They are abundant on off shore rocks.

The Pelagic Cormorant has a wing span of 39â€� and its range is the Pacific Coast.  It is dark and glossy all over.  Pelagic is something of a misnomer as it is found coast side.

The Red Faced Cormorant’s range extends westward from Alaska through the Aleutions.  And, yes, its face is red.  Wingspan is 40â€�.

The Great Cormorant is found on the Atlantic Coast principally north of the Chesapeake.  Wingspan of 63â€� and it has a white throat patch.

ID photographs are from Cornell.  Tufts image bears the photographer's name.

Gayle

[B]

Thanks for all of the interesting B birds!

Gayle

[Brown Pelican]

Brown Pelican

When I first moved to California in the 60s, there was not a pelican to be seen.  They had been as decimated as their Louisana relatives.  I first saw them in a small rookery on an island off Baja.  The population rebounded but now faces new threats.

Brown pelican in the Galapagos.

Many pelicans on the roof of a fish packing plant, Bahai Magdelena, Baja.

Gayle

[Black-legged kittiwake]

Black-legged kittiwake

The black legged kittiwake is a small to medium sized gull common on the northern Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America.  It breeds on cliffs and is pelagic in winter.

ID photograph from Cornell Lab.

Kittiwakes resting on ice berg off Labrador.

Gayle

Addendemum

The black-legged kittiwake is the predominent gull in many parts of Alaska.  They hang out at the mouths of glaciers.  When an iceberg calves, it stirs up the water and brings prey to the surface.

More boobies from the Galapagos.

Red-footed boobie.

Masked boobie.

Gayle

Boobies

I have long been interested in the reproductive strategies employed by various species to maximize their odds for survival.  Boobies lay two eggs.  The strongest chick, usually the oldest,  gets more food, becomes even stronger, and ultimately commits fratricide by kicking the weaker out of the nest.

Blue-footed boobies in the Galapagos.

Boobie with egg.

Boobie with chick.

Boobies being eyed by a marine iguana.

Blue-footed boobie portrait.

Gayle

Patti, thanks for posting your photographs of the waved albatross.  I was searching for mine!

Gayle

Agapornis

The birthing process is a long one.  I was exhausted just watching it!

Arctic warbler

Nice song and an engaging BBC account.


Avocet

Among my favorite shorebirds.  The are abundant on the shores of San Francisco Bay.

Gayle

Anhinga

The anhinga is also called darter or snakebird.  It sits low in the water with only its long sinuous neck visible, hence the snake reference.  It is a diving bird, but unlike other water birds, it cannot produce oil to protect its feathers so it must frequently dry its wings to prevent its becoming water logged.  It is related to the cormorant and is frequently confused with the double crested cormorant.  I made this photograph in the Tortorguero region of Costa Rica.

A video from Cornell's Macaulay Library:  http://macaulaylibrary.org/video/40389

Gayle

A is for Auk and Auklet!  I love the name!  They are not at all "aukward" but a small elegant birds that live primarily in Arctic regions.  The Auk family includes puffins, murres and guilllemots as well.  My photographs of auks are nothing more than minute specks!  Here is a crested auklet from Wikipedia.

Gayle

Auks in general:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auk

Crested auklet

It is good to see them flying.  They have been grounded for days.

Gayle

The eleven Direct Autumn Release chicks have been released into the company of adult cranes.

http://www.savingcranes.org/dar-cranes-released-october-29-2010.html

Gayle

vermilion. flycatcher. Like this one, for example:
http://tinyurl.com/23chexl
isn't that deranged?

Deranged, but beautiful!

Zenaida macroura: Mourning Dove

Its been fun!