ABC of Birds - W -

[MAK]

Wood Peewee(eastern)   (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

Cool Facts

    * In a forest where several flycatcher species are found, the Eastern Wood-Pewee forages higher in the trees than the Least and Acadian flycatchers, but lower down than the Great Crested Flycatcher.
    * One potential cause of the decline of Eastern Wood-Pewee populations is the overpopulation of white-tailed deer in the Eastern forests. In areas with high deer density, the intermediate canopy is disturbed by browsing, affecting the foraging space of the flycatcher.
    * The Eastern and Western wood-pewees are very difficult to tell apart visually. Their breeding ranges overlap only in a very narrow zone in the Great Plains. Despite their similarity, no evidence has ever been found that the two species interbreed in that area.

[Paul Hamilton]

Gayle had a Willet (Tringa semipalmata) from the West Coast.  Here is one I met up with on Ocracoke Island, NC , last Labor Day weekend.  Notice that it is darker and with more barring than Gayle's bird -- that's characteristic of the Eastern population.  The first picture shows what a noble beast it is. It is a beautiful silver/pewter color and runs rapidly before the surf, staying just ahead of the waves.  Check out the beautiful matte grey color of the beak.  Who could have imagined such a great bird?  When it flies, it goes fast on spectacular, pointed, two-tone wings.

In the second picture, my Willett friend has just scored.  It looks like a mole crab (Emeritia talpoda).  In addition to being Willet chow, Mole crabs are highly sought after for fishing bait on the Outer Banks.

Paul

[dale]

Gayle had a Willet
Paul

"Has just scored" is a funny and nice picture. Mr. Willet occupies all of it.
I don't know willets, at all, so this is all new.
thanks, Paul.

dale

[annieinelkhart]

Crossing my fingers this connection holds up to post this! 

White Headed Woodpecker!  Had to do some Googling so connection is tired!

[MAK]

Nice pic! I've never seen a White-headed Woodpecker. 

[gayle]

A great article appeared in this morning rag on the birds that winter in the Central Valley.  I know we have few California members, but some of you birders may wish to make this area a destination point for the future.  Also the article is just plain interesting!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/16/SPUS1GR0LR.DTL

Gayle

[Aafke]

W is for the White Wagtail

I also choose the White Wagtail. It's a nice bird. I took these pictures in Sweden.
greetings Aafke

[Donna]

Oh very nice Aafke! 

[anneintoronto]

W is for the White Wagtail

I also choose the White Wagtail. It's a nice bird. I took these pictures in Sweden.
greetings Aafke

Lovely photos, Aafke!  I've never heard of a White Wagtail before!  Thanks for such a good introduction!

Anne in Toronto

[Annette]

Whitethroat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitethroat

[Annette]

Wood Duck

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_Duck

Male

Female

[Patti from Kentucky]

W (I'm behind schedule) is for White-earned Hummingbird -- a fairly rare hummingbird we saw in southeast Arizona.

[Patti from Kentucky]

W is for Western Tanager -- one of my favorite reasons to visit the Western states!  This beauty was enjoying the oriole food in southeast Arizona.

[Patti from Kentucky]

W is for White-winged Dove -- again in southeast Arizona...that place was full of birds!

[Patti from Kentucky]

And W, finally, is for White-bellied Parrot.  I took this photo in Amazonian Peru (enough with the Arizona photos, already), from a canopy tower.  I like the quizzical look!