April 27th, 2007
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| Photo by Glynn Wilson |
| The yellow-crowned night herons have returned to the tributary of Village Creek running through the Roebuck Golf Course, heralding in the spring bird migration in middle Alabamaland. They say it’s a nocturnal species [nyctanassa violacea] of the Southern swamps and coasts, but there are two that fish all day long near tee-box number 12, paying little attention to golfers - or photographers. I was able to walk right up on this one Wednesday and get a really close shot. I call this one Smeagall for the way it sneaks up on the fish. |
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April 26th, 2007
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| A male red-winged blackbird [agelaius phoeniceus] posing on a cattail on a tributary of Village Creek in Roebuck Springs, Alabama. Perhaps the most abundant bird in North America, the red-winged blackbird population is estimated at 190 million. It is a highly polygynous species, with one male having up to 15 different females making nests in his territory, which it fiercely defends during the breeding season. The male vigorously keeps all other males out of the territory and defends the nests from predators, and will attack much larger animals, including horses and people. |
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April 22nd, 2007
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| Photo by Glynn Wilson |
| A female Eastern towhee [pipilo erythrophthalmus] taking a bath during the 2007 spring migration. |
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April 2nd, 2007
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| Photo by Glynn Wilson |
| The spring bird migration is off to a slow start, but the white-throated sparrows are making themselves at home here with their neat little call. |
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February 20th, 2007
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| Photo by Glynn Wilson |
| Woops! I spoke too soon. Just couldn’t resist posting this little tufted titmouse [baeolophus bicolor]. Also, according to Rob Fergus, senior scientist for urban bird conservation at the National Audubon Society, Alabama birders have submitted 224 checklists so far and reported 118 species, even though there are several days left for birders to report. Birmingham has submitted the most checklists, 35, followed by Tuscaloosa with 12 and Anniston with 8. The state report is available in map format at tinyurl.com/2fos5u, and the BirdSource.Org site is still taking reports at birdsource.org/gbbc. |
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