This week in birds - #23

A Snowy Egret in breeding finery cools its feet and waits patiently for a likely snack to reveal itself. 

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Wildlife rehabbers are among the most selfless, dedicated, and, at this time of year, sleepless individuals around. They often do their work in a room of their own house or apartment, but, in New York City, there is now a new facility dedicated for the work of  rehabilitating injured or orphaned wildlife.  

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The National Geographic website has posted some wonderful pictures of songbirds. Give yourself a treat and fly by for a look.

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In my book, photographing wildlife of any kind is never easy and dragonflies are definitely in that category, but here are some suggestions that are supposed to make photographing dragonflies easier. 

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Fifty years ago this year the publication of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson gave an impetus to a fledgling environmental movement in this country. Reading it sent chills down the spine of many that summer. It depicted a world of horror; not an imaginary one but one that was happening right before our eyes. If you've never read the book, this summer might be a good time to do it. It is still relevant and, unfortunately, some of the horror is still happening.  

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Six thousand acres of primary rainforest in Guatemala have been set aside to be protected for the preservation of endangered reptiles, but the conservation area will benefit all wild species in the area including many birds.

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B95, a legendary 19-year-old Red Knot, has been sighted on a beach in New Jersey. 

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Many endemic Hawaiian birds are facing extinction because of habitat loss and the introduction onto the islands of invasive species that prey on the birds or compete with them for breeding territories. The "Scientist at Work" blog in the New York Times recounts efforts to save the birds. 

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A public outcry in the U.K. has caused the government to abandon plans to trap Buzzards and destroy their nests. These birds are a protected species, so why was the government going to kill them? To protect pheasants and preserve them for humans to hunt and kill! The Buzzards kill pheasants to live. The humans kill pheasants for sport. I think the Buzzards control the moral high ground here.

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Look! Up in the sky! It's not a bird! It's not a plane! It's Venus and it is transversing the sun next Tuesday just at sunset. If you are in a position to watch the setting sun, you may see the black dot that is Venus crossing its face. If you miss it next week, you'll have to hang around until 2117 to witness the transit of Venus on its next trip across the face of the sun.

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Conservationists are asking the U.S. Forest Service to stop logging in a post-fire area near Lake Tahoe in order to save chicks of the endangered Black-backed Woodpecker that are in nests there.

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Large moths, known as sphinx moths or hawk moths and sometimes mistaken for hummingbirds, are able to discern from the humidity emanating from a flower whether or not it is worth their time to visit. Clever moths!

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Around the backyard: Things have been quiet around my yard this week. The heat is getting to the birds, even as it gets to the birder. Except for the morning chorus and the late afternoon chorus, during much of the day, birdsong is mostly absent. The birds are continuing to hit the feeders pretty hard.

In emptying the feeders, the birds often get a helping paw from one of these characters, one of many local fox squirrels.

Regardless of the heat, Daddy Cardinal continues leading his newly-fledged brood around the yard, introducing them to all the best places to find food - another reason why the feeders are often empty these days!