Hawks and Hummingbirds – birds commonly seen in the Urban Forest.
Since mid-2020 on the last Thursday of the month, birding enthusiasts descend upon the Urban Forest. They use an application called eBird to count all birds they spy during their visit. Here’s what the eBird website says about the impact their efforts have:
“eBird plays an increasingly important and diverse role in applied science and conservation. eBird data contribute to hundreds of conservation decisions and peer-reviewed papers, thousands of student projects, and help inform research worldwide. Applications of eBird data range from research and monitoring to conservation planning, including tangible conservation actions such as site and habitat management, species management, habitat protection, and informing law and policy…we are committed to ensuring that your data will be put to the best use possible for research, conservation, and education.
“eBird data document bird distribution, abundance, habitat use, and trends. Birders enter when, where, and how they went birding, and then fill out a checklist of all the birds seen and heard during the outing.”
Boundaries of the HB Urban Forest survey are: HB Central Park Dog Park and equestrian stables to the north, Edward’s to the east, Ellis Avenue to the south and Goldenwest Street to the west. Bird reports are submitted by lead birder Lena Hayashi.
August 27, 2021 Survey Results
27 species observed, 236 individuals
It was calm, clear, and sunny; temperatures in the low 70s rising to a humid 80 degrees. We had three “Jims” (Kendall, Currie and Stacy), Ellen Tipping, Betty Kanne, Brenda Sabin, Nancy Kappelmann, and Maureen Myers, along with me, to survey the start of fall migration. Thanks much to Ellen for recording the count on eBird.
Some species, like the House Wrens and Spotted Towhees, seem to take up singing again after being silent during nesting. The House Finches were abundant as the UF plants produce seeds after blooming.
The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher has returned to winter at the Urban Forest and the Hooded Orioles, that breed here, will soon leave and head south to their wintering grounds. A Western Tanager was seen today and more will be traveling through in the next month. Of interest were two Dark-eyed Juncos in the corralled area of the Urban Forest. These montane birds seem to be nesting in lower elevations and perhaps nested somewhere nearby. It is normally rare in August to have them here. It will be interesting for us to keep an eye out for them and see if they are present all year around.
These observations are really a credit to the habitat created to support these birds. Thank you to all who volunteer and work so laboriously throughout the year to make the Urban Forest what it is today.
Thanks to Dave Telford, Jim Kendall, Betty Kanne, and Jim Currie for coming out this morning to conduct the monthly survey. It was a beautiful morning, clear, calm, in the low 70’s with a light and cool ocean breeze. The begging calls of juvenile songbirds from last month were replaced by immature hawks. Two juvenile Cooper’s Hawks were just outside on a wonderfully placed dead snag in the garden facing the stables and Goldenwest Street. After they called, they flew off, but not before we had the opportunity to take some great photos. Many thanks to the volunteers who created that garden for people and wildlife to enjoy!
Later, as we were walking along the creek paralleling Ellis where the creek makes a 90-degree turn, we heard different hawk sounds in the sycamores. It took some time to find the first juvenile Cooper’s Hawk in the foliage. As we watched its bill, we realized it was not the only one making those sounds. There were a total of three juvenile Cooper’s Hawks!
Hummingbirds were plentiful in the fragrant and beautifully colored butterfly gardens. What a delight it was for us to just stand and watch them feed as they flew from one flower to another. However, there were probably as many Green Fruit Beetles as birds today. They are beautiful too!
It was a beautiful morning–clear, calm and a bit overcast in the early hours, but soon brightened up with sunshine and temperatures in the 60s. Thanks to Dave and Sharon Telford, Jim Kendall, Betty Kanne, and Brenda Sabin for coming out to conduct the monthly survey. Special thanks to Brenda for recording the count on eBird.
We quickly realized our ears needed to tune onto the sounds of recently fledged birds and begging noises of those still needing their parents to feed them. It is nice to know we can now document some of the breeding birds in the Urban Forest. A juvenile California Towhee and a Dark-eyed Junco were seen on the ground within the corralled trees on top of the hill. Young Orange-crowned Warblers were on the branches, fluttering their wings and begging for food. Small flocks of House Finches were doing the same as were the Lesser and American Goldfinches and Bushtits. The nest boxes were all quiet but we are quite sure the Western Bluebirds and House Wrens were successful breeders. Perhaps some are working on a second clutch. Of note, the Lawrence’s Goldfinch was previously documented to have successfully nested in the Urban Forest within the last two months, though we did not see or hear any of them today. Allen’s and Anna’s Hummingbirds are everywhere and definitely nested also.
The Urban Forest is landscaped with all shapes and sizes of vibrantly colored plants in full bloom. We noticed a truckload of trees being planted on the westside hill and look forward to additional habitat and wildlife in the coming years. It’s non-stop work here by the dedicated volunteers. Kudos to them!
Sharon and Dave Telford, Jim Currie, Lena Hayashi, Barbara Wasbin, Betty Kanne, Jim Kendall, Mark Johnston, and Brenda Sabin, enjoyed a slightly overcast, but pleasant, clear and calm day with temperatures in the 60s when they set out in May to count all the birds they could see and hear.
The majority of migrants have now passed through this part of the Pacific Flyway, as evidenced by the drop in the number of species from last month’s survey high of 48, to 34 this morning. The growth and expansion of habitat in the Urban Forest has provided these birds more acreage to find rest and food sources, and to better ensure their success along their journey to reach their nesting grounds.
For us, now is the time to enjoy the absolutely beautiful blooms of countless plants, flowering shrubs and leafed out trees in the Urban Forest. The forever hard-working volunteers must feel so much satisfaction in seeing the fruits of their labor during this season. The colors are brilliant and the experience enchanting. The surveyors couldn’t be more content while counting and studying the resident and visiting birds of the Urban Forest.
The most vocal nesting birds that can be heard throughout the Urban Forest are the House Wrens, California Towhees, Spotted Towhees, Common Yellowthroats, American and Lesser Goldfinches and the non-native Swinhoe’s White-eyes. A Bushtit, mouth filled with fluff and other nesting material, was seen which means a nest is in the making in a nearby tree. The site of the Lesser Goldfinch nest we saw a female sitting on two months ago is now empty and we hope the chicks fledged successfully. Laura, a UF volunteer, will be happy to know the bluebird box she put up was observed with a male and female Western Bluebird going in and out to feed their young. Many Anna’s and Allen’s Hummingbirds were doing their characteristic mating displays and the sound of hummers flying was everywhere! Flycatchers were plentiful. We had 5 Ash-throated Flycatchers, a Western Wood-Pewee, 4 Pacific-slope Flycatchers, 7 Cassin’s Kingbirds and 5 Western Kingbirds, and 7 of our familiar Black Phoebes. We also had 5 Warbling Vireos and a Cassin’s Vireo.
What a joy it was to walk through the Urban Forest in the spring, to be outside and in nature, and see plants and animals celebrate this time to reproduce and show off their beauty. What could be better? Many thanks to Brenda Sabin for keeping the eBird list, Jim and Dave for their photos, Sheila Holliday for posting the results and list, and of course Jean Nagy and her crew!
Details: Unusual vocalization – clear, tonal and fairly long whistle-like note followed by usual pweee ending. Initially thought it was from two different birds but when it flew away, it continued with the two sounds from another location. Syrinx capable of two sounds almost simultaneously.
It was a beautiful sunny, clear, and calm morning with the temperature in the 60s when Lena Hayashi, Jim Kendall, Betty Kanne, Brenda Sabin, Ellen Tipping, Ellyn Siskind, Barbara Wasbin, Mark Johnston, and Jim Currie began, and around 72 when we finished. We were all anxious to see what birds would be seen during this best month for spring migration. We were not disappointed. We had 349 individual birds and 48 species!
We decided to go together as one group directly to the top of the Urban Forest so we could enjoy the expected migrants around the wonderfully shaded area around the corralled trees. After spending two hours there, we divided into two groups and birded another hour along the more open-spaced grassy areas along Goldenwest and Edwards.
It was like being in a candy store for birders! We were sweetly surprised and delighted with sightings everywhere. We had 2 Hermit Warblers, a Townsend’s, 3 Black-throated Grays, and 6 Wilson’s Warblers on their way north to nest in our western states, Canada and beyond. Our resident and nesting warblers, Orange-crowned and Common Yellowthroat were singing their songs in the hope of attracting mates.
Though towhees are usually found on the ground foraging, the California and Spotted were both high off the ground to broadcast their songs more efficiently. This is when it is easy to confuse the Black-head Grosbeaks with the Spotted Towhees as their coloring is so similar.
A Bushtit, mouth filled with fluff and other nesting material, was seen which means a nest is in the making in a nearby tree. The site of the Lesser Goldfinch nest we saw last month seemed to still be active. Laura, a UF volunteer, will be happy to know the bluebird box she put up was observed with a male Western Bluebird hanging outside the hole (see photo). Not sure if he was checking out the box of if a female was inside. Both Anna’s and Allen’s Hummingbirds were each doing their characteristic mating displays and the sound of hummers flying was everywhere! Flycatchers were plentiful. We had 5 Ash-throated Flycatchers, a Western Wood-Pewee, 4 Pacific-slope Flycatchers, 7 Cassin’s Kingbirds and 5 Western Kingbirds, and 7 of our familiar Black Phoebes. We also had 5 Warbling Vireos and a Cassin’s Vireo.
What a joy it is to walk through the Urban Forest in the Spring, to be outside and in nature and see plants and animals celebrate this time to reproduce and show off their beauty. What could be better? It is fabulously beautiful for the visitors and it must be so rewarding for all the volunteers to reap what they worked so hard to sow. Many thanks to Jean Nagy and all the volunteers!
“On a brisk morning, in the 50’s with mostly overcast skies, Lena Hayashi, Betty Kanne, Jim Kendall, Dave and Sharon Telford, Sandy Smith, Jim Currie, Mark Johnston and Barbara Wasbin, divided up into two groups to count the birds of the Urban Forest. One group started in the grasslands along Edwards Street while the other counted in the grasslands along Goldenwest Street, both meeting up to survey the “top” together. Whenever the sun decided to peek out of the clouds, the birds would respond by singing and perching up on branches. We saw a number of hummingbirds doing their mating displays. The Anna’s flies high, straight up into the sky and then dive bombs down and right at the last second, making a “pop” sound with its wings, it completes its “J” shaped display. Allen’s fly up, but not as high as the Anna’s, and then down, and starts a shallow, back and forth, pendulum-like, rocking display. A number of California Towhees sat high on branches but none seemed to be inclined to sing in the cold, overcast morning.
“Now that Spring has sprung, we will be looking for the birds that actually nest in the Urban Forest. Today, the Lesser Goldfinch is the first nesting species found in the Urban Forest! Jim Kendall happened to see a bird flying into a young pine tree and then heard another bird and saw wings flapping and the first bird feeding the second and then fly off. After a considerable amount of time, we located the nest and watched from a distance. At first, we thought it was a parent feeding young but with the use of a scope, we realized the bird was sitting on the nest, not in it, and could see its feathers were fully developed. After a bit of research, it was found that Lesser Goldfinches usually nest from April to July on the west coast. This one is a little early, maybe due to climate change. The female usually sits quietly, with its tail cocked up at an angle, which this one did, and will lay 4-6 eggs. We will be excited to check on them at the April survey and give an update.”– Lena Hayashi
Despite an ominous forecast of very high winds, four birders came out for this month’s survey. Fortunately, the winds were not nearly as high as predicted, the temperature ranged from 55 to 70 degrees, and we were able to observe 35 species and 275 birds.
This Thursday was a cool, sunny, clear, calm 50 degrees. Observations of 32 species and 353 individuals were conducted by Lena Hayashi with Ellen Tipping (ebird), Jim Kendall, Betty Kanne, Jim Currie, Dave and Sharon Tellford. The birders were grateful to be able to survey before the big rain began that evening.
Among the many birds observed on New Year’s Eve 2020 was this Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, photographed by Birder Lena Hayashi.
In 3 hours and 36 minutes on a calm, 48-62 degree New Year’s Eve day, 9 birders observed 36 species and 382 birds. Birders were delighted to meet Jack, an 11-year-old HB Tree Society volunteer who joined them for awhile. One birder loaned him binoculars and all of them took Jack under their wings. Jack learned quickly how to use the face of a clock to direct observers to where he was seeing a bird. He is a natural!
Eight birders spent 3 hours and 7 minutes on this month’s survey on a 54-60 degree, sunny, calm, clear day. There were 36 species observed (331 individuals).
Details: 1 male and female in open field on Sycamore and sign posts by Edwards.
Second female down creek path before the crossing up toward Goldenwest.
© Lena Hayashi Macaulay Library
© James Kendall Macaulay Library
© James Kendall Macaulay Library
House Wren, © James Kendall Macaulay Library
House Wren, © James Kendall Macaulay Library