Common Murre

This large auk sits upright on sea cliffs, looking like a northern version of a penguin. It swims and dives expertly, but its flight appears labored. For its size, the Common Murre has the most densely packed nesting colonies of any bird species; nests may be so close together that incubating adults are actually touching other adults on both sides. First breeds at age of 4-5 years and then only one egg per year. Nest site is on cliff ledge or on flat stony surface near water. These birds forage while swimming underwater. They dive to more than 150′ below surface when foraging.

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Photos taken at Bird Island, Sitka, Alaska.

Swallow-tailed Kite

In 2011, 2012 and 2014 ARCI deployed GPS-equipped satellite transmitters on 13 Swallow-tailed Kites in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia; and collaborator, Jenn Coulson of Orleans Audubon Society, tagged three additional birds in 2011 in Louisiana and Mississippi – a total of 16 tracked kites. Seven of these birds were still alive and transmitting at the start of the 2015 breeding season.Adult and young-of-the-year that are just two to three months old – are moving about the Southeast, forming foraging flocks by day that prey on insects over pastures and farm fields, and gathering at night in roosts large and small as they prepare for their southbound migration. These may be places they know from prior experience; or, they may find them anew simply by consorting with kites who have learned of these sites in previous years – traditions passed on, an annual ritual that will lead them 5,000 miles to their species’ ancestral wintering grounds.

“Bullfrog” is outfitted with a backpack-style, GPS-equipped solar transmitter bringing the total number of  satellite-tracked Swallow-tailed Kites in the U.S. to nine. 

Northbound migration of seven GPS/satellite-tracked Swallow-tailed Kites from 15 January to 1 March 2015. MIA and Day are the first to return safely to their US home range.

http://www.swallow-tailedkites.org/

Back to 3 Rooker Island

I returned to 3 Rooker Island today to see the nesting gulls and terns and wasn’t disappointed. The Laughing Gull chicks were growing fast and some were able to fly. Still some on the nest with eggs. The Black Skimmers were still nesting. Two pairs of American Oyster catchers had chicks to feed. Thanks to Dawn and Linda down at the other end of the beach. We literally had thousands of birds between us today. Breeding season for the birds runs though August and volunteers will be out every week end. I don’t remember this sign before, but it probably helps to keep us humans behind the ropes..