WINGSCAPES

No Other Red Will Do

Even though the Ruby-throated Hummingbird carries the description of its most distinguishing quality right in its own name, there are certain moments when one sees a male of the species, either in life or in a photograph, and stops transfixed, thinking “What an absolutely perfect name it is by which we call this little flying gem!”

 

Such an image was recently shared with us in the BirdCam Photo Gallery by Sue from Dracut, Massachusetts. Captured in flight and positioned perfectly to allow the light full play across his iridescent gorget, he displays a shade of red on his throat that is so warm, so glowing and translucent that comparison to no other object than a ruby can suffice to describe it.

Hawkmoth!

One of the great things about perusing the WIngscapes photo gallery is all the surprises it contains; for example, the amazing image of this hawkmoth that was recorded and uploaded by John in Charleston, South Carolina.

 
Thanks to the flash on the BirdCam 2.0, John was able to record what we think is the first ever BirdCam image of a moth. Just how this particular moth, tenatively identified as a Pink-spotted Hawkmoth (Agrius cingulata), lacking the heat signature of a warm-blooded creature managed to trigger the camera is unclear. Nevertheless we are thrilled to be able to share the resulting picture here with everyone and to extend a hearty "Thanks!" and "Well done!" to John.

Backyard Monks

While we're not certain if Rick from Tamarac, Florida has ever had an Orange Bishop on his landing, thanks to the marvelous series of images he took with his Audubon BirdCam and uploaded to the Wingscapes Photo Gallery we do know that his mother has little green monks in her backyard - Monk Parakeets that is. 

Not native to Florida, or anywhere else in the United States for that matter, Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) were imported from South America to the U.S. by the thousands in the 1960s to be kept as pets. Many escaped and others were simply released; thus there are now tens of thousands of these birds in localized populations in several states from Florida to Washington.

By the way, sorry for the obscrure Monty Python's Flying Circus allusion - it just fit too well not to include. The Orange Bishop (Euplectes franciscanus) is another non-native species imported - in this case from Africa - for similar reasons as the Monk Parakeet; however while it was found in Florida during the 1990s, it is now thought to have been successfully extirpated from the state.

Happy Labor Day!

While birds “neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns,” they most certainly do labor – particularly in the construction of nests. This being Labor Day in the United States we thought it therefore appropriate to stop for a moment and consider just what a monumental effort this actually is for them.

 
Using only their beaks either to chisel out or carry all the needed materials to the nesting site, each year millions upon millions of nesting birds create a structure that provides both shelter from the elements as well as protection and concealment against predators. Even if they nest in a box or birdhouse like these bluebirds, they still must build the actual nest inside it; the box is just the foundation.

It makes us tired just thinking about it. Thank goodness we have the day off today.