tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18138200738463107492024-03-15T04:59:12.520-02:30 Birding Newfoundland with Dave BrownOffering Custom birding and photography vacations on the edge of the earth!Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-5787797428859950902019-09-28T20:24:00.004-02:302019-09-28T20:24:40.639-02:30Wood Pewee<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
**Note This blog is posted in an effort to illicit responses from people with experience identifying silent Wood Pewees in the field. A general discussion of Wood Pewee identification will follow at a later date.**</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
The following Wood Pewee was photographed yesterday on the French islands of St.Pierre et Miquelon (just off the south coast of Newfoundland).</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
I am requesting opinions and comments from those with experience separating Eastern and Western Wood Pewee.</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
The bird seems to have some characters that are good for Western Wood Pewee, including the overall very dusky coloration below, weak upper wing bar and seemingly entirely dark lower mandible. </div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
Eastern Wood Pewee is an annual rarity in Newfoundland, but this would be a late date even for that species.</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
Can we conclusively identify silent pit of range Wood Pewees?</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0dw2_GDxGKA/XY_jGGj3gLI/AAAAAAAACy0/M2PBg7cFF9Y7hjzJ99z_hY13D1D9x9srACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2938.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Wood Pewee Identification" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="425" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0dw2_GDxGKA/XY_jGGj3gLI/AAAAAAAACy0/M2PBg7cFF9Y7hjzJ99z_hY13D1D9x9srACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2938.PNG" title="" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Pewee St.Pierre et Miquelon Photo: Joël detcheverry</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-noqcheadp3M/XY_jcQMr5VI/AAAAAAAACy8/8VBIfD1avQY_zpXhIw_CIgYHvzAvDjgbACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2939.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wood Pewee Identification" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="425" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-noqcheadp3M/XY_jcQMr5VI/AAAAAAAACy8/8VBIfD1avQY_zpXhIw_CIgYHvzAvDjgbACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2939.PNG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Photo:Joël detcheverry</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com359tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-62541358509395298292019-02-22T20:20:00.001-03:302019-02-22T20:21:39.020-03:30Saving a Yellow-legged Gull Photo Op!This is a story about an encounter I had with a Yellow-legged Gull many years ago ( 8 years ago to be exact). For the unfamiliar, Yellow-legged Gull is a much sought after Gull species in North America. There are not that many records and most of the good ones are from here in St.John's, where it has been mostly annual (sometimes multiple individuals) for almost 20 years.<br />
<br />
Our particular brand of Yellow-legged Gull are thought to originate in Azores, which is approximately 2500 km's to our east. This is not meant to be an ID piece, so I won't get into details of why our bird's are thought to be Azorean, but if you are curious, feel free to message me or comment here and I'm happy to explain.<br />
<br />
If you are a dedicated Gull watcher and know what to look for, most winters, you can get some good looks at Yellow-legged Gull in St.John's. However, good looks don't always equate to good photos. While I have seen Yellow-legged Gull very well many times and have logged many hours of combined observation time over the years, rarely do you see these birds up close an personal. It's even more unusual to get good flight shots, and even rarer still to get an opportunity for that classic (head forward, wings raise vertically) stretching pose. Personally, this is one of my favorite poses to capture in photos and getting the chance to get a Yellow-legged Gull in this pose, at close range, is somewhat akin to winning the rare bird photography lottery.<br />
<br />
One afternoon I was doing my regular rounds, Quidi Vidi Lake, Pier 17 sewer outflow and lastly Harvey Wharf (sadly, the latter two locations are gone!). When I got to Harvey Wharf, I was looking through the Gulls and I could hardly believe my eyes, there was a (the) Yellow-legged Gull. While it has been a known bird, it wasn't seen in this spot very often. It was not real close, but closer than normal. Then just as I get my camera in position a flush, and all the Gulls lift off. I figured this was it for my Yellow-legged Gull photo ops. Amazingly, the bird circled back and landing right in front of me! At the time I was using a Canon 300mm f4 and a 1.4 extender, there was no zoom option, just a static magnification. I could hardly believe my luck. I started blasting off shots of the standing bird, not even considering that it might do anything interesting. Then I noticed it was starting to stretch. The bird was so close I could hardly fit it in the frame as it was (not usually an issue!), I knew I would not be able to fit the bird and it's stretched wings in the frame. However, there was a solution. I shot off frames of the bird, then adjusted slightly to get the wings, the photos below were the result.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w7iDRlESxGQ/XHCIsrkRuOI/AAAAAAAAClA/M2KHIt0WIA0niGoy60yKjFiWyGlIyPVNwCLcBGAs/s1600/YLGU%2528original1%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1051" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w7iDRlESxGQ/XHCIsrkRuOI/AAAAAAAAClA/M2KHIt0WIA0niGoy60yKjFiWyGlIyPVNwCLcBGAs/s320/YLGU%2528original1%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YLGU stretching, late Dec, 2011, St.John's, NL</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n86ziXy4En0/XHCIslqBZNI/AAAAAAAAClE/zC_TvmYue847kuAn8gBtA-o4YwXU-ti-QCLcBGAs/s1600/YLGU%2528original2%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1051" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n86ziXy4En0/XHCIslqBZNI/AAAAAAAAClE/zC_TvmYue847kuAn8gBtA-o4YwXU-ti-QCLcBGAs/s320/YLGU%2528original2%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rest of the YLGU, stretching, late Dec 2011, St.John's, NL</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
Well, what was I going to do with this.I had half a bird, posts, boards etc all over the place. Seemingly, not the makings of a good photo. However, it could be saved! While I am not usually one to spend a lot of time on post processing, I felt it was justified in this case. So I went about stitching the photos together and cloning out the distracting elements from the foreground and background. The result is the photo below.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sBKhxw-53Cs/XHCJm6fY4TI/AAAAAAAAClQ/lzZ44VtQCJ87Yx-354ZMFuOrLXE9TdVYgCLcBGAs/s1600/YLGU%2528dec28.09%2529wingstretch.blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="821" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sBKhxw-53Cs/XHCJm6fY4TI/AAAAAAAAClQ/lzZ44VtQCJ87Yx-354ZMFuOrLXE9TdVYgCLcBGAs/s320/YLGU%2528dec28.09%2529wingstretch.blog.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YLGU stretching, late Dec, 2011, St.John's NL<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After some effort in photo shop I was quite pleased with the result. To this day I have never has an opportunity like this again.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com179tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-13846504445999443292019-02-15T12:47:00.001-03:302019-02-15T13:08:35.887-03:30Lamenting the Black-headed Gulls of St.John'sBlack-headed Gull is a nice bird to see in North America. Though, not outstandingly rare, it is appreciated wherever it turns up. While it is an extremely common species in the UK, it is a treat to see on our side of the Atlantic.There was a time not too long ago, when one could see 100+ Black-headed Gulls in a day in St.John's. Sadly, those days are gone with the loss of the St.John's sewer outlet. While the flow of raw sewage isn't missed, the gulls it attracted, including North America's only regular wintering flock of Black-headed Gulls, are greatly missed by long time St.John's birders.<br />
<br />
I was reminded of how dramatically the situation with Black-headed Gulls has changed in St.John's, when a birding friend sent me a message excitedly announcing that "5 Black-headed Gulls were seen at Quidi Vidi Lake".Just a few years ago this was not even a notable species in the city and 5 would have been considered an extremely low number. However, with the endless buffet of human waste and the associated upwelling or marine life, from the outflow of sewage water, the Black-headed Gulls have left the city for parts unknown. There are still a few around the city if you look hard enough and they can still be seen at a few other 'natural' locations', where there are productive tidal beaches, such as Bellvue Beach and Spaniard's Bay to name a couple. Also, Newfoundland does still also host the (only known?) breeding Black-headed Gulls in North America at Stephenville Crossing, where several pairs nest among the much more abundant Ring-billed Gulls.<br />
<br />
I'll end this here and leave you with a photo montage. I particularly miss the excellent photo opportunities I've had with the species, particularly the beautiful adults in alternate plumage.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oZMyCfLib5s/XGbjJ1zGI0I/AAAAAAAACj8/r0hETwAamYAe94kHPpuzp5QMU2HABkf7wCEwYBhgL/s1600/BHGU%2528Portrait.1%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="620" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oZMyCfLib5s/XGbjJ1zGI0I/AAAAAAAACj8/r0hETwAamYAe94kHPpuzp5QMU2HABkf7wCEwYBhgL/s320/BHGU%2528Portrait.1%2529.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-headed Gull, St.John's, April</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1xQbFzP8lcQ/XGbjOfEfq0I/AAAAAAAACj8/ikDfo_nHu6gn0TQalK-f6eTOfPuGCVK0gCEwYBhgL/s1600/BHGU.flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1213" height="232" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1xQbFzP8lcQ/XGbjOfEfq0I/AAAAAAAACj8/ikDfo_nHu6gn0TQalK-f6eTOfPuGCVK0gCEwYBhgL/s320/BHGU.flight.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>BHGU, St.John's, April</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdyx_kIqBtI/XGbjddtQNII/AAAAAAAACkM/mv9ndpgoOgkbDCIIvcYncqkBqS7ZF3lkwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Black-headed%2BGull%2528adult.10.27.09%25293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="932" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdyx_kIqBtI/XGbjddtQNII/AAAAAAAACkM/mv9ndpgoOgkbDCIIvcYncqkBqS7ZF3lkwCEwYBhgL/s320/Black-headed%2BGull%2528adult.10.27.09%25293.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>BHGU, St.John's, January</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hy9OxHcYFEo/XGbjTyh_HMI/AAAAAAAACkE/9Fa-k_Z7qAgQ8JgF4O4mMXDTpIBe33xTQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Black-headed%2BGull%2528adult.10.27.09%25292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="1062" height="189" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hy9OxHcYFEo/XGbjTyh_HMI/AAAAAAAACkE/9Fa-k_Z7qAgQ8JgF4O4mMXDTpIBe33xTQCEwYBhgL/s320/Black-headed%2BGull%2528adult.10.27.09%25292.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>BHGU, St. John's, January</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xnn6LxB1UQo/XGbjJ0ufM2I/AAAAAAAACj8/Gb5m0NqaKv0dqxVatWOv0584wZSGKmMOwCEwYBhgL/s1600/BHGU%2528flight%2Bfor%2Bworkshop%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="936" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xnn6LxB1UQo/XGbjJ0ufM2I/AAAAAAAACj8/Gb5m0NqaKv0dqxVatWOv0584wZSGKmMOwCEwYBhgL/s320/BHGU%2528flight%2Bfor%2Bworkshop%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>BHGU, St.John's, adult in front, 1st cycle in background. January</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5oGH45_o8b4/XGbjrNNXBUI/AAAAAAAACkU/Vg712G2fnXAsYdtMSaibfPrTE6pnzlysQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Black-headed%2BGull.NLP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="937" height="219" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5oGH45_o8b4/XGbjrNNXBUI/AAAAAAAACkU/Vg712G2fnXAsYdtMSaibfPrTE6pnzlysQCEwYBhgL/s320/Black-headed%2BGull.NLP.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>BHGU, Topsail, Newfoundland, January</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-teZEAweEC8E/XGbjjG2bMWI/AAAAAAAACkQ/Px-iQpPDu2c1qvfk5qmWrco2ReNY4pf4gCEwYBhgL/s1600/Black-headed%2BGull.1st%2Bwinter2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="892" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-teZEAweEC8E/XGbjjG2bMWI/AAAAAAAACkQ/Px-iQpPDu2c1qvfk5qmWrco2ReNY4pf4gCEwYBhgL/s320/Black-headed%2BGull.1st%2Bwinter2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>BHGU, 1st cycle, St.John's, January</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7XQQHfWCwxQ/XGbjOMK8cdI/AAAAAAAACj4/KZe0in-RN2E5VwahsZ6PdAmKSYSc5vb_gCEwYBhgL/s1600/BHGU.adult.workshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="950" height="239" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7XQQHfWCwxQ/XGbjOMK8cdI/AAAAAAAACj4/KZe0in-RN2E5VwahsZ6PdAmKSYSc5vb_gCEwYBhgL/s320/BHGU.adult.workshop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>BHGU, almost complete alternate plurchmage, St.John's, Ma</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4G2WWHsmMiE/XGbjOXxm8qI/AAAAAAAACkE/08h0XP8Wa9wvcN3PxUoOMIv-dVr7WtNzACEwYBhgL/s1600/BHGU%2528Portrait.3%2529alternate%2Bcrop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="767" height="283" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4G2WWHsmMiE/XGbjOXxm8qI/AAAAAAAACkE/08h0XP8Wa9wvcN3PxUoOMIv-dVr7WtNzACEwYBhgL/s320/BHGU%2528Portrait.3%2529alternate%2Bcrop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-headed Gull, showing why it's name is a misnomer. Nicely showing it's brown head here. St.John's, April</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ETsk9PujXLw/XGblLP_XPlI/AAAAAAAACkc/aoGEM54bTlwEs9nhaqIRPIaMOvZFnkf5wCLcBGAs/s1600/BHGU%2BSilhoutteNLP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="756" height="246" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ETsk9PujXLw/XGblLP_XPlI/AAAAAAAACkc/aoGEM54bTlwEs9nhaqIRPIaMOvZFnkf5wCLcBGAs/s320/BHGU%2BSilhoutteNLP.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Black-headed Gull silhouetted against setting sun. St.John's, April</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible, please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not, you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!</span></div>
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com124tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-2158038270799375852019-02-12T19:53:00.000-03:302019-02-15T13:09:53.183-03:30Separation of 1st and 2nd cycle Glaucous Gull (Larus Hyperboreous)This is just a short article in response to a recent discussion on the North American Gulls facebook group regarding ageing Glaucous Gulls and separating 1st and 2nd cycle birds in particular. During fall and early winter most individuals can be separated easily enough, but as birds begin to wear and bleach things can become a bit more tricky for people that aren't fortunate to have the daily access to Glaucous Gulls of all ages like we have in Newfoundland in winter.<br />
<br />
In general 2nd cycle Glaucous Gulls in fall and winter are relatively unpatterned or blotchy looking birds, but are never as neatly pattered as some first cycle birds, particularly in wing coverts. Things get tricky when some first cycle birds are particularly pale or become faded and bleached later in the season. As as general rule if you see a pure white glaucous gull (Oct-February) it will most often be a 2nd cycle bird (at least, this holds true for birds I see in eastern Newfoundland). One should also be sure to check the eye color. All 1st cycle Glaucous Gulls in fall and winter have dark eyes, while 2nd cycle birds can be variably pale, some being, clear yellow or creamy yellow, as in adults.<br />
<br />
Occasionally, 2nd cycle Glaucous Gulls can appear to have dark eyes from even close range. Very close inspection of these individuals reveals the eye to be honey brown and not as dark as in 1st cycle birds. These bird can be accurately aged by combination of pure white or blotchy plumage and bill pattern with slightly reduced black and small pale tip. Beware of 2nd cycle Iceland Gulls (Kumliens) show a bi-colored bill and can match Glaucous Gull in plumage in their second cycle. However, these birds are often much smaller, smaller billed, with a more rounded head and longer wings than any Glaucous Gull. As well, on close inspection the bills of 2nd cycle Iceland Gulls are often have fleshy or greenish tones in the base of the bill and not the pinkish tones of Glaucous Gulls.<br />
<br />
Below are a series of photos of both 1st and 2nd cycle Glaucous Gulls, highlighting the features discussed above.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IgxcVVYbup0/XGMRqc38HJI/AAAAAAAACiE/MVM5HHCrUckAB3-SezugJbE4iW7BrtpEgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Glaucous%2BGull.1st%2Bwinter.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="838" height="231" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IgxcVVYbup0/XGMRqc38HJI/AAAAAAAACiE/MVM5HHCrUckAB3-SezugJbE4iW7BrtpEgCEwYBhgL/s320/Glaucous%2BGull.1st%2Bwinter.2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>1st cycle Glaucous Gull, St.John's, NL, Jan. Note finely patterned wing coverts, dark eye and bi-colored bill, with all black tip.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XWKvhLNzyE4/XGMRZEJHEHI/AAAAAAAAChs/v6x1sblBbckXY3yZx89sj7pdHRg-suZAgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Glaucous%2BGull.juv.2%2B%2528well%2Bmarked%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1323" data-original-width="1600" height="264" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XWKvhLNzyE4/XGMRZEJHEHI/AAAAAAAAChs/v6x1sblBbckXY3yZx89sj7pdHRg-suZAgCEwYBhgL/s320/Glaucous%2BGull.juv.2%2B%2528well%2Bmarked%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>1st cycle Glaucous Gull, St.John's, NL, December. A particularly well patterned individual that should never be confused with a 2nd winter bird. Note also, dark eye and typical bi-colored bill with all dark tip.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LDMdO24cYN8/XGMRwxVkEqI/AAAAAAAACiI/8g_IG-HThXAfKa19LPKcJtzlJA_X8Tp7wCEwYBhgL/s1600/Glaucous%2BGull.1st%2Bwinter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="1003" height="187" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LDMdO24cYN8/XGMRwxVkEqI/AAAAAAAACiI/8g_IG-HThXAfKa19LPKcJtzlJA_X8Tp7wCEwYBhgL/s320/Glaucous%2BGull.1st%2Bwinter.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>1st cycle Glaucous Gull, St.John's, NL, Jan. Again note patterning on wing coverts and lack of blotchy appearance. Also, dark eye and bi-colored bill, with all dark tip.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mlj1L0R8LLI/XGMRqXz35MI/AAAAAAAACiI/cKwsLSkvIvIn29amS8U7byP0b_iAuv0ggCEwYBhgL/s1600/Glaucous%2BGull.1st%2Bwinter.4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="786" height="206" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mlj1L0R8LLI/XGMRqXz35MI/AAAAAAAACiI/cKwsLSkvIvIn29amS8U7byP0b_iAuv0ggCEwYBhgL/s320/Glaucous%2BGull.1st%2Bwinter.4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>1st cycle Glaucous Gull, St.John's, NL, Jan. A somewhat pale individual, though note consistent patterning throughout scapulars and wing coverts- dark eye, bi-coloured bill, with pink base and all dark tip.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BtIUaiaguBM/XGMRWWbVx6I/AAAAAAAAChk/bwDSCeJkx04AOIzOLP2DASZItzOm-vdUACEwYBhgL/s1600/Glaucous%2BGull.2ndcycle.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1089" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BtIUaiaguBM/XGMRWWbVx6I/AAAAAAAAChk/bwDSCeJkx04AOIzOLP2DASZItzOm-vdUACEwYBhgL/s400/Glaucous%2BGull.2ndcycle.1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>2nd cycle Glaucous Gull, St.John's, NL, January. Note much plainer body plumage than 1st cycle birds. Overall much whiter, and lacking consistent pattering on scapulars and wing coverts. Differing from 1st cycle birds above is pale eye and bill, with slight pale indentation along the cutting edge and slightly pale tip.</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nPvoWSredi0/XGNTbLU7usI/AAAAAAAACi0/PaVr40Oc76w8Znh3dqN3HC2T03UBXa51QCLcBGAs/s1600/Glaucous%2BGull.2ndcycle.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1525" data-original-width="1600" height="304" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nPvoWSredi0/XGNTbLU7usI/AAAAAAAACi0/PaVr40Oc76w8Znh3dqN3HC2T03UBXa51QCLcBGAs/s320/Glaucous%2BGull.2ndcycle.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>2nd cycle Glaucous Gull, St.John's, NL, December. A fairly typical individual, note pale eye, pale area at very tip of bill and overall more blotchy plumage than 1st cycle birds.</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fjk5tRUqZkQ/XGNKsQ87XkI/AAAAAAAACiU/QjwUIfp7CnQZGWvNoZocyKFNKx0g5tjYgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_1984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fjk5tRUqZkQ/XGNKsQ87XkI/AAAAAAAACiU/QjwUIfp7CnQZGWvNoZocyKFNKx0g5tjYgCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_1984.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>2nd cycle above, 1st cycle below. Aside from the difference in eye color, not the subtle difference in the bill pattern. In the 2nd cycle bird above the black at the tip is slightly more diffuse and the very tip of the bill is pale. Note also the small pale triangle along the cutting edge of the bill in the 2nd cycle bird above, this is a fairly consistent feature in 2nd cycle Glaucous Gulls.</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KCmERhV7z-8/XGNSzT7Kn5I/AAAAAAAACis/NzFJi3uLTa4kV8uLI92ngL6Oj45d8OjDACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1600" height="264" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KCmERhV7z-8/XGNSzT7Kn5I/AAAAAAAACis/NzFJi3uLTa4kV8uLI92ngL6Oj45d8OjDACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_1987.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>2nd cycle Glaucous Gull, January, St.John's, NL. Note the very pale, unpatterned plumage and bill with small pale area at tip and pale triangle along cutting edge as described above. This individual appears to have a dark eye, which does happen occasionally in 2nd cycle GLGU.</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z4q640-CDDI/XGNU5mHRsdI/AAAAAAAACjA/92wCLwcXkx81VFwAndhXI2LPUwdPhCNVQCLcBGAs/s1600/Glaucous%2BGull%252C1st.2ndcycle.comp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1600" height="329" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z4q640-CDDI/XGNU5mHRsdI/AAAAAAAACjA/92wCLwcXkx81VFwAndhXI2LPUwdPhCNVQCLcBGAs/s640/Glaucous%2BGull%252C1st.2ndcycle.comp.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>From left to right- 2nd cycle GLGU, 2nd cycle GLGU, 1st cycle GLGU. St.John's, N:, January</b><br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To finish things off here is a shot of two 2nd cycle Glaucous Gulls (one with a dark one, with a pale eye) and a pretty regular looking 1st cycle Glaucous Gull. Hopefully, this helps people who have been struggling with ageing Glaucous Gulls.<br />
<br />
**Want to learn more about ageing Gulls?Consider joining a Gull ID workshop, or if you are really want to learn Gulls, inquire about the January 2020 Newfoundland Winter Birding and Gull Extravaganza trip! I can be reached through the blog, also my website at https://birdingnewfoundland.com
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible, please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not, you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!</span></div>
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com165tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-72761948595404849462019-02-08T20:46:00.000-03:302019-02-15T13:09:18.226-03:30American Herring Gull Photo Gallary: Variation in Primary PatternsThe purpose of this blog is purely to provide a large collection of photos of American Herring Gull wing tips. All photos are of adult birds and all are taken December-February in St.John's, Newfoundland.<br />
<br />
For those unfamiliar with Newfoundland Herring Gull you will likely be very surprised with their extreme variation and the excessive amount of white in the wings of some birds. Commonly, Newfoundland Herring Gulls have a large white mirror on p10. A decent number have a fully white tipped p10, but more commonly there is a variable thin black subterminal band separating the mirror from the tip. The vast majority of birds have a large mirror on p9 with some spanning the width of both webs. When this is combined with a white tipped p10, this can make for some exaggerated wing tips, that closely resemble Argentatus Herring Gulls from Northern Europe. Note also the presence of long white tongues and large white tongue tips present on p8-p7 on most birds. While most birds have some type of black band on p5, this is lacking in a percentage of individuals.<br />
<br />
For a thorough examination of Newfoundland Herring Gulls, I'd suggest this following <a href="http://www.gull-research.org/papers/papers3/DB26_3_2004.pdf">paper</a> by Bruce Mactavish and Peter Adriaens. Note the article is meant for European birders who seek to identify American Herring Gulls in Europe. The author caution against using it in the reverse, to find European Herring Gulls among the more poorly understood American Herring Gull flocks in North America.<br />
<br />
Over time I will add more photos to this collection and I will also add and improve on the quality of the captions. For now I wanted to start getting the photos online. I welcome any comments and suggestions.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9v18IS6ErXU/XF4aSoy1YMI/AAAAAAAACXU/GeLjlgCkg-A6PV7s3qe-RlLl_QBCvSarQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.adult.1.p4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9v18IS6ErXU/XF4aSoy1YMI/AAAAAAAACXU/GeLjlgCkg-A6PV7s3qe-RlLl_QBCvSarQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.adult.1.p4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An unusual pattern here with a faint complete band on p4- Jan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QD7qf_qND0w/XF4aSyHL9NI/AAAAAAAACXc/yvelJ0smPvY0sR8mINZmSBebx8hNO5TfQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1600" height="204" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QD7qf_qND0w/XF4aSyHL9NI/AAAAAAAACXc/yvelJ0smPvY0sR8mINZmSBebx8hNO5TfQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This a fairly typical theyeri-like primary pattern, note also the deep tongue on p8 and p7- Jan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oUPKbMENDEo/XF4aSomYEyI/AAAAAAAACXY/B5xdjxD9vlobIo05w4Fw1W_XVrSQombMQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1600" height="204" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oUPKbMENDEo/XF4aSomYEyI/AAAAAAAACXY/B5xdjxD9vlobIo05w4Fw1W_XVrSQombMQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">slightly unusual with the p10 mirror including the tip, but no mirror on p9. Usually when p10 is white tipped there is a large white mirror on p9 or a thayeri-like p9. Feb</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LFvEzn8iZ3o/XF4aTK4L-MI/AAAAAAAACXg/FGW12ZxHwG4nB9nY1WreQ6JxwvNl_0QrgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LFvEzn8iZ3o/XF4aTK4L-MI/AAAAAAAACXg/FGW12ZxHwG4nB9nY1WreQ6JxwvNl_0QrgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When p10 is not white tiped, the mirror is often separated by a thin subterminal band, as in this bird. the theyeri-like p9 is fairly typical.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n7zKgXQFWQ0/XF4aTSWbgiI/AAAAAAAACXk/86EeW8XXahAMGRCHdvI2jZKCtQ4-Zs8CwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n7zKgXQFWQ0/XF4aTSWbgiI/AAAAAAAACXk/86EeW8XXahAMGRCHdvI2jZKCtQ4-Zs8CwCLcBGAs/s400/HERG.wing.4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the black marking on the outer web of p7 is flat topped and lacking a bayonet pattern, this is somewhat unusual in Newfoundland Herring Gulls.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aFKl6UB6RHs/XF4aTQ1c5mI/AAAAAAAACXo/FJvNWIEyd8w4dUH0qn-cLUg1ijLHOWJ0wCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aFKl6UB6RHs/XF4aTQ1c5mI/AAAAAAAACXo/FJvNWIEyd8w4dUH0qn-cLUg1ijLHOWJ0wCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perhaps smaller than usual grey tongue on p8 and also smallish white tongue tips p6-p7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CXAi0l1D2Mc/XF4aTvtXjaI/AAAAAAAACXs/FFyN0jydB38828LFfyi189_K0jOnP2d2gCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CXAi0l1D2Mc/XF4aTvtXjaI/AAAAAAAACXs/FFyN0jydB38828LFfyi189_K0jOnP2d2gCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical wing tip pattern, with bayonets on p7, p6. The black mark on p4 is not too common.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wtjn9AOTiRo/XF4aT2cg6YI/AAAAAAAACXw/YWbBA35w6ooh6VUVgvlSAN95VwUuxS5wACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wtjn9AOTiRo/XF4aT2cg6YI/AAAAAAAACXw/YWbBA35w6ooh6VUVgvlSAN95VwUuxS5wACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe 10-155 of Herring Gulls in St.John's, lack a mirror on p9. this bird has a characteristic long grey tongue on p8, but lacks bayonets on p7 and p6.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wRItfuBffzs/XF4a7RlNRsI/AAAAAAAACck/XVLm20xhpvY_KV9Il08LtdIkZkHsCJ3nACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wRItfuBffzs/XF4a7RlNRsI/AAAAAAAACck/XVLm20xhpvY_KV9Il08LtdIkZkHsCJ3nACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another bird with a lot of black in the wing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vgcAmRWAe0k/XF4a77GdvqI/AAAAAAAACcw/O-9iAFeGauos3XDlDizAZxPmnx_4T-D1ACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vgcAmRWAe0k/XF4a77GdvqI/AAAAAAAACcw/O-9iAFeGauos3XDlDizAZxPmnx_4T-D1ACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quite a typical pattern</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FS4J10JMq5w/XF4aoSx_EBI/AAAAAAAACYI/vJT2RoOU-vkCR9Z_E9CfaqNTTbuQTwWEwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="921" height="198" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FS4J10JMq5w/XF4aoSx_EBI/AAAAAAAACYI/vJT2RoOU-vkCR9Z_E9CfaqNTTbuQTwWEwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Limited black on p7, which is common in these whiter winged individuals.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YHtYY4zuN4/XF4aordpLmI/AAAAAAAACYQ/40JLiYB-S44w13icDPqDD0Aos492ZWfUACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_YHtYY4zuN4/XF4aordpLmI/AAAAAAAACYQ/40JLiYB-S44w13icDPqDD0Aos492ZWfUACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A darker winged bird lacking p9 mirror and full band on p5.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fQxl5ZIyzL0/XF4aole4RpI/AAAAAAAACYM/MUPDwDdFjtEeBbhoO7P37_q-x0B5Sf6YQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fQxl5ZIyzL0/XF4aole4RpI/AAAAAAAACYM/MUPDwDdFjtEeBbhoO7P37_q-x0B5Sf6YQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A common pattern</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N-Onx_otWyk/XF4ao0cLfWI/AAAAAAAACYU/lC9brcFWqDE3yeRhrJ3EPVBMng3YSSavACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N-Onx_otWyk/XF4ao0cLfWI/AAAAAAAACYU/lC9brcFWqDE3yeRhrJ3EPVBMng3YSSavACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Its not that unusual for our Herring Gulls to have assymetrical wings. P7 in this case is unusual, in that the black on the outer web is interrupted by the grey tongue.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qI4GfxZW5bM/XF4apCdP1AI/AAAAAAAACYY/6YBprDR0Z1Uli3bpiIOtJerZHksyfuRQwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qI4GfxZW5bM/XF4apCdP1AI/AAAAAAAACYY/6YBprDR0Z1Uli3bpiIOtJerZHksyfuRQwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.14.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perhaps slightly wider sub terminal band on p10 than usual.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2qow42rjk-k/XF4apJV_7EI/AAAAAAAACYc/F8ixK94gQSMpPjjMa8ogYCUjTA9Bw9u_ACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2qow42rjk-k/XF4apJV_7EI/AAAAAAAACYc/F8ixK94gQSMpPjjMa8ogYCUjTA9Bw9u_ACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.15.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a typical bird- Feb</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6j197zTpDKE/XF4apZSQ3DI/AAAAAAAACYg/GgoZiayR5s8d0SiCsQEOkP_zPluokggVwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6j197zTpDKE/XF4apZSQ3DI/AAAAAAAACYg/GgoZiayR5s8d0SiCsQEOkP_zPluokggVwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.16.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">typical pattern- Feb</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1LWAyXlAVKE/XF4apy9r8zI/AAAAAAAACYk/NIkwkepohzQVF_bDewNGwVxd_IIVzov5wCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1LWAyXlAVKE/XF4apy9r8zI/AAAAAAAACYk/NIkwkepohzQVF_bDewNGwVxd_IIVzov5wCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.17.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note that p10 and p9 are still growing. Unusual in that there is a complete black band on p4. I will have to check the date for this individual.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6FLTh57QpTs/XF4ap_0-I8I/AAAAAAAACYo/dNRaIofE9vQG-P6uwcmvWt5jTSMmf_nhACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6FLTh57QpTs/XF4ap_0-I8I/AAAAAAAACYo/dNRaIofE9vQG-P6uwcmvWt5jTSMmf_nhACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HR-yCJDuMe4/XF4aqJoGRAI/AAAAAAAACYs/q0fO13GS2WsTUZLG-if-SilsYG8bU6a0QCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HR-yCJDuMe4/XF4aqJoGRAI/AAAAAAAACYs/q0fO13GS2WsTUZLG-if-SilsYG8bU6a0QCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_fdUNasD2zo/XF4aqZhQfsI/AAAAAAAACYw/z5-6tP2SRkY9rPwgqIe3jlQVbdo5qIapQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_fdUNasD2zo/XF4aqZhQfsI/AAAAAAAACYw/z5-6tP2SRkY9rPwgqIe3jlQVbdo5qIapQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NoY0Xx2pLZg/XF4aq2KhDOI/AAAAAAAACY0/HHOXT4tTnXQ0_dEn186y3z02Kq9GI229QCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NoY0Xx2pLZg/XF4aq2KhDOI/AAAAAAAACY0/HHOXT4tTnXQ0_dEn186y3z02Kq9GI229QCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7I-2Kr-EhF8/XF4arAnsd5I/AAAAAAAACY4/HYK9vBNEMicOBFRV7KfhE8_r18bnrXw2ACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7I-2Kr-EhF8/XF4arAnsd5I/AAAAAAAACY4/HYK9vBNEMicOBFRV7KfhE8_r18bnrXw2ACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mH06nR7i5Jo/XF4artXltlI/AAAAAAAACY8/EF7MwA6aU6o55CaYGaeSIArwqKdQ6tMHQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mH06nR7i5Jo/XF4artXltlI/AAAAAAAACY8/EF7MwA6aU6o55CaYGaeSIArwqKdQ6tMHQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CLA3vx4kvsY/XF4arirxPbI/AAAAAAAACZA/MgegYKUhhpcDyYbS4Y1s2n4qylO0n6j9gCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CLA3vx4kvsY/XF4arirxPbI/AAAAAAAACZA/MgegYKUhhpcDyYbS4Y1s2n4qylO0n6j9gCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l2t0Ab084zw/XF4asOl8XsI/AAAAAAAACZE/BPuAacRlR5Ey78A6C59OajG1CZjVETmAQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l2t0Ab084zw/XF4asOl8XsI/AAAAAAAACZE/BPuAacRlR5Ey78A6C59OajG1CZjVETmAQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G7D2-i5EoW8/XF4asZ3W0uI/AAAAAAAACZI/yJqe4qTp5MQAN0VP4GqmG5FaGXJ4yL0LQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G7D2-i5EoW8/XF4asZ3W0uI/AAAAAAAACZI/yJqe4qTp5MQAN0VP4GqmG5FaGXJ4yL0LQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xe7l15LugfU/XF4asQrwZCI/AAAAAAAACZM/U8THKs9AklcdUCgTmIz33OKrQhSlrcDOQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xe7l15LugfU/XF4asQrwZCI/AAAAAAAACZM/U8THKs9AklcdUCgTmIz33OKrQhSlrcDOQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VYHoWjuMMc8/XF4as1uaupI/AAAAAAAACZQ/_kimxU8A59wxG04EWpxCWq8wYNAA3qhmwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VYHoWjuMMc8/XF4as1uaupI/AAAAAAAACZQ/_kimxU8A59wxG04EWpxCWq8wYNAA3qhmwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nsxcnFnG5y4/XF4atI3j4nI/AAAAAAAACZU/nrrpEhN4vh4CSGcZQpLyrNfLO7m097YTQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1103" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nsxcnFnG5y4/XF4atI3j4nI/AAAAAAAACZU/nrrpEhN4vh4CSGcZQpLyrNfLO7m097YTQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zpiII-Ft-qg/XF4atQVALrI/AAAAAAAACZY/BsikmPdm_loKmxpfSjLfJEcDcaJ3kHuQgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zpiII-Ft-qg/XF4atQVALrI/AAAAAAAACZY/BsikmPdm_loKmxpfSjLfJEcDcaJ3kHuQgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.30.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cGq9QQyGyTM/XF4ateZfTlI/AAAAAAAACZc/lnlqVFko90oV991UUgm9lgQfSWslE2xAQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1087" data-original-width="1600" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cGq9QQyGyTM/XF4ateZfTlI/AAAAAAAACZc/lnlqVFko90oV991UUgm9lgQfSWslE2xAQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.31.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7jGlOt_4vFk/XF4atSYv6CI/AAAAAAAACZg/io43zHYpJoMAJnXWb3rm_dY9_Ax3yP5OwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7jGlOt_4vFk/XF4atSYv6CI/AAAAAAAACZg/io43zHYpJoMAJnXWb3rm_dY9_Ax3yP5OwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.32.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kv9O7OJqD4E/XF4ato4pOmI/AAAAAAAACZk/X091k3RxjJAZuYeetEImOjowccidq2uTACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kv9O7OJqD4E/XF4ato4pOmI/AAAAAAAACZk/X091k3RxjJAZuYeetEImOjowccidq2uTACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.33.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iuWr9BY8g98/XF4auLlpBTI/AAAAAAAACZo/2OGpXe6aBrszDEBJk-uRL6tb1vtlnHz5wCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="1600" height="246" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iuWr9BY8g98/XF4auLlpBTI/AAAAAAAACZo/2OGpXe6aBrszDEBJk-uRL6tb1vtlnHz5wCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.34.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SfMA4eDy5Ew/XF4auqI4rBI/AAAAAAAACZs/JVnItr6SiU8UojW5wb42deJhFbX35vyVwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SfMA4eDy5Ew/XF4auqI4rBI/AAAAAAAACZs/JVnItr6SiU8UojW5wb42deJhFbX35vyVwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.35.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FPghSKGHMGo/XF4avK8vfbI/AAAAAAAACZw/lgUephiMstkLKvpxMkEtbLV_ZXvWiSt_wCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FPghSKGHMGo/XF4avK8vfbI/AAAAAAAACZw/lgUephiMstkLKvpxMkEtbLV_ZXvWiSt_wCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.36.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C6ouXWg7EA4/XF4avvJunfI/AAAAAAAACZ0/IZdhnZxrqZ8dCn62esZPplJVCk4rLA0pgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C6ouXWg7EA4/XF4avvJunfI/AAAAAAAACZ0/IZdhnZxrqZ8dCn62esZPplJVCk4rLA0pgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.37.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--Woasx7frLU/XF4av8DRvcI/AAAAAAAACZ4/Q2X-ZLs-g-AdrxzKsjhqv-xAs0IVNPjSACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1148" data-original-width="1600" height="229" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--Woasx7frLU/XF4av8DRvcI/AAAAAAAACZ4/Q2X-ZLs-g-AdrxzKsjhqv-xAs0IVNPjSACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qjbrWRIEDwc/XF4awCo0f8I/AAAAAAAACZ8/IMVpd1p06nEmF6Bbq-_wG4l5ZkNlM9gMwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1005" data-original-width="1600" height="201" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qjbrWRIEDwc/XF4awCo0f8I/AAAAAAAACZ8/IMVpd1p06nEmF6Bbq-_wG4l5ZkNlM9gMwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.39.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fwcdi1YXpj0/XF4awToDY4I/AAAAAAAACaA/v-WrKaHXKaM9u8-yn7LdB1gYt6DZQkuKgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fwcdi1YXpj0/XF4awToDY4I/AAAAAAAACaA/v-WrKaHXKaM9u8-yn7LdB1gYt6DZQkuKgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.40.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AQ6OkpM2rWk/XF4awr0FnoI/AAAAAAAACaE/vZ0M5gy3ahUdupi7LJ6QEjmvZnJUwn9kwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="1600" height="199" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AQ6OkpM2rWk/XF4awr0FnoI/AAAAAAAACaE/vZ0M5gy3ahUdupi7LJ6QEjmvZnJUwn9kwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.41.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1z2VVULg55E/XF4awwsl3CI/AAAAAAAACaI/Q7qjWcwohHQW8wbTvDvDCb2-0krGI04EgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1289" data-original-width="1531" height="269" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1z2VVULg55E/XF4awwsl3CI/AAAAAAAACaI/Q7qjWcwohHQW8wbTvDvDCb2-0krGI04EgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.42.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tYNFx5-LRys/XF4axIJLGzI/AAAAAAAACaM/BCZ5Xbt4pO07YYFjHww1fjUA3A-_6TYuQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tYNFx5-LRys/XF4axIJLGzI/AAAAAAAACaM/BCZ5Xbt4pO07YYFjHww1fjUA3A-_6TYuQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cxn_Y6t2Xvk/XF4axCxDfWI/AAAAAAAACaQ/hR_ge4oXQI4kvr5YrU5Wu2plsuVFGs9JgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="418" data-original-width="539" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cxn_Y6t2Xvk/XF4axCxDfWI/AAAAAAAACaQ/hR_ge4oXQI4kvr5YrU5Wu2plsuVFGs9JgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.44.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7HZBAW-RrDc/XF4axlZ52dI/AAAAAAAACaU/ZRtZlCQY_RsDQyNdACLztLqQeE7oHaLWACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7HZBAW-RrDc/XF4axlZ52dI/AAAAAAAACaU/ZRtZlCQY_RsDQyNdACLztLqQeE7oHaLWACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.45.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-udVAeaAmhQo/XF4ax0UkWpI/AAAAAAAACaY/FijUag_kZpEdKMIG0mIKKh8PIk9s7WH4ACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="963" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-udVAeaAmhQo/XF4ax0UkWpI/AAAAAAAACaY/FijUag_kZpEdKMIG0mIKKh8PIk9s7WH4ACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.46.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1OI2pb1OAqw/XF4axwkgs9I/AAAAAAAACac/x6Ap2iJHM6k5JfBjp-BIBDnmAQ-exTh0QCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="1600" height="274" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1OI2pb1OAqw/XF4axwkgs9I/AAAAAAAACac/x6Ap2iJHM6k5JfBjp-BIBDnmAQ-exTh0QCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.47.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nxAuAaoV1jY/XF4ayNcWZwI/AAAAAAAACag/oItVroYHUlEg7s4XSQDF7GooSR5YYVF2QCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1600" height="207" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nxAuAaoV1jY/XF4ayNcWZwI/AAAAAAAACag/oItVroYHUlEg7s4XSQDF7GooSR5YYVF2QCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.48.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yxhaZUeJnng/XF4ayARguhI/AAAAAAAACak/gGSIYVLAsDYMH67TvxUZvrG1nwkAUDBzACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="535" height="254" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yxhaZUeJnng/XF4ayARguhI/AAAAAAAACak/gGSIYVLAsDYMH67TvxUZvrG1nwkAUDBzACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.49.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAdea90PpmA/XF4ayjIDSOI/AAAAAAAACao/NBhZpYUzvX8_n2PuOlR5LM2tsbtiVwOdwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAdea90PpmA/XF4ayjIDSOI/AAAAAAAACao/NBhZpYUzvX8_n2PuOlR5LM2tsbtiVwOdwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.50.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zr7oPosek-g/XF4azMr3YHI/AAAAAAAACas/ZQYPdtGxU4wptoNWNdoopG156oRhp43MgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="1584" height="236" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zr7oPosek-g/XF4azMr3YHI/AAAAAAAACas/ZQYPdtGxU4wptoNWNdoopG156oRhp43MgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.51.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eu8yJu-Yxyc/XF4azslflyI/AAAAAAAACaw/o-p5oLo98HE4Pzz9loaIcoKet_fM1_QjwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eu8yJu-Yxyc/XF4azslflyI/AAAAAAAACaw/o-p5oLo98HE4Pzz9loaIcoKet_fM1_QjwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.52.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PLCim8l3AYI/XF4a0Mb4ptI/AAAAAAAACa0/aDTz1-nxLPc5xoOCQ6OdOM0c-uiqQ_PPwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="706" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PLCim8l3AYI/XF4a0Mb4ptI/AAAAAAAACa0/aDTz1-nxLPc5xoOCQ6OdOM0c-uiqQ_PPwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.53.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-haj017RrBow/XF4a0mpW_6I/AAAAAAAACa4/YZWhgW25NHApSdDjYyG1b1I2HFZA4_D2gCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="1600" height="195" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-haj017RrBow/XF4a0mpW_6I/AAAAAAAACa4/YZWhgW25NHApSdDjYyG1b1I2HFZA4_D2gCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.54.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mQI9BCuLlMk/XF4a1AejUHI/AAAAAAAACa8/-2p_GbTFQ7wM86C22if064JAduAQXhXqgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1492" height="235" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mQI9BCuLlMk/XF4a1AejUHI/AAAAAAAACa8/-2p_GbTFQ7wM86C22if064JAduAQXhXqgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.55.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LbgmvYR9D80/XF4a1gmb19I/AAAAAAAACbA/K_pxRRLX3w46sdIziQAn9x2IpBqyN4cuwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1600" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LbgmvYR9D80/XF4a1gmb19I/AAAAAAAACbA/K_pxRRLX3w46sdIziQAn9x2IpBqyN4cuwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.56.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dqSWEcmoeTs/XF4a191i6xI/AAAAAAAACbE/J5OgNfK8IJUhgPZGywmyXY8-X7TcP7cgQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1435" height="252" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dqSWEcmoeTs/XF4a191i6xI/AAAAAAAACbE/J5OgNfK8IJUhgPZGywmyXY8-X7TcP7cgQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.57.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pvKxu4XBX_Q/XF4a2E1y6wI/AAAAAAAACbI/FjvRqAgj5nclgzWd8-w5tGVHHb6iyrpWwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1174" height="273" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pvKxu4XBX_Q/XF4a2E1y6wI/AAAAAAAACbI/FjvRqAgj5nclgzWd8-w5tGVHHb6iyrpWwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.58.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0F4E-Lgshc0/XF4a2IPb_zI/AAAAAAAACbM/ycAteSd5GXsRr42OCU_YJYL6fVqWcodkgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1167" data-original-width="1462" height="255" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0F4E-Lgshc0/XF4a2IPb_zI/AAAAAAAACbM/ycAteSd5GXsRr42OCU_YJYL6fVqWcodkgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.59.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kg5CmE3RDuw/XF4a2Vj5N5I/AAAAAAAACbQ/Y0mEV9GKcv8Id93JbJ5GDK-bgsfa5h3CwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1484" height="244" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kg5CmE3RDuw/XF4a2Vj5N5I/AAAAAAAACbQ/Y0mEV9GKcv8Id93JbJ5GDK-bgsfa5h3CwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.60.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-1tzaL8Agk/XF4a2iQtqKI/AAAAAAAACbU/YyDBO5ORIkct57YlxgWGdLH5fkAYL35zQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.61.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-1tzaL8Agk/XF4a2iQtqKI/AAAAAAAACbU/YyDBO5ORIkct57YlxgWGdLH5fkAYL35zQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.61.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DnhRKu4oY7o/XF4a281l4mI/AAAAAAAACbY/r1O_eRjx6T8n0cNUTr-oqaI7oAf2RFi3gCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.62.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="1600" height="237" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DnhRKu4oY7o/XF4a281l4mI/AAAAAAAACbY/r1O_eRjx6T8n0cNUTr-oqaI7oAf2RFi3gCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.62.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aW-hoVU3AvU/XF4a2wVJPPI/AAAAAAAACbc/kZgoC-2ZlzABfea-QSxkhm2XLwCYRHBowCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.63.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="1600" height="278" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aW-hoVU3AvU/XF4a2wVJPPI/AAAAAAAACbc/kZgoC-2ZlzABfea-QSxkhm2XLwCYRHBowCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.63.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GTMS5EphEaQ/XF4a3IohMsI/AAAAAAAACbg/PZh_p_LUTvYp8EPftT-wDh-vGF63DzSfQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.64.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1374" data-original-width="1531" height="287" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GTMS5EphEaQ/XF4a3IohMsI/AAAAAAAACbg/PZh_p_LUTvYp8EPftT-wDh-vGF63DzSfQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.64.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v7QsfueiB8E/XF4a3SB0aCI/AAAAAAAACbk/BXGo3g4MsiMJoFLt7OA_zKhE4Dw02ro4QCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.65.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="1481" height="257" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v7QsfueiB8E/XF4a3SB0aCI/AAAAAAAACbk/BXGo3g4MsiMJoFLt7OA_zKhE4Dw02ro4QCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.65.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xf3L3wkoXVM/XF4a3rJNV_I/AAAAAAAACbo/aqLgZcEbwNYKWy_GCjQwOV9U1lb5qdAPQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.66.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xf3L3wkoXVM/XF4a3rJNV_I/AAAAAAAACbo/aqLgZcEbwNYKWy_GCjQwOV9U1lb5qdAPQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.66.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dUCKUZAKQLc/XF4a3z6vjxI/AAAAAAAACbs/PvnLFFCacXoMiXY6ObdimO9IHEMWOfwKwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.67%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="499" height="205" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dUCKUZAKQLc/XF4a3z6vjxI/AAAAAAAACbs/PvnLFFCacXoMiXY6ObdimO9IHEMWOfwKwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.67%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-72yZUM7sT6A/XF4a4P8MmPI/AAAAAAAACbw/Ll66pUyhNOALC2XMm32-3MS9Y1x-zK5mgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.67.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1196" height="255" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-72yZUM7sT6A/XF4a4P8MmPI/AAAAAAAACbw/Ll66pUyhNOALC2XMm32-3MS9Y1x-zK5mgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.67.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Z4TPQqzBMs/XF4a4JjzegI/AAAAAAAACb0/dQ3pCbpiRIQtsMNPAXTAeWcm4ocXeV5QQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.68.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1186" height="230" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Z4TPQqzBMs/XF4a4JjzegI/AAAAAAAACb0/dQ3pCbpiRIQtsMNPAXTAeWcm4ocXeV5QQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.68.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CmHtZj4IeqQ/XF4a4mk0cKI/AAAAAAAACb4/PbRgLLLGh54toauRsq14nNKa2s21vd9hACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.69.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1115" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CmHtZj4IeqQ/XF4a4mk0cKI/AAAAAAAACb4/PbRgLLLGh54toauRsq14nNKa2s21vd9hACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.69.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KwYFToOCEsQ/XF4a4ghIJUI/AAAAAAAACb8/jDzxze5WOaI8gjw8NFBrco8XkYE3NyHHwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.70.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1450" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KwYFToOCEsQ/XF4a4ghIJUI/AAAAAAAACb8/jDzxze5WOaI8gjw8NFBrco8XkYE3NyHHwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.70.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rJEvuyZPN4U/XF4a49hCu8I/AAAAAAAACcA/hJjdLOXqtQcttdNqzPdm1EjIkZfjGzSjgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.71.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1487" height="247" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rJEvuyZPN4U/XF4a49hCu8I/AAAAAAAACcA/hJjdLOXqtQcttdNqzPdm1EjIkZfjGzSjgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.71.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AqCRWU64dkY/XF4a5DR8cHI/AAAAAAAACcE/WBiO5Ccyzl4Icmk-3YcULS2D40pFYvTHwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1469" height="236" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AqCRWU64dkY/XF4a5DR8cHI/AAAAAAAACcE/WBiO5Ccyzl4Icmk-3YcULS2D40pFYvTHwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.72.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u5i_mFq3bGY/XF4a5njHFZI/AAAAAAAACcI/USzhUdwyiP8Qcm1KJc1g_HcOZpbwDZANwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.73.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1472" height="215" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u5i_mFq3bGY/XF4a5njHFZI/AAAAAAAACcI/USzhUdwyiP8Qcm1KJc1g_HcOZpbwDZANwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.73.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4RHvgpbqMqA/XF4a6KUnitI/AAAAAAAACcM/FnA16D3pjFo8UFmK8QTdmqoGaiEjSo89ACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.74.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1600" height="174" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4RHvgpbqMqA/XF4a6KUnitI/AAAAAAAACcM/FnA16D3pjFo8UFmK8QTdmqoGaiEjSo89ACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.74.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xtLu8n_9CJY/XF4a6fkLDII/AAAAAAAACcQ/qqqIcpWi2EM2HybGWeuMC8CWlHdFGFvuACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.75.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1348" height="203" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xtLu8n_9CJY/XF4a6fkLDII/AAAAAAAACcQ/qqqIcpWi2EM2HybGWeuMC8CWlHdFGFvuACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.75.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bLXfY2N5-bA/XF4a6i-RYpI/AAAAAAAACcU/Sa3x1n2PaBkPeV6L_6TUwv523LzWNG8awCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.76.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="1600" height="254" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bLXfY2N5-bA/XF4a6i-RYpI/AAAAAAAACcU/Sa3x1n2PaBkPeV6L_6TUwv523LzWNG8awCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.76.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lad1jKRYBug/XF4a6iqsOGI/AAAAAAAACcY/lwI_6ivFgTMGSgw7oJvTXvckEziF8qWsgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.77.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="1400" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lad1jKRYBug/XF4a6iqsOGI/AAAAAAAACcY/lwI_6ivFgTMGSgw7oJvTXvckEziF8qWsgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.77.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OFCqTeW-flk/XF4a66JfAvI/AAAAAAAACcc/A2zK4dpmF1YjNsbgETQhAnHzASBzyBGJACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.78.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1538" height="232" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OFCqTeW-flk/XF4a66JfAvI/AAAAAAAACcc/A2zK4dpmF1YjNsbgETQhAnHzASBzyBGJACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.78.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CHduta87qEw/XF4a7Z0405I/AAAAAAAACcg/WE8LqKZ-xxgosUipiWmLOXtjKOaSD8PcgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.79.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CHduta87qEw/XF4a7Z0405I/AAAAAAAACcg/WE8LqKZ-xxgosUipiWmLOXtjKOaSD8PcgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.79.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D5vZkl9Nmgo/XF4a7gPPB3I/AAAAAAAACco/3dWkxXoDMoEwJdBWFyq9TiwxEnBTq1AmQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1441" data-original-width="1600" height="288" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D5vZkl9Nmgo/XF4a7gPPB3I/AAAAAAAACco/3dWkxXoDMoEwJdBWFyq9TiwxEnBTq1AmQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.80.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hDUUPV-AB1o/XF4a745BkBI/AAAAAAAACcs/4XPTPLu23Hs6Me4cMBBQAxWjTe59GTH8wCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.81.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1600" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hDUUPV-AB1o/XF4a745BkBI/AAAAAAAACcs/4XPTPLu23Hs6Me4cMBBQAxWjTe59GTH8wCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.81.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pMq8ERaPvIc/XGDYy2XMDPI/AAAAAAAACdc/LgUufOEG5tUkvVIhjBJb7xhMUjMaF4CLACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.82.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1457" data-original-width="1600" height="291" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pMq8ERaPvIc/XGDYy2XMDPI/AAAAAAAACdc/LgUufOEG5tUkvVIhjBJb7xhMUjMaF4CLACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.82.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KNtmJVz68ug/XGDYy3vCevI/AAAAAAAACdg/yGHWHCM9tEs0CseepUJx6AfIdYirIbzCgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.83.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1600" height="233" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KNtmJVz68ug/XGDYy3vCevI/AAAAAAAACdg/yGHWHCM9tEs0CseepUJx6AfIdYirIbzCgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.83.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3flVrTyHpZw/XGDYy9XktWI/AAAAAAAACdY/xKW4aXmTe3sL4GGMqNwR-HctKGeu-VOMQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.84.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3flVrTyHpZw/XGDYy9XktWI/AAAAAAAACdY/xKW4aXmTe3sL4GGMqNwR-HctKGeu-VOMQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.84.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9qMkhMDgwMY/XGDYzTDuxeI/AAAAAAAACdk/w1_f2PdmdDgqgYYf1ihU5PmVGoeenwOIgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.85.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1600" height="183" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9qMkhMDgwMY/XGDYzTDuxeI/AAAAAAAACdk/w1_f2PdmdDgqgYYf1ihU5PmVGoeenwOIgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.85.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qmCW3-oPPEo/XGDYzodopZI/AAAAAAAACdo/fAJXdJk8fFswCSh6cKpvt0YpOAPjpQh4gCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.86.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1600" height="197" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qmCW3-oPPEo/XGDYzodopZI/AAAAAAAACdo/fAJXdJk8fFswCSh6cKpvt0YpOAPjpQh4gCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.86.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-49DGmLjzmWs/XGDZLe0uJlI/AAAAAAAACf4/0QnhkZBevCEcCFwjSEKGALoGfejAoh-eACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.87.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1600" height="144" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-49DGmLjzmWs/XGDZLe0uJlI/AAAAAAAACf4/0QnhkZBevCEcCFwjSEKGALoGfejAoh-eACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.87.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7YsJb4VpmM/XGDZLuMAuyI/AAAAAAAACf8/OojV16yO0_Qypbi_WW3mwrXMwV8abSYngCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.88.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1600" height="190" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7YsJb4VpmM/XGDZLuMAuyI/AAAAAAAACf8/OojV16yO0_Qypbi_WW3mwrXMwV8abSYngCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.88.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xtEd3oD9pK8/XGDZLr_fETI/AAAAAAAACgA/wjB6IRQ6WAoTLM3giOm_apLWxzJoHn3rwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.89.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1600" height="191" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xtEd3oD9pK8/XGDZLr_fETI/AAAAAAAACgA/wjB6IRQ6WAoTLM3giOm_apLWxzJoHn3rwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.89.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j1bn6m1mjfs/XGDZMKfLO-I/AAAAAAAACgE/6-gelCddfiU-e5m07EVRp3UwruDsue_1ACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.90.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j1bn6m1mjfs/XGDZMKfLO-I/AAAAAAAACgE/6-gelCddfiU-e5m07EVRp3UwruDsue_1ACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.90.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mJ-3X282Aqs/XGDZMYr4sPI/AAAAAAAACgI/zKhFi4YnJfEpnvKfqkTJpvK1Ef3ZMDW5ACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.91.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="1600" height="187" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mJ-3X282Aqs/XGDZMYr4sPI/AAAAAAAACgI/zKhFi4YnJfEpnvKfqkTJpvK1Ef3ZMDW5ACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.91.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aTFg105HUho/XGDZMqvHVSI/AAAAAAAACgM/SsT92Xg0X6YbdddW31ZlztTNAoQW6eXMQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.92.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aTFg105HUho/XGDZMqvHVSI/AAAAAAAACgM/SsT92Xg0X6YbdddW31ZlztTNAoQW6eXMQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.92.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k033muULmHY/XGDZMosrC8I/AAAAAAAACgQ/GkvEnHL6zgElHvp-GR32hDx2-UShWGfswCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.93.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1285" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k033muULmHY/XGDZMosrC8I/AAAAAAAACgQ/GkvEnHL6zgElHvp-GR32hDx2-UShWGfswCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.93.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QUcn_H508N8/XGDZMxrSa-I/AAAAAAAACgU/OQ69oxmi7TgRHBO7bOwB8Mzuo-nxXO1ngCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.94.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="790" data-original-width="1600" height="158" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QUcn_H508N8/XGDZMxrSa-I/AAAAAAAACgU/OQ69oxmi7TgRHBO7bOwB8Mzuo-nxXO1ngCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.94.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WdBO5E9qMYk/XGDZM_qWr8I/AAAAAAAACgY/RMZy13m5NVkrVIJeKeVvV_ZJIProlhKNACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.95.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WdBO5E9qMYk/XGDZM_qWr8I/AAAAAAAACgY/RMZy13m5NVkrVIJeKeVvV_ZJIProlhKNACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.95.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uhm-Np2F-A0/XGDZNKtSDzI/AAAAAAAACgc/IxRptchwC2Y14tKBH74kzmMqtMNhx56tQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.96.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1600" height="154" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uhm-Np2F-A0/XGDZNKtSDzI/AAAAAAAACgc/IxRptchwC2Y14tKBH74kzmMqtMNhx56tQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.96.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O1Lih2vDxbM/XGDZNSZTRdI/AAAAAAAACgg/iSFArOTsNgkOYjckPz935jBeqaVlnUnxQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.97.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1600" height="182" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O1Lih2vDxbM/XGDZNSZTRdI/AAAAAAAACgg/iSFArOTsNgkOYjckPz935jBeqaVlnUnxQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.97.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XRbqwBZGAls/XGDZNu7UNBI/AAAAAAAACgk/nyHBFtx9rJoGib1EhhRG9DkHCTR64LYEACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.98.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XRbqwBZGAls/XGDZNu7UNBI/AAAAAAAACgk/nyHBFtx9rJoGib1EhhRG9DkHCTR64LYEACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.98.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Kbv6VXbhro/XGDZN5SEPDI/AAAAAAAACgo/2buDc8uJjaghRIyb9LDVmwztrL-63OtggCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.99.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1600" height="165" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Kbv6VXbhro/XGDZN5SEPDI/AAAAAAAACgo/2buDc8uJjaghRIyb9LDVmwztrL-63OtggCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.99.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H4f-S2h6S2o/XGDZEh7d3-I/AAAAAAAACeE/Np0X-zTy2jUD3K6tNaiPlwdmDdJXOrcaQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1600" height="170" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H4f-S2h6S2o/XGDZEh7d3-I/AAAAAAAACeE/Np0X-zTy2jUD3K6tNaiPlwdmDdJXOrcaQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mkOJENOyXKg/XGDZETHPU6I/AAAAAAAACeA/_Ki0mfjnsdsEuywaBvkqC-YApRFwcG--ACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="1477" height="283" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mkOJENOyXKg/XGDZETHPU6I/AAAAAAAACeA/_Ki0mfjnsdsEuywaBvkqC-YApRFwcG--ACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.101.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5C-GR1sNZcs/XGDZETuN1SI/AAAAAAAACd8/M6CGKa4aecskYCh5UmjKftCszR4uYIt_gCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1366" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5C-GR1sNZcs/XGDZETuN1SI/AAAAAAAACd8/M6CGKa4aecskYCh5UmjKftCszR4uYIt_gCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.102.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OFEz_C-x0Wg/XGDZE05j4JI/AAAAAAAACeI/T0zjlP3udqssuXCcZk8Gq3JCHKsi4JZ6ACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="973" data-original-width="1600" height="194" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OFEz_C-x0Wg/XGDZE05j4JI/AAAAAAAACeI/T0zjlP3udqssuXCcZk8Gq3JCHKsi4JZ6ACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.103.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dobZJoNPjMo/XGDZE56PUJI/AAAAAAAACeM/6b1OjqZd4H0AX3f9auBDqn-aeciFI2sPQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="1600" height="196" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dobZJoNPjMo/XGDZE56PUJI/AAAAAAAACeM/6b1OjqZd4H0AX3f9auBDqn-aeciFI2sPQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.104.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5aUr8HTXqRQ/XGDZFOEwJTI/AAAAAAAACeQ/lfDSxgeC6LQlXIvkv47cdXFDlUMdp-A6ACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1600" height="219" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5aUr8HTXqRQ/XGDZFOEwJTI/AAAAAAAACeQ/lfDSxgeC6LQlXIvkv47cdXFDlUMdp-A6ACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.105.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wYi7FbkySjE/XGDZFQP69SI/AAAAAAAACeU/PLCkY9J6Z2Ii4hJZ2H2uIntZ2aOe2oWEQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1600" height="203" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wYi7FbkySjE/XGDZFQP69SI/AAAAAAAACeU/PLCkY9J6Z2Ii4hJZ2H2uIntZ2aOe2oWEQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.106.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DwRKIG9yZY/XGDZFa5vvII/AAAAAAAACeY/Lka6LIjkwAEW9jwC43gzbbjaCXIeQsVKwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DwRKIG9yZY/XGDZFa5vvII/AAAAAAAACeY/Lka6LIjkwAEW9jwC43gzbbjaCXIeQsVKwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.107.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t5TOWujBI1A/XGDZFujDWbI/AAAAAAAACec/7kugFjo4IAcIveO5IafR2rGUF0ZjY2JDwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1319" height="274" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t5TOWujBI1A/XGDZFujDWbI/AAAAAAAACec/7kugFjo4IAcIveO5IafR2rGUF0ZjY2JDwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.108.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Da1xabnoDfk/XGDZGIOlVII/AAAAAAAACeg/muTq9y7DuhMkDSe5tK5cWmNbXAoMUxROACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="965" data-original-width="1600" height="193" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Da1xabnoDfk/XGDZGIOlVII/AAAAAAAACeg/muTq9y7DuhMkDSe5tK5cWmNbXAoMUxROACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.109.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fcCxHWVv8NA/XGDZGRWlFjI/AAAAAAAACek/w8gq69wOxMQhjsryyTlN2FD6pv4x2fI8wCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1600" height="207" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fcCxHWVv8NA/XGDZGRWlFjI/AAAAAAAACek/w8gq69wOxMQhjsryyTlN2FD6pv4x2fI8wCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.110.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ohkGH0LKJgQ/XGDZGiBzjTI/AAAAAAAACeo/O3DP2Xvhq48NM3nl3oJ2oqUGcMfIpRvXwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ohkGH0LKJgQ/XGDZGiBzjTI/AAAAAAAACeo/O3DP2Xvhq48NM3nl3oJ2oqUGcMfIpRvXwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.111.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4JBJn4YqvDI/XGDZG71Gt9I/AAAAAAAACes/zzEYXyljXqIlTsrDgTs9ZOnLVfv7PZHAACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4JBJn4YqvDI/XGDZG71Gt9I/AAAAAAAACes/zzEYXyljXqIlTsrDgTs9ZOnLVfv7PZHAACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.112.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--loGrLuoVls/XGDZGxaz9pI/AAAAAAAACew/Otu9Sk2vvVgIamF1iSNGXY4yXfKMluADACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1600" height="203" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--loGrLuoVls/XGDZGxaz9pI/AAAAAAAACew/Otu9Sk2vvVgIamF1iSNGXY4yXfKMluADACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.113.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7fsX-CrnuTg/XGDZHCEjORI/AAAAAAAACe0/F8CD4P7AXyYTGPUkieWPy8JeZSun9OYVwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="1565" height="239" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7fsX-CrnuTg/XGDZHCEjORI/AAAAAAAACe0/F8CD4P7AXyYTGPUkieWPy8JeZSun9OYVwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hEQfKFl-ttU/XGDZHT7V6qI/AAAAAAAACe4/gnTMkS8cA78WoT6_1Uqdv-jM8tchiuFGACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1600" height="197" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hEQfKFl-ttU/XGDZHT7V6qI/AAAAAAAACe4/gnTMkS8cA78WoT6_1Uqdv-jM8tchiuFGACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.115.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EQoYej5ahxo/XGDZHazFX8I/AAAAAAAACe8/MzJAKk02JbAJYxBQfau060xPsQKgpYcLgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EQoYej5ahxo/XGDZHazFX8I/AAAAAAAACe8/MzJAKk02JbAJYxBQfau060xPsQKgpYcLgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.116.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TkrOTVd_D2c/XGDZHiP-RjI/AAAAAAAACfA/F94rs1qKITYwvhVRKa1k2mQHpPXUe00gQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TkrOTVd_D2c/XGDZHiP-RjI/AAAAAAAACfA/F94rs1qKITYwvhVRKa1k2mQHpPXUe00gQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.117.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7RtZUEl8iFY/XGDZID-eIMI/AAAAAAAACfE/pH5iC3eHMJILCNvZhFxgfQDk5azsHb2PgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="1553" height="244" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7RtZUEl8iFY/XGDZID-eIMI/AAAAAAAACfE/pH5iC3eHMJILCNvZhFxgfQDk5azsHb2PgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.118.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hucJqvpOU-U/XGDZIedE0yI/AAAAAAAACfI/0ID5Zi2AO9USFIDazC-J8NpS2JtteoHPQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="1600" height="169" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hucJqvpOU-U/XGDZIedE0yI/AAAAAAAACfI/0ID5Zi2AO9USFIDazC-J8NpS2JtteoHPQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.119.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4ongL0wHGjw/XGDZIXehywI/AAAAAAAACfM/q4Eb6dht7HEpKP2oMXnT0eptoL8hkK7pACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4ongL0wHGjw/XGDZIXehywI/AAAAAAAACfM/q4Eb6dht7HEpKP2oMXnT0eptoL8hkK7pACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.120.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ozdFlQXWf-o/XGDZIpgD_FI/AAAAAAAACfQ/9cIrL0D-ZnkvHmvekIGXX8QYgx6AEGhVACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1322" data-original-width="1600" height="264" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ozdFlQXWf-o/XGDZIpgD_FI/AAAAAAAACfQ/9cIrL0D-ZnkvHmvekIGXX8QYgx6AEGhVACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.121.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k-UZ65COQZI/XGDZIpDQoUI/AAAAAAAACfU/rsDpA5EaA5IcO4ULKnft73fl3RTffZ1FQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1495" height="232" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k-UZ65COQZI/XGDZIpDQoUI/AAAAAAAACfU/rsDpA5EaA5IcO4ULKnft73fl3RTffZ1FQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.122.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6b5ngri1iDQ/XGDZI-IwWmI/AAAAAAAACfY/66s6kdYv_5QtzwlAIOh42xeVJtQ8ueazwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.123.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1473" height="217" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6b5ngri1iDQ/XGDZI-IwWmI/AAAAAAAACfY/66s6kdYv_5QtzwlAIOh42xeVJtQ8ueazwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.123.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PtcCL-6Wi1A/XGDZJkV_dWI/AAAAAAAACfc/_oN4PpmtZ1cD-UQLCssc40SgT1uWyoinACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="1600" height="196" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PtcCL-6Wi1A/XGDZJkV_dWI/AAAAAAAACfc/_oN4PpmtZ1cD-UQLCssc40SgT1uWyoinACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.124.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1rlUXY5rz5M/XGDZJyW4CVI/AAAAAAAACfg/VTJ23jz7iMklIHk19ZC0kMMbNLtABOe5ACLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1rlUXY5rz5M/XGDZJyW4CVI/AAAAAAAACfg/VTJ23jz7iMklIHk19ZC0kMMbNLtABOe5ACLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.125.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tUlbhqFLQFQ/XGDZKHuTZSI/AAAAAAAACfk/jBqJMr-ypNQFoVEPRyEGkwvlPdj_cKNZgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tUlbhqFLQFQ/XGDZKHuTZSI/AAAAAAAACfk/jBqJMr-ypNQFoVEPRyEGkwvlPdj_cKNZgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.126.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K1x2MSzNwvw/XGDZKAYWetI/AAAAAAAACfo/roLKfcrPDs0CN02IhQHqyIvfUamevZwOwCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="1600" height="178" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K1x2MSzNwvw/XGDZKAYWetI/AAAAAAAACfo/roLKfcrPDs0CN02IhQHqyIvfUamevZwOwCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.127.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YrNl2cD0QiE/XGDZKmcwScI/AAAAAAAACfs/8GzwVP-6SZ8QzOI_L4oZctrXvXSrqGVHgCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1600" height="168" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YrNl2cD0QiE/XGDZKmcwScI/AAAAAAAACfs/8GzwVP-6SZ8QzOI_L4oZctrXvXSrqGVHgCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.128.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-76dCrFm0-zU/XGDZKifKSyI/AAAAAAAACfw/qN03RthYj7AiQJM2xVnNj2Mjb2r_2W8QQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1189" height="226" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-76dCrFm0-zU/XGDZKifKSyI/AAAAAAAACfw/qN03RthYj7AiQJM2xVnNj2Mjb2r_2W8QQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.129.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6J7fO2SNBeY/XGDZLI18plI/AAAAAAAACf0/laCIkfoonrsQOD-q6VzpD8rBlSX0MAdAQCLcBGAs/s1600/HERG.wing.130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1515" height="223" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6J7fO2SNBeY/XGDZLI18plI/AAAAAAAACf0/laCIkfoonrsQOD-q6VzpD8rBlSX0MAdAQCLcBGAs/s320/HERG.wing.130.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible, please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not, you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!</span></div>
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com241tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-14996219986907677822019-01-13T00:26:00.001-03:302019-01-13T00:26:13.244-03:30Kumliens Iceland Gulls in Newfoundland: 2nd Cycle BirdsBelow is a selection of 2nd cycle Kumliens Gulls from St.John's, NL. All photos are from late December- early February. I will list accurate dates as well as some comments in the captions over time. For now, I'm just getting the photos up and will work on it from there. I will also be adding flight shots as well, as time allows. If you have interest in getting to know Kumliens Gulls intimately, then St.John's is the location to do that. I invite any comments regarding ID's etc in the comments section.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2aFKnU3Y2IY/XDqyWkb7NaI/AAAAAAAACTQ/ft85qZyWuFQV9RxJd3REqqxMpUfKC7d-gCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="755" height="219" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2aFKnU3Y2IY/XDqyWkb7NaI/AAAAAAAACTQ/ft85qZyWuFQV9RxJd3REqqxMpUfKC7d-gCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December 18</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LkFuLjCzXew/XDqyaF8a-6I/AAAAAAAACUE/XJ76NaHhOMIDg6wU-1Dvdqq7H7bw3hLKQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="755" height="219" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LkFuLjCzXew/XDqyaF8a-6I/AAAAAAAACUE/XJ76NaHhOMIDg6wU-1Dvdqq7H7bw3hLKQCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December 18</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--gr6XxL4kWg/XDqydvLzqUI/AAAAAAAACU0/1ltsnQIUGYkVckk-oogBBg6G95XEbtELACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="861" height="246" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--gr6XxL4kWg/XDqydvLzqUI/AAAAAAAACU0/1ltsnQIUGYkVckk-oogBBg6G95XEbtELACLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December 18</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VZUp8ngPTgU/XDqyev9m6uI/AAAAAAAACVA/CM-ZiEIC7LIyv4yBjLiDAJss1PaCzyh2ACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="819" height="234" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VZUp8ngPTgU/XDqyev9m6uI/AAAAAAAACVA/CM-ZiEIC7LIyv4yBjLiDAJss1PaCzyh2ACLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25284%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December 18</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ibtDXtgWCis/XDqyeoux76I/AAAAAAAACVE/M5VM8ivK5Jwvrd6SJ7c6FH0ZT4yF_CvrwCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="748" height="190" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ibtDXtgWCis/XDqyeoux76I/AAAAAAAACVE/M5VM8ivK5Jwvrd6SJ7c6FH0ZT4yF_CvrwCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25285%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">February 06</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vIeKejiB0cA/XDqyfMK9y9I/AAAAAAAACVI/QcYGJ2pGn4IC-JK3lQI15OKX29BOED-vwCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25286%2529feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="755" height="218" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vIeKejiB0cA/XDqyfMK9y9I/AAAAAAAACVI/QcYGJ2pGn4IC-JK3lQI15OKX29BOED-vwCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25286%2529feb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">February 06</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KWj8pXvrKV8/XDqyfX1L1bI/AAAAAAAACVM/Ol8Spd6yDjAInow26dSYAXuDIDSe_52mwCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25287%2529feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="648" height="220" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KWj8pXvrKV8/XDqyfX1L1bI/AAAAAAAACVM/Ol8Spd6yDjAInow26dSYAXuDIDSe_52mwCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25287%2529feb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">February 06</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yayv_9BigaY/XDqyfqbYBsI/AAAAAAAACVQ/K0IXAj0w0ScG8x_2FnyXZ1SxGenegTGSwCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25288%2529feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="718" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yayv_9BigaY/XDqyfqbYBsI/AAAAAAAACVQ/K0IXAj0w0ScG8x_2FnyXZ1SxGenegTGSwCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25288%2529feb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">February 06</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9zCOYjUlylY/XDqygdx1f-I/AAAAAAAACVU/l5ZKOWHF0gcw4XgUzLYxzscRtU9v3zFxQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25289%2529feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1600" height="202" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9zCOYjUlylY/XDqygdx1f-I/AAAAAAAACVU/l5ZKOWHF0gcw4XgUzLYxzscRtU9v3zFxQCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%25289%2529feb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">February 06</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8JbeE7eN-f8/XDqyXt1D0AI/AAAAAAAACTY/BBlxAg12lZAfs8yoPtScEyC9ApAOqE9YACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252810%2529Dec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1600" height="201" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8JbeE7eN-f8/XDqyXt1D0AI/AAAAAAAACTY/BBlxAg12lZAfs8yoPtScEyC9ApAOqE9YACLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252810%2529Dec.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December 2o</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OVaJQJLMkic/XDqyXFddC9I/AAAAAAAACTU/Zgz-YgycNu8_s7fAvzhFNRvDsyrp8jdZACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252810%2529feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="1600" height="218" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OVaJQJLMkic/XDqyXFddC9I/AAAAAAAACTU/Zgz-YgycNu8_s7fAvzhFNRvDsyrp8jdZACLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252810%2529feb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">February 10</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lk4tyYMmjMo/XDqyYIRTh_I/AAAAAAAACTg/Pk9du6UJlJ4ERVxUSUz5GCOX973pKFlZQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252811%2529Dec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1600" height="183" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lk4tyYMmjMo/XDqyYIRTh_I/AAAAAAAACTg/Pk9du6UJlJ4ERVxUSUz5GCOX973pKFlZQCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252811%2529Dec.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December 22</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Esjo9vYjeU/XDqyYEAK-8I/AAAAAAAACTc/R4-l-CfbzwIi6ge6CMZLP66tTFbhdL46wCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252813%2529Jan04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="1600" height="203" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Esjo9vYjeU/XDqyYEAK-8I/AAAAAAAACTc/R4-l-CfbzwIi6ge6CMZLP66tTFbhdL46wCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252813%2529Jan04.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 04</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NzLpzhrI6W0/XDqyY45KS0I/AAAAAAAACTo/Sfgcqyrzqbg8u_5i3eJJKHckHt_DJMT9ACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252814%2529.flight.Jan06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NzLpzhrI6W0/XDqyY45KS0I/AAAAAAAACTo/Sfgcqyrzqbg8u_5i3eJJKHckHt_DJMT9ACLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252814%2529.flight.Jan06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 04</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2-uTAfM_HjM/XDqyYa2lLkI/AAAAAAAACTk/1vB9YoIEZ0cyrK-zdIfl_x3UsberPiICQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252814%2529.Jan06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2-uTAfM_HjM/XDqyYa2lLkI/AAAAAAAACTk/1vB9YoIEZ0cyrK-zdIfl_x3UsberPiICQCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252814%2529.Jan06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 06</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_7w4aviYnX4/XDqyZNpk_6I/AAAAAAAACTs/DqwDQZ8gTkAp4PPFSl4tFFJ0nTjoPkcXQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252815%2529.Jan06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="1600" height="237" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_7w4aviYnX4/XDqyZNpk_6I/AAAAAAAACTs/DqwDQZ8gTkAp4PPFSl4tFFJ0nTjoPkcXQCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252815%2529.Jan06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 06</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OaSqVjaZptE/XDqyZaZpMwI/AAAAAAAACTw/W-eV4ZJbqYwUYk12XMHDeAKAEORPVaFAQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252816%2529.Jan06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1089" data-original-width="1600" height="217" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OaSqVjaZptE/XDqyZaZpMwI/AAAAAAAACTw/W-eV4ZJbqYwUYk12XMHDeAKAEORPVaFAQCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252816%2529.Jan06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 06</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u_-uV9oC4Nw/XDqyZubv_5I/AAAAAAAACT4/u2TTsNwRcBARXKMFamMlypRIzBJ2y33IACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252817%2529.Jan26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="1600" height="203" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u_-uV9oC4Nw/XDqyZubv_5I/AAAAAAAACT4/u2TTsNwRcBARXKMFamMlypRIzBJ2y33IACLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252817%2529.Jan26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan 26</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6D1uHGeAPIw/XDqyZ4iUCyI/AAAAAAAACT8/UXJlOkiKVFUQGt9ibMZjFKvx_1lWPVgPACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252818%2529.Jan26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1325" data-original-width="1600" height="264" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6D1uHGeAPIw/XDqyZ4iUCyI/AAAAAAAACT8/UXJlOkiKVFUQGt9ibMZjFKvx_1lWPVgPACLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252818%2529.Jan26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan 26</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kiONnjcS4uY/XDqyaN1iqoI/AAAAAAAACUA/KAPARVB_1AcXcNul2K_hB7VuLHb6I0AugCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252819%2529.Jan26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1600" height="231" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kiONnjcS4uY/XDqyaN1iqoI/AAAAAAAACUA/KAPARVB_1AcXcNul2K_hB7VuLHb6I0AugCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252819%2529.Jan26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan 26</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-0xq5zezB4/XDqyao3EddI/AAAAAAAACUI/czaShXC2P_4r6ELRee0GSQYXJEYGgRLVwCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252820%2529.Jan26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1600" height="218" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i-0xq5zezB4/XDqyao3EddI/AAAAAAAACUI/czaShXC2P_4r6ELRee0GSQYXJEYGgRLVwCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252820%2529.Jan26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan 26</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qksZalE7cTs/XDqya0bXPzI/AAAAAAAACUM/7g-nR5UJK_UaXWe3yXuhih6-vqsCIE3WACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252821%2529.Jan26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1103" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qksZalE7cTs/XDqya0bXPzI/AAAAAAAACUM/7g-nR5UJK_UaXWe3yXuhih6-vqsCIE3WACLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252821%2529.Jan26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan 26</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4P5TreXXOBI/XDqybPOGv8I/AAAAAAAACUQ/_TW6_WoHi-YCSjU3wUEvMcTsT-b7wJU1ACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252822%2529.Jan26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4P5TreXXOBI/XDqybPOGv8I/AAAAAAAACUQ/_TW6_WoHi-YCSjU3wUEvMcTsT-b7wJU1ACLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252822%2529.Jan26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan 26</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hymrg9IjNpk/XDqybaoe9QI/AAAAAAAACUU/nfzrGYcrCMIHf59oXEkqxOz72BedmI5rgCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252823%2529.Jan27withTHGU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1600" height="175" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hymrg9IjNpk/XDqybaoe9QI/AAAAAAAACUU/nfzrGYcrCMIHf59oXEkqxOz72BedmI5rgCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252823%2529.Jan27withTHGU.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>2nd cycle, 3rd cycle and adult Kumliens with 2nd cycle Thayer's Gull in center. Jan 26</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gmkwo378htY/XDqybri60lI/AAAAAAAACUY/JBrfGDAFqh0jmapUwaYtLrYuu9ZMNpHWQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252824%2529.Jan27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="199" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gmkwo378htY/XDqybri60lI/AAAAAAAACUY/JBrfGDAFqh0jmapUwaYtLrYuu9ZMNpHWQCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252824%2529.Jan27.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan 27</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Feh6_Lr2KMY/XDqycM0AS-I/AAAAAAAACUc/UG6GbFLXOCA9v6K4-UJ2c-a6k8QKgZQZQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252825%2529.Feb06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1600" height="161" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Feh6_Lr2KMY/XDqycM0AS-I/AAAAAAAACUc/UG6GbFLXOCA9v6K4-UJ2c-a6k8QKgZQZQCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252825%2529.Feb06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feb 06</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O4w5wDOPkuk/XDqycGrqp9I/AAAAAAAACUg/apq1AltJBX4hi5xgbQcGXcJvCVL11snpgCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252825%2529wings.Feb06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="199" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O4w5wDOPkuk/XDqycGrqp9I/AAAAAAAACUg/apq1AltJBX4hi5xgbQcGXcJvCVL11snpgCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252825%2529wings.Feb06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feb 06</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IJ56jphpFgQ/XDqycYn568I/AAAAAAAACUk/0Hqvy-i2GOc4IyVosyQpnZbX3cvAJk65wCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252826%2529.Feb07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1600" height="199" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IJ56jphpFgQ/XDqycYn568I/AAAAAAAACUk/0Hqvy-i2GOc4IyVosyQpnZbX3cvAJk65wCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252826%2529.Feb07.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feb 06</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x6m5PAvtIbc/XDqydKb35fI/AAAAAAAACUo/AJ9xp9MacwM11OHFB9XA7LndRmg9T7clwCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252827%2529.Feb10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="964" data-original-width="1600" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x6m5PAvtIbc/XDqydKb35fI/AAAAAAAACUo/AJ9xp9MacwM11OHFB9XA7LndRmg9T7clwCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252827%2529.Feb10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feb 10</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Va1dr7p8LNc/XDqydDiFzmI/AAAAAAAACUs/ee5nlKK902kD7vN9o95QO1ZX0oqB4Z5xACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252828%2529.Feb10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1018" data-original-width="1600" height="203" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Va1dr7p8LNc/XDqydDiFzmI/AAAAAAAACUs/ee5nlKK902kD7vN9o95QO1ZX0oqB4Z5xACLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252828%2529.Feb10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feb 10</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bWZR6Y_EFkw/XDqydNp_Z5I/AAAAAAAACUw/qxw6esNdYzQrYftowY9nKdsQqI3ees6GQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252829%2529.Feb10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bWZR6Y_EFkw/XDqydNp_Z5I/AAAAAAAACUw/qxw6esNdYzQrYftowY9nKdsQqI3ees6GQCLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252829%2529.Feb10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feb 10</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4XaXw7uaEs8/XDqyeACnpCI/AAAAAAAACU4/kECdT5zSTkYWrTPzA9FuA7irUYIQIswGACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252830%2529.Feb10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="1600" height="219" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4XaXw7uaEs8/XDqyeACnpCI/AAAAAAAACU4/kECdT5zSTkYWrTPzA9FuA7irUYIQIswGACLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252830%2529.Feb10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feb 11</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iw2o3hsKyM/XDqyeSAnRfI/AAAAAAAACU8/Xx-LR1iHqBUmoZODSX6h3OUi9cW0K-8jACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252831%2529.Feb10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="1600" height="219" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iw2o3hsKyM/XDqyeSAnRfI/AAAAAAAACU8/Xx-LR1iHqBUmoZODSX6h3OUi9cW0K-8jACLcBGAs/s320/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.2ndcycle%252831%2529.Feb10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feb 11</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-74451199840165875532019-01-12T17:16:00.001-03:302019-02-15T13:09:36.510-03:30Kumlien's Iceland Gulls in St.John's, Newfoundland : 1st cycleThis is not meant to be a definitive article discussing the identification of Kumliens Gull, nor I will go into much detail about it's separation from either glancoides or thayeri at this time. However, where appropriate (mainly in the captions) I will make some notes on the birds pictured. At this time, this is serve primarily as a collection of photos of Kumliens Gulls, to show typical and some not so typical individuals. If you have questions or comments about birds included, please feel free to reply in the comments section. All photos included were taken in St.John's, Newfoundland.<br />
<br />
Over time I will add more comments in the form of captions and will include the date the photo was taken. All photos were taken between early January and mid February. All birds are presumed to be Kumliens, though some individuals do show some characters intermediate with either glaucoides or Thayeri. However, most of these are fairly typical individuals. I will also be adding flight shots over time as well and this page will continue to evolve over time.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0x-gTcsEnxg/XDpJoREgykI/AAAAAAAACP0/z7Xy8Drwtv4EJPG4AUKU-sjJgU_pkqYJQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull%25281st%2Bwinter.head%2Btuck%2529.feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="968" height="252" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0x-gTcsEnxg/XDpJoREgykI/AAAAAAAACP0/z7Xy8Drwtv4EJPG4AUKU-sjJgU_pkqYJQCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull%25281st%2Bwinter.head%2Btuck%2529.feb.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fairly typical individual<b>.January</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1DqshjeKC_Y/XDpJo1gz8AI/AAAAAAAACP4/2qpX3O2JUj0Ma5Ah5cnmpKwi-uY6g2xHACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.1.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="777" height="265" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1DqshjeKC_Y/XDpJo1gz8AI/AAAAAAAACP4/2qpX3O2JUj0Ma5Ah5cnmpKwi-uY6g2xHACLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.1.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhat interesting scapular pattern, with dark V's on otherwise very pale feathers,everything else fairly typical<b>. January</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DNI4aHaFwN8/XDpJuWk2P5I/AAAAAAAACQk/t6rWLSrwbBA-3UtTu1KuCrNUqJcMZgT2gCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.2.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="811" height="259" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DNI4aHaFwN8/XDpJuWk2P5I/AAAAAAAACQk/t6rWLSrwbBA-3UtTu1KuCrNUqJcMZgT2gCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.2.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well marked scapulars, typical looking marbled greater covers,Primaries somewhat pale<b>.January</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RMY_iH47gjw/XDpJvuOoQ-I/AAAAAAAACQw/XYH-tdYnJicAnjklUPgOcu6CQ6sBHa96gCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.3.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="743" height="260" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RMY_iH47gjw/XDpJvuOoQ-I/AAAAAAAACQw/XYH-tdYnJicAnjklUPgOcu6CQ6sBHa96gCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.3.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yL-87GCW6nw/XDpJvqbIpeI/AAAAAAAACQ0/mytiONwwQuc0xO9y67BqsGEWGE72SKNGACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.4.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="627" height="261" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yL-87GCW6nw/XDpJvqbIpeI/AAAAAAAACQ0/mytiONwwQuc0xO9y67BqsGEWGE72SKNGACLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.4.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xnotAQCY_PM/XDpJv3tNNfI/AAAAAAAACQ4/xie8gIgoiBEco7TzsVtAq9PGMiGmZobpgCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.5.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="564" height="374" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xnotAQCY_PM/XDpJv3tNNfI/AAAAAAAACQ4/xie8gIgoiBEco7TzsVtAq9PGMiGmZobpgCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.5.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D6yHAYgIpt0/XDpJwFWOqqI/AAAAAAAACQ8/X9yJXqs-wa8LxgnBnBrbNezFrGGduDEYwCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.6.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="672" height="257" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D6yHAYgIpt0/XDpJwFWOqqI/AAAAAAAACQ8/X9yJXqs-wa8LxgnBnBrbNezFrGGduDEYwCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.6.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GgJA14Dqt70/XDpJwuPC9DI/AAAAAAAACRA/lCClB2KXSRQBPOH714lHohpNmEhZr8O1wCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.7.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="649" height="295" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GgJA14Dqt70/XDpJwuPC9DI/AAAAAAAACRA/lCClB2KXSRQBPOH714lHohpNmEhZr8O1wCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.7.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EWm6qunpwH0/XDpJxEG3-tI/AAAAAAAACRE/kBa7VcxP490wQyuVdGdTzTjiWV7MxGOyACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.8.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="699" height="236" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EWm6qunpwH0/XDpJxEG3-tI/AAAAAAAACRE/kBa7VcxP490wQyuVdGdTzTjiWV7MxGOyACLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.8.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7n1Djk95IHc/XDpJxl6WbqI/AAAAAAAACRI/q-Bnfz7eQ6kYaIiVDMaTypjR60y4JAGXACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.9.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="659" height="257" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7n1Djk95IHc/XDpJxl6WbqI/AAAAAAAACRI/q-Bnfz7eQ6kYaIiVDMaTypjR60y4JAGXACLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.9.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YR-FViKgJXI/XDpJpZEsIFI/AAAAAAAACP8/0j3s8YNxz60X0r5SfiMRj84DhhGQOU2tgCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.10.jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="598" height="322" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YR-FViKgJXI/XDpJpZEsIFI/AAAAAAAACP8/0j3s8YNxz60X0r5SfiMRj84DhhGQOU2tgCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.10.jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XfYzWAwhpYc/XDpJp127B_I/AAAAAAAACQA/jAYq3VpN0_cpolpn7XtHGr6IHM-Pu1ezgCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.11.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="661" height="281" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XfYzWAwhpYc/XDpJp127B_I/AAAAAAAACQA/jAYq3VpN0_cpolpn7XtHGr6IHM-Pu1ezgCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.11.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TWMl8ZWEgsk/XDpJqbFFJLI/AAAAAAAACQE/DRbA1af_W3o7Kf_0BWnvS8idxvIfJgivACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.12.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="671" height="275" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TWMl8ZWEgsk/XDpJqbFFJLI/AAAAAAAACQE/DRbA1af_W3o7Kf_0BWnvS8idxvIfJgivACLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.12.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g_hmo9MauGc/XDpJq-KvP8I/AAAAAAAACQI/yMWGMlic_v0eQEDQN8PUXeMWTEq6YAROgCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.13.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="724" height="280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g_hmo9MauGc/XDpJq-KvP8I/AAAAAAAACQI/yMWGMlic_v0eQEDQN8PUXeMWTEq6YAROgCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.13.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F3IbCffNF6s/XDpJrX5s7jI/AAAAAAAACQM/_bcIDf4Pjmg6VOgePXKPk7vYfETqAZoowCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.14.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="771" height="277" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F3IbCffNF6s/XDpJrX5s7jI/AAAAAAAACQM/_bcIDf4Pjmg6VOgePXKPk7vYfETqAZoowCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.14.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1LtZiHhOwLg/XDpJr7tcV8I/AAAAAAAACQQ/6d6e3MoffW4fYeIVfz3IiNbgyo40ouq-QCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.15.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="658" height="278" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1LtZiHhOwLg/XDpJr7tcV8I/AAAAAAAACQQ/6d6e3MoffW4fYeIVfz3IiNbgyo40ouq-QCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.15.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_lx2SD1NLYo/XDpJsXbkroI/AAAAAAAACQU/ionn8SWUDTkFzqaTBUrZhijkJhBpHcp7wCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.16.Feb.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="675" height="270" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_lx2SD1NLYo/XDpJsXbkroI/AAAAAAAACQU/ionn8SWUDTkFzqaTBUrZhijkJhBpHcp7wCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.16.Feb.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rx_dj_QbDgY/XDpJs5gWi4I/AAAAAAAACQY/d9AiHm20RZk-6hkn6S1RBm7F2p5byioBgCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.17.Feb.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="806" height="267" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rx_dj_QbDgY/XDpJs5gWi4I/AAAAAAAACQY/d9AiHm20RZk-6hkn6S1RBm7F2p5byioBgCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.17.Feb.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CbwOtyWw7sE/XDpJtd8E93I/AAAAAAAACQc/Vym0WrZcrPoiIHJ1UApZLDSG2VAb4bAkgCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.18.Feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="678" height="279" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CbwOtyWw7sE/XDpJtd8E93I/AAAAAAAACQc/Vym0WrZcrPoiIHJ1UApZLDSG2VAb4bAkgCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.18.Feb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R5rKrhmUJPY/XDpJt99mXWI/AAAAAAAACQg/_zfaScJCLu4psICaVqxSgC19J2_Yku6fwCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.19.Feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="636" height="275" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R5rKrhmUJPY/XDpJt99mXWI/AAAAAAAACQg/_zfaScJCLu4psICaVqxSgC19J2_Yku6fwCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.19.Feb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T7wqTw8I8gc/XDpJux5wIEI/AAAAAAAACQo/jboOa3kH8z82cEhZJ5-HqoLMot3BwE2-ACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.20.Feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="733" height="252" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T7wqTw8I8gc/XDpJux5wIEI/AAAAAAAACQo/jboOa3kH8z82cEhZJ5-HqoLMot3BwE2-ACLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.20.Feb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dKoEvsYodJQ/XDpJvjO_tHI/AAAAAAAACQs/YNRVuQq58aolrBBXpBC9tpqCvuScRI7_ACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.21.Feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="687" height="269" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dKoEvsYodJQ/XDpJvjO_tHI/AAAAAAAACQs/YNRVuQq58aolrBBXpBC9tpqCvuScRI7_ACLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.21.Feb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dXnNXiXA-VM/XDpJyM3QaUI/AAAAAAAACRM/whmfwuYRl6M_JwU6HN5tzMRBKscdfchVwCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="772" height="253" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dXnNXiXA-VM/XDpJyM3QaUI/AAAAAAAACRM/whmfwuYRl6M_JwU6HN5tzMRBKscdfchVwCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rTsWjHES7I8/XDpJl6kb5YI/AAAAAAAACPU/TpmNVgVh7rAPeWYnTsCJazenn1xqtkl1wCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%25292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="1024" height="271" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rTsWjHES7I8/XDpJl6kb5YI/AAAAAAAACPU/TpmNVgVh7rAPeWYnTsCJazenn1xqtkl1wCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%25292.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xu28U3wXRTM/XDpJmDvwluI/AAAAAAAACPY/wB1VB8bIPhopTeitkuqAiklIjODgrLlJQCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%25293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="924" height="330" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xu28U3wXRTM/XDpJmDvwluI/AAAAAAAACPY/wB1VB8bIPhopTeitkuqAiklIjODgrLlJQCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%25293.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IKm4svzJM5k/XDpJmTYOGpI/AAAAAAAACPc/gitsstB2-GIDoLZNfanpWhhhTz5wl-F-wCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%25294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1035" height="278" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IKm4svzJM5k/XDpJmTYOGpI/AAAAAAAACPc/gitsstB2-GIDoLZNfanpWhhhTz5wl-F-wCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%25294.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P892bCmCo1M/XDpJmvdg97I/AAAAAAAACPg/YZ42J326c8AbeFf4QAE5PaBorehrLyYhQCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%25295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="1136" height="260" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P892bCmCo1M/XDpJmvdg97I/AAAAAAAACPg/YZ42J326c8AbeFf4QAE5PaBorehrLyYhQCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%25295.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-exlCs5NLbq8/XDpJnIvtLKI/AAAAAAAACPk/7URkYOUKgeYbPUL1x61FSgirMr2WwGYnACLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%25296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="1088" height="263" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-exlCs5NLbq8/XDpJnIvtLKI/AAAAAAAACPk/7URkYOUKgeYbPUL1x61FSgirMr2WwGYnACLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%25296.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KM-kgpq2BEU/XDpJnWjEmBI/AAAAAAAACPo/k8OKF7KF3E4TkWpE3x65N89dtP2KIRLGwCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%25297.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="1098" height="294" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KM-kgpq2BEU/XDpJnWjEmBI/AAAAAAAACPo/k8OKF7KF3E4TkWpE3x65N89dtP2KIRLGwCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%25297.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7mz71QD_Wo/XDpJn8IISjI/AAAAAAAACPs/2jzYBhjnQmE-WwHTfNbMSIK4pf4FNYntgCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%25298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="869" height="319" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7mz71QD_Wo/XDpJn8IISjI/AAAAAAAACPs/2jzYBhjnQmE-WwHTfNbMSIK4pf4FNYntgCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%25298.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nTl9p0TqIkI/XDpJoD15vEI/AAAAAAAACPw/fKJmf4pT4QEdbOF5aZJ4y6V5mIE5XdxZQCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%25299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1066" height="281" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nTl9p0TqIkI/XDpJoD15vEI/AAAAAAAACPw/fKJmf4pT4QEdbOF5aZJ4y6V5mIE5XdxZQCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%25299.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--CjYnm2XYzs/XDpJkVEFIwI/AAAAAAAACOs/pnbZAsJ9ayAtk_cfmgAebm80Ip11ztpwwCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%252910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1003" height="299" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--CjYnm2XYzs/XDpJkVEFIwI/AAAAAAAACOs/pnbZAsJ9ayAtk_cfmgAebm80Ip11ztpwwCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%252910.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mW0bL_Zra0U/XDpJkfrszcI/AAAAAAAACOo/gYYzT4XF2bkJhykGVVDy9i2hGCwthpvdgCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%252911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1041" height="299" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mW0bL_Zra0U/XDpJkfrszcI/AAAAAAAACOo/gYYzT4XF2bkJhykGVVDy9i2hGCwthpvdgCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%252911.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rCRNc3_4E_M/XDpJk-Mf4uI/AAAAAAAACO0/fkwj7i2f0N8f5YnL9LhIUbjlU0iw_yAKACLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%252912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="991" height="293" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rCRNc3_4E_M/XDpJk-Mf4uI/AAAAAAAACO0/fkwj7i2f0N8f5YnL9LhIUbjlU0iw_yAKACLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%252912.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kKQzjcPzagw/XDpJlIzV7TI/AAAAAAAACO8/29U5II7vMh0vsKCSggc51KsMRtRR7PyaQCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%252913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1115" height="286" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kKQzjcPzagw/XDpJlIzV7TI/AAAAAAAACO8/29U5II7vMh0vsKCSggc51KsMRtRR7PyaQCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%252913.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iGzimVEcQ8/XDpJlPeYETI/AAAAAAAACO4/vHuMYDGZedMaPK1p_zxIY0DxqLBsG1ZtACLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%252914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1120" height="274" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iGzimVEcQ8/XDpJlPeYETI/AAAAAAAACO4/vHuMYDGZedMaPK1p_zxIY0DxqLBsG1ZtACLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%252914.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D9qGDbh1VIU/XDpJlV91kvI/AAAAAAAACPA/yujEN8HC8Fsh5QB4V3Ooj7djZcUfA7L_wCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%252915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1107" height="242" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D9qGDbh1VIU/XDpJlV91kvI/AAAAAAAACPA/yujEN8HC8Fsh5QB4V3Ooj7djZcUfA7L_wCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%252915.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hMR8h1PPRLQ/XDpJltKcIiI/AAAAAAAACPE/fE8jbnnTufAOdRoaHPr2QEw_YXyVAMn1wCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%252916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="962" height="283" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hMR8h1PPRLQ/XDpJltKcIiI/AAAAAAAACPE/fE8jbnnTufAOdRoaHPr2QEw_YXyVAMn1wCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%252916.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dUvG4LsscPE/XDpJlrtUY0I/AAAAAAAACPI/niDv4sYZKqE96SE_vjM1dQSeaWW5JmozQCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%252917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1071" height="304" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dUvG4LsscPE/XDpJlrtUY0I/AAAAAAAACPI/niDv4sYZKqE96SE_vjM1dQSeaWW5JmozQCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%252917.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hobPLlwFMUw/XDpJlwJlktI/AAAAAAAACPM/8ME63q4EZRsiC3hWJV2X9gfgt5Xhvo28gCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%252918.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1134" height="272" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hobPLlwFMUw/XDpJlwJlktI/AAAAAAAACPM/8ME63q4EZRsiC3hWJV2X9gfgt5Xhvo28gCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%252918.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wfBpFHiufXw/XDpJl6vG82I/AAAAAAAACPQ/0XEQmkIjbwMcdJr_D_PGSQWASosswc6pwCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%252919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="1237" height="230" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wfBpFHiufXw/XDpJl6vG82I/AAAAAAAACPQ/0XEQmkIjbwMcdJr_D_PGSQWASosswc6pwCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%252919.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_QAOgP7zr0M/XDpJkfFvOdI/AAAAAAAACOw/f9K2gyeuPTUVDEwFDEUUfAn0PRLP5O9_wCLcBGAs/s1600/ICGU%25281stwinter%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="1004" height="275" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_QAOgP7zr0M/XDpJkfFvOdI/AAAAAAAACOw/f9K2gyeuPTUVDEwFDEUUfAn0PRLP5O9_wCLcBGAs/s400/ICGU%25281stwinter%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P9gOHRG0QkI/XDpJyh1vioI/AAAAAAAACRQ/8mwknnkn9H86TAm_urZj7rYDGg7Sg9T1wCLcBGAs/s1600/Kumliens%2BGull%25281st%2Bwinter%2529.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="729" height="306" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P9gOHRG0QkI/XDpJyh1vioI/AAAAAAAACRQ/8mwknnkn9H86TAm_urZj7rYDGg7Sg9T1wCLcBGAs/s400/Kumliens%2BGull%25281st%2Bwinter%2529.2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
All photos from this point Jan 5-Jan 27th</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Au9vj6qihuQ/XDp8ez-WaGI/AAAAAAAACR4/gdBFEQj6ZAIecK5mLA2cy-VsFGnXiz4AwCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.29.Jan4th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="1600" height="273" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Au9vj6qihuQ/XDp8ez-WaGI/AAAAAAAACR4/gdBFEQj6ZAIecK5mLA2cy-VsFGnXiz4AwCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.29.Jan4th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2-YRaxz0De8/XDp8fJ6KjsI/AAAAAAAACR8/CEL6arKD5MYoDjK0wXBuo-HqsrN4bm1TgCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.30.Jan6th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="1600" height="285" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2-YRaxz0De8/XDp8fJ6KjsI/AAAAAAAACR8/CEL6arKD5MYoDjK0wXBuo-HqsrN4bm1TgCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.30.Jan6th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e_qSL-5IVO0/XDp8e-Lq6NI/AAAAAAAACR0/VP8W5zmuUyAVeYSYRYrb5Z_R32eveVrSwCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.31.Jan12th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1600" height="268" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e_qSL-5IVO0/XDp8e-Lq6NI/AAAAAAAACR0/VP8W5zmuUyAVeYSYRYrb5Z_R32eveVrSwCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.31.Jan12th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--bad9PnhlYw/XDp8f-jpudI/AAAAAAAACSA/TIQ0Apj80zIY1VpBuPmjcQi6ezOHmtuygCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.32.Jan26th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1600" height="281" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--bad9PnhlYw/XDp8f-jpudI/AAAAAAAACSA/TIQ0Apj80zIY1VpBuPmjcQi6ezOHmtuygCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.32.Jan26th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qcfWFMjjelw/XDp8gL4BMZI/AAAAAAAACSE/kSf9mnNICp8TYbiWc1akPRmQfvne2LJnACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.33.Jan27th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="1600" height="261" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qcfWFMjjelw/XDp8gL4BMZI/AAAAAAAACSE/kSf9mnNICp8TYbiWc1akPRmQfvne2LJnACLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.33.Jan27th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8cDjHVNY3_8/XDp8gb47DuI/AAAAAAAACSI/ayfXTSMzLlkkWYGCvubp1ATTf7pE2pXFgCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.34.Jan27th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8cDjHVNY3_8/XDp8gb47DuI/AAAAAAAACSI/ayfXTSMzLlkkWYGCvubp1ATTf7pE2pXFgCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.34.Jan27th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NbB32c82N64/XDp8galHN7I/AAAAAAAACSM/FyXxfsvGqz0dQAnkED2SQ_E_dd7gF2koACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.35.Jan27th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1017" data-original-width="1600" height="253" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NbB32c82N64/XDp8galHN7I/AAAAAAAACSM/FyXxfsvGqz0dQAnkED2SQ_E_dd7gF2koACLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.35.Jan27th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NNZn1anPVXQ/XDp8g7oVfeI/AAAAAAAACSQ/ToDojo3e2WY-jNTOkOWQ0Cxbmi1I_YBdQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.36.Jan27th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1600" height="252" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NNZn1anPVXQ/XDp8g7oVfeI/AAAAAAAACSQ/ToDojo3e2WY-jNTOkOWQ0Cxbmi1I_YBdQCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.36.Jan27th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iqeoAoa2LF4/XDp8niz_X4I/AAAAAAAACSc/AR9RuFVLhx4jDl__7rcL-swEC7QVEzMvgCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.22.Dec.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="1600" height="305" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iqeoAoa2LF4/XDp8niz_X4I/AAAAAAAACSc/AR9RuFVLhx4jDl__7rcL-swEC7QVEzMvgCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.22.Dec.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jmX2mUrqdJ0/XDp8nsxerhI/AAAAAAAACSg/mD5Q85Ul6Ootus224ryb-yKwbq7luCHlQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.22.Jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jmX2mUrqdJ0/XDp8nsxerhI/AAAAAAAACSg/mD5Q85Ul6Ootus224ryb-yKwbq7luCHlQCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.22.Jan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-szvoHPZiLIw/XDp8m5lujNI/AAAAAAAACSU/7tqVNBcSjRQmbCrvAm0PgbrrCBmR9zkugCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.23.Jan2nd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="1600" height="292" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-szvoHPZiLIw/XDp8m5lujNI/AAAAAAAACSU/7tqVNBcSjRQmbCrvAm0PgbrrCBmR9zkugCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.23.Jan2nd.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X-KHNjxRsnU/XDp8nrQeVFI/AAAAAAAACSY/Xoelk9lj0AAQh5-hI6pjdzdhqIImu77PACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.24.Jan4th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" height="285" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X-KHNjxRsnU/XDp8nrQeVFI/AAAAAAAACSY/Xoelk9lj0AAQh5-hI6pjdzdhqIImu77PACLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.24.Jan4th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaHCZccIIpE/XDp8ogudKtI/AAAAAAAACSk/Xvcc82GBdesOSFX_aBYEbqnr6J4dMQoowCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.25.Jan4th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaHCZccIIpE/XDp8ogudKtI/AAAAAAAACSk/Xvcc82GBdesOSFX_aBYEbqnr6J4dMQoowCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.25.Jan4th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9iz8zev3vM/XDp8pNa1z8I/AAAAAAAACSo/LDY8HChWnrIhNkae2pRbjyRc32NnznygQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.26.Jan4th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="997" data-original-width="1600" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9iz8zev3vM/XDp8pNa1z8I/AAAAAAAACSo/LDY8HChWnrIhNkae2pRbjyRc32NnznygQCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.26.Jan4th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VJ7pTNKWNIM/XDp8pAKh2dI/AAAAAAAACSs/Rb9qoDkjI4A8v2IljWiqiCkif0-65g6KQCLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.27.Jan4th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1106" data-original-width="1600" height="276" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VJ7pTNKWNIM/XDp8pAKh2dI/AAAAAAAACSs/Rb9qoDkjI4A8v2IljWiqiCkif0-65g6KQCLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.27.Jan4th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wuWdJkzcUEM/XDp8pf0UG5I/AAAAAAAACSw/0PSa5TtlfXgeiEY_TZuFvloMuR5aS-vAACLcBGAs/s1600/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.28.Jan4th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="1600" height="273" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wuWdJkzcUEM/XDp8pf0UG5I/AAAAAAAACSw/0PSa5TtlfXgeiEY_TZuFvloMuR5aS-vAACLcBGAs/s400/Iceland%2BGull.kumliens.1stcycle.28.Jan4th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible, please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not, you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!</span></div>
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-59678604215705601092018-08-23T12:41:00.000-02:302019-01-15T21:51:14.698-03:30Common Ringed Plover in North America: Records, Analysis and Identification: Part lThe purpose of this article is simple. It is meant to be a thorough discussion of the presence of Common Ringed Plover in North America. I will examine all the records for the species of North America, discuss trends in vagrancy for the species; and I will examine the identification of Common Ringed Plover in detail. I will examine a number of unusual individuals of both Common Ringed and Semipalmated Plover in an effort to find the best and most consistent means of separating these two species in all plumages.<br />
<br />
While this article is intended for North American birders identifying Common Ringed Plover, it will certainly also be of use to European birders who are seeking to identify Semipalmated Plovers among flocks of Common Ringed Plovers.<br />
<h2>
<b>Range, Records and Pattern of Vagrancy</b></h2>
Lets gloss over some brief compulsory range information.Semipalmated Plover breeds across the northern portions of the Canadian Arctic, and Alaska, south to Newfoundland and perhaps parts of Nova Scotia. The very similar Common-ringed Plover is primarily an Old World species breeding across northern Eurasia and making it as far south as Northern France.<br />
<br />
In North America, Common ringed Plover breeds in Greenland as well as, Baffin Island and perhaps in scattered locations in Alaska as well. Semipalmated Plovers winter in parts of the southern US and throughout coastal South America. Common-ringed Plovers on the other hand head for extreme southern Europe and Africa.<br />
<br />
Common ringed Plover also occurs as a vagrant species in North America. It is extremely rare outside of Alaska and Baffin Island but there are at least accepted records for 6 US States and 4 Canadian Provinces (based on current eBird data). However, there are more records for Eastern Newfoundland, than for the rest of Canada (excluding Baffin Island) and the lower 48 combined, with near 20 records since 2006! Below are all of the records for Common Ringed Plover in eBird.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<br />Records for Common Ringed Plover for Mainland Canada and the Lower 48</h3>
<br />
1989, Nova Scotia - October 7th (no details)<br />
1990, Massachusetts - September 5 (adult)<br />
2000, Quebec - July 7th (adult)<br />
2003, New Brunswick - August 26th (adult)<br />
2006, Washington - September 23rd (juvenile)<br />
<b>2010, Massachusetts - September 11th (juvenile)</b><br />
2010, Quebec - May 29th (adult)<br />
2011, California - August 24th (adult)<br />
2013, Massachusetts - May 20th (adult)<br />
2014, North Carolina - May 15th (adult)<br />
2014, New York - August 24 (adult)<br />
2016, Ontario - August 20th (adult)<br />
<b>2016, Illinois - September 14th (juvenile)</b><br />
2017, Nova Scotia - September 1st (heard only)<br />
<b>2017, Massachusetts - September 12th (juvenile)</b><br />
<br />
There are a total of 15 records for mainland Canada and the lower 48 (listed in eBird). There is some notable information which can be gleaned from these records. First, notice the increase of records from 2010 onward. I think there could be a number of factors at play, but chief among them are, more birders and a better network connecting them ; the boom in digital bird photography, which has allowed many of these birds to be photographed and the ID's confirmed ; better field guides and photos on the internet, which have improved our ability to id cryptic species such as Common Ringed Plover.<br />
<br />
Of the 15 records, 12 are adults and just 3 are juveniles. This makes sense, since juvenile Common ringed Plover can be very difficult to identify in the field. I think it is likely that there will be an increase in the number of juveniles identified over time, as our ability to separate them from the extremely similar Semipalmated Plover improves.<br />
<br />
It's also worth noting the timing of the records. The vast majority of the records are in late summer, primarily the last week of August through the first half of September. It would seem that adults are possibly any time during the late summer shorebird migration, while records of juveniles were confined to mid September. This is not surprising, since juveniles of most shorebird species migrate later than adults. I will discuss the Spring records separately, later.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<h3>
<b>Records for Common Ringed Plover for Newfoundland</b></h3>
<b><br /></b>
1980 - August 24, (adult)<br />
- September 21 (adult)<br />
2001- August 15th (adult)<br />
2006- August 20th (adult)<br />
September 16th (adult) ( an adult female and juv at the same location)<br />
<b>September 16th (juvenile)</b><br />
2007- September 2nd (adult)<br />
2008- July 27th (adult)<br />
2009- <b>September 15th (juvenile)</b><br />
2010- August 7th (adult)<br />
2011- <b>September 4th (juvenile)</b><br />
2013<b>- </b>August 16th (adult)<br />
2014- August 23rd (adult)<br />
August 15th (adult)<br />
2017- July 29th (adult)<br />
July 10th (adult)<br />
August 5th (adult)<br />
August 19th (adult)<br />
August 26th (adult)<br />
August 28th (adult)<br />
August 29th (adult)<br />
September 10th (adult)<br />
<br />
Many of the Newfoundland records come in two years, 2006 and 2017, when there were 4 and an astounding 8, different individuals recorded. The CRPL invasion of 2017 (to eastern Newfoundland) probably merits its own article, and that is something I will explore at a later date. Other than the two big years, Common Ringed Plover is essentially annual in eastern Newfoundland, though it was notably absent from 2015 and 2016.<br />
<br />
For a discussion of the 2006 influx, see the following North American Birds article " <a href="https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/nab/v061n01/p00170-p00173.pdf">An Influx of Common Ringed Plovers in Southern Newfoundland in autumn 2006</a>" I coauthored with fellow birder, Jared Clarke.<br />
<br />
It is also worth noting that distribution of the records of CRPL in Newfoundland. All, but two of the records are from the eastern or southern edge of the Avalon Peninsula. This is probably partly due to the eastern facing edge of the Avalon being well positioned to collect stray birds from Europe, but it's also worth noting that this is by far the most birded part of the province. There are many excellent shorebird areas in other parts of the province, that get sparse coverage at best, so undoubtedly many CRPL's must pass through Newfoundland undetected.<br />
<br />
The timing of records for CRPL in Newfoundland seem to mirror those of records elsewhere in North American, with adult occurring from mid August though early September and juveniles almost exclusively in the first half of September. As well, the proportion of adults to juveniles is also very similar, with 3 of 22 CRPL's in Newfoundland being juveniles and 3 of 15 CRPL records outside of Newfoundland pertaining to juveniles. As stated above I would expect to see the number of records of juveniles increase as our ability to identify them with confidence increases.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Where do Vagrant Common Ringed Plovers Originate?</h3>
There are 3 subspecies of Common Ringed Plovers (Charadrius hiatcula)<br />
<br />
<i><b>C.h.psammodroma</b></i><i style="font-size: x-large;">- </i>breeds from the Ferroe Islands and Iceland to Arctic Canada<br />
<br />
<i style="font-weight: bold;">C.h.hiatcula- </i>breeds in Britain, south Scandanavia, Northern and Eastern Europe<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<i style="font-weight: bold;">C.h.tundrae- </i>breeds from northern Scandanavia to Russia<br />
<br />
It would seem to make sense that birds that have appeared Washington and California would belong to the Russian subspecies C.h. tundrae, since that is the commonly occurring species in Alaska. As for the records in the eastern half of North American, the situation is a bit more murky, with perhaps both psammodroma and hiatcula possible. Separation between these subspecies is difficult and to my knowledge people have not tried ( or have not been successful) identifying vagrant CRPL's in Eastern North America to subspecies.<br />
<br />
C.h.psammodroma migrates from it's breeding grounds in Arctic Canada and Iceland to the coastal Africa. It is conceivable that these individuals get drifted off course, or perhaps some individuals get mixed up in flocks of Semipalmated Plovers. To me of more interest are the few Spring records of CRPL.<br />
<br />
The vast majority records for vagrant Common Ringed Plovers in North America are in late summer, as part of the annual autumn shorebird migration. Only 3 off the 37 records documented in this article are Spring records, all occurring in late May. Interestingly, there aren't any Spring records for Newfoundland. This is notable since Newfoundland routinely gets European (Iceland bound) shorebirds in Spring, with European Golden Plover being annual and a number of records of other European shorebird species including, Common Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, European Oystercatcher etc. I think the Spring Common Ringed Plovers on the eastern seaboard, are birds that had been drifted to Eastern North America in fall and then over winted with Semipalmated Plovers in the extreme southern US or South America and then migrated back North along the east coast of North America, where they are then detected. This is the situation that is thought to be responsible for many Spring records of Ruff, Little Egret, Garganey and other European species.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Common Ringed Plover Identification (adults)</b></h3>
<div>
It is my experience that adult Common Ringed Plovers stand out fairly well in a group of Semipalmated Plovers, provided you have some experience with Semipalmated Plovers. Even from a distance they often appear slightly paler, perhaps slightly larger, with a distinct supercilium that trails the length of the auriculars. Common Ringed Plovers often appear as though the black face mask has been pulled more snugly, thus extending lower on the face. As well, often the entire auricular is black, extending all the way to the white band on the neck. In Semipalmated Plover the facials mask often fades to brown as it nears the side of the neck. All of this combines to give Common Ringed Plover a more contrasty look to the head in general. These features, although subtle, combine to create a different looking bird even from a distance, and gives the observer reason for further scrutiny.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m0XIutqy-dU/W3DOqkMNf8I/AAAAAAAACIk/BP4a6rm1ZmkkeyeJKcsuGvz7QZbu42YaACEwYBhgL/s1600/CRPL%2B%2528alvan.comp%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common Ringed Plover in Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m0XIutqy-dU/W3DOqkMNf8I/AAAAAAAACIk/BP4a6rm1ZmkkeyeJKcsuGvz7QZbu42YaACEwYBhgL/s320/CRPL%2B%2528alvan.comp%2529.jpg" title="Common Ringed Plover with Semipalmated Plovers" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Common Ringed Plover is the first bird on the left. Note how it appears different from the two Semipalmated Plovers. Don't be concerned with trying to pick out fine detail, just note the different impression you get from the bird; the more contrasty face and paler upper parts.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lXOIbDb09zA/W3DOquz16SI/AAAAAAAACIg/r3SNU_SzwysMLWZ1eOmpFQxNikOmOayzwCEwYBhgL/s1600/CRPL%2Bcomp.bruce.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="1000" height="146" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lXOIbDb09zA/W3DOquz16SI/AAAAAAAACIg/r3SNU_SzwysMLWZ1eOmpFQxNikOmOayzwCEwYBhgL/s400/CRPL%2Bcomp.bruce.2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>There isn't always this much difference in the thickness of the breast band. Note also the more extensive white forehead, with sharper contrast against the paler head. Also note the difference in the face. See how the black lores of the Common Ringed on the left are consistently thick versus the Semipalmated on the right, whose lores thin notably near the bill.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JXtjGy0IIb0/W3DOnFVVaFI/AAAAAAAACIc/_RJgCczgmpglIccyUdUIrWh4jHzPGvW2gCEwYBhgL/s1600/CRPL.comp.bruce.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="795" height="208" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JXtjGy0IIb0/W3DOnFVVaFI/AAAAAAAACIc/_RJgCczgmpglIccyUdUIrWh4jHzPGvW2gCEwYBhgL/s400/CRPL.comp.bruce.3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Note the paler look of the Common Ringed on the left. Common Ringed's often appear a paler, sandier brown than Semipalmated. Also, note the more contrasty look of the face, created by more extensively black auriculars and a more impressive supercilium. </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>
So far I have focused just on the impression a Common Ringed Plover gives when you see it among a flock of Semipalmated Plovers, but things are quite that easy. now it's time to break down some of those details we mentioned above (and a few others) and take a closer look. Recognizing a possible Common Ringed Plover is only part of the work, now it time to focus on clinching the ID!<br />
<br />
I am going to focus on several key features that help to distinguish these species. It's worth noting that most of these features are variable and there is some overlap between the species. I will explain, when necessary, which features are the most reliable and most useful and which have the most overlap.<br />
<br />
The key features I will focus on are;<br />
<br />
- face mask ( auriculars and lores)<br />
- white forehead<br />
- orbital ring<br />
- bill size<br />
- breast band<br />
- upper parts colour<br />
- toe webbing ( or lack thereof)<br />
- wing stripe (in flight)<br />
<br />
<b>Face Mask (do the lores meet the gape)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
By face mask I am referring to the black area on the face that wraps around the cheeks on the side of the face, from the auriculars to the base of the bill. Of particular importance is the width of the black lores and if they extend to meet the gape.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4N_0kTsi4cY/W3rJLcH2LuI/AAAAAAAACJc/6CamPxtQwLEzw8I90uTedVmCzJwM6fbHACLcBGAs/s1600/CRPL.head%2Bcollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common Ringed Plover head pattern" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4N_0kTsi4cY/W3rJLcH2LuI/AAAAAAAACJc/6CamPxtQwLEzw8I90uTedVmCzJwM6fbHACLcBGAs/s640/CRPL.head%2Bcollage.jpg" title="Common Ringed Plover head collage" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Collage of Common Ringed Plover facial patterns</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b>Note** - how the lower edge of the face mask extends to meet or dips just below the gape.</b></div>
<div>
<b> - also note the shape and extent of the white supercilium. Note how it trails along the upper edge of the dark auriculars</b></div>
<div>
<b> - dark orbital ring</b></div>
<div>
<b> - note how the white forehead extends to form a point towards the inner edge of the eye, or even extending below the eye</b><br />
Note how contrasty the faces of these Common Ringed Plovers above look with the extensive supercilium and dark face mask. Then compare these to the collage of Semipalmated's below. Pay particular attention to the gape, note the dark lores do not meet the gape line on the Semipalmated Plovers below. Also, notable are the pale orbital rings and much less extensive or lacking supercilium (this is quite variable). It's also worth noting the white fore head. Notice that Common Ringed Plover there is a greater tendency for the pale forehead area to reach the orbital ring or to terminate in the point just in front or below the eye. At this point you should be starting to see some notable differences in the head patterns of these two species. We will now compare the two side by side to highlight some of the features already discussed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Rk3q8G49Rg/W3rwV_dTUkI/AAAAAAAACJo/-n7QHM9OzhksP5x8rE37A7PYzuGyKkBQACLcBGAs/s1600/Semipalmated%2BPlover%2Bhead%2Bcollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Rk3q8G49Rg/W3rwV_dTUkI/AAAAAAAACJo/-n7QHM9OzhksP5x8rE37A7PYzuGyKkBQACLcBGAs/s640/Semipalmated%2BPlover%2Bhead%2Bcollage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>White Forehead Patch (shape and extensiveness)</b><br />
<br />
One of the features that I've always found helpful is the shape of the white forehead in Common Ringed Plover and how it often forms a point reaching the front of the eye, or many times extending below the eye in a very narrow line. If you note above, Semipalmated seems ( I say seems because there is always an exception) to always have a relatively thick dark area between the white forehead and the eye. Below we will look at a couple of side by side comparisons to nail this important point home!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7LViuv01vqA/W3wwxWdkT3I/AAAAAAAACJ0/S4zttYHMI3o1VKYUoCp5l2YjypeeS9RDACLcBGAs/s1600/Plovers%2Beyepoint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Comparison of Common Ringed and Semipalmated Plovers" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7LViuv01vqA/W3wwxWdkT3I/AAAAAAAACJ0/S4zttYHMI3o1VKYUoCp5l2YjypeeS9RDACLcBGAs/s400/Plovers%2Beyepoint.jpg" title="Common Ringed and Semipalmated Plover heads" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Semipalmated Plovers above and Common Ringed Plovers below. Note the difference in the shape of the white forehead patch, especially how it forms a point towards the eye (and often reaches the orbital ring) in Ringed Plover. There is almost always some dark area separating the white forehead patch from the orbital ring in adult Semipalmated Plovers.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Orbital Ring Colour</b><br />
<br />
The other important feature to note on the face of any Semipalmated or Ringed Plover is Orbital ring colour. Look again through the photos above and note the differences in orbital ring colour between the Common Ringed and Semipalmated Plovers. Any Common Ringed Plover being claimed in North America should have a dark orbital ring, just as any Semipalmated Plover being claimed in Europe or Asia should have some yellow or orange/yellow in it's orbital ring.<br />
<br />
Having said that in high breeding plumage some Common Ringed Plovers <b>DO </b>have yellow orbital rings! This should be gone by the fall when most Ringed Plovers are seen in North American, but it might be a concern for potential Spring records.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f3lIupIgmUg/W3w3Hl6GrZI/AAAAAAAACKA/_zMEwfVs8Gowb4Xkh3q0B56I4wsOUHRAQCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-08-21%2Bat%2B1.21.04%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Common Ringed Plover head, yellow orbital ring" border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="253" height="233" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f3lIupIgmUg/W3w3Hl6GrZI/AAAAAAAACKA/_zMEwfVs8Gowb4Xkh3q0B56I4wsOUHRAQCLcBGAs/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-08-21%2Bat%2B1.21.04%2BPM.png" title="Common Ringed Plover head" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Note the yellow orbital ring. Even if a bird such as this was seen in North America, it should be identifiable based on the extensive supercilium, and and facial mask which meets the gape. </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One character that people often cite when speaking of identifying Common Ringed Plover is the breast band and specifically how thick it is. While this is a not able feature, in my experience it is not at all reliable, there is some overlap between Common Ringed and Semipalmated Plovers in this feature AND the relative thickness of the breast band can change dramatically based on the birds posture.<br />
<br />
Sure the breast band of an average Common Ringed is thicker than that of a Semipalmated, but it really is only a supporting feature at best. Note below some examples of breast bands in Common Ringed and Semipalmated Plovers.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hvF8YJya8JA/W3w7fxXqP7I/AAAAAAAACKY/F9UamN36jPYzBxcrw3Xe4acKtjudfZMvwCLcBGAs/s1600/Plovers%2Bbreast%2Bband%2Bcomparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hvF8YJya8JA/W3w7fxXqP7I/AAAAAAAACKY/F9UamN36jPYzBxcrw3Xe4acKtjudfZMvwCLcBGAs/s640/Plovers%2Bbreast%2Bband%2Bcomparison.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Just to give an idea of how deceiving breast band thickness can be. The bottom bird is a Semipalmated Plover. This is probably the largest breast band I've ever seen on a Semipalmated Plover, but it shows the danger of relying too much on the thickness of the breast band for separating these two species.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Another feature that is of dubious usefulness is bill shape and size. I have seen 7 Common Ringed Plovers in Newfoundland. For most of those birds I could convince myself that the bill was larger; mainly longer, kind of appearing as though the outer 1/3 was extended just a little more. I think in direct comparison you can see that Semipalmated Plover does have a stouter, less tapering bill. However, this is very subtle and is likely some overlap involved, especially when comparing males Common Ringed's with female Semipalmated's or vice versa.<br />
<br />
When it comes to separating Common Ringed and Semipalmated Plovers there are two absolutely fool proof characters to look for and they are, toe palmations and call. The problem is depending on how far away the bird is or the substrate it's feeding on, the feet may not even be visible and even if they are, you will probably want a photo to actually observe the webbing or lacktherof.<br />
<br />
It is VERY important to note that both Common Ringed and Semipalmated Plovers have partial webbing (semipalmations) between the middle and outer toes (however, the webbing on Semipalmated is much more extensive). However, only Semipalmated Plover has webbing between the middle and inner toes. See the photos below to clarify this.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6rs6U2S_uGE/W3yRn7acWMI/AAAAAAAACLE/VMGLMsvpsUcwnp82NdQskJPD1GrirqVrACLcBGAs/s1600/Plover%2Btoes%2Bcomp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Comparison of toe webbing of Common Ringed and Semipalmated Plover" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6rs6U2S_uGE/W3yRn7acWMI/AAAAAAAACLE/VMGLMsvpsUcwnp82NdQskJPD1GrirqVrACLcBGAs/s640/Plover%2Btoes%2Bcomp.jpg" title="Plover toes comparison" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Semipalmated Plover left and Common Ringed Plovers on the right. Note the much more obvious webbing between the middle and outer toe of Semipalmated Plover and slight webbing between the middle and inner toes. Common Ringed on the right shows very slight webbing between middle and outer toes and no webbing between middle and inner toes.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Call Note</b><br />
<br />
Aside from the toes other sure fool proof way to separate Common Ringed and Semipalmated Plovers is by call. Semipalmated has quite a sharp 'pew-it' or chu-wee, while Common Ringed has a much softer almost mournful 'too'li'.<br />
<br />
The problem with using call notes for ID purposes is, it can be hard to isolate the call from one shorebird among a big flock, but if you can the call is certainly diagnostic.<br />
<br />
<b>Conclusion</b><br />
<br />
That pretty much sums it up for the adults. In the Part ll of this article I will discuss the identification of juveniles and will also look at some more problematic individuals of both species. It's important to remember that when identifying either a Common Ringed Plover or Semipalmated Plover out of range, that a number of characters must be used to secure the ID, since there is overlap in some features and other features are very subtle.<br />
<br />
In general most adult Common Ringed Plovers seen in North America, occur between mid August and mid September. They generally will appear paler than their Semipalmated congeners, with more contrasty faces, owing to a more extensive white supercilium, darker auriculars and dark lores that reach down to the gape. An important and apparently consistent feature is the shape of the white forehead, which is wider in Common Ringed and often reaches the orbital ring, terminating in a point at or below the eye. While Common Ringed Plovers have thicker breast bands on average than Semipalmated, this character should be used with caution, since there is much overlap and the apparent thickness of a birds breast band can change dramatically with the birds posture <b><span style="font-size: large;">{</span></b>whether alert with neck raised (thickest) or relaxed with neck squat down against the body (thinnest) <span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">}</span>.When possible the two diagnostic features are the lack of palmations between the middle and inner toe on Common Ringed and differences in call note. While difficult to see in the field, quite often it's possible to obtain photos of the birds toes, which help greatly in securing the identification.<br />
<br />
**Note** there differences in the amount of white in the wing, that I didn't discuss, mainly because I never had any good flight shots. I will discuss that feature in the follow up to this article and will update this article in time as well. As it stands there is more than enough information in this article to identify any out of range Common Ringed Plover.<br />
<br />
Lastly, I would like to thank those who contributed photographs, namely my good friends and local Newfoundland birders, <a href="http://brucemactavish1.blogspot.com/">Bruce Mactavish </a>and <a href="http://alvanbuckley.blogspot.com/">Alvan Buckley.</a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>If you enjoyed this article you might also enjoy some of the other 120+ articles on the Birding Newfoundland Blog. Some of the latest articles include.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/separating-spizellas-identification-of.html">Separating Spizellas: Identification of Clay-coloured and Chipping Sparrows in Fall</a></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/northern-goshawk-episode-of-raptor-on.html">An Illustrated Account of a Northern Goshawk Killing and Consuming a Northern Harrier</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/birds-of-newfoundland-atlantic-puffin.html">Birds of Newfoundland: Atlantic Puffin</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/birders-subculture.html">Birder's: A Subculture?</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/birds-of-newfoundland-dovekie-aka_25.html">Dovkies, AKA Bullbirds: Photo Essay (amazing Dovekie photos in this one!)</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
(<b>select blog archive in pages, to see all previous articles</b>)<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible, please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not, you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!</span></div>
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-32906731316700105982018-07-29T16:28:00.000-02:302018-07-30T13:17:24.741-02:30The Ptarmigan of NewfoundlandPtarmigans are great birds and in fact, many of the "chickens" or game birds are among my all time favourites. While they are nice to see, there is often nothing easy about finding them! This is perhaps due to the fact that these birds are also prized by hunters, so Ptarmigan have a reason to be wary.<br />
<br />
Ptarmigan are plump birds, with short legs and small conical bills, which are perfect for cracking seeds or plucking berries from their barrenness habitat. All Ptarmigan belong to the genus Lagopus. This name is fittingly derived from the Greek <i>lagos, </i>meaning "<b>hare</b><i>"</i> and <i>pous </i>meaning<i> </i><b>foot. </b>This is in reference to the birds feathered legs and feet, which help them stay warm and gain purchase on their, rocky and often icy terrain.<br />
<br />
Newfoundland is home to two species of Ptarmigan, Willow and Rock. Our Willow Ptarmigan is also known as Red Grouse in the UK. While neither species is particularly easy to find in Newfoundland, Willow has a much greater range and is by far the species you are most likely to encounter.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Range and Habitat</b></h3>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Willow Ptarmigan</b><br />
<br />
Willow Ptarmigan are found throughout the province of Newfoundland, most often in coastal, rocky barren areas, where they are quite unlikely to encounter a Willow! Some of the best areas are on the Avalon Peninsula, on the barrens between Cappahayden and Portugal Cove South, Cape Race Rd, and the Cape Pine Road.<br />
<br />
Willow Ptarmigan are known by several names locally and one of them is "patridge". While Willow Ptarmigan is not a correctly a patridge, part of it's diet certainly consists of the "patridge berries", (known internationally as ligonberry) which grow in dense patches on the subarctic barrens of coastal Newfoundland. The windswept coastal barrens on the Avalon Peninsula will often have exposed patches of these berries, even in winter and if they are snow covered the Willow Ptarmigan have a solution for that as well- they simply dig through the snow to reach them!<br />
<br />
Of course, Willow Ptarmigan also make use of a variety of seeds and insects as well, in the warmer months. I have seen Willow Ptarmigan feeding on the seeds from exposed branches of Alder bushes sticking up through the snow on several occasions.<br />
<br />
<b>Rock Ptarmigan</b><br />
<br />
As for the much less common Rock Ptarmigan, their range is much more restricted in the province, primarily due to their apparent association with high altitudes. If you want to see a Rock Ptarmigan in Newfoundland, there are few choices as far as locations, and none of them are easy to get to! The way pretty much everyone in Newfoundland see's their Rock Ptarmigan is by climbing <a href="https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/nl/grosmorne/activ/experiences/randonnee-hiking/mgm-gmm">Gros Morne Mountain.</a> The summit is about 800 meters and the hike takes a 5+ hours at least. At the top, you may or may not be rewarded a with Rock Ptarmigan, that is the chance you take! It would appear that Rock Ptarmigan stay true their name, their habitat is very rocky, add that's putting it lightly!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XLyCmRjk52k/W1pGWeOAh8I/AAAAAAAAB-w/X6QHYzgsU50ieEGMLq4_4jw-QPWvgA0tgCLcBGAs/s1600/Gros%2BMorne%2BMountain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Gros Morne Newfoundland, Rock Ptarmigan" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XLyCmRjk52k/W1pGWeOAh8I/AAAAAAAAB-w/X6QHYzgsU50ieEGMLq4_4jw-QPWvgA0tgCLcBGAs/s320/Gros%2BMorne%2BMountain.jpg" title="Gros Morne Mountain" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gros Morne Mountain, Newfoundland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<h3>
<b>Identification</b></h3>
<div>
Identifying Willow and Rock Ptarmigan in Newfoundland is actually quite easy, since the two almost never overlap. It is worth noting though, that both species change their appearance seasonally, to provide better camouflage against their surrounding environments. I will include a series of photos of both species below that will highlight some of the identifying features, differences and seasonally changes that both species undergo.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oDKvyN1gn5A/W1u1fCW5aKI/AAAAAAAACAs/XingpILQTq0bKm717EzNalyWU7WmnZUxgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Willow Ptarmigan, Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1040" height="252" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oDKvyN1gn5A/W1u1fCW5aKI/AAAAAAAACAs/XingpILQTq0bKm717EzNalyWU7WmnZUxgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5236.jpg" title="Willow Ptarmigan" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This female Willow Ptarmigan has begun it's moult to it's white winter plumage. In years with little snowfall a white Willow Ptarmigan stand out on against the barren ground. Some Willow Ptarmigan on the Avalon never turn fully white, while others do.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wVlZfcKiDxw/W1u1fKU1GUI/AAAAAAAACAo/yB_go_oeAZ4fYOOprwKrD4CEisCKAlNvgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Willow Ptarmigan flock, Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="954" height="235" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wVlZfcKiDxw/W1u1fKU1GUI/AAAAAAAACAo/yB_go_oeAZ4fYOOprwKrD4CEisCKAlNvgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5237.jpg" title="Willow Ptarmigan flock in flight" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Flock of Willow Ptarmigan in breeding plumage, Cape Race Rd. The vast majority of times I've seen Willow Ptarmigan I have seen them by flushing them off the roadsides while driving slowly. Ptarmigan and other games birds will often frequent the edges of gravel roads to collect 'grit'.</b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The rufous necks and breasts of the above male Willow Ptarmigans are unique to the species and make them easily separable from other Ptarmigan species when in this plumage. Male Rock Ptarmigans are a well patterned gray or grayish brown and never have the rufous tones of Willow Ptarmigan.</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s0m8RvznjKc/W1yaJmyXfHI/AAAAAAAACBo/7yVXrhi6F3gewqR1s_9VhfEBvwbScpjoQCLcBGAs/s1600/Rock%2BPtarmigan%2Bmale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Male Rock Ptarmigan in Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s0m8RvznjKc/W1yaJmyXfHI/AAAAAAAACBo/7yVXrhi6F3gewqR1s_9VhfEBvwbScpjoQCLcBGAs/s400/Rock%2BPtarmigan%2Bmale.jpg" title="Male Rock Ptarmigan" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <b>Rock Ptarmigan (male). Note the colour of the neck and breast especially and compare to the birds above, Rock Ptarmigan is much colder in appearance.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U6kWNLBy-lg/W1yU4xoTBGI/AAAAAAAACBU/5SJB-0pXU78r1FWKowPq-Q9RvWwtpsNgwCEwYBhgL/s1600/4N8A2620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Male Rock Ptarmigan, partially moulted to winter plumage in Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1280" height="262" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U6kWNLBy-lg/W1yU4xoTBGI/AAAAAAAACBU/5SJB-0pXU78r1FWKowPq-Q9RvWwtpsNgwCEwYBhgL/s400/4N8A2620.jpg" title="Male Rock Ptarmigan, partially moulted to winter plumage" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rock Ptarmigan (male) part way through it's moult to winter plumage. When completed the bird will be totally white, except for the dark lores, red comb and black tail.<br />Photo: Alvan Buckley</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E-EtVe3nOZE/W1yVDbYpyBI/AAAAAAAACBg/-cnIeJaPtV4kWS0MoGffoqPS4HZVDFbtQCEwYBhgL/s1600/4N8A2684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Male Rock Ptarmigan, partially moulted to winter plumage in Newfoundland, Canada" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E-EtVe3nOZE/W1yVDbYpyBI/AAAAAAAACBg/-cnIeJaPtV4kWS0MoGffoqPS4HZVDFbtQCEwYBhgL/s400/4N8A2684.jpg" title="Male Rock Ptarmigan, on mountain in Newfoundland" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Another shot of a moulting male Rock Ptarmigan, you can get a sense of the elevation in the background<br />Photo: Alvan Buckley</b><br />
<b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The photos above display both Willow and Rock Ptarmigan in either breeding or transitional plumage. Lets take a look at the stark white winter plumage, noting especially how well it allows these birds to blend into their snowy surroundings.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ySc0aPjzOkI/W1ywtmfgPzI/AAAAAAAACB8/HpwnpSKkemMjPfBq3DfSF6CenOd1UGd5ACLcBGAs/s1600/Willow%2BPtarmigan.Feb.2011%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Willow Ptarmigan, winter plumage, Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="981" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ySc0aPjzOkI/W1ywtmfgPzI/AAAAAAAACB8/HpwnpSKkemMjPfBq3DfSF6CenOd1UGd5ACLcBGAs/s400/Willow%2BPtarmigan.Feb.2011%25282%2529.jpg" title="Willow Pratmigan on snow" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A completely white individual. Note that it lacks the dark lores shown by Rock Ptarmigan in similar plumage. Also note the relatively thick bill (for a Ptarmigan) which is evident even in this photo.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PzrogOauk_o/W1ywuaNw0fI/AAAAAAAACCE/KZuPFpjhyYkhfhtm2SSwIT6XHo4Zrw49wCLcBGAs/s1600/Willow%2BPtarmigan.Feb.2011%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Willow Ptarmigan, winter in Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="1190" height="292" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PzrogOauk_o/W1ywuaNw0fI/AAAAAAAACCE/KZuPFpjhyYkhfhtm2SSwIT6XHo4Zrw49wCLcBGAs/s400/Willow%2BPtarmigan.Feb.2011%25286%2529.jpg" title="Willow Ptarmigan in snow" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Some Willow Ptarmigan retain elements of their breeding plumage throughout the winter. Is this the same of all populations? At times the wind swept barrens where these birds live has frequent sections of exposed ground, in those cases this plumage might be a more effective camouflage than a the above bird, which is totally white.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t_4EJrgQDSg/W1y24M7fK4I/AAAAAAAACCs/QaWveoD-BioD3ayCUAcm-Z6Mskrb2IG4QCLcBGAs/s1600/Male-Rock-Ptarmigan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rock Ptarmigan in winter in Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t_4EJrgQDSg/W1y24M7fK4I/AAAAAAAACCs/QaWveoD-BioD3ayCUAcm-Z6Mskrb2IG4QCLcBGAs/s400/Male-Rock-Ptarmigan.jpg" title="Rock Ptarmigan with snowy background" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rock Ptarmigan (male) winter plumage, note the black lores and thinner bill than seen in Willow Ptarmigan<br />Photo: <a href="https://www.coniferousforest.com/rock-ptarmigan.htm">https://www.coniferousforest.com/rock-ptarmigan.htm</a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I will conclude with a couple of close shots allowing comparison of the bills of both Willow and Rock Ptarmigan. Note the thicker bill of Willow Ptarmigan.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KxYnaepkceo/W1y6vqpCw8I/AAAAAAAACC4/wIpqQNmosv80Rh_KRfZmO2eYhuKum0RwgCLcBGAs/s1600/Ptarmigan%2Bbill%2Bcomparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rock Ptarmigan and Willow Ptarmigan" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1500" height="132" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KxYnaepkceo/W1y6vqpCw8I/AAAAAAAACC4/wIpqQNmosv80Rh_KRfZmO2eYhuKum0RwgCLcBGAs/s400/Ptarmigan%2Bbill%2Bcomparison.jpg" title="Comparison of Willow Ptarmigan and Rock Ptarmigan bills" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Willow Ptarmigan on left and Rock Ptarmigan on right. Note how much thicker the bill of Willow Ptarmigan is than the Rock Ptarmigan on the right.
</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>If you enjoyed this article you might also enjoy some of the other 120+ articles on the Birding Newfoundland Blog. Some of the latest articles include.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/separating-spizellas-identification-of.html">Separating Spizellas: Identification of Clay-coloured and Chipping Sparrows in Fall</a></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/northern-goshawk-episode-of-raptor-on.html">An Illustrated Account of a Northern Goshawk Killing and Consuming a Northern Harrier</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/birds-of-newfoundland-atlantic-puffin.html">Birds of Newfoundland: Atlantic Puffin</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/birders-subculture.html">Birder's: A Subculture?</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/birds-of-newfoundland-dovekie-aka_25.html">Dovkies, AKA Bullbirds: Photo Essay (amazing Dovekie photos in this one!)</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
(<b>select blog archive in pages, to see all previous articles</b>)<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible, please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not, you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!</span></div>
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-65606807739652027472018-07-25T02:52:00.000-02:302018-07-25T11:15:01.167-02:30Birds of Newfoundland: Dovekie AKA BullbirdIf you were ask a rural Newfoundlander where you might find a Dovekie, you would likely be met with a confused look. However, if you asked where you could find a Bullbird, then you would likely become engaged in a lengthy conversation about the diminutive Alcid, and when you left that person's house, after eating a meal and meeting their family, then you would be back on your search for a Dovkie, AKA a Bullbird!<br />
<br />
Yes, Dovekie goes by many names. There is the scientific name, <i>Alle alle, </i>Bullbird in Newfoundland (as explained above),or Little Auk in the UK and Europe. Regardless of the name, with which it's called, all birders agree that seeing a Dovekie is a great thing, and often the highlight of a birders year.When you think about it. It's easy to see why Dovekie is so beloved by birders. It really does have all the key elements to be a birders favourite.<br />
<br />
<b>Cuteness</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Dovekie ranks high on the cuteness scale. It's a pudgy, big headed and yet small at the same time. On the water it looks like a black and white nerf football with tiny little wings. Dovekies sit low on the water and often seem to be tilted forward, like the weight of their head is causing them to tip. Indeed, they do not look like a bird capable of thriving in the North Atlantic in winter, yet they do. Which brings us to our next point.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pu_9khv1zM4/W1fvcvIMu5I/AAAAAAAAB9c/fF0GdvxZl4wkLnikB7oPKc0Z-q7-sRHjACEwYBhgL/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-25%2Bat%2B12.59.29%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dovekie calling, birds of Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="482" height="270" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pu_9khv1zM4/W1fvcvIMu5I/AAAAAAAAB9c/fF0GdvxZl4wkLnikB7oPKc0Z-q7-sRHjACEwYBhgL/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-25%2Bat%2B12.59.29%2BAM.png" title="Dovekie calling" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dovekie in breeding plumage, Greenland.<br />
Photo: <a href="http://www.carstenegevang.com/greenland">Carsten Egevang</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Rarity/Remoteness</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Dovekie is far from a rare bird in the grand scale of things, but rarity is a relative term. For North American birders Dovekie is often seen one of two places, Alaska (where there is a small breeding population) and Newfoundland (where they winter). Of course, they are seen other places as well at times. If you take a winter pelagic trip off the North Eastern seaboard in winter you may encounter Dovekies. As well, they can also be seen in the other Canadian Atlantic Provinces. However, as a rule, Newfoundland presents the best, easiest and most civilized way, for many North Americans to have their Dovekie experience. Quite often Dovekies can be see at <b>VERY </b>close range in Newfoundland in winter. At times, I have seen thousands of Dovekies in a single day. While, there are other places to see Dovekie in winter, can they claim that? To see Dovekies go about their business in the bitter oceans off of Newfoundland in winter is a great experience and if you have not see it, you should! This brings me to the final reason for the love affair between Dovekies and birders.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7sPsqQw-W04/W1fwbiLBnKI/AAAAAAAAB9k/rI-TvWl2DP0GFuMz8gnRVcD7XwMKpwpiACLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-25%2Bat%2B1.01.49%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dovekies in flight, birds of newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="1441" height="313" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7sPsqQw-W04/W1fwbiLBnKI/AAAAAAAAB9k/rI-TvWl2DP0GFuMz8gnRVcD7XwMKpwpiACLcBGAs/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-25%2Bat%2B1.01.49%2BAM.png" title="Dovekies in flight in Greenland" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A flight of Dovekies in Greenland<br />
Photo: <a href="http://www.carstenegevang.com/greenland">Carsten Egevang</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Respect</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
There is something remarkable about those birds that choose to live life under the harshest possible conditions. While most birds are fleeing Newfoundland to escape our winter, Dovekies are just arriving to bask in it. Dovekies have found a way to thrive under circumstances that would be perilous to most other bird species. Having said that, not all Dovekies make it through the Newfoundland winter unscathed. During intense winter storms there are occasionally 'wrecks' of Dovekies. Essentially, some birds are driven by the harsh 100+km/hr winds into Bays, or worse, onto land. In the photo below I am holding a Dovekie prior that I rescued prior to release.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jJyLwmZCDGA/W1fpfO2iRyI/AAAAAAAAB9Q/RAWZeeRTiAINQ-qLixAghSM8r1SLrK7ZgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Dovekie%252C%2BCripple%2BCove%252C%2BNov.%2B6%252C%2B05%2B%252393%2BEm%2B%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="rescuing a trapped Dovekie" border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="886" height="287" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jJyLwmZCDGA/W1fpfO2iRyI/AAAAAAAAB9Q/RAWZeeRTiAINQ-qLixAghSM8r1SLrK7ZgCEwYBhgL/s400/Dovekie%252C%2BCripple%2BCove%252C%2BNov.%2B6%252C%2B05%2B%252393%2BEm%2B%2B%25281%2529.jpg" title="Dovekie rescue" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>An OLD! photo of me holding a Dovekie that I rescued from the rocks. You can really get an idea how small these birds are when holding them in your hands.<br />Photo: Ken Knowles</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ypqu7S2bPo4/W1f1iwM-rKI/AAAAAAAAB98/NkU2sfnbi949mkGZIk_fM0VgqoL6GWd8gCEwYBhgL/s1600/Dovekieand%2BHERG.johnwilliams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dovekie escapes from Herring Gull" border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1497" height="281" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ypqu7S2bPo4/W1f1iwM-rKI/AAAAAAAAB98/NkU2sfnbi949mkGZIk_fM0VgqoL6GWd8gCEwYBhgL/s400/Dovekieand%2BHERG.johnwilliams.jpg" title="Herring Gull with Dovekie" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dovekies are small but they are fighters! Against all odds this bird escaped and was none the worse for it's encounter with this Herring Gull<br />Photo: John Williams</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I have helped many people see their first Dovekie over the last 20 years, and not one of them were let down, no one was disappointed. Seeing a 6 inch long bird that weighs 150 grams expertly maneuver crashing waves and fierce swells, really is a sight to behold, and one that often leaves a lasting impression on a person.<br />
<br />
This is the point in the article where I would like to take a minute to indulge in a little shameless self promotion and mention the Birding Newfoundland, <a href="https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/newfoundland-winter-birding">Winter Birding Experience Tour</a>, <b>January 12th-17th 2019!</b> Of course, Dovekie will be one of the star attractions but not the only one. Read the tour description for a full list of species and details. Now back to the article :)<br />
<br />
So we have established that Dovekie are truly loved and I've tried to explain some reasoning for this. Now lets get some background information, where do these birds breed, what do they eat, who eats them? Yes you won't want to miss all the scintillating details of the traditional Inuit dish Kiviaq, which I've heard described as 'the Turducken from hell'!<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Where do Dovekies Breed and Where do they Winter</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Dovekies breed in Greenland, Iceland, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novaya_Zemlya">Nova Zemeya</a> Don't be afraid to use the link to see where this place is, I had to), and Svalbard. In North American they are known to breed on a number of islands in the Bering Strait and the Bering Sea.<br />
<br />
Greenland hosts some truly massive numbers in the order of 30-60 million pairs! While Dovekies don't have a massive breeding range, they manage to cram a lot of individuals into their limited range. Dovekies will cram nests into rock crevices or beneath large rocks on these very precipitous slopes, where like other Auks, they lay a single egg.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z6VrAizwSoE/W1fw-Uw-LLI/AAAAAAAAB9s/a32HFQDb-joAk0g43gyFjn2vlJ30v0lhgCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-25%2Bat%2B1.00.23%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dovekies Greenland, birds of Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="973" height="338" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z6VrAizwSoE/W1fw-Uw-LLI/AAAAAAAAB9s/a32HFQDb-joAk0g43gyFjn2vlJ30v0lhgCLcBGAs/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-25%2Bat%2B1.00.23%2BAM.png" title="cloud of Dovekies in Greenland" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mass of Dovekies, Greenland<br />
Photo: <a href="http://www.carstenegevang.com/greenland">Carsten Egevang</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As I previously stated many Dovekies winter in the waters off of Newfoundland and in other parts of the North Atlantic. They can also be found in the Norwegian sea. Wherever they are found, they feed primarily on small crustaceans called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copepod">Copepods</a>. If necessary they will also take other marine invertebrates and even small fish.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hzy-pHrjy2Y/W1f13kBibDI/AAAAAAAAB-A/mb5sS6Qro_YDnfHCtZ3VTF_4vPP5brrbQCLcBGAs/s1600/Dovekie%2Bwinter.Johnwilliams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dovekie in Newfoundland in winter" border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="994" height="267" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hzy-pHrjy2Y/W1f13kBibDI/AAAAAAAAB-A/mb5sS6Qro_YDnfHCtZ3VTF_4vPP5brrbQCLcBGAs/s400/Dovekie%2Bwinter.Johnwilliams.jpg" title="Dovekie" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dovekie in winter plumage. Note that Dovekies lose their black bib in winter and are all white below with white wrapping around the side of the head forming a cheek patch. This cheek path can be seen from quite some distance.<br />Photo: John Williams</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We have learned a bit about Dovekies so far. We know where they breed, where they winter and we know that birders love them. You probably already knew the later, since you are likely among their admirers! When possible, I like to include interesting facts about species that I highlight, including their meaningful interactions with humans. Do you remember when I mentioned Turducken from hell, it's time to explain what I meant by that.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It would seem that food can get quite scarce when you live in Greenland, I mean even the Dovekies leave in winter! So native Inuit had to be extremely ingenuitive to ensure they had enough food to make it through the long harsh Arctic winter. You likely have heard of the saying 'make hay when the sun shines'? The Inuit applied this to capturing Dovekies during the short Greenland summer. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thousands of Dovekie would be harvested, but how to store them without them rotting before winter? One solution is to take a Grey Seal, skin it, but leave the blubber lining, you don't want to waste that!. Then you take about 400 or so Dovekies, complete with bills, feet, feathers and stuff that seal skin until its full and then sew it up. You then take this Dovekie-stuffed Seal sausage, and bury it under rocks and let it ferment for a few months. After a few months you dig it up and voila you have the Inuit delicacy known as Kiviaq! After this extended period of fermentation the Dovkie meat is said to smell very ripe and I can believe it! I think I can almost smell it though the screen.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DxeTnsC-qzg/W1f5arafXkI/AAAAAAAAB-M/yjWlzZ6EdOQbcSPYA2RBM9EfH0NE_n62gCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-25%2Bat%2B1.44.45%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Kiviaq" border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="631" height="223" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DxeTnsC-qzg/W1f5arafXkI/AAAAAAAAB-M/yjWlzZ6EdOQbcSPYA2RBM9EfH0NE_n62gCLcBGAs/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-25%2Bat%2B1.44.45%2BAM.png" title="Kiviaq" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Kiviaq: Native Inuit delicacy of Grey Seal skin, stuff with Dovekies and left to ferment.</b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Hopefully, you enjoy the article and maybe even learned a little something about Dovkies and maybe even gained a new dinner recipe! I'll end with another amazing photo from Carsten Egevang, a great photographer who has spent considerable time in the Arctic doing a variety of activities, including taking breathtaking photos. Since I lost my Dovekie images when a hard drive crashed I thank everyone who contributed photos who made this article possible. </span><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.carstenegevang.com/fine-arts-prints">I strongly recommend checking out Carsten's website here, where among other things you can purchase some amazing wall art.</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQX3kC0BfQ4/W1f8OlmlOWI/AAAAAAAAB-g/HwXlCTpiJLMVKBgP1oGMbsRmd4d_GnM1wCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-25%2Bat%2B1.01.00%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Dovekies in flight in Greenland" border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1444" height="262" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQX3kC0BfQ4/W1f8OlmlOWI/AAAAAAAAB-g/HwXlCTpiJLMVKBgP1oGMbsRmd4d_GnM1wCLcBGAs/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-25%2Bat%2B1.01.00%2BAM.png" title="Dovekies in flight" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Backlit Dovekies, note their characteristic shape in flight, a nerf football with wings!</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Photo: </span><a href="http://www.carstenegevang.com/fine-arts-prints" style="font-weight: bold;">Carsten Egevang</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>If you enjoyed this article you might also enjoy some of the other 120+ articles on the Birding Newfoundland Blog. Some of the latest articles include.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/separating-spizellas-identification-of.html">Separating Spizellas: Identification of Clay-coloured and Chipping Sparrows in Fall</a></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/northern-goshawk-episode-of-raptor-on.html">An Illustrated Account of a Northern Goshawk Killing and Consuming a Northern Harrier</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/birds-of-newfoundland-atlantic-puffin.html">Birds of Newfoundland: Atlantic Puffin</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/birders-subculture.html">Birder's: A Subculture?</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible, please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not, you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-64090629116477101702018-07-22T22:03:00.001-02:302018-07-26T16:39:34.979-02:30Separating Spizellas: Identification of Clay-coloured vs Chipping Sparrow in Fall Plumage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
While the identification of breeding plumaged Sparrows is generally quite straight forward.Note in the photos below there is nothing difficult about separating these species in Spring. However, things tend to get much trickier in fall, when these Sparrows lose their more distinctive features, in favour of a more drab appearance, not to mention the appearance of juveniles.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n1_Mo1dd_wk/W1UcThTQO0I/AAAAAAAAB8g/9mFDWY86o-Uppwhs7F-1swABwjkEi4axwCLcBGAs/s1600/Clay-colored%2BSparrow.Codroy.2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Clay-coloured Sparrow singing in Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="752" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n1_Mo1dd_wk/W1UcThTQO0I/AAAAAAAAB8g/9mFDWY86o-Uppwhs7F-1swABwjkEi4axwCLcBGAs/s400/Clay-colored%2BSparrow.Codroy.2011.jpg" title="Clay-coloured Sparrow" width="340" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clay-coloured Sparrow, Newfoundland, June</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OGHzrc_7My0/W1UchgxHeAI/AAAAAAAAB8k/sTg44DD9nwMZ0Su91SapXo52NcuIdxqDQCLcBGAs/s1600/chipper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chipping Sparrow in Newfoundland in June" border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1205" height="310" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OGHzrc_7My0/W1UchgxHeAI/AAAAAAAAB8k/sTg44DD9nwMZ0Su91SapXo52NcuIdxqDQCLcBGAs/s400/chipper.jpg" title="Chipping Sparrow" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chipping Sparrow in Newfoundland, June</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
For this article I will be focusing on the genus <b><i>Spizella</i></b> and more specifically the Clay-coloured and Chipping Sparrow complex.
From a Newfoundland perspective this generally isn't a big deal, since both Chipping Sparrow and Clay-coloured are rare in the province, aside from a small breeding population of Chipping Sparrows in SW Newfoundland. However, both Chipping and Clay-coloured Sparrow are see in Newfoundland in fall in small numbers, usually in October. A flock of 4 Clay-coloured Sparrows in Ferryland on the Avalon Peninsula last fall was extraordinary, since these birds are generally seen in singles, since they are a vagrant to the island. Before<br />
<br />
So, there is some reason to be familiar with these two species, which seem to cause birders some trouble. However, if you know what to look for I'd argue that most individuals of these two species can be separately fairly easily. If you do not have a working knowledge of the facial features of Sparrows and the terminology, <a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/sorting-out-sparrows-some-useful-id.html">I'd recommend you take a quick look at this article I write earlier this summer, which will give you a nice refresher!
</a>
<br />
<br />
<br />
There are a few features we will key in on to separate these two look-alike species, namely, facial pattern, and rump colour.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Facial Pattern</h3>
<div>
Both Chipping Sparrow and Clay-coloured Sparrow have complex facial patterns, but there a couple of key features to note when trying to separate them that I will highlight in the photo below. Note especially differences in the shape, extent and darkness of the eye line, and the lores (area between eye and bill) as well as the submoustial stripe. The presence of a darker submoustacial stripe often on Clay-coloured Sparrow tends to more clearly devide the malar from the malar from the throat, meaning that the malar is often more noticeable on a Clay-coloured than a Chipping Sparrow in the field.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As well, the cheek pattern (auriculars) on a Clay-coloured Sparrow tends to less defined. In Chipping Sparrow the dark eye line, being more noticeable provides a clear border for the upper edge of the ear coverts. Chipping Sparrow has a weaker submoustacial line, it's malar (pale line formed by the bottom edge of the ear coverts and and sub moustachial line) is not as prominent and seems to blend more with the throat. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There is a lot of technical jargon in these two paragraphs I know.!If you can't follow it, see the link above for a break down of all of the facial feature of Sparrows. Read these paragraphs a few times if you have to and refer to the photo, so you can see the differences.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-frDiiKv4--Q/W1T8VH_CoAI/AAAAAAAAB8I/-HM1r0AWFKYQUoEr4X561Cj8qZfVy1TJQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_0744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="564" height="254" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-frDiiKv4--Q/W1T8VH_CoAI/AAAAAAAAB8I/-HM1r0AWFKYQUoEr4X561Cj8qZfVy1TJQCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_0744.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Note especially the darker more prominent eyeline and lore of Chipping Sparrow. Clay-coloured on average has more noticeable moustache and sub moustachial stripe and always has pale lores</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2SXpQk-onvM/W1Tc8H4DYlI/AAAAAAAAB8A/TubCt2YqPBISWjzgPpKi0kgNmXqHdZs9wCEwYBhgL/s1600/Clay-colored%2BSparrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="549" height="332" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2SXpQk-onvM/W1Tc8H4DYlI/AAAAAAAAB8A/TubCt2YqPBISWjzgPpKi0kgNmXqHdZs9wCEwYBhgL/s400/Clay-colored%2BSparrow.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Based on what you learned above, which species is this?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
Rump Colour</h3>
<div>
Fortunately even if you flush one of these species and you see it fly away there is important information to be gleaned! Aside from differences in facial features these species have characteristically different rump colours. This holds true for all individuals, both juveniles and adults. Chipping Sparrow always has a gray rump, while the rump of Clay-coloured Sparrow is always brown. Note the differences in the photo below.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FtidL7xTCSg/W1TYhbrXt_I/AAAAAAAAB7g/W_QdbQiyUrYBEdKb59uPjBXTyYmZJ2whwCEwYBhgL/s1600/CCSPvsCHSP%2Brump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="comparison of Clay-coloured and Chipping Sparrows" border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="922" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FtidL7xTCSg/W1TYhbrXt_I/AAAAAAAAB7g/W_QdbQiyUrYBEdKb59uPjBXTyYmZJ2whwCEwYBhgL/s400/CCSPvsCHSP%2Brump.jpg" title="Chipping and Clay-coloured Sparrow specimens" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the gray rump of the Chipping Sparrow on the left and the brown rump of the Clay-coloured Sparrow on the right. Also, note how the gray rump of Chipping Sparrow contrasts with the brown back, while the rump and back of Clay-coloured is much more concolourous<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'll conclude with a couple more, unlabelled photos, see if you can applied what you learned in the article to identify them correctly and confidently!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IxGSuu1SbPU/W1UgOo4DGFI/AAAAAAAAB80/7C_shB0dizkn5AD-8Kd6NSEzPuLlPLjmQCLcBGAs/s1600/ClaycoloredSparrow%252COctober.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Clay-coloured Sparrow" border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="1000" height="204" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IxGSuu1SbPU/W1UgOo4DGFI/AAAAAAAAB80/7C_shB0dizkn5AD-8Kd6NSEzPuLlPLjmQCLcBGAs/s320/ClaycoloredSparrow%252COctober.jpg" title="Clay-coloured Sparrow" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easy right!?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKzNJvd7UA8/W1UggfnCOBI/AAAAAAAAB88/qQG_ip1G92IELI8dLPF870V1IQ97at_wgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Chipping%2BSparrow%2B%2528fALL%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chipping Sparrow" border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKzNJvd7UA8/W1UggfnCOBI/AAAAAAAAB88/qQG_ip1G92IELI8dLPF870V1IQ97at_wgCEwYBhgL/s320/Chipping%2BSparrow%2B%2528fALL%2529.jpg" title="Clay-coloured Sparrow" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Which one?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Please check the rest of my blog for 100+ other articles, including many more ID articles, general interest pieces etc. Also, if you would like to know when we post new content, follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/birdingnewfoundland/">Birding Newfoundland</a> on Facebook. To get information on tours and ID workshops please see our <a href="https://birdingnewfoundland.com/">website!</a><span id="goog_1725589283"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
You may also be interested in,<br />
<br />
<a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/birds-of-newfoundland-dovekie-aka_25.html">An Illustrated account of Dovekie, AKA Bullbird</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/northern-goshawk-episode-of-raptor-on.html">Northern Goshawk: An Episode of Raptor on Raptor Violence!</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/birders-subculture.html">Birder's: A Subculture?</a><br />
<br />
<b>Answer to the quiz birds above are, 1) Clay-coloured, 2 Clay-coloured and 3 Chipping</b></div>
<br />
I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!
<br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-87577640534335442682018-07-21T01:16:00.000-02:302018-07-25T04:05:16.757-02:30Birds of Newfoundland: Solitary SandpiperAs it's name suggest Solitary Sandpiper is a bit of a loaner. It's not a bird you will see in big flocks like other Tringa Sandpipers, such as Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs. You might see a small flock of a few individuals but that's about it and even that is a rare occurrence. Solitary Sandpipers can't seem to get along with one another. Unlike many other species of shorebirds that will flock together to migrate, Solitary Sandpipers are territorial and aggressive towards one another year round.<br />
<br />
Their solitary nature is the primary reason why this species of shorebird remains a bit of a mystery. Solitary Sandpiper was first described in the early 1800's, but no one found a nest until 1903. There is good reason for that, since people were probably looking for their nests on the ground, which is where virtually all shorebirds nest. However, Solitary Sandpipers (along with close relative Green Sandpiper) are the only shorebirds that nest in trees! They actually reuse the nests of other species, such as American Robin and other songbirds.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xRGRk5cujB4/W1H86s9lO1I/AAAAAAAAB5E/SILcDImYgpYT8KihTfxy23khIFCMgdc_gCLcBGAs/s1600/Solitary%2BSandpiper3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="juvenile Solitary Sandpiper Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1194" height="466" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xRGRk5cujB4/W1H86s9lO1I/AAAAAAAAB5E/SILcDImYgpYT8KihTfxy23khIFCMgdc_gCLcBGAs/s640/Solitary%2BSandpiper3.jpg" title="Solitary Sandpiper" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>juvenile Solitary Sandpiper, Cape Broyle, Newfoundland, August</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Status in Newfoundland </h3>
<div>
Solitary Sandpiper is rare on the island of Newfoundland. If you are lucky you might see one or two a year on the Avalon Peninsula. It's possible the species might occur more regularly in western portions of the province. They do however breed in Labrador, though I don't believe they are overly common there.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Part of the rarity of Solitary Sandpiper in Newfoundland is likely due to it's habit or migrating alone, as well as it's choice of habitat. Solitary Sandpipers are mainly found in freshwater, at the edges of small ponds, or even large puddles. Occasionally, they are seen in brackish areas as well, but they usually don't remain there long.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Where and When to see Solitary Sandpiper in Newfoundland</h3>
<div>
As I stated above, Solitary Sandpipers are most often seen in freshwater pools, or pond edges. They are extremely rare in Spring in Newfoundland, but they are regular in small numbers in late summer (early August- mid September). On the Avalon Peninsula, some of the regular places they have been seen in the past include, Ruby- line Pond in the Goulds (before it grew into a marsh), Forest Pond, Cochrane Pond Road, Cape Broyle (the brackish pool there where the tame ducks are), Renews (some of the inland areas) and a few other places around Portugal Cove South and St.Shotts sod farm. People who aren't local will have to forgive me, you have no idea where these places are :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Identification Pitfalls and Similar Species</h3>
<div>
Solitary Sandpiper is a member of the genus Tringa and is perhaps most likely to be confused with other members of that genus, though confusion with immature or basic plumage Spotted Sandpiper is also possible for inexperienced birders or if the views are fleeting. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In Newfoundland Solitary Sandpiper is most likely to be confused with Lesser Yellowlegs, especially a random Lesser Yellowlegs in a field or other freshwater site, where one might expect to find Solitary Sandpiper. Lesser Yellowlegs are most often seen in flocks of the much more common Greater Yellowlegs and usually in harbours at low tide and other coastal sites.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Both Solitary and Lesser are medium sized Tringa Sandpipers. Their bills are similar in length and similarly coloured, though Lesser's is somewhat thinner towards the tip and straighter. Solitary Sandpiper's bill is greenish with a variable amount of black on the outer half and ever so slightly drooping.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ej0YtNpUUw/W1H862FChxI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/y9HpiLHf5d4X29OHxR4PcKehtDKNcUfGgCEwYBhgL/s1600/solitary%2Bsandpiper4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Solitary Sandpiper Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1107" height="316" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2ej0YtNpUUw/W1H862FChxI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/y9HpiLHf5d4X29OHxR4PcKehtDKNcUfGgCEwYBhgL/s400/solitary%2Bsandpiper4.jpg" title="Solitary Sandpiper" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Note the slight droop in the bill at the tip</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nGwQchVOM4M/W1Ij78JA_FI/AAAAAAAAB5s/0nFe4fGFIicWtv9SgkIMcStZqc8pMg5GQCLcBGAs/s1600/SOSAvsLEYL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Comparison of Solitary Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1500" height="212" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nGwQchVOM4M/W1Ij78JA_FI/AAAAAAAAB5s/0nFe4fGFIicWtv9SgkIMcStZqc8pMg5GQCLcBGAs/s640/SOSAvsLEYL.jpg" title="Solitary Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Solitary Sandpiper left and Lesser Yellowlegs right</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In direct comparison Solitary Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs are relatively easily separate. Note especially the following differences,</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Facial Features</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
- Solitary always has an obvious, thick eye ring. In comparison to Lesser Yellowlegs, which does show a bit of an eye ring, but it blends into the pale supercilium, so it isn't as noticeably. Note that Solitary Sandpiper lacks a pale supercilium making the eye ring the dominant facial feature.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Bill</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
- Solitary Sandpiper has a greenish bill about the same length as Lesser yellowlegs but is usually thicker towards the tip and dropped slightly at the tip as well. Lesser Yellowlegs has a thin, straight bill, that is never dropped.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Legs</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Solitary Sandpiper has green or greenish/yellow legs, whereas Lesser Yellowlegs has orange/yellow or bright yellow legs.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Rump</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
- Solitary Sandpiper shows a dark rump versus the white rump shown my Lesser Yellowlegs</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hc5nQBRXUrw/W1H9FJS9LyI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/dQBADJe2hawYjaZFgEpRhSGfsAS8L_4oQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Solitary%2BSandpiper.flight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Solitary Sandpiper flight, Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1024" height="256" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hc5nQBRXUrw/W1H9FJS9LyI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/dQBADJe2hawYjaZFgEpRhSGfsAS8L_4oQCEwYBhgL/s320/Solitary%2BSandpiper.flight.jpg" title="Solitary Sandpiper flight" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Solitary Sandpiper showing characteristic dark rump. </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<span style="text-align: center;">Note that any Spring Solitary Sandpipers or late fall, i.e. beyond 2nd week of October, in Newfoundland should be scrutinized with Green Sandpiper in mind. Green Sandpiper is the closely related European counter part of Solitary Sandpiper. They two species look very similar but Green Sandpiper has a white rump! Note that there currently are not any records of Green Sandpiper in Newfoundland and I don't think there are any in Eastern North American, BUT it could happen, so it's better to be prepared when it does!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mjY4gSsa06Q/W1KozQL72TI/AAAAAAAAB54/X_GSfKPAn8MO8_EJlgggc-eEVXOZUuzfgCLcBGAs/s1600/Green%2BSandpiper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Green Sandpiper in flight" border="0" data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="1400" height="277" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mjY4gSsa06Q/W1KozQL72TI/AAAAAAAAB54/X_GSfKPAn8MO8_EJlgggc-eEVXOZUuzfgCLcBGAs/s320/Green%2BSandpiper.jpg" title="Green Sandpiper showing white rump" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Note the obvious white rump of this Green Sandpiper<br />
Photo: <a href="http://pewit.blogspot.com/">http://pewit.blogspot.com/</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<span style="text-align: center;"></span></div>
<div>
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: center;"></span></div>
I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!
<br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-71409196869304417442018-07-19T01:44:00.000-02:302018-07-25T04:05:36.906-02:30Northern Goshawk: An Episode of Raptor on Raptor Violence!This incident I'm about to describe happened a number of years ago, but it lives with me to this day as one of the most amazing, surprising and impressive things, I have seen in my 20 years of birding in Newfoundland.<br />
<br />
It was in early October and I was birding on the south eastern portion of the Avalon Peninsula, in a barrenness area called St.Shotts. The area is characterized by subarctic tundra and is virtually treeless, except for an area of stunted conifers that grow within a river valley. I was making my way out a dirt road within the community when I spotted a soaring Raptor. I stopped and got my bins on it- juvenile Northern Harrier. It was not a surprising sighting, since Northern Harriers are well known in the area.What happened next was very surprising!<br />
<br />
Suddenly a second bird appeared and went into a stoop striking the Harrier! The birds tumbled briefly in the air before falling to the ground. I wasn't able to see what the other bird was, since everything happened so quickly. I jumped out of the car and ran to the area. The ground was very uneven, sloping. A mixture of grasses, stunted shrubs and rocks. I made my way over a small mound and there it was, a female Goshawk mantling over a Northern Harrier and not looking too pleased about my presence!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BkpGOipw8sE/W1AHnIixJfI/AAAAAAAAB4E/CRbkb1-x1IEO1HUCbOUep_k9JeD396y5QCLcBGAs/s1600/Northern%2BGoshawk%2Beating%2BHarrier%2528extra%2Bsharpening%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img alt="Northern Goshawk Kills Harrier" border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="940" height="253" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BkpGOipw8sE/W1AHnIixJfI/AAAAAAAAB4E/CRbkb1-x1IEO1HUCbOUep_k9JeD396y5QCLcBGAs/s400/Northern%2BGoshawk%2Beating%2BHarrier%2528extra%2Bsharpening%2529.jpg" title="Northern Goshawk mantling Harrier" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Northern Goshawk shortly after taking a Northern Harrier, St. Shotts, Newfoundland.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Incidents of raptor on raptor violence are somewhat of a rare thing in the bird world, but they do happen more that you may think. Northern Goshawks in particular seems to have a taste for the flesh of their Raptor brethren. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1474-919X.2008.00786.x"><b>In Europe Goshawks are well documented predators of Ural and Tawny Owls, but have been found to have preyed upon a selection of other raptorial species such as Long-eared owl, Short-eared Owl, Common Buzzard, Honey Buzzard and Common Kestrel</b></a>. It has been suggested that Northern Goshawks have has serious detrimental effects on the population of Long-eared Owls and Ural Owls parts of Europe.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While science may suggest that Goshawks are a legitimate threat, the Northern Harrier clearly was not aware that it was a possibility on the Goshawks menu. It did not seem to see the Goshawk as a threat and it paid dearly for it. But what would cause a Goshawk to resort to taking what seem like a risky prey item, in the Northern Harrier?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In this area, Northern Goshawks probably prey mainly on Snowshoe Hare and Willow Ptarmigan. Snowshoe Hare populations are cyclical and though I can't remember, it's quite possible that there may not have been many Hares around that year. Similarly, Willow Ptarmigan numbers on the Southern Avalon Peninsula were low that year and as a whole seem to be lower than they were in the late 90's and early 2000's. Due to these factors it's possible that the Goshawk was formed to broaden it's perception of prey in include the Northern Harrier.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F-XtuQOregI/W1AHgiX0t8I/AAAAAAAAB4I/kq4kn5N2a1cHP9kb0KiAqgRlj6URi8CvACEwYBhgL/s1600/Norther%2BGoshawk%2Beating%2Bharrier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Northern Goshawk eating Harrier in Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="692" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F-XtuQOregI/W1AHgiX0t8I/AAAAAAAAB4I/kq4kn5N2a1cHP9kb0KiAqgRlj6URi8CvACEwYBhgL/s320/Norther%2BGoshawk%2Beating%2Bharrier.jpg" title="Northern Goshawk" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Northern Goshawk consuming Northern Harrier, St.Shotts, Newfoundland.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Goshawk watched me just as I watched it. It would pluck a few feathers, then eat a little, the entire time it's gaze was fixated upon me. After I documented the scene with a few photos I backed off and let the Goshawk finish it's meal. When it was satiated it picked the Harrier up in it's talons and flew off with it, disappearing into the treed area in the river valley.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Never before or since, have I seen another incident involving one Raptor killing and consuming another Raptor. However, anyone who has mistakenly wandered too close to a Northern Goshawk nest knows just how vicious these birds can be. While I live for thrill of discovering rarities and unexpected species in unexpected places, scenes like this remind me pf why I started birding in the first place. I hope you enjoyed the article, if you have ideas for future content please feel free to mention in the comments or even better yet like my <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/birdingnewfoundland/">Birding Newfoundland facebook page</a> </b>where you can stay up to date on all our latest news. <a href="https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/"><b>Information on personal guiding experiences, as well as up coming Tour info can be found here.</b></a> Thanks and see you guys in the next one!<br />
<br />
<b>PS: check out the rest of the page to reveal 100+ more articles!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!
<br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<b><a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a></b></div>
Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-45266369940949147012018-07-17T14:30:00.000-02:302018-07-25T04:05:53.900-02:305 North American Birds with Bizarre Behaviors<br />
I was just sitting here thinking about how people take their "common" birds for granted. This is perhaps partly due to the fact, that we just don't know some of their most interesting behaviours! This article will highlight 5 of the commonly occurring North American bird species, that exhibit some truly bizarre behaviors! Maybe after reading this article, you will have a new found appreciation, or perhaps even disdain for these species. Either way you look at it all of these adaptations are extremely remarkable and fascinating!<br />
<h3>
<br />1) American Wigeons are Jerks!</h3>
Most people are familiar with the thievery exhibited in gulls and other seabirds. Anyone who has taken their kids to feed the ducks, or spent some time sea watching will have noted how aggressive Gulls can be as they bully other birds and steal their food. But has anyone ever noticed American Wigeon stealing food from other ducks and waterfowl! Birds that steal food from other birds are known as <b>kleptoparasites</b>. As I mentioned, this behaviour is well documented in various seabirds from Frigatebirds to Gulls and Jaegers, but the American Wigeon often flies under the radar in this regard! (excuse the pun there!).<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZWJl9hbFdmo/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZWJl9hbFdmo?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">N<b>ote how the Wigeon calmly just swims around the Coot, pretending to be friendly and then as soon as the Coot comes up with some food, swoops in and steals it!</b></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
2) Northern Fulmars are Bulimic Olympians!</h3>
<div>
Northern Fulmars get the award for most creative and grossest defence mechanism, for their habit of projectile vomiting (very accurately I might add) at would-be attackers. When you think about it, this really is quite an ingenious way, for a seemingly defenceless bird to level the playing field against potential predators. When feeling threatened Fulmars regurgitate their very foul smelling and acidic stomach contents, in well aimed bursts. This could be quite harmful to avian predators since it can matte their feathers destroying their water-proofing and insulating properties. Note below how even this very young chick is capable of defending itself using this technique!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ii_w8og8RXg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ii_w8og8RXg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Northern Fulmar chick exhibiting it's vomiting prowess</span></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
3) Turkey Vultures Pee Themselves on Purpose!</h3>
<div>
Considering it's unsightly looks and already questionable habit of feasting on decaying flesh, it shouldn't be too surprising that the Turkey Vulture has a few more disturbing habits in it's repertoire. As a means of cooling themselves in extremely hot and humid temperatures, Turkey Vultures (all New World Vultures and Wood Storks actually!) practice what is called urohydrosis. The Vultures will actually pee on their legs their legs and as the urine evaporates it will assist in helping the Vultures cool off. It's a similar principle to the way we humans sweat and the evaporating sweat assists in regulating our body temperature. Someone should tell them wetting their legs by standing in water will do the same thing ;) Though, if you can't find water, then pee it is!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pWqcPBK13bk/W0MqLqoGHLI/AAAAAAAAB1c/JFsCD_um89IYx_o5ZVPNiTtFcvtJUMXdACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Turkey%2BVulture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Turkey Vulture behaviour" border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pWqcPBK13bk/W0MqLqoGHLI/AAAAAAAAB1c/JFsCD_um89IYx_o5ZVPNiTtFcvtJUMXdACPcBGAYYCw/s320/Turkey%2BVulture.jpg" title="Turkey Vulture" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Turkey Vulture</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
4) Red-breasted Nuthatches are Home Security Specialists</h3>
<div>
Now this is something we can surely relate to! Anyone who has been the victim of a home invasion surely knows what a frightening and angering experience that can be. In medieval times is seems the moat was a popular means of defence.However this practice seems to have fallen out of favour- I guess there would just be too many liability concerns, and then you have the upkeep issues. No one even likes raking up leaves, or cleaning the gutter, imagine having to clean the moat! So in modern times to protect ourselves from home invaders we lock our doors, purchase expensive security systems etc. Well it seems Red-breasted Nuthatches kind of took that moat idea and gave it their own personal spin. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It would seem that Nuthatches have a particular disdain for Centipedes and other potential creepy crawly predators, so they've taken that moat idea and made it their own. Red-breasted Nuthatches put a thick rim of tree sap around the entrance to the nesting cavities, to act as a deterrent to predators! To prevent themselves from being stuck in their own trap they fly directly into their cavities rather than perching on the edge like many other cavity nesting species do. Pretty amazing!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NKn9xcOqdHs/W0ysgix0-mI/AAAAAAAAB3c/JIlnYP90iyEDvHKp9VDfxoIpkGM2m5UDACLcBGAs/s1600/red-breasted-nuthatch.nest%2Bsap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Red-breasted Nuthatch in nest cavity" border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="400" height="277" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NKn9xcOqdHs/W0ysgix0-mI/AAAAAAAAB3c/JIlnYP90iyEDvHKp9VDfxoIpkGM2m5UDACLcBGAs/s320/red-breasted-nuthatch.nest%2Bsap.jpg" title="Red-breasted Nuthatch" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Note the thick ring of sap around the cavity entrance<br />Photo: <a href="https://slugyard.com/2010/07/red-breasted-nuthatch-sapped-my-camera/">Slugyard Blog</a></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>5) House Wren are Even Bigger Jerks Than American Wigeons!</b><br />
<br />
House Wrens, while not native to Newfoundland and in fact are quite rare, are a familiar bird to many due to to their tendency to nest in peoples gardens and take readily to bird houses. This diminutive bird, with it's explosive, bubbly song is a welcomed visitor to many yards and people delight in watching them go about their business. But, did you know that House Wrens have a dark side?<br />
<br />
As it turns out House Wren are i<b>nterspecifically antisocial</b>. Basically, what this means is they don't get along well with other bird species and don't appreciate other species nesting within their territory. So what so they do about it? Well, these little Wrens have the nasty habit of sneaking into the nests of other birds and poking a hole in their eggs! This of course, leads to the death of the embryos inside and complete nest failure. Not cool House Wren, not cool!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CCyfs6RIXrM/W0yy4f5qelI/AAAAAAAAB3o/NYxdSZZmf5ozTeDJDOzlaRe2wAvhhegeQCLcBGAs/s1600/House%2BWren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="House Wren singing!" border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="612" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CCyfs6RIXrM/W0yy4f5qelI/AAAAAAAAB3o/NYxdSZZmf5ozTeDJDOzlaRe2wAvhhegeQCLcBGAs/s320/House%2BWren.jpg" title="House Wren" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Look how innocent it looks!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!
<br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>
Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-3614630071790053302018-07-16T15:00:00.000-02:302018-07-25T04:06:24.975-02:30Birds of Newfoundland: Atlantic PuffinWhen many people think of the birds of Newfoundland, they think of Atlantic Puffin, and for good reason. These small Alcids, with their colourful bills, are full of personality and are among the most charming of birds to watch. <br />
<a name='more'></a>As a member of the Auk family they are often referred to as 'penguins of the north'. Their scientific name<i> Fratercula artica </i>is perhaps a reference to their black and white colouration, since <i>fratercula </i>means '<i>little brother of the north' </i>or <i>'little friar of the north'.</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VDQauuVdDoA/WylwgPiIvSI/AAAAAAAABoY/dIX46-eV_swDWMUQx9h9v9xZGUS-HS06wCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/DSC_9236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Atlantic Puffin swimming, Witless Bay, Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VDQauuVdDoA/WylwgPiIvSI/AAAAAAAABoY/dIX46-eV_swDWMUQx9h9v9xZGUS-HS06wCPcBGAYYCw/s400/DSC_9236.jpg" title="Atlantic Puffin Swimming" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Atlantic Puffin- note it's black and white friar-like plumage!<br />Photo: Jason Dain</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<h3>
Introduction</h3>
<b><br /></b>
<b>The Atlantic Puffin was adopted as the provincial bird of Newfoundland in 1992 and has served as the official symbol for the province ever since. It's an important bird in many ways for the people of Newfoundland, both today and historically. Some Puffins would have been taken along with Murres in late fall and winter to serve as valuable protein to Newfoundlanders living in remote settlements and outports. However, these thankfully one is much more likely to shoot an Atlantic Puffin with a camera, rather than a gun.</b><br />
<br />
Atlantic Puffins are big business in Newfoundland as people flock here in summer, much as the birds do. The Puffins come here to breed and the birders come here for the Puffins! <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collapse_of_the_Atlantic_northwest_cod_fishery">Since the collapse of the fishery in Newfoundland in the 1980's,</a> tourism is now the dominant industry in the province. Some of those people who once fished, converted their boats to sight seeing vessels, to take tourists out to offshore islands where Atlantic Puffins, Common Murre, Thick-billed Murre and Razorbill breed.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdgCzZ4mm1Q/WylweBWmo5I/AAAAAAAABoM/O9eEpZNAoCcMn3lmnjp_o23VHhySjQWxQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/DSC_8243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Atlantic Puffin, Witless Bay, Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdgCzZ4mm1Q/WylweBWmo5I/AAAAAAAABoM/O9eEpZNAoCcMn3lmnjp_o23VHhySjQWxQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/DSC_8243.jpg" title="Atlantic Puffin" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Atlantic Puffin:<br />Photo: Jason Dain</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3>
Taxonomy</h3>
<div>
Did you know that Atlantic Puffin is just one of 4 species of Puffins in North American, but is the only Puffin that's native to the Atlantic Ocean. It's close relatives the Horned Puffin, Tufted Puffin and Rhinocerous Auklet are all native to the north Pacific. Amazingly there is actually a <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/tufted-puffin-seen-on-atlantic-coast-for-1st-time-since-1830s-1.2680540">record of Tufted Puffin for New Brunswick, Canada</a>, another for the <a href="https://www.bubo.org/News/uk-tufted-puffin.html">UK</a> and single records from Greenland and a bird found in Swedan in 1994 represented the first record for the Western Palearctic. Atlantic Puffins are also closely related to other Alcids such as the Murres, Razorbill, Guillemots and Dovekie.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Description</h3>
<div>
Atlantic Puffins are a rich, glossy black above and white below from the upper breast to the under tail coverts. Their pale face (with grayish wash) contrasts strongly against the head and body and is visible on flying birds even at long distances. Puffins are a chunky, sturdily built bird, with a thick body and a short neck. An Atlantic Puffin stands about 8 inches tall and has a wing span of about 20-25 inches. Like other Alcids, Atlantic Puffins have feet placed well back on the body which sevre to propel them under water, but are a hindrance to their movement on land. As clumsy as Puffins look on land, they are amazingly graceful under water, where they use their stiff, narrow wings and webbed feet to propel them.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FIyttK0_vAA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FIyttK0_vAA?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note how the Puffins propel themselves using their wings</span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of an Atlantic Puffin and that for which they are best known, is their bill. Their bills have earned Puffins several nicknames, perhaps the most popular of those is 'sea parrot'. In the breeding season, Atlantic Puffin bills swell and they grow in new layers of colour. It is a surprisingly little known fact that <b>all Puffins (including Atlantic Puffins) moult parts of their bill in their pre-basic moult, following the breeding season, and have a much duller and smaller bill in the winter, along with a much darker face</b>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pVrqplxyYuQ/W0vB2tZA-kI/AAAAAAAAB3E/wy0-BIVdQ3cxps5p9YSA1zQgn6spANDuQCLcBGAs/s1600/Atlantic%2BPuffin-%2BSummer%2Bvs%2BWinter%2BPlumage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="403" height="292" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pVrqplxyYuQ/W0vB2tZA-kI/AAAAAAAAB3E/wy0-BIVdQ3cxps5p9YSA1zQgn6spANDuQCLcBGAs/s320/Atlantic%2BPuffin-%2BSummer%2Bvs%2BWinter%2BPlumage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comparison of breeding vs non-breeding Atlantic Puffins<br />
Photo <a href="http://www.unb.ca/research/alar/media/photos.html">Atlantic Laboratory for Avian Research</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
Puffin bills are thought to have evolved to be so ornate as a means of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_selection">sexual selection</a>, but did you know that Puffin bills glow under UV light?! This was only discovered recently and was surprising, since Alcids were thought to have poor UV vision. So, while we humans marvel at the beauty of a Puffins bill, it probably looks quite different though the eyes of a Puffin.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MMLaXEipru4/W0vD3rUBJNI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/fzjTZD-B780JLzHlLp7drz7YlqPIL8GCwCLcBGAs/s1600/Puffin%2Bbill%2Bglowing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MMLaXEipru4/W0vD3rUBJNI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/fzjTZD-B780JLzHlLp7drz7YlqPIL8GCwCLcBGAs/s320/Puffin%2Bbill%2Bglowing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Note the bright blue glow on this Atlantic Puffin specimens bill when under UV light</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<h3>
Distribution and Life History</h3>
<div>
Atlantic Puffin is restricted to the North Atlantic, where it has colonies in the Gulf of Maine, Newfoundland, Iceland and the UK, among others. Colonies within the Witless Bay Ecological reserve in Eastern Newfoundland number at around 300,000 pairs, making it the largest colony of Atlantic Puffins in the western Atlantic. Although, Atlantic Puffins are synonymous with Newfoundland, most of the world's population breeds in Europe with about 60% of the total in Iceland.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While Newfoundland's Atlantic Puffin colonies seem to be stable, some colonies in Europe have seen sharp declines and it is estimated that the European population of Atlantic Puffin could decrease as by as much as 75% by 2065. The causes for this decline are varied and range from, </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-over-harvesting by humans, </div>
<div>
-disruption in the availability of prey fish due to overfishing, </div>
<div>
-reduction in available prey fish due to increased water temperature</div>
<div>
- introduction of rats, foxes and other predators on nesting islands</div>
<div>
- introduction of invasive plant species, preventing digging of nesting burrows</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While this does not paint a bright future for the species there have also been some tremendous success stories. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Puffin">Notably, Puffins have been reintroduced to islands in Maine, from which they had been extirpated.</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One of the factors that Atlantic Puffins have going for them is they are quite long lived, with an average life expectancy of around 20 years.While they spend the majority of their lives far out at sea they return to their offshore island homes each Spring to breed. While Puffins will not breed until their fourth or fifth year, when they do they lay a single egg in a well dug burrow, in grassy slopes, but occasionally they may nest in rocky crevices. As colonial nesters there is often fierce competition for prime nesting areas and squabbles among competing birds are commonplace.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lx1Mt9PpLzY/WylwcXX3HnI/AAAAAAAABoE/qKPvpKfFg0IoAohdJ1DCvgulueJTbH1UgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/DSC_6301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Atlantic Puffins Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lx1Mt9PpLzY/WylwcXX3HnI/AAAAAAAABoE/qKPvpKfFg0IoAohdJ1DCvgulueJTbH1UgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/DSC_6301.jpg" title="Pair of Puffins standing guard near their burrow" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Puffins stand guard over their burrow<br />Photo Jason Dain</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-97pzqau8ACE/WylwfY6628I/AAAAAAAABoY/nas-qUONCSkVpSMdsO_s7tE-xtP9L8khwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/DSC_8686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Atlantic Puffins in Newfoundland courting" border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-97pzqau8ACE/WylwfY6628I/AAAAAAAABoY/nas-qUONCSkVpSMdsO_s7tE-xtP9L8khwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/DSC_8686.jpg" title="Puffin Courtship" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Puffin pair bonding<br />Photo: Jason Dain</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g_zsELT5hq8/WylweGqooSI/AAAAAAAABoE/HpD7PIhd3vQQjzq4tT-ru92lGPGqMAMiwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/DSC_8199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g_zsELT5hq8/WylweGqooSI/AAAAAAAABoE/HpD7PIhd3vQQjzq4tT-ru92lGPGqMAMiwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/DSC_8199.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Atlantic Puffin standing beside it's nesting burrow<br />Photo: Jason Dain</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One of my favourite Puffin behaviours to observe is billing. The birds approach each other, moving their heads from side to side then quickly and repeatedly tap their bills together. An example of this behaviour can be seen in the video below.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RiOyiAHI14w/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RiOyiAHI14w?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Puffins 'billing'</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
While Puffins can often be seen as uninteresting by some Newfoundland birders, owing to their abundance, when you actually take the time to get to know these birds they have a tendency to grow on you. Their comical looks and rambunctious personalities give them a certain charm that not many bird species can match. While this was not meant to be an exhaustive study of the Atlantic Puffin, hopefully you came away with a tidbit or two of new knowledge or perhaps an increased appreciation for Newfoundland's provincial bird, the Atlantic Puffin.</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RlK-d1QR_C4/Wylwf0fT68I/AAAAAAAABoM/noyPwKzVYcUc5dFYYED6uQX3cfIdVMhzwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/DSC_9153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RlK-d1QR_C4/Wylwf0fT68I/AAAAAAAABoM/noyPwKzVYcUc5dFYYED6uQX3cfIdVMhzwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/DSC_9153.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Atlantic Puffin in flight<br />Photo: Jason Dain</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!
<br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="https://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-54651239455270772222018-07-15T14:00:00.000-02:302018-07-25T04:07:17.996-02:30Fall Warbler Identification: A tricky Orange-Crowned Warbler <div>
<br /></div>
I was browsing my local bird watching Newfoundland Facebook group and I came across a post referring to warbler that someone wanted some assistance to identify. I looked at the photo I immediately thought " this is an Orange-crowned Warbler. However, my immediate impression made no sense, because Orange-crowned Warblers do not breed in Newfoundland and there aren't any July records that I'm aware of. They are regular vagrants in late fall, but never in mid summer. This bird seemed to have all the attributes of an Orange-crowned Warbler, although it was kind of oddly gray, a characteristic I attributed to immaturity. Lets break down the id features of Orange-crowned Warbler and move along from there.<br />
<div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HNNND0gaFcw/W0pCVllmpcI/AAAAAAAAB24/yIwIhbbIO8Qla2bmfV5DLUpWyd3pJhrbQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Orange-crowned.imm.Lab2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="orange crowned Warbler under tail Labrador" border="0" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="1600" height="336" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HNNND0gaFcw/W0pCVllmpcI/AAAAAAAAB24/yIwIhbbIO8Qla2bmfV5DLUpWyd3pJhrbQCEwYBhgL/s400/Orange-crowned.imm.Lab2.jpg" title="Oange-crowned Warbler under tail" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dull overall appearance, no wing bars, split eye ring, dark eye line, very sharply pointed bill, yellow under tail coverts and pale legs</b><br />
Photo: Brian Bishop</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JlmSX6YtMzY/W0pCVrcImTI/AAAAAAAAB20/BbuylAa4FhcXl_YYX-7RryiDPv6cEnWTwCLcBGAs/s1600/Orange-crowned.juv.Lab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Orange-crowned Warbler Labrador" border="0" data-original-height="969" data-original-width="1600" height="241" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JlmSX6YtMzY/W0pCVrcImTI/AAAAAAAAB20/BbuylAa4FhcXl_YYX-7RryiDPv6cEnWTwCLcBGAs/s400/Orange-crowned.juv.Lab.jpg" title="Orange-crowned Warbler" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Note the bill shape and contrasting yellow under tail coverts</b><br />
<b>Photo Brian Bishop</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
Orange-crowned Warbler</h4>
</div>
<div>
<br />
-sharp pointed bill- also shared by close relative Tennessee Warbler (which does breed in Newfoundland regularly)</div>
<div>
- dark eye line</div>
<div>
- split eye ring</div>
<div>
- generally grayish overall with some yellow wash. I'm used to seeing Orange-crowned appear greener above and more yellow below, often with faint smudgy streaking, but I'm kind of assuming this is a young bird, so I'm ok with the somewhat unusual colouration.</div>
<div>
- lacking wing bars</div>
<div>
- contrasting pale yellow under tail coverts </div>
<div>
- longish tail ( length of tail feathers, beyond the under tail coverts)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So even though this bird looked find for an Orange-crown I was trying to convince myself it wasn't. I thought about Tennessee Warbler. Tennessee shares the sharply pointed bill that this bird has, as well as the dark eye line, it lacks wing bars and maybe you could convince yourself the split eye ring was ok as well. However, there are severe issues with this being a Tennessee Warbler.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1) Under tail coverts- This bird clearly has yellow under tail coverts while Tennessee Warblers always have white under tail coverts in all plumages. As well this birds tail is much too long for a Tennessee Warbler, which has a little stump of a tail, poking out past the under tail coverts.<br />
<br />
I considered Cape may Warbler. Admittedly, a bit of a stretch but immature Cape Mays can be extremely dull and, the bill shape in the second photo doesn't look terrible for Cape May. However, this bird lacks any streaking below, no sign of even a single wing bar and it has yellow under tail coverts.<br />
<br />
What about the dullest Yellow Warbler ever? Some immature Yellow Warblers can be super dull, but the split eye ring and dark eye line don't work for yellow which often shows a complete, thin eye ring and the tail feathers themselves (not just the under tail coverts) always have some yellow in Yellow Warbler.<br />
<br />
At this point I was really starting to run out of possibilities, so I went back and checked the location of the bird again- Labrador! What an idiot I was! Orange-crowned Warblers are locally common in parts of Labrador! Things started to make sense and all was right with the world again. If I had taken the time to read the location more carefully I could have saved myself 10 minutes, but I would have lost out on a really valuable learning exercise. Identifying this bird challenged me to consider everything I knew about Newfoundland's breeding warblers and gave me a nice little refresher in fall warbler ID.<br />
<br />
When people post a photo to a group asking for an ID my first question is usually, well, What do you think it is? It's extremely useful to know what the person was thinking when attempting to identify a particular bird. If allows you to understand where they might have been lead astray, identify knowledge gaps and areas for improvement, or maybe they were right and a lack of self confidence is their enemy! If you struggle with Fall Warbler ID like many people, it doesn't have to be that way. You just need a plan, a structured approach to identifying these challenging birds. This is the exact type of approach we preach in out ID workshops and we happen to be offering a <a href="https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/confusing-fall-warblers" target="_blank">Fall Warbler ID workshop soon.</a><br />
<div>
<br />
Not living in St.John's, no problem. Inquire about our <a href="https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/contact" target="_blank">online workshops!</a></div>
</div>
I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!
<br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-56982960107694057532018-07-14T23:09:00.001-02:302018-07-24T19:04:41.731-02:307 Ways to Become a Better Birder!I've been frequenting various facebook ID pages over the last few months where people post photos of birds and ask people to identify them. Based on my experiences over that time and having many conversations with both novice and intermediate level birders, I've decided to put together a list of 7 things you can do today, to be a better birder. There are of course many things that will not be listed that are helpful as well, but I've decided to pick 7 'low hanging fruit', that I guarantee if employed, will make you a better birder. So, in no particular order, lets begin.<br />
<br />
NOTE** <span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>If you are considering buy binoculars or a guide, doing so via the links in this article will net me a very small commission. My suggestions are based on my own personal experience and I only recommend items that I use myself and and find useful!</b></span><br />
<h3>
Get a good pair of binoculars!</h3>
<br />
Birding with bad binoculars or binoculars not made for birding is almost worse than not birding at all. Poor binoculars will only leave you frustrated and will severely slow your learning curve. I'm not saying you have to spend $2000+ on a top of the line pair of binoculars, but you should probably spend what you can comfortably afford. As a birder, your binoculars will be your most important tool and if cared for, they will last for many years and if you purchase the right pair, you will NEVER have to buy another pair again, unless you decide to upgrade.<br />
<br />
As a brand my strong personal preference is <a href="https://www.vortexcanada.net/en/hunting/binoculars/" target="_blank">Vortex binoculars</a>. Vortex makes a full range of binoculars that suit the needs of any birder from beginner to expert, and at a range of prices. Regardless of the model you choose, the review is generally the same, they outclass the competition at their price point. Of course, an $800 pair of binoculars will outperform a $300 pair, and a $1500 pair will outperform an $800 pair, but I argue that <b>there is a point of diminishing returns, where the increase in quality simply does justify the increase in price</b>. I know many excellent birders who use the <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Vortex-Optics-Viper-Prism-Binoculars/dp/B07BR1VPYD/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531616750&sr=8-1&keywords=Vortex+viper+8+X+42+binocular&_encoding=UTF8&tag=birdingnewfou-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=e919669309214ca1ed273032c0a6fda6&camp=15121&creative=330641" target="_blank">Vortex Viper HD 8x42</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=birdingnewfou-20&l=ur2&o=15" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and simply love them.As a whole, they are a very affordable option. If you feel like entering the market at a bit of a lower price point then the <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Vortex-D204-Diamondback-8x42-Binoculars/dp/B01AU85VD2/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1531617452&sr=1-1&keywords=Vortex+diamondback+8+X+42+binocular&_encoding=UTF8&tag=birdingnewfou-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=fc75e3e6df247b01cbf02d3037e853b0&camp=15121&creative=330641" target="_blank">Vortex Diamondback 8x42</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=birdingnewfou-20&l=ur2&o=15" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />are also excellent! You don't even have to take my word for it, there are plenty of reviews which clearly state that Vortex is the #1 choice for a high quality binocular that you don't have to sell off a body organ to afford!<br />
<br />
The lower price isn't even the best part. Vortex binoculars come with an <u style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.vortexcanada.net/en/vip-warranty/" target="_blank">unlimited lifetime warrant</a>y</u>. That basically means that your bins are covered for life against pretty much anything that could ever happen, unless you lose them or damage them deliberately. Also, the warranty is transferable if you sell them or pass them on; no sales receipts or proof pf ownership is required.<br />
<br />
Which ever binoculars you choose there are a few important points, you want to be 8-10X magnification and you want an objective lens diameter of between 40-50mm. This is the sweet spot for birding binoculars. Any less and the binoculars might not resolve enough detail or might not perform well enough in low light and any more and they can become really bulky and heavy. Note that this recommendation is for typical birding. If you are doing primarily sea watching or birding solely while hiking etc, then there might be better options and feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Be Prepared- Know the Birds of your Area!</h3>
<br />
<br />
Good birders are prepared birders. They know what birds are typical in their area (or the area they are birding) and they know what isn't. They also understand that some species are possible vagrants to a given area, while other species aren't. How does one get this type of information? There are several ways.<br />
<br />
1) <i><b>Get a checklist</b></i> of the birds of your state or province, or a guide to birding the particular area your are birding in (if one is available). <span style="font-weight: normal;">An online checklist to the birds of Newfoundland is available </span><u><a href="http://naturenl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/NL-checklist-2016.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.</u><br />
<br />
2) <i><b>Use eBird</b></i><br />
<div>
Admittedly, I was late to the party when it comes to eBird, but it's really is an amazing resource. You can keep track of your life list, research what birds have been seen in various places at a given time of year and quite easily determine how likely a given species is to occur where you are. This is currently the best way to get information about bird distribution in North American, and the data is improving every day. If you aren't using EBird already, start today!</div>
<div>
<br />
3) <i><b>Learn the peak migration times for your area</b></i></div>
<div>
<br />
It's important to know what birds are moving in and out fo your area, this will greatly help you decide where and when you go birding and will prepare for what might might see when you get there. For example, I know that July through August is the best time of year to see large numbers of Shearwaters off of coastal Newfoundland. At this time of year, songbird migration has all but stopped, bird song has slowed and so spending your day looking for interesting songbirds might not be the best use of your time. As well, shorebird migration has not really started for us yet, in a few weeks I will be closely monitoring the tide charts and planning my day so I can be at the best shorebird spots at low tide. You need to have a plan, your plans can change as the day unfolds, but when you set out for day of birding you should have a good idea of the spots you want to hit and why.</div>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Get a Good Bird Guide and use it!</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Almost everyone that I know that has an interest in birds has a bird guide. However, most of them never use it, unless they see a bird at their feeder they don't immediately recognize, or are out birding and need to reference it. Good birders read bird guides (and ID articles) all the time! I'm not saying that you need to have a guide with you everywhere you go, but make a habit of leafing through your guide every day. You can pick a group of birds and spend a week looking at only that group, then move on to another group the next week. Put a guide on your coffee table, put it in your bathroom, just somewhere you will have a quick look at it for a few minutes here and there. You will be surprised at the difference this will make in your ID skills.</div>
<div>
<br />
Also, while speaking of guides, if you are in North America and are looking for a good all purpose guide, do yourself a favour and get the <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Sibley-Guide-Birds-Second/dp/030795790X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531617605&sr=8-1&keywords=sibley+guide+to+birds&_encoding=UTF8&tag=birdingnewfou-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=49186a2b20cd9bfb319c397a83c5a4ad&camp=15121&creative=330641" target="_blank">Sibley Guide to Birds</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=birdingnewfou-20&l=ur2&o=15" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> In my opinion this is by far the beat all around guide to North American birds, the plates are generally accurate and the text is brief and includes the pertinent information. Another guide worth getting (especially if you like photographic guides) is the <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Crossley-ID-Guide-Eastern-Birds/dp/0691147787/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1531617846&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=crossley+guide+to+birds&_encoding=UTF8&tag=birdingnewfou-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=3e9b73b9d8f0af8347fbdb5ce0633986&camp=15121&creative=330641" target="_blank">Crossley Guide to Birds</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=birdingnewfou-20&l=ur2&o=15" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Bird with More Experienced Birders</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When I first started birding I've benefited greatly by birding with experienced birders. I was able to ask them questions about bird distribution, identification, and any number of other topics. I was also able to observe them; the techniques they used to call in birds; how they birded certain areas etc. I think you will find that the experienced birders in your area are more than willing to share information with you, through social media channels or bird societies, birds clubs and various events, such as Christmas Bird Counts.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Another way to accelerate your learning is by attending an ID workshop. I myself offer a range of birding workshops on a variety of topics ranging from <a href="https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/intro-to-gull-identification" target="_blank">Gull ID</a>, <a href="https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/confusing-fall-warblers" target="_blank">Fall Warblers</a> to <a href="https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/predicting-vagrants-weather-and-bir" target="_blank">How to predict vagrants using the weather</a>. The workshops are offered both in person and online as webinars. You can find a complete list on my <a href="https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/" target="_blank">Birding Newfoundland Website</a> (the information is useful to birders from all areas, not just Newfoundland!)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Learn Feather Topography</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I know, how boring right! In every bird guide there is a page or two dedicated to feather topography- how many of you have actually taken the time to study it? Be honest! It's very easy to just blow by this page to look at the nice photos, or plates, and actually get to identifying those birds your seeing out there. However, if you don't take the time to learn feather topography, you are doing yourself a major disservice, and limiting your ability, and growth as a birder. This might be the single easiest way for each person to improve their birding because it is so overlooked. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Have you ever followed a discussion, either in person, or online, between expert birders? Such discussions are invariably riddled with bird topography jargon. For example, when identifying juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gulls, one should pay particular attention to the the extent of barring on the greater coverts and the amount of patterning on the tertials. On juvenile Lesser Black-backed gulls the tertials are usually solidly dark brown with neat white edges, that do not penetrate as much into the centre of the feather as they do in juvenile Herring Gull. As well, juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gulls tend to moult later than herring Gulls, so they often retain juvenile scapulars and wing coverts well into the winter when Herring Gulls have already replaced their scapulars with 1st generation feathers. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you don't have a sound knowledge of feather topography, then chances are you have no idea of what any of that meant and you certainly weren't able to get a mental picture of what I was talking about. This is not something you will learn over night, it does take some practice, but it's worth it, I guarantee it! Some people find it easier to learn these things from someone else, when the various feather groups are pointed out in diagrams and then in actual birds. If you would like some assistance in learning feather topography or any other aspect of birding I do offer online <a href="https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/tutoring-sessions" target="_blank"><b>personal tutoring sessions</b></a>. I'd be happy to design something especially for you. Every workshop I teach includes at least a little time on feather topography, it's that important!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
An example of how knowing feather topography can help you ID Sparrows can found <a href="https://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/sorting-out-sparrows-some-useful-id.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Learn the Common Birds in Your Area</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I know it can seem boring to see the same birds over and over again, but learning your common birds will pay off big time when you see something unusual. I would especially recommend learning the chip notes and alternate songs, watch them fly and learn their flight patterns. All of this pays off when you don't spend an hour chasing a Robin around that you thought was a rare flycatcher when it flew across the road!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>Learn Bird Song</b></h3>
<br />
Probably 90% of the birds I identify in Spring are first identified by song. There is nothing that will allow you to see more species of birds in Spring that learning bird song. Many songbirds are difficult to see, spending the majority of their time in the tops of tall conifers or hidden amongst the dense foliage of deciduous trees. Experienced birders will tell you they only see a fraction of the birds they hear and they are able to find rare birds in Spring because they don't waste their time trying trying to get looks at common species. But how does one go about learning bird song?<br />
<br />
There are a number of good ways to learn bird song. You can book a personal tutoring session with me and I can design a detailed plan to teach you bird song. You have the benefit of learning the tips and tricks that I have learned over the years that allow me to remember bird songs and you get the benefit of receiving immediate feedback. If you are a true beginner to bird song, I can take you from novice to intermediate in a very short period of time!<br />
<br />
However, there is lots you can do one your own, especially if you already have some knowledge of bird song.The first thing you need is a checklist or some kind of list of the birds in your area. One way to do it, is to take a group of birds, such as warblers and try to learn those. Focus on the birds that are common in your area before you move on. There is a great website called <a href="https://www.xeno-canto.org/" target="_blank">Xena Canto</a> which has songs and calls for practically every bird species you can think of. Take your list and go one at a time. First Yellow-rumped Warbler. Listen to it's songs (each bird often has a few variations). Note if the song rises or falls, if it's buzzy etc. Then move onto the next species. Don't try to to do too many at once. If possible have someone quiz you on the birds you've learned. You know kind of like learning to spell when you were a kid- you study the words, and then someone asks you to spell them, the concept is basically the same. Once you get a few under the belt one of the most fun things is trying to identify all of the background songs in the various recordings. It will be tough at first, but stick with it, you will improve, it gets easier over time.<br />
<br />
The above are just some of the ways you can become a better birder today. There are many other ways and I probably could have listed 50 different ways, but I wanted to choose things that if employed, would make an immediate impact on your birding. This is a series I will update and add to over time. Please feel free to suggest additional ways to be a better birder or topics you would like to see me write about in general. Thanks for reading.<br />
<br />
Note** please consider following the blog by email and liking my facebook page if you'd like to stay up to date on what's happening. I post usually 3-5 times a week, so there's lots happening!<br />
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-31161946083328859362018-07-11T20:40:00.002-02:302018-07-14T23:10:35.453-02:30Birding in Hurricane Chris and a Comparison to Other StormsAs of now there is a very good chance that hurricane Chris will cross the south east coast of Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula, some time on Thursday. It is expected that the storm will have dissipated into a tropical storm or even a post-tropical depression by the time is makes landfall.<br />
<b></b><br />
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<b>
<div>
As I said in a previous blog, this is an unusual storm, in that it formed just off the Carolinas, remained stationary for several days and then began to track NE and pick up strength. That's in contrast to most storms, which have their origins off the African coast or in the Gulf of Mexico. But what does this mean for birding? To answer that lets first take a look at some previous storms including the "perfect birding storm", Hurricane Helene of 1958 and Hurricane Wilma of 2005.</div>
</b><br />
This is not a topic I take lightly. Hurricanes cause enormous damage and disrupt bird populations. However, for birders they can be very exciting because they have the potential to displace birds over vast distances. These storms have been happening since time immemorial and will continue to occur. They will continue to displace birds. My thoughts are if the birds are coming anyway, we might as well enjoy them.<br />
<br />
It has been a long time since Newfoundland has seen a hurricane borne fallout of birds. Well, that's not entirely true. In late October of 2005 the remnants of Hurricane Wilma combined with the passage of a strong low pressure system, and sent unseasonable numbers of Chimney Swifts, Swallows, Terns and Yellow-billed Cuckoos all over Atlantic Canada. It was perhaps the single largest displacement of hurricane driven birds ever!! Unfortunately, we blew it big time!!! Newfoundland birders failed to organize and there was no concerted effort to look for storm driven strays beyond the Avalon Peninsula. There were a bunch of good birds found on the eastern edge of the Avalon including hundreds of Chimney Swifts (rare in Newfoundland), Gull-billed Tern, Sandwich Tern and a likely Royal tern that slipped through my fingers tips before I clinch the id!
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OZ7xHUKDJrQ/TmEyTM2rayI/AAAAAAAAA4s/e6f2BZZRgs0/s1600/Hurricane%2BWilma%2Btrack.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="Hurricane Wilma, bird fall out Newfoundland, track analysis" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647850713148779298" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OZ7xHUKDJrQ/TmEyTM2rayI/AAAAAAAAA4s/e6f2BZZRgs0/s320/Hurricane%2BWilma%2Btrack.JPG" style="display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 261px;" title="Hurricane Wilma" /></a>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">A number of factors combined to make this an extraordinary event. First of all the storm formed very quickly and intensified to one of the strongest hurricanes on record. I believe it had the lowest central pressure of any hurricane ever! It formed during a time (mid October) and in an area (Gulf of Mexico)where huge numbers of birds were migrating at the time. Even though the storm fizzled out and never officially made land fall in Newfoundland it combined with an intense low pressure system that allowed it to entrain birds until they finally escaped near the coast of Atlantic Canada.</span>
<br />
<br />
To give you an idea of the significance of the movement of Chimney Swifts. Prior to Wilma I had seen 8 Chimney Swifts in Newfoundland in 10 years. On a singe day after Wilma, I saw over 150! Anyway, enough talk of that. I've been trying to suppress the memories of how bad we ( birders) botched this storm.
<br />
<br />
So moving on. Aside from Wilma you have to go back 53 years to September of 1958, when Hurricane Helene rained storm driven strays all over Western Newfoundland.The most notable species involved in this event were Laughing Gulls ( many hundreds) and Black Skimmers ( 10's). I don't think we have any records of Black Skimmer since.
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iMkydp0nh-E/TmEu56dYH5I/AAAAAAAAA4k/3Sy2lLlmfb4/s1600/Hurricane%2BHelene%2Btrack.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647846980179206034" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iMkydp0nh-E/TmEu56dYH5I/AAAAAAAAA4k/3Sy2lLlmfb4/s320/Hurricane%2BHelene%2Btrack.JPG" style="display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 278px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Track showing the path of Hurricane Helene of 1958. Of note is this storms strength and the fact that it skirted the coast of the US in a bird rich area and then made landfall in Newfoundland without crossing land anywhere else.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This exactly the type of hurricane we need to bring in exotic terns and seabirds. Most important is the storms track over Tern rich Cape Hatteras, it's strength and the speed at which the storm was moving. Couple this with the fact that the storm managed to miss the rest of the eastern seaboard and hit Burgeo, Newfoundland directly as a H1 hurricane. It was the perfect storm for a wreck of exotic sea birds!! The thing is there weren't many people that were interested in looking for vagrant birds back in the 1950's in Newfoundland. Given what was found, one can only imagine what was missed! Given that even a single Laughing Gulls is notable in Newfoundland, flocks such as the one pictured below are truly incredible!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8VB-Z2kP01s/TmEu5oJvyRI/AAAAAAAAA4c/LZMmd3GknV8/s1600/LAGU%2527s%2Bof%2BHurricane%2BHelene.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="Laughing Gulls in Burgeo, Newfoundland after Hurricane Helen" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647846975265032466" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8VB-Z2kP01s/TmEu5oJvyRI/AAAAAAAAA4c/LZMmd3GknV8/s320/LAGU%2527s%2Bof%2BHurricane%2BHelene.JPG" style="display: block; height: 215px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" title="Laughing Gulls " /></a>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">A photo the day after the passage on Hurricane Helene. Taken from Burgeo Sept 29th 1958. This photo was borrowed from a great paper written by legendary Newfoundland Ornithologist, Les Tuck. it can be viewed <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/%E2%80%9Dhttp://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/JFO/v039n03/p0200-p0208.pdf%E2%80%9D">here</a> in its entirety.</span> (http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/JFO/v039n03/p0200-p0208.pdf)
<br />
<br />
<br />
Since 1958 we have had a few other storms that have gotten us excited, but none have produced a significant fall out of hurricane birds. When we do get direct or near direct hits from Hurricanes they are often storms that have been well out to sea for the duration of their existence, never getting close enough to the Tern rich areas from Florida to Cape Cod. These storms often form near the Cape Verde Islands in Africa, then track west, north of the Lesser Antilles. They then start to intensify into hurricanes as they enter the warmer water, but often encounter strong steering currents from low pressure systems sweeping out from the eastern US. This results in the storms re-curving away from the US coast and towards Bermuda, sometimes tracking on to hit Newfoundland, but more often missing us entirely.
<br />
<br />
Its still worth birding these storms however,since they have brought us a few good birds. We have had a couple of Least Terns and a White-tailed Tropicbird that have been found after the passage of such storms. Other highly pelagic species such as Sooty and Bridled Tern may also be possible after such storms. Below are some examples of such storms from the last few years.
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-t8duR0nAU/TmE5DIW_slI/AAAAAAAAA48/ubve8R_9tkw/s1600/Hurricane%2BFlorence.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647858133645636178" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-t8duR0nAU/TmE5DIW_slI/AAAAAAAAA48/ubve8R_9tkw/s320/Hurricane%2BFlorence.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 273px;" /></a>
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hurricane Florence of 2006,classic Cape Verde storm that re curved around Bermuda and was extra-tropical when it passed off the Avalon Peninsula on September 12th. A Least Tern and a dead White-tailed Tropicbird were found after this storm.</span>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xh6zIgow8P4/TmE5C3nOHCI/AAAAAAAAA40/pRF1d2NwK94/s1600/Hurricane%2BBill.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647858129150286882" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xh6zIgow8P4/TmE5C3nOHCI/AAAAAAAAA40/pRF1d2NwK94/s320/Hurricane%2BBill.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 305px;" /></a>
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">This much anticipated late August storm (Hurricane Bill) failed to produce anything too exotic, but we did find a rare Least Tern at Grand Bank, Burin Peninsula and there was a noticeable influx of shorebirds into the area.</span>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eeDCM90m7tY/TmE5DAdG6NI/AAAAAAAAA5E/Q8Jwi_aOC9o/s1600/Hurricane%2BIgor.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647858131523791058" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eeDCM90m7tY/TmE5DAdG6NI/AAAAAAAAA5E/Q8Jwi_aOC9o/s320/Hurricane%2BIgor.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a>
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">This utterly useless storm (Hurricane Igor) powered into the Avalon Peninsula on the morning of September 21st. It's winds(that peaked at 173 km/hr) left a path of destruction in its wake and failed to bring a single vagrant sea bird. This is exactly the kind of storm we don't want. If we're going to get battered we should at least get a few avian rewards as compensation!</span><br />
<br />
So now that we've reviewed some previous storms, what can we expect from Hurricane Chris. If the past is any indication, the answer is probably not that much. However, this storm does differ from those discussed above in a couple of ways, though it's hard to say what impact these differences may have on potential birding.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cwbv2bXfbzQ/W0aEHFUKnUI/AAAAAAAAB2g/Mei_YLBDdGkS-QcP7CO0vdQj1Oh9oylQACLcBGAs/s1600/hurricane%2Bchris.new.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="865" height="277" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cwbv2bXfbzQ/W0aEHFUKnUI/AAAAAAAAB2g/Mei_YLBDdGkS-QcP7CO0vdQj1Oh9oylQACLcBGAs/s320/hurricane%2Bchris.new.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Potential track of Hurricane Chris as of July 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unlike most Atlantic hurricanes this storm had its genesis off the coast of south Carolina, not that far from Cape Hatteras and also not that far from the continental shelf edge. This is notable because the area is quite bird rich with a number of species of breeding Terns and the waters not far offshore near the continental shelf edge are known for hosting a large number of seabird in both density and diversity. The question is was this storm strong enough and organized enough to trap any birds and carry them north?<br />
<br />
The current track is somewhat tantalizing because as of now the storm is predicted to cross Newfoundland on the eastern edge of the Avalon Peninsula an area well known to birders. There are several sheltered harbours and tern colonies that could possibly attract and host a weary southern Tern trying to escape the fierce winds. As of now it's not certain what time the storm will make it to Newfoundland, but when it does, what's the best way to bird this storm?<br />
<br />
<b>Tips for Birding Hurricane Chris</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The best way to bird this storm depends on it's final track and the time of the day it impacts eastern Newfoundland. Assuming the track holds, there will be strong S or SE winds in advance of the storm as it moves closer to Newfoundland. That means we might see pelagic birds, such as Shearwaters and Jaegers pushed into south facing headlands and sheltered harbours. Somewhere like Biscay Bay could be interesting as the storm approaches. Things will also depend on the conditions at the time. It's quite possible there will be driving and rain and thick fog, which could make birding outside a vehicle impossible, so areas that allow you to view from inside your car might be especially appealing.<br />
<br />
If the storm doesn't pass until into the evening, then there are other options available. As the storm passes, it will likely generate N or NW 'wrap around' winds in it's wake. This may cause a build up of birds in North facing areas on the Avalon, such as Holyrood harbour, which is a well known spot for it's concentrations of pelagic species during storms.<br />
<br />
My personal plan is to be somewhere on the SE coast when the storm makes landfall, if it does so early in the day. If the storm doesn't pass until the evening or into the night, then I will be waking up early the following morning and will be checking harbours all along the eastern coast of the Avalon down to Cape Race and west to Biscay Bay and Trepassey for any potential vagrant species.<br />
<br />
Whatever you decide to do, be safe. We could see heavy rain fall during the storm and driving conditions could get pretty bad. No rarity is worth your life! Have fun and safe birding, I'll follow up on my birding during Hurricane Chris this weekend.<br />
<br />
<br />Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-22760767772791698072018-07-11T12:43:00.000-02:302018-07-14T23:11:27.288-02:30Rarity Round up July 1st- July 10thWe are starting to get into the dog days of summer now. Birds are actively feeding young and birdsong is beginning to diminish. The birding calendar is starting to turn from songbirds to seabirds as we anticipate the arrival of capelin and the hordes of birds that feed on them. Already there have been reports of significant gatherings of Gannets and Shearwaters on the SW Avalon and increasing whale and Gannet action on the SE Avalon Peninsula suggests that the Shearwaters cannot be far away.<br />
<br />
In the last edition of rarity round up, I noted that July was a good month to find rare Terns on the Avalon Peninsula in summer. John Williams and Dave Hawklins proved this to be true by finding an exceptional <b>Roseate Tern</b> in Bear Cove on July 9th. This is just the 3 record of this rare, endangered Tern for Newfoundland, so quite an amazing find. Both John and Dave are more than adept bird photographers so they did a great job of documenting the rarity!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gFFv_vhkfl0/W0YZZoBQUgI/AAAAAAAAB1w/B9SWZbkIpjYl6t5bbAxrW0ynabEWwYGLgCLcBGAs/s1600/Roseate%2BTern%2BJuly%2B9th%252C%2B2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Roseate Tern, Bear Cove, Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1534" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gFFv_vhkfl0/W0YZZoBQUgI/AAAAAAAAB1w/B9SWZbkIpjYl6t5bbAxrW0ynabEWwYGLgCLcBGAs/s320/Roseate%2BTern%2BJuly%2B9th%252C%2B2018.jpg" title="Roseate Tern on kelp" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Note the long black bill and extremely long tail, extending well beyond the wing tips</b><br />
<b>PHOTO : John Williams</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5i8JWDvhUEA/W0YZZjdv5rI/AAAAAAAAB2A/tJYdYmCl1I4Z_vSeImXEinZyw_rWA1xuwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Roseate%2BTern%2BJuly%2B8th%252CBear%2BCove%2BJuly%2B8th.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Comparison of Common and Roseate Tern Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1600" height="172" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5i8JWDvhUEA/W0YZZjdv5rI/AAAAAAAAB2A/tJYdYmCl1I4Z_vSeImXEinZyw_rWA1xuwCEwYBhgL/s320/Roseate%2BTern%2BJuly%2B8th%252CBear%2BCove%2BJuly%2B8th.3.jpg" title="Common Tern and Roseate tern" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Comparison with Common Tern- note differences in structure and bill colour<br />PHOTO: John Williams</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
The other exciting birds of the week are continuing and possibly a new Little Egret. Earlier this Spring Newfoundland experienced an influx of <b>Great Egrets</b> and it seems that a few of them are hanging on into the summer. Also present is a continuing <b>Little Egret </b>Spaniard's Bay that was first found and report by Lois Clarke. Due to some investigative journalism by local birders Shawn Fitzpatrick it was found that the bird had actually been present since at least June 18th. I suspect it is likely this this bird found its way to Newfoundland even earlier in the Spring, which would be a more likely time of arrival for this rare European Egret.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Also in Little Egret news a second (or the same?) individual was reported from Pond Rd in Kelligrews on July 10th! It's not yet clear if this represents a second bird or if the Spaniard's bay bird has switched locations.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--7Yb5P5BZnk/W0YdNs1g25I/AAAAAAAAB2I/49jx-ZpgZLgFsTObyjY2-4A9epdb4Of0ACEwYBhgL/s1600/Little%2BEgret.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1600" height="231" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--7Yb5P5BZnk/W0YdNs1g25I/AAAAAAAAB2I/49jx-ZpgZLgFsTObyjY2-4A9epdb4Of0ACEwYBhgL/s320/Little%2BEgret.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Spaniard's Bay Little Egret with prey<br />PHOTO: John Williams</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wwUYLpKS1eY/W0YdRIoX_EI/AAAAAAAAB2M/mAzKT-Ip0lMzpp20MuBwbordJush2qrmgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Little%2BEgret%252C%2BJuly.2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wwUYLpKS1eY/W0YdRIoX_EI/AAAAAAAAB2M/mAzKT-Ip0lMzpp20MuBwbordJush2qrmgCEwYBhgL/s320/Little%2BEgret%252C%2BJuly.2018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spaniard's Bay Little Egret taking flight.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Note the two long head plumes and bluish lore, which help to separate it from the very similar Snowy Egret, which has more bushy, shorter head plumes and yellow lores</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">PHOTO: John Williams</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">In the future I think I will write these articles 3 times monthly, with each one covering 10 days. I would like to thank John Williams for allowing me to use his images for this article and I would also like to thank everyone else who has supported the page, offered suggestions, donated photos etc. It really does mean a lot! </span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-6660018992924711732018-07-10T20:50:00.000-02:302018-07-28T15:34:04.837-02:30Birder's : A Subculture?<br />
Before you start, it helps if you imagine this being read by David Attenborough, it will help keep you awake. That, and coffee. If you don't have coffee yet, then this would be the time to go get one!<br />
<br />
***Note (2018 Update)*** this paper is not meant to be divisive in any way. The classifications used and their definitions are hardly set in stone. Birding means different things for different people and it's the enjoyment that you get from the activity that is the most important thing!<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Introduction</b></h3>
<br />
Humankind has a long established affinity to those flying, feather-covered animals, known as birds. There is actually only one characteristic needed to qualify an animal as a bird, and that is the presence of feathers. However, where you find feathers you will indelibly find a host of other characteristics—hollow bones, lack of teeth etc.<br />
<br />
Curiously though, these defining characteristics are seldom mentioned in a discussion pertaining to why people “enjoy” birds. Roger Tory Peterson, inventor of the modern field guide—and perhaps the most celebrated birdwatcher of all time, refers to flight as the main reason for man’s attraction to birds. Therefore, it is not the characteristics themselves, but the product of their summation, which is important. It is true that the earliest designs for aircraft were derived from watching birds. However, it is not the act of flying itself that draws our attention, but rather what flight symbolizes—freedom.<br />
<br />
Birds of prey, and Bald Eagles in particular, are often felt to symbolize strength and courage and other important human values, but especially freedom. Based upon this, it should be no coincidence that the United States, a country that purports to hold personal freedom above all else, selected a Bald Eagle as their national symbol. Listed among the other most popular reasons humans enjoy birds are their colourful appearance, and their beautiful voices.<br />
<br />
Birds appear in a rainbow of colours, with an almost endless number of combinations. Similarly, birds are renowned for their amazing vocal ability—they reside above all other animals in this category. However, many birds are not colourful, some have songs which consist of little more than a single chirp, and some, simply cannot, or chose not to fly, yet by their definition as a bird, they are a subject for human admiration—why? Throughout the rest of the paper I will attempt to address this question. In doing so, I will first provide a brief history of the activity of birdwatching, briefly exploring its scientific origins, and later showing that it gained momentum as a non-violent substitute for hunting. I will then proceed to split the bird watching world into a number of separate groups, highlighting the distinguishing features and motives of each group. The remainder of the paper will focus upon a single group: birders, who can be segregated from the other groups based upon they’re superior levels of knowledge, and commitment. I will argue that birders and are different enough from the other groups of bird enthusiasts, and society in general, that they constitute their own distinctive subculture. I will conclude with a brief summary, and suggested areas for further study<br />
<br />
<h3>
The History of Birdwatching</h3>
Henry David Thoreau was one of the greatest naturalists of the Nineteenth Century. In 1853 he remarked that, “it might be better to carry a spy- glass in order to watch shy birds such as Hawks and Ducks. In some respects, me thinks, it would be better than a gun”. — And so it began. Humans have been studying birds since, and probably before the time of Pliny and Aristotle. One of the first truly great bird scientists was Dr. William Turner. He was referred to an the “father of Botany and is said to be the first ornithologist (one who partakes in the scientific study of birds) of the modern scientific spirit. In 1544 he published “Turner on Birds: A Short and Succinct History of the Principle Birds Studied by Pliny and Aristotle”. In this book he compared his personal studies with those of Pliny and Aristotle. The book was a remarkable achievement for its time and served as an impetus for further study.<br />
<br />
Following in his footsteps were the likes of John James Audubon, Alexander Wilson, and the afore mentioned, Henry Thoreau. These men made extraordinary accomplishments in the field of ornithology, particularly in the area of classification. During this early era, spanning approximately 1600- 1900, much emphasis was placed upon shooting birds for the purposes of careful study, and classification. In fact, there were really only two principle reasons for one’s interest in birds prior to the twentieth century: sport and science. Either way, both pursuits resulted in the death of many birds. Before the advent of high quality, portable optics, it was necessary to shoot a bird in order to study it. Over time, advancements in optical technology, and the field study of birds, meant few or no birds had to be killed to insure identification.<br />
<br />
The use of binoculars and spotting scopes allow the observer to get close looks at the bird, while maintaining a reasonable distance. The work of Roger Tory Peterson was invaluable in this vein— he is often hailed as the father of the modern field guide. He pioneered a system of bird identification based upon readily noticeable, species specific characteristics, which could be seen relatively easily using binoculars. In his guides he provided colour illustrations of the birds with arrows pointing to the marks necessary for their identification. He was also emphasized the use of voice as a means of differentiating between similar species.<br />
<br />
The importance of optical advances (during the twentieth century) to birding cannot be overstated. This allowed for a much greater appreciation of birds, and was part of greater civilizing process that emerged following the feudal era. In the modern world of Ornithology, the shooting of a bird to procure a specimen—even if it is the only definitive means of ensuring an identification, is greatly frowned upon, and is illegal in most of the world. It remains however, perfectly legal to shoot many species of birds for sport, but that is a topic I will discuss in the following paragraph.<br />
<h3>
<b>Sociological Discussion</b></h3>
I will take this opportunity to thoroughly ground my study of birdwatching, within the realm of sociological study, by incorporating the work of Norbert Elias. Widely regarded as one of the greatest sociologists of the twentieth century, Elias’ most famous work is perhaps “ The Civilizing Process”. He argued that there was an observable development that occurred in Europe, between feudal times, and the twentieth century. This process included such things as the refinement of manners, and social standards. People began to exercise greater control over their feelings and behaviour, particularly with respect to physical functions such as, eating, sleeping, and defecation.<br />
<br />
One aspect of this process was the normative regulation of violence and aggression. People also exhibited a reduced propensity for gaining pleasure from seeing, or partaking in violent acts. Birdwatching therefore, came to serve as a replacement for the more violent act of hunting. In his article, “ Birdwatching, Sport, and the Civilizing Process” Kenneth Sheard argues that birdwatching is an activity of the<b> <i>mimetic</i></b> type. Mimetic is a word borrowed from Elias, who used the word to describe the appeal of leisure activities. More specifically, it refers to leisure activities that elicit strong feelings and emotional response in those taking-part in them.<br />
<br />
Mimetic leisure activities allow participants to experience excitement resembling that produced in real life- situations, but without the associated risks and dangers. An obvious example of a mimetic activity is paintball. In essence, paintball is simulated warfare. It allows its participants to experience the intense feelings of battle, without the threat of being maimed or killed, because live rounds, are replaced by relatively harmless paint balls.<br />
<br />
A less obvious example of a mimetic activity is birdwatching. Just as paintball removes killing from warfare, birdwatching removes killing from hunting. While birdwatching a person can experience the thrill of the hunt, minus the kill. Birds are vagile animals, and it is often extremely difficult to get quality views of birds, which are needed for proper identification. Over time, the increased availability of quality cameras and the growing popularity of bird photography have enabled a type of simulated kill. The bird photograph can be seen as the civilized equivalent to the rack of Moose antlers. However, as mentioned earlier, different people have different motives for watching birds. In the following section I will segregate bird enthusiasts into different groups, which will more clearly demonstrate the mimetic activities involved in the pursuit of birds.<br />
<h3>
The Classifications</h3>
<br />
Past writers on the subject have divided the birdwatching world into as many as 8 sub-groups: scientist, ornithologist, bird-watcher, birdwatcher, birder, twitcher, dude, and robin stroker. However, for the purposes of this paper I will combine the categories of scientist and ornithologist because they are essentially one in the same. I will also include the bird-watchers and robin strokers in the category of birdwatcher, leaving five groups, ornithologist, birdwatcher, dude, birder and twitcher. These five groups are discernable, based upon differences in knowledge, motivation, and commitment.<br />
<br />
(2018 update) <b>A person can be part of multiple groups, don't try too hard to pigeonhole yourself into a single category!</b><br />
<h4>
<u>Ornithologist</u></h4>
Firstly, we have the ornithologist. Most ornithologists will hold a Ph.D. in biology, conservation or some related field. They are extremely knowledgeable but they tend to have a narrow window of interest, perhaps concentrating on one particular group of birds, or even just a single species. They often have an interest in the morphology or internal working of birds, something seldom found in the other groups. They spend much of their time analyzing data collected in the field to be published in scholarly journals. Studying birds is their passion and their livelihood therefore their level of commitment is extremely high. If the ornithologist is the most scientific of all bird enthusiasts then the birdwatcher is the least scientific.<br />
<h4>
<u style="font-weight: bold;">Birdwatcher </u><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h4>
Birdwatcher is a very broad term, which many people outside the birding world use to describe anyone with any interest in birds whatsoever. However I will use the term birdwatcher to describe those people who at best, have only a passive interest in birds, and in fact, passivity is the defining feature of this group. The term birdwatcher “ sounds so passive and voyeuristic that you’d probably be far more disinclined to take it up”. Birdwatchers tend to have a limited knowledge, which usually includes only the birds that visit their backyard bird feeders, or the birds they see on various other nature outings; birdwatchers rarely plan outings based solely upon the presence of birds. As well, many don’t even employ the use of binoculars, which is mainly, what keeps them from gaining knowledge.<br />
<br />
Stephen Kellert randomly interviewed 2455 random U.S. citizens in order to gauge opinions concerning knowledge and levels of commitment among birdwatchers. Only 30 percent of those who said they birdwatched had reported using binoculars, and just 4 percent reported using a field guide. Only 0.7 percent indicated they could identify between 61- 100 species and just 0.5 percent more than 100 species. These statistics should not be surprising as most birdwatchers (non-committed birdwatchers, I refer to committed birdwatchers as birders) watch birds because of their aesthetic appeal, i.e. birds are pretty to see, 58 percent, while 0 percent listed the desire to identify birds, as the reason for their interest. So, birdwatchers have a passive interest in birds, and are interested in watching birds, mainly because they find birds aesthetically appealing. If birdwatchers are defined by their passivity, then the third grouping known as dudes, are defined by their ignorance.<br />
<h4>
Dude</h4>
A dude is a person who claims to have a vast knowledge of birds, while realistically they know very little. Dude, in this context, is a term that implies much scorn and derision. Cocker aptly describes a dude as “ the most unwelcome character in any rigid hierarchy – the person with pretensions above his station…his central feature is ignorance…his perceived deficiency is expertise”. A dude is a person who “calls” (identifies) birds indiscriminately, prematurely, and above all else, incorrectly, on the majority of occasions. In some ways they are the bane of many birders and especially twitchers, the final two groups I will discuss.<br />
<br />
(2018 update) <b>Basically a '<i>dude' </i>is that guy (<i>could be a women, but usually a man</i>) who thinks they know everything. They find lots of rarities but no one can ever seem to relocate the rarities they supposedly find. The dude is an irritant for all other birders and birdwatchers because they serve to erode the foundation of credibility upon which birding is built.</b><br />
<br />
The remainder of the paper will focus upon the two most interesting segments of the birdwatching world, birders and twitchers. To simplify things I will begin by defining the birder in relation to the birdwatcher, and then the twitcher in relation to the birder. A birder is seriously involved in studying, identifying, and collecting birds, but while he or she goes watching birds, he or she doesn’t go birdwatching – they go birding. Birding implies a much greater degree of conviction and expertise. I mentioned earlier, that in a study of American people who claimed to be birdwatchers only 0.5 percent could identify more than 100 species. A very good birder could very likely identify greater than 500 species without the aid of a field guide, and even an average birder can easily identify well over 100 species.<br />
<h3>
The Birder</h3>
Birders do not wait for the birds to come to them; they actively seek out and find birds. This is exemplified in the activity of ‘alder bashing’. A non-birder could misconceive ‘alder bashing’ as a malicious act carried out by people who have a deep-seated hatred for alder trees. In actuality, it is a term coined by birders, which describes the act of looking for birds amidst a thick tangle of alder bushes. There is actually very little bashing at all, since that would scare the birds away. It mostly consists of wading into a 6-8 ft high stand of alders squatting low to the ground and ‘pishing.’<br />
<br />
This is another curious word from the birders lexicon. Pishing is kind of difficult to describe in print. It’s a technique for getting hidden birds to come out of the underbrush by piquing their curiosity. Basically, pishing is just making a loud (as loud as you can) shhhhhhh sound. However, everyone does it a little differently. Interrupting the sound as in pshhh-pshhh-etc is one way to vary the sound and accounts for the name. Some birders manage to get a little humming or other musical tone into their pish. You can also vary the shape of your mouth to get a sort of shhwshhwshh effect (see appendix 1J & K).<br />
<br />
Birders also display a much larger degree of commitment and plan activities solely for the purpose of finding and identifying birds. Birders do watch birds, however their first thought, and immediate goal when encountering a new bird, is towards identification. After the bird’s identity has been confirmed one can then “watch” the bird, i.e. appreciate the bird’s beauty, behaviour etc. So therefore, I would argue that the primary motivation, the raison d’être for the birder, is identification. Identification is critical to birding because it is through identification that birds are collected. I will elaborate on this means of collecting birds through identification in a later section.<br />
<br />
So one may ask, why is identification so important to birding, and not as important to birdwatching ? The answer is, the list. Birders keep lists of the birds they see. There are day lists, season lists, year lists, provincial lists, country lists, and the all-important life list—all are a source of competition, which is a central feature among birders—but absolutely crucial to twitchers. Whom I will discuss next!<br />
<h3>
The Twitcher</h3>
Quite simply, twitching is the pursuit of rare birds. One who pursues rare birds is therefore by definition, a twitcher. There is only clinal variation between birders and twitchers because the pursuit of rare birds, is central to both groups. Cocker echoes this in his description of twitching when he states, “ It would be wrong to suggest that absolutely everybody does it, but I would like to meet the keen birder who claims never to have done so. We all like to see rarities. As in any other activity which involves collecting it’s a central part of the pursuit”.<br />
<br />
Twitchers, I would argue are a form of debased birder. The most dedicated twitchers gain very little pleasure from common birds, and are interested only in adding birds to their list. Over time as their lists grow it becomes increasingly harder to add new birds, and the twitcher can become very disheartened, and therefore derives little pleasure from the pursuit. As well, twitchers themselves spend very little time in the field finding rare birds. In order to find a rare bird it often takes hours of searching amongst common birds. Since twitchers are interested only in birds they have not yet seen, they aren’t inclined to spend hours looking common birds at the off chance of finding a rarity, they more often are seen looking for rare birds that have been reported by others.<br />
<br />
However, when they get word of a rare bird their behaviour borders on manic—it is not uncommon for such people to literally twitch or shake with anticipation, hence the name twitcher. Hard-core twitchers make up a very small percentage of any birding community, and can be seen as a radical group of birders who equate birds with nothing other than another tick on their list. I will explore the activity of twitching further in the following section, because as stated above it is a central feature of the birding culture.<br />
<h3>
Birders as a Subculture</h3>
Birders do form a distinctive subculture. The “Subcultures Reader” defines subcultures as, “social groups organized around shared interests and practices”. Birders, not only exhibit shared interests and practices, they aspire to achieve goals that have no meaning outside of their sub-cultural group—birders will sacrifice the normative goals of the larger society to achieve the normative goals ascribed to their subculture. It is on this basis, that I will seek to define the birding subculture. I will also provide the basis for one’s inclusion or exclusion from the birding subculture. However, before I explain exactly what the birding subculture is, I should first say something about how it arose as resistance to the routinization of birdwatching.<br />
<br />
After WWII ( and even a little before) birdwatching really took off as a leisure activity. Ever-increasing numbers of birders led to the formation of bird societies such as The British Trust for Ornithology in Britain, and the Audubon Society in the United States. As numbers of birdwatchers increased, limits were placed upon their activities to insure the integrity of the habitats they visited in search of birds. Members of birdwatching groups such as those listed above could receive permits to visit reservoirs, and other areas where large numbers of birds congregated. Structures such as blinds (a small hut-like structure with a window) were constructed to allow the observer to get close to the birds without causing too much disturbance.<br />
<br />
Due to these types of constraints birders soon came to congregate in masses much like the birds they were looking for. The growing numbers of more casual birdwatchers increasingly constrained the birders to differentiate themselves from the less committed not only in name, but in the type of birding they found attractive. These birders came to liken the activity of visiting these popular birdwatching sites to visiting a zoo.<br />
<h3>
The List</h3>
On way birders came to distinguish themselves from the less committed birdwatchers was through listing i.e. identifying all the birds which exist in a given area and placing them on a list. This could only be accomplished by spending more time birding in less popular areas where rare birds are likely to be found. While most birdwatchers were visiting the popular areas pioneering birders set off in search of what are now known as vagrant traps. A vagrant trap is an area of land where migrating birds congregate—more importantly an area where rare migrant birds, which have been blown off course, are found. These vagrant traps are usually coastal areas since exhausted birds will seek cover in the first land they see.<br />
<br />
In Newfoundland excellent migrant traps are found at Cape Spear, Cape Race, Renews, Ferryland, Ramea, Codroy Valley and others, see map in Appendix 2. Some of these coastal areas are typical Newfoundland coastal habitats—a combination of low shrubs and grassy areas, with rugged rocky coastline. Very few birds breed in these inhospitable environments, but their juxtaposition to the sea makes them a point of landfall for “off-course” birds. These vagrant traps come to have special meaning for the birder that is not recognized by those outside of the birding culture.<br />
<br />
For example, every year birders flock to the string of Islands off of Alaska, known as the Aleutians. They do this because this is the closest a human can get to Asia while standing in North America. Hence it’s the best place to find Asian vagrants during migration. The top twitchers in North America spend thousands of dollars each year to visit these islands with the hopes of finding rare Asian strays to add to their North American lists. These people would rather, visit the Aleutians with hope of seeing some stray Asian birds to add to their North American list, than visit Asia, where they would be guaranteed to see many birds of many species. This is testament to the lure of the list!<br />
<br />
So how important are these rare birds to a birders list? Newfoundland’s bird list for example contains approximately 370 species, (2018 update, the Newfoundland list is now at 404 species) more than half the list is comprised of rarities found in coastal environments such as those listed above. It is not enough to visit these areas in hopes of finding rare birds. One must have knowledge of bird migration, and weather patterns, to determine when rare birds are likely to be found. After this much has been accomplished one must then have the ability to identify the birds they see.<br />
<br />
Based upon information such as that mentioned above, birders have an idea of what to expect in the way of rarities. For example it is known that the best time to see vagrants from the southeastern U.S. in Newfoundland is during the hurricane season. The hurricane season reaches its peak in September, remarkably coinciding with the peak of bird migration. For that reason, most rare birds found in Newfoundland are found during September and October-- Newfoundland birders know this, birdwatchers don’t. Birdwatchers aren’t concerned with listing, or finding vagrants; therefore they don’t need the knowledge base that is required of a good birder.<br />
<br />
So the birding subculture did arise as a means of resistance—not to the dominant culture, as is usually the case, but as a reaction to the routinization of the activity they loved. This created the birding subculture, as it is known today. All birders have certain things in common which differentiate them from the other groups of bird enthusiasts, and the rest of society. All birders are interested in finding and identifying birds, especially rare birds. They do this through the practice of birding, i.e. the act of seeking out birds to be identified and listed. This, in part, summarizes what it is to be a birder—the lure of the list.<br />
<br />
The list is at the heart of the birding culture. This is where the nexus between birder and twitcher becomes most evident. A 'birder' is actively involved in studying, identifying and collecting birds on his/her list. Most active 'birders' will identify themselves as such, yet to a layman they might be referred to as 'twitchers'. The dialect of a 'birder' is almost one of hatred towards being referred to as a 'twitcher', yet in many instances these two titles are interchangeable. If there is anything that can distinguish a 'twitcher' from a 'birder', then it is the philosophy of a 'twitcher'. For many birders the major thrill is to actually find a new or rare bird for themselves, the twitcher is more frequently to be found in pursuit of other people’s birds.<br />
<br />
Either way the goal of just about every birder is too find and identify as many birds as possible in their province, country, etc. This can have serious implications for one’s work and family life. In this modern era of birding, information moves at light speed. When rare birds are found the word gets out quick. Just about every country, state and province in the world have RBA’s .i.e. RARE BIRD ALERT. These usually come in the form of Internet groups, pager systems, or telephone recordings (2018 update- this was before the time of cell phones and texting!) As mentioned previously, birds are vagile creatures and where rare birds are concerned, time is of the utmost importance, birds don’t wait to be seen by birders!<br />
<h3>
The Sacrifice for The List!</h3>
Upon being informed of a rare bird a birders first thought is, ‘ when and how can I get there’. If this means skipping work, a date with your girlfriend or boyfriend, or picking your wife/husband up at work, then so be it. As Cocker states, “ the problematic relationship for a birder isn’t usually to the boss, but to your spouse. Some keen birders never marry, probably for that reason.” Some birders are willing to risk their marriages and careers to twitch rare birds. In a study of British Birders, Richard Bosner questioned birders about their twitching habits, and found that even within this category of birdwatching, it is evident that there are some divisions, based on self-desire or competitive listing.<br />
<br />
There are thousands of birders, but out of those there's probably less than a hundred who are near on obsessive. Birding and especially twitching requires a much higher degree of dedication than many other leisure activities and Bosners’ research findings show the dedication of individuals to the cause. Many birders frame their whole life around the pursuit, including their place of work, habitude and only going on holiday at certain times of year when new species of bird are unlikely to be found. After interviewing 50 of Britain’s top birders he found that 70% listed work as their premiere sacrifice to birding, 16% cited marriage/partner sacrifices, 16 % said they made a variety of other sacrifices to go birding. This mentality can be provided by the notion that 'a lot of the time an everyday, normal life would be ideal but once you’ve got hooked and keep going for birds, it’s very difficult to stop'. This type of behavior may seem obsessive to non-birders, but it is entirely logical to birders, but what drives this obsession?<br />
<h3>
Bitten by "The Birding bug"</h3>
A common reference made by many birders is, “I’ve been bitten by the birding bug”. This is a reference to the obsessive aspects of birding, which motivates birders to travel hundreds of kilometers or more, at a moments notice to twitch a rare bird (see appendix 1a- h). Birders do this because internal competition is the force that drives the birding culture, and credibility is the glue that binds its members. But what is the source of this competition and how does one measure a birders credibility within the birding culture?<br />
<br />
Once again we must turn to the list. All birders keep lists. Listing is not only a way for the individual to keep track of the birds they’ve seen, it also acts as a measuring stick to show a birder how they measure up against the best birders in their area. Every birder strives to be the best birder they can—one does this by amassing a large list, while simultaneously maintaining, or gaining credibility.<br />
<br />
Advances in technology have taken much of the skill out of birding. Now all a birder really needs to amass a large list, is money and free time. A person can sit home and call the RBA hotline to check on where the rare birds are—go to the location, find the bird, and tick, another bird on the list. This of course, is assuming they have no prior commitments, and can afford to drive or fly to the bird’s location. These are the people I have referred to as twitchers. These birders have very little credibility because they are seen to lack skill and conviction, since they never find and identify any rare birds themselves.<br />
<h3>
Birding and Credibility</h3>
“The act of independent discovery (of a rarity) has been elevated almost to the status of a principle, which often forms the basis of opposition to twitching”. Remember identification skills are sacred in the birding culture, and if one truly wants to establish credibility within the birding culture they must above all else, prove their identification skills. The fastest way to do this is by birding with a number of good birders in your area. However that is easier said than done, since members of a local birding community don’t readily accept newcomers, who haven’t proven themselves. So how does one prove they are worthy of inclusion in the birding culture?<br />
<br />
The answer, find a rarity—but not just any rarity, a mega- rarity. There are different levels of rarities. For example, in Newfoundland birds seen less than annually usually constitute a rarity. A mega would be a first record, or a bird that hasn’t been seen in many years. This happened a couple of years ago when a Corn Crake was found at Cape Race, Newfoundland (see appendix 1G, A Mythical Mega Falls). A mega-rarity is a bird of almost mythic status. It could be a bird that is high up on a birder’s wish list, or a bird no one thinks could ever turn up in a given area. However, finding rarities is a double-edged sword. If your rarities are re-found, and confirmed by other birders, your in the clear. As Cocker states “ it’s best to let others know (about the rarity) quickly so they can share in the experience. Most people, in fact, want to proclaim the discovery to the world as loudly as possible because the real buzz is gathering the torrent of acclaim which pours your way”. So if all one needs to gain credibility in the birding culture is the discovery of a few rarities, what’s to stop one from just falsely reporting birds?<br />
<br />
Nothing and everything. There’s nothing to stop someone from lying about the birds they see. But if you do report birds that don’t exist, you run the risk of losing everything that it means to belong to the birding subculture. That paradox is at the very core of the birding culture. If for example over the course of a year a birder reports 10 rare birds (a high number), if less than 8 are re-found, other birders would probably start to get a little suspicious. The true measure of a birder's credibility is the average of rare birds reported, to rare birds accepted. Non-birders frequently assume that a birders rank is measured by the length of their list, however “ even top birders acknowledge that the number of species seen is secondary, if not immaterial, to your reputation.”<br />
<br />
Credibility is not something that can be gained quickly. One gains acceptance to the birding subculture by proving themselves over and over again, through the finding and documentation of ‘twitchable’ rarities, i.e. rare birds that are re-found by other birders. Birders who have gained a reputation of reporting ‘suspicious birds’ are labeled as stringers. Once a birder's reputation is tarnished in this manner, they are effectively excluded from the birding culture. Regardless of how talented a birder is, if their reports can’t be trusted, they will never be accepted into the birding subculture.<br />
<br />
Some stringers have resorted to photographing hand-carved, bird replicas, of mega-rarities in an attempt to regain their credibility. However, such records are usually easily detectable, since the birds are obviously never re-found and confirmed. As well, there is already an aura of suspicion surrounding stringers, so every report made by such individuals are met with the harshest scrutiny, which usually results to the finding of flaws in the replica or the photograph. Such an act is the equivalent of a capital offense in the birding culture, and it is not uncommon for shamed stringers to leave the province or country, with the hopes of gaining acceptance in another sector of the birding culture.<br />
<br />
My intention in writing this paper was to shed some light on the complexities of the birdwatching world, specifically the group I defined as birders. I have shown that birdwatching was the product of the civilizing process that took place in Europe between the feudal era and the twentieth century. It was also shown that the subculture of birding grew out of resistance to the routinization of birdwatching, spawning a type of ‘super-birdwatcher’—the birder.<br />
<br />
In relation to the other groups defined, birders have highest combination of knowledge, commitment, and motivation. I have argued that birders constitute a recognizable subculture based upon shared interests, practises, and goals, which differentiate them from all other groups of bird enthusiasts, and the rest of society in general. The subculture of birding is driven by internal competition where its members strive to attain a high list of birds seen, while simultaneously striving to attain a high level of credibility. Many non-birders believe that trust forms the foundation upon which the birding subculture stands. To an extent this may be true, but as I have shown trust is closely tied to the more complex concept of credibility.<br />
<br />
Credibility is the glue that binds the birding subculture, without it there would be no way to monitor the internal competition, which motivates its members. To remove credibility would undermine the hierarchy of the birding subculture, leaving birders with nothing to strive for, and no way of comparing themselves to other birders. Therefore the subculture of birding is a hierarchical one, driven by internal competition and, bound by the credibility of its members.<br />
<br />
There has been a relative paucity of work done in relation to the birding culture. In fact I could find no previous work which treated birders as a separate subculture, which in my opinion it clearly is. For that reason I think a more extensive treatment of birding in this fashion is needed. As well, the majority of birders are middle-aged white males (2018 update, things have changed in the last 20 years, there are many more female birders now), most of which, have post-secondary education. This is arguably the most dominant sector of any community. It would be useful to try to account for the lack of female ( <i>now it would be interesting to account for the growth of the population of female birders in the last 20 years!</i>) and minority group representation within the birding subculture.<br />
<br />
Also, birding is one of the fastest growing leisure activities in the world. It will be interesting to see what implications, if any, this will have for the birding culture. The rise in popularity, and subsequent routinization of birdwatching following WWII led to the creation of birding. Will the popularization of birding result in its routinization—will it evolve into something new? These are questions that await answers. However, they are proof that there is still much to learn about the social and cultural aspects of birding.<br />
<br />
Other articles you might like!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/birds-of-newfoundland-dovekie-aka_25.html">An Illustrated account of Dovekie ( aka, Bullbird, Little Auk) in Newfoundland and Greenland</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/06/the-identification-of-newfoundland.html">How to Improve you Empidonax Flycatcher ID Skills</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/northern-goshawk-episode-of-raptor-on.html">Raptor on Raptor Violence: A Account of Northern Goshawk, Killing and Consuming a Northern Harrier</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2018/07/birds-of-newfoundland-atlantic-puffin.html">A Photo Essay on the Life of Atlantic Puffins</a><br />
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
<br />
I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible please consider subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. (you can of course cancel your subscription at any time you wish) This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!
<br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><br />
<input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>
<a href="http://www.birdingtop500.com/"><img alt="Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites" border="0" src="http://www.birdingtop500.com/button.php?u=Michahellis" /></a>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-73466886732472527382018-07-09T07:28:00.000-02:302018-07-14T23:53:10.555-02:30What Raptors Really Sound Like!Today I'm going to discuss a topic that is a pet peeve of mine and I'm sure it's something that many of you can relate to. Have you ever been watching a movie and they show a Bald Eagle soaring overhead and suddenly "KIEERRRER"!! The mighty Bald Eagle shouts it's vicious battle cry... or they show a scene from the desert with Turkey Vultures ( a mainly silent species ) soaring overhead, waiting to dine on some hapless soul, then suddenly "KIEERRRER"!!<br />
<br />
Why does Hollywood feel it's necessary to make all Raptors sound like Red-tailed Hawks? Are the natural sounds of most Raptors just not 'cool' sounding enough? It's like they had some secret meeting of Hollywood insiders and decide that the Red-tailed Hawk had the most bad ass sounding call and figured they would just dub that in for every raptor in every movie ever made.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLnDbpSLrds/W0Mn1JZsNnI/AAAAAAAAB1M/D3w1vKhNokwWo6OXsvImugIVku5M51ligCLcBGAs/s1600/screaming%2BEagle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bald Eagle calling" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hLnDbpSLrds/W0Mn1JZsNnI/AAAAAAAAB1M/D3w1vKhNokwWo6OXsvImugIVku5M51ligCLcBGAs/s400/screaming%2BEagle.jpg" title="Bald Eagle" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://fineartamerica.com/featured/1-screaming-eagle-justino-magalona.html" target="_blank">Justin Magalona</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
For those of you who made not be familiar with these calls, I'll provide you with some links.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.xeno-canto.org/192236" target="_blank">Bald Eagle Calls</a><br />
<br />
I guess it was decided that this series of high pitched whistling and piping notes was not befitting of such an awe-inspiring specimen!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pWqcPBK13bk/W0MqLqoGHLI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/Ag4j2ekYfLA4s-lb7GL-2hWxnntvkqDsQCLcBGAs/s1600/Turkey%2BVulture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Turkey Vulture on post calling" border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pWqcPBK13bk/W0MqLqoGHLI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/Ag4j2ekYfLA4s-lb7GL-2hWxnntvkqDsQCLcBGAs/s400/Turkey%2BVulture.jpg" title="Turkey Vulture" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffdyck/14431524876" target="_blank">Jeff Dyck</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Next lets, have a listen to the call notes of Turkey Vulture. Turkey Vultures are a primarily silent species of bird. However, I guess they just aren't edgy enough for today's movie goers, so producers feel it necessary to up their cool factor by giving them a cool sounding, intimidating call. I mean we are talking about a bird that lives on decaying flesh and urinates on it's own legs to stay cool- personally, I think that's edgy enough. Here is what a Turkey Vulture really sounds like. <a href="https://www.xeno-canto.org/39894" target="_blank">Turkey Vulture call.</a><br />
<br />
No, you didn't miss it, that hiss at the end of the recording is it! I guess that just wouldn't have the same effect.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SVuAufIXRIc/W0Mu4snntfI/AAAAAAAAB1k/hcuVd0SXSJYvEL_zpKgW7lBQUaBwYi1gACLcBGAs/s1600/Red-tailed%2BHawk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Red-tailed Hawk in flight call" border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SVuAufIXRIc/W0Mu4snntfI/AAAAAAAAB1k/hcuVd0SXSJYvEL_zpKgW7lBQUaBwYi1gACLcBGAs/s400/Red-tailed%2BHawk.jpg" title="Red-tailed Hawk" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/id" target="_blank">All About Birds</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Next time you are watching a movie, commercial etc and they shoe a Raptor, note the call. Invariably, it will sound like this <a href="https://www.xeno-canto.org/401311" target="_blank">Red-tailed Hawk.</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-84386594540229280892018-07-07T15:03:00.002-02:302018-07-14T23:53:55.884-02:30Hurricane Birding Season to Open Next Week?!I was just perusing the weather maps for the Eastern Atlantic like I do on a regular basis and found there is strong potential for a Tropical Storm to impact southern Newfoundland next week! Now of course, this subject it not to be taken lightly, major storms can cause property damage and threaten peoples lives. However, they are also a cause of excitement for birders, since birds can be displaced long distances in such storms and many normally pelagic species can also be pushed close to land, often in sheltered coves. You may want to have a look a previous discussion I had about hurricane birding in Newfoundland- available here ( <a href="http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/search?q=Katia" target="_blank">Review of NL Hurricanes and birding</a>)<br />
<br />
Below is the a snapshot of the storm in question that may develop into Tropical Storm Chris in a couple days.<br />
<br />
<br />
This is a bit of an unusual storm. Most Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms develop off the coast of Africa or in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This storm is different in that it's forming off the coast of the Carolinas and is expected to sit there for a bit, then start to move NE strengthening to a topical storm, then a category 1 hurricane, before it's expected to make landfall in SE Newfoundland as a topical storm or tropical depression.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4rP1_Klp-nQ/W0Dzea8rnlI/AAAAAAAAB1A/ppsc7G6c1qw4VswR0MNbfXgjPFAAJ9GpwCLcBGAs/s1600/TS%2BChris%2Btrack.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hurricane Birding" border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="865" height="346" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4rP1_Klp-nQ/W0Dzea8rnlI/AAAAAAAAB1A/ppsc7G6c1qw4VswR0MNbfXgjPFAAJ9GpwCLcBGAs/s400/TS%2BChris%2Btrack.png" title="Hurricane Chris Track" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Track for Tropical Disturbance 3, soon to become Tropical Storm Chris</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's hard to say what the birding potential of a storm with a track such as this is. The storms that have the most potential to bring birds to Newfoundland are the ones that are already strong when they skirt the Cape Hatteras. This storm is forming in a fairly bird rich area and right in the middle of the breeding season as well. This is also different, since most tropical storms we get arrive in August-October, when most southern terns and Gulls would have already finished breeding. I wonder if this storm holds potential to displace recently fledged birds or parents they may be out to sea feeding.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The vast majority of the time these storms turn out to be total duds from a birding perspective, though the potential is always there and the anticipation and pondering is half the fun. If this track played out exactly as shown we'd be hoping to have a chance to see southern Tern species such as Sooty Tern, Bridled Tern, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, Least Tern and Black Skimmer. There would probably also be potential for Laughing Gulls. Then there is absolute dream of possibly seeing a rare petrel from the south such as Audubons, Black-capped or Feas. Maybe even something equally exotic for Newfoundland waters such a Red-billed or White-tailed Tropicbird, the latter of which has occurred once already, following the passage of a hurricane.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There really is no way to predict what will happen. Chances are the winds produced by this storm will not be strong enough to displace many birds, but if the track was right they could coerce some birds closer to Newfoundland, that then may find their way into feeding flocks and tern colonies.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I will be sure to update the progress and track of this storm and the potential it may have for birding next week.!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you have an interest in how weather influences birds, migration, vagrancy etc and would like to learn more, I am offering a thorough discussion of the topic. This will likely be offered as an online webinar via facebook. More details about that can be found <a href="https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/predicting-vagrants-weather-and-bir" target="_blank">here!</a><br />
<br /></div>
Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-13766298969184539802018-07-06T14:24:00.001-02:302018-07-25T02:56:48.957-02:30Sorting out Sparrows: Some Useful ID FeaturesI've seen lots of photos posted in the last month or two of various species of Sparrows and people asking, 'what sparrow is this?', or identifying it incorrectly, or just seemingly not knowing where to start with the identification in the first place. In light of all of that, I've decided to write this article, which is intended to be an introduction to Sparrow ID. I will cover the basics; provide a few key identifiers that tell you the bird you're looking at is a Sparrow and I will also provide you with a road map to lead you towards the correct species identification.<br />
<br />
First of all, how do you know if what you're looking at is a Sparrow? For me the two distinguishing feature of Sparrows are their <b>general colouration </b>and their <b>bill</b>. Generally speaking Sparrows are brownish- often streaked above and they may or may not be streaked below (more about that later). They often have facial features such as lines above and below the eye, or rings around the eyes. These traits can be very useful in species identification. If you have not bothered to learn basic feather topography I would <b>STRONGLY</b> recommend it! Basic diagrams can be found in the beginning of most field guides but sadly most people gloss over then or ignore them completely, this is a huge mistake. If you haven't done it already, start learning feather topography today, you will be glad you did. Below is photo with some of the more important terminology for Sparrow ID. This shows you the key areas to look for when identifying sparrow. Combine this with the information that follows and you will have a solid base for identifying any sparrow you see (with use of your field guide).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VjBwoWNxQ2s/Wz461lSJzII/AAAAAAAAByk/w-y9uvEUT2swvUxASiSqHD5E4UmIZoCZwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Savannah Sparrow identification" border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="593" height="383" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VjBwoWNxQ2s/Wz461lSJzII/AAAAAAAAByk/w-y9uvEUT2swvUxASiSqHD5E4UmIZoCZwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0692.jpg" title="Savannah Sparrow" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notable features of Sparrows for ID purposes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Note the shape of the birds bill in the photo above. It's proportioned, quite stout and triangular. In a word it's conical. Sparrow bills differ from the bills of Warblers, Flycatchers in that they are less pointy, not as sharp topped. Their bills are designed for holding seeds and cracking shells. They are quite similar to the bills of finches, which are also conical, but tend to differ in that they are often thicker, or slightly hooked at the tip etc.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Aside from have some knowledge of bird morphology it's extremely useful to know what species are expected in your general area. I'd suggest getting a copy of or a link to a checklist of the birds of your province, state etc. Knowing what to expect is half the battle- learn the common species in your area and take note of the habitat you find them in. Using those clues and the techniques outlined in this article and you will know when you see something different!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In Newfoundland there are about 6-8 common species of Sparrow, depending on where you live (that includes Dark-eyed Junco, which I won't cover because it's different enough that it shouldn't present much of a challenge) they are:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
- Savannah Sparrow - medium streaking- central spot</div>
<div>
- Swamp Sparrow - can have blurry, smudged streaking, especially in fall</div>
<div>
- Lincoln's Sparrow - thin streaking on buffy background</div>
<div>
- Song Sparrow- thick streaking on white background</div>
<div>
- Fox Sparrow- thick streaking on white background</div>
<div>
- White-throated Sparrow- no streaking</div>
<div>
- White-crowned Sparrow - no streaking</div>
<div>
- American Tree Sparrow- no streaking, but has a central breast spot</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I always recommend using a structured approach to identifying birds. Basically, you should always have a means of systematically eliminating certain species based on shared characteristics. For Sparrows the most important characteristics are <b>streaking and presence of a central breast spot, crown colour and facial pattern.</b> It is in using these characteristics that your knowledge of bird morphology and feather topography will pay off. Also, always be aware of the environment you're birding in. Good birders are always aware of the surrounding habitat and have a good idea of the species expected. This helps to narrow the list of possibilities. If you are in a grassy open area and a Sparrow flushes, is this more likely to be a Fox Sparrow or a Savannah Sparrow? The vast majority of the time you will not see a Fox Sparrow in that type of habitat, but during Spring and Fall migration, it's certainly possible, so that's something else to be aware of. The habitat are and time of year are critical indicators of which species are possible in a given area. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One of the first things you should be noting when you see a Sparrow is, does it have a streaked breast. If, so is the streaking, blotchy and dense, fine and sparse and is there a central breast spot. Sparrows can generally be separated into two camps, those with streaking and those without. Drilling down further, if streaking is present, is there a central spot. Below are some example of various types of streaking present in Sparrows. Go ahead and see if you can remember some of the other useful feather groups that we mentioned above as well :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
** streaking- thick, thin, extent, does it terminate and the background colour</div>
<div>
** is there a central breast spot</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Myt0fpZhyEg/Wz5JRqYtTcI/AAAAAAAABy0/kP3slsWPRxw7cLHC4C-e5MRh-jgRHYUmACEwYBhgL/s1600/Lincolns%2Bsparrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Lincolns Sparrow photo identification" border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1140" height="261" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Myt0fpZhyEg/Wz5JRqYtTcI/AAAAAAAABy0/kP3slsWPRxw7cLHC4C-e5MRh-jgRHYUmACEwYBhgL/s320/Lincolns%2Bsparrow.jpg" title="Lincolns Sparrow" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This species is often confused with the species below- note the similarities and the differences. Can you separate them?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_2FHDLQO3Wg/Wz5wETWF3zI/AAAAAAAABzo/EJ6tJ84hb3UwMfbGS9xuRKSgt-lBRgrMgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Song Sparrow identification" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_2FHDLQO3Wg/Wz5wETWF3zI/AAAAAAAABzo/EJ6tJ84hb3UwMfbGS9xuRKSgt-lBRgrMgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_1725.JPG" title="Song Sparrow" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9qMpDn7vX5c/Wz5lf480auI/AAAAAAAABzc/SPWWofE2FWsncKpEnlP2_eQo1IlZXcknQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Grasshopper%2BSparrow%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Grasshopper Sparrow identification" border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="863" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9qMpDn7vX5c/Wz5lf480auI/AAAAAAAABzc/SPWWofE2FWsncKpEnlP2_eQo1IlZXcknQCEwYBhgL/s320/Grasshopper%2BSparrow%25282%2529.jpg" title="Grasshopper Sparrow Birding" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a rare species in Newfoundland, but what is it? Looking at the bird, what are the feature that stand out the most? List them using the appropriate terminology and then see if you can identify this to species.<br />
<b>Hint** it's fall plumaged- photo taken in Cape Race, NL in November</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l1-XbcnEp4g/Wz5lnzwlYcI/AAAAAAAABzg/Gc2WY2hIDzM6ostbkk7Cm7JO5XH7-5HYwCEwYBhgL/s1600/lark%2Bsparrow1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Lark Sparrow fall plumage" border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1032" height="251" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l1-XbcnEp4g/Wz5lnzwlYcI/AAAAAAAABzg/Gc2WY2hIDzM6ostbkk7Cm7JO5XH7-5HYwCEwYBhgL/s320/lark%2Bsparrow1.jpg" title="Lark Sparrow" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Also a rare species in NL. Using the same process as above see if you can identify it</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A couple of the above species are rare in Newfoundland, but they were used just to highlight the different types of streaking possible in Sparrows.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Aside from the amount and type of streaking on the other side, the next most important area to focus on is the face and head. Many Sparrows have complex facial patterns. At first it will seem difficult to pick up the different feather groups of the face in the field, but this gets easier over time and with practice. I'd suggest looking at the photos below and try to discern the various facial features we noted above. I'll end with dome head shots of various species. Note the important feather groups in each on, can you find and identify the s<b>upercillium</b>, <b>lore</b>, <b>eye ring</b>, <b>eye line</b>, <b>malar</b>, <b>crown stripe</b> and <b>auriculars/ear coverts</b> (note this was not highlighted in the above diagram).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9flqAkB2o4/Wz-XsuQD83I/AAAAAAAAB0A/WqWDExCVuiEOUe6B1Lav1A6zXXn0fmlCwCLcBGAs/s1600/Lincoln%2527s%2BSparrow_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Loncolns Sparrow head" border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="153" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9flqAkB2o4/Wz-XsuQD83I/AAAAAAAAB0A/WqWDExCVuiEOUe6B1Lav1A6zXXn0fmlCwCLcBGAs/s1600/Lincoln%2527s%2BSparrow_edited.jpg" title="Lincolns Sparrow" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a3JW-TjQUgk/Wz-Xstzh0wI/AAAAAAAAB0E/7rWDZ3rJwqo56VS6PX8xfwD1tFENGalcgCLcBGAs/s1600/Swamp%2BSparrow5_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Swamp Sparrow head" border="0" data-original-height="122" data-original-width="167" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a3JW-TjQUgk/Wz-Xstzh0wI/AAAAAAAAB0E/7rWDZ3rJwqo56VS6PX8xfwD1tFENGalcgCLcBGAs/s1600/Swamp%2BSparrow5_edited.jpg" title="Swamp Sparrow" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This species highlights all the facial features pretty well. I left out auriculars from the diagrams above but can you find them. Note in Sparrows they are usually confined by the eye line and the malar.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e_g0KcrLZ-0/Wz-dcx6ofjI/AAAAAAAAB0c/LDVso7tAA_c34DsuBHC69f6LZIrHRG-8ACLcBGAs/s1600/White-throated%2BSparrow_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="White-throated Sparrow head" border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="249" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e_g0KcrLZ-0/Wz-dcx6ofjI/AAAAAAAAB0c/LDVso7tAA_c34DsuBHC69f6LZIrHRG-8ACLcBGAs/s1600/White-throated%2BSparrow_edited.jpg" title="White-throated Sparrow" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iLp0SHFmC8I/Wz-Xuzg-Z5I/AAAAAAAAB0I/tPizHNN-le0iVcz7wrfaA6bydHDe_JYjACLcBGAs/s1600/Clay-colored%2BSparrow2_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Clay-coloured Sparrow head, CCSP" border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="184" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iLp0SHFmC8I/Wz-Xuzg-Z5I/AAAAAAAAB0I/tPizHNN-le0iVcz7wrfaA6bydHDe_JYjACLcBGAs/s1600/Clay-colored%2BSparrow2_edited.jpg" title="Clay-coloured Sparrow" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bit of a tricky one. A rarity in Newfoundland. I will touch on this entire group in a later blog. For now note the important features- can you identify it?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hopefully you found this article useful. It was meant as an introduction to Sparrow ID and the primary goal was to introduce you to the basics of Sparrow ID and to give you the tools you need to identify these birds. In later articles I will delve deeper into the identification of various species, i.e. Separation of fall plumaged Chipping Sparrow vs fall plumaged Clay-coloured Sparrow. However, without a solid base in the topics discussed in this article that article would not be useful to many readers. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you like this approach to bird identification and are seeking to improve your own ID skills, I'll strongly recommend you considering a personal tutoring session with me- either online or in person to discuss areas that you struggle with. Alternately, I host a number of identification workshops throughout the year, both live and online in webinar format.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Look out for my next article which will see me discuss a tricky juvenile woodpecker plumage that is not well known and through me for a loop! Links to info for tutoring sessions and my workshops series is below. If you are interested in the webinar format of any workshop contact me and I will discuss that with you. Until next time!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Personal Tutoring<b> - <a href="https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/tutoring-sessions">https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/tutoring-sessions</a></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Id Workshops- <a href="https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/">https://www.birdingnewfoundland.com/</a> (select ID workshops for the list)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible please considering subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!
<br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-56311555333890776732018-07-04T16:29:00.003-02:302018-07-25T03:03:17.345-02:30Wunderbird Birding Apparel Review- You gotta try this!<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have binoculars, scopes, cameras, tripods, computers, cell phone app, bird guides etc. The list of birding equipment is a long one. However, nothing in the above list is a piece of clothing. We often do not give too much thought to what we wear when birding aside from, is it waterproof, is it warm, we dress in layers. Until a couple of weeks ago I had never seen or even heard of a piece of clothing specifically designed for birding. A piece of clothing that is designed to enhance your birding experience in multiple ways. It has all the same properties of normal outdoor ware but it offers so much more. A number of the features are listed below.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nyokDk9eIbc/Wz0RBjHPBpI/AAAAAAAAByA/XDUW-LDuVS4dW-yiex9pI58godhcwtRFQCLcBGAs/s1600/Wunderbird%2Bfeatures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Wunderbird Birding Apparel" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1599" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nyokDk9eIbc/Wz0RBjHPBpI/AAAAAAAAByA/XDUW-LDuVS4dW-yiex9pI58godhcwtRFQCLcBGAs/s400/Wunderbird%2Bfeatures.jpg" title="Birding gear, Birding Apparel," width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Note the massive list of features above- this really is everything you want in birding apparel. It is a piece of equipment that will enhance your birding experience.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div>
I've had the opportunity to test out both the Gyrfalcon hoodie and the Peregrine long sleeve shirt. I was particularly impressed with the hoodie. It's warm enough that you can get away with it alone in single digits C temperatures, yet it seems to breathe well enough that it's comfortable in warmer weather as well. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While I'm no expert in textiles, both shirts feel as though they are made with extremely high quality material. I used them with binoculars and camera hanging around my neck and there are no signs of premature wear. The sizing seems very exact the shorts are well proportioned. Birders and photographers alike will love the huge amount of storage in these shirts. I was able to carry a 300mm f4 lens in one of the pockets quite comfortably on a 30 minute hike, since I had forgotten my camera bag. As well, the padded shoulders of the hoodie, combined with the padded shoulders of the Peregrine underneath made a huge difference when carrying a scope. While, most tripods these days have some padding on the legs, the padded shoulders on these shirts really do help, especially on a lengthy hike. However, my favourite feature is the upper pouch. I have never been a fan of binocular harnesses- I don't like putting them on and I find them a little confining. However, the amount of neck strain after having bins hanging around your neck all day is noticeable. Introduce Wunderbird! Your bins rest comfortably in the upper pouch and sit there. They don't bounce around while you walk and they are immediately accessible when you need them.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ivkulhO8nwE/Wz0XLJEFOII/AAAAAAAAByM/8FRGVbLZLH0F-0lHIU9edQvn2byzEoWigCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Wunderbird birding shirt, professional birding hoodie" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ivkulhO8nwE/Wz0XLJEFOII/AAAAAAAAByM/8FRGVbLZLH0F-0lHIU9edQvn2byzEoWigCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0690.jpg" title="Birding Hoodie, Birding Shirt" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bins resting in the upper pouch of the Gryfalcon hoodie.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I haven't been able to test the Peregrine long sleeve as much, but it has all the same benefits of the Gyrfalcon, plus it's extremely breathable, yet substantial enough to provide a little warmth. I look forward to using it more in the months to come. The one feature I was skeptical about was the insect repellent properties. I did have a chance to test this out and it really does seem to work! I was birding with a visitor last week, he was covered in black flies and while flies were around me, they were not landing. We were trying to figure out why this was happening since neither of us was wearing repellent, but I was wearing the Peregrine! I look forward to testing this more in the future. I'm not quite sure how it works, but it does! I can't wait to see what Wunderbird comes out with next!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I strongly recommend that people take some time to check out the <a href="https://wunderbirdworld.com/?utm_source=Multi&utm_medium=Blogger-share&utm_campaign=DaveBrown" target="_blank">WUNDERBIRD</a> website.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
I am thrilled to be able to provide educational and entertaining content. However, these articles are very time consuming to write. If possible please considering subscribing to the blog with a very small monthly fee via the subscribe button. This will help to cover costs of website maintenance and all the other expenses that go into producing the content. Whether you subscribe or not you will still have access to all the content, the small subscription fee is just a means of showing your support. Thank you!
<br />
<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
<input name="cmd" type="hidden" value="_s-xclick" />
<input name="hosted_button_id" type="hidden" value="JQJP3EP4R84NE" />
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr><td><input name="on0" type="hidden" value="Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options" />Support Birding Newfoundland- subscription options</td></tr>
<tr><td><select name="os0">
<option value="Option 1">Option 1 : $2.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 2">Option 2 : $4.00 USD - monthly</option>
<option value="Option 3">Option 3 : $6.00 USD - monthly</option>
</select> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<input name="currency_code" type="hidden" value="USD" />
<input alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!" border="0" name="submit" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif" type="image" />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" />
</form>Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1813820073846310749.post-83943844695488299402018-07-02T22:24:00.000-02:302018-07-15T07:28:05.776-02:30Shearwaters: Global TravellersWe are about to enter one of the most exciting periods for birding in the Newfoundland calendar of birding events- Summer sea birding. When I say sea birding I'm not really referring to the millions of Alcids that breed on our coasts, or the 10's of thousands of Gannets or the 650,000 Leache's Storm Petrels- those are a given. I'm talking about Shearwaters, Jaegers, Skuas and hopefully rare Terns and Gulls.<br />
<br />
Among my favourite birds are the Shearwaters. We have three species that are seen in our waters in from summer into early fall, Great Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater and Manx Shearwater. Only the Manx Shearwaters are here to breed, though many of the bird we may not be breeders. Most Manx Shearwaters breed on islands in Northern Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but they also breed in Iceland various other places south to the Azores. A small number of Manx Shearwaters breed on islands off the southern coast of Newfoundland as well.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FslkrexWoEM/WzkorjJ5o3I/AAAAAAAABt8/kqTZv_UPgEsV_O4gHEn0f0g0W3jZ1QPSQCLcBGAs/s1600/Manx%2BShearwater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Manx Shearwater in flight, Manx Shearwater Newfoundland" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FslkrexWoEM/WzkorjJ5o3I/AAAAAAAABt8/kqTZv_UPgEsV_O4gHEn0f0g0W3jZ1QPSQCLcBGAs/s400/Manx%2BShearwater.jpg" title="Manx Shearwater" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manx Shearwater (Photo: <a href="https://www.hbw.com/ibc/photo/manx-shearwater-puffinus-puffinus/flight-showing-underwing" target="_blank">IBC</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The species most likely to be seen are Great and Sooty Shearwater. These two species can at times be seen in very large numbers, even from shore in Newfoundland in summer and early fall. There have been many times when rafts of 20,000 Sooties and similar numbers of Greats have been reported. They come to Newfoundland to feed and overwinter, these birds are truly global travellers.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Breeding in the Southern Hemisphere, these birds nest in burrows on remote islands, free from mammalian predators. They visit their burrows only at night much the same way our nesting Leache's Storm Petrels do. They spend the vast majority of their lives at sea, they have no use for land except to breed. Also known as Tubenoses, Shearwaters are among several types of birds that have their nostrils encased in tube shapes structures at the bases of their bills. This is just one of the adaptations that allow Shearwaters to live their pelagic way of life. They are able to drink sea water and then excrete the salt in drops from their nostrils.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ojTD6eJDA0c/Wzowg2UZBlI/AAAAAAAABuI/HxBE88fsSDEo1-yS06EUVnGw2Hf7OZ96wCLcBGAs/s1600/Tubenose.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sooty Shearwater nostrils" border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ojTD6eJDA0c/Wzowg2UZBlI/AAAAAAAABuI/HxBE88fsSDEo1-yS06EUVnGw2Hf7OZ96wCLcBGAs/s320/Tubenose.JPG" title="Sooty Shearwater bill" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sooty Shearwater-Note the tubes at the base of the bill (photo: <a href="https://cmboviewfromthecape.blogspot.com/2012/05/sooty-shearwater.html" target="_blank">View from the Cape blog</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
Shearwaters are also built for long distance, energy efficient flight. They are easily recognizable by their quick wing beats on very stiff wings, followed by periods of gliding. At times, they cut through the air, low to the surface with a wing tip tearing through the waters edge- hence the name 'Shearwater'. They can be easily distinguished from Gulls, Jaegers and other types of seabirds based on this flight pattern. In strong winds Shearwaters can go long periods of time without needing to flap at all as they expertly ride the wind currents. Note the characteristic Shearwater flight pattern exhibited by the Manx Shearwater in the following <b><u><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F51u8FeRISI" target="_blank">video</a></u></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The two species of Shearwaters most commonly seen off the coast of Newfoundland are Sooty and Great Shearwater. These species seem to time their arrival with the appearance of bait fish such as Capelin. If you get the timing just right you can occasionally see masses of Shearwaters feeding on Capelin just meters from land, as Capelin roll on beaches to spawn.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rwPqYMEL9Vo/Wzq8RSqX0WI/AAAAAAAABvY/3Y1AtUIu4308qJw75snHSzr-kz0EXTUjQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_1392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shearwater flock" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rwPqYMEL9Vo/Wzq8RSqX0WI/AAAAAAAABvY/3Y1AtUIu4308qJw75snHSzr-kz0EXTUjQCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_1392.JPG" title="Shearwater flock" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scores of Sooty Shearwaters resting offshore between feeding frenzies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IadV8j4F17w/Wzq8YA_zmwI/AAAAAAAABvc/xXNe-gByEOk6VOok-4Fi21axhVx4B76qgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_1378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shearwaters feeding" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IadV8j4F17w/Wzq8YA_zmwI/AAAAAAAABvc/xXNe-gByEOk6VOok-4Fi21axhVx4B76qgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_1378.JPG" title="Shearwaters" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of a Sooty Shearwater flock</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W-4CvgGezeo/Wzo1TfoWvgI/AAAAAAAABu0/kPREKXvUsaM-Fy2aKbTgShJr23DvZ2iJwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shearwater feeding on capelin" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W-4CvgGezeo/Wzo1TfoWvgI/AAAAAAAABu0/kPREKXvUsaM-Fy2aKbTgShJr23DvZ2iJwCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0709.JPG" title="Sooty Shearwaters" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sooty Shearwaters- one feeding on Capelin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NaeKGSH1pFU/Wzo1G45cLxI/AAAAAAAABus/RWp8c1FI0uMUwKUEBWuXd8GiQOxUC3YTACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_0683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sherwater feeding on capelin" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NaeKGSH1pFU/Wzo1G45cLxI/AAAAAAAABus/RWp8c1FI0uMUwKUEBWuXd8GiQOxUC3YTACEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_0683.JPG" title="Sooty Shearwater" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sooty Shearwater feeding on Capeline</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xBLPAtx7nNA/Wzo0unzHZeI/AAAAAAAABug/8xlGo1-q9RECq3DzromVCXNcI7nTG6J6QCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_0598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shewaters, sooty shearwaters" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xBLPAtx7nNA/Wzo0unzHZeI/AAAAAAAABug/8xlGo1-q9RECq3DzromVCXNcI7nTG6J6QCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_0598.JPG" title="Sooty Shearwaters" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sooties chasing Capelin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C1tMibhrnIE/Wzo06n_FWZI/AAAAAAAABuw/cEMfuOMZIvYjiC8PSI_jgC2MHw5W3M0SACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_0616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Great Shearwater flight" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C1tMibhrnIE/Wzo06n_FWZI/AAAAAAAABuw/cEMfuOMZIvYjiC8PSI_jgC2MHw5W3M0SACEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_0616.JPG" title="Great Shearwater" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Shearwater- note obvious two toned appearance, dark cap contrasting with pale face and under parts. Dark belly patch is often not visible on distant birds.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">With only two species likely, identification is usually not an issue. At a distance, Sooty Shearwaters appear plainly dark above and below, the white under wing panels formed by the contrast of the under wing coverts (against the flight feathers and axillaries) often show as just a brief flash and at times may not be visible at all. At closer rangers the white under wings are clearly visible.If a bird is far enough away that it appears entire dark on the upper side and underside and you aren't confident it's a Sooty, then the bird is probably too far away to be identified anyway!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zVa2R55l9Uw/WzrBBAVJBxI/AAAAAAAABwg/QTi0s6we4sU9ZPxotAc3X7fPepmrCwAhgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_0482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sooty Shearwater flight" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zVa2R55l9Uw/WzrBBAVJBxI/AAAAAAAABwg/QTi0s6we4sU9ZPxotAc3X7fPepmrCwAhgCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_0482.JPG" title="Sooty Shearwater" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">Note on the above bird, even though it is nearly silhouetted against the sky, the pale under wing panel created by the white under wing coverts is still quite visible.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">The other Common Shearwater seen in Newfoundland in summer is Great Shearwater. Being a big larger and longer winged than Sooty and having deeper wing beats, this usually isn't an identification issue. Great Shearwaters are medium brown on the back with a slightly darker cap, flight feathers and tail, with a conspicuous white rump band. The pale rump is visible at long range, but when not visible the differences in size, flight pattern and the pale underside are usually enough to separate Great from Sooty or Manx Shearwaters. As well at close range Great Shearwater has a brown path on the lower belly. This is often not visible at long range.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2kaLu0ZE228/WzrEvuv-0UI/AAAAAAAABxg/NlSzM0poH0MHnkhQc0NPv08KSmNuRJoCACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_0402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Great Shearwater flight" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2kaLu0ZE228/WzrEvuv-0UI/AAAAAAAABxg/NlSzM0poH0MHnkhQc0NPv08KSmNuRJoCACEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_0402.JPG" title="Great Shearwater" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Note the pale under parts and contrasting dark cap on white face</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Great Shearwater flight" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-alefAFiIOxc/WzrEvkJsofI/AAAAAAAABxU/x_kL5kK4y_EClaSUPDdxNlhvNwaPoKwYwCEwYBhgL/s320/IMG_0401.JPG" title="Great Shearwater" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Note the thin white rump band against a darker brown tail</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZnQMgm7Ghw/WzrHTBhqdvI/AAAAAAAABxo/fq1vpGSRhPAhroywciREKE2jgD-eWfMygCLcBGAs/s1600/Great%2BShearwater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Great Shearwater resting on water" border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="1274" height="186" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZnQMgm7Ghw/WzrHTBhqdvI/AAAAAAAABxo/fq1vpGSRhPAhroywciREKE2jgD-eWfMygCLcBGAs/s320/Great%2BShearwater.jpg" title="Great Shearwater" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">There is a fourth species of Shearwater that is occasionally visible in Newfoundland water's, Cory's Shearwater. having said that it is generally only seen from a ferry, in the later summer when water temperatures are the warmest. It is a species which tends to prefer water temps a little warmer than those preferred by Sooty, Great or Manx. There are a couple of legitimate sightings from land and while it's worth having in the back of your mind, it's usually not a realistic possibility and it's identification is beyond the scope of this article.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It's June 2nd as I write this and capelin are already being reported in some areas, so the Shearwaters can't be far behind. I can't wait!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Dave Brownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18371399315824812804noreply@blogger.com0