Closing the social distance with non-humans

Charles River, Charles River Peninsula, Needham, Massachusetts

While we increase our social distance from fellow humans, for what might be quite a long time, it is an opportunity to close our social distance with non-human animals. How about song sparrows, ubiquitous in most of the U.S. and already singing for territory?

Margaret Morse Nice is our great teacher of the life histories of song sparrows. Her two volumes of sparrow phenomenology for the Linnaean Society are in the public domain and are available online. The first volume is mostly about territory. The second volume goes into more detail about individual life histories.

Roger T. Peterson illustration. Google Books scan. 

She also wrote about her research for more popular publications, such as Bird-Lore (with marvelous grayscale illustrations by Roger Tory Peterson). Ted Davis wrote a piece on her for the February 2020 issue of Bird Observer, though I think it is embargoed for subscribers-only at present.

At any rate, the first step is to listen and try to absorb their songs. Song sparrows have multiple songs, some shared with neighbors in certain situations, but they will stick to one song for a while until they switch to another. If you don't know the basic song pattern, you can consult All About Birds.

Here's my first listen to three song sparrows competing for space near the Redwing Bay parking lot in Needham.

Note that I had to high-pass-filter the recording because of all the 7 a.m. traffic noise. I'm curious whether that aspect of the soundscape will change over the next month or so.

Charles River Peninsula, Mid-March, 2020

Charles River at Charles River Peninsula, Needham, Massachusetts

Time seems right to do nature posts again.

Trestle, Charles River Peninsula, Needham, Massachusetts

Birds are singing, including juncos, bluebirds, robins. Spotted (and heard) a rusty blackbird in a flock of grackles. Woodpeckers are drumming.

Oak and hickory grove, Charles River Peninsula, Needham, Massachusetts

Found some peace listening to birds. Eternal present.

Charles River at Charles River Peninsula, Needham, Massachusetts

Autumn Ghosts

Photo locations: Charles River Peninsula, Needham, and Cutler Park, Needham & Dedham, Massachusetts.
 Click on images for full effect.

Japan Trip Part 3: Kyoto

Suzume (tree sparrows) on aerials, Kyoto

In Kyoto, we lodged in the Gion area near the Kamo River. Better winter birding than Tokyo along river (jōbitaki [Daurian Redstart]) and garden paths (shirohara [Pale Thrush]).

Seguro Sekirei (Japanese Wagtail), Kamogawa

Scores of wintering ducks, including wigeon and pintail, plus gray herons and egrets were reliably in the river. Along with a cooperative Japanese wagtail stepping from rock to rock.

Yamagara (varied tit), Kiyomizudera

I was hoping at least one temple we visited had a bird feeding station. And indeed, someone left peanuts for the varied tits at Kiyomizudera.

Kibashiri (common treecreeper), Inari Shrine grounds

The best birding, by far, was on the Inari Shrine grounds, right around the summit. There were classic mixed flocks of shijūkara (Japanese) and enaga (long-tailed) tits, plus kibashiri (treecreepers), and kogera (Japanese pygmy woopeckers). I even spotted a shime (hawfinch) along the shrine path, unexpectedly gorgeous.

Hashibuto-garasu (Jungle Crow), Maruyama Park 

Alas, I must have done something that displeased the Inari kami and came down with a dreadful cold the next day that curtailed my activity for the rest of the trip. Overall, though, nice casual winter birding in Japan.

Japan Trip Part 2: Port of Tokyo Wild Bird Park and Tokyo Station

"Tori" or "Bird." From giant Port of Tokyo Wild Bird Park sign.

It was around 3 pm and I was in Kanda. If I moved quickly I could grab a train, transfer to the Haneda monorail, get off at Ryutsu Center Station, and walk swiftly to the Port of Tokyo Wild Bird Park before it stopped admitting people at 4:30. I would still have half an hour before closing to look around.

0.5 Km to the Wild Bird Park

Signs along the way counted down the distance I still had to travel.

Traffic sign directing cars to the Bird Park

Apparently it was important enough to the area to have its own traffic signs.

Only 300 meters to the entrance!

Finally, I reached the corner of the fenced-in park, only 300 meters to the main gate.

New Year's closure 12/29 to 1/3

It was still before 4:30 when I arrived, only to find... that the park was closed for the holiday. I thought I had checked this online but... Oh well, I wasn't going to have time to bird anyway. And it was nice to have a context for the park's location even if I couldn't get inside.

What's this bird?

On the way back I discovered a series of bird information monuments featuring common birds that locals should know. This gull with the black head is what?

Yurikamome (Black-headed gull)

Yes, the black-headed gull. The local name is "Yurikamome." (The name of a new Odaiba-based train line). During the winter they settle at city parks and take handouts.

Yurikamome (Black-headed gull) outside Tokyo station.

If you find yourself at Tokyo Station in the winter with time to spare, it is worth leaving from the main entrance and walking towards the Imperial Palace grounds.

Yurikamome, outer moat of Imperial Palace Grounds.

The outer moats are filled with urban-adapted water birds, such as tufted ducks, coots, cormorants, little grebes, and lots of yurikamome.

Yurikamome, near Tokyo Station.

Next post: Kyoto.

Japan Trip Part 1: Tokyo Disneyland and Kasai Rinkai Kōen

Mukudori (White-cheeked Starling), Tokyo Disneyland

A New Year's trip with the family to Japan. Not birding-intensive, though Dad was let off leash to spend an hour here and there when appropriate. The trip started at Disneyland. As in Florida, there is no lack of bird visitors to the park.

Hoshihajiro (Common Pochard), Tokyo DisneySea

I was delighted to discover, for example, a flock of common pochard resting at a Tokyo DisneySea lagoon.

Bird Sanctuary--Keep Out! signage protecting Kasai Rinkai Kōen mudflats, seen from Disney hotel window

But the real bird action was next door, at Kasai Rinkai Kōen, where I spent a delightful December afternoon. The park features a ferris wheel, an aquarium, a large cook-out spot and two prime birding areas. The first is a small island and mudflat (seen above), a refuge for waders and seabirds. Dominating the surrounding waters (but not photographed--my good camera broke) was a raft of thousands of greater scaup plus hundreds of crested and eared grebes. An osprey and a common buzzard were active on the island.

Bird Park entrance sign

The second area is a deliberately designed and constructed bird sanctuary and observation area, including several blinds, a large educational center, and a lot of signage. 

Sanctuary map and guide. The building on the far right is the aquarium. The building in the middle is the educational center. The two ponds host ducks and waders in season. Visitors are advised to follow three rules: don't frighten, get too close, or hinder the movement of birds on the property.

The educational center was open (not a guarantee during the New Year's holiday). It featured photographs of local birds, exhibits about habitats and conservation, and, good for ID-leery me, a list of recent sightings. 

Sightings at the sanctuary ponds. I missed the kingfisher (カワセミ). Note that this refuge seems to get frequent spoonbill visits (but not this time of year).  

I was also struck by a display of stuffed birds that were literally stuffed toys, not taxidermy. 

Who wouldn't want a greater scaup or crested grebe stuffed toy?

If done well, this is a terrific alternative to creepy bird skins. For better or worse there was no gift shop. 

Blind building overlooking one of the ponds

The blinds are well-built and spacious. While there were plenty of bank-huddling ducks on the pond (including teal, shovelers, spot-billed ducks, long-tailed ducks, mallards, widgeon, etc.) there wasn't much blind action during my visit. 

Street light designed to look like a snag

I was particularly taken by certain details, such as street lights disguised as tree snags. Indeed, this park's proximity to Disney makes me think that this is not just a bird sanctuary, it is a kind of bird theme park. 

Hiyodori (Brown-eared Bulbul), Kasai Rinkai Kōen

I didn't see many small birds aside from sparrows, wagtails, and starlings. The dominant noise-maker at this property and, frankly, everywhere I went in Japan during this trip, was the brown-eared bulbul. When I last birded in Japan, June 2012, this seemingly abundant bird was actually one I missed. Not this trip. I got an intensive course in bulbul calls, whines, and shouts. 

Bluebirds! Season Seven. Series Finale.

Haying season. Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA

They're mowing at the Charles River Peninsula right now. Summer is over.

Box 7. Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA

One last check of the nesting boxes. Box 7 was the last unfledged box last time I made the rounds. What would I find when I opened it up?

Tree swallow nest. Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA

Successful fledge. Nice thick nest for a tree swallow. You'll remember that it was house sparrows that added the foundation. Wild turkey feathers. I wonder about the place of turkeys in the feather economy.

Box 8. Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA

Looks like I never clipped the bittersweet growing on Box 8. I'll take care of it when I come back clean the boxes. 

All in all, a productive year for tree swallows. But no bluebirds on my side of the field. Plans for next year are uncertain. 

Kingfisher rattling over the river. Young red-tailed hawk piping above. This is probably the last "Bluebirds!" season I'll report. There are new projects ahead.