Mystery Bird - Ash-throated Flycatcher?

Thanks to Sr. Hoeflich, I know this beauty is a flycatcher and I have also been assured that identifying flycatchers is very difficult.  So . . now I don't feel so bad about not knowing his name.

Accord to Sr. Hoeflich, he may very well be an Ash-throated flycatcher, but it's hard to tell.

All I know is that you can never have too many insect-eaters.

Welcome, whoever you are!

Eastern Phoebe

Latin Name:Sayornis phoebe
Common Spanish Name:  Mosquero Fibi

To learn more about the Eastern Phoebe, click here.

Female Bronzed Cowbird

Latin Name:  Molothrus aeneus
Common Spanish name:  Vaquero Ojirrojo

This gal comes around from time to time, but she seems to always be behind something.
Thanks again to Sr. Hoeflich for the help in identifying her.
To learn more about the Bronzed Cowbird, click here.

House Finch

Latin Name:  Carpodacus mexicanus

Common Spanish Name:  Fringilido Mexicano

7/7/11

At last, I have these guys identified.  They are house finches.  The bright guy in the middle is a male in breeding plumage.  He's quite a sight.  Thanks to Sr. Hoeflich for the help!

To learn more about the House Finch, click here.

Even before I knew what they were I wanted them to come back every year.  There doesn't seem to be much I can do to encourage them.  Although they spend most of their time foraging, they ignore my efforts to supplement their diet, and even though the spring has been very dry, they stay clear of the fountain. 

Flycatcher - Hard to tell which one

This game of identifying birds is getting harder and harder.  I thought I had this guy, but now I'm pretty sure I don't.  If anyone has thoughts, please share them.  Here's the best of several photos I took.

Black Throated Sparrow

Latin name:  Amphispiza bilineata

Spanish common name:  Gorrion Gorjinegro

One of the most numerous songbirds in the

Perote Garden is the

Black Throated Sparrow.

4/3/11

Like most sparrows, they have a limited number of activities.

When they aren't scatching in the dirt looking for hidden tidbits,

they are hiding behind leaves singing at the top of their lungs.

In fact, they are one of our alarm clock birds. 

This little guy thought he would explore the

vineyard when Stanley left the gate open.

The good thing about bird net is that it keeps

most birds out of the vineyard.

The bad thing about bird net is that once the

birds get in, they can't easily find their

way out.

Stanley gave Mr. Sparrow a helping hand.

To learn more and listen to his song click here.

7/1/11 New Updates

The birds are in full voice this morning following last night's rain.  
Several folks have asked for scientific names and common Spanish names for the birds and I have gone back and added those to each entry.  
You may enjoy the new pictures of the Vermilion Flycatcher with his bride.  There is also a very unflattering photo of him in captivity after being caught stealing grapes in the vineyard. 
Also, there are new photos of Say's Phoebe and her new babies.
I have also changed the identification of our resident swallow.  Look for him under Barn Swallow.
One more thing, I will be adding better pictures of the Black-throated Sparrow.  The one that I have presently doesn't do his easily ID'd face justice.

Enjoy!

Say's Phoebe

Latin name:  Sayornis saya
Spanish common name:  Mosquero Llanero

4/13/11

This is our very own personal phoebe.  She works the back garden to the south of the grill area, keeping it as free of insects as possible.  She likes to perch on a low bush and fly up and out to catch her prey.  I love to watch her work.

She decided she liked the area well enough to make it her home as well as her work place.  She likes us ok, too, but not well enough to pose for pictures while sitting on her nest.  If you get close enough to take a half-way decent picture, she flies away.  However, if you stay well away, get down on your belly, and aim the camera very slowly, she will allow a couple of shots.

To learn more click here.

6/26/11

Just as lovely and hardworking as ever.

 

6/28/11

I thought I should look in Phoebe's hiding spot to see if the eggs had hatched.  All I could see was one little head which I wouldn't have recognized out of the context of the nest.  And what a nest!  Phoebe gets high marks as an insect catcher, but she falls right off the scale in nest construction skills.

6/30/11  Worried that I hadn't seen Phoebe all morning, I used that as an excuse to check on the babies.  When I first looked in, I couldn't see anything and I didn't hear a sound - most unusual for baby birds.  Well, they must have sensed my presence because they hopped up and set up a howl to be fed.  I couldn't offer them anything to eat, but I did get a great photo.  Moments later, Phoebe returned.  Maybe she had been out to lunch with the girls. 

Vermilion Flycatcher

4/12/11

Latin name:  Pyrocephalus rubinus
Spanish common name:  Mosquero Cardenal

This is our flying ruby.  He flits and spins and dances in the air in his quest for bugs.  However, unlike some of the other insect catchers, he is willing to sit and sing and have his picture made.
His wife is just as beautiful, but much more elusive.  She is much duller, but her yellow coloring make them a very distinctive pair.  I haven't been able to catch her with my camera yet, but one day . . .

6/29/11

As promised . . . here she is . . . Mrs. Vermilion Flycatcher. El Senor brought her by for a visit.  Don't they make a lovely pair?

 6/29/11  Unfortunately, the birds and I don't always agree on what constitutes good behavior.  As far as they are concerned eating grapes is what they were meant to do.  I have a different opinion.  Stanley caught this guy red-handed.  Of course, he said he was only catching bugs, but I think he had grape breath.  We talked to him sternly, took this mug shot and released him on his own recognizance.  What else could we do?

 
To learn more click here.

Common Poorwill

Latin Name:  Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
Spanish common name:  Pachacua Nortena

I really hadn't wanted to say anything about the Common Poorwill until I had my very own picture, but I have decided that may never happen with the camera I have so this photo is a borrowed one.
  She comes to the garden after dark to eat moths, grasshoppers, and beetles.  We often see her leap into the air to catch some unsuspecting insect, but long before I could focus the camera, she has hiden herself in one of the herb beds.  If I persue her too aggressively, she disappears from the garden for days at a time. 
We enjoy her too much to scare her away. 
Learn more about the Common Poorwill in Wikipedia. 

Canyon Towhee

Latin Name:  Pipilo fuscus

Spanish common name:  Rascador Arroyero

4/14/11

Whatever you might think about birds, you have to admit, these are about the cutest little guys you've ever seen.  I am almost positive they are Canyon Towhees, but these birds are cuter than anything I found on the Internet.  The ID give away is the dark spot on the chest.  Habits and general physical characteristics match perfectly.

If you have another idea about the bird's identification, let me know.
To learn more about this bird's closest relative the California Towhee, click here.
There are many pictures of Canyon Towhee on Internet, but they don't look like our birds.  For that matter, they don't look like each other.  It is very confusing.

Contact me with any ideas you might have about the birds ID.

6/26/11
No longer any doubt about their identification.  Still cute!

Scott's Oriole

Latin Name:  Icterus parisorum

Spanish common name:  Bolsero Tunero

4/12/11

We have seen this lovely bird make three appearances in the garden, but for some reason I think he is still around.  Perhaps it's just my imagination, but I think I hear him from time to time.

I learned a valuable lesson with this bird.  Always look at all the pictures in the Bird Identification Book before you throw up your hands in despair.  For the longest time I was convinced he was a Bar-winged Oriole, blown off course.  That would have been a real stretch since the Bar-winged Oriole hangs out in El Salvador.

At any rate, on one of his visits, he twisted and turned and posed and I had a great time with the camera.

To learn more click here.

6/26/11

Just as I suspected, he's been here all along.  Finally, I was able to connect the bird with his song.

Black-chinned Sparrow

Latin Name:  Spizella atrogularis
Spanish common name:  Gorrion Barbinegro

What a songbird!  I knew he was out there, but I could never find him.  These guys stay in protective cover as much as possible. 


To learn more, click here.  You will note the difference in this picture and the one on the web site.  My bird book identifies this one as the "basic" variety.  I could not find supporting information on the web.

Summer Tanager

Latin name:  Piranga rubra

Spanish common name:  Tangara Roja

We have no idea where this beautiful bird was all spring.

I'm sure had he been in our garden, we would have

noticed him long ago.

Two days after our return, I noticed an unfamiliar

flash of red in the pecan trees.

A little research and a lot of luck went into

the photo above.

What a beauty!

To learn more click here.

Senora Grackle

The grackles are such an important part of our bird life, I couldn't resist giving this lady a page of her own.  Such irreverence, such unladylike behavior.  She is absolutely a woman who knows her own mind. 
To learn more about her and her family, click here.

White-winged Dove

Latin Name:  Zenaida asiatica
Spanish common name:  Paloma Aliblanca


Without the white-winged doves, Perote would be a very different place.  They wake us in the morning with their incessant cooing; they rigorously patrol the vineyards throughout the day; and they provide some of our very best R-rated entertainment.  If you have never seen two doves trying to have sex on a limber twig, you haven't seen anything. 

These birds are truly lovers of the pecan grove shade.  In the heat of the day they are found high in the branches of the pecan trees and they roost there at night.  Although their main food source are tiny seeds they find hidden in the grasses, they absolutely cannot resist a tasty pecan - especially if I crack it open for them.  

To learn more about these prolific birds, click here.  

Barn Swallow

Latin Name:  Hirundo rustica erythrogaster
Spanish common name:  Golondrina Ranchera

Our life is so peaceful in Perote!  We have an evening routing that we try very hard not to break.  It begins with hummingbird antics followed by The Swallow Dance. 

During the day, the swallows come out sporadically, but every evening as the sun goes behind the mountains, they come in groups of twenty to one hundred to dance across the sky, play, and court - but mostly they come to feast on the tiny insects that fill the sky as sunset approaches.  This dance may last as much as two hours.  The birds chatter constantly as they make their long swooping flights across the sky.

As they are satisfied, they drift away and there is a noticeable stillness in the air.  This is a good time to hear owls in the distance as they talk to one another about the upcoming hunt.  Then, as darkness falls, the bats arrive.

At some point, we have started the grill and by now supper is ready.  We probably need a sweater.  The stars are coming out.  Another Perote day is closing.

To learn more about our swallows, click here.

Cave Swallows

Latin name:  Hirundo fulva
Spanish common name:  Golondrina Peublera


These birds doesn't come to our garden, but I know them very well.

When you walk into my friend Estela's house, you pass through a small covered entry.  To the left is the receiving room and dining room.  Straight through the second door - an open archway - is the patio from which all the rest of the house is accessed - the kitchen, bedrooms, and the garden area. 

This nest was built years ago, just above that arched door and each year a pair of cave swallows show up to occupy the nest and vigilantly guard the entrance to Estela's house.  They have indeed become a part of her household. 

When the front door is open, they fly in and out with the rest of us.  When the front door is closed, they fly through the archway and up and out into the open sky above the garden area.

To learn more about these beautiful sentries, click here.

Lesser Goldfinch

Latin name:  Carduelis psaltria
Spanish common name:  Dominico Dorsioscuro

When most folks think of goldfinches, they think of sleek little birds clinging to a white sock diligently pulling out the thistle seeds, their very favorite food in all the world.. When I realized we had goldfinches, I brought a year's supply of thistle seed from the United States to try to lure them in closer.  I needn't have bothered.

These scrappy little desert birds like pecans.  While dutifully ignoring my offerings of thistle seed, they delighted me for hours watching them attack broken pecans they found under the tree.  As you can see, they really get into their work.

Taking a break from their pecan harvest, they like nothing better than to flit among the leaves of the giant pecan and chatter to one other.

To learn more and hear their sing-song, click here.

Bewick's Wren

Latin name:  Thryomanes bewickii

Spanish common name:  Saltapared Bewick

What a ruckus these little guys can make.  They start singing early in the morning and either sing or scold one another all day long. 

Difficult to photograph?  I'd say they get a score of about 12 in a range of 1-10.  They NEVER sit still and flit from one perch to the next before you realize they've moved.

It's hard to tell just how many of these birds we have., but there must be at least a dozen that make their home in the arroyo below our garden.

One of the most entertaining of their antics is their ability to climb up walls and walk across the ceiling upside down. 

They are quite acrobatic!

To learn more click here.

Scaled Quail

Latin Name:  Callipepla squamata

Spanish common name:  Codorniz Escamosa

I really don't know very much about these birds except they are absolute experts at staying out of sight.  I know this because we rarely see them.

Today, I was actually watching the arroyo for a little fox I had seen yesterday.  My trusty, loyal dog was by my side.  Solo Vino saw the quail and took off like a shot - scaring them enough to make them run, but not nearly enough to make them fly.

They were a long way from me so you will have to look closely.  I was able to magnify one of them enough to get a fairly good look.  It appears Solo Vino and I caught a whole covey of young scaled quail.

To learn more click here.

Update on the Turkey Vulture

After commenting that we did not need the services of either the Black or Turkey Vulture, I found, to my dismay, that we did!

Four of them were in the pecan grove this morning, cleaning up the untidy remains of what appeared to be a feral cat. 

I enjoyed watching this bird take flight.  They may be as ugly as sin up close, but in the air they are pure grace.

Greater Roadrunner

Latin name:  Geococcyx californianus

Spanish common name:  Correcaminos Mayor

After considerable effort, I had not been successful in  photographing our beautiful roadrunner.

Then, I discovered the secret.

Wait until he gets thirsty. 

Mr. Roadrunner is frequently seen around the garden area.

He can disappear faster than you can imagine; hates to fly; and can look at you with a gaze that absolutely asks: 

Just who are you and what are you doing in my desert?

For more information click here.

Northern Mockingbird

Latin Name:  Mimus polyglottos leucopterus

Spanish common name:  Cenzontle Nortena

 After enduring four summers of mockingbirds that specialized in

car alarms and "Pretty Bird," it is such a treat to finally have a more musical group.

This year's birds must have spent the winter outside

an opera house because they are singing some very special

arias.

This one gave us a personal performance one evening at sunset. 

He sang for almost half an hour non-stop.  His stage was carefully chosen.  He was perched on a vineyard post behind the only cholla that was in bloom at the time. 

To learn more click here.

Golden Fronted Woodpecker

Latin Name:  Centurus aurifrons
Spanish common name:  Carpintero Frentidorado

You can always tell when this guy is around.  Every time he moves from one place to the next, he has to tell everyone about it.  Once he gets there, he's almost sure to start pecking away at the tree (or the adobe wall, as in the second picture) looking for insects.  He doesn't feed entirely on insects; his diet consists of almost as much fruit and seeds as bugs. 

To learn more click here.

Pyrrhuloxia

Latin name:  Cardinalis sinuatus

Spanish common name:  Cardenal Desertico

Pyrrhuloxia, the Desert Cardinal, is an unmistakable bird.  Once you see him, you know what he is.

He certainly adds a spash of color and drama to the garden.

To learn more about him and hear his sounds, click here.

Great Horned Owl

Latin name:  Bubo virginianus
Spanish common name: Buho Cornudo

OK, OK!  I didn't take this picture.  However, this is what our owl looks like.  We hear him many evenings, usually up the arroyo, but from time to time he is very close.  One night, we saw him sitting on our outdoor oven.  From that distance, he was very loud!

To learn more click here.

Great-Tailed Grackle

 Latin name:  Quiscalus mexicanus
Spanish common name:  Zanate Mayor

 The great-tailed grackle is one of the most entertaining birds in the garden.  One particular grackle is determined to keep us laughing.  He loves to look at himself in the mirror of

Stanley's truck, making a continuous stream of comments.

The sounds he makes are enough to crack me up.

Another one of his hobbies is bathing in the

irrigation ditch.  He is quite thorough!

I haven't been able to catch it with my camera, but I will one day.  Watch for it.

To learn more about Mr. Grackle, click here

Vultures

Latin Name:  Cathartes aura
Spanish common name:  Aura Cabecirroja

 

The Vultures are our favorites in the garbage disposal area. Since we keep the garden area fairly clean and free of dead animals, we have no need of their services, but we see them often as they fly to the east in the late afternoon like commuters headed to the suburbs after a long day in the factory.


We watch the Turkey Vultures as they effortlessly cover great distances without flapping a wing.  The Black Vultures flap more, but their flight still looks lazy to me.  From far below, it certainly seems less stressful than the average commute here on land.


The bird featured in the photograph above is a Turkey Vulture. 


To learn more about the Turkey Vulture click on the name.
To learn more about the Black Vulture click on the name.


To answer a question you may be asking:  Yes, the sky really is that blue. 

Black Chinned Hummingbird

Latin name:  Archilochus alexandri

Spanish common name:  Colibri Barbinegro 

It isn't spring in Perote until the black-chinned
hummingbird comes buzzing around.
We were concerned this year because it
seemed they were late and we were
afraid they might have had a hard
time surviving the cold winter temperatures.
We shouldn't have been concerned.

A single male arrived one day.
I put out the feeders the next morning.
By evening, there were three.
The next day, we knew there were four -
maybe more.
The next day, they looked more like bees
than birds around the feeders.

I caught this one as he was feeding on
cactus blooms.

For more information click here.