A studio for bird study

Tag: video

October 14, 2014

Migrating Wood Storks in South Texas

by Bryce W. Robinson

A few weeks ago I was in South Texas for the Raptor Research Foundations annual conference. Corpus Christi in the fall is a mecca for those into raptor migration, and likewise the whole of south Texas is a mecca for those interested in the bird world. While I was visiting the hawk watch platform, run by Hawkwatch International, I saw many birds in large numbers. Of course the Broad-winged Hawk migration was flowing well, but I was able to see something unexpected that was equally satisfying. Large numbers of Wood Stork – Mycteria americana were streaming through in kettles. The kettles were in the same fashion as the migrating raptors, and the numbers were extremely large as well. I captured some video of the spectacle to share and spread the awe of the movement of these large North American Storks.

4 Comments
August 21, 2014

Resting Juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit in Western Alaska

by Bryce W. Robinson

 

I’d like to share this video for those not fortunate enough to experience the Bar-tailed Godwit in person. I find that video is a great way to begin some familiarity with the species, and serves a higher purpose than still photos for invoking on the viewer the experience of observing such a stately bird.

I am still scratching my head as to why shorebirds rest on one leg, all the while rocking their tail back and forth. Often their eyes are open, looking about to ensure they aren’t being stalked. I assume that the birds rock to keep balance, in some way. Still, I can’t be sure and may end up searching through behavioral literature to find the answer, if it is even available.

I was excited about recording Rhynchokinesis, or the birds ability to flex its upper mandible in this two minute clip. Both birds stretch their bills in the video, and the bend of the upper mandible is rather noticeable.

Throughout my summer in Alaska I failed to be diligent about prioritizing video, but when I did record I was able to come away with some satisfying content that I am eager to share and discuss. In doing so, I hope to communicate the simple joy that I felt while sitting with these birds as they conducted themselves as they always do in their wild lives.

6 Comments
April 20, 2014

Sharp-tailed Grouse Lek

by Bryce W. Robinson

 

Yesterday, I had the privilege of getting up at 4 AM to join Jay Carlisle and Heidi Ware on a trip to visit a Sharp-tailed Grouse lek in western Idaho. We arrived on the lek before sunrise, just in time to hear the beginning dances of the lekking grouse. As the sun rose the grouse surrounded us, chucking in unison and stamping their feet.

If you’ve never been to a Sharp-tailed Grouse lek, you must. It is a bizarre performance as the birds face off with a nemesis to exhibit their fitness and attract the attention of a lady.

The peculiarity of this display is reason enough to ensure that open natural landscapes, such as the sagebrush steppe in western Idaho is preserved. Spread the word and the images of natural wonders such as these grouse, so that even those not so interested in wildlife will recognize the benefit of conserving the wild world.

Leave a comment
April 4, 2014

A Communal Roost of the Great Horned Owl

by Bryce W. Robinson

 

I’d like to share this video of a solitary roosting Great Horned Owl to introduce a story and celebrate a career goal accomplished for both Caitlin Davis, and myself.

In December 2012, Caitlin and I were conducting Golden Eagle surveys in the west desert of Utah. One evening on our survey route near the border of Nevada and Great Basin National Park, we came upon a roosting pair of Great Horned Owls. These owls sat in a small string of trees about 30 m in length. Soon after we discovered the roosting pair, we noticed an additional four owls in the same tree line. A total of six owls sat together in close proximity, and soon after we counted the birds, I knew the significance of what we had found.

Because I knew that Great Horned Owls are extremely territorial, I looked into the literature hoping to find any reports of similar roosting behavior. After what seemed to be an exhaustive search, I had found no reports of any communal roosting behavior for the Great Horned Owl, or any other Bubo species.

I discussed the idea of reporting the findings with Steve Slater, Shawn Hawks, and Markus Mika at HawkWatch International. They were supportive of the idea, so with little hesitation I wrote a short report of the roost and submitted it for publication to the Journal of Raptor Research.

The report was accepted, and has now been published in the latest issue of the JRR. Caitlin and I are extremely grateful to everyone who helped us get the word out in the proper fashion by talking out ideas, and revising the manuscript. It was a fun process, and I look forward to repeating it again in the future.

Read the article here:

Robinson, B.W. and C. M.  Davis. 2014. A communal roosting of the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). Journal of Raptor Research 48(1) 88-89

2 Comments