Yesterday morning 15 of us took a walk on the Lower Trail in Schenley Park. Highlights include …
- Two ephemerals:
- Inky cap mushrooms that dissolve into ink the same day they appear. Click here to see what they look like. Thanks to Adam Haritan of Learn Your Land for identifying them.
- Ohio spiderwort flowers that last only a day before they wilt:
- Sights and sounds of birds including a busy flock of common grackles, a young wood thrush perched on a log and singing rose-breasted grosbeaks and acadian flycatchers.
- The bug-eat-bug world of aphids sucking juice out of tall flower stems while ladybugs and harvestmen (daddy longlegs) pursued them.
- And two deer, one with a big rack in velvet.
Thanks to all for coming. My next outing will be on July 31 at Duck Hollow and Lower Frick Park.
(photo by Kate St. John)
She Came Home!
This morning, when I brought up the website, I saw
Mai(short for Maior meaning first, aka C1)C1 primping herself right in front of the camera, in Hope`s nest! Most of her tan feathers have turned white, and while I’m sad about that. I`m happy to see her back home!Judy, you saw Hope, mother of C1. C1’s feathers will not turn white for 1 year. Here’s more about juvenile plumage: http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/peregrine-faqs/question-the-juveniles-are-a-different-color-for-how-long/
At first, I thought it was Hope also but when she turned, I noticed tan with the white feathers and Hope is completely white, except for the dark stripes, that’s why I said it was C1!
Judy, thank you for your reply. As we all know, naming is a sensitive issue. Here’s the protocol we use in Pittsburgh and how C1 got her juvenile name: http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/peregrine-faqs/question-how-do-peregrines-get-their-names/
You can always call the bird your favorite name on your own website but to avoid confusion here I will cross out or remove extra names or not publish a comment that is using or advocating for a different name.
Thank you for your understanding.
I checked the archives, and it was definitely Hope sitting in front of the camera between about 8AM & 9AM. Hope also spent some time puttering in the nestbox, before & after that time frame. C1 was not there.
Hi Kate, I was unable to locate Bartlet Shelter and so disappointed that I missed the outting on Sunday. I will bring a friend and try again for the July 31 walk. I’ve been searching for C1 and Terzo but have not been lucky enough to see them flying around Oakland. Still looking for C1 before she leaves town. Wish me luck!
Sorry you had trouble finding the outing, Rose. Good luck finding C1! Keep me posted.
Thank you for a great walk on Sunday. Still practicing figuring out the “robin with voice lessons” ruby breasted grosbeak cf. “robin with a sore throat” tanager!
Paula, almost got it. “Rose-breasted grosbeak”. … “Scarlet tanager”. Funny that both are named in red.