Indigo Bunting question & ID another - pics

ronkw

15 years ago

Why is this one Bunting molted?? Surely it's to early to be a "hatchling." Are they not migrating north?

And please id this "warbler"??

Had/have a good bird day!

Thank you.

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Comments (5)

oldned
15 years ago
That's a 1st winter male or a non-breeding male Bunting. The Warbler is a Prothonotary.
ronkw
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you for the reply, oldned.
Now for the newbie question...
I have searched the term "1st/first year male" to no avail.
Does that mean, in this case, that the bird hatched out last year/season here in N.Amer.,
then migrated to winter grounds and has now returned, completing one round trip??
Thanks,
Ron
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Thanks, and me too..I grew up 5 miles from the ocean in Haiti. We used to have beach parties on New Year, but we're land-locked at the moment. I'm thrilled to be able to swim on Poppy Mnt, only 1 1/2 miles from here, because it's semi-deserted at the moment. DuBois and I used to drive 15 miles to swim in the Licking River or in a deserted pond over the mnt from us where we had to hike through tick-infested brush to reach it. But, speaking of oceans, this year we did skip down to FL for our anniversary over New Year and camped at Ft Desoto Natl Park but it was too cold to swim. But I could take photos of wonderful birds from the car 12-31-08, dock beside Gulf Blvd, preening American Oystercatcher, 4:19 p.m. From 12-30-08, Florida trip This is a link to the first day at Ft Desoto in my photo album. I love Kentucky warblers and other birds, but the ocean TRUMPS ALL (sigh). Slide show button on upper left corner, click F11 key for full screen http://picasaweb.google.com/rachelbro3/123008FloridaTrip#
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Rosie (cimmaron), I have looked up the descriptions of Epiphyllum and Hylocereus in 'The Cactus Family' (Anderson 2001). Epiphyllum always has the stem tips flat; the floral tube is long, curved and very thin. Hylocereus has 3-angled stems (though I think they can throw some with 2 or 4 angles); the floral tube is relatively short and thick, almost absent in some species judging from the illustrations. So I would say Jancc's plants look more like Hylocereus. H. undatus in my experience will grow up trees or brick walls clinging by its roots like ivy, sometimes to heights of over 10 m. I don't think epiphyllums do anythging like that. Where I have seen E. oxypetalum it makes a multi-stemmed shrub about 1.5 m high, though maybe it can get a bit taller. As for 'epiphyllum hybrids', it's interesting to note what Anderson has to say: "One encounters numerous so-called epiphyllum hybrids, which in fact rarely involve species of Epiphyllum as a parent. Rather, these magnificent plants, bearing shimmering, iridescent flowers, are mostly hybrids of related genera such as Disocactus, Pseudorhipsalis, and Selenicereus."
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oldned
15 years ago
Hi Ron...Yep-last year's hatchling, These guys get "bluer* and bluer*" as they age. Some returning birds do breed here in their 1st year back-many more breed in their 2nd year and beyond.

*There is no blue pigment in the feathers of a Bunting-it's all refraction (like the colors on an oil slick).

Ned
kendra2003
15 years ago
Ned stated it well, but to go a bit further, there is no blue pigment in any of the birds you see that appear blue. Like Ned said, the color appears by refraction. The structure of the feathers reflect back the blue light. Here is a link to a page by Cornell that explains feather colors. It's pretty fascinating.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cornell Lab of Ornithology - color
ronkw
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you both.
Facinating link. I'll need to read that at least once or twice more.
I had a mated pair at the feeder today that i have never seen before. Not gonna try to describe em, but will try to get a photo.
In the mean time I'll throw this one up, taken today.
I need to get closer!

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Indigo Bunting question & ID another - pics

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Indigo Bunting question & ID another - pics

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oldned

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oldned

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