Field Notes Update

Nesting Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers /  by Todd Henson

Female Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher sitting in her nest, beautifully lit by early morning sunlight

There are times when the trees in some parks are filled with the sights and sounds of Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers. These are small birds with a blue-gray head and back and a white underside. Their call has a lot of volume for a bird so small, and it matches their bravado, as they don’t seem at all afraid of people.

Male Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher sitting on a limb above the nest

Male Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher singing while sitting in the nest. It is actually working on building the inside of the nest.

The photos in this post were created over a two day period when I was fortunate enough to watch a pair of gnatcatchers building a nest on a tree limb very close to the trail. The nest was perfectly situated to be lit by the early morning sun when it wasn’t hiding behind a cloud. This combination of great location and nice lighting enabled me to create some decent images of these fantastic little birds.

Male Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher singing

I found it an absolute joy watching this pair. They would fly away, looking for small pieces of lichen, bark, grass, or spiderwebs, then return to add their find to the nest. They use the spiderwebs to hold everything together. Click on the images for full-screen views, where you can see the lichen and spiderwebs woven through the nest.

Female Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher sitting on a branch

Take another close look at the photos to compare the male and female. You can tell them apart because the male has a black eyebrow, whereas the female does not.

Male Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher sitting on a branch

Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers are one of the many species I look forward to each Spring. What species do you look forward to?

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Herring Gull and Great Blue Heron Standoff /  by Todd Henson

Herring Gull watching a fish flip on the iced over river

One morning I was photographing along the iced over Potomac River when I saw a Herring Gull and a live fish flapping on the ice. I’m not sure how the Herring Gull managed to get the fish, whether the fish jumped out of a hole in the ice, whether the Herring Gull actually caught the fish, or whether a nearby Great Blue Heron might have caught and left the fish. But the Herring Gull was certainly taking advantage of the opportunity for breakfast.

Herring Gull eating fish on iced over river

Herring Gull eating fish on iced over river

The fish soon gave up its struggle, and the Herring Gull began eating. And that is how this particular story would have ended if not for the previously mentioned nearby Great Blue Heron. For it seems the heron took an interest in the gull and the fish it was eating.

The tension builds as a Great Blue Heron watches the Herring Gull

But this didn’t deter the gull. If anything, it knew its time with the fish might be short, so it went right back to eating, determined to get what it could out of the fish.

Herring Gull continues eating fish on iced over river

But you see, the heron lived on the island not far from the gull and its fish. And it didn’t seem to like the idea of some other bird, in particular this smaller gull, flagrantly eating a fish right beside its island, and in plain view, not even trying to hide its catch.

Great Blue Heron, standing over the fish, staring down the Herring Gull

So the Great Blue Heron came over and proved its dominance, standing over top the fish the Herring Gull had been eating. The gull walked a short distance off and faced away from the heron, head held high, barely acknowledging the heron’s presence.

Prolonged standoff between Great Blue Heron and Herring Gull

This standoff lasted for a short time, the heron standing sentry over the fish, the gull standing a short distance away. The heron continued to watch the gull, but the gull paid little attention to the heron.

The Great Blue Heron grows bored with the Herring Gull and returns to its island

Eventually the heron grew bored with the entire show. It didn’t appear to be hungry at the time, and only wanted to show the gull its place in the local avian hierarchy. So the Great Blue Heron slowly walked over the ice back to its island, leaving the fish untouched on the ice. The gull walked back over to the fish and continued eating.

Crossing paths, the Great Blue Heron returns to its island, the Herring Gull returns to its fish

The Great Blue Heron had proven who was boss and demonstrated why it's called Great. The Herring Gull had remained patient, nonchalantly ignoring the heron, and was able to keep its fish. The morning ended in a win-win situation, not an everyday occurrence in nature.

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Song Sparrow on a Frosty Morning /  by Todd Henson

Song Sparrow contemplating a piece of marsh grass

There are days when it’s cold out and I get lazy. I stay inside, nice and warm, drinking hot chocolate and having plenty to eat. But our little avian friends don’t often have that luxury. Regardless of how cold it is they still need to eat.

Portrait of a Song Sparrow on frosty marsh grass

A number of years ago I found myself hiking through a wetlands park on a morning when everything was covered by a thin layer of frost (I wasn’t lazy that morning). Cold or wet mornings can be very hit or miss when it comes to photographing birds. Though many birds do still need to forage, they often don’t come out in as large a number and they don’t stay out as long.

Song Sparrow pulling marsh grass on a frosty morning

But this morning I had the pleasure of watching a little Song Sparrow foraging through the marsh grass, pulling out pieces not covered in frost. It was very determined, and not very shy, provided I kept a comfortable distance. How far is comfortable depends on the bird and can vary over time. As a bird gets more comfortable with you it will frequently let you get a little closer. And some species just seem less afraid of people than others. But always pay attention to the behavior of the bird. If it starts paying too much attention to you, or startles too much as you move, or moves further away as you move closer, take that as a sign you may have gotten a little too close. Try to stay at a distance where the bird is comfortable with your presence. Not only will you get better images that show a relaxed bird doing what birds do, but you’ll also avoid overly stressing the bird. Putting too much stress on these little creatures can harm them in the long run.

Song Sparrow on frosty marsh grass

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