Eastern banded-tail ruff-back? Seems flightless--must be his belly full of black-oil sunflower seeds. (notice feeder rod BENT to ground!)
Come along in Red Canoe as she explores the quiet backwater of Ohio's State Parks and the scenic streams and rivers of the Midwest. Discover the beauty hidden beyond the water's edge, quietly waiting, past access points, often only inches deep!
Come browse my photography site, Nature Remains: nothing but a photograph, for full-page slide shows of my favorite images and opportunities to purchase them.
In Spring of 2008, I began the study of 2 vernal pools on my property as part of the Ohio Vernal Pool Partnership monitoring program.
My 2008 journal includes the first photos and findings, as I studied this fascinating wetland area just a few steps beyond my backdoor...
2009 photos and findings,
2010,... again!
Now, 4 years later, another season is just days away!
Travel beyond the Midwest has taken me to some beautiful places. Usually off the beaten track, these places are WILD!
Acadia National Park
New River Nature Festival
Olympic National Park
Pictured Rocks and the UP
Voyageurs National Park
(click on the text above each photo for a quick get-away)
A regularly appearing feature, "Have you seen..." takes a closer, more patient look at things usually not seen in a flattering light.
Take a look!
Each spring, as winter lessens its grip and days warm with the first fragrant breezes of a new season, we collect sap from our Sugar Maples and produce just enough syrup for ourselves for the coming year.
The progress of this year's backyard endeavor is illustrated here.
Summer 2008, the tiny jewel of the avian world, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, nested just feet from my front door. Pictures of her nest and the changing lives within are collected in this journal.
From life the size of a pea....
Cats that come to stay
(click on the text above each photo for stories in these collections)
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9 comments:
This rare specimen, the Banded-Tail Feeder-Pole-Bender
(Latin name stealus all my seedus) is a large flightless bird whose charms are lost on most people who feed birds.
Love that Latin!
I am afraid I must disagree with Susan's determination -- a logical mistake because of the bent feeder pole ( see photo).
If I am not mistaken -- and I hardly ever am --I would say that we have here an Eastern Banded -Tail Raycoot, which is closely related to the EBTRuff Back, but with less of a ruff . Becareful, It is not to be confused with other Coots such as The Old and American. Yes, it is indeed flightless as you have so astutely observed,(see photo).
According to Dr. Zygmutt von Vogelmiester, the EBTR usually reproduces in tree cavities,(see photo), a throwback to its early evolutionary history when it nested in trees like many other early birds. Over time,however, it has also become adapted to civilization and, according to Dr. Vogelmiester, it will occasionally nest and reproduce in chimneys, where it may feed on chimney swifts. To be sure, this latter point needs verification. Its primary food ,however, is the feeding station,upon which it preys, as your photos so nicely show.
While the adult EBTR can be seen in many parts of Ohio, it is not often you get a photo of a young individual (you can tell by the expressive expression on its face--see photo) preying on a feeding station --a rare photo indeed !!.
Gee-I thought it was A Raccoon-just when I thought I was learning
more about birds, I come up with a stumper like this one.
Good Lord. I have been blown out of the water.
I thought I was being SOOOO clever!
You inspired clever comments
This was too much fun! LOL!
This post and the comments gave me my daily dose of laughter.
Thanks all.
Hi Nina, Great post! I have those rare flightless, banded whathaveyous here too. They eat up the dry cat food I keep on my porch and dig around the feeder for seeds and worms. I had three babies last year that I called the Tasmanian Devils because they went everywhere together and were constantly squawking and fighting with each other over bird seed. Got a little old hearing them in the middle of the night though!
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