Foam Lake Birding No. 87

FOAM LAKE BIRDING
No. 87
It appears that we are finally going to get some sunny weather. It is a little late to do much good for farmers this year but perhaps it will help in some way next year. As difficult as this weather has been for humans, the luxuriant plant growth and abundant insect life has been a bonanza for birds of all stripes. Food, water, shelter and nesting sites abound. This year our yard has been particularly active with more birds and more species than usual.
In article No. 78 from Texas, I discussed a group of birds called mimids focussing on thrashers. Mimids are so called because they like to mimic sounds that they hear around them. In reality, only one mimid, the Mocking Bird, does so to any great extent. Another one, the Gray Catbird, will mimic other bird sounds occasionally but not often nor well.
There are four mimids that occur in Saskatchewan. Two, the Gray Catbird and Brown Thrasher, are common; one, the Sage Thrasher, is found in only one place in a sage flat near the American border south of the Cypress Hills; the Mockingbird, a very rare vagrant, can occur just about anywhere.
In this article I want to cover the only mimid that can be expected in our yards around here - the Gray Catbird or simply Catbird. It is an even dark grey overall with a black cap, chestnut under tail coverts and beady black eyes. In size, it ranges about midway between a sparrow and a Robin. In flight the long tailed body exhibits a slight sinuous motion (the body moves somewhat like a crawling worm) that usually only Cuckoos exhibit.
The easiest way to identify the bird even before it is seen is by its distress sound - a kitten like mewing after which the bird is named. This is its way of sounding an alarm that an intruder is nearby. As youngsters we knew we were near a nest when we heard the mewing sound. Incidentally, the nest is in thickets fairly low to the ground and the eggs are bright blue like a Robin's. When angry the Catbird scolds with a rather harsh squawking/screeching sound. Two years ago when I was picking pincherries in our yard, a catbird did not like what I was doing and proceeded to "chew me out" from only a metre or so away. About fifteen minutes later it gave up, thankfully, and left. During mating season, the male will sit on an exposed perch and sing a pleasant song quite similar to that of a Robin. I have heard this song since childhood, therefore, I do not believe the Catbird was mimicking a Robin.
This week's picture was taken this spring in our backyard. The bird has been around all spring warning, scolding and singing in our and our neighbours' yards. It must be nesting somewhere nearby.

Foam Lake Birding No. 55

FOAM LAKE BIRDING
No. 55
With the ripening of the saskatoons, pincherries and chokecherries our backyard has become a hive of activity for fruit loving birds. These include species such as Robins, Cedar Waxwings, House Sparrows, Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, Catbirds and Flickers. Most of these birds are well known as fruit eaters, but the House Sparrow, Catbird and Flicker were complete surprises to me. Most surprising was that the Catbird came within a metre of me as I was picking pincherries and proceeded to loudly scold me – for picking her fruit, I presume. I could actually see the anger in her eyes, and she certainly gave me the impression that I was not welcome there.
Because of the rainy weather we have had in the last couple of weeks, I felt that another article about a duck was in order. This week’s duck of choice, the Ruddy Duck, is an oddity that is considered to be a remnant of an ancient group of ducks called stiff tails. The only other stiff tail in North America is the Masked Duck – a Mexican species that is a rare visitor to the very southern part of Texas. On the other hand, the Ruddy Duck is very common throughout North America. Being a diving duck it can be found on any slough that does not dry out during the summer.
The male Ruddy Duck is one of the most recognizable ducks on the pond; the female, like most ducks, is typically a drab grey brown. As its name implies, the male is rusty red with a black head and striking white face. The bill is a bright sky blue. If these characteristics are not enough, then its odd habit of cocking its tail more or less vertically in the air as it is swimming giving it a two headed appearance should clinch its identification. Both males and females often swim this way. In the spring the males makes a very distinguishable sound. To me it sounds like a popping rattle that lasts for a second or two speeding up towards the end. When viewed the head bobs up and down more or less in time with the sound. Another interesting feature of this bird, that is of no use whatsoever in identifying it, is that the female Ruddy Duck lays one of the largest eggs in proportion to body size of any bird in the world. Unlike most ducks that lay large clutches of eggs, the female Ruddy lays only one or two. Who could blame her.
For those of you who enjoy watching and identifying ducks, this one is a good choice. This small unique diver is common and easy to identify. This week’s photo was taken just east of Tuffnell across from the Margo Road.