John Garbutt

Birding Birds Photography Plano Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Winter Ducks at Russell Creek Park

By John Garbutt, 2014

To some, winter and Uri are now four letter words never to be spoken again as we enter spring. As a birder, the harbinger of spring, Barn Swallows, have been here since the first of March and are flying past my window. The trees outside are leafing out. This however is about the ducks who visit us in winter.

I always look forward to the annual arrival of wintering ducks. A favorite place to observe and photograph them is Russell Creek Park in Plano. I discovered it a couple of winters ago when using eBird to search the area for Redheads and Canvasbacks. I soon added them to my life list there!

This winter I wanted to get more shots of the ducks as close to their eye level as possible. I enjoy doing photography like this but it strains my arms and shoulders. To alleviate this, I purchased a Platypod Ground Tripod along with a ball head so I could use these tools to support the weight of my camera and lens. Below are some of my favorite memories and moments of this past winter as I tested my gear. I hope you enjoy them also.

Female Lesser Scaup Duck — Female Lesser Scaup Photo by John Garbutt

The males always get the most attention. For me, the female Lesser Scaup is one of my favorite ducks. It may be part recency and availability bias, but their brown plumage, caramel eyes, and white patch on the base of the bill, make them striking. (For Single photos, CLICK anywhere on the photo for a larger image in a new tab)

This female Northern Shoveler swum by to say hello. You can see her fine comb like lamellae which are used to filter out food. (For Gallery photos, CLICK on “LARGE IMAGE” at the bottom of the photo to view in new tab.)

Male Ring-Necked Duck — Male Ring-Necked photo by John Garbutt

The Ring-Necked Ducks were diving for breakfast. I was not sure what they were bringing up to eat. It looks like acorns. They will eat mollusk and seeds. Their gizzards will crush the hard shells. (For Single photos, CLICK anywhere on the photo for a larger image in a new tab)

I named this Ring-Necked Duck, Grumpy Duck. He was not amused at the feather on his back. He was constantly reaching for it. (For Gallery photos, CLICK on “LARGE IMAGE” at the bottom of the photo to view in new tab.)

The male Redhead Duck may compete with the Wood Duck for most striking drake to some. I panned my camera as the Redhead outpaced the Lesser Scaup and Ring-Necked ducks until he was in the frame alone. I was able to capture his third eyelid. (For Single photos, CLICK anywhere on the photo for a larger image in a new tab)

I was able to find some ducks after the winter storm. At this time, portions of this pond and others were still frozen. There was a large group of Northern Shovelers. Groups swim in circles to collectively stir up food. They were not quite in full cyclone mode but it was fun to see a larger concentration than normal at this site. #ShovelerSquad
(For Gallery photos, CLICK on “LARGE IMAGE” at the bottom of the photo to view in new tab.)

I also wanted to photograph this beautiful female mallard I had been seeing. She was much lighter colored than normal. A mocha like plumage. I wonder if some domestic mallard duck is in her blood line?

However, her suitor stepped in front to get his shot taken first.

Female Scaup Preening — Female Scaup preening photo by John Garbutt

Lastly, another female Lesser Scaup shot. She was preening very near so it provided some candid shots of behavior. (For Single photos, CLICK anywhere on the photo for a larger image in a new tab)

Birds Frisco Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

The Continuing Chronicles of the Commons Cooper’s

By: John Garbutt

Watching the five Cooper’s Hawks fledge in mid-June under their mother’s watchful eyes seems like years ago. After that moment, I figured I had possibly seen the last of them, at least as a group. I also had other places to go, The Rio Grande Valley, Fort Davis, and the Bolivar Peninsula. As the calendar turned over to September, I began venturing back out to Frisco Commons on the weekends and on the way to work. The “kids” were missed.

On Sunday, September 13, 7am, I began my usual circuit at Frisco Commons. Baltimore Oriole, Blue-Headed Vireo, White-Eyed Vireo, Eastern Wood Pewee, and a life addition, a Warbling Vireo! Then a family of Downy Woodpeckers moving between a couple of trees. Then everything scattered as an immature Cooper’s Hawk flew in after one of the Downy Woodpeckers! Hello again!

A few days later I witnessed the Cooper’s battling Blue Jays. The jays and hawk swirled around the wood line going in and out of visibility. I tried to capture a few shots as I cheered on my hawk. Nearby the Red-Shouldered Hawks were having issues of their own with the crows.

On Sunday the 20^th, the hawk’s frustration seemed at a boiling point and if it was begging me for help. Luckily one of its siblings came to the rescue! The Jays versus Copper’s continued for the next couple of weeks. Occasionally I saw two of the hawks together. Based on visual sightings and sound, at least three Cooper’s Hawks were around.

As October arrived, I was still seeing two of the young hawks together and occasionally hearing calls in the riparian area. Early on the 4^th I was observing two in the back and looking for one hawk that flew to my right behind a tree. I could not locate it. Then as I turned to my left, there one was, at eye level, within 15 feet. It sat there for a few minutes as we caught up. Earlier in the year, I watched a Yellow-Crowned Night Heron regurgitate a crawfish skeleton, and the hawk looked as if it was about to have a similar issue. It did produce a pellet. Perhaps a “feather ball” and a score against the jays?

As October turned to November then December, my trips to Commons and sightings lessoned. I look forward to next year and any possible nesting. In my short time of birding, this experience with the Cooper’s Hawk family has been the most enjoyable and memorable.

John W. Garbutt
Class of 2019

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John Garbutt – Mississippi Kites

After the birding doldrums of August, I longed for a change in the wind and the early signs of fall songbird migration. I ventured out on September 6^th to Frisco Commons to see what I could find. I would find Baltimore Orioles, Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, White-Eyed Vireos, and Great Crested Flycatchers. The latter three possibly having bred in the park or county.

However, the highlight of the visit was what I saw first. As I made my way from the parking lot toward the pond at first light, I noticed four raptor silhouettes in a distant tree. As I got nearer, I was able to see they were Mississippi Kites. They are a common site to see around the area during the summer but I had never seen four at this location. As the path turned toward the pond, I saw another, an immature! Then another and another. By the time I counted them all, eleven Mississippi Kites were around the pond! Who needs songbirds when you have raptors?

All were engaged in their morning preening routine and awaiting the thermals. This afforded some intimate observations for over the next hour and subsequent visits. During this observation I wondered how many of them have been in the area all summer, and how many had been further north? A week previously, I counted over a dozen in Sherman on my failed Swallow-Tailed Kite expedition.

In the spring, a group of us saw our first kites of the year arrive over Bob Woodruff Park. Now I was seeing them group up to leave.

One of my favorite observations was watching an immature move about and awkwardly land on the smallest possible limb and struggle with its balance for a moment. This one also spent a fair amount of time observing me from above.

Another was when an adult made an opportunistic quick flight from its perch to grab a dragonfly flying above my head. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The bug activity around the pond was a perfect spot for migration fuel.

Watching bird behavior is my favorite thing to do. I spent over an hour standing in the same area observing the kites preen their features. They must be kept in great shape for the journey ahead. The aforementioned immature joined two adults to preen in the same tree. My favorite gesture to capture is of them using their talons on their head feathers. It makes for a memeable photo.

The family that preens together, stays together.

On my return visits it came down to two remaining kites (or possibly two different ones) who were in the same trees each morning for the last three-day period.

I last recorded them on September 14^th. See you next year.

Birds Flora and Fauna Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees Wildlife

John Garbutt – Cooper’s Hawk

A couple of winters previous, I discovered a large nest at one of the local parks. I believed it to be a hawk’s nest based on size and I had seen Cooper’s Hawks fly out of the area before. Late this March I saw a pair of Cooper’s Hawks in the area and hoped they would nest. Due to the circumstances of this year I had a lot of time on my hands.

I was visiting a lot to look for spring migrants but always took the time to check the nest area. On April 7^th I discovered the female incubating. I used my books and online resources to work up a calendar for incubation, nesting, and fledging. I looked forward to the next three months.

For the next month I would stop and check to see that incubation was still occurring. I did not remain longer than needing to see her on the nest. On May 13^th I heard a calling hatchling. On the 16^th I witnessed the mother feed the young and fly off to discard the carcass away from the nest. On the 27^th I saw my first movement of a hatchling in the nest and mother fly in with a meal.

As the calendar flipped over to June, I estimated the unknown number of babies to be just over two weeks old. On June 1^st, I saw my first nestling cloaked in white down feathers with its alien like appearance.

On this day I captured a photo of the mother calling to her young and presumably the father for more food. Or she was letting me know she saw me. She usually greeted me with a call and flight making her visible out of the thick canopy above. I kept my distance and made no threatening movements or sounds. One would not know the nest existed unless it was seen before the trees leafed out. It was well hidden.

On June 5^th I returned to check on the nest and discovered four nestlings! They were as curious of me as I was them. The nearby squirrels grabbed their attention periodically as they jumped from tree to tree as if they were Tom Cruise portraying Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible. It was fun watching them turn their heads in unison to the noise of the world around them.

With the help of my friend Molly we named them Things 1, 2, 3 & 4. By the next weekend they were nearing four weeks of age and beginning to look like young adults.

On Saturday the 13^th they were starting to venture out of the nest to the nearby limbs. On the limbs, they preened and stretched.

As they began to fledge, I knew my time with them was nearing an end. It was beginning to become more difficult to see them as they ventured around the nest tree in the dense foliage. Soon though, I was in for quite the surprise. As the older birds began to vacate the nest, a fifth baby hawk was discovered in the nest on June 17^th as its four siblings were nearby. Thing 5! It was amazing how quickly they had gone from their white alien appearance to their immature plumage. They were flying from limb to limb. Stretching, flapping, and preening.

One fledgling flew from the nest tree to a tree about halfway towards their mom’s favorite perch. It then called triumphantly to its siblings and mother.

As I left on this morning, I got a shot of their mother half hidden in shadow and half in a beam of light shining through the canopy. Proud. Beautiful. Tired. A week into summer I would see them around the nest for the last time. I found four of the fledglings in a tree near the nest.

In early July I saw an immature Cooper’s Hawk in the park. It had to be one of the five. They are sorely missed. I have read many articles about how people have turned to birding and the outdoors during the pandemic. It is amazing what is happening all around us if we take the time to enjoy it.