Species in Focus: Anna's Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)

A zippy whistling sound greets my ears at roughly 7:35 AM on a cold winter day in the Pacific Northwest. Though the sun has barely risen over the Cascade Mountains, tiny hummingbird tongues are searching for sweet drops of nectar on Whidbey Island.

While spending the winter on Whidbey Island in 2022 and 2023, I experienced the effects of increased numbers of Anna's Hummingbirds firsthand. One of my jobs was to make sure the neighbor cats stayed away from hummingbirds frozen in torpor. Keeping the feeders full for these birds can become a stressful job for residents of the island when the temperature drops. The birds empty the feeders quickly, and they must be kept warm in order to prevent hummingbirds from getting frozen to the feeder itself. It's a high-stress existence for both parties. This is an increasingly common phenomenon, as Anna's Hummingbirds are moving north and resident populations are growing steadily in Washington state. 

There are other species of hummingbirds in Washington that may compete with Anna's Hummingbirds. While working at a parrot sanctuary on the south of the island in late spring, I once found a deceased Rufous Hummingbird in the middle of the aviary floor. This migratory species visited our feeder as well, but in much fewer numbers. They directly compete with Anna's for breeding habitat on Whidbey Island in the summer. As for feeding, the island provides supplemental nectaring stations as well as artificially planted or naturally growing flowers. The Rufous historically bred in western Washington, whereas the Anna's Hummingbird was primarily restricted to breeding in California prior to range expansion. Now, the Anna's is a full-time resident of Washington, taking up a lot of space in the ecosystem as well as in the hearts of locals. 

Tree of Life - Olympic National Park

Incredibly old sitka spruce I got the pleasure of meeting on May 15, 2023.

Here's a recent article about it's current condition... Needless to say I am very grateful I got to see it in 2023 and will return back to this spot the next time I make it to the West Coast.

https://natlpark.com/2025/01/tree-of-life-might-near-final-days-in-olympic-national-park/

This week, I learned about old growth in Silviculture as well as the Northern Spotted Owl conundrum in my Forest Ecology class. I started to daydream about Washington and the time I spent in and around Olympic National Park. Some of these trees have incredible stories, and they're not far from clearcut areas. In fact, the Tree of Life is very close to a recently logged area. Near La Push in 2022, I discovered massive drift wood logs, and now in 2025 can fully undersdand there importance to the ecosystem, both standing and dead. It's okay if they fall, the Tree of Life certainly will, and even when she does, her body, bark, and branches will still contribute a great deal of value to the ecosystem.

Lake Dubay, Portage Co., WI - ALAS Bird Walk

This morning, the Aldo Leopold Audubon Society ALAS weekly bird walk led by Rob Pendergast was at Lake DuBay. It was very foggy, but still warm for October, with many hardwoods still retaining brilliant foliage and a GRAY CATBIRD hanging around. Seven birders participated in the walk. Twenty-four unique species were observed. We birded the forest around the Dam Rd. loop and looked out over the river for a ~2hr trip. Highlights included parties of flitting DARK-EYED JUNCOS and trumpeting RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. Multiple PINE SISKINS flew over, as well as an AMERICAN PIPIT. A late EASTERN TOWHEE was calling from the nearby woods while we looked out over the water. Despite limited visibility, two BONAPARTE'S GULLS, four LESSER SCAUP, and three GADWALL were observed flying in and landing.

View full checklist on eBird

House Finch on Your Hood

House Finch on Your Hood

It's just us and the Chipping Sparrows, I suppose
I'm snapping sticks for the dog to chew
Would rather be swimming through sagebrush
But I'm planted on the pavement, no bird's eye view

The waves of bittersweet daydreams
Sizzle while I fry my imaginary egg
The catbird's kitten cry reminds us
You can't remember what you never knew.

Let's keep up with reckless stuff
The neckless scruffs while the rabbits run
Paws leaving prints will dry in the sun.

The Secret Sora Society

Yellow Warbler at Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge

I've been confusing a lot of people when they ask what I'm doing for field work this spring/summer. Conducting surveys for secretive marsh birds along the Upper Mississippi just doesn't roll off the tongue for everyone. However, to a select group of humans... It makes total sense. If you are one of those people, welcome to the Secret Sora Society. 

During the last two weeks of April, I followed Ava Cross-Weisbeck along as we scouted each of her research sites. These included both historical as well as new points she has chosen based on suitable habitat in satellite imagery and on the ground investigation. The first week allowed me to get my feet wet and learn the ropes. Ava has birded and visited these sites previously, with the wildlife refuge manager Dr. Steven Winter guiding.

The second week of scouting was shorter lived. A potentially historic tornado outbreak was slated to occur directly in the study area. We redirected and worked at the school to be safe.  Our first day back in the field brought the arrival of many new bird species that weren't present just four days before nor sixty miles North. Species included Yellow Warblers, Baltimore Orioles, and Gray Catbirds.

Our first day of field work it rained. On May 1, we heard many House Wrens, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Song Sparrows. Male American Goldfinches so bright yellow like leaves on the ground. Friends of the marsh. 

Naturally, the check engine light has to come on in the truck and the dog has to take a trip to the emergency vet. It just goes to show how far empathy and compassion from a field supervisor can go during field excursions. It's important to 'take the phone call' is a phrase I've started hearing from mentors who value mental health in the avian conservation world. The truck and the dog are all good, though! Let's get these birds!

Chasing the Red-footed Booby

Red-footed Booby 💖

It has been far too long since I have updated this blog, and far too long since I went on a rarity chase! After finishing up field work in Utah and Idaho, I headed back west to Whidbey Island and Pennsylvania. After a short stint of visiting east and seeing the cardinals and catbirds, I flew back to Seattle at the perfect time-- a Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) has posted up in Port Townsend.

The bird is reported to be a juvenile male. He is perfectly perched on the roof of a marine science center at Fort Worden State Park. I got to the state park near sunset last night and scanned the gull flock near the center for a good two hours. Venturing to the nearby lighthouse, I sat by the water for a while and let the flowing rhythm calm my soul. Although the booby was nowhere to be found, I was hopeful it would show up in the morning.

Returning to my campsite at the state park, I bedded down in a nest of blankets in the backseat of the Volvo, reading for a few hours until dark. When the sun came up, so did I. I headed back toward the marine science center as Nirvana played on the radio. My search commenced in a similar fashion to the day before-- I scanned the gull flock that was now resting on the beach. When I brought my binos up to the roof of the science center, I saw someone who looked a bit awkward. There he was! The Red-footed Booby missed the memo on going down to the sand, staying up on the roof by his lonesome to preen his feathers.

I stayed for a while, watching him preen. Those feathers are responsible for hopefully getting him back to an area where he can find more of his kind. The study of vagrancy and the reporting of rare birds is a part of ornithology that I find bittersweet. I'm grateful to be able to observe this species so close-up in the wild, but can only assume that the climate-change fueled intense tropical weather may have pushed the booby up into the Puget Sound. Hopefully his appearance will spark some local interest in birding as it only takes one bird to fall beak over talons into this life.

Poetry Spotlight - Baby Bee, December 2024

Halloween 2022 at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Baby Bee

by Emily Ritter

I listen So I can create smiles On forgetful faces Surprised I remember Their favorite band or song. And tell me, what is your name? And why did you laugh? What makes you blush? Tell me about your childhood dog. Let’s speak her paws back onto the ground… And the chickens, how many were there again? Do you miss bleary eyed mornings and The rooster’s crow?