Golden Eagle (Aquila_chrysaetos) photo courtesy Wikipedia Commons
Washington, D.C., April 12, 2012: American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the nation’s leading bird conservation organization, has charged that the eagle rule change proposed today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) will result in more eagles being killed at wind energy projects.
“ABC supports wind power when it is bird-smart, but this proposed rule change will lead to more dead eagles, more costly lawsuits, and more Americans who will wonder why the wind industry keeps getting a free pass to kill some of our nation’s most iconic birds,” said Kelly Fuller, ABC’s Wind Campaign Coordinator.
Currently, wind energy companies and other businesses can apply to FWS for permit that allows them to kill limited numbers of eagles as part of their normal operations if they also commit to a series of compensatory actions to offset this damage. These “programmatic incidental take permits” granted under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act must be renewed every five years. However, at the request of the wind energy industry, FWS has now proposed making the permits good for 30 years. THIRTY YEARS! Are you kidding me?
Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) Female photos by Larry Jordan
Anna’s Hummingbirds (Calypte anna) have been mobbing my feeders in increasing numbers over the last couple of weeks. I’m sure that some of the increase is due to more hummingbirds coming into the area to breed but some is due to the newly fledged juveniles from the first nesting back in February (click on ph0tos for full sized images).
This is what the female looks like form the back, flying into the feeding station.
As she gets closer to the feeder she will sometimes hover, waiting for an opening.
The male Anna’s Hummingbird will often perch on a nearby branch or at the top of a tree and guard “his feeder.”
Here this male is ready to dive back into the fray at the feeders.
These tiny “jewels of the sky” are so interesting to watch, I thought the best way to show their interactions was with a video.
The video begins with a male at the feeder followed by the female Anna’s Hummingbird perched in a nearby tree. The remainder depicts the typical behavior of the hummingbirds vying for a spot at the feeders.
For more great bird photos from around the world, check out World Bird Wednesday and come join the fun!
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) photos by Larry Jordan
If not for the title of this post, would you be able to identify this bird from this photo (click on photos for full sized images)? If you are familiar with the Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) you probably would simply because of the way this bird is clinging to the bulrush with legs spread on divergent reeds.
This photo would help with the ID, now seeing some field marks other than just the white eyebrow stripe but he or she is still skulking in the reeds as I struggle to get a clear shot.
Sitting in the photo blind at Delevan National Wildlife Refuge, I could tell what it was before I even saw it. I heard it calling.
Then it came out into the open and I could see that distinctive design on its back.
I always enjoy seeing and hearing these industrious little birds.
This time of year when the males are building their nests and singing…
they have to put a big smile on your face 😀
Did you know that about half of the male Marsh Wrens in some populations mate simultaneously with 2 or more females and the males also build multiple nests, typically at least a half dozen dummy nests for every breeding nest used by a female1? I wasn’t kidding when I said they were industrious!
If you want to see one of these guys actually building a nest and singing, check out my other Marsh Wren post. Then get on over to World Bird Wednesday and see more bird photos from around the world from our illustrious host, David Springman!
Golden Eagle (Aquila_chrysaetos) photo courtesy Wikipedia Commons
Social Media Connect