HART BEAT: PHOEBES

Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Phoebe

The question came in a text from our grandson in San Diego, “Every afternoon this bird comes onto our back patio at 5 p.m. and looks in at us. Can you tell us what it is?” The text was accompanied by a slightly blurry but definitive cell phone photo of a Black Phoebe. I was glad to inform him of the bird’s identity and also remind him that years ago when he was younger, a pair of Black Phoebes had nested in the back yard of the home he grew up in northern California and that I was able to take photos of them at that time (photo 4). I was also delighted that his text gave me a topic for this Hart Beat column.

Most birders are well aware that here in the eastern United States we only have one species of phoebe, the ubiquitous Eastern Phoebe (top of page). As with many of the common birds that we simply take for granted, like Mockingbirds, Mourning Doves and Robins, the Eastern Phoebe is just another bird we often pass over without a second thought. Western birders tell me that the two species of Phoebes they have there, Black Phoebes and Say’s Phoebes (photo 6), fall into the same ho-hum category.

All three species of Phoebes share pretty much the same characteristics:

  • They pump their tails.

  • They love to hang around human habitation, even coming to windowsills, and nesting under eaves and over hangs of buildings, (like this Say’s Phoebe in Arizona in photo 7).

  • They all are hardworking flycatchers grabbing insects from small flies up to dragonfly size (photos 7 and 2) and occasionally butterflies.

  • They are extremely agile and acrobatic fliers.

Out west the Black and Say’s Phoebes overlap their breeding territories primarily on the west coast ranging from western Texas through New Mexico and California, with the Say’s Phoebe, but not the Black, extending its breeding season territory over many of the western states and into western Canada and even Alaska. Neither species comes into the Eastern Phoebe’s territory, which is the entire east coast west to the plains states, and north into central Canada. All three species can be found wintering in Mexico. In Florida the Eastern Phoebe can only typically be found in the winter.

In searching my archives for photos of Black and Say’s Phoebes, I quickly realized how long it has been since we have been doing birding photography in California and Arizona. My Black Phoebe photos and most of my Say’s Phoebe photos date to trips in 2009 and 2012, and only one set of Say’s Phoebe shots stem from a Christmas vacation we spent with our California daughter’s family when we did a hike in Torrey Pines in 2014 (photo 6). That is certainly a short-coming we will have to remedy when we can get back to traveling again. One accommodating Black Phoebe posed for us on our winery tour to Napa and Sonoma when I was more focused on winery photography in 2009 (photo 5).

On the other hand, I have a myriad of photos of the Eastern Phoebe. It seems wherever we are all year long, winter in Florida and summer in Pennsylvania, Eastern Phoebe photography opportunities abound, often right outside our door as Phoebes frequent the plant hanger by our front patio in Pennsylvania, and sit on the sign post by the lake just off our rear patio in Florida, not to mention just about every trip we take for birds anywhere. Well, maybe not on an offshore pelagic trip. In addition, Eastern Phoebes nest often close to or on buildings, and sometimes we see young birds (photo 3) with their prominent brownish wing bars that will fade and disappear as they age.

Like so many things we sometimes take for granted, when we lose them we are devastated at how their absence can impact our lives. Jewel recently, quite unexpectedly lost her sister, her only remaining immediate family member whom she saw or talked to almost daily. Jewel is now in the process of closing out her sister’s estate and every item she comes across seems to remind her of some now lost memory, never to be relived again. Perhaps we should appreciate the beautiful birds that we take for granted and enjoy them to the fullest now while they are here and we can find them, enjoy them and savor the experiences they afford us. We think they are common and will be here always, and forever easy to find. But like Jewel’s sister who we had no idea was not going to continue to be a part of our lives, how do we know some catastrophe is not just around the corner that could deprive us of some of the birds we so love, cherish and take for granted. Perhaps it is time to stop and smell the roses and fully appreciate all the birds, common as well as rare, and all they add to our lives. None of us knows what life has in store for us. Perhaps now is the time. Love you, Phoebes, and will definitely look for you next time out there.

For an interesting study on why Eastern Phoebes engage in tail pumping, see: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227973064_Tail_pumping_by_Eastern_Phoebes_an_honest_persistent_predator-deterrent_signal1

HART BEAT: PURPLE GALLINULES & "PURPLE" SWAMPHENS

Male (left) and female Gray-headed Swamphen

Male (left) and female Gray-headed Swamphen

Purple Gallinules and “Purple” Swamphens, since 2015 renamed Gray-headed Swamphens, have been a source of confusion for many Florida birders in the last 15 years or so ever since the Swamphens first began proliferating in many popular wetlands birding locations. While there are certainly superficial similarities between the two species they are easily distinguishable at closer inspection. With Swamphens now seeming to outnumber Gallinules in some locations where both species share the same habitat it may be time to spell out the differences.

Purple Gallinules have very distinct red bills with a bright yellow tip (photo 2) and it is the only marsh inhabiting species with a bright blue forehead shield (photo 3). In addition, Purple Gallinules have unmistakable bright yellow legs, while Gray-headed Swamphens have reddish legs.

Finally, Swamphens are noticeably larger and chunkier than the more elegant and svelte Gallinules. As a birding friend of mine once described the difference between Red-tailed Hawks and Red-shouldered Hawks with a Shakespearean era metaphor, “Red-tail Hawks are country folk while Red-shouldered Hawks are gentry,” the former description applies to Swamphens, while the latter to Gallinules. In flight Purple Gallinules (photo 4) are noticeably smaller the Gray-headed Swamphens (photo 7).

I remember traveling from our Bucks County, PA, home to Wilmington, DE, in December 1990 to see the first ever reported Purple Swamphen in the United States. How and why that bird, spotted in a residential neighborhood in Delaware, arrived there was never determined, but some birders speculated that it may have been ship-assisted on a naval vessel from somewhere in the Persian Gulf where the Gulf War was in full progress. Needless to say, the sighting created quite a stir at the time.

The Florida population of Swamphens, first discovered in Pembroke Pines, halfway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, in December 1996 is believed to have originated from birds that escaped from nearby aviculturists who had a number of Purple Swamphens which were allowed to roam freely. The aviculturists had both the Gray-headed and Blue-headed versions of the birds which represent potentially separate subspecies of the Swamphens from separate areas of the world. However, DNA sampling of a number of the birds indicates the birds all originated from the same subspecies which only ranges from Turkey to Thailand, and that the birds with gray heads are males, while the birds with blue heads are females, (photo 1 at top of page) rather than representative of different subspecies from different populations in different parts of the world. Nevertheless, the gray Swamphens (photo 5) and the blue Swamphens (photo 6) sure do look different enough that it would be easy to conclude they were indeed from different subspecies. Ongoing analysis and research continues on this subject, so the conclusion could yet change.

In October 2006 two Florida agencies undertook an eradication program to eliminate the Purple Swamphens, and over the next 27 months over 3,000 Swamphens were killed. There seems to be little evidence that the illegal immigrant Swamphens are actually a threat to native card-carrying American birds. It appears that tax dollars are probably better spent trying to depose and eliminate the more insidious and sinister illegal immigrant Burmese Pythons.

The best way for birders to distinguish between all the different white herons and egrets, such as Great, Snowy, Cattle, immature Little Blue and White Ibis is to compare the parts of the bird that are not white, such as the legs, feet and bills. The same applies to distinguishing between Purple Gallinules and Gray-headed Swamphens: Purple Gallinules - bright yellow legs and feet, delicate two toned bills, red with a yellow tip and a blue forehead shield; Gray-headed Swamphens - bright red legs and feet and large all red bill and forehead shield. Besides that, the Swamphens are, as the reference article below notes: “Purple Gallinules on steroids.” 

Unquestionably the Gray-headed Swamphens are a very interesting addition to the avifauna of Florida. Just as northern Snowbirds flock to Florida for the warmth and sunshine, many avian species find Florida just as enticing and exciting. And like many Snowbirds, immigrant birds end up staying for the long haul and become permanent residents.

If you think about it, every one of us is either an immigrant or descended from an immigrant originally and we are all better off. Still, it would be nice if we could keep out those immigrant viruses that cause us to hole up in our homes on our couches watching television instead of getting out birding. I have often said, “You can’t find birds from your living room couch.” Covid! Be gone!

For a comprehensive history of Gray-headed Swamphens in the United States, see: www.aba.org/birding_archive_files/birding453pranty.pdf

HART BEAT: FORT PIERCE INLET JETTY PARK

Masked Booby

Masked Booby

Florida has a number of excellent birding destinations. Unfortunately none of the best ones are on the Treasure Coast, consisting of three counties on the east coast: from north to south – Indian River (Vero Beach), St Lucie (Fort Pierce and Port St Lucie) and Martin (Stuart). While an hour south of us in Boynton Beach Wakodahatchee and Green Cay, two waste water treatment settling ponds with extensive boardwalks wandering through them draw visitors from all over the world. A little over an hour north of us in Viera another drive through on dikes waste water treatment area and Merritt Island National Park with its wonderful Black Point Drive provide viewing of a great many species of birds year round. Northwest of us another hour away at Joe Overstreet Road the road into the landing at the edge of Lake Kissimmee affords a variety of habitats and numerous inland species that we don’t normally encounter along the coast.

Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when Dottie Hull was a force in Florida statewide birding circles and a primary leader in St Lucie Audubon Society, she had prevailed on a popular St Lucie County Commissioner to consider building a sorely needed wastewater treatment plant in western St Lucie County with settling ponds and a boardwalk modeled after Wakodahatchee. Early steps were initiated, some engineering completed, and preliminary plans developed. Unfortunately, Dottie Hull passed on, the County Commissioner moved on from the post and, while the plant is still sorely needed with all the greatly increasing residential development in western St Lucie County, there does not appear to be any driving force to create the treatment plant, the settling ponds and certainly not the wonderful birding location that could be a tremendous addition to the attractions of the County.

That having been said, there is one location in Fort Pierce that still attracts birds: Fort Pierce Inlet Jetty Park. This fact was driven home by the recent appearance of a juvenile Masked Booby (photo 1 and top of page) that drew birders from far and near, as it was a great distance from its accustomed Dry Tortugas home. The bird actually cavorted at times right on the Jetty walkway and some birders were fortunate to obtain outstanding close-up photos of it. When I arrived the bird was some distance out at sea.

Crossing the Seaway Avenue Bridge one is treated to the open tank swirling sewage water treatment plant that is one of the main eyesores of Fort Pierce. It really should be moved west. But just after the bridge on the inlet side there is an expansive sand beach which on nice days is jointly inhabited by sunbathers, and virtually all four species of gulls, three species of terns and a nice flock of Black Skimmers (photo 2). Just across the inlet is a small island with a sandbar that often accommodates from time to time most species of egrets and herons, including Reddish Egrets such as this juvenile (photo 3). Occasionally White Pelicans and even Roseate Spoonbills can be on that sandbar, if it’s not a weekend when pleasure boaters often moor there.

Upon arriving at the end of Seaway Drive and entering the Jetty Park parking area if there are fishermen cleaning fish at the tables provided for that purpose one cannot help but see all the herons, egrets, pelicans and even Woodstorks patiently waiting for the fishermen to toss them unwanted scraps of fish entrails, heads and even the fish skeletons after filleting. There will be Fish Crows and Boat-tailed Grackles there as well, the final on the ground clean-up crew.

Overhead in the trees Eurasian Collared Doves can be found. Whether fishermen are at the table or not, there will undoubtedly be a Brown Pelican standing guard on the rocks right in the same area. (photo 4) Following the paved concrete walkway out to the end of the jetty, one will quickly see Ruddy Turnstones (photo 5), Sanderlings and sometimes Western Sandpipers working in and around the rocks and even underfoot as they seek food scraps that fishermen toss to them.

 Over the water, gulls, terns, and Osprey fly back and forth particularly working the area where the inlet waters meet the ocean at the end of the jetty. It is a good location to sometimes see Bonaparte’s Gulls like this one appearing to fly just under a fisherman’s rod (photo 6). Overhead, Magnificent Frigatebirds move back and forth as they head farther north to ride the wind currents rising off the high-rise apartment buildings on North Hutchinson Island (photo 7). Uncommon to rare birds in the area, such as this Red Knot (photo 8), Purple Sandpipers, Brown Boobys, and, if the winds are right, Northern Gannets sometimes appear. The seating areas provided are convenient spots for the birds to wait to scavenge for scraps, birds that otherwise you would never be able to begin to approach, such as this Fish Crow. (photo 9)

While Inlet Jetty Park is certainly not Wakodahatchee, Green Cay or Merritt Island, it still is a place to find birds and sometimes in the pool formed behind the spur jetty off the main jetty, manatees. It may even be the best place in St Lucie County. I would be pleased to hear any other suggestions for other candidates. With all the new wonderful improvements underway in downtown Fort Pierce, with new buildings, a state of the art mega yacht repair facility, and general gentrification, it just seems totally out of character to continue to maintain this sewage treatment plant eyesore in such a prime location.

Is there anyone out there ready to start the ball rolling again?  This old worn out writer avid environmentalist snowbird is unfortunately not in a position to lead such a charge, but maybe planting the suggestion seed might spark someone. Anyone? Now, once again I will get off my soap box.