Midway Comes to The ABA

Almost all of Midway's birds can be seen performing bizarre, humorous, or elegant courtship displays at some point during the year. Terns are well-known for their graceful, synchronized courtship displays...in the sky. These Sooty Terns were doing synchronized dancing on the ground. I've never seen anything like it, before or since.

Midway Atoll is one of the most incredible places I've ever been, and a large part of that is due to the birds there. With Midway Atoll now within the friendly confines of the ABA Area, I just had a new piece on Midway's seabirds published in ABA's Birder's Guide to Travel. Click on the cover and flip to page 32 (you can access this whether you are an ABA member or not), or if you are an ABA member it should be mailed to you imminently if you don't have it already. I'm chuffed that the ABA wanted to put it out, take a look!

I've probably posted this White Tern photo at some point in the distant past. If not, I'm sorry it took so long.  Holy shit this image gives me the warm fuzzies...this was in my backyard on Midway.

From Anous to Thalasseus: Tern Heroes

Brown Noddy is a truly slick looking bird, with shades of gray, brown and black all somehow seamlessly melting into one another.  I'm told they can be pretty aggressive around nests but in my experience with them you just walk up to them and they let you stare at them super hard. Photographed at Midway Atoll.

I have a plan...a plan to see a certain species of tern.  A species I haven't seen before.  I'm not going to try for another couple of months, but I'm really looking forward to it.  I don't get lifer terns very often (the last couple were Bridled in 2013, Aleutian in 2010) so I'm getting pretty worked up about it. Terns are a big deal.  They are aesthetically pleasing, highly migratory, prone to vagrancy, and often offer a worthy ID challenge.  Many species are stunning, even while still comfortably constrained by The Economy of Style.  In anticipation and celebration of this event, I'm going to post a suite of other terns that have improved my life in myriad ways.

My experiences with Black Noddy, on the other hand, have not been similar.  They look at you from trees and don't want to be near you.  Although I saw many, many Black Noddies while out at Midway, this was the one and only really approachable individual I found...which I am grateful for, because it chose the perfect perch and perfect background. Note the longer, more slender bill in comparison to Brown Noddy.

Sooty Terns sure do get around...around the world, that is.  It's one of two tern species I've seen on the east coast, west coast, and Hawaiian Islands (Least Tern being the other).  This bird was (still is?) part of the colony on Eastern Island at Midway Atoll.

Ahhh, my last life tern, and what a sweet lifer it was.  Before seeing them I was always confounded about how these could be told from Grey-backed Terns (which do have some range overlap in the South Pacific), but I can see a difference now. This Bridled Tern was photographed off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Grey-backed Terns are sweet birds...they sometimes nest in the same places as Sooty Terns, but are always less abundant and less annoying (Sooty colonies are loud and intense).  I've always considered them the luxury car of terns, although I don't know why and that probably doesn't make sense to anyone else.  Note the finer bill and paler back than the Bridled Tern above; Grey-backed also has less black in the primaries when seen from below. Photographed at Midway Atoll.

Least Terns and I go way back...they are one of the handful of birds that I remember well from those dark ages of before I was a birder.  I worked with these birds a lot in San Diego a couple years ago, unfortunately all of their breeding colonies fared horribly and it was kind of depressing (colonies up and down California failed that year).  Photographed in Escondido, CA.

As far as photography goes, shooting feeding terns never gets old.  Here is a Forster's Tern, mid-plunge. Photographed at the Tijuana River Estuary, CA.

Though shackled with a...common...yet horrible name, Common Tern is always a bird we enjoy seeing in California.  Rarely common, we most often find them during fall migration at the Salton Sea, coastal wetlands and well offshore, in the realm of Arctic Terns.  You would not expect to find a bird from the Canadian prairie far out at sea, but luckily birds have a habit of defying birder expectations.  Photographed at Ormond Beach, CA.

Arctic Terns are tantalizing.  Unless you are lucky enough to bird where they breed, they always seem so...ephemeral.  Uncommon off California during fall, they are never really dependable on pelagic trips, and sightings are usually brief and of poor to mediocre quality. I want to see more. Photographed off Bodega Bay, CA.

I first met Sandwich Tern at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve (in Orange County, CA) back in the mid 90's when one had teamed up with an Elegant Tern to make hybrids.  It would be over 10 years before I saw another, but now we make sure to eyeball each other with more regularity. Photographed at the Dry Tortugas, FL.

Elegant Terns are a common sight up and down California in summer and fall.  As breeders, they have increased in the state over the years, forming colonies in San Diego, Orange and most recently Los Angeles Counties...no minor achievement, considering how few breeding colonies there are in the world.  Photographed at Half Moon Bay, CA.

Unlike on the Atlantic coast, Royal Terns do not venture very far northward; they are a rare bird away from southern California.  Despite frequently associating with Elegant Terns (which provide great comparisons), they are often misidentified...but such is the fate of many terns South Padre Island, TX.

For the world's biggest tern, you would think Caspian Terns would have some different behaviors from the rest of the family...but aside from monstrous vocalizations, they are pretty similar.  Fortunately, those horrible calls are quite charming.  Photographed at South Padre Island, TX.

Gull-billed Terns, on the other hand, know how to stand apart.  Gull-billed Terns are just as content foraging for horned lizards in the sand dunes as they are fish in the surf line.  They hunt bird eggs and chicks, and will get mobbed by other tern species.  They are everything Caspian Terns wish they could be, all while carrying themselves with a certain grace and elegance. Photographed at the Tijuana River Estuary.

Black Terns have always been there for me.  Back when I started birding, a Black Tern was one of the first Vague Runts I ever saw (at the Ventura Water Treatment Plant, if you must know). They are always there for me at the Salton Sea in the summer.  When I needed them most (for lack of humanity to spend time with), they were there in the greatest of numbers in North Dakota.  I would be lying if I said I wasn't dying to see their Vague Runt brethren, White-winged Tern, but until I do Black Terns will continue to validate my existence.  Photographed at Lostwood NWR, North Dakota.

White Tern is a singular bird...there's nothing quite like them. They nest pretty much anywhere that isn't the ground, just plop out an egg where hopefully the chick won't be too exposed to the weather. They are tame. They come hover next to your head as you walk by their perch. If you haven't seen one, they are your favorite bird waiting to happen. Photographed at Midway Atoll.

Last but not Least Tern, I finally give you a stupid tern pun and offer you an honorary tern, a Black Skimmer. Skimmers look great on the wing, but they always look so grumpy at rest. Maybe if no one could tell that I had eyeballs, I would seem grumpy too.  Photographed at South Padre Island, TX.

When I Knew To Stop Looking

In an instant this first-year Herring Gull has transformed from a disgusting garbage-eater to a mind-boggling contortionist. Note that the preen gland on it's upper tail is exposed. Lake Merced, San Francisco, CA.

Good Thursday to you nerds. The only loose theme running through all these pictures today are birds doing some interesting poses...I purposefully avoided posting anything too graceful (well, except for the terns) as it would just be too easy to slap a bunch of herons and egrets in here and call it a day. Oh yeah, no flight shots either, them's the rules.

The crystal ball that is seasonal bird work is beginning to clear...my destiny grows easier to see by the day...an official migration announcement should happen soon!

A Bobolink takes a break from being Lord Of The Prairie and stretches out. Do you see how sharp it's tail feathers are? They have rapidly evolved in the past few decades to stab bird banders...interestingly, their distress calls given while in the hand sound uncannily like "I'm giving you tons of bird lice right now" and "I'll see you in Hell". Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota.

Since they are so big-bodied, Canvasbacks often appear somewhat stubby-winged. This female is trying to buck the trend...I think she pulls it off. Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA.

Of course, courtship and territorial displays frequently entail some bizarre posturing. These male Great-tailed Grackles are both telling each other "Why don't you come at me bro?". Chavarrillo, Veracruz, MEX.

While appearing superficially gull-like on land (and somewhat confused to be on land in the first place), albatross become entirely different beasts when it comes to dancing. These Black-footed Albatross were seducing each other with their sick moves at Midway Atoll.

White Terns look good, there is no denying it. But when it comes down to making babies, they make it look more like a miracle. I can't tell you how many tears I shed watching this...eventually I ran out of water and cried blood. That's when I knew to stop looking. Midway Atoll.

Going from no-necked to fully extended, a Thick-billed Murre takes a gander at something on the cliff below. In a moment it will return from its moment of quasi-elegance to being fat, squat and cute. Buldir Island, AK.

Other birds aren't blessed with such long necks. This is about as far as a Clay-colored Sparrow can stick it's head out. It still a good-looking bird though (obvi). Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge, ND.

A Double-crested Cormorant throws it's wings out for air brakes and balance as it makes a brilliant landing. Lake Merced, CA.

While many sandpipers are comfortable being cloaca-deep in putrid mud, this Semipalmated Sandpiper is apparently a bit too dainty to get it's feathers dirty. It's wings are out for balance, to keep from sinking in too deep. White Lake, ND.

I know what you are thinking..."Whoa. I am really drawn to this image...it's affecting the shit out of me. It is a thing of beauty. I've never seen anything like it." Yeah, you guessed it, this is absolutely ART. That's why you are feeling so many emotions right now. You may also be feeling some jealousy, since this is actually a Slaty-backed Gull. Buldir Island, AK.

Some birds just aren't cut out for being graceful. This soggy Black-crowned Night-Heron was photographed at Lake Merritt.

Friday Never Comes

Hello nerds, geeks, dorks, and birdwatchers of the world. I've got a lot to do today, so that means no birding and only a little blogging...but stay tuned for some news (old news?) from Midway Atoll over the weekend, I think it's worth a look. In the meantime, you can stare at this White Tern for hours on end...that's how I usually spend Fridays....well, on Midway at least.

Later!

Complete Financial Ruin And Social Castration: The Cassowary Sings, Part II

"Inconceivable".

In this second segment, we complete our conversation with birding raconteur Cass Grattan, a true creature of scumbaggery...


Your "companion" is a birder. I've seen her observe birds myself, you cannot deny it. How has this complicated your relationship?

Yes, she is guilty of correct bird identification, in the first degree...multiple counts, in fact. The main problem is that she has seen so many more mind-altering birds than I have, and is relatively content with her illustrious sightings and career achievements. The idea of a White Tern nesting on my front porch is not only inconceivable, but plunges me into a serious existential dilemma. I simply must move to a place where this might happen, even if it means complete financial ruin and social castration. Since my partner has had this experience, and provided photographic evidence and personal anecdotes concerning White Tern parenting philosophy, she has the power to induce dangerous levels of jealousy and feelings of inferiority within me. Can we move on to the next question please?

Clearly White Tern Complex is something to be avoided at all costs...do you have any additional mental problems? Demons to battle that would explain why you became a birder in the first place?

Sure I've got problems. It has always been unclear to me the relationship between personal strife and birding. Perhaps the answer is too horrible to bear. I try not to think about it often. At it's most benign, birding is a reason to go outdoors and get some air, exercise your brain, and take pleasure in the splendor and beauty of it all. But perhaps it is all you have, and the addiction has known this the whole time. Over the years it has slowly and gently herded you into isolation and obscurity until you have nothing else BUT birding. Hopefully The Truth lies somewhere between these poles, perhaps on the pole...which is where Truth belongs.

Cass tackles an art-laden tower at Slab City.

Why should people care about birds?

Because they are free. And I mean free in all senses of the word, except in that one way.

Favorite place to bird? Why?

Shit. These are really hard questions. Madera Canyon has been such a vortex of drama and joy in my life. That has to be on the list. Imperial Valley and all of its backwater joys and horrors. Patagonia and the Chiricahuas. That whole SE Arizona loop. In Washington there is Grays Harbor and Skagit/Samish Flats in the west. Locally, I go to The Hook (Ediz Hook, Port Angeles) with Coco often in the winter...a post-industrial wasteland with a wonderful sea/shorebird medley upon its toxic waters. I like those zones that are brutalized but beautiful. Salton Sea is a good example. Brutiful. A good place to drink Baileys and coffee and not be harassed for your habits or hobbies.

Perhaps that is one of the great defining traits of a favorite birding spot...that it allows one to be one's self. There is room for your flag to fly. In which case, the Beatty Ranch in the Huachucas is up there because it is well known that you can crossdress freely there, and still get a great seat from which to watch the hummingbird gluttony and be free of public ridicule. This is probably because the bird life is so much more gaudy than the large Asian-Welsh man in a sequin nightgown sitting next to you.

Nudibranch. Photo by Cass Grattan.

If you had to be predated upon by a particular species, what would it be?

Some sort of mixed flock of tubenoses would be ideal. Fulmars should be in there. I guess that's important to me for some reason. Or a skua. Okay...first by fulmars and Buller's Shearwaters, with a couple of storm-petrels in there. Then everybody is chased off my bloated carcass by a skua who eats my heart. Then my tatters sink down and I'm finished off by pelagic nudibranchs, who then live for hundreds of years. Yes...that is how I want to go.

It is well known that you have had intercourse with several birdwatchers. What was that like?

Fun!

Speaking of intercourse, you have a young potential uberbirder fresh out of the womb. Do you have a vigorous training regimen planned for the wee one?

Well, being that we named her after the most fearsome bird in North America and her first vocalizations sounded eerily like a Common Nighthawk/Burrowing Owl love child, I'd say she is off to a pretty stellar start. We birdwatch a lot as a family, and I don't see that changing until she hits that rebellious teenager phase. But that is when Mom and Pop are going to pull the rebellious parenting thing, and Daughter will have no choice but to retreat into her bird study sanctum in an effort to cope with her apathetic and increasingly distant parents. Thus The Circle goes Unbroken.

Improvised Olympics at Joshua Tree National Park.

Do you have a spirit bird?

I'm with Muir on this one. Water Ouzel.

Who is your favorite birder?

I like that Laura Bush chases rare birds, but I think it's a tie between George Grinnell and the illustrious Felonious Jive.


That does it for this installment of the Human Birdwatcher Project's highly-acclaimed interview series. Hopefully, you will come away with some answers about how birders work...or better yet, even more questions. Until next time....

We Haven't Done Enough Of This Simple Kind Of Stuff

White Terns are one of Midway's flagship species. Living without White Terns is a plodding and tiresome existence.

On a non-birder-gossip note, congrats to my colleague "Handsome Dan" on getting the green light to go out to Midway Atoll for the winter...may he get covered in much albatross vomit, otherwise known as the Worst Smell In The World. He will see many weird birds and probably drink too much. Dan is currently languishing on the Farallon Islands, off San Francisco. You can find his blog here.

Midway was, without a doubt, my favorite field job that I've ever had. If you dig through BB&B's archives, you can find a lot of Midway posts and pictures from February to June, 2009. Hopefully I'll get back some day!

Electric-faced Red-footed Booby. Dan will soon be seeing many.

Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Western Scrub-Jay. Ventura, CA, May 2011.

May has always been a turbulent month for me. I'm always going from one bizarre place to another, usually with very little time to catch any shows or see any friends (though I was lucky this year!). 

Today I drove from Lee Vining, California, all the way to Wells, Nevada, in and out of the huge storm that's encroaching on the west. This is after a late night of losing at poker (twice) and cheap beer and yelling at some racist dude from Baker. It's been a long day and a long drive, although it featured some unreal scenery and a few new birds for the year (Lewis' Woodpecker, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Mountain Bluebird). I'm too beat to unload my usual scathing wit and irresistible charm on all you loyal readers out there so here's a few snapshots from some of the more recent Mays I've had. Birders may be inclined to double-click on the auklet picture...

Tomorrow is Idaho, or maybe even Montana. Word.

Crested Auklets. Buldir Island, AK, May 2010.

White Tern chick. Midway Atoll, May 2009.

Stilt snoozes at Mary Jo Ballator's. Ash Canyon, AZ, May 2008.

Bird professionals. El Centro, CA, May 2007.

Peak molluscing. Near Hyampom, CA, May 2006.

In Desolation

A Brown Booby does its best dinosaur impression.

Ah, Midway Atoll. Out of the many, many places I've been on birding trips and field jobs, this is one of the best. Between the birds, the scenery, the isolation, the history and last but not least, the people there, it is hard to beat. Of course, the soft serve machine is sweet too...anyways, two years after my visit now I still have tons of (hella) photos that I like that I haven't been able to throw up on BB&B...so in the spirit of sharing, here you go!

Grey-backed Terns don't get much attention compared to Midways other seabirds, but they're one of my favorites. Classiest birds of the central Pacific!

This Laysan Albatross loved the rain. It looks like it's about to burst into tears...ALBATEARS.

White Terns ponder Liz, and vice versa.

Red-footed Booby. Look at it. LOOK AT IT. 

Rusty Bucket. One of the most scenic places to get Tetanus that I can think of...

Going to Midway is a fantastic, unique experience, particularly if you've never been to any of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands before (which is almost all of you). My first few hours there I can remember vividly as one of the most surreal times of my life (WHAT A NERD). The sheer numbers and cacophony of the Laysan Albatross and Bulwer's Petrels at night is unlike anything I've experienced before or since...just thinking about it brings Albatears of joy to my eyes. ALBATEARS OF JOY. On top of that, I went to a bar in the middle of all this, which is simply ridiculous. Anyways...if you ever have the opportunity to get out there as a volunteer, with a tour, for work or some other capacity, you owe it to yourself to do so. 

Pete Leary, Midway's current biologist with the infamous dry sense of humor, has a great blog that you can see here. Check in to see how things are going with the Short-tailed Albatross chick and other seabirds that survived the tsunami from earlier this winter.

Despite their ruthless reputations, frigatebirds are doting and diligent when it comes to the domestic life. Males spend a lot of time on the nest and can often be seen fussing with various twigs...one has to look good for the neighbors, I guess.