Birds of Shoshone Wetlands: December 2010

Northern Harrier Breeding in December


Northern Harrier male	Northern Harrier, formerly known as Marsh Hawk are found throughout North America,in various habitat, usually marsh, fields, or other open area.In early December ,2010 I was giving a bird walk and we observed a Male Norther n Harrier interact with 2 coyotes. The Harrier would land near the coyotes and when they came too close, it would fly up, and relocate just close enough to keep them interested. He moved the coyotes away from a perched female, which was vocalizing. The male flew to the female , they copulated , then he returned to coyotes. Copulation occurred 4 times in 15 minutes, in between leading the coyotes away from the female. Since then I have observed copulation on two other occasions, all in the same area that Northern Harriers nested in during the normal breeding season of 2009 and 2010- April, May, June.


Leading coyote away from the female

Female Northern Harrier

Female #1 territory

Female Northern Harrier #1

Western Bluebirds

Western Bluebirds can be found regularly in winter on Shoshone Wetlands. There seems to be enough berries.40 to 50 at a time are sometimes seen working their way up and down the mesquite groves, finding ripe patches of mistletoe.

Female Phainopepla

Adult Male Phainopepla

This is a nice first year male Phainopepla which has taken up a small territory out on Shoshone Wetlands. He's guarding his newly acquired territory against Western Bluebirds, American Robins, Mockingbirds, and Cedar Waxwings.It's all about the mistletoe berries. For the Phainopepla it's about prime territory. For the others, it's just about a good winter food source.

Some bird paintings

Blackburnian Warbler pair-after J. Fenwick Lansdowne

Resplendant Quetzal at the nest -from my photo Monteverde Costa Rica


Yellow Crowned Night Heron Ding Darling Refuge	-from my photo

Winter Willet Sanibel Island, Florida from my Photo

Snowy Egret after a Greg Scott Photo

Screech Owl Mobbed

Learning to paint birds

I	I would like to share a few of my oil paintings. I love to draw and paint birds. I've been painting for a few years but I'm really just learning. It's relaxing and very challenging.I'd like to improve my field sketching as well. Ill be painting desert birds soon, beginning with Phainopepla.
This is my first try at bird painting. I used Sherry Nelson's wonderful book "How to Paint Garden Birds"