The Pelican Invasion

The Wisconsin bird of the year has to be the American White Pelican. Their numbers attracted thousands of people along the Lake Michigan shoreline from Milwaukee to Door County.  And their return is significant.

Caspian Terns surrounded by Ring-billed Gulls

Many moons ago during the time period when people didn't understand the word extinction, these birds were hunted on the Great Lakes for their feathers. Women enjoyed wearing hats with exotic feathers. Some of them even had bird nests, the whole dead bird or their wings attached to the hat! For more info, check out the NPR link on the women who saved birds.  The history of birds is a fascinating one. 

Nothing says sexy like a woman with a dead bird on her head.  Photo courtesy of NPR

Alas, all the pelicans were wiped out from the Great Lakes for many decades.  Only a few of these birds could be seen in places like Green Bay.  As a child growing up in the area, I NEVER saw a pelican once.  Nor had the people of my Shire. Eventually after the ban on poaching during the early 20th century, these birds slowly made a comeback and their populations have dramatically increased today. 

The Great Lakes have also seen an invasion of exotic fish and marine life over the years.  One fish I do remember well is the alewife.  This tiny fish dies off in the thousands along the beaches of Lake Michigan during dramatic weather shifts in spring and early summer.  The smell alone is terrible.  And the coastline can be covered in piles of these fish as the currents force their sickly bodies closer to the shore.  Over the years, towns along these areas have had to send in equipment to clean up the beaches. Take for example this recent report from Racine.  I'd like to make a correction to the article.  There are no such things as sea gulls.  Just gulls.  

A Forster's Tern stretches out the wings

Well these little fish attract MANY gulls, terns, grackles and other pelicans!  I've noticed that in Manitowoc where the pelican population is quite large, there weren't as many alewife on the beaches.  This bird may actually be beneficial for people living along the shoreline who suffer from the wretched smell. The food source has attracted many birds into this area.  They are nature's natural(all green) clean up system.  And perhaps the answer to restoring balance to an unstable ecosystem.  Just by the return of a bird species, beaches might become cleaner places.  Good for the birds and good for the people.  The dead alewife that do make it to shore are ground up for cat food and fertilizer.  FYI.

So back to the pelicans who were stealing the show.  People from all over, in their friendly Wisconsin ways, would ask birders if those were indeed pelicans.  Birders politely would tell them that they were.  Then people would share their personal recollections about having never seen one growing up.  And speaking for myself, it is shocking to see pelicans flying over the beach on a summer day.  I mean, were we living in California?  It's pretty amazing to see them fly in their "V" formations over the roads.

An angry Bonaparte's Gull

So while people walked their dogs with leashes and some without, they would ask birders about the pelicans.  Birders were looking at rarer things.  And soon it became a distraction.  One birder would take one for the team while we isolated the rarer gulls.  We'd watch unleashed dogs run out and chase the gulls into the air.  AND while we were trying to count them.  It was very frustrating.  It's dangerous for the birds.  It's dangerous for people and other dogs.  On one outing one dog attacked an owner with a dog on the leash.  When the dogs were separated and the owner of the unleashed dog was told that his dog attacked another, the owner responded, "Not my dog."  Irresponsible moron. 

Nellie cuddles up in her blanket. She'll have nothing to do with them birds.

Shorebirds take serious concentration. And after awhile, the question, "Are you looking at them pelicans?" got old.  Fast. Maybe I became too serious.  But when you're counting somewhere around 500 Ring-billed Gulls and get distracted, it gets frustrating.  I can't multi-task very well.  I am after all a man:) And I'm not saying all men can't multi-task.  But I know I'm not alone:)

Don't get me wrong. I love the pelicans!  But I also loved the gulls. I wanted to spend most of my time on the Lake and bird.  Towards the latter part of my vacation, I went to the infamous Manitowoc Impoundment every day.  It was cool and breezy with a great chance for rarities.  Lots of rarities.  

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Some birders don't get into the gull ID thing like I do. And I get it. Gulls can be some of the most challenging birds out there. Understanding gulls over the years has been a lot of fun.  However, I'm not the same way with sandpipers.  Isn't it interesting how we all have our favorite groups of birds?

A 3rd cycle Great Black-backed Gull!!!  This was shocking to me!  I thought they wintered only in Two Rivers, but apparently not!  Cool find!

Even their various year molt cycles are interesting. We found Bonaparte's, Franklin's, Lesser Black-backed, Great Black-backed, Little, Ring-billed, Herring and Laughing Gulls.  That's a LOT of gulls! And then there were the terns!

Former professor, Doc Sontag, was at it again.  Every day at 2 PM he finds rarities for the Wisconsin crowd to chase at the Manitowoc Impoundment.  On my last day, I wanted to say good-bye to this amazing fellow.  And what followed afterwards was awesome......

Doc is wearing the brim hat with suspenders.  Love that guy!

Something spooked the pelicans, gulls and terns into the air. Thousands of birds circled around us.  When all the birds began to land, I noticed a strange tern in flight.  It looked like a Common Tern(expected for this area), but something was off in the flight pattern.  As it landed, I noticed it was tiny.  So I went to the Doc and said, "Hey, is that a Common Tern?"  It sure wasn't acting like one. 

Arctic Tern

 The Doc's eyes grew.  With his expertise and knowledge, he shouts out, "OH MY GOODNESS! We've got an Arctic Tern here!" I've only seen this bird ONCE in my life! A birder group forms quickly and everyone begins to record and take data making notes.  Orange/red bill, small, short orange/red legs, etc etc.  Our team keeps up with the ID getting photos for the records.  We begin to report to the various listservs. This is HUGE! As we are trying to do all this detailed work, a group of friendly people stop by and ask, "Are you looking at the Pelicans?" Son of a .........

The Doc takes one for the team and begins chatting with the people about the pelicans.  This guy is amazing. I think back on my times with him in class and remember how patient he was with me. And here again he shows the same courtesy and patience towards others. Flashback! In one corner of our lab, he had a pile of formaldehyde cats for study. Needless to say, I was a bit traumatized:)  It was part of the curriculum and he was a great professor. Me? Well I could've done better. I was into the art of party and socializing. I remember during a time when we did blood testing in class. I hate blood and I almost passed out trying to prick my fingers like 500 times. It was like sticking a turnip! The lesson was about testing chromosomes.  If I went back now as an adult, I would be a much better student.  One of my favorite lessons with him was dominant and recessive gene traits.  Doc, I failed you in the biology department but I hope to make up for it in the bird one:)

Caspian Tern

During my last days along the "Lakeshore", I enjoyed all the shorebirds as much as I could.  Even the pelicans.  I have only seen one white pelican in Arizona this year so Wisconsin certainly made up for my lack of sightings this year. 

Here is yet another positive about the pelicans. They became the unofficial ambassadors between birders and non-birders alike. Their presence caught the public's eye and a general interest for birds. And that's a good thing!

Franklin's Gull

 Their large numbers and exotic beauty brought in crowds of people. Places like the Manitowoc Impoundment and North Point in Sheboygan were magnets for the crowds where the pelicans hung out. Unintentionally, we, the birders(or anyone foolish enough to wear binoculars:), became the ambassadors who bridged the people with these birds.  When votes are needed to save or protect habitat, etc, perhaps people will remember their positive experiences with these birds and help protect our ever shrinking wildlife spaces. At least, this is my hope. 

Because as we know, birds are simply amazing. They are meant to fly free. They inspire art.  And they inspire so many of us. 

It doesn't matter where we live.  There is beauty everywhere we are.  All we need to do is stop and look. It's really that easy but something we can often forget to do in our busy daily lives.  And the pelicans did that for so many people.  

Until next time......

Photo courtesy of NPR

Laridae

Gulls. They are a most unloved species by humans.  I grew up with them in my hometown of Two Rivers and took them for granted. They are loud, obnoxious, messy and can be downright cunning! Today, I find gulls to be some of the most fascinating birds out there.

Heermann's Gull

It's not easy being a gull. People shoot at them, throw things at them and often use foul language around them at the beach.  Sure they crap on people's things, steal their beach snacks and like to congregate in large groups, but the opposite can also be said about people:) Every day gulls clean up people's messes around public areas. They also face other human threats. Take for example this near threatened Heermann's Gull.  Did the bird lose a foot to a fisherman's net?  Considered to be one of the most beautiful gulls of North America, it's one that faces declining numbers.

Left-California Gull Right-Heermann's Gull

The California Gull with its' nice round head and smaller build with both a black and red dip on the bill makes it an easier gull to ID. It's also the state bird of Utah.

Yellow-footed Gull

The Yellow-footed Gull is the most special gull of all.  Many American birders try their best to find this bird in the US so that they can count it on their ABA list.  Just a few are seen and known to breed in an area known as the Salton Sea.  Unfortunately, the Salton Sea is disappearing and these gulls could be restricted entirely to the Gulf of Mexico if this US habitat vanishes.

Herring Gull

Who has pretty pink legs?  Why this Herring Gull of course! 

Ring-billed Gulls are everywhere and tend to be smaller than most other gulls. They are inland gulls and are quite common in many areas.

Ring-billed Gull

Many times people make the mistake and call gulls "Seagulls".  In the birding world, this is taboo.  Just use the word "Gull" and you'll be okay. Although, there are many gulls that fly over the sea.....Just saying:)

Great black-backed Gull

The Great black-backed has a VERY dark back and is rather large. Just like the name suggests:) Once they were rare off the shores of my hometown.  However, their numbers seemed to have grown around the Great Lakes area over the years during the winter months.

Great black-backed Gull

And then there are Herring Gulls.  This is the gull of my hometown.  This species can get confused with many other species of gulls such as the Thayer's and Iceland Gulls.  So what are the field marks that help distinguish one gull species from the other?

Herring Gull

Well one.  Have patience. Here are some tips......

1.  Size.  If you have other gulls around,which is often, it can help easily ID the various species that will amass on beaches or over your car. 

Bonaparte's Gull

2.  Leg color.  Are they pink, bright pink, yellow, dark yellow, etc etc.

3.  The bill and the gull dip(the color dot on the bill).  Is there a red dip or black dip or both? Is the bill strong?  Or smaller?  When juvenile gulls in their various cycles are thrown into the mix, it can get REAL tricky.  Fast:)

Laughing Gull-note black cap extends further up the head.  Orange legs are also...oranger:)

4.  The primary tail feathers. Do the edges of the end and side feathers on the wings have a dotted white or all white feature? Or no feature at all? 

Can you ID these gulls?  There are 4 species of gulls in this one shot. 

Is there any black?  If the gull is completely gray, you might have a Glaucous Gull!

Franklin's Gull

5. Head shape. Is it round? Odd shaped? The black capped gulls(or the gulls with the "hoods") can be told apart by how far their black hood extends on their head. 

Juvenile Sabine's Gull

6. Eye color, ring around eyes, head color and calls can also be helpful.  In other words, you need patience.  Or find a birder on your walk and ask:)

I found my biology mentor Dr. Sontag on the trails in Manitowoc.  He was the perfect cure for my ID ailment. 

It takes a while to figure it all out, but it's great once you do!  I still have a lot of work to do, but I enjoy gull ID very much. 

Gulls are amazing birds. They are the acrobatics of the air.  The silent stalkers from behind. The inspiration behind a painter's need to fill the skies along the sandy shores of the ocean.

When I look at gulls, I am reminded of my home.  And it makes me happy.  A world without gulls would be a very dull one.    

Rocky Shores

The scenic view from the harbor and the allure of seafood captured our attention.  

It was a special day. We were going to find the Atlantic Puffin and visit one of their nesting grounds on Eastern Egg Island!

The morning began with a bit of a breeze.  As the day went on, the breeze became something stronger. 

Gulls, like the Great black-backed gull, soared and swirled above our heads. 

We boarded our vessel and began to leave dock.  By now the wind had become rather gusty.  The waves grew large as we left the harbor. 

Common Eiders

 As we passed Common Eiders, passengers were warned of the rough conditions.  But we had come for the Atlantic Puffin.  It was a life bird for all of us.  There was no turning back. 

Eastern Egg Island

The boat began to rock.  Waves began to splash the passengers.  Three boys on the bottom deck screamed with delight as each cold spray hit their faces.  The Audubon guide bravely stood his ground as the ship pitched and turned. Yet even after being pelted by shards of ice water, he kept going. The ship seesawed even more.  As we crept closer to the island, I began to see little white darts in the sky.  Terns!  And rare ones!  Several passengers became sick.  Others attempted to lock their bodies around rails.  This was going to be a challenge. 

The vessel lurched forward throwing some passengers to the side rails. Someone screamed, "LOOK!  A PUFFIN!"  For a brief moment, the ship stopped moving long enough for everyone to observe the amazing Atlantic Puffin!

Atlantic Puffin

The Atlantic Puffin disappeared from the coast of Maine during the early part of the last century.  They were hunted for their eggs, meat and feathers. After years of work by Audubon, these birds have made a comeback to the coast of Maine where they now breed once again. 

Everyone locked their binos and cameras on the birds.  Or at least tried.  Some had their heads in a bag.  Others clung to their loved ones.  Was it worth it? 

As we approached the island, I noticed my second target bird!  The Black Guillemot!!!  It was a thrill to see so many around the rocks! The vessel rolled and I was knocked over a bench. Ouch!  I CAN DO THIS!  CONCENTRATE!  FIND THEM!  OBSERVE THEM AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!  YOU'LL HAVE TIME TO COMPLAIN LATER ON!

I tried to keep my shaking hands steady.  Focus you desert rat!  There will not be another opportunity to do this again!

Black Guillemot

And the Guillemot flew with what looked like a twizzler in its' beak!  Puffins were gathering small fish and eels as well.  I would stare, amazed, at the crazy things they were pulling out of the water.  

On shore, the "Hilton" was home to several human guardians.  They observed the nesting birds, collected data and protected the Puffin's breeding grounds. 

TERNS!  The true test for me began.  Not many people were interested in the terns twisting and gliding around our vessel at light speed.  I was.  

Another sway and rooooooollllll!!!

Two terns would be life birds for me......IF I could ID them.  A lot of my energy went into finding the endangered Roseate Tern and Arctic Tern. There were a few scattered in between many Common Terns.  With the boat constantly pitching back and forth and the terns banking sharply around us, it was hard to focus visually.  As Obi-Wan told Luke in the first Star Wars movie....."Luke, let go.  Use the force."  I switched off my eyes and listened for the calls to hone in on their location.   

Roseate Tern

ki, RIK!!!  ki, RIK!!!!  HIGH UP!  A CLOUD OF "NOT" COMMON TERNS!  SOMETHING DIFFERENT!  ROSEATE TERNS!!!!!!  One banked sharply to the port.  CAMERA ON!  NOW!!!  SNAP SNAP!

Arctic Tern-bill is reddish, but in this pic the lighting makes it look a tad orange

LURCH!!!  I HEAR YOU!  I HEAR YOU!  THE STARBOARD! keeeyuuuuurrrr! And SNAP! 

A seal passes by our vessel

And just like that, it was over.  It was one of the most satisfying experiences in my life.  I did it!  All target birds achieved with great observations.  However the aftermath wasn't pretty.  I'll let Kathie tell her story:) Both of my comrades fell ill during the voyage.  However, they survived the experience and won't forget their encounter with the Atlantic Puffin anytime soon. Some life birds can be painful.  

As the last Atlantic Puffin flew from my sight, I looked over the rough ocean waters and thought about how exciting this life of discovery is.  

This is just the beginning of our Maine story.  There is still so much more to come.  As of this write, I have observed and discovered 432 birds this year in North America.  We began in California, scoured Arizona, got a taste of New Mexico, walked the beaches of Northern Mexico and explored Florida.  Life is truly a dream. For more about the Puffin tour, check out the Hardy Boat Cruises. And for more birds from around the world, check out Wild Bird Wednesday!