The Appearance

My first post to this blog was about the disappearance of birds in the fall as they migrated for points south.  Now with spring the full bloom the birds are returning.  Species we have not seen for months are showing up every day.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 

Among the first to arrive in the Piedmont of North Carolina, typically in late March, are the Blue-gray Gnatcatchers (Polioptila caerulea).  These tiny birds are relatives of the Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets that have been with us all winter.  One reason the gnatcatchers get here early is that part of their population has a short migration.  Many Blue-gray Gnatcatchers winter along the southeastern coast including the entire peninsula of Florida.  Others cross the long reaches of water to winter in Central America, Mexico, Cuba and other isles of the West Indies.  The gnatcatchers begin to nest as soon as they arrive, giving their nasal call, snee-snee.  Within a few days, a pair of gnatcatchers can construct of compact nest of plant fibers.  They cover the nest with lichens and spider silk so it looks, for all the world, like a knot on a limb.   A pair of gnatcatchers lay 3-5 eggs that hatch in a week and a half.  Within 2 weeks of hatching, the next generation of gnatcatchers are flying around catching gnats. 

Louisiana Waterthrushes (Parkesia motacilla) arrive early too.  Despite the name these birds are not thrushes but warblers.  They have spots on the breast like a good thrush but are smaller.  Louisiana Waterthrushes are joined a couple of weeks later by their relatives, Northern Waterthrushes.  Northern Waterthrushes (Parkesia noveboraracensis) only stay a short while and migrate further north.  Both species have the spotted breast, an eye line and both bob their tails.  Louisiana Waterthrushes nest near running water and their distinctive song rings out in early spring.

Louisiana Waterthrush 

Prothonotary Warbler

Prothonotary Warblers (Protonotaria citrea) appear around the first week of April.  These denizens of swamp forests glow gold, seemly from an internal light.  With contrasting black eyes and blue wings, these warblers sing their song, SWEET-SWEET-SWEET throughout the day.  Most warblers build their nests of plant material in trees or on the ground, but Prothonotaries use old woodpecker holes to lay their eggs and raise their young.  Once I watched a Prothonotary catch newly emerged dragonflies along the edge of a pond.  The warbler picked off the dragonflies as they crawled from the water onto plant stems.  The Prothonotary pulled off the wings and brought the insect to their hatchlings in an old Downy Woodpecker hole.  Prothonotaries winter in the Neotropics after making the dangerous over water migration in fall.  A few months later, they return to their breeding grounds in North America after another harrowing migratory flight. 

Male Summer Tanager

Tanagers are a large group of birds native to the American tropics.  With more than 200 species, tanagers inhabit a variety of ecosystems ranging from mangrove forest to grasslands above tree line.  Tanagers are among the most brightly colored songbirds.   Some of these tropical beauties make their way to the US and Canada.  In the east, we are privileged to have Summer Tanagers (Piranga rubra) and Scarlet Tanagers (Piranga olivacea) with us for the breeding season.  The males of both species are bright red with the Scarlet Tanager showing black wings and tail.  The females of Summer and Scarlet Tanagers are yellow-green in color and blend perfectly with the leaves of the great trees where they nest.  There are several other species of tanagers in western North America including the Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana), Hepatic Tanager (Piranga flava) and Flame-colored Tanager (Piranga bidentata).  This winter and spring a male Western Tanager frequented bird feeders near our home.  Birders from the area came; you might even say they flocked, to see this rare visitor                                                                           from the west. 

Western Tanager in Salisbury, NC during March 2019

Tanager evolution and therefore their taxonomy is complex.  This group has recently undergone a reclassification.  One group of tanagers has been moved to the finch family.  Our tanagers, those that breed in North America, have been reclassified with the cardinals.  Regardless of their taxonomic status, these brilliant birds are a joy to experience, whether in the Andes or North Carolina.