Wilson’s Warbler is often found along wooded streams, in low shrubs, willows and alders (Kaufman). It sings loudly and regularly and can lead a birder trying to see it on a frustrating chase through dense underbrush, but persistence will pay off with a view of this lovely bird. Its song is more of a descending chatter chi chi chi chi chi chet chet, than a song.
A bird of open woodlands, the Western Wood-Pewee is widespread in the western United States as far east as the western side of the plains states. It is most often seen calling pee-er from an open branch from which it will also sally forth to catch a variety of insects including flies, bees, wasps, beetles, moths and bugs (Bemis & Rising).
The black speck was far out on the horizon but through binoculars I was able to see that it was a California Condor moving in our direction as we stood on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. In a matter of seconds it approached us at a speed of nearly fifty miles per hour without flapping its wings. Riding the wave of the thermal coming up from the hotter air deep in the canyon the condor suddenly arrived in full view above us and then banked to slow enough to make three circles over the gathering crowd.
Like a sentinel, as described by its species name excubitor, Latin for watchman or guard, the Northern Shrike surveys its territory from a low perch on a shrub or post. With precision it hunts using a direct flight toward its prey-a small rodent or another bird-and dispatches it quickly by “pounding its bill into the base or back of the skull and the using its hooked bill severing the spinal cord between the neck vertebrae as falcons do” (Sibley).
The Red-eyed Vireo (REVI) is about 6” long with a wingspan of 10”. The genus name Vireo (VIH-ree-oh) is from Latin vireo, a kind of bird; according to some , the green finch; virere, to be green. The species name olivaceus (ol-ih-VAY-see-us) is Latin, olive-colored; green obscured with neutral tint.
