{"id":5395,"date":"2015-05-07T09:49:18","date_gmt":"2015-05-07T13:49:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=5395"},"modified":"2015-05-07T09:49:18","modified_gmt":"2015-05-07T13:49:18","slug":"last-month-in-birding-april-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/last-month-in-birding-april-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Last Month in Birding: April 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once again it\u2019s time to take a look at a few of last month\u2019s most exciting bird sightings as suggested by our experts.<\/p>\n

Swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus<\/span><\/em>)<\/h2>\n

This spectacular raptor is named for the elegant tail with which it steers as it gracefully soars in search of flying insects and other prey. The species nests in the extreme southeastern United States, where today there are only about a thousand breeding pairs. Seeing even one swallow-tailed kite in Massachusetts is cause for excitement. A sighting of four swallow-tailed kites flying together over North Truro last month was unprecedented.<\/p>\n

\"Swallow-tailed<\/a>

Swallow-tailed kite in Truro \u00a9 Peter Flood<\/p><\/div>\n

White-faced ibis (Plegadis chihi<\/em>)<\/span><\/h2>\n

This bird is essentially the western version of the glossy ibis, a relatively uncommon wading bird that breeds along the east coast. The two species have a similar appearance, with rich burgundy and emerald feathers that shine with iridescence. However, the white-faced ibis has red legs, red eyes, and a reddish face thinly bordered in white. One individual was seen amongst a flock of glossy ibises, first in Essex and then later at various other locations nearby.<\/p>\n

\"White-faced<\/a>

White-faced ibis (at right) in Essex CC BY-NC-ND 2.0<\/a> Phil Brown<\/p><\/div>\n

Crested caracara (Caracara cheriway<\/em>)<\/h2>\n

Although it belongs to the falcon family, the crested caracara has a face that is partially naked like a vulture\u2019s, and also has the vulture-like habit of often feeding on dead animals. The national bird of Mexico, it is usually only found in parts of Florida, Texas, and Arizona. Birders can only speculate about the origins of an individual photographed in flight over Chatham last month.<\/p>\n

\"Crested<\/a>

Crested caracara in Mexico CC BY-NC-ND 2.0<\/a> Mark Watson<\/p><\/div>\n

Wilson’s phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor<\/span><\/em>)<\/h2>\n

Though it is a long-legged shorebird, the Wilson\u2019s phalarope swims in open water, where it is sometimes seen spinning in circles to create a whirlpool that draws its invertebrate prey to the surface. Unusually, female phalaropes are more colorful than males. This species breeds in the northern US and southern Canada and migrates across the western part of the country. Two individuals seen in Rowley were at one of the locations where this species regularly pops up in Massachusetts.<\/p>\n

\"Wilson's<\/a>

Wilson’s phalarope (near the center, flanked by greater yellowlegs) in Rowley \u00a9 Steve Arena<\/p><\/div>\n

Yellow-throated warbler (Setophaga dominica<\/b><\/i>)<\/h2>\n

This year\u2019s spring influx of warblers is only just beginning, but in April one warbler in Carlisle managed to draw birders from quite a distance. This bird primarily breeds in the southeastern US, often preferring to nest in bald cypress swamps. Like a number of other species, it appears to be expanding its range northward. Hopefully this will translate into more frequent sightings in the future.<\/p>\n

\"Yellow-throated<\/a>

Yellow-throated warbler in Arlington CC BY-NC-ND 2.0<\/a> Jason Forbes<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Once again it\u2019s time to take a look at a few of last month\u2019s most exciting bird sightings as suggested by our experts. Swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus) This spectacular raptor is named for the elegant tail with which it steers as it gracefully soars in search of flying insects and other prey. The species nests […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[160],"class_list":["post-5395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nature-notes","tag-bird-sightings"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-1p1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7584,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/100-great-wildlife-sanctuary-birding-spots\/","url_meta":{"origin":5395,"position":0},"title":"100 Great Wildlife Sanctuary Birding Spots","author":"Hillary T.","date":"May 11, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Bird-a-thon, Mass Audubon\u2019s annual birding competition takes place on May 13-14. Teams of birders will attempt to see (or hear) the most species in a 24-hour time span. At the same time, birders and \u201cBird-a-thon\u00a0Boosters\u201d are raising money to support wildlife sanctuaries and programs. To kick-off Bird-a-thon and celebrate 100\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Involved"","block_context":{"text":"Get Involved","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-involved\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/wood-duck_BP_Richard-Johnson.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/wood-duck_BP_Richard-Johnson.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/05\/wood-duck_BP_Richard-Johnson.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6186,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/last-month-in-birding-august-2015\/","url_meta":{"origin":5395,"position":1},"title":"Last Month in Birding: August 2015","author":"Rosemary","date":"September 15, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Here we feature\u00a0five of the past month's exciting bird sightings as suggested by our experts.\u00a0This time\u00a0we're highlighting offshore wonders: pelagic birds, including four species spotted on an incredible Brookline Bird Club pelagic trip to the continental shelf edge that took place on August 22-23. (For those who are new to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/09\/stormpetrel.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/09\/stormpetrel.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/09\/stormpetrel.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15857,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/bird-a-thon-2021-highlights\/","url_meta":{"origin":5395,"position":2},"title":"Bird-a-thon 2021 Highlights","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"June 9, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Bird-a-thon, which took place May 14-15, was a great time to get outside to bird and enjoy nature. About 1,000 participants trekked out across their state, or stayed close home, to spot bird species, search for items on our 125th anniversary scavenger hunt, and\/or complete nature activities like drawing a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/06\/51FB8C1B-4193-40DD-91ED-B2256AEF547B.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/06\/51FB8C1B-4193-40DD-91ED-B2256AEF547B.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/06\/51FB8C1B-4193-40DD-91ED-B2256AEF547B.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/06\/51FB8C1B-4193-40DD-91ED-B2256AEF547B.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12428,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-grumpy-birds\/","url_meta":{"origin":5395,"position":3},"title":"Take 5: Grumpy Birds","author":"Ryan D.","date":"March 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Another snowed-in Monday got you feeling a little blah? These grumpy-looking birds know how you feel. Or, at least, they look like they do. At any rate, here's hoping they'll take a bit of the edge off your winter blues. These photos were all submitted to our annual Picture This:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Snowy Owl \u00a9 Diane Robertson","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/03\/2786Diane_Robertson9937-2014.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/03\/2786Diane_Robertson9937-2014.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/03\/2786Diane_Robertson9937-2014.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/03\/2786Diane_Robertson9937-2014.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6858,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/last-month-in-birding-december-2015\/","url_meta":{"origin":5395,"position":4},"title":"Last Month in Birding: December 2015","author":"Rosemary","date":"January 12, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"December brought another month of amazing bird sightings to Massachusetts. Here are a few interesting observations as suggested by our experts. Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) This is a bird\u00a0of wide open spaces in the west, where it breeds at higher elevations but overwinters on the grasslands and plains. It often\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/01\/blackchinned.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/01\/blackchinned.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2016\/01\/blackchinned.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5552,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/last-month-in-birding-may-2015\/","url_meta":{"origin":5395,"position":5},"title":"Last Month in Birding: May 2015","author":"Rosemary","date":"June 10, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Each month we take a look at a few of the previous month\u2019s bird sightings as suggested by our experts. Here are five of May's\u00a0most exciting observations. Little gull (Hydrocoloeus minutes) True to its name, this bird is the world\u2019s smallest gull. It is common across much of Europe and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/06\/booby.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/06\/booby.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/06\/booby.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5395"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5395\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5554,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5395\/revisions\/5554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5395"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}