{"id":6186,"date":"2015-09-15T14:55:04","date_gmt":"2015-09-15T18:55:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=6186"},"modified":"2015-09-15T14:55:04","modified_gmt":"2015-09-15T18:55:04","slug":"last-month-in-birding-august-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/last-month-in-birding-august-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Last Month in Birding: August 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

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 birding, pelagic trips take participants far out to sea to observe species that don’t tend to come near the shore.)<\/p>\n

White-tailed\u00a0Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus<\/em>)<\/h3>\n

Tropicbirds are elegant, long-winged, slender-tailed birds of tropical oceans. A remarkable two\u00a0species were seen on this trip: white-tailed and red-billed. Like terns, white-tailed tropicbirds plunge into the water to grab fish, and in warm seas they frequently consume\u00a0flying fish. During the breeding season they perform elegant courtship flights during which one member of the pair reaches out to touch the other’s tail.<\/p>\n

\"White-tailed

White-tailed tropicbird on\u00a0the pelagic trip \u00a9 Jeremiah Trimble<\/p><\/div>\n

Red-billed\u00a0Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus<\/i>)<\/h3>\n

The second tropicbird species observed\u00a0on this trip was named for the mature adult’s red bill; first-year birds have cream-colored bills. Red-billed tropicbirds are larger than their white-tailed relatives. They can be common in the Caribbean and only very rarely wander north as far as New England.<\/p>\n

\"Red-billed

Red-billed tropicbird on the pelagic trip \u00a9 Peter Flood<\/p><\/div>\n

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel\u00a0(Oceanodroma castro<\/em>)<\/h3>\n

Storm-petrels are\u00a0among the smallest seabirds. They’re often seen hovering low over the water, pattering at the surface\u00a0with their feet as they pick tiny planktonic crustaceans and other prey from the surface. Band-rumped storm-petrels breed on tropical islands in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and spend the rest of their time\u00a0at sea. Subtle field marks such as tail shape, white rump pattern, and flight behavior are useful in distinguishing this cryptic species at sea.<\/p>\n

\"Band-rumped

Band-rumped storm petrel on the pelagic trip \u00a9 Peter Flood<\/p><\/div>\n

Audubon’s Shearwater\u00a0(<\/span>Phaethon aethereus<\/i>)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Common in many tropical oceans, they are among our smallest shearwaters. Audubon’s shearwaters tend to wander north in late summer and fall, especially when surface water temperatures are high. They have two feeding methods: sitting on the surface and grabbing prey, and diving to “fly” under water with powerful wingbeats.<\/p>\n

\"Audubon's

Audubon’s shearwater on the pelagic trip \u00a9 Jeremiah Trimble<\/p><\/div>\n

Yellow-nosed Albatross\u00a0(Thalassarche chlororhynchos<\/em>)<\/h3>\n

Albatrosses don’t typically inhabit the North Atlantic, so these enormous wanderers are always cause for excitement. The yellow-nosed albatross has a wingspan of over 6.5 feet and a bright yellow-orange stripe at the top of its dark beak. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists this species as endangered. Like many albatrosses, its population is declining, mostly because of longline fishing entanglement.\u00a0Remarkably, a yellow-nosed albatross was photographed on Stellwagen Bank on August 10.<\/p>\n

\"Yellow-nosed

Yellow-nosed albatross (Atlantic) off Provincetown \u00a9 Fran\u00e7ois Grenon<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 birding, pelagic trips take participants […]<\/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":[28],"class_list":["post-6186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nature-notes","tag-birds"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-1BM","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5395,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/last-month-in-birding-april-2015\/","url_meta":{"origin":6186,"position":0},"title":"Last Month in Birding: April 2015","author":"Rosemary","date":"May 7, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"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\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\/05\/caracara.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\/05\/caracara.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/05\/caracara.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1154,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/birding-after-migration\/","url_meta":{"origin":6186,"position":1},"title":"Birding After Migration","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"November 15, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"We have turned the seasonal corner. The swallows are gone, the egrets have fled, and \u00a0shorebirds and warblers have pushed their way south. You may well ask, \u201cWhat do we do we look for now?\u201d In many ways, Massachusetts is perfectly suited for winter birding, thanks in part to our\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\/2012\/11\/purple-sandpiper_Richard-Johnson-and-Mass-Audubon.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2092,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/great-bird-migration-spots\/","url_meta":{"origin":6186,"position":2},"title":"Great Bird Migration Spots","author":"Hillary T.","date":"April 20, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s the event that bird watchers around the state have been waiting for: spring migration, the time of year when birds leave their winter grounds and head north. Typically, spring migration in Massachusetts lasts from early March to early June, with the peak usually falling sometime around Mother\u2019s Day for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Get Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2013\/04\/2-warbler-2-IMG_7245_ni_pwp.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":17232,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/fall-birding-hotspots\/","url_meta":{"origin":6186,"position":3},"title":"Fall Birding Hotspots","author":"Kaylin D.","date":"October 17, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"When the heat of summer fades in October, the crispness of fall is a signal to birders to get outdoors and search for fall migratory birds. Don\u2019t know where to start? Check out these birding hotspots at some of our Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries.\u00a0 Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary, Marshfield\u00a0 This\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Birds & Birding"","block_context":{"text":"Birds & Birding","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/birds-birding\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/10\/5444Scott_Creamer32352-750x500-840d013f-bd1f-473d-9e50-126d5e33b8c3-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/10\/5444Scott_Creamer32352-750x500-840d013f-bd1f-473d-9e50-126d5e33b8c3-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/10\/5444Scott_Creamer32352-750x500-840d013f-bd1f-473d-9e50-126d5e33b8c3-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/10\/5444Scott_Creamer32352-750x500-840d013f-bd1f-473d-9e50-126d5e33b8c3-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5692,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/mobs-rule\/","url_meta":{"origin":6186,"position":4},"title":"Mobs Rule","author":"Rosemary","date":"August 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Have you ever seen small birds dive-bombing a larger one\u2014often a bird of prey? This behavior is called \u201cmobbing,\u201d and it\u2019s a common phenomenon that you may encounter any time you're outdoors. 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How To Tell The Difference","author":"Rosemary","date":"May 12, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Noisy and full of personality, crows, ravens, and grackles are very noticeable. But telling them apart is a different story. So just how can you distinguish a raven from a crow from a grackle? And what makes these birds unique? Read on. Common Ravens via David A Hofmann, Flickr Ravens,\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\/2021\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66.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\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2021\/08\/4057Neal_Harris16996-750x531-482ea367-9d99-40cb-b1cf-b15b37762a66.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6186","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=6186"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6208,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6186\/revisions\/6208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}