I've been able to take a few interesting pictures (and film one video!) this past month. Be sure to click past the break for more!

Carolina Wren w/ insect

Hummingbirds are very interesting and unique birds for more reasons than might be readily apparent. In addition to possessing the ability to hover, they also have some unique anatomical features; have co-evolved alongside the flowering plants from which they derive energy, and have developed methods to conserve that energy; and are one of the only groups of birds that have a truly promiscuous mating strategy.

I found this picture on Facebook last semester immediately after taking an ornithology exam that covered the concept shown, and decided to share some of what I learned here, too. The information might be a bit more esoteric than what I normally write about, but I tried to make it as accessible as possible by including informative links.

Image via The Scientist

This image depicts the cursorial hypothesis of avian evolution, which states that birds are descendants of theropod (bipedal) dinosaurs, and that flight developed from the "ground up" through leaping after and/or "netting" insects. The alternative hypothesis is known as the pseudosuchian thecodont hypothesis, which contends that modern birds are directly descended from arboreal (tree-dwelling) archosaurs, and that flight developed from the "trees down" — first by parachuting, and then gliding between trees.

Rhododendron is the genus of flowering plants that includes rhododendrons and azaleas, with the former holding a lot of significance for people living in my part of Tennessee. The Rhododendron Gardens of Roan Mountain, Tennessee are famous for these plants, and even when they're not in bloom visiting them is an amazing experience. The Gardens sit atop Roan Mountain at an elevation of 6,200 feet (1,800 meters) above sea level, which affords a spectacular view of the surrounding mountain range. The rhododendrons that grow here are so iconic that they have their own festival that is held at the foot of the mountain in Roan Mountain State Park.

Rhododendron (cultivar)

In addition to having cultural significance, one particular species of azalea is noteworthy for the fact that it is indigenous to the Appalachian Mountains, and it's aptly named for the color of its incredibly striking flowers.

Birds are known for their vocalizations, and one of the most vociferous groups of birds that I am familiar with is the family Mimidae, or the mimic thrush family, which includes mockingbirds, thrashers and catbirds. Perhaps the most well-known (and vocal) member of this group is the Northern Mockingbird, but there are two other very abundant species that I have personally encountered.

Brown Thrasher

Despite being in the same family as the Northern Mockingbird, the brown thrasher is quite different, and not just in terms of its appearance (which is striking). Much like the mockingbird, its song is a series of phrases that it has learned to imitate by listening to other species' songs, but where mockingbirds typically repeat each phrase 2-6 times before moving on to the next one, the Brown Thrasher usually only repeats each phrase twice. If I had to pick one word to describe the songs of these two birds in this context, I would choose 'ordered'; a word that would be extremely unfitting when applied to this next species.

There are many ways to identify bird species, and one of the easiest places to start is posture. Birds that I am familiar with typically have either an erect (vertical) posture, or a horizontal posture. Noting the kind of posture that a bird has is often the first step of the identification process when I see a bird that I don't instantly recognize. While the bird pictured below is one that I am extremely familiar with, I can quickly run through the process I would have used when learning it.

Carolina Wren

The Carolina Wren is an excellent example of a bird whose posture is typically horizontal, and when such posture is observed alongside a cocked tail and distinctive field marks (characteristics used to I.D. individual species) such as the white stripe above the eye; brown-colored back and wings; and clear, lightly colored breast, then there's not any other bird in my area that it could possibly be. This particular wren is facing a wall in which it has built a nest (its second one this season), and has flown in to check me out. I was sitting on a bench perhaps 12 feet away.

Today my family and I visited Watauga Lake, a TVA reservoir which has recently experienced record-high water levels. We stopped at the Watauga Point Recreation Area (our favorite), and I ended up swimming. After a while, however, I noticed that I wasn't alone on the water.

Canada Goose

The Canada Goose is a handsome species of waterfowl, one that has become extremely common across most the United States in recent years following a dramatic rise in the number of non-migratory populations. They can be found anywhere from lakes and ponds to golf courses, where they feed by clipping and eating grasses. Despite being regarded as a pest by many, I myself enjoy encountering them. Today we saw 6 adults accompanied by 14 goslings, for a total of 20 individuals.

I tried my hand at photography early Sunday afternoon, and these are the pictures I felt were worth keeping. I'm very pleased with them, despite the fact that they probably aren't anything special. I'll begin the sequence with a picture that might not be 'pretty', but it is among my favorites for the reasons outlined below:

House Finch, male w/ conjunctivitis

For being almost completely blind, this little bird gets around pretty well. He will flutter around  in a small area of the yard by the feeders for minutes straight without landing, and can even hover in place for a few seconds! I've never seen that behavior before, so I imagine it is a product of his handicap. I first noticed him several days ago, and he seems healthy in spite of what could be a debilitating illness. Birds have excellent vision; it is far-and-away their primary sense, with functions ranging from mate selection to feeding to (obviously) navigation. Somehow this finch has managed to compensate, and that's really neat.