BirdWalk Newsletter

12.18.2016 Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Walk Conducted by Perry Nugent Newsletter written by Jayne J. Matney

‘O Glorious Day Photo by: Tradd Harter

‘Tis the holiday season for us all, and it may be fun to take a researched look at the birds in the song lyrics of the “Twelve Days of Christmas”. Plenty of interesting information came out of this research:

This song is a cumulative song, which means that it is a series of verses that build

onto one another and is thought to be of French origin. The thought is that it

came from a children’s memory and forfeit game which was later first published

in a children’s book called, Mirth without Mischief in England (1780) titled, “The

Twelve Days of Christmas sung at King Pepin’s Ball”. The twelve days represent

the twelve consecutive days after Christmas, starting with Christmas Day to the

day before Epiphany or “boxing day” to the first day of Epiphany. The song was a

simple chant or rhyme, at first, then lyrics began to immerge as a Roud Folk Song

about a true love’s gifts. There are so many different versions, it was tough to

decipher all of the history, but many countries had their own twists to the song

until the standard 1909 arrangement by an English composer named Frederic

Austin. This composer elongated the “five golden ring” verse. However, the “five

golden rings” is disputed as actually being the golden rings of jewelry! Because

the first 6 days around these notorious golden rings are all birds, the 5 golden

rings are actually either the characteristic 5 golden rings around the neck of the

ringed pheasant or possibly misinterpreted from “five goldspinks” which are

goldfinch or maybe even canaries. Although, it is important to note that the 1780

publication does depict the jewelry version. In modern times, many people such

as Burl Ives, Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra and

his children, Roger Whitaker all have their own recorded songs! Even Alvin and

the Chipmunks and also the Muppets with songwriter-singer John Denver have

their own versions of the song. A radio play back in 1977 titled “And Yet Another

Partridge in a Pear Tree” and parodies on late night television have made their

mark on this song. Even the Audubon Society has designated the holiday season

as a time for one of the two yearly bird counts.

Now, let’s look at the birds of the first 6 verses!

The Partridge in a Pear Tree:

The crowning glory to the song of gifts, partridges are genetically

a mixture of pheasant and jungle fowl types of birds in the

taxonomic family of Phasianidae. Size-wise, they are between the

large pheasant and small quail species. Many are considered

game birds and vary in colorations. Most are very distinctive in colors. They nest

on the ground which makes many think that the “in a pear tree” is a bad

translation of the original writings of this French verse. Not only are they

symbolized in the Christmas song, but they also have major references in Greek

mythology and the Kurdish national symbols. There is a long list of species

considered partridges. Most partridges are thought of as grassland or farmland

type dwellers with strong feet and beaks. They eat seeds and insects. Because

there are so many different types, it is impossible to talk about them all.

However, if you want to buy your sweetheart a partridge in a pear tree, you can

find them in all kinds of forms- from metal wall hangings, to snow globe ones, to

paintings of all prices, but the cheapest bet is cardboard popups! Just saying……

The Two Turtle Doves:

Always seem to come in pairs, the turtle doves are

placed in a family of birds called Columbidae, or the

doves and pigeons. The turtle dove is migratory

throughout Europe, Middle East, Turkey, and

Northern Africa, and winters in Southern Africa. Like the partridge, the doves

have been referenced in history as symbols: Love and Devotion. It has been

indicated in mythology, written about in poems by Shakespeare, and sung in folk

songs about love and loss as well as spirituals and hymns. No one is mentioned

more in the Bible- representing beauty and innocence. Our Mourning Dove is very

familiar to those in North America. Bloomingdales has ceramic turtle doves

anywhere between $20 and $300! Yikes! A real turtle dove usually will put you

out of about $130-$187, while a simple ornament ($12.95) or chocolates ($28.25)

may do. Go for the chocolates!

Three French Hens:

The French breed of hen, the Faverolles, were developed in

the 1860’s in two villages, Houdan and Faverolles, in north-

central France. They were highly sought after for being both

egg producers and meat. They were the breed that provided

most of the eggs found in Paris. Over time, they were bred to exhibit for looks as

well. German breeders followed suit with these chickens. British breeders later

began developing a “prettier” look with more distinct tail feathers. The standard

for this type of chicken is a large, stouter body, decorative beard, muffs, and feet.

The feet actually have 5 toes instead of most breeds with 4. Their coloring ranges

from salmon (the most common color) to white and brown to black, ermine,

cuckoo, and blue. Even though they were more recently bred for good looks, they

kept their standard of being excellent for egg laying and meat! Not only that, but

the French hens are also the best on temperament! They are a quieter, friendlier

stock than most chickens and are now considered the most desired for backyard

producers and pets. They tend to be bullied when put

with other breeds, therefore it is recommended to

only mix with other friendly breeds. Their eggs are

medium-sized and light brown to pinkish in color.

Four Calling Birds:

In the USA, the song states, “four calling birds”.

However, this is not the original wording! The original

1780 song used the terminology, “four colly birds”.

The next thing to ask is- what the heck is a colly? Well, the word is derived from a

word meaning “black as coal”. So yes, the birds in this story/song are of

blackbirds, not those cute little passerines we think of as song birds. Doing a quick

search on Yahoo, my favorite comments are as follows: “Colly means black and

came from the old word specifically used for coal. “So the four colly birds in the

carol are in fact blackbirds. This doesn’t really explain why anyone should want to

give their true love four blackbirds, but there’s no accounting for taste….” The

song has been rewritten so many times in history, and in 1909 the first publication

to use the term “calling birds” existed. Ornithologists would argue that there is no

such thing as a calling bird, but “commoners” like to play with words so the

interpretation for “calling birds” are the songbirds. If you agree like most people

in the world today, the song is most likely referring to a crow or raven. Many

sermons have been given using the four calling birds as symbols for the four

disciples that were the Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Of course

the price for a calling bird varies according to your preferred interpretation!

Geese a Laying:

Narrowing the search to Canada (Canadian)

Geese, Branta canadensis, since they are what SC

has, they can be described as large, black headed,

black necked geese with a distinctive white cheek

strap, brown bodies, and the most known birds of North America. Although there

are only two recognized species of these geese with seven subspecies

distinguished within Canada Geese, as a whole, they are usually discussed by

migratory and non-migratory populations. According to DNR, here in SC we have

two migratory populations and one resident population. They go on to say that

the largest concentration of the migratory population is located in the Santee

National Wildlife Refuge. The current resident population is over 50,000. Canada

geese are protected in North America by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918

and other state and federal laws. Hunting allowances in September puts the focus

on the resident geese in SC. They mate for life, build nests on the ground, and

have made pests of themselves in farmlands and urban areas. Thus, the hunt is

geared toward resident geese rather than during wintering migration season.

What are the problems? Well, depredation of farmers’ crops and other vegetative

fields, air strike danger, noisiness in neighborhoods, public parks and golf courses,

excrement of more than two and one half tons per 50 geese (according to

National Geographic), confrontational attacks, and holding up roadways as “goose

crossings”. Driving down Harborview Road on James Island, it is a regular

phenomenon to see geese in the ponds located there, grazing on yard grasses,

and during breeding season, holding up traffic for the family line of ducks- usually

an adult in the front, goslings following closely and an adult pulling up the rear. In

New Zealand, geese were introduced as game birds in 1905, and by 2011, the

government removed all protection status because of the “pest status” they

became known for! Geese have been observed to have “assortative behavior for

mating” which means that once they are mature enough to breed (usually not

until their 3rd or 4th year), they choose their mates of similar size to themselves

even though males tend to be larger than females.

Carl Linnaeus described Canada Geese in his work called Systema Naturae. Then

the classification name came from an Old Norse term “brandgas” which later

became “branta” in Latin for “burnt, brown goose”. The Oxford English Dictionary

gives the first notation for the use of Canada Goose to the year 1772! It wasn’t

until 2004 that the American Ornithologists’ Union- Committee on Classification

and Nomenclature agreed upon two separate species- Canada Goose and the

Cackling Goose. Differences are minimal. The male Canadian Goose weighs

between 5.7 pounds to 14.3 pounds! Now that could be a nice sized Christmas

Goose! Depending on who you want to listen to, the opinions of the meat is all

across the board. Drake Larsen of Iowa State University’s research team is quoted

as saying in Atlantic magazine, “so yummy….good, lean, rich meat. I find they are

similar to a good cut of beef”, but The British Trust for Ornithology describes the

meat as, “reputedly amongst the most inedible of birds”.

Swans a Swimming:

Swans have a very rich cultural significance in many

countries and in many religions. The word “swan” is

derived from Indo-European “swen” and German,

Swedish, and Dutch carry overs meaning song or

sound. The term cygnets, used in reference to swanlings, is of Latin, French, and

Greek origins. The adult male is called a cob while the adult female is called a pen.

Groups of swans are called “bevies” or “wedges”. Swans are the largest of the

waterfowl family of Anatidae and are considered one of the largest flying birds.

Their wing spans can get to be over 3 meters! The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

describes the Trumpeter Swan as our “biggest native waterfowl”, “entirely white

with black bill and black legs”, but are gray-brown when immature, and goes on

to say they are so heavy, that it is difficult and laborious for them to exit the

water. The Trumpet Swans are similar to the Tundra Swans. There are 4 or 5

species of swan in the Northern Hemisphere, one species is found in New Zealand

and Australia, and one in South America. They are now on the recovery list from

being endangered. They breed in Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States.

Even though they are praised so highly for their beauty and grace, many people

living near them may have a tendency to call them “a nuisance”, “pest”, “feral”,

and “noisy”. These North American species do not migrate dramatically. Unlike

the Trumpet Swan, the Mute Swan was introduced here from Europe and are

sometimes considered “competitors of our precious, native waterfowl”. They

have orange bills. These populations are also increasing. Swans live in shallow, still

waters and nest on banks close by. They eat vegetative shoots, roots, and stems

of aquatic plant-life. Sometimes they forage on ground for seeds. Swans are an

endearing symbol for many, not only for their beauty and grace, but also for their

monogamous bonds. These bonds can happen within 20 months of hatching and

last a lifetime, and the male helps with the nest and raising young. In history, the

swan is best known as elegant and graceful, and are symbolic of such

characteristics as love, fidelity, rarity, saintliness and transformation. Swans are

features in Greek mythology, Norse mythology, European operas, Irish Legends,

poetry, coat-of-arms, Finnish epics, and national symbols of Finland and Denmark.

The most famous story is probably “The Ugly Duckling”. During the times of

Queen Elizabeth I, the swan was eaten as a show of luxury, yet in many religions,

the swan is revered as a spiritual animal.

**** Information for this article came from many places including SCDNR.com,

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology (All About Birds), National Geographic Society,

Encyclopedia Britannica, Audubon.org, Wikipedia, and Yahoo answers. ******

Have a merry, little Christmas!

From all here at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

Cheers to all the birders out there that make this fun for me!

December 18, 2016 was a good day for the bird walk. 2 participants reaped the

rewards of seeing 55 species for the day. The Gadwall were a major conversation

when Perry and Ray returned from the walk. Actually, one in particular…….had an

interesting coloring that none of the others had. This specimen had a large, light

facial cheek patch. Pictures were taken to log this phenomenon. If they come out

clear enough, they will be posted for you. Other ducks in the vicinity were

American Wigeon, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, and Pied-billed Grebe.

Other water oriented birds were: Double Crested Cormorant, Anhinga, Great Blue

Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, and White Ibis.

Feeding Ibis Photo by Chuck Fuhrman

The Laughing Gull and the Ring-billed Gull were mostly flyovers. The plantation

also measured high numbers of Common Moorhen and American Coot with

approximately 100 of each type. With 35 Black Vulture and 12 Turkey Vulture, the

main thing to note there is that 30 were in the sky together in a grouping, while

the others were seen in assorted other spots.

The Cormorants gather.

Photo by Jo Frkovich

Anhingas can seem whimsical!

Photo by Jo Frkovich

The Bald Eagles are still around. One adult

and one first year bird were seen near

Perry’s field which kept the ducks away

from that area this time. The Northern Harrier was very cooperative as it sat in

the tree as if to pose for Perry Nugent (That photo to come too!). The Red-

shouldered Hawk were more seen than heard, but in the appropriate places on

the property as expected. A beautiful Belted Kingfisher was a flyover, while most

of the Red-winged blackbirds were as well. The American Robin and the Cedar

Waxwing are notorious for being where ever berries can be found! They did not

disappoint. Rusty Blackbird, not a

common bird in this area, were

mostly found along the exit road and

between the exit road and entrance

road going after the Pyracantha.

Brown Thrasher from a few weeks ago

Photo by Chuck Fuhrman

The Yellow-rumped Warbler is one of the hardier warblers because it is not a very

food specific bird. As a general feeder, it can stay healthy and not run into

troubles looking for one type of food source during the winter. They were found

in large numbers anywhere between the Indian mound and the cross dike.

Unfortunately for us, from September to April they develop their beautiful colors

for breeding plumage and then leave the area for breeding and nesting. There will

be only a few remaining when the spring bird count occurs. The Pine Warblers,

which are permanent residents, are getting brighter these days but are tree

toppers (making them harder to see well) and they are very crafty in finding

hiding places for their nesting. Perry mentioned that he had seen, quite by

accident, a well-hidden nest between 2 pine cones in a cluster. A Palm Warbler

was counted this Sunday as well. Another highlight of the day were the Blue-

headed Vireo. They are only winter residents which will be expected to leave in

early spring. The participants had a quick look at a Chipping Sparrow along the

walk down the exit road from the parking lot. The Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow,

and White-throated Sparrow should increase in numbers soon because of the

snow in the northern part of the country now. Perry feels that there should be

more American Goldfinch in by now and is a bit concerned for this species. The

Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, and Eastern Bluebirds are always a joy to

observe.

Female Northern (Yellow-shafted) Flicker Photo Ray Swagerty

Other birds that rounded out the count were the Mourning Dove, Red-bellied,

Downy, and Pileated Woodpeckers, Yellow bellied Sapsucker, Northern Flicker,

Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, American and Fish Crows, Tree Swallow, Northern

Mockingbird, Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse, Common and Boat-tailed Grackles,

and Northern Cardinal.