Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Juvenile Black-billed Cuckoo

juvenile Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
juvenile Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
juvenile Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
juvenile Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
juvenile Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
juvenile Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
adult field marks, from the excellent Sibley app
juvenile field marks, from the excellent Sibley app
House Wren Troglodytes aedon
House Wren Troglodytes aedon
Northern Pearly-eye Enodia anthedon
Cabbage White Pieris rapae
White Admiral Limenitis arthemis
Broad-winged Skipper Poanes viator (I think!)

 I finally found the juvenile Black-billed Cuckoo I suspected was lurking in the cemetery, cueing in on several sightings of adult birds that had the vibe of attending young birds over the past month. I watched for almost 30 minutes as it clumsily tried to thrash caterpillars to death and eat them, fumbling several in the process. It was also seen preening its disheveled new feathers, and even silently singing at one point (didn't look to be thermoregulating).
  Hopefully the enigmatic species will see further breeding success at this site.
  This bird was identified as a juvenile by its overall dingy wash, buffy throat, pale, scruffy fringes to much of its plumage, faint, almost non-existent spots on the undertail, and greenish-grey orbital ring.

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