The Cap’n IDs Birds by Wing Patterns
(Photo by Laura Hammett)
Message from the Cap’n is a compilation of fishing advice, waterman and weather insights, Chesapeake lore, and ordinary malarkey from the folks who keep their feet wet in the Potomac and St. Mary’s rivers.
The Cap’n
With frigid weather hanging on, you can create a new hobby for yourself, birdwatching!
You can do it warmly out of your own home and learn to identify birds in flight by wing patterns.
Most birds have a distinct flight pattern. We follow them around our feeders in the yard. Cardinals, chickadees, tufted titmouse, nuthatches, finches, sparrows, juncos, and mockingbirds visit daily. We know their wing patterns.
But how about those flying afar over the water or forests.
Just to identify several (with links to AllAboutBirds.org information about each):
The Bald Eagles flies with flat wings. More information on the eagles at All About Birds.
Turkey Vulture has a deep V in wings.
The Osprey flies with its elbows.
The Great Blue Heron has a call like no other.
Birds Aloft
*
- Ever watch a Bald Eagle soar
- On updrafts above the shore
- With flat wings it glides to see
- what its next catch will be
- **
- Vultures drift aloft with zeal
- Trying to find another meal
- With a “deep V” in its wings
- To see what nature brings
- ***
- Ospreys love the updrafts too,
- To look for fish within their view.
- Flying along with “elbows” to fish
- And bring home their only dish
- ****
- The great Blue Heron jumps and glides
- From the rookery where it resides
- When bullied, its ancient call is not an act
- Sounding like a Pterodactyl looking to attack
- ******
- Now we all can certainly tell
- After watching their wing shapes for spell
- With this evidence it’s surely certain
- It’s an eagle, buzzard, or osprey working
Till next time, remember “It’s Our Bay, Let’s Pass It On.”
To learn about tours and trips into the Chesapeake, keep in touch with Fins + Claws on Facebook. Catch up on Messages from the Cap’n Member Page. Please visit Cap’n Jack’s lore and share with your social media sites. Or reach him at [email protected] or 240-434-1385.
