Though We Gotta Say Goodbye For the Summer
Would you rather hear this article? Click on the above audio to take a short “Walk In the Woods” at Harmony Hill!
Spring has us all excited about the colors and the rebirth around us and we can hardly contain ourselves! Each new day finds a flower in bloom that has returned to the landscape after so many months of dormancy or a butterfly taking flight and lifting our very spirits with each wingbeat. It is almost as though Nature, herself, has a new gift for us to unwrap everyday as we get deeper into spring. In all our giddiness to see our friends from last year, we heard a sound in the woods that reminded us we are losing friends we’ve had all winter. There have been species filling the shortened, colder days that we just left behind; little glints of spectacular life and some color in the midst of the chilliness and grays of last season. When we heard that whistled call echo through the trees, we knew that, for all the joy we were experiencing in the newness of leaf buds opening around us, there are goodbyes to be said amongst all the daily hellos.
It was an early morning in a place where the pines give way to hardwoods, where the drier upland areas begin leading downhill to the creek, where we walked with the sun dancing in and out of the brand new spring green leaves still unfurling on twigs of hardwoods. The warm yellow light of morning kissed our face as we watched a moth fly past us and we took a deep breath of clean air that was just the right mixture of crispness and warmth. In that moment of joy, we heard a bird call out behind us. It was a call we’d heard on and off throughout the winter and it was a call we knew well. When we said the name of the bird out loud, as we often do when birds sing on our walks, we realized that call was from a species leaving us for the spring and summer.
Blue-headed Vireos (Vireo solitarius) are one of four vireo species found at Harmony Hill and the only species found just in the winter. Red-eyed Vireos, White-eyed Vireos, and Yellow-throated Vireos breed here and begin showing up just before Blue-headed Vireos prepare to leave in the spring. For a short while in late April and early May, we have the glorious opportunity to see and hear all four species. During the warmest winters, it isn’t out of the question for Blue-headed Vireos to be joined by a handful of White-eyed Vireos. But that is about as hit-or-miss and unpredictable as you could imagine.
Like their Red-eyed and Yellow-throated cousins, Blue-headed Vireo songs are based on the classic vireo cadence and even sounds extremely similar to the “HERE I AM! WHERE ARE YOU?” mnemonic we learned for Red-eyed Vireos. While Red-eyed Vireos broadcast their songs nearly nonstop and Yellow-throated Vireos have a croupier song that sounds more like “THREE EIGHT!”, Blue-headed Vireo songs are sweeter, higher in pitch and aren’t heard quite as frequently. As a matter of fact, if you choose to join us for the audio version of this “Walk in the Woods”, we’ll demonstrate that song with a recording we were able to capture during our walk to let you hear the song!
Also, just a quick thank you to birds with common names so descriptive and correct as this collection of vireos! True to their names, Blue-headed Vireos have slate blue heads, Red-eyed Vireos have blood red eyes, White-eyed Vireos have crystal white eyes, and Yellow-throated Vireos have buttery yellow throats!
Vireos are in the Vireonidae family, which are a group of birds that superficially look like warblers or even large kinglets. But their bills are thicker, longer, and come to a small hook at the tip when compared to any warbler or kinglet species. They use those beaks to forage for insect eggs and overwintering adult insects from late November to early May at Harmony Hill. They also take advantage of late season insect larvae in early winter and early season insect larvae in early spring. We’ve observed them taking small spiders and even the occasional holly fruit, but small insects seem to make up the majority of their diet here.
Looking specifically at the Blue-headed Vireo, we see it does have that slate blue head that its common name mentions. But it has a set of white “spectacles”, wrapping around its eyes and leading to its beak. These white spectacles; and, yes, that is the technical term we use a naturalists, give them the appearance of wearing white framed eyeglasses. A slightly dirty wash appearance on their undersides gives way to a dull olive green back. And be sure to pay attention to the wings when you’re identifying this bird, as there are two small wing bars; one near the bend (or wrist) of the wing and another about ½” behind it and farther down the wing.
We’ve discussed their common name and how it is both descriptive and helpful in identifying this bird, but let’s dive into its scientific name. The genus name of Vireo means “greenness” and refers to the often drab olive color found on numerous vireo species, such as on the back of our Blue-headed Vireos. Their species name, solitarius, means just what it sounds like, “alone or in solitude”. True to that species name, you are highly unlikely to find more than one Blue-headed Vireo at a time. Unless you observe them during breeding season, you are far more likely to ever only see them foraging without other Blue-headed Vireos around.
To be certain, they are quite often found in mixed flocks, hanging out with chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, and even a woodpecker or creeper. But we can’t remember ever seeing more than one at a time outside of nesting season and definitely have never seen more than one at a time at Harmony Hill.
Twenty-five years ago, the species known at the time as Solitary Vireo was split into three species: Blue-headed Vireo, Cassin’s Vireo, and Plumbeous Vireo. Genetic studies showed that, despite looking quite a bit alike and even sounding similar, they were three distinct species. We’ve had the good fortune to see each of the three species coming from that split and we must agree there are some subtle differences seen even in the field. Cassin’s and Plumbeous Vireos are western species and have never been documented at Harmony Hill. But the Blue-headed Vireos provide more than enough enjoyment for us during the quieter and starker days they join us onsite.
And it is that enjoyment we shall miss as we heard our friend bid us farewell for the summer. For even as we celebrate the massive increase in songs, activity, color, and light that this season brings, we will miss our winter friends. And we thank the Blue-headed Vireo for helping carry us through until its relatives returned to nest and consume countless insects in the forests and along the creek banks. Thank you for that lilting song you gave to us the other morning on your way northward. Until we see you again in late November, safe travels to you!