molting woodpecker

 Mullein blooms over a long time in the summer. Some of the flower stalks have produced seeds.        Birds molt old feathers and grow new ones after nesting and fledging their young.  This Downy Woodpecker has a few more new feathers to sprout, but it is hungry enough to come out for lunch.

mallard twins and lone goose

In June, a Mallard mama brought her 6 newly-hatched ducklings to the water (see 6/27/2021).  A few weeks went by, and only 2 ducklings remained with the adult. We watched as they became more independent each day, no longer swimming so close to her.  Eventually, the mama would leave them to feed alone since they knew to hide among the grasses. She would hide herself from predators because she was molting. So we only saw her every few days with them. We called the two ducklings the 'twins'.

(pix above: twins in July with Mallard mama)

One day in August, a Canada Goose appeared on the pond. It glided on the water, showing off its newly molted feathers. But it stayed here day after day, feeding with and hanging close to the twins. All of them seemed to be comfortable with each others' company. All seemed healthy and happy on the quiet pond with plenty to eat, overhanging grasses and reeds to hide in, and rocks to sit on for sunny naps. They dabbled for food in the water together. Even the mama mallard seemed okay with the goose.

We puzzled why the goose was here. According to research, Canada Geese mate for life. If one loses a mate, it may stay alone. A lone female may help other families herd and raise their young.  I like to think this was a female goose who lost her mate; maybe she wanted to help the mallard ducklings since their mama was vulnerable to predators while growing new feathers. She stayed until the twins grew their wing feathers and muscles strong enough to fly out from the pond.  She disappeared from pond a day after the mallards departed, at the end of August.

(pix below: twins in August with lone goose)

ducks in September

 

Mallards, dabbling ducks who rely on ponds like this one, have been growing and feeding in nearby crop fields while they molted into new feathers.  Now we see them on the pond more often than in mid-summer. It is our signal to watch for daily duck visits as they prepare for migration.

Goldfinches - one of two annual molts

American Goldfinches (Spinus tristis) are changing into their springtime molt, from drab to brilliant.  They are among the few birds that refresh their feathers twice a year.  In spring, they shed all except the wing and tail feathers.  This is how they change to bright yellow for mating season.  After nesting in summer, they prepare for surviving winter by molting all feathers.  

juvenile or adult?

These two Northern Cardinals Cardinalis cardinalis look alike.  Both are females, so have some red feathers like the all-red males, but are mostly tan rusty brownish so they can hide better from predators in nesting season.

But notice the difference between the adult and juvenile?

The young first-year female Cardinal above still has her juvenile dark grey bill.  Her new adult feathers are just coming in to form her winter coat.

The adult female Cardinal at right is identified by her bright orange or red bill.  Her feathers look disorganized like her youngster because she is molting.  She loses her old worn feathers in late summer, so her new warm winter feathers are just growing in.

new feathers

Adult birds are molting now that they are finished with nesting season.  Most of them stay hidden in leafy branches and bushes while their old feathers have dropped and they are growing new ones.  Without a full complement of feathers, they may not be able to fly and maneuver well enough to escape predators.  This female Northern Cardinal cautiously peeked out among the branches outside my window.