Shorebirds of the Bronx

Whimbrels in Turtle Cove, Pelham Bay Park, Bronx

In mid-July a couple Bronx birder friends and I were talking about we have never really had that much luck with shorebirds in the Bronx. There were several species that could be generally found at certain times in certain places, but the Bronx definitely seemed to be the least shorebirdy place in NYC.

That luck would change, due to some serious puddles, but also perhaps some increased attention at the right times.

NYC waters- Randall's Island

Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean are connected by what New Yorkers call the East River, which is actually a waterway called a strait, in this case having tidal flows between the bigger water bodies (so no, it's not actually a river). The East River passes the "mainland" (The Bronx) and numerous islands are touched by its saltwater flows (like Manhattan, and Long Island (Queens and Brooklyn are part of this island)). Other smaller islands, like South and North Brother Islands, which are not currently inhabited by people, and Randall's Island, are fully surrounded by straits*.

Randall's Island is really an amalgamation of terra firma. Its current state shows you just how much humans can impact land and water. We united apparently three formerly disconnected islands, including Ward's Island, Randall's Island, and the Sunken Meadow island. Looking at the Historical NYC Maps & Atlases, you can see three distinct islands up until 1922 (maps from at least 1839-1922 show 3 islands). While we had many impacts including deforestation by using the land itself , in the last hundred years, we also altered this area by joining the islands.

The crane they call Umusambi

Grey-crowned cranes (Balearica regulorum) live in Africa. In Rwanda,
this is the bird they call umusambi.

Grey-crowned cranes range from Uganda (where they are the national bird)
and Kenya down along the eastern half of sub-Saharan Africa nearly
to the tip of South Africa. 

Grey-crowned cranes are omnivores, and they often feed in grasslands, as
they are in this picture from Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania.

Adult cranes have a wingspan of almost two meters, In this picture, they
are flying above the plains of Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.

Cranes fly around to find food but when they breed, they make nests
of broken grasses in shallow waters. They often find spots in wetlands
that have both shallow water and tall plants for seclusion and protection.

Both male and female cranes look similar. According to Animal Diversity 
Web, grey-crowned cranes are monogamous and may mate for life.
It takes a young bird about one year to look like its parents.

Sadly, the population of grey-crowned cranes is decreasing. Habitat loss
and capture from the wild have put serious pressure on the cranes. One
day in June, a man showed up with a baby crane and tried to sell it to
Michele and me. We declined.

People capture cranes for food, traditional practices, and the domestic and
international pet  markets. Taking a crane is illegal in Rwanda, but a payday
of 20,000  Rwandan Francs (about $33 USD) makes it an attractive crime.
As much as we wanted to buy the crane to let it go, we did not want to
give the man economic incentive to take this one or another one later.
My guess is this crane was taken to a bigger city for sale but if that failed,
it was probably eaten. Birdlife International lists this bird as vulnerable.

We could not save that umusambi. It was sad to witness it. Michele drew
this picture shortly after to try to put the bird back in its home.

Fly away, umusambi, fly away!!! Organizations that help to conserve crane
habitats and prevent their removal from the wild include:
Uganda Wildlife Education Center
Wildlife Conservation Society
International Crane Foundation

Works consulted

• BirdLife International (2011) Species factsheet: Balearica regulorum. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 03/12/2011. 
• Ryan, P. and Sinclair, I. Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. Struik Nature: Cape Town, 2003.
• Thairu, M. 2011. "Balearica regulorum" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed December 02, 2011 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Balearica_regulorum.html.
• "The Cranes: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan." 2006. U.S. Department of the Interior-U.S. Geological Survey. Accessed online December 2, 2011 at http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/cranes/baleregu.htm.
• "Ugandan Cranes Declining Due to 'Witch Doctors.'" National Geographic News. October 19, 2007. Accessed online December 2, 2011 at http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/10/071019-crane-potion.html.

Where the Blue Monkeys climb: our journeys through the swamp

From the top of our hill, Lake Mugesera and the swamp appears to be just a short walk away. Six kilometers later, you look back, and realize that the six kilometers back are uphill. Fortunately, the wildlife is worth it.

Welcome to the swamp!

There are several routes one can take to reach the lake. Sometimes great birds are found along the way; sometimes hordes of children swarm a few meters behind you. Whatever the route, although it is only 5km to the lake as the crow flies, your path will wind at least 6km past farms, homes, and through swamp.

Swamp-jumping! We have yet to have a full fall-in. If that happens,
we'll definitely get pictures! 

The swamp that fringes Lake Mugesera is actually much better for spotting wildlife than the lake itself. We have seen only around four species on the lake water in five trips, but dozens live in the swamp.

The muck and water can past your knees. Expect to get a little wet.

Much of the swamp has been cleared and cultivated (rice is a major crop in former swamps). Local residents harvest the papyrus and use it to cover soil to prevent unwanted plants from growing. Still, some native vegetation remains.

Papyrus dominates the swamp. What lives inside is a mystery unless you
are lucky enough to have something pop out. 

Patience is required at the swamp. Some spots hardly even afford a view. The potential in a swamp is high, but at the same time, you may walk away with seeing only common species.

Hadada ibis (Bostrychia hagedesh) forage among the swamp grasses.
They are one of three ibis species found in Rwanda.

We have yet to find any of the regional papyrus-endemic species in our local swamp (endemic means that a species is unique to some area, whether it be a habitat type or region). However, if we do find one, it would be quite the treasure. Shoebills, papyrus gonoleks, papyrus canaries, Carruther's cisticolas, and white-winged warblers are all known to live in swamps in Rwanda.

Find the bittern! Clue: look for its outstretched neck.

The allure of the swamp is mainly different birds than we are used to seeing. Every once in a while, we find a species new to us. Our swamp is the only place we have seen little bitterns, cape wagtails, northern brown-throated weavers, and slender-billed weavers.

The little bittern (Ixobrychus sturmii) is spectacular bird, and we
believe there is a pair nesting in this piece of swamp (we have
seen them in the same spots over a three-month period).

There are plenty of butterflies and dragonflies that dazzle along. Sometimes frogs jump from the side and plop into the watery muck of the swamp. We have yet to see any snakes, but this is a habitat where several species could thrive. Locals say there are no crocodiles, and our observations confirm that. People have told us that hippos and elephants used to live here- can you imagine looking down from the hill and seeing elephants?

We found a troop of twelve gentile blue monkeys (Cercopithecus species)
traversing the swamp. They came out on the opposite side to raid
some banana trees.

If you are interested in seeing the swamp and the lake near where Michele and I live, plug in these coordinates to Google Earth or another similar program:  Latitude: 2° 4'13.31"S Longitude: 30°22'5.07"E. That spot is a small cove surrounded by swamp that is favored by both human residents for water and by birds for its prominent perches and abundant food. You can see the swamp (full of small squares that are now cultivated) going north until it forms the top of a "Y." Welcome to the local swamp!

The electric malachite kingfisher (Alcedo cristata) is great to see,
unless you are a fish, amphibian, or giant insect. It uses its long,
spear-like bill to snag its prey while in swooping down at the water.

The pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) is a widespread species that is very
easily seen at the swamp and hovering over the lake.

The blue-headed coucal (Centropus monchus) is a species that lives
primarily in swamps. Although it sometimes calls while resting in the open,
most of the time it is secretive as it forages among the swamp grasses.

The sacred ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) stands here on some cropland
just outside the swamp. It is generally looks for macroinvertebrates
and snatches them with its long, curved bill.

Cape wagtails (Motacilla capensis) are reportedly common in southern
Africa,  but here in East Africa they are considered "local" residents that
can only be found near their territories. Indeed, at the swamp is the only
place Michele and I have seen them.

The black-headed gonolek (Laniarius erythrogaster) is a brilliant-looking
bird.  Jet black on the head, back and wings with a blood-red throat and
belly, it is always a pleasure to see. 

The swamp flycatcher (Muscicapa aquatica) is only found around,
you guessed it, swamps and lakeside vegetation.

Once we are satisfied or if rain clouds or darkness approach, it is time to turn our backs to the lake and begin the long walk climbing from 1335 meters above sea level to our house at 1538 meters above sea level. The lake and swamp is not for everyone; in fact, some might say it is for the birds! So it is, and also for bird lovers like us.

Swamp creatures!