Birding Galore!

American Goldfinch

Well, things have changed haven't they.  With the COVID quarantine, we no longer spend any hours every week volunteering. I am over my cancer, but am still at risk for COVID probably, so we keep our distance. My memory is not reliable, so my husband has to be very patient with me. The YMCA is closed, so we don't go to exercise, and if it rains, we can't walk at the Mall. But we try to get in steps on Fitbit every day. We were registered for the Verde Valley Birding Festival in Cottonwood, AZ last week, which got cancelled. But they used their imaginations and did virtual birding instead! I even became a virtual birding buddy with a student from the University of Vermont whose Environmental Studies class had gone online. Audubon asked the chapters to adopt one of these students and talk to them about birding. We looked at Cornell's feeder cam and I explained what we were seeing. Even talked about birding ethics! The neighborhood gets a little boring after 6 weeks, so we try to go to other parks and look for wildflowers or BIRDS! I've even taken the eBird tutorial on Cornell's website and been certified as an eBird user, which I never did before. And I've started posting on this blog more than ever in the last few years.

Solitary Sandpiper

 

This morning one of our birding friends posted that he had spotted a Virginia Rail at Beckley Creek. A few years ago, one was sighted there, and flocks of birder came to look at it. Could it possibly be the same bird? Anyway, we were planning on going there this morning, so I grabbed my camera and we jumped in the car, but no luck with the Rail. It's probably there, but they are experts at hiding in the grass and reeds. While scanning the wetlands, I did spot something quietly moving around. It's a Solitary Sandpiper! I have a terrible time identifying Sandpipers, mostly because I see them so rarely I think. So I carefully compared this one to other Sandpipers on the Cornell website when we got home. How cool!

Baltimore Oriole

One of my favorite birds is the bright orange Baltimore Oriole. I have never heard two of them sing the same song, so the songs on my app don't do much good to call them in. But they like to tee up on the top of a tree and whistle their hearts out, so they aren't too hard to find. You can just whistle the song back to them, and they are very forgiving if you don't get it just right.

Red-winged Blackbird

Red Shoulders hidden - non-territorial

Juvenile

Female

This time of year, if there is any standing water around, you will hear the raucous call of the Red-winged Blackbirds. When you see the red epaulettes, you know he's on territory, saying "Get out! This is mine!" When you only see the yellow line, he's not being so aggressive, at a feeder, for example. The female looks like a huge sparrow, but hides well in the marshy area of her nest. This is the first time I've seen what is obviously a juvenile Red-winged Blackbird. He sang their "chuck" note, but isn't ready to challenge the big birds yet.

Warbling Vireo

This is the second time in a week we have heard and seen a Warbling Vireo. A birder friend once said their song sounds like "blurbieleialdlslakdlaioiieu" rather than some recognizable tune, and that advise has worked so far! Haven't seen/heard any Red-eyed Vireos yet this year. Either it's too early for them, or I haven't been in the woody habitat they like.

Green Heron- skulking

Punk feather-do

After the excitement of the Solitary Sandpiper, I was ready to head out for lunch and to rest my aching feet. But we were right next to the pond, so might as well check it out for anything to add to our list, and Dick saw a GREEN HERON! They are superb skulkers and we don't find them often, even in habitat where we would expect them. This guy walked about for several minutes, flashing his punk feathers, before finally fading into the cattails.

Common Yellowthroat

Here's the one that got away. They were singing everywhere, witchity witchity, but wouldn't come out in the open to visit. So here is one I found at Beckley Creek a few years ago. Total on eBird --30 species!

Carolina Wren Family

Carolina Wrens are some of my very favorite birds. For such a small creature, they have lots of attitude, fearing nothing and scolding loudly as they chase away any potential danger. Ounce for ounce, they are the loudest birds in the woods or your back yard. A rich mahogany brown with a creamy white eyebrow makes them easy to recognize. We have had a pair (or several over the years) in our backyard for many years. Once they built a nest in a bicycle helmet on the shelf in the garage. We had to leave the window open a bit so the parents could get in and out when the door was shut.

We hung a gourd from the porch light by our kitchen door, and each summer, some small bird builds a nest and raises a family there. Last year, the House Wrens got there first. I never understood how they got those big twigs through the small hole. When the weather turned warm, we put some chairs on the patio and planned to enjoy our time there. But a pair of Carolina Wrens decided otherwise, scolding and flitting about to show us their displeasure. So we moved to the swing in the yard, and they could get back to the business of raising a family.

We had no idea that she had eggs in the gourd. Incubation is by female only, lasting 12-16 days and the male may feed female during incubation. Both parents bring food for nestlings. It's hard to tell which is mom and which is dad, since both sexes look alike. The young leave nest about 12-14 days after hatching. There may be 2 broods per year.

Not only do they feed the young, but they keep the nest clean by removing the fecal sacs produced by the young. Disposable diapers for birds!

Yesterday, the adults were very upset that our cat was outside and continued to scold after I put him inside, since they saw him through the kitchen door. I thought one of the babies might have fledged, since this third wren started hanging around. It sat on the same chair as the mom, and followed her around the patio, but made absolutely no noise. Very well feathered and flighted for a fledgling, I thought to myself. Where did this guy come from?

At first, she would enter the gourd to feed, then she started just leaning into the gourd to feed them. Getting bigger - they will be ready to fledge soon. This morning, I noticed a little baby beak sticking  out through the hole.

They were quiet today - quieter than any time in the last few weeks. Then the racket began and the cat went to look out the kitchen door again. There are the chicks! Only 2 of them, and so small! Carolina Wrens have a tail they usually cock straight up, but the chicks have almost no tail at all yet!

Yep, I'm a big guy now he says. I don't have to use diapers any more.

They didn't walk too well, given they have never had to walk at all before. You could see the dismay on his face when he got to the hose. How am I going to get over this!

Oh no! This big block is even bigger than the hose! How will I ever get to the top? I didn't see him, but a mighty leap go him to the top.

Dad followed them until both were safely hidden under the plants.

It's a never ending job keeping up with children. While they were in the nest, we just had to catch the bugs for them. Now we have to keep up with them and teach them to find their own bugs. Whew, I'm tired already.

Stay at Home #KentuckyTogether

This is the time of year when we enjoy getting out to watch the wildflowers bloom. This year, however, it's even more important. Early in March, we celebrated my recovery from cancer by heading to Gulf Shores, AL, for a week's vacation. Yes, we heard about the Corona virus, but that was in China. Then it was in Washington state. Then it started spreading across the country. We had a trip to Arizona scheduled for April and started thinking about canceling it even before we got home.

When we arrived home, I got my nails done and went to Kroger's, knowing that many of their shelves would be bare. And life began to change. Schools and day cares are closed. Our 8 year old grandson started spending days with us doing e-learning. We decided not to go to the YMCA and then it closed altogether anyway. "Non-essential" stores are closed, and there's lots of confusion about what is essential and what isn't. Liquor stores are deemed essential. Church has online FaceBook services and our Sunday School class meets by Zoom online as well. I've discovered that the camera on my laptop doesn't work. I never tried to use it before. All sporting events and other mass meetings have been cancelled, including the Kentucky Derby. Even Beckham Bird Club has cancelled everything. And no one can predict how long all this will last. Our governor, Andy Beshear, is doing a great job keeping people informed, but the numbers get worse every day. Even orchestras and choruses are performing with each indivdual at home- some great software there.

Yes, they say, go to parks, but now the playgrounds and restrooms at the park are closed, and Bernheim has closed to the public altogether. So we walk in the neighborhood, or go to Creasey to keep up with the spring wildflowers. It keeps us sane. It keeps us (and our grandchildren)  from going nuts.

Tavia has started doing live FaceBook walks in the Fern Garden. I'm learning more about FaceBook then I ever guessed, and they want people to start using their new version. ACK!

Bombylius Major

We spotted a fuzzy looking "bee" on some of the flowers at Creasey, so I took photos for later identification. I'm familiar with the clearwing moths, and had looked for this guy among the moths, unsuccessfully. Finally got a response to my request from an entomologist, who said it was actually a fly!

I must admit, it's more fun to walk when the sun shines!