March Miscellany

How often do you get to use the word "miscellany" in a birding blog? This is just to bring things up to date before the migration season shifts into high gear. The owlets at Cave Hill are growing fast. They are eating whole mice now from their parents, and should start climbing around on the branches soon.  I plan to return to Cave Hill frequently to keep up with their progress. Assuming, of course, they are active during the daytime.

When they started building the East End Bridge several years ago, they found an active eagle nest  in the construction area. Debate went back and forth for a while - should they change the plans for the bridge? It was finally decided to proceed, and the eagles didn't seem to mind. A few years later, however, they lost a chick, then the nest tree came down altogether in a storm, and they decided to  move. The new nest was built nearby, so I decided to look for it. Found mom on the nest and dad keeping a watch nearby. Good news!

Arctic weather made Creasey Mahan and the Louisville Audubon Society cancel the event for Great Backyard Bird Count. This Saturday started cloudy and windy but improved as the day moved on. Tavia limited the number of attendees, because of the COVID, but everything worked out well. Tavia took people into the Woodland gardens to look at the wildflowers. I hope folks will come back to see how the blossoms change during the rest of the season. Lee Payne and I, as LAS Board members, led two groups around the Nature Preserve looking for birds. Our visitors were mostly inexperienced birders, so we talked about how to get started birding and how to use binoculars initially.

 

I guess being the leader made me nervous. I forgot to start an eBird list, and I didn't take many photos. Too busy talking to the group. When we got to the meadow, the day became a success as we saw Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows and Bluebirds!! Many of the common birds I saw earlier in the week didn't make an appearance for us. The long week of cold weather and storms was rough on many Bluebirds, so I was delighted to find these. We even saw the Kestrels who have moved into the nest box out by the totem pole.

I explained to the group how to tell the difference between mistletoe, squirrel nests and bird nests in a tree without leaves. We found a nest of sticks behind Mahan Manor, and closer examination found Adell, our resident Red Shouldered Hawk sitting on eggs!

Pine Warbler by Lee Payne

Lee is the "Owl Whisperer" who knows where all the owl nests are, so after the official walks, we headed into the woods looking for owls. I started losing my balance, so we didn't stay long enough to find an owl, but we did track down a  FOS Pine Warbler. It's yellow, it's trilling and it's in a pine tree -- got to be a Pine Warbler! April is coming soon - what wonders wait to be found!

What Day Is This?

Eastern Bluebird

When you stay home for cancer recovery or for COVID avoidance, you tend to lose track of the days. I've had at least 3 Saturdays in the last week. Sigh. In addition to this, there are 2 big celebrations in the world of birding today. If you follow Cornell Univ primarily, today is Global Big Day. "Global Big Day is an opportunity to check in with the birds in and around where you live. Join us on 9 May and be a part of a global birding community by sharing what birds you see around you with eBird." Traditionally, teams of birders have competitions to see how many bird species they can find in 24 hours. On the other hand, today is also International Migratory Bird Day, and the Audubon Society is celebrating with online webinars, and other online events.  

Eastern Meadowlark

The Beckham Bird Club usually celebrates today by counting birds for our Birdathon event, in which money is raised to support various bird friendly organizations both locally and state-wide. Our president sent a message to all Beckham members:

"Because the annual Global Big Day game match for state supremacy between Jefferson and Fayette counties has been done in by coronavirus, the Beckham Bird Club is putting forth a different challenge - let's see if we can make a statewide effort to smash the one-day record for species seen in Kentucky. Last year, there were 209 species seen on Global Big Day. Can we get to 210? 215? 220?" So this morning, Dick and I left home about 7:30 to head for 3 different birding spots, doing our bit for Birdathon.  

Great Egret

We've been to Hays Kennedy Park which has two good sized vernal pools, that have attracted some great birds this week. This Great Egret looked like a plane coming in for a landing at the airport!

 

Great Blue Heron

 The Great Blue Heron is pretty common wherever you find water around here. I was glad to see him successful as a fisher bird. But then he has to get it down that skinny throat! I was also surprised to see a fish that big in a pond that dries up every summer.

Indigo Bunting

I've been volunteering and visiting at Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve in Oldham County for about 10 years now, and figure I know what birds should be found there. Yesterday, I saw an eBird list there from a really good birder, who found 49 species, including lots of warblers!! Well, I know I'm not that good at finding warblers, but we'll go and have fun no matter how many species we find. 

Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird in flight

We have a pond that has more cattails than water, and the Red-winged Blackbirds there practice social distancing-not to keep free of disease, but to keep other birds out of their territories. Finally got a photo of one in flight showing their red epaulets. Yes, this is a bird we expected to see plenty of.

Eastern Meadowlark

 This Meadowlark was keeping an eye out for danger around the big meadow. See how they blend in with the grass where they nest?

Northern Mockingbird

 Again, another familiar bird we expected to see. Very defensive of their territories.

Purple Martin

We have only seen Purple Martins for a few years at Creasey. I hope this male is just the scout and the others will follow soon.

Eastern Bluebird

In 2015, I did a nesting survey on Eastern Bluebirds at Creasey, and got fantastic numbers. They were just everywhere. But the next winter was extra severe, and it seems that I haven't seen as many Bluebirds since then. I am concerned.

Swainson's Thrush

 

I hoped to see a Pileated Woodpecker, which I know to nest at the Nature Preserve. I hoped to see our resident Red-shouldered Hawk there. She normally calls all afternoon as she circles the big meadow.  Why can't we just add those birds to eBird anyway, since I know they are around somewhere? However, we did find an unexpected but much admired Swainson's Thrush. One of these birds used to come visit me every year around Derby Day down at the Falls of the Ohio. So, like I say, birding is a game of chance. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose, but it's fun anyway!

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!

Mothday

Snowberry Clearwing Moth

Although yesterday was Pet/Butterfly Day at Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve, my favorite finds were two moths which can be seen during the day. The clearwing moth flies and moves just like hummingbirds. Like them, they can remain suspended in the air in front of a flower while they unfurl their long tongues and insert them in flowers to sip their nectar. They even emit an audible hum like hummingbirds. I've seen them called both hummingbird and bumble bee moths, since they mimic those two fliers.

Snowberry Clearwing Moth

Hummingbird moths are rather plump; the tip of their tail opens into a fan. They are usually of a rich reddish brown color, at least in part. Like all Lepidoptera their wings are covered by scales; some species lose many of the scales from patches on their wings, so they are called clearwing hummingbird moths. Like most moths they have a very long tongue which they carry rolled under their chins and that they use to reach the nectar of long-necked flowers. Such nectar is inaccessible to many other flower visitors, so it seems that these flowers prefer long tongued pollinators and try to keep the others away. 

Bumblebee Moth vs Bumblebee

The adult Bumblebee Moth will feed on their larval food plants, honeysuckle and snowberry, for nectar. They also will get nectar from milkweed, Monardella, and some thistles. Monardella is an excellent garden plant for butterflies as well as Moths. It has perennial and annual forms from white to purple flowers. It also has a fresh minty scent. The one I saw was feeding on butterfly bush.

Luna Moth

This Luna moth was found on the side of the Field House, near the big security light that shines all night.  Although rarely seen due to their very brief (1 week) adult lives, Luna Moths are considered common in some areas, but uncommon in others. As with all Saturniidae, the adults do not eat or have mouths. They emerge as adults solely to mate, and as such, only live approximately one week. They are more commonly seen at night.

Luna moth male - large antennae

They have huge wingspans of 3 - 4 inches. The males are distinguished from the females by their larger and wider antennae, all the better to detect the pheromones of the female. Luna Moth caterpillars are lime green with orange spots running down both sides.  The  caterpillars feed on several types of trees, including, alder, beeches, cherries, hazelnut, hickories, pecan, persimmon, sweet gum, and willows. The caterpillar molts five times before settling on a host plant where they spin their cocoon.male Luna Moths release a chemical at night which attracts males. Adults die shortly after mating or laying eggs.

Let the Sun Shine

I don't think I actually have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but I do prefer sunny weather than cloudy cold days in the winter, as do most people in Kentucky, I suppose. Once again, Google brings answers to all my questions. According to a study I found online, Louisville, KY, has actual sunshine only 43% of the time in winter, and an average of 18 clear days, when cloud covers at most 30 percent of the sky during daylight hours. So I headed off into the woods at Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve this morning, just to take advantage of this sunny day. The thawing ground and rain from yesterday made for some pretty muddy spots - walking on grass or leaves did not keep me from sinking in. However, sunshine makes up for everything!

Of course, I looked for birds first, and many of our local residents were singing in the sunshine too. In my experience, birds start to sing lots more after Groundhog Day in February. As I walked up a creek bed, I found Black Vultures flapping above, and a collection sunning themselves along the edge of a dam on the border of the Preserve. When I approached in my best stealthy manner, they saw me, of course, and took to the air. Notice the stubby tails that Black Vultures have.

Last week, all the creeks and waterfalls were frozen, but today the water is flowing freely, making delightful sounds that remind me of Spring.

A pair of House Sparrows are checking out one of our Bluebird nest boxes already. It will soon be time to remove the old nests and prepare for the new season. Until then, the birds will often seek shelter in a nest box when the weather turns bad.

I love to look for the first blossoms of the year, and found one witch hazel bush (Springtime witch hazel - Hamamelis vernalis) in the Woodland Garden that wins the prize. This small, spidery yellow and orange blossom hardly looks like a flower, and you don't expect to see anything blooming in mid-January. There are several varieties of witch hazel, which bloom at different times of the year, but almost always when it is too early or too late in the season to expect flowering plants!

Yes! Spring will come, no matter how many gloomy days we have to go through!

Finally Camping Out

 

When I was a Girl Scout in elementary school, our troop went camping several times a year. I never realized what a rare and valuable experience that was, and never appreciated how much work our wonderful leaders put into those expeditions. Of course, we lived near the established camp called Ross Trails, in southwest Ohio, (which is now closed, I hear) so we didn't have to deal with tents and the cots were already set up. As adults, Dick and I have talked on and off throughout the years about going camping together. He and Andrew used to go with the Indian Guides, so he had a tent and some equipment. But I never could deal with the food end of camping, and we just put it off

 

 

A couple who volunteer at Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve are veteran campers, however, and Doug has organized campouts for up to 100 people with the Boy Scouts. Just what we needed! Camping out with training wheels! Come to think of it, we were the only ones there without children. 

Doug planned the meals and bought all the food, then showed us how to start a fire using dryer lint as tinder. You can get a little "flint and steel" starter for about $7 he says. We made hobo stew using canned vegetables and pre-cooked sausage or burgers, seasoned to taste and wrapped in heavy duty foil. Yum! Waiting for them to cook, and finding your supper among all the others was the hardest part.

 

We had lots of night activities planned. Biologists set up mist nets on the Preserve that night, hoping to catch some bats for banding and release. Since we had such a large group, however, we took a hike without flashlights, and in complete silence, just to feel the night. It's amazing how much you can see if you leave the lights off.  Of course, it helps that the Harvest Moon was shining brightly!

 

I brought out some of the mounted owls from the Nature Center and talked about owls, playing their sounds, but none were interested in investigating our group then. We did see a couple bats flying by the frog pond, but no moths came to our lighted sheet. A cold front had moved through the night before, and I don't think there were many insects around. Later that night, two moths were attracted to the bright camp lantern while we cleaned up for the night. Didn't want any raccoons tearing up our supplies! Singing around the campfire and s'mores entertained everyone just before bed. I thought I would remember more of the old Scout songs...will have to look them up before the next campout.

We got the tent and air mattress set up in the afternoon, and I knew to sleep in sweats that night since the temp would be going way down. Fortunately, my husband is very warm, but the cold seeped up from beneath, and I'm not sure if I really slept any or not. Didn't feel like it. I enjoyed listening to the crickets, and a pack of coyotes howled at the Harvest Moon somewhere. Once in a while we heard a Screech Owl and maybe a Great Horned Owl calling in the night. Overall, a very cool night, in both meanings!

When the sun rose, a mist covered the meadow, while we all enjoyed blueberry pancakes and leftover dessert from the night before. You just don't worry about counting Weight Watchers points when you go camping!  I'm looking up how to make coffee over a campfire for the next trip. Doug says it is possible to get the tent back in that little duffel bag it came in, but I'm not quite sure I believe him. Thanks you, Doug and Charon, for arranging a really fun campout!