Brown Creepers and Golden-crowned Kinglets Galore!

These early slow building days of spring migration continue to play out in the park with great excitement. After heavy rain last night and most of today, we had a break, but the skies still spoke of much more rain to come. We ventured forth anyway, umbrella in tow, to see what was happening at the park. Large numbers of Golden-crowned Kinglets had arrived and were tinkling from many trees! The "psst" of Brown Creepers was echoing everywhere as we relished the annual spring phenomenon of massive numbers coming through, with at least two Brown Creepers on every tree. A Great Blue Heron flew in. Brown Thrashers were singing in the sinkholes. Fox Sparrows were scratching in the leaves for goodies. The Rusties were even more numerous than ever, literally 1000+ present along with more Brown-headed Cowbirds, nesting Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles. Chickadees, Titmice, Cardinals, Nuthatches, Blue Jays and Robins were all extremely active and frisky. Jays were engaging in their quiet seductions, Nuthatches were emitting lively courting calls, Cardinals were sending out arias, Titmice were calling their loves to come 'here here here.' Chickadees were still investigating cavities. Flickers were vying for mates, Red-bellied Woodies were more raucous than usual. The trees are just starting to bud, and many of the birds were found enjoying the bud tidbits. (I'm never sure if they are after the insects or something else hidden in the new buds that I don't know about.)

The Great Horned Owl babes popped out a little before sunset and tested their wings with stretches and flapping and tiny flight hops from one side of the cavity to the other. Earlier in the day, they were rain-soaked and hunkered down inside the cavity, only peering out over the edge. The cavity is completely open on top, having been formed by a large limb that broke off and created a bit of a tube, like a sock, that leaves the babes exposed when Mama is not present to cover them with her body. She's not at the nest much these days, as these two are too large for her to fit inside it any longer and they are too hungry for her to stay without inciting constant begging. Staying nearby across the lake in a pine, but not too close, she provides an incentive for them to come out and learn to fly.

We left that evening cherishing the majestic stormy sky full of promise.

Posted on March 23, 2022 01:09 AM by