New arrivals: Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a Pied-billed Grebe

39°F today. Bit nippy, but I catapulted out the door to see what might be arriving at the park, as March is a month of delicious first arrivals. Normally, the cold would keep me in, but I could feel every part of me yearning to face the cold and not spend another minute indoors. Even though not many people were in the park, since it was cold, but also since they'd closed off most of the roads into the park - they forgot one and some cars snuck in. Every first week of the month, the park is supposed to be closed to vehicular traffic. Why was it closed today, the second week? I have no idea, but I rejoiced, as did the birds. It had rained heavily on Sunday night - 2", two nights ago, and the sinkholes of the park were filled with water. Rusties were enjoying this with gusto! A Pied-billed Grebe was in little Horseshoe Lake! A new arrival!
More kinglets had arrived, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets were mixing with Golden-crowned! One of a number of Brown Creepers kept very close to a group of kinglets, almost seeming to follow them. They love these trees whose bark is always peeling off in small fragments, reminding me of birch, but I'm not as astute as I'd like to be when it comes to tree identification. Interesting to notice who groups with who, who follows who, what trees attract with insects or tidbits of some sort I'm sure I'm unaware of. Maybe iNat will teach me a thing or two about plants this year. This is the first winter I noticed so many Golden-crowned overwintering, by the way. The Flickers were louder today. Cardinals were in full throttle mode - singing away. Nuthatches were caching food. Titmice were here here here and everywhere. Chickadees were checking out cavities still. A Red-shouldered Hawk was harassing the Great Horned Owl family, to no avail. The babes were hopping up and down and triangulating and curious and raring to go, but not yet able. Mama was not so eager, standing on the edge of the cavity on high alert. Photographers have been coming by more frequently as are curious people. Mama's getting used to this a bit more, but she's still very shy. She used to flush at a mere glance her way from a human at a distance. Now she allows some folk who have no sense of decency to gawk at her from right below the tree. It frustrates me that people aren't more respectful, but she could always scalp them with her talons if she wanted to, so I'm not worried about her. In other areas of the park, Red-tailed Hawks, Cooper's Hawks and Barred Owls are nesting. Every sinkhole seemed to have congregating Juncos and a few sparrows. A Turkey Vulture flew overhead. Three people taking walks were into being social and approached me and kept me yammering on about birds, which isn't hard to do. I meant my walk to be more brisk and more about 'cardio,' but the birds slowed me down and hey, I had binoculars and my little Canon SX50, so who was I fooling? This was not just about exercise. The fearsome foursome (two Swan Geese, one domestic Graylag Goose and a Ross's Goose) had their heads tucked in in a huddle, although one of the Swan Geese peeked my way, but seeing it was me, tucked his head back in. A very handsome Grackle announced his amorous intentions, so I recorded him. I'd love to find a nest this year, but they nest so secretively high in the conifers. Maybe I just haven't really wanted to be obtrusive and haven't really tried. Surely I can find a way? Hmm. Looking up in the sky at the moon, I noticed a sliver on the way to full winking at me. Sigh. Sweet walk.

Publicado el 09 de marzo de 2022 por wildreturn