Carondelet Park: First of the season Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren, Fish Crows, Pine Warbler & Louisiana Waterthrush - and more Fox Sparrows, Phoebes, Kinglets, Thrashers, Towhees, & Creepers

The buildup toward the crescendo of spring migration continued in its early stages as I walked the park yesterday with Andy. First thing, of course, we checked on the branching Great Horned Owl young. Mama and Papa were both on high alert in the pines across from the two young, who were doing fine, napping in deciduous trees, completely exposed to the two Red-tailed Hawks flying overhead. (The Red-tailed Hawks are nesting, too, but at the other end of the park.) As we stood there at the little lake of Carondelet Park, joyous the young branchers were still doing well, a Belted Kingfisher flew by and landed, a male. The female had been by for the first time in a while the other day. It would be a wonder indeed to find their nest nearby, probably. I speculate at River Des Peres? A pair is always using the lake every year. This little lake is stocked by the Missouri Department of Conservation, as are many small lakes in the city, and attracts many fisherpeople as well as birds. Suddenly overhead, I heard Fish Crows! They flew serenely and quickly over the lake, calling 'aw aw.' Even though we'd already ran into our first of the season at Busch CA, this was the first of the season in the city over our park, which is only two blocks from our house.

As we continued to walk the park, we noticed two Phoebe in almost every sinkhole and more Golden-crowned Kinglets than days before. These tiny bits of joy, these kinglets, these fast moving imps sprinkled the bushes and trees with their whispered 'see see see' me. If possible, there were even more Creepers. There were more Brown Thrashers, Towhees, Sapsuckers and Fox Sparrows, who seemed to be peaking in numbers. I've written about the spring migratory explosion of Fox Sparrow numbers in another entry, but it bears repeating. Brown Thrashers bred in the park last year, to my utter thrill. May that continue! They often come through and breed, but I don't always have the privilege, like last year, of catching the young out in the open early. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are the only woodpecker that visits and doesn't stay in our park for the summer, but a few often winter. Our regulars are Red-bellied, Flicker, Downy, and Hairy. Red-headed used to be a regular, but they are in the city all year. Pileated visits are super rare - they are mostly in more heavily wooded areas. When the Sapsucker numbers begin to increase in spring like this as they migrate north, we find many Downy Woodpeckers following close behind their newly drilled holes dripping with sweetness. When Cape May Warblers and others come through later in the year, they will do the same. Many are fans of sweetness.

Walking quietly up to the Coyote sinkhole, as I might start referring to it (see previous journal entry), I noticed a tiny bouncy flying mouse, my first of the season Winter Wren in the park. Another sinkhole held the delight of a first of the season peaceful presence of a diminutive Hermit Thrush. And yet two others, a first of the season Louisiana Waterthrush and Pine Warbler. (After editing our photos of the Waterthrush, I noticed an ingenious insect riding her chest and avoiding becoming prey, well, too soon.)

Goldfinch were bathing in a sinkhole holding water and delighted Andy and I in their changing plumage, that bright yellow coming in on the males. Flickers, Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, Rusties, Cardinals, Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Song Sparrows, Nuthatch, Chickadees, Blue Jays, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and many other birds were also active in the park. Starlings have picked many branch holes for nests. I hope they don't steal the Hairy nesting cavity again this year.

As I type, it is lightly raining outside, a slight break in the otherwise downpour, as I listen to Cardinals, Robins and a Carolina Wren sing. The trees are bursting forth with blooms and leaves. The winds are suddenly gusting BIG and the rain is now pouring hard again and the birds are quiet. Such is spring. Gotta get that singing in between the bouts of rain. Ah, an American Kestrel just cried out! Springing from my chair, I grabbed a camera and took a few terrible photos through the front door, the awning protecting me from getting soaked. JOY!

Publicado el 30 de marzo de 2022 por wildreturn