Saturday, May 9, 2009

"Dawn" Chorus: Bobolink edition



A dreadful rainy morning, considerably brightened by the discovery of a bobolink in a crab-apple tree (at the CRP--hooray!). And a storm of birdsong. I remember why I waited so long for this.

Lots of activity too. Chasing, for example. Now, I understand why a kingbird might chase a crow. Or why a goldfinch and a robin might team up to chase a blue jay. But why does the warbling vireo feel he needs to chase the chickadee? And a Baltimore oriole chasing a mourning dove? That just feels gratuitous.

Here's a random find. Haven't run across one of these since I was a kid and lived next to a swamp. Ring-necked pheasant [green pheasant] (missing its tail-feathers).



And I believe I witnessed some kingbird courtship behavior.

They would each fly to a different stalk and then the male would approach and then the female would complain and fly off.

But this is definitely a couple. Here's a long distant shot of a nest the two of them were checking out.

Fringe benefit of binoculars: tracking down nests. I know your secret, warbling vireos...

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