During this morning's CBC walk around sapsucker woods, I heard from Podell
Boardwalk the call of a red-shouldered hawk. Around then, the cacophony of bird
sounds went silent, as we watched a red-bellied woodpecker freeze itself at a
spot on a tree trunk. Soon a Cooper-sized raptor came by low and close,
casually passing within a few feet of the petrified red-belly then on towards
the pond and out of sight. A sapsucker commenced a loud drumming, and
thereafter the other birds started up their vocal activity again. The red-belly
remained frozen in place for some time, even as a second red-belly came by as
if to say "dude, the coast is clear now".
I did not get binoculars on the raptor, and my experience remains limited, but
I got the impression of very long tail, suggesting Cooper more than
red-shouldered. But the call heard earlier was unmistakable (unless there was
very loud playback nearby).
The walk, attended by only one other, was very eventful. Sapsuckers were
drumming and showboating. At one point, two males came together to the top of
the same tree to do that do-se-do thing, then one flew off in the direction of
the lab building, struck one of the upper windows, and fell to the lower
roof/deck on the west side of the building. Perhaps someone at the lab could
check if it's still there (it may be visible from the publicly accessible
observatory on the second floor).
We saw brown creepers on three occasions - could be the same individual or
three different ones - and a towhee was calling between the beaver dam and
Sherwood platform. The feeder area had a pine siskin, heard singing several
times before finally seen, and an American tree sparrow seen several times and
then singing its sweet melodious song.
Three ring-necked ducks and a pair of buffleheads continue in the pond, with
two pairs of wood ducks and about 8 female-type hooded mergansers (some showing
hints of male plumage).
Good to finally start seeing some gold in them goldfinches.
Suan
_
http://suan-yong.com
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