![Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_s0fXybWFFCaL8pcJl7NcdMgx77MrWixhngTsTiD9e3rjZl5Z-jCJFLbwPH3Neng9Mg6fzeTWhKZoy-NtWiXc6zJMzNdncsD25obA6em3ARgKTyNibv7QlCpNw4-sRff9ttedu7Y0aWogpRJpNqVCGJIlfJI1o=s0-d) |
Red Bellied Woodpecker |
This morning was a drizzly morning and I left for work a little later than normal, so I almost decided not to go birding around my office parking lot. But the rain cleared, and thought perhaps some new birds would come in with the weather. So I took a little bit of time (only about 25 minutes) to walk around. I heard many birds, but few wanted to come out and play. Eventually, I gave myself the "all birds are equal" speech, and I resigned myself to photographing the birds I normally don't pay much attention to. I did see a Red-bellied Woodpecker that perched itself on a light post and proceeded to drum on it like it was a tree--first time I've seen that.
![Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uh2Lu75vxo-1uokBpwpinJikuy5h6xCzUqSA8uQ4W1dAc1tRMkcIOQDhjzxc5RV2Yzj-4gHQHx4wnbb9Esyl7LPKs1tpmayXKuETDWMUzNUD-DcNAwj_65FoesrkwQxvMWhgI0TB35nOLBJ7Zrq6gNte8yM6Q=s0-d) |
Northern Mockingbird |
Later I saw a Northern Mockingbird fly down and grab a tasty morsel. He then found a concrete perch and proceeded to cut it into pieces, and then it flew off. I wonder if it was preparing to feed its young.
![Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vAypUOgXPhISPaeBSy1QgKeHvMsmyVXiLN6oPME9tbouicrDuAgadnryio2GdnpBoCZjKmkhi-r8OV8zO4uctaYn6Cp1fVdzXn1YIp_DWv_8rS7Xsw_LYETo5ZZ3HdqidyZZ8z47bOHxLDUcTA4QRpRwULqG4=s0-d) |
Northern Mockingbird
|
![Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vc1WM_frRbL4J02Xt1KwllxOW5IyNzrZCC4BdYlOBDTRbyjR46UP42up-0fjVolrDSbV4r8AzOjCZABh8TFUA2KsupLWApMoS5yiATYqC5BfsL5Jcv1Xa7knn48PuzPd4ERQyQGf__Kk0v-8NIIfaQe0szpg=s0-d) |
Northern Mockingbird
|
I did have one sighting I was proud of; I found a Yellow-throated Warbler, and that would have been the highlight of my morning if he would have come anywhere near me. He was high in a tree, and he rarely showed himself. I took perhaps 100 pictures of him hoping to catch him in the open. I did get one terribly cluttered photo of him, and I normally wouldn't even show this, but I guess I'm in the mood to let you see one of my awful photos that I worked very hard to get.
![Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sxN_DaRQZuxubtkocGfaIwaCVsVav6n_vRidEl--j0KxnsA8u6fCFitslntFSGMKQDVO7xtIFq6rGgDNfHpVDA55xh_gtzRNiSxy50F3eJZluVKuKV_GHV7qx14h0PhnRBHQCnzlDv5woBpt3-OQ1QOLapfMs=s0-d) |
Yellow-throated Warbler |
I also saw two Killdeer flyovers, so that raised my total in this patch to 64 species. Here's a list of the 17 species I saw/heard this morning.
Mallard x Mottled Duck (hybrid) 4
Common Gallinule 1
Killdeer 2
Ring-billed Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 3
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 3
Cedar Waxwing 50
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal 4
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Common Grackle 5
Boat-tailed Grackle 1
Cool observation with the mockingbird, you are probably right.
ReplyDeleteWoodpeckers often drum simply to make noise to stake out their territory, so metal works just as well (or better) than a tree. Ive noticed that bigger woodpeckers are particularly fond of light poles, electrical boxes, etc.
Steve, thanks for the info. That's great to know. I guess he's pretty bright.
ReplyDelete