The little red bird perched easily between my forefinger and thumb. I was walking along the river bank and spotted it among the recently deposited debris…another small gift. If I had to guess, I would say that the red bird was intended to be child’s clay tool. It’s like a cookie cutter stencil only smaller. I was on the look out for birds and my subconscious was on alert. I think this is partially why the plastic bird appeared to me when it did. The axiom about chance favoring the prepared mind touches upon this phenomenon.
While the river level was still high, I came across this pair of American Coots near the shore. Logs and chunks of wood were bobbing in the water. Their dark feathers took on the look of wet wood. The odd appearance of these coots had to do with them standing on a log that is mostly submerged. Among the other birds I found near the water were Canada Geese, Mallard Ducks, and high overhead…kingfishers.
Like little twittering machines, a male and two female Belted Kingfishers were chasing each other across the sky. I watched them for over half an hour and hoped that one of them would perch in a tree near me. Alas, this was the best image from that moment. With its low profile, out-sized bill, and crested head, the Belted Kingfisher’s silhouette is distinctive. Someday, I hope to stumble upon their nest built into the side of the riverbank. I’ll prepare my mind for that moment and let’s see if chance intervenes! I did spot an Eastern Phoebe which is an early migrant. As the warmth and light speeds up the production of tree leaves, we can expect the arrival of the birds we share with Central and South America. Their timing is exquisite and seems to coincide with the many small cut-worm caterpillars that will chew their way through the foliage of the canopy.
During migration, the Falls becomes home for several different thrush species. Some of them can be notoriously hard to identify, but not the bird above. It’s the White Thrush and it utilizes all the available habitats here to put on a little weight before moving northward. I have seen them patrolling the water line and investigating the densest vegetation in search of food which can include insects, seeds, and berries.
This bird was investigating decaying logs in search of a meal. Every once in a while, the thrush would “scratch” the rotten wood with a backwards jump that would reveal small grubs and insects just below the wood’s surface. These morsels were quickly seized by this agile bird.
Here’s a third thrush perched upon a vine near the Woodland Trail. I observed this bird picking off very small midge-like flies and returning to this position. On my way back home, I stopped at the Interpretive Center to pick up another bird list for the park. My list is getting a bit tattered from use and I still have about half of the 268 bird species recorded here left to go! I did spot one bird last year in the park that I’m surprised is omitted from the checklist and it’s the American Turkey. It would fit easily in the Game and Marsh Birds category. There are also birds “flying” inside the Interpretive Center and above the mammoth’s head and I’ll end this post with that image.
Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog 