While wandering the Woodland Trail in an area best described as temperate semi-rainforest, I made another unusual bird discovery. I believe that I have these privileged sightings because of two principal reasons. The first has to do with frequency. I am at the Falls of the Ohio as much as I can get away from my other responsibilities and so I have more chances for encounters. The other has to do with motive. Being knowledgeable about our avian friends, I simply am out here looking for birds and therefore open to their discovery. On this particular day I was actually anticipating members of the wood warbler tribe when I came across what must be a first for this park…the rare Cumberland Greencrest!
This is one species missed by both Lesson and Gould in their individual monographs on hummingbirds of which the Cumberland Greencrest is an atypical member. The Cumberland Greencrest was first discovered on the Guatemalan Highlands in 1910. It is larger and slower on the wing than the average hummingbird. It’s flight can best be described as being Swift-like where the individual wing beats alternate between extreme activity and gliding. In its main haunts, this bird constructs a small nest from lichens and spider webs on a suitable tree branch and a single jelly bean-sized egg is produced. The adults take both small insects on the wing and feed from the nectar of rare orchids found only in certain protected valleys.
I was exploring the trees lining both banks of Parfume Creek (so named because on certain days, the scents of various laundry detergents are detectable emanating from the water using one’s open nose) when the Cumberland Greencrest made its appearance. I immediately recognized I was in the presence of something special and limited my movements so I wouldn’t frighten it away. As this single individual coursed along the creek bank, I slowly brought my camera up to my eye and recorded these images in quick succession. I think they show this bird in its glory very well and are worthy of sharing with a larger audience if I say so myself! But please, don’t just take my word on this…judge for yourself!
I recorded these images using my high-speed camera as the bird made its passes back and forth along the creek. In these images one can see why this bird is appropriately named with its lacy green crest atop its head. The encounter was brief, but memorable! What was this bird doing in our area to begin with? The answer may lie in the very powerful thunderstorms that are becoming a staple of the Western Hemisphere. I speculate that this bird was simple blown way off course as is known to happen with other species of hummingbirds. I returned to this area the following three days, but never again encountered this specimen. I did, however, see the duckling of a species of which I am currently unfamiliar and recorded its image among the driftwood and I hereby also present this to you my very dear reader in the hopes it will fuel your curiosity!
The Cumberland Greencrest was made from materials found entirely within the park and include: Styrofoam (body and wings), wood (its tiny feet), coal (the eyes), plastic ( the bill which was part of a fishing bobber and the tail which is a plastic lettuce leaf!, the yellow collar is from a soft drink bottle) and lastly the green crest is some foam-like material. It is held together in places with small, sharpened wood pegs.
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