A windy and fun day at the Oxbow

Today Matty and I, Ben (Matty’s friend), and Ken (Ben’s dad), all went to the Oxbow in Lawrenceburg, Indiana hoping to see an eagle or two. The weather was surprisingly mild and the warm temps were welcome. We didn’t find the eagles, but we did see many nice ducks, such as Red-headed Ducks, Northern Pintails, Ring-necked Ducks, American Black Ducks, Pied-billed Grebes, American Coots, Ring-billed Gulls, Mallards, and Canada Geese (of course). We also saw many fine birds including most of the usual suspects plus a Hairy Woodpecker, numerous Kildeer, two Great Blue Herons, and Horned Larks that were twittering in the cut cornfield!

Ben and Matty...the cornfield to the right of Matty is 

where we heard the very loud twittering Horned Larks! 

We saw a female further up the road, separated from the flock.

American Goofballs faking an American Bald Eagle sighting...

Along with the surprising warmth today came annoyingly strong sustained winds! As a result, I found out I really, really need a spotting scope. Identifying ducks without one, especially in the wind, is difficult. I have a wonderful pair of Nikon binocs with a motion stabilization button that really works, but when the wind is tossing you all over the place even motion stabilization can’t help. A spotting scope on a tripod would. Because of all that tossing there were a few ducks we couldn’t 100% positively ID. One being what I know from look and feel was a Common Merganser (3 of them, actually), but if I can’t see every ID characteristic clearly through the glass, I don’t count it. Boo! Rick’s birthday is coming up soon (he’s a Pisces too). I think he might like a spotting scope…

Do you have to pick up every stick you come across?

As an aside--Jon just emailed me and reported he saw an immature American Bald Eagle circling around 4:00 p.m. We left at 2:20. One of these days...

About the Oxbow
The Oxbow is a large floodplain at the confluence of the Great Miami River and Ohio River. This floodplain is part of the Mississippi Flyway and the outer edges of the Atlantic Flyway. Thousands of migratory birds rely on this important staging area for resting and refueling on their long annual migrations. Recently, Audubon Ohio recognized the Lower Great Miami River as an Important Bird Area (IBA). Because of its many rare or unusual birds, such as the wintering population of Bald Eagles and Black Vultures, migrating Ospreys, unusually large summer concentrations of wading birds such as Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets, and the use of the area as a major migratory path for ducks, the Oxbow area was qualified for membership in the elite club! With over 283 species of birds at the Oxbow, the variety is greater than that of many National Wildlife Refuges.

...the turtle was looking especially cute 

sunning itself on the branch.

Oxbow, Inc. is an all-volunteer citizen's conservation group (www.oxbowinc.org) working to preserve and protect our area's vanishing wetlands. For more information or to become involved, check out their Website.

...the view from one of the fields, crossing over to 

the mudflats and another pond. Preserving wetlands 

from encroaching industry is crucial and can't wait.

Is that Big Blue sitting on a nest?

Yesterday evening when I arrived at the heronry, I was surprised at the lack of activity and the low numbers of birds, but when I started looking through the binocs, I got really excited. I could see little heads and long beaks peaking over the top of several nests, at least six in the first two trees! Both male and female Great Blue Herons sit on the eggs to keep them warm, switching places every couple of hours to go fish. The eggs are pale blue, and the female usually lays between 3 and 7 in her clutch. The chicks start to hatch out of the eggs in about a month (26 to 30 days of incubation).

Nesting has begun!

This was interesting. If you go back to the post on February 13, you'll find a photo with the seven original early bird couples. Six of these seven pairs are now the birds sitting on the nests, which only makes sense. They formed their pair bond earlier and settled into their nests earlier, and apparently got down to business earlier.   

Four of the original seven early birds happy in their 

nests keeping their eggs nice and warm.

Those little heads look so cute we have to go in for a closer view.

...let's go just a little closer on Head 2 

as he pops up a little higher.

The herons now are using 5 trees, but I think another tree I can see only glimpses of is also being used. Herons would regularly leave the five main trees and fly over a copse of trees to disappear in branches I could barely see. At one point about 15 birds flew up from that area and scattered, some landing in the five main trees, others flying out to fish.

The herons are gorgeous in flight. Big, graceful, striking.

Observing courtship displays in paired Downy Woodpeckers

Yesterday afternoon when I arrived home from work, I looked out the back window and saw our female downy in the Ash tree, so I grabbed my camera and started to snap away. Out of nowhere the male popped into view with her! That doesn’t normally happen. They stayed very close to each other foraging for food and then playing peek-a-boo. The red feathers on the male's head seemed to be bushier than normal, so I kept photographing, capturing them moving around the limb together and wondering if he was raising the red feathers on his head. He really seemed to have a spiky-do going on!

The raised crest was visible from 25 feet away, 

but it just looked bushy. Up close you can see 

the individual feathers raised on the head.

The female seemed to be watching him intently, 

no doubt checking out those spiky red feathers!

Oh yes, those are very nice spiky red feathers. 

I think I'll get a little closer.

Beak Bit
Why is that Downy Woodpecker raising the feathers on the back of his head?
These two woodpeckers were so cute foraging together. When I observed what they were doing I knew right away it was a special courtship display behavior. Downies are monogamous, and when pair bonds form, they forage together for food (a form of mate-guarding). Males exhibiting mate-guarding behavior will fight off another male trying to elbow in on his action. Watching the pair forage together was very cool, but even cooler was the way the male would raise his crest of red feathers whenever the female was in view, showing off, looking larger. 

A raised crest is also a sign of aggression, 

but in our case he's just showing off for his mate.

The female definitely noticed his crest. At one point, she circled around and came in very close at another angle for a better look!

...then she decides to circle around for a better look.

Yes, indeed. That's a fine red crest!

When the male dropped down to get a seed from the feeder and the female was out of site, he lowered his crest.

...no need to keep the crest raised when 

his sweetheart isn't around to notice!

These are just two of several courtship displays and behavior. In our area drumming increases in early spring and is a major form of courtship behavior, but I’m saving that for another post when I learn more about their beak construction. Today when I was out in the woods, I heard a lot of drumming, but I didn’t get to witness another important courtship display, the Butterfly Flight: 

The Butterfly Flight, one of the most spectacular displays of the Downy Woodpecker, is when male and female follow (or chase) one another in a flight characterized by holding the wings high and flapping them slowly and weakly like a butterfly (from the Birds of North America Online). 

...but maybe they will get to that tomorrow…or the next day…I can hope!

Robin Red Breast Singing in the Morning

Yesterday morning when I walked outside I saw this gorgeous American Robin sitting on the fence post. It was only 19 degrees, so he was puffed up into a round orange ball for warmth, making him look huge! Robins are so steady and sweet. They have a beautiful song and go about their business in such a happy way.

I'm a robin, and I'm singing...and it's cold out,

but that's okay with me because I'm happy, and

I have all these orange feathers for puffing....

Later in the morning while reading my email, Sara sent me this little quote, a perfect match for the singing sweetie on my fence post.

On every vernal morning a wave of Robin song rises on the Atlantic coast to hail the coming day, and so, preceding the rising sun, rolls across the land until at last it breaks and dies away upon the distant shores of the Pacific Ocean.
Edward Howe Forbush, ornithologist,1925

Nesting Great Horned Owl and Sweet Northern Shovelers

Today at lunch, I headed over to Lake Isabella to see if I could see the female Great Horned Owl sitting on her nest, and I did…here she is!

Not much to see, just her little ear tufts.

At first, I could barely see the feathers sticking up, but when a couple of Canada Geese started making a racket, she popped her head up a bit so I could see both of the little ear tufts. When those little feathers came into view my heart melted!! I stayed far away from the nest to make sure she wasn’t disturbed. I learned about the owl’s nest on Susan Gets Native. Head over to Susan's site to see another photo and read about important nest site etiquette.

Here is one of the little rabble-rousers that woke up Mama Owl. 

Thanks, Mrs. Goose!

I was talking to one of the men who work there, and he told me about Baltimore Orioles that nest near the water. They grab little bits of discarded fishing line and use them to make their nests. He was going to show me an old nest, but Hurricane 08 and the latest ice storm really did a number on the trees and limbs in the park, and the limb holding the nest had fallen. I’ll have to keep watch this spring and summer to see if I can find an oriole’s nest!

A lot of wind damage is apparent throughout the park.

I just sat and watched the nest for a while and listened to all the birds calling and singing back and forth…most demanding were cardinals, titmice, chickadees and nuthatches, with a downy every now and then. There is nothing like slowing down and listening to birds singing their hearts out! I still had plenty of time, so I hopped in the car and headed down one exit on 275 to check out the gravel pits, parking in the Indian Hill Winter Club’s parking lot. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to walk down to the shore, so you can't get that close. I saw Canvasbacks, Buffleheads, a juvenile Mute Swan, and Northern Shovelers.

The Canvasbacks and Buffleheads were way out on the lake, and although I had great viewing through my binoculars, my camera lens wasn’t quite as cooperative. The shovelers were close to the shore, so I was able to get a fairly nice shot of them from up on the hill.

I love their super-sized bills, but even cuter, 

are their little orange feet visible under 

the water as they paddle around.

Just watching these guys swim made 

me happy. Their feet work like crazy.

Beak Bit

I really like watching Northern Shovelers, and they make it easy to watch them! Because of an adaptation to their bills, they mainly stay in the shallows. Using their bills like a shovel, they scoop up mud and debris and like a colander, strain small invertebrates and other food through the serrated edges of their bill. Since they have developed this special way to eat, they stay in the shallows more often for easier access to the muddy floor. Northern Shovelers are also devoted mated pairs, staying together longer than any other duck...the sweet-hearts! 

My First (and as yet only) AMAZING Bird Story

I have lots of REALLY COOL bird stories and experiences, but I only have one truly AMAZING bird story, and it involves my truly amazing Grandma B. It was in the early 90s and I had taken my mom, dad, and grandma to Sharon Woods for a little birding. My Grandama B, being of the Irish persuasion, was a well-known “lucky lady,” and this was going to be her first birding trip. I remember saying, “if you’re lucky, we will see a Scarlet Tanager because they live here during the summer,” knowing full well they spent most of their time in the canopy and were usually heard but rarely seen. After all, I had been birding there for years and had never seen one, but within 3 seconds of the words leaving my mouth, a Scarlet Tanager flew down and perched on a bush not 3 feet from us at just under eye level. He was there for well over a minute looking at us frozen in our tracks looking at him. Many times I’ve had cool birds light on trees or bushes beside me, and I marvel at their beauty every time, but never a Scarlet Tanager, and never right after I uttered its name. I remember being in total awe, and realizing my grandma had some sort of connection with the big guy, or the big gal, or possibly the big bird, and that being Irish was really a good thing.

...a really quick colored pencil sketch 

of what I remember from that day.

Today would have been grandma’s birthday. Just like me (and Aunt Pat, and Aunt Becky, Aunt Bonnie and Grandpa H), Grandma B was a Pisces, and that always made me feel special. I’m sending this out to The Three Sisters. I’ve gone walking on the trail many times since then, but the Scarlet Tanager has never returned, but every time I reach that spot, I stop and can feel that day and that moment with all of us standing there, amazed, looking at that beautiful bird, and it feels good.

Winter Picnic and a Bruewer Big Year

Today was a very fun day! My family headed to Sharon Woods for a winter picnic honoring Adelaide (Grandma B to us kids) on what would have been her 96th birthday (which is actually tomorrow on March 2). It was definitely cold, but we were all bundled up and built a fire in the huge outdoor fireplace. We had lots of food, s’mores, apple pie, and coffee made in one of those blue camping coffee pots that make it taste really good.

Yum!

We are all bird lovers and have had bird parties in the past, so at today's picnic we decided to honor Adelaide by having a Bruewer Big Year starting today and ending next year, same weekend...naturally, at another winter picnic. I don’t think our Big Year will be anything like the Big Year described in Mark Obmascik’s book chronicling the adventures of Sandy Komito, Al Levantin, and Greg Miller, but that’s okay! We will have fun keeping track of our birds and talking about our adventures. Truly, when you put The Three Sisters together, it’s a huge laugh fest. I love to be around Aunt Pat, Aunt Diane, and mom when they start talking about Adelaide and their childhood adventures.

The Three Sisters

Diane, Pat, and Joni (my mom!)

Laughing around the fire...except for Curg.

I think he was still trying to figure out

why I like to observe woodpecker tails...

Matty, Rick, Curg, Bill, Uncle John, Dad

Matty and Curg looking at Mabel Duck

sitting on top of the waterfall.

Don't jump Mabel Duck!!

The first bird for the Bruewer Big Year was a White-breasted Nuthatch spotted by Matty. I think that’s a good omen because it’s such cute, feisty little bird. Let the Bruewer Big Year begin!

:-)

Aunt Pat, Aunt Diane and mom probably thought they were going to get away without detection, but I have to point out just a few of the bird eccentricities that go on in our family:

My dad carved these little bird pins out of wood.

Most people wear one on a sweater. Aunt Pat opts

for the more-is-better model and pins them to her head.

(Don't laugh too hard Aunt Diane...you're next...)

...and it's such a lovely Christmas candle too!

...and this is not just any necklace. If you fill it with water

and blow on the tail, it whistles a pretty bird call.

Unfortunately, it was below freezing today, so it

would have turned to ice (like the green mint candy

my mom brought). Matty and I have the same

bird necklace, so I guess it runs in the family!!