Huge Flock of Brown-headed Cowbirds

I have never noticed many Brown-headed Cowbirds in the Orlando area except for over at Mead Garden where I witnessed a Northern Parula feeding a chick of this parasitic species many years ago.

Today, however, I found a flock of around 200 at a park toward the airport.

It was raining and I had some chores to do, otherwise I wouldn't have even been on that side of town. Since I documented a Snow Goose out here a couple of years ago I decided to see what was in the ponds.

I heard them well before seeing them. They carpeted the trees and were flying to and from the small pond.



They sometimes landed right near me, when they weren't being flushed by the other park visitors. This male gave me a pose for a few seconds.



As did a female.



Why were they all over the pond's shore? Someone had spread many piles of bird seed all over the place.



Meanwhile, the Mallard family was having none of it...