Mead Botanical Gardens

It was my first trip back to Mead Botanical Garden for the New Year and I was soon surrounded by the largest feeding flock of American Robins of the Winter. Problem was, they were all flying out of holly trees at waist level and quickly going into thickets across the path. I could not get a single bird out in the open for a photo. I could tell by the bird sounds all around me that they would be here for a while so I headed toward the Education Center for now.

Perched over the creek was a Red-shouldered Hawk scanning the trees for a meal.



As I approached the Cypress stand I noticed another Red-shouldered Hawk flying up into a tree. By the time I got in a good position for photos I could just make out that it was snacking on a frog.



There was not too much action around the boardwalk so I headed back to the 'island'. American Robins were still there and I finally got one bird out in the light but still behind branches.



On the back side of a Brazilian Pepper shrub I could finally make out a few Cedar Waxwings darting in for berries. When a shadow passed over all the birds froze to stay hidden. It was the only way I could focus on this bird.



Soon, they resumed feeding and then would fly back to an adjacent tree. There have not been that many Cedar Waxwings around this season.



Also in the pepper tree was a female Northern Cardinal looking out over the pond.



I headed back to the car. Along the way, a Great Egret was prowling along the path and paid zero attention to me as I got a bunch of shots as I walked beside it.



Finally got a nice feeding flock of Robins. Perhaps there will be a couple more before they all head back North.

Baby Birds are Here

I was heading out to the store and heard the familiar calls of fledgling Northern Cardinals. Glancing out the front window I could see 2 young birds but the adult male was also heading to the ground feeding another one. Three babies out there this year! I tried to get a shot through the screen but the sun being where it was made for a difficult exposure.



I had to slip out the front door and try for a better angle but the babies retreated deeper into the foliage while Dad continued to gather seeds to feed the kids.



Waiting above me for a turn at the sunflower seed was an adult Tutfted Titmouse. I have been hearing juveniles of that species out here, too.



No time to try for more shots. Next time.

Heading to the Store

Another day heading to the store and I walked out to find a reason to run back and grab the camera. I usually always have it in hand but not today. The bird that made me stop was a male Black and White Warblerin breeding plumage right in the driveway.



Oblivious to my presence, a male Northern Cardinal just stared at me from the sunflower feeder.



Over at the cemetery, one of the adult Bald Eagles landed at the nest. Don't know where the fishing bobber came from. Perhaps a fish brought in for dinner.



Hope there is no hook endangering any possible chick that should be in the nest by now. More checking to be done.

Death After the Rain

A little dramatic? Yes. Yet true. First...

I started out around the azaleas to look for thrushes. There were many of them but they move so fast and often so high that it is difficult to get shots. In fact, the only bird that would come out to the edge of the branches were the Northern Cardinals.



By the time I wandered over to Warbler Corner I was actually surprised that it started to rain. I am usually on top of that sort of thing. I was a long way from shelter. I stuffed my camera under my shirt and began the hike back to the amphitheater.

While the rain ebbed and flowed in waves, I continued to scan for birds. Soon, I noticed movement down the path. I guessed what it was before it made itself visible. An Ovenbird was foraging in the rain and it came a little toward me before vanishing back into the bushes.



Larry and Cleber joined me under the roof and once the rain let up we headed toward the boardwalk. I was scanning a moving branch but couldn't see the bird. Then Larry mentioned a hawk. It was off to the left of where I was staring. Indeed, a young Cooper's Hawk was behind some branches. It was also holding onto a small bird. Hard to tell from a distance but it was a male Common Yellowthroat.



For some reason the hawk dropped its kill into the water below. It then spent a while looking for it.



Soon, it relocated the warbler and hauled it out of the swampy water and flew off to the boardwalk. We slowly made our way around the walk to get a closer look. It pulled out a good amount of vegetation along with the bird but quickly picked through it to get to breakfast.



We watched for a little while and got some shots before it decided to head off to another location to finish its meal.



Circle of Life. These juvenile Cooper's Hawks are finally getting good at capturing food on their own. I have been watching them miss for weeks now.

Another Cardinal Nest

Such a nice day outside I just had to take a walk. Still a lot of wind and not very birdy but I suddenly heard a chipping Northern Cardinal. Since my Cardinal experience the other day I knew this must mean that there was a nest somewhere nearby. Momma was bobbing in and out of the branches so it was hard to get a shot.



I didn't approach any closer but I scanned the branches and, sure enough, I spotted a nest. It was kind of sideways and there were a couple of eggs inside. I hope they are not being abandoned. I will check bak in a few days.



A Red-shouldered Hawk was calling from time to time and as I walked through my trail I saw a shadow sail into the trees and land. I made my way into the open and spotted the hawk searching for a meal.



I couldn't find any other birds besides the Hawk and Cardinals until I was about to leave the woods. Suddenly, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher flew down and landed a mere 3 feet in front of me at eye-level. My zoom can only focus at 5 feet and beyond. I hate when that happens. I had to wait for the bird to get farther away before I could attempt a shot.



Have all the migrants gone? Didn't see any today. I will have Friday to look around some but the season is about at an end. it seems.

New Life

Once I found all those warblers Saturday I reeeeeeally wanted to band Sunday. I left the house at 4:45 Am and within 2 blocks of the house the rain began to fall. The online radars showed no rain anywhere near us. Yet it rained and rained. I called off the troops and went back to bed. By 8 AM it was a beautiful blue but very windy.
Oh, well.

I eventually decided I still needed a Nature fix so I headed over to Mead Garden to see if there was any bird action there. Not much but there was a sudden appearance of a large family of Wood Ducks that caught the rapids in the creek. They were moving so fast that I couldn't get them all in frame before they were gone. There were at least 10 ducklings with Mom.



Up near the pond, the male whistled to stay in contact before joining them.



Out on the opposite side of the pond a Great Egret fished along the swollen creek. Note the light that is on the property across from Mead. That used to be all dry land.



I soon met up with fellow birder, Marcus, and we headed around Mead looking to migrants. As we got to 'warbler corner' I wondered if I was seeing young or adult Northern Cardinals darting into the branches. Marcus just said offhandedly that a nest was in the tree. This was no Cardinal nest I had ever seen. It was made mostly of Spanish Moss and was shaped like a circle. Interesting.



The Cardinals were chipping away but flying from trees to tree, seeming to be feeding. I almost wandered off when I spotted something just above me. A fledgling!



Mom was now hopping on the ground in front of me searching for food and then would eventually fly up to the young bird to feed it.



I could hear another young bird in the trees across from the nest but could not see it. I looked back at the nest because I had earlier noticed that some of its construction included plastic wrapping. I wanted a closer look and spotted something that was not visible just a couple minutes earlier. Another fledgling!!



Soon, Dad flew in with a bill full of mushed up bugs.



Junior asked...



...and received.



Once Dad flew off, Junior took a big stretch before settling in again.



Moments later, Mom flew in and delivered another snack. Three different babies had the parents very busy.



Circling around the pond we found a couple turtles drying on a log.



Above, the first warbler heard today was busy singing and feeding. This beautiful male Northern Parula was riding the limbs as the winds gusted over and over.



We found several Gray Catbirds, American Redstarts, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Black-and-White Warblers, and finally a few Black-throated Blue Warblers



So, I didn't get to band but I got some excellent Cardinal photos and some relaxed time with a friend. Not going to complain. Just better not rain next Sunday!

Baby Titmice are Here

I have been waiting for a chance to get some shots of our new baby Northern Cardinals this Spring but this batch have been hiding in the shrubs most of the time. They are heard all the time and seen flying briefly for half a second every now and then but they seem to rarely sit out in the open at all. Better for their survival especially since the neighborhood cats do prowl through every now and again. Plus, the parents are very busy flying food in.

They seemed a bit more active today some I decided to sneak around the side of the backyard in hopes of getting a new angle on them and it also gave me a chance to check if the owls were around. It seems the owls have decided on the wetlands this year. Not a sound of them. While I was scanning the branches, the young male Cardinal actually flew up on the fence just 6 feet away from me. Don't think he meant to as he spotted me and quickly flew over to the oak tree to check me out from a safer distance.



A new sound suddenly joined the den as I walked on the side of the house. Seems that a new species have brought their young out to feed. Tufted Titmice were up in the branches and a couple youngsters were loudly calling and begging for food.



I hurried in the backyard and took a seat and watched for any other birds to come out of hiding. The Titmice seemed to have plenty of food in the trees but they soon began coming to the sunflower seeds right in front of me.



The female juvenile Northern Cardinal never would come out into the sunshine but I finally got her in an open spot in the shade. A second female made her presents known after a while and it seemed to be even younger than this one in the photo.



The Blue Jays were flying in almost constantly but moving so quickly that I could barely get them in focus.



The Tufted Titmouse family kept feeding from several sources and the adults always had a young one close behind.



Later, I headed off to the store and was sidetracked (as usual) by another sighting around the corner. Northern Mockingbirds have been everywhere this Spring and the young are finally coming out of the nests. I tried to get a shot of one of this family the other day but they dashed back to the nest shrub. I stayed in the van and could get a shot of one calling for Mom who was on the wire overhead with bugs ready to deliver.



While I did this, a dragonfly flew into the van, bounced around the windshield before seemingly sucumming to the heat on the dash. I got a photo before releasing the stunned insect. My friend Paul IDs it as a male Eastern Amberwing.



Babies all over! Ah, Spring.

Clearing Brush

TIme for another lunchtime walk in the woods. I also wanted to trim back some vegetation that has grown into my path I made last year. Not very birdy this afternoon. Only a few Northern Cardinals. This female seems to have a bit of a mite problem on her back.



I know I have taken photos of this species before but I cannot nail down this purple flower. Pretty, though.



I was removing some palmetto fronds along the path when something suddenly jumped at me. It missed but hit a frond I was holding. I placed the Cuban Tree Frog on another frond so I could get a shot. I like it.



Most folks, however, would rather I kill it. They are an invasive species. Killing frogs was just not on my list today.

Blackburnian and More at Mead

Despite the lackluster day yesterday, I decided to return to Mead primarily because there was a sighting of a Black-billed Cuckoo a few times in the past few days. I need that one for my collection.

We have been having rain off and on but I guessed I might have enough time before the next round after our banding morning. Rain has been good for the lakes, THey are way up and about back to normal levels.



No luck on that bird today but things were a bit more birdy and gave me many opportunities for photos. Once I arrived, I headed into the wooded area near the parking lot but only managed to find some Carolina Wrens and a pair of Cardinals. The male posed nicely in the shade.



I spent some time behind the amphitheater to see if the Cuckoo might be hiding there where it was last seen. Instead, all I found were some Redstarts. Then, another bird flashed through the branches but kept to the back of the oaks. It was an Acadian Flycatcher!



I swung down the river's edge and onto the boardwalk. No birds here so I stopped to get a shot of the Primrose Willow blossoms. They are invasives but I do love these flowers.



Fairly quiet until I approached the butterfly garden. There I found the Mockingbirds in the trees and flying about.



Many of the younger birds were grabbing berries when they could but I was more interested in the adult perched up in the watch tower.



As I admired the Mockers, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher drifted in and gave me a gaze before heading on.



This was followed quickly by a female Cardinal who brought her own food to snack on. She was a bit damp and undergoing some molting but I still found her pretty. In a birdy kind of way...



Besides the Flycatcher earlier, the most interesting birds were found as I made my back to the parking lot and found a few fellow birders staring at the trees. Turned out a feeding flock was moving through there and there were many Blackburnian Warblers in the flock.



I haven't seen too many Blackburnian Warblers in my life so it was nice to have this bunch around for some photos. Even though the sky was fully overcast and the light was poor.



Even got a pair together in one shot.



Here is that same scene cropped to show the lower bird better.



We tried to follow the flock but they dispersed. I got to end the day with a cuddly moment before heading home. A Rabbit was out on the grass, nibbling away.



Not a bad walk in the park, eh?