What the Girls Get Up To

and some Unlikely Birds

Female birds often get overlooked as many species evolved for camouflage versus the colorful plumage of the males. The Belted Kingfisher is named for the distinctive stripe the female bears, but go looking for the mates of the Red-winged Blackbirds singing up a storm on the river bank, and the name won’t help you.

You’ll have to look for giant sparrows. Here are a few, hunting buds in a tree over Timber Creek while the boys flit around on the phragmites and make noises like a kid with a toy hand buzzer.

Red-winged Blackbird hens are often identified when someone wonders how that House Sparrow got so darn big. They might fall under the umbrella of “little brown birds” even if they aren’t all that little. I’m told that some aren’t all that fond of these less colorful avians.

If I overlooked the more common birds, I would have missed this American Robin choosing to build a nest in a terrible spot. Growing up, a Robin built a nest in a flowerpot my mother had hanging in the yard, and when noticed, would flatten itself over its vibrant blue egg. Sadly, when it was away, Grackles tore the nest apart. But Robins, thankfully, survive in spite of this and the nest parasitism of Brown-headed Cowbirds, who apparently fill nearly half of Robin nests with their eggs!

Cowbirds, European Starlings, and Grackles are very common here and often in flocks. I’m getting better at appreciating them, but the little brown birds like Sparrows are often more interesting. And by looking at them, I got this photo of a Wood Thrush, my first! I’d spotted them at Timber Creek before, but they are difficult to photograph because they are both shy and swift hoppers. Look at the speckled belly!

Another little brown bird that I encountered at Timber Creek is apparently “unlikely” according to Merlin. It’s a Veery, a migrating thrush that I’d never seen before:

Little and brown, but certainly pretty. Another “unlikely” at Timber Creek was only there for a few days, and had moved on when I returned with my good camera: a Great Egret! One day I saw a pair of egrets, too distant to identify as either Snowy Egrets or white phase Great Blue Herons, and another I got this video, which clearly shows the black legs of a Great Egret.

The resident Great Blue Heron has been as elusive and shy as ever, only seen as it flies away to a more private spot; I managed to see male Wood Ducks as well, but never when I have the good camera. But I can always find Catbirds to follow, and they are so brash and bold, how can I not? This one mooned me, even:

Red-bellied Woodpeckers always scolding me from on high, but when one climbs a tree looking for snacks, it’s difficult not to admire their ruby cap and tweed coat. This Cardinal chased away a much larger Grackle, then followed its mate to. I saw her, but didn’t get a photo. The chipmunk screeched at me after tearing through the underbrush. The little nuggets make so much noise!

I’ve been using the BirdBuddy again, despite the company making nearly all features by subscription now. This year, American Goldfinches have been common. But never common enough to overlook. With their lemon vestsand handsome tailcoat, how could you?

Next time, I’ll either write about the Penn Museum or my second visit to Conowingo Dam with Hannah, to see Bald Eagles, Black Vultures, herons, and cormorants!