SCEF Beside 18 Mile Creek

I went back to the oft-traversed nocturnal spot tonight, this time toward a clearing near a pine stand. I was so pleasantly surprised by 2 territorial woodcocks. One chased an infringing male before displaying overhead. I tried to get close as he landed and called, but flushed him.

Spring & Owls

More photos from the spring break wetlands trip, remembering more early signs of spring are not too far off. The second photo features a friend who graciously reads my ramblings on my other blog! :) GBBC weekend was fun, and last night, our department's owl expert (fellow grad student) and I traversed the other side of a forest road looking for owls. We had 3 barred owls and 2 screech owls. Nothing came in visibly, but this is a regular outing, so we're hoping to eventually get a look at a nocturnal bird in the forest. The Bradford pears are budding behind my apartment complex, and the earliest tree blooms are starting to open. Today's temp drop was a little disappointing, but still can't complain for February weather.

Great Backyard Bird Count

Unfortunately, there was a GBBC casualty. This was on the side of Fant's Grove Rd, likely a car collision victim. But there were plenty more to be heard throughout the day, and in my community for that matter. Pine warblers are singing up a storm, and all sorts of other birds are coming back to territoriality. Spring is my favorite season, for each new exciting sign of the day. Small blossoms are already appearing on the earliest of the trees, and each day brings a new, welcomed and awaited surprise.

I spent GBBC weekend in SCEF, traversing B23-B12, B22 to the 24 connectors, etc. A pileated woodpecker was very agitated by my confirmation of his song, and flew in to make sure I wasn't a rival male. He about landed on me before he saw me, and still lighted close by, calling loudly. Those birds never get old. They're certainly the rulers of the forest, below the canopies of the hardwood stands at least. They wrap and call loudly, challenging anything within earshot to infringe on their airspace. The precision of the wing sweeps in the bounding flight, and the sheer size of the woodpecker, announces its identity from a great distance. As this particular pileated swept forward, preparing to land, the wings were audible! If only I had a camera for such things, and the quick thinking of a photographer, I could have gotten a fantastic shot as he stretched his wings directly overhead, showing off the large white swatches underneath. As you can tell, I love pileated woodpeckers, no matter how often I see them. It only makes me wonder what the great ivory-bill would have been like.

SCEF Roads

My friend Jennifer & I found this black widow this weekend! Jennifer's hobby is looking for snakes, so she is often looking down while I'm looking up. She found this female in a pothole at the end of a forest road, and bravely dug it out with a stick for a photo opportunity.