Every
so often, I feel compelled to share a special wildlife experience with
my fellow club members. One of the very few areas remaining for birding
and nature study near where I live is the path under the utility power
lines. I was walking in that area, April 20, hoping to find a Brown
Thrasher. I had seen one near my sister's home the day before on the
New Paltz rail trail.
Venturing into the woods adjacent to the power lines where most of the area
had been cut down and leveled for $300,000 homes, I reminisced over the times
I could find Scarlet Tanagers, Wood Thrushes and Veeries. I solemnly walked
in not expecting to see much, all the while wondering how many people were
watching me from their homes at the edge of the woods as I peered around
with my binoculars. My spirits lifted, however, upon the sight of a beautiful
Hermit Thrush, its rusty tail pumping. MORE MOVEMENT. My spirits really soared
when I spotted four Palm Warblers so busy finding food that, at one point,
one came within 10 feet of me, completely unconcerned with the constant raising
and lowering of my binoculars. ANOTHER MOVEMENT. A Brown Creeper was climbing
a scraggy-barked tree. I watched him, wishing (in vain) that he would reveal
a nest hidden under the bark. A White-breasted Nuthatch flew from one tree
to another. A Downy Woodpecker sang his descending whinny. Off in the distance,
a Flicker "sang" (is that what we call it?). Two Red-bellied Woodpeckers
noisily flew to a small snag and clung tightly as the morning sun shone off
their velvet heads.
Two American Robins were almost vehemently tossing aside large patches of
wet leaves near the boggy area, at times revealing large juicy morsels that
even looked appealing to me, they downed them so quickly (only kidding!).
I finally became tired of standing on one spot - all of this taking place
within 50 feet of me. As I started to walk out, I counted a total of four
Hermit Thrushes and, conservatively, six Palm Warblers. But, I'm not finished
yet. Along the creek a tiny bird darted by. As I turned back along the water
to get a better look, a teeny wren with a teensy stub of a tail flew out
and disappeared - a Winter Wren? I wouldn't doubt it, after the morning I
had.
