Good morning, birdwatchers, nature lovers, and readers who seek respite from election news,
This is Dawn Chorus, a Sunday morning conversation about birds and birdwatching.
A few days ago I visited a local lake, hoping to see some interesting migrant water birds. In that I was disappointed. A few tame ducks begged for treats near the parking lot as one resident great blue heron fished nearby.
A hundred yards down the walking path, however, I came upon a dense thicket of vines that was swarming with tiny flies and tiny fly-catching birds.
I spent an hour hanging around, peering through binoculars, snapping photos, and trying to figure out what they might be. My phone’s bird app suggested least flycatchers, but later I learned the flycatchers have all left for warmer climes.
I consulted the local Audubon experts who quickly identified them as kinglets. The one above is a ruby crowned kinglet, despite the lack of visible ruby crown. Although I’ve seen and identified a ruby-crowned kinglet in the past, it was a transient, solitary male whose red head was clearly visible. I had no idea where to find them or what they looked like in other circumstances.
After inspecting my photos more carefully the next day I noticed I had just one rather dark photo that does show the ruby red patch on one male’s head.
This group of kinglets were very busy little birds, fluttering about to catch flying insects and perching only briefly, usually obscured by foliage. Now that I recognize the wing markings, I think the flock in the thicket were mostly ruby-crowned kinglets, but I have a few photos of golden-crowned kinglets foraging with them.
That’s one thing I enjoy about birding: that Aha! moment of learning something unexpected about a species and figuring out how to identify them again later.
Well, I think it’s time to fly away for another cup of coffee.
How about you? What birds have you seen or learned about this week?