I saw something I have never seen before. There were four CARDINALS in a
mate selection ritual. A male cardinal was high in a tree with a female on
one side of the street and he 'floated' across the street to another tree
toward another female. He had fanned out his tail and wings to catch air
as he slowly flew (though it looked more like floating) across the street
to her. I have only ever seen the cardinals fly swiftly. It was
remarkable, and probably common in their mating ritual, but I had never
seen it before and wished I had my camera ready!
I also have four NORTHERN FLICKERS courting in the trees, and three BROWN
THRASHERS doing the same.
The EASTERN PHOEBE has arrived. I finally had one PINE SISKIN for the
season, and one lone COOT has been hanging around the cove for about a
week. An OSPREY and a lone DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANT have replaced the BALD
EAGLE in the perching tree across the cove.
A CROW flew by me with a small fish in his mouth and I always wonder how
they catch them. The CROW family with the wing feathers missing are
still around and able to fly, unbelievably.
The TREE SWALLOWS and EASTERN BLUEBIRDS finally stopped going at each other
and started bringing nesting material to their chosen boxes.
Suzanne E. Stewart
Lake of the Woods, Wilderness, Orange county
