The Original Reality Drama...Birds

                                     5/19/2014     2:25pm      73*F     Mostly Sunny

Snowberry flowers appear

Red currant losing its red

The fading bleeding hearts

Same angle of observation spot as picture
from week 1 photo!

I am in shock about how much the small forest of Madrona Park has grown! It was so overgrown that it was hard for me to identify many species because they have come to blend together so much. It was like a real forest in comparison to my first week where it looked more like a man made walking trail. It it beautiful to see nature at its fullest. I am guessing but it feels like the plants are reaching their peak for the spring and will stop growing for the summer. I can't imagine where more growth could occur but I do know that nature always finds space. Due to all the increase in size of the various plant species I noticed an increase in competition between species. Even though the sun was shining brightly the entire forest floor was in the shade. The canopies of the trees have widened to catch more sun. The ground species seemed to be climbing over one another to get what little sun did come to the ground. I also noticed the transition in flowers occurring. The red flowering currant that was so bright and one of the first blossoms is now only buds. The bleeding hearts that shown a bright purple are now turing whitish grey. They look like they will soon be gone. The thimble has come in to take their place with white flowers filling the shrub. I was surprised by this process because I've always assumed that flowers all bloom together and retreat together throughout the year. There was a pretty noticeable increase in insect presence. There were several more spider webs than there had been before, more flies buzzing around, and more activity on the forest floor. This weeks trip I was mostly focused on the birds. Because of the rapid overgrowth of my site and the prevalence of very tall trees I was not able to see everything I was hearing. I understand now why semi-open spaces are ideal for bird watching. I couldn't see a thing! My observation spot is pretty much smack dab right in the middle of the Madrona Park forest and surrounded with trees. I had to get far away from my usual observation section to sight any new birds. Walking throughout the trail I spotted several song sparrows and could hear some brewers wrens. When I got up near the houses I heard a back and forth conversation between a chickadee and another unknown bird. I witnessed a spotted towhee being very territorial over a tree and a telephone pole. He was calling at me to get away when I walked up to observe but wouldn't go far from his territory when I began pushing his comfort zones. I have a history of seeing several stellar jays and bushtits at my observation site but I didn't get to see any this time.

The lady ferns that were unrolling in weeks 1 and 2!

I walked up to the residential area of the Madrona neighborhood determined to get a look at the elusive eagle's nest I've been working next to since my first week. I was finally able to spot it. I didn't have the best view but I finally seen the nest and what looked like one very big eaglet. As I watched I heard an increase in activity from the crows. There were abnormally loud today with constant squawking from beginning to end of my observation. As I was looking at the nest I seen the mother swoop in and take perch in the tree. Shortly after the comedy began. A single crow was not happy that the adult eagle was perched on the edge of a branch in the tree with her own nest. The crow began with just sending out (what I think were) warning calls. The eagle didn't budge. So then the crow started hysterically dive bombing the eagle. The crow would fly right above the eagle and start flying directly downward toward the eagles head. The crow looked like it was free falling as it dove and as soon as it would reach close to the eagle it would flick it's wings and fly back up. It was a big circular motion with loud calls and distress from the crow and a stone like response from the eagle. The eagle finally grew tired of the crows shenanigans and took flight. The size difference between the two in the air was pretty incredible. The eagle chased the crow a little bit and took perch in another tree right next to the one where her nest was. That was the last I heard from the crow. I don't know what could've caused the tension. I mean the eagle was sitting in the nest of her own nest. The issue must not have been of extreme importance to the other crows either because the dive bomber was on a solo mission. I assume it was an instinctual reaction to a predatory bird from the crow and I'm pretty sure that the crows are also nesting in the area. But the whole ordeal was very exciting to watch and just another reel in the daily drama of springtime birds.

It is not easy getting bird pics with a camera phone