Thursday, April 25, 2024. Quincy, California
It’s gray and portending rain out there as I took my circuit ride this morning around the west end of American Valley. More Sandhill Crane (just the single this morning), plumping:
Down along the bicycle path I encountered a Red-breasted Sapsucker drumming way up on top of a power pole. I got this one still and some video (below). I’ve seen Northern Flicker pick a metal surface to drum (presumably for territory?) but not the RBSA before. So, that was pretty cool. Sure makes a very noticeable and distinct sound, which I just managed to catch on video for a few seconds before the bird flew off.
Wending my way outward to Spanish Creek, I spied this Common Merganser couple down on the creek. After I got this series, I pedaled on just a few yards, had a better opening, and notice that there were three birds altogether, two hens and the drake. The drake has the black head, in breeding plumage. Just as I drew my camera to snap the three, they flew off so I didn’t get a photo of all three of them.
The road I’m on along Spanish Creek ends at the wastewater treatment plant, which I hadn’t visited for several days. It was somewhat sparse population on the pond, but there was an Eared Grebe again and yippee! Canada Goose babies.
And now, as my diary title declares, the Red-tailed Hawks are back on the same nest as last year, which I videoed a bunch, and you can see it again if you want; it’s twelve minutes long. So, I’ve sure got mornings spoken for over the next many weeks, video on the tripod for sure. By the way, on my many trips to the wastewater plant earlier this year I had been stopping to check the nest, just in case the mating pair decided to reuse it, as I found out they sometimes do. Sure enough, I’d call this a definite.
Lastly, on the back leg, a group of Evening Grosbeak, and one posed so nicely I just have to include him.
Now it’s your turn. What’s been happening in your area nature and change-wise? Please include your location in your comments and photos if you have them. Thanks!