I'd been looking forward to this Saturday as a new kayaking adventure but of course no sooner than I'd thrown them in my truck did it start to rain. I went ahead anyway and got on the freeway but hit such bad traffic that I ended up turning around and going home. So I actually hadn't planned to go to the park today but found myself there anyway. By the time I arrived the rain had actually quit altogether allowing me to use my newer camera so that was a plus. I saw a good variety of birds today and the very first bird I spotted right after getting out of my truck was an Eastern Bluebird.
A number of other birds seemed to be just sitting quietly in the treetops -maybe waiting out the rain. As I spotted a Goldfinch and started taking photos I noticed a much larger bird sitting even lower and closer to me that I overlooked. It was a Brown Thrasher and although he was more or less above me, I had a great view of him. On the northwest side of the park I spotted a bird in the trees up ahead that was facing away from me. What made me notice the bird were the striking white edges of his back feathers. He was quite a ways away but looking at him through my camera lens I seemed to notice an almost blueish-grey colored head. My first thought was possibly and Eastern Phoebe but it was too large and slender looking. Then when it changed positions I was startled to see two bright colors -a rich, rusty red brown on it's wings and also a fairly bright yellow underbelly!
This was unlike any bird I've seen before I really could not place it. It flew off and I was so intrigued that I tried to follow it. I did spot it one more time but the lighting was so terrible that I wasn't even sure if it was the same bird. After doing some searching online and comparing lots of photos, I'm pretty confident in saying that what I saw was a Great Crested Flycatcher! This is a brand new bird for me and quite a fun sighting to see something new. On the north side I took my sweet-old-time looking for Hummingbirds among all the patches of Jewelweed. I finally did spot hovering out of the corner of my eye and when I went for a photo it was gone. Periodically I would see one here and there but they just weren't sticking around long enough before finding some thick tree to perch in for a break.
Then finally I saw where one had landed in a Buckthorn tree above the Jewelweed and I was able to get a photo. They are so neat to see and I never get tired of watching them. Later just before the bridge over Shingle Creek, I'd spotted a brown furry creature moving around on the ground underneath the wet green foliage. At first I thought it was a Vole which I've not seen in a while so I started to follow it for a better look. When it popped out into an opening in the brush I was surprised to see that it was not a Vole or Mouse but a tiny brown bird! It scurried along the ground weaving in an out of the green plants nearly like a mouse might do.
It's coloring was almost like a leaf with a tightly speckled pattern that made it blend in to the ground quite well. This bird was so tiny that it could have fit in the palm of my hand. I wasn't sure but my first instinct -especially because it was on the ground was that it was a fledgeling of some kind. I followed it for quite a ways and when I would be perfectly still, it would come right out into the open. That is when I noticed just how small or underdeveloped it's wings and tail were. The tail feathers especially were so short that it was hardly visible. Strictly going by it's mottled patterning I was thinking maybe it was a Wren. I know it's not a Sparrow because of it's long slender bill. I honestly still can't say for sure what it is but my next best guess it that it might be a Brown Creeper -maybe a fledgling.
A number of other birds seemed to be just sitting quietly in the treetops -maybe waiting out the rain. As I spotted a Goldfinch and started taking photos I noticed a much larger bird sitting even lower and closer to me that I overlooked. It was a Brown Thrasher and although he was more or less above me, I had a great view of him. On the northwest side of the park I spotted a bird in the trees up ahead that was facing away from me. What made me notice the bird were the striking white edges of his back feathers. He was quite a ways away but looking at him through my camera lens I seemed to notice an almost blueish-grey colored head. My first thought was possibly and Eastern Phoebe but it was too large and slender looking. Then when it changed positions I was startled to see two bright colors -a rich, rusty red brown on it's wings and also a fairly bright yellow underbelly! 
This was unlike any bird I've seen before I really could not place it. It flew off and I was so intrigued that I tried to follow it. I did spot it one more time but the lighting was so terrible that I wasn't even sure if it was the same bird. After doing some searching online and comparing lots of photos, I'm pretty confident in saying that what I saw was a Great Crested Flycatcher! This is a brand new bird for me and quite a fun sighting to see something new. On the north side I took my sweet-old-time looking for Hummingbirds among all the patches of Jewelweed. I finally did spot hovering out of the corner of my eye and when I went for a photo it was gone. Periodically I would see one here and there but they just weren't sticking around long enough before finding some thick tree to perch in for a break. 
Then finally I saw where one had landed in a Buckthorn tree above the Jewelweed and I was able to get a photo. They are so neat to see and I never get tired of watching them. Later just before the bridge over Shingle Creek, I'd spotted a brown furry creature moving around on the ground underneath the wet green foliage. At first I thought it was a Vole which I've not seen in a while so I started to follow it for a better look. When it popped out into an opening in the brush I was surprised to see that it was not a Vole or Mouse but a tiny brown bird! It scurried along the ground weaving in an out of the green plants nearly like a mouse might do. 
It's coloring was almost like a leaf with a tightly speckled pattern that made it blend in to the ground quite well. This bird was so tiny that it could have fit in the palm of my hand. I wasn't sure but my first instinct -especially because it was on the ground was that it was a fledgeling of some kind. I followed it for quite a ways and when I would be perfectly still, it would come right out into the open. That is when I noticed just how small or underdeveloped it's wings and tail were. The tail feathers especially were so short that it was hardly visible. Strictly going by it's mottled patterning I was thinking maybe it was a Wren. I know it's not a Sparrow because of it's long slender bill. I honestly still can't say for sure what it is but my next best guess it that it might be a Brown Creeper -maybe a fledgling.
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