BY JOHN KARRIGAN
As it has been for most of the 2016-17 winter, I am not finding many small birds in the park to write about.
The backyard birds are doing well as usual. The regulars—Northern Cardinals American Goldfinches, Black-capped Chickadees, English Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers White-breasted Nuthatches and House Finches—are fairly common this time of year, with the Male Cardinals now sometimes doing their pleasant and common “What cheer” calls, a harbinger of spring.
One thing new and unusual this month, on Valentine’s Day, was a Falcon—I am quite sure it was a Peregrine Falcon—standing quietly in the backyard birdbath for a time in the afternoon! It had no prey with it, and left peacefully with no prey. This is the only Falcon in the yard that I can remember, and I have not seen it since.
Back to the park. One small bird I was able to find in the park, after hearing it various times, was a Downy Woodpecker. Most winters I find lots of Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers in the park.
Lately Canada Geese and Mallard Ducks have been back to the lake quite often, with the geese usually on the ice in pairs and the ducks usually on the grass or the open water areas on the north edge of the lake, in groups from a few to flocks of 60.
There are often American Crows passing by the park, in groups of three or five to flocks of hundreds to thousands and most of them going the same direction, whatever that direction is at that time of that day.
I was not at the park on one of our recent warm spring-like days when 10 to 12 neighborhood grandmas gathered at Powderhorn Lake to draw attention to climate change. As reported by City Pages, these “chicks” or “birds” held signs like “Climate change deniers skate on thin ice” and “There is no Plan B.” They posed for a photo at the lakeshore, some holding their colorful signs discretely covering their partially disrobed bodies. Oh how I love this neighborhood! (To see the photo go to Patty Gilles’ Facebook page.) Hopefully many birds, many animals and many people of many ages wearing various amounts of clothing will soon be populating the park and neighborhood for many months to come.
Comments and observations are always welcome. Send them to me, in care of Southside Pride. Thank you.
