New Red-headed Woodpecker sightings have graced the week, in addition to late migrants. Among the first migrants to arrive at the Grove, and the last to leave, a few Least Flycatchers may even nest among the trees and the tangles. Wilson’s Phalaropes can be seen at many shallow wetlands in the area. The colorful females are among the most beautiful of all shorebirds and their unique circling feeding behavior is a delight to observe.

Hoooray! The first Orchard Oriole fed at my jelly feeder Thursday morning, although they have been very active at the Grove for 8 days before – feasting on the nectar of flower blooms and remarkable hatches of small flying insects. Speaking of the Grove, last Wednesday yielded a couple notable sightings – a Yellow-breasted Chat, only the second I’ve seen in this area of Dakota, followed by a first state bird for me, a Veery, quite a reddish-colored individual. This thrush was very secretive, moving slowly through a low tangle of chokecherry bushes.

A male Blackpoll Warbler was interesting as it foraged high in an open ponderosa pine, and along with a female American Redstart, these 4 species were the most obvious overnight arrivals, although it was clear that there were more Warbling Vireos, including a group of 5, and a couple duos. A great surprise was a Red-headed Woodpecker, fluffed up into an almost round ball in the unusually cool morning air. It was only a few feet above the ground, working the ancient bark of one of the huge cottonwood trees on the north side of the Grove. I wished it was a lot closer, and even considered trying to approach it in my mobile blind (van) for photos, but I didn’t want to disturb it and enjoyed binocular views instead.

My biggest surprise of the morning came about 20 minutes later, when I suddenly realized the prized Red-headed Woodpecker was only 10 feet away on the opposite side of my vehicle, still fluffed up and plying the trunk of an elm tree below eye level. I held my breath while lowering the passenger side window, and stretched across the console and seat to photograph the striking woodpecker in such an uncharacteristic look in the low light of cloud cover and tree shade. Most photos I took turned out pretty well, and moments later the woodpecker took an uncharacteristic low flight into the depths of the grove – WoW, was I ever surprised by that close encounter with a favorite bird. That’s also only the second Red-head I’ve seen at the Grove over the years, the first coming 2 weeks earlier.

The unseasonably cool weather was backed by a soaking rain that fell from Wednesday night to Friday morning, “dampening” my usual birding activities. In fact, Thursday morning the rain turned to big flakes of snow for about 45 minutes – May 27th is by far the latest date for snow up here! But the rain soon returned, and I was interested to see how the weather affected the birds and migration.

More Woodpecker Excitement

As the rain let up a bit, I felt the need to check out Melody’s Grove, but only saw Least Flycatchers – not even a Yellow Warbler was on hand. But hey, there was the Red-headed Woodpecker on the base of the biggest cottonwood tree, which is next to the access road, so knowing the woodpecker wasn’t afraid of my van, I thought I’d try an approach. No problem, I coasted up to the point where no leaves were in the way and quickly began photographing, just in case the redhead would move. No problem, the bird continued searching for insects among the bark cavities in the massive tree trunk. Eventually it moved to the next cottonwood, and on to the next tree, each just a few feet apart.

Soon the regal woodpecker flew to a wooden pole 150 feet north, where it appeared to displace another bird. I looked with my binoculars and my jaw dropped when I saw a second Red-headed Woodpecker - now that’s exciting! The woodpeckers kept their distance from one another, but could they be a pair? Or a potential pair? The original woodpecker returned to the trees before me, but the other woodpecker flew to the east. Hmm.

After providing me with more photo ops, the original woodpecker took flight across the bow of my van to land on the ground in an adjacent field - next to the other redhead! As both birds searched for bugs or old corn kernels, I took a moment to wish a big wish: that these birds would be a pair, would stay at the Grove, and would excavate a nesting cavity, allowing me to observe and photograph them for the next few months! Ya that’s it – but that’s a big wish, and quite premature at this point. Even so, how lucky was I to have Red-headed Woodpeckers to photograph close at hand at eye level and lower, with the potential for nesting season photos?

Before I left, the original woodpecker returned to the giant cottonwood tree with a big bug, then searched the bark for other morsels, and flew a few a hundred feet to the northwest to perch in a maple tree next to the little house where my grandparents lived when I was young – how kool is that! In fact, the big trees where I was photographing the woodpecker were only about 50 feet across the road from where my grandfather’s little Standard gas station stood. When I was a little boy, the cottonwood trees were already the tallest trees around, by far; now they are true giants.

Kool Weather Break

The latter days of songbird migration seemed to be put on pause with the cool weather, in spite of a south wind. Friday it was obvious almost all Yellow Warblers had vacated the area, so there was some movement outward, but the only new sighting was a male Common Yellowthroat, close. The first bird I saw as I drove into the Grove area was one of the Red-headed Woodpeckers, and it was in the area for the first part of my abbreviated morning session. Every day they stay make the potential for them nesting there more possible I figure.

Saturday morning was similar weather-wise, but the first bird was new – a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird. I had been awaiting another wave of hummingbirds considering that only a very few males showed a couple weeks ago. And a male Ruby-throat fed at the same flowering bush as the female a half hour later. A few female Orchard Orioles were present, along with a male, and a few Yellow Warblers were active too. And a Red-headed Woodpecker was present on the low trunks of the giant cottonwoods for a while!

A Wandering Vireo that showed more yellow than I can recall ever seeing before on its undersides caught my attention, but the true star of the show was a classic Connecticut Warbler that I sighted through a small break in the vegetation and appreciated a beautiful look at it with my binoculars. Only 2 years ago I sighted my first sighting of the species, also in the Grove, so it was a special sighting and an indicator, along with the hummers and possibly the Warbling Vireo and Yellow Warblers, that a small influx of birds occurred earlier this morning.

Feeding Station Evolution

I mentioned in the beginning of this article that a male Orchard Oriole is the new star at my feeding station, and it continues to feed at my old oriole feeder and remains pretty skittish, although it talks a lot when it’s at the feeder, drawing attention to itself with its chatter and contact calls. I’m hoping he stays and attracts a female. As for Baltimore Orioles, the male and a female orioles that have been the most common feeder visitors – both identifiable by unique plumage characteristics – made a rare duo appearance Thursday evening, and considering a display between them that was definitely not an aggressive display, they may be a pair that will remain in the area – wonderful!

There are other Baltimores that visit too, mostly beautiful full-color deep-orange males (the apparent paired male has lighter plumage, including a distinguishing yellow belly). Once I caught a look at 2 orioles that visited together, a beautiful adult male with a young female with no dark feathers on its head – probably a yearling female. She has returned rather regularly, along with one or more super-orange and black males. I must share that its especially nice to have orioles provide the dominant songs around my house, and I dare say that my feeders draw them to the surrounding area, with the surrounding habitat befitting both Baltimore and Orchard Orioles.

Gray Catbirds have also become regular feeding station visitors, appreciating the jelly, but at least one has begun feeding at the old hummingbird feeder, apparently acquiring a taste for sugar-water nectar. Saturday, it seemed this nectar-feeding catbird had figured out the new oriole feeder had nectar too, with larger feeding port openings that make access to sugar-water easier.

But during the cool rainy day Thursday I was most surprised when I saw a Swainson’s Thrush land near the new oriole feeder, then land on it, and take a few tastes of jelly. As the day continued, the thrush (I’m assuming it was the same one) made more frequent visits and fed more on the grape jelly at the oriole feeder, perhaps pushed to the extreme by the cool weather. So overall, my new “oriole feeder” has become more of a catbird-thrush-oriole feeder (ha-ha).

Sunday, I was glad to witness 2 widely separated visits to my hummingbird feeders by 1 or 2 female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. And I spied a female Monday afternoon too. But like the male(s) that visited a couple weeks earlier, they seemed wary and hesitant to spend much time at the feeding station.

Then, just as I was finishing this report, 8 Cedar Waxwings crowded around the perimeter of my bird bath to drink quickly, then leave as fast as they arrived. That’s a first, and it’s a great example of how birding, including window birding, is full of surprises. You never know when new birds will suddenly appear!

Sunshine Returns

With a clear sky and warmer temperatures Sunday morning, it was pretty obvious there were no new migrants among the few scattered Least Flycatchers, Yellow Warblers, and House Wrens. So, inspired by seeing a Red-headed Woodpecker first thing as I drove into the Grove, I decided to check on my other Red-headed hotspots far to the south-southeast near the Bald Eagle nest. At the first location, I was excited to see 3 Red-headed Woodpeckers, and another 3 were present near the Bald Eagle nest, which was active but hard to assess. Two miles from the eagle nest I found a 7th woodpecker, and when I returned to the Grove, both Red-headed Woodpeckers were present – that’s 9 in all.

Just seeing the 2 woodpeckers hawking insects in the air and on the ground encouraged me that the pair might stay and nest. In fact, in addition to feeding, I watched one of the woodpeckers investigating a huge barkless cottonwood snag. In addition to having the woodpeckers on hand, it was especially fulfilling that both birds permit me to approach them and even pass by them at close quarters, making future photo opportunities a good bet. These birds are captivating, and their plumage has a beautiful velvet-looking quality to it, especially the red plumage that covers the head, neck, and chest.

Melody’s Marsh provided some of the most attention-grabbing sightings in the area, including the first pair of Western Grebes I can recall seeing, along with a new group of Canvasbacks and Redheads, all very welcome additions. There were also Wilson’s Phalaropes, American Avocets, Pectoral Sandpipers, Blue-winged Teal, Mallards, Northern Pintails, Lesser Scaup, a Black-crowned Night Heron, and a small flock of White Pelicans. There is also a huge gang of large downy Giant Canada goslings led by a circle of 6 protective adults. Sometimes I still see a White-faced Ibis along the shore, but most have moved on to nesting areas I’d bet.

Monday, Memorial Day, was another beautiful clear sunny warm morning, but as I waited for photo ops at the Grove, I was met with the stark impression that the migration may have passed; that the Connecticut Warbler may have been the last hurrah. Perhaps this is the transition to the pending Red-headed Woodpecker scenario. Both Red-heads were present again for the holiday, so hopefully the pair is dialed in and the male will soon begin excavating a nesting cavity – wouldn’t that be a thrill!

Thanks for sharing my exciting spring season with me – in the wildlands of Dakota, across the Great Plains to the Gulf Coast from the Rio Grande to the Everglades – and back to the Grove. I wish I could hear more experiences from birders around the country, but I keep attuned to the pulse of birders by checking in to the ABA’s Birding News posts and eBird reports, and I sure hope you have enjoyed a fruitful and fulfilling spring of birding highlights. As Memorial Day represents the start of summer, we can look forward to an exciting nesting season that has already begun for some birds with many more to follow. Enjoy the new promises of June, and enjoy birding at its best whenever you can.

Article and photos by Paul Konrad

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