Just Another Day...or is it?

Today, this post captures some of my walk at H. Bazemore park early one morning this past week. I first stopped at the hawkwatch platform in hopes of finding a green jay ...but, none. Only cardinals, doves and hearing a woodpecker call in the distance. Down in the valley, the ruckus of Great Kiskadees could also be heard. I will follow through on that in a bit. First, showing you the platform that is usually busy from August thru November when the great numbers [in the tens of thousands] are recorded by those that sit for hours with their scopes and binoculars to count the different species migrating south for the winter. Sometimes, when I've been there for such a short time during the summer and fall, I have witnessed the sky black with hawks and buzzards and kites!!!

This was the activity on April 11th of this past week...

During the hawk watch months, the huge willow tree in the first photo has a very large bird feeder hanging from it...along with hummingbird feeders strung on a long rope between two poles to the right. The 2nd photo is the drip system pond under another willow [or is it mesquite, right now I can't recall for sure] just off the platform...

...the hawkwatch platform. At times during the migration, there are literally hundreds of counters and bird watchers on the wooden, elevated, area, Year 'round this is a cardinal haven!! I think every time I've been there for the last 10 years, there wasn't a day without cardinals [male, red in the bird blind viewing window looking onto his mate, the beauty dressed in silver]. Looking from the railing off into the distant tree tops I spied two Couch's Kingbirds [yellow breasted] .,,

...the time of day was about 7:30 a.m. by now, and I began my walk around the park road. Cooler for a while with the temp in the high 60s low 70s. A gentle breeze was blowing to keep me from getting over-heated with the humid air coming off the river. I walked around the two lakes, to come up on the side of the park where the river is, and a large open field of green grass and yellow wild flowers. Coming around a small grove of trees, I spied the gentle giants...in silence they dined on the abundance of free food! I stood there, partially hidden, tho I know they knew I was there close by. I snapped away on the shutter button....

...They allowed me to keep them company until the last one left, done with breakfast, and going back into the sheltered area of palms and moss covered trees...

I then continued amassing my step count, walking along the riverside. Now and then a bird sighting had me taking more pictures. I spied a few Lincoln Sparrows, one Scissortailed Flycatcher, Killdeer [mating], Starlings, Doves, Yellowlegs and an osprey fly-over. Once I got around the bend, another platform so I could view the lake for ducks and other waterfowl. I saw one green heron, a few blue winged teals, and heard more cardinals. Mockingbirds were busy flitting around, doing their air dance to attract mates. And two more deer were seen.

Before I left, I also watched two Great Kiskadees building their nest from a light pole. This is a 'rebuild' from last year's previous nest...I stood under a tree and got more photos which I will share at a later date on my bird blog. This one shows where the nest is being built [pink arrow]....