[birding] Neighborhood bike ride -- American Goldfinches

[Lisa Millbank]

Don & I took a neighborhood bike ride on Sunday.
At the Starker Park duck pond all of the male AMERICAN WIGEONS were calling wiw-WIW-wiw while the females made a quiet purr.  The lone male EURASIAN WIGEON joined in with his call, wheeeeew.  Maybe these Americans are all right to hang out with, but they sound a little funny, Mr. Eurasian might think.  A couple of TURKEY VULTURES were a welcome sight as they rode on the turbulent air currents.  An immature BALD EAGLE was a good neighborhood bird.
As we were riding down a section of bike path to 35th St., I began to hear something other than PINE SISKINS...and we saw a few AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES.  They are about as scarce as their namesake metal!  It was nice to see their cute little stripy wings and hear their sweet calls.  A little further along, there was a lively LESSER GOLDFINCH singing enthusiastically.
As we arrived at Marys River Natural Park we saw WESTERN BLUEBIRDS hopping around in the lawns and perching on some deck chairs in someone's yard.  A single LINCOLN'S SPARROW was the only one we could find.  The RING-NECKED PHEASANTS were beginning to "crow" and a splendid green & purple-glossed male BREWER'S BLACKBIRD was displaying for a female.  A NORTHERN HARRIER was pretty tolerant of my close approach, see my previous message for photos.  Both COOPER'S and SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS stirred up the birds a bit as they flew over the area.
Also, this morning on our ride to work we saw a beaver paddling upstream and diving in Marys River between Avery Park and the highway.  Go Beav!  We find the rodent Beavers much more interesting than the local football team!  

Lisa Millbank  
www.neighborhood-naturalist.com

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