The skies at Bona Dea started out the day cloudy and then mostly sunny by late afternoon. The snow continued to melt and you could get hit by melting snow if you were under a tree limb just at the right time. I saw a few different birds this time out. I took a few photos and one is showing Prarie Creek just off the spillway. This creek has been drawn down drastically as the Corps Of Engineers have been pumping most of the water out in order to clean out the holding area at the pumping station of all of the City of Russellville's trash. You can see the bare and muddy ground on both sides of the creek. This area extends up to the old swinging bridge area and makes for a perfect feeding ground for the forging birds. At this area I took the above photo of a White-Throated Sparrow I have talked about a lot lately. Also a few feet away I took the photo of the black and white downy woodpecker as it looked for food in a tree. And without making a move I took the photo of a a female red Northern Cardinal. Also saw a Male Cardinal which seems to stay close to the same location each time at the head of the Swinging Bridge trail. There were the Gulls flying over head and the Turkey Vulchers at their roosting spot and flying overhead. I spooked a pair of Blue Winged Teal ducks on the creek. Canadian Geese flew over to Black Water Swamp. Off the bridge trail on the way back I saw a Tufted Titmouse. It is a gray bird with a top knot or called a crest. It was here that I got a surprise and have either not seen or identified an Eastern Phoebe. It was on a bush in Goose Pond. I could not get a good shot of it so a link of a photo is below. Another surprise was a Hermit Thrush. It is a medium size brown bird that is the only Thrasher type bird to winter here. I got close to one by where I saw the male cardinal but ran out of photo time so a link to one is below. After I left the swinging bridge area I went over to Black Water Swamp at the birding blind and then another surprise. But first I saw one over at swinging bridge but it kept playing hide and seek. This bird is a very, very tiny olive bird with a red spot on his head, a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet. They leave out of here in the spring. You cannot see the red spot unless you are on top of it. And at the birding blind I had one come within 2 feet. I saw one a few years back at Bullfrog Pond at it just hopped back and forth over my feet. They are not scared of humans for sure. A linked photo below. You can click on the links showing maps at the right and see the map of this sanctuary showing all the trails and ponds and bridges etc. that I talk about. Also, when you click on a link in this post below here, you need to click on the first arrow on the left side of the page at the very top and it will bring you back here to click on the next link. Double click on the above photos to see them larger.
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