Bona Dea Update

Bona Dea was sunny and then cloudy later on and cold. No precip yet but some expected tonight and tomorrow. Maybe some snow. There were Robins all about town and the park as usual. At the head of Swinging Bridge Trail the male Northern Cardinal was on the ground looking for food. It must be the same one that seems to stay around there all the time. I suppose they are territorial to a great extent. The Pileated Woodpecker was sounding off across Prarie Creek to the south. Also at the bridge were several Swamp Sparrows. They were the ones I saw yesterday at the spillway that kept landing on vegatation in the water and jumping into shallow water looking for seeds. Descriptions shows this bird lands on low branches of bushes and trees and tries to knock at seeds from pods and then jumps to the ground to eat them. This is what they were doing today at swinging bridge. Photo of one. They winter in this area and then move north to breed and nest. Some Turkey Vulchers and Gulls were flying about and several ducks, Teals and Mallards were flying over for the night at Black Water Swamp. Also just a few Canadian Geese did the same. In the swamp area under the swinging bridge there were several single Mourning Doves flying over the creek to the same tree down stream. It seems that the Northern Flicker woodpecker I mentioned in recent previous posts are trying to make the swinging bridge area their home. They are still around there flying from tree to tree. I suppose trying to find a nesting spot. Was disappointed not to see the White Tailed deer that I saw yesterday. But I did not mention yesterday about hearing a lot thrashing sound right across the creek from where I stood on the bank. I saw some cane bushes moving after the sound. This indicates it was a deer running through. I did not see the deer but the vegetation was thick and it was probably standing still as they usually do after running and stopping so fast.