Bona Dea Update-News Report-Pileated Woodpecks make love

Bona Dea was mostly sunny and warmer today. On Lake Dardanelle across from the park there were Double-crested Cormorants on the snag and some on the water. Gulls were still flying around with an occasional Turkey Vulture. On Swinging Bridge Trail the Acadian Flycatchers were active in the trees as well as Carolina Chickadees. At the spillway a Eastern Phoebe flycatcher was flying around the trees. I fed the Blue-gill Brim fish and they were quite active in feeding. Canadian Geese were flying mostly in pairs over to Black Water Swamp and some actually landed in Waldon Pond close to me. Northern Cardinals were in the woods across Prarie Creek from the spillway and just singing away. One of the Cormorants was again flying circles over Waldon Pond. It did not land this time. While at the spillway a big Pileated Woodpecker landed in a tree not 20 feet from me. It started calling its mate and then shortley the mate arrive and landed on a limb next to the truck where the first one was. Then the first one climbed on the limb next to the other one and then they made love. I don't think too many people have seen that. Afterwards they went up higher on the tree trunk in parallel fashion opposite each other. Some sort of after ritual I suppose. Then one flew off to the north and then some minutes later the other one followed. Very interesting to say the least. I noticed that the authorities have placed plastic barriers along the trail beside Parkway Highway. They are gonna start doing some time of work. Bobcat tractors were working yesterday in the area moving dirt. Several months ago they had staked out a line beside the highway. Don't know what they are planning. The basking turtles were all over the logs and snags in the ponds and creek. Robins were around the east parking area and they are all over town. Noticed around my house that the House Sparrows are now here in force. They really eat all your bird feed. That is what the squirrels don't get.