Heinz NWR redux

Last Sunday I returned to Heinz NWR in Philadelphia for another delightful morning walk. Still no sighting of the Northern Shrike that has been reported, but there were sights and sounds which provided evidence that Spring-time thoughts are in the minds of some birds, in spite of the recent winter storm.

For example, along Darby Creek, this Hooded Merganser had his crest up as he proclaimed his handsomeness to the nearby hen ...

Hooded Merganser - drake displaying

Many songbirds were trying out their territorial / attract a mate songs including White-throated and Song Sparrows ...

White-throated Sparrow - "pooor sam peabody peabody peabody"

Song Sparrow

Along Darby Creek, this Belted Kingfisher gave me an opportunity that the residents along the Rock River behind my Vermont home have not given me - a reasonable photo opportunity as it flew up and down the creek ...

Belted Kingfisher

Several minutes of entertainment were provided by the White-breasted Nuthatch displaying its acrobatic foraging techniques. The following photo does not conveys something of that acrobaticism. I include it because in this case I especially like the photo's composition, the texture of the branch, and the wispy details hanging from the branch. Deep in the rotting crevices, it found tasty morsels ...

White-breasted Nuthatch

And ... in the same tangled mass of bittersweet, the Northern Saw-whet Owl was once again roosting. Its position was just slightly different from my previous sighting, giving a better opportunity for a photograph ...

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Good birding!