Subject: Interesting Behaviors
Date: Jan 2 02:06:41 1996
From: MWKG at aol.com - MWKG at aol.com


Tweets,

This past week I observed a couple of interesting behaviors that I haven't
been able to find in any of my reference books.

1. Fox Sparrow on a cedar branch about three fet off the ground twitching its
tail rapidly and spinning around on the branch. I observed the bird for
almost five minutes. It kept its wings tucked in for the most part and was
silent during this exercise. The movement was extremely rapid, almost blurred
and continuous. There was another bird on the other side of the lot doing its
normal two-footed shuffle in the leaf litter. At one point the spinnig bird
flew into the interior of the cedar then back out and continued for anotehr
five minutes or so. It was oblivious to me when I wen t out for closer look.


2. Eared Grebe swimming with a female Common Goldeneye in the inlet and
diving a split second after the duck. The grebe stayed within a few feet of
the duck for over an hour on the first day and they were seen again the
following aftenoon. They would dive come up and stay on the surface for
10-15 seconds and dive again. Each time the grebe diving a split second after
the Goldeneye. At onme point they became separated and the grebe appeared
almost almost frantic searching for the duck. Once found the grebe swam to
the duck and resumed station three feet astern, and diving in sync.

Any thoughts?

Mike Waller
WP Zoo