Hi Folks:
I haven't had a chance to really bird much here in Des Moines lately, but
have a few sightings.
On Tue, May 29, I heard the "Quick, three Beers" of an Olive-sided
Flycatcher down at the woods of Des Moines Creek Park. As usual every
summer, I heard it at 6:00 am. We have had occasional glimpses of these
birds here every summer for at least the last 3 years.
Yesterday, May 31 there was a yellow-colored Red Crossbill in the top of a
fir in back of a home nearby. It called, "jip", then jip, jip, and finally
jip, jip, jip, jip. I don't usually hear them around here, but did hear one
about a month ago, the first one in about a year.
I didn't hear the Purple Finches singing this week for the first time in a
about 3 months. I am still hearing the zzzz of Pine Siskins.
We have a few Vaux's Swifts swooping low over a woodlot down in the next
neighborhood. They are flying on warm sunny days, and seem to be flying
where the V-g and Barn Swallows are. There are a couple of Band-tailed
Pigeons flying in the neighborhood.
Yours, Carol Schulz
Des Moines (elev. 160 ft)
linusq at att.net