April Winds
April 21, 2024
April showers bring may flowers - and April winds bring birds, at least they do here in the middle of the US. Kansas City sits on the border of the Central and Mississippi flyways, which means there are lots of paths birds can take that happen to temporarily go through our airspace.
Large flocks of birds I expect to see are passing through the lake this week. Hundreds of cormorants, coots, blue-winged teals, and northern shovelers.
Audio: Brown thrasher singing his song on a surprisingly quiet April morning.
Occasionally there are birds I don’t expect to see. Monday morning was gray, with thick low clouds. It was one of the few days this week that wasn’t windy. The conditions were terrible for photography but they were amazing for listening! As I listened to brown thrasher singing his song and the Franklin’s gulls out on the lake, I heard another sound I have never heard before.
I turned to see four birds flying by and quickly took a few photos. I was puzzled by what I saw. They looked like ducks, but I didn’t know of a duck that was dark underneath with a red/orange bill and a thick white stripe on the wings. I also didn’t know of a duck that would make a sound more like a loud dog’s squeaky toy than a bird call. (Listen to their calls here.)
Fortunately for me, when I opened the Sibley app on my phone the very first bird at the top of the list was the bird I had seen - a black-bellied whistling duck! Black-bellied whistling ducks are birds of Central and South America. According to eBird, they are spotted in my county a couple of times a decade. They had never been recorded at this county lake before, and this was a first for me. I love that after 11 years of walking in one place, I can still be surprised by something new!
Lots of tree swallows continue to migrate through. On a quiet morning you can watch them float along the surface of the lake, looking like stars glittering out in the expanse of water. They look so peaceful and I find them very reassuring.
When they come in closer I often get a view that is a little less peaceful. Though they travel in flocks, they don’t always seem to get along. Perhaps that’s how it is when you are on a long trip with a few too many of your closest relatives?
The purple martins patrol the airspace over the marina, thanks to the purple martin houses installed for them. These flying purple bug-eaters zip by me like tiny little fighter planes, going in and out. Sometimes they chase bugs. Sometimes they bring back mud for the nest. All in a days work.
Loons continue to migrate through, staying out of the busy, cormorant-filled waters and preferring more quiet places. I might be more of a loon than I realized.
Every day I wait for the shorebirds to arrive. I’ve seen a few spotted sandpipers and plenty of killdeer, but so far the flocks of shorebirds haven’t graced my presence. I did get to spend a little time with one semi-palmated sandpiper this week! Hopefully a few more of his friends will arrive soon.
Warm days, cold days, windy days, cloudy days, occasional moments of calm. I want to embrace them all. I try to embrace them all. Some days I do better than others. Birds help. Birds always help.
How are you weathering the spring (or fall) weather in your neck of the woods?
As the birds help you, you help us. Your slices of Life in the Real World never disappoint. In fact, I am refreshed with each one!
Ah, Karen ... lovely as always. Your words, images, and sounds. Thank you for giving us a front-row seat for spring migration.