Date:         Fri, 8 Oct 2004 22:55:52 -0400
Reply-To:     James R Brooks Jr <jrbamc@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         James R Brooks Jr <jrbamc@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Black Tupelo and more...

Two more birds seen eating Black Tupelo fruit were a female
House Finch and a female Scarlet Tanager, the male was seen
gleaning around in a nearby oak. I guess he wanted protein,
and the little lady wanted something sweet.  Also saw the
juvenile and adult Cedar Waxwings feeding there again as
well as the continuing thrushes.

Yesterday after my other post, I was watching the Northern
Flickers eating berries and perching on a dead snag that is
part of the top of a Sweet Gum sticking up above the Tupelos,
when a much larger woodpecker arced in and perched there... a
beautiful male Pileated Woodpecker, sat for a couple of minutes
(kuk kuk kuk kuk kuk kuk kuk kuk kuk kuk kuk kuk kuk kuk kuk).
His crest was not pointed and swept back (like in all the field
guides) but bushy and pointing in all direction, like one of
those little Troll dolls.  Gorgeous in bright sunshine, an
awesome bird, and a species that is a frequent visitor here.

Seen around the yard today, a Great Blue Heron making a half
circle over the tree line looking for a shore line feeding spot,
three Swainson's Thrush in the Beauty Berry bush at the same
moment, an Eastern Phoebe flitting around the yard, then flying
out and audibly catching (plick!!) a passing bug or beetle.

I noticed a large reddish-brown bird on the ground near the
water's edge on the other side of the small lake behind our house,
got the binocs (already suspecting what it was) and confirmed,
a nice Red-shouldered Hawk feeding on something. Probably a
frog that scratched an itch at the wrong moment. I looked over
there just in time to see the Hawk withdraw a long string of
intestine and gobble it up.  It finished, then shook itself
and fluffed out its feathers and then leapt up and flew off over
the water.

I'm seeing more Monarch butteflies recently, they seem to be on
the move, too.

James Brooks
east of McDonough (Henry Cty) GA

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