Bird number 500 is still out there in the woods. Spring Migration soared by and he/she never showed. We go again today. This time with the expert, Dr. Robert Edwards. He has promised (almost) a red-cockaded woodpecker and perhaps Swainson's Warbler. Both of these are known to hang out in the woods of East Texas. So, until Saturday this BLOG will lie dormant as we search for two difficult birds.
Red-cockaded woodpecker is about 8 and a half inches long,black and white barred back. Black cap with a large white cheek patch. The male has small red tufts on his head but they are rarely seen. He lives in the pines and bores his hole in large living pines afflicted with heartwood disease. He will drill small holes around the larger one so that sap will ooze out and repel predators. It makes his tree a distinctive one, They are no longer found in Kentucky and Tennessee and almost eliminated in Virginia. The population continues to decline.
Swainson's Warbler is uncommon and secretive. He is brown-olive above and grayish below, He has a long, spikey bill and a pale eyebrow. His call is a chip. He lives in undergrowth and in swamps and canebreaks. He shuffles as he walks and shivers when picking up dead leaves. His song is a series of thin, slurred whistles often ending in tee-oh. Being hearing challenged (mostly deaf) I will be depending on my eyes and Robert's ears.
So there you have it. The search for number 500. What are my chances? I know it is not a sure thing. If it were it wouldn't be fun. The Lord willing, I will be giving a report Friday night. Cheep! (Or is it chip?) The bird information is provided from "Field Guide To The Birds Of North America" by National Geographic.