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Spring comes slowly to Morris Creek




Spring is coming slowly to Morris Creek.  Only in the last few days are the
deciduous trees beginning to show some signs of the coming season as the
Red Maples are becoming red and the Winged Elms white.  A few "wild"
Daffodils are blooming in the woods around an old housesite up the hill.
Still the feeders are packed to capacity with winter visitiors.  On Sunday,
as is usual for mid-March, I recorded the season (thus far) high total of
Purple Finches, counting a total of 24.  Also in attendance were a growing
number of American Goldfinches and 27 Pine Siskins.  Among the spring
arrivals at the feeder, however, were Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed
Cowbirds, and Common Grackles.

Hoping that a walk through the creek bottom would find the first
Yellow-throated Warbler or maybe even Parula, I set off Sunday afternoon.
Around the Yellow-throated Warblers' favorite stand of pines, I did find
warblers - Yellow-rumped Warblers.  Across the creek from the muddy bottom
where soon, hopefully, the voice of the Louisiana Waterthrush and the
Kentucky Warbler will ring out, I was determined to find the birds
scratching among the dry leaves in a honeysuckle tangle.  I eventually
spied White-throated Sparrows, stirring about in the leaf litter. How still
and dull the bare River Birches seemed without the animation of the
flitting Parulas and the sound of their "zeeee-UP"s dropping down from the
treetops.  

Returning home, I found a strange visitor near the feeders.  A cooperative
Savannah Sparrow sat quite still on top of the woodpile, allowing me to
look him over at some length, front and back.  The sparrow was finally run
off by the Carolina Wren who lives in the woodpile.

But spring is coming.  I heard the first Whip-poor-will of the season last
night.


 
Donna S. Bailey		
Winnsboro, SC

e-mail: dsbailey@conterra.com

URL:  http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey
	Where are the Birds?  Migration across South Carolina

URL: http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey/audubon
	Coulmbia Audubon Society