A lifer came into play when I heard the weirdest sound coming from a wooded area. I had never heard a cuckoo, so I expected to see something like a quail or maybe a small furry critter on the ground, if anything. Well, lucky for me, he landed in a tree behind me and began his call again, confirming the source. He used all of his many calls which was such a treat to hear before he flew off.
Cool Facts: Cuckoos eat many spiny caterpillars and the spines stick in the lining of the stomach. The stomach lining is periodically shed to remove the spines.
The apparent tendency to call more frequently before rain explains why both Black-billed and Yellow-billed cuckoos are called "Rain Crows."
Always an exciting migrator to find, the Scarlet Tanager is a striking black-winged red bird, and is a common species of the eastern forest interior. Despite its brilliant coloring it is often overlooked because of its rather secretive behavior and its preference for the forest canopy. Luckily, I found this one pretty low, preening leaves for bugs.
It was a brutal battle that the sandpiper ultimately won, but not without a clever defensive move by the serpent, trying to wiggle it's way back out of the mouth and wrapping itself around the bill to keep it closed. The maneuver almost worked, but the brute strength and hunger this sandpiper displayed could not be overcame by the challenger. It was a worthy match up, pleasing the cheering crowd of just one...me!
