This last day of March was a perfect day to get outdoors and witness some of the activity signalling springtime in Oregon. Potential mates are being courted, nests are being constructed, other... unmentionable activities are being performed. Ah, love.
Even here in my neighborhood, romance is in the air. Male European Starlings, aside from molting into their iridescent plumage, have been conspicuously running through their mimicry songs in order to impress any females in the area. I am always impressed, not gonna lie. Think that was a red-tailed hawk or a killdeer you heard? Think again.
Ospreys that arrived a week ago can be seen plucking sticks off of trees mid-air to rebuild their nests that were demolished over the course of the fall/winter. Mostly the males do this, and then bring them to the female to arrange. Obviously the nests need a female's touch. I similarly saw a Crow also take off with a (albeit smaller) stick off of the tree in our yard. A bushtit fluttered outside of my window, and grabbed a beak full of spiderwebs to contribute to their unique hanging sack of a nest.
Breeding adult Great Egrets grow long, wispy nuptial plumes when the time is right. These beautiful feathers are what caused them to be hunted nearly to extinction near the end of the 19th century (more than 95% of their North American population were killed). You may see similar long plumes on other herons around this time of year as well.
Woodpeckers, sapsuckers (such as the Red-breasted Sapsucker above) and flickers hammer away on something large, and hopefully metallic. The louder the drumming, the more females are impressed apparently. Pretty sure this does not in any way apply to human courtship.
In my neighborhood, we have a few Anna's Hummingbirds in the winter. But in spring and summer, aggressive little Rufous Hummingbirds take over and drive other hummingbirds away--even other Rufous Hummingbirds. Males chase off males. Males chase off females. Females chase off other females. In fact, they don't really give the impression of liking much of anyone. And yet, somehow the species continues on. If you take a walk on a spring day near any kind of tall bushes or blackberry brambles, you might see and hear a male Rufous soar straight up into the sky and then fall in a fast "J" shaped dive accompanied by a chittering call. Impressive! Different species of hummingbirds can be identified by the tenor their diving call.
Lately though, I've been witnessing a different tactic, where the male makes horizontal figure-8 style moves near the object of his desire. It looks somewhat like a bright orange pinball bouncing around in the brushes. It's never boring with hummingbirds.
Backing up for a moment to discuss Bushtits and their nests, one is being built somewhere near my house. I'll be looking to see if I can find it. I have an idea... However, my mother spotted this nest (still somewhat under construction it appears) on a walk around Dalton Lake in Columbia City, OR. If you know anything about Bushtits, you know they are typically found in large flocks that sweep through your yard, grab some suet, and flock back out again. But as far as making a family goes, one pair of Bushtits construct a nest together, which can take over a month, of mostly spiderwebs, moss, and whatever seems warm and soft. They stretch it downwards by sitting in the bottom. After this pair hatches their babies, other Bushtits will help raise them and watch the nest.
And of course, everyone's favorite part of spring courtship rituals: singing!
If you want to read more about bird courtship behaviors, click here.
Finally, here is another beautiful moment in nature that I was privileged to witness.
You never know what you will see when you go out birding... You can only get out there and hope you will see two cows boning.
