Plan Your Weekend: The Birds Know It’s Spring

Posted in Programs and Events, Wildlife on March 27 2009, by Plant Talk

Saying Hello to New Arrivals and Goodbye to a Friend

Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center.

Spring has sprung at NYBG. The phoebe, spring’s harbinger, has arrived. A beautiful phoebe was spotted down by Twin Lakes bobbing its tail and calling. Ruby-crowned kinglets, brown creepers, and a juvenile eastern kingbird were also spotted on last Saturday’s walk.

Perhaps the best indication of spring is seeing the mating rituals that some of the birds perform. The male mockingbird does a dance on the lawn by extending his wings and flashing his white stripes. The female, who looks exactly like the male, is an onlooker who watches from afar. She may judge him on his display or wait further to hear the kaleidoscope of songs that emanate from his vocal cords when he is high atop a tree. Many mockingbirds mock sounds they hear in their vicinity. NYBG mockers often imitate the other birds at NYBG along with alarm systems from cars and sometimes screeching—like the sounds a child might make. The female only mocks in the fall, leaving the spring air open for her suitor’s song.

Read more about birds at the Garden and check out all of this weekend’s programming after the jump.

The northern cardinal, a bright-red bird with a red beak, sits atop the highest neighborhood tree and sings out to declare his territory and attract a mate. While it is true that most cardinals will mate for life, the precocious bird will still call every spring. His mate is orange-brown with a bright-orange beak. The male cardinal’s song carries far and is often heard early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

Red-tailed hawks have a magnificent display. Much like eagles, they fly, soar, and lock talons while dancing in the open sky. It is a beautiful mating ritual to watch. They actually copulate on a branch, the male mounting the female for a few seconds, his wings beating against the open air as he balances against her body. NYBG is lucky this year to have red-tailed hawks building a nest on the Library building. They have been gathering large sticks and placing them inside a triangular space on top of the building. Much like their famous counterpart, Pale Male in Central Park, our hawks are also building a nest overlooking a natural expanse: Tulip Tree Allée, however, instead of Fifth Avenue.

Our great horned owls are nesting, and a third owl has joined them this year. It is believed the third owl is an immature bird from last year’s brood. The third owl, or Junior as we call him, has stood vigil over the female’s nest for over a month. Junior is always in the same place every day. For great horned owls this is unusual behavior as the adult male usually drives all the young out of his territory. We are looking forward to owlets again this year.

Watching the owls, though, has been sad for me and some of the other birders on our weekly walk as one of our own has passed away. My friend Wendy Pilbeam, who was a regular on my bird walks for the past 15 years, died this past December. Wendy stood vigil over the owl nest every year. She would call me weekly with reports and updates when I could not get to the Garden during the week or when my own family obligations called me out of state. Wendy was an excellent birder and had vast knowledge of plants and flowers. Often on the walk when a visitor had a plant question, Wendy was always there to give an answer, some history, and planting advice. Wendy dedicated her time to keeping the area around the owl nest free from people who would trespass and cause the owls distress. She was a vivacious presence, a soul to be reckoned with, and a true birder. I am proud to call Wendy my friend. Wendy will be missed by many.

Native Americans believe that when a warrior dies his soul passes into the body of an owl. It is said that if an owl looks you in the eyes the soul will then meet yours and owls will then welcome you into their world. When I began birding some 25 years ago, finding an owl was a goal for me. Finally, after almost a year of searching, an owl flew across my path and looked at me square in the eye. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I could feel energy pass between me and the owl. From then on I found owls wherever I looked and even when I didn’t look.

I wonder if the immature owl we call Junior who guards the nest is not in some way my friend Wendy, who has passed on to birding heaven.

Check out all of Saturday’s programming.

Check out all of Sunday’s programming.