Birdwatching, Animals, Nature, and Photography
The Beautiful and Noisy Great Crested Flycatcher
The great crested flycatcher impressed me with its bushy crest and bright yellow belly
Unlike many birdwatchers, I don’t keep a checklist of birds I have seen and desire to see. But as a bird photographer, I get excited when I discover a bird I have never viewed or photographed before.
On a late spring morning, I hiked through Essex Park for exercise and to watch and photograph birds. As the birds awoke, they filled the crisp, clear air with song. They flew, hopped, and flitted from tree to tree and bush to bush in search of food.
Essex Park trails meander through woods and meadows. As I hiked along the edge of the woods, I heard a new noise from within the trees. There, a bird produced several loud p-r-r-r sounds and followed them with robin-like chirps.
I stepped into the stand of trees and looked up. Then I spotted the noisemaker. The bird impressed me with its tall crest, olive-colored body, and bright yellow belly. It was about the size of an American robin. Because of its bushy crest, I suspected that it was a flycatcher.
I swung the heavy camera and lens upwards, focused, and pressed the shutter release. Then the bird flew away to another stand of deciduous trees about 100 yards east.
I followed the bird, but it returned to its original location. I returned with it and was able to capture more photos.
I continued to observe and listen. The beautiful flycatcher repeated its p-r-r-r song as it flew back and forth among the tall trees.
I later learned that the crested bird was a Great Crested Flycatcher. It is more colorful than most eastern flycatchers. They winter in the tropics and spend the breeding season in the eastern United States. They also venture into southeastern Canada, where it borders the U.S.
Great Crested Flycatchers live in holes high up in trees. Among grasses and twigs, they sometimes add shed snakeskins to their nests.
Soon I will return to the woods of Essex Park to catch more glimpses of the Great Crested Flycatcher. It’s raining today, so now is an excellent time to start a birdwatching checklist, too. It will enhance experiences and the joys of birdwatching and nature.
