Parting shots 2 …..
Panorama of the scrub habitat at Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area in Christmas…. 3 Zfc images at 28mm stitched together with Lightroom Classic
Today’s “Parting Shot” brings us to the town of Christmas and Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area. With our shortened stay in Florida this year, I did not get out to this area which is a classic site for Bachman’s Sparrow. Bachman's sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) is a small, ground-dwelling bird native to the southeastern United States, primarily found in pine forests and grasslands. Known for its distinctive, soft, musical songs which sound like “Here, Kitty, kitty, kitty”, this species often sings from low perches or on the ground. The sparrow is characterized by its warm brown plumage, with streaked upperparts and a lighter underbelly, which help it blend seamlessly into its habitat. Bachman's sparrow relies heavily on fire-maintained ecosystems, as their preferred habitat is often shaped by regular burning that promotes the growth of grasses and shrubs, essential for nesting and foraging. Due to habitat loss and changes in land management practices, populations of Bachman's sparrow have been declining, making conservation efforts crucial for its survival. The photo displayed here is a shot I made in 2024 at this site. While I heard at least 6 over a 4 hour period that I birded here, I was never able to get so much as a fleeting glimpse of this illusive bird.
While I did not get the Bachman’s sparrow, while I was patiently waiting for the bird to pop up from the dense vegetation, a beautiful Great crested flycatcher which I had been hearing far off in the distant trees cane flying in to grab an insect off the road right in front of my RAV4. It seized the bug and flew into a nearby tree with great lighting as if to say,” OK, you couldn't get a shot of the sparrow, so you’ll have to make do with me!”. Not a bad trade-off and I was quick to oblige.
My other target bird today was the Brown-headed nuthatch. Like other nuthatches, this bird loves to feed in an upside down position often hanging from the boughs of a pine. I often use an app called “Merlin” to see what birds are calling in the distance. The app actually records the song and identifies the bird that is singing. l personally did not hear the song during my four hour visit and figured that I was not going to see this southern specialty on this trip. As I was getting ready to leave the preserve, however, “Merlin” popped up with the announcement that it had heard a Brown-headed nuthatch. I hit the brakes, and backed down the road to the nearest stand of pines, got out and started looking into the canopy and sure enough. Two of these little guys were busily picking bugs off the botton of overhanging branches. Intrigued by my presence, the two birds flew down in a small pine close to the vehicle and surprisingly looked as if they were talking about this intruder! I can only surmise that this another bonded pair getting ready to make a new home for a new family of nuthatches. How fitting that my favorite shot of the day was truly a “Parting shot”.
