In January two avian sprites revealed themselves to me at Shirley Plantation. The brown creeper, an unusual and often unnoticed little bird, eludes many a seeker because his brown and white plumage blends right in with the trunks of trees on which he makes his idiosyncratic ascent. After flying to the bottom of a tree trunk, he is wont to climb up in a characteristic spiral pattern around the tree, foraging the while.Task completed, he will then fly to the bottom of a neighboring tree and repeat his curious pattern. Often an experienced birder recognizes his style before he clearly perceives the bird himself. In addition to the foraging behavior, another good field mark is the decurved bill with which the creeper probes the bark. This odd little fellow will spend the winter months with us.

A second diminutive winter denizen which I spied on the Shirley grounds recently was the more commonly seen ruby-crowned kinglet. An accomplished acrobat, he is often observed flitting up and down among the branches of trees and bushes, frequently allowing the patient birder an up close and personal view. Just a little over four inches, these tiny elf sports greenish-olive feathers and two white wing bars. Although the does not always display his ruby crown for the common folk, he does it often enough to assure his admiring subjects that he is indeed still the little king. Be on the lookout for his mighty monarch as you walk the pathways of Shirley’s formal gardens.

Spring 2009

Twenty-six birders joined me for a wonderful morning of bird watching here at Shirley on March 21. The Williamsburg Bird Club was well represented with eighteen members present; the club had chosen Shirley as the site of their March walk. We were delighted that Mr. Randy Carter and Ms. Janet Appel came with us. Randy led the group to some of the coves, ponds, and impoundments where wintering waterfowl were seen; Janet answered many questions about the property and its long history. She also explained the steps the Carter family has taken to protect the land and its wildlife.

We began our visit in the yard around the Great House and later moved about the formal gardens. I had promised my friends from Williamsburg that they would certainly see the handsome white-crowned sparrows, usually common at Shirley in winter but rare in the Williamsburg area. I was getting a little nervous when at first we saw neither beak nor feather, but finally the glorious birds were spotted near the grape arbor. Eventually one posed on top of the arbor, affording us excellent views. I breathed a sigh of pleasure and relief. Our groups was also rewarded by the arrival of a flock of beautiful cedar waxwings, whose brilliant yellow breasts dazzled us from high in the tops of trees.

With his expertise on waterfowl, Randy knew exactly what ponds would yield some lingering duck species. We saw gadwall, American wigeon, green-winged teal, and Northern shoveler among others. Perhaps the highlight of our duck search, however, was the discovery of seven common mergansers, six drakes and one hen. Our hearts beat faster at that wondrous sight. As Bill Williams from the Williamsburg Bird Club has said, and as an expert birder he knows, the common merganser is “not common”.

What a day! An uncommon bird, an uncommon outing! We hope to encounter other unusual birds here soon as the spring migration will reach its peak in the next few weeks.

Summer 2009

Prior to my taking some visitors to Shirley on a bird walk about the property, Randy Carter and I set out on a scouting expedition of possible hot spots and were pleased indeed with our sightings. The symbol of the National Audubon Society, the great egret, is always a marvel to behold, but imagine our delight when ten of these majestic birds were observed together as they in stately fashion rose from the waters of one of Shirley’s ponds. What an awesome sight! As we traveled about, it was also a thrill to flush a pair of bobwhite, a charming creature which unfortunately is in decline over most of its range in North America. There was a time when every country boy was proficient in “calling in” a quail by imitating his wondrous whistle.

Other species which are often seen on the wires by the entrance roads are the indigo bunting and the blue grosbeak. The former is smaller than a sparrow and displays a brilliant blue; the latter is about the size of a cardinal and shows a darker, deeper shade. He also wears a brown patch on his wings. Both species are with us only during the summer months.

Orchard orioles continue to be seen in the formal gardens and in the trees near the Great House. The male, clad in deep rusty red and black, is all field mark. This striking bird is a reliable summer resident at Shirley.

Fall 2009

A little over two weeks ago many of my colleagues were thrilled to watch a great horned owl which spent much of the day perched on a post by the Shirley parking lot. How disappointed I was that I was not on the work schedule that day! I’ve been looking for the magnificent creatures here since, but apparently his visit was just a one-day stand.

Such a diurnal appearance is indeed odd; most owls tend to be generally nocturnal. Yes, one may see them during the day, but not usually sitting on a fence post at eye level with admiring human beings taking pictures just a few yards away.

Recently, I asked Bill Williams, our local expert on birds, about this great horned owl’s rather strange behavior. Bill does not believe that the owl was ill or in distress; rather he thinks that the bird was a young adult still learning owl ways and appropriate owl behavior. After all, adolescents do need some time to sort out a few things. Only by learning from his mistakes will our visitor become a truly “wise owl.”

I daresay that he has learned by now that Shirley is an excellent place for him to be. There are plenty of rabbits, squirrels, and skunks about to satisfy his appetite, and near the fields there are groves of tall tress in which to roost. Country living is healthy for man, bird, and beast and I’m sure Shirley is close to paradise for our owl. May he thrive and prosper and from a more secure and lofty perch-pay us another visit real soon.

Tom McCary