I just saw something tiny fly into the witch hazel outside my office window, and sure enough, it was a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird. I watched as it flew down to the Humzinger, where it had a quick drink before being chased by another. I'm so pleased to have them back!
Also, earlier today, I saw a pair of Canada Geese in a pond engaging in a face-dipping behavior I had never seen before. They were side by side, and first one goose would dip just its head in the water, then lift it up again, and the other would do the same. They did this, alternating dips, for about a minute, and I was wondering if this was some kind of bonding behavior when they turned toward one another and touched bills, then one goose got on top of the other. I started humming Cole Porter's "Birds Do It" but didn't even get through one chorus before they were done. At that point, the male stretched himself as far as he could get out of the water, flapping his wings and pointing his bill toward the sky in what sure looked like a gander version of a fist pump. The female, meanwhile, was ignoring him and proceeded to groom herself. He groomed a bit also, and then they paddled off together. <3
Pat Valdata Elkton, MD
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