March 15, Thursday. Spring migration officially began today; although it wasn't in my yard, I saw a Common Grackle today. The first official spring migrant. There have been a lot of Robins around this winter, but for the most part they have been of the Atlantic Canada race of American Robins. In harsh winters they "head south" for warmer weather and better food supplies, which lands them right in our lap. Many people have been seeing them and thinking we are going to have an early spring... they're in for a shock.
March 23, Friday. This morning, during one of the biggest
snow storms of the winter, the feeders were busy with a flock of Chickadees, two
White-breasted Nuthatches, and one House Finch.
The first Killdeers were reporter in the area earlier this week.
March 26, Monday. Several Juncos were flitting around the feeder area this morning. I also saw a vole running through its snow tunnels, which had been partially exposed by recent melting.
March
28, Wednesday. This morning my Cardinal was back in the
yard. I haven't seen him a quite a while. He just sat in a small pine for about
15 minutes, looking around while the wind tossed the branches wildly. I managed
to get a few photos.
In
the afternoon there was a flock of about 20 Cedar Waxwings in the crabapple tree
across the street. Eventually they made their way to the lone crabapple in front
of our picture window. I was able to get quite a few photos while they fed. They
are quite a bit smaller and slimmer than they appear through binoculars.
March 29, Thursday. It was a very active day at the
Quarter-Acre Wood. The Waxwings were back in the crabapple this morning. This
time there were 10 to 12 on the tree at a time. Sandy got to see two of them
passing a fruit back and forth between each other, seemingly trying to see
who was going to give up first and eat the prize. The cats were mesmerized, and
the birds didn't seem to mind their presence in the window. Later in the
morning, some of the Waxwings were taking a bath in what little water was
in the birdbath; that was a pretty neat site.
While the bathing was going on, the feeders and adjacent woods were a flurry of
activity. In addition to the regular Chickadees, there were a pair of
Downy Woodpeckers at the edge of the woods. Several Juncos were chasing each
other around and feeding on the ground at the base of the trees. There was also
one Titmouse, one House Finch, two White-breasted Nuthatches and a Goldfinch or
two. The Goldfinches are starting to get their summer plumage back.
While watching all this activity from the bedroom window, I discovered that a
pair of Crows are building a nest a little ways into the woods. Right now I have
a clear view of the nest site, which already has a decent sized platform
underway. Once the leaves come out I imagine I'll have to venture into the woods
to check the status of our new neighbors.
April 9, Sunday. This morning there was a lot of activity around the feeders; Chickadees, Titmice, Goldfinches, House Finches, and a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches. The nuthatches were also checking out one of my nest boxes, even pecking away at the entrance hole. With any luck, maybe I'll have nesting nuthatches this year.
April 12, Thursday. This evening around 6:30 a pair of Cardinals came to the feeder area and foraged on the ground. This is the first time I have seen the pair since last fall. While they were feeding they were joined by a White-throated Sparrow.
April 13, Friday. Today a phoebe showed up around noon. About an hour later I saw a Hermit Thrush foraging at the edge of the woods. Things a really starting to happen now. I'll be glad when I hear my Song Sparrow singing in the back yard.
April 14, Saturday. This afternoon while I was on my porch I thought I heard a Song Sparrow in the back yard. But it was faint, and the wind was making a lot of noise. I didn't hear it again, so I dismissed it
This evening, around 7:00, while making my usual rounds of the back and side windows, there he was, sitting in the top of a shrub next to the deck. He stayed there at least 10 minutes. Normally in the summer he sits on the back of a chair on the deck, surveying his kingdom; I guess it's time to put the furniture out.
Its officially spring.
May 6, Sunday. This morning while I was sitting on the porch, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak flew into the top of a tree at the edge of the yard. It didn't stay long, and I haven't seen it since. There was also a Robin collecting nesting material from the pond. They seem to be building just beyond my yard somewhere behind a row of pines. I also thought I heard a Hummingbird and a Brown Thrasher, but I didn't see them; I'll have to keep my eye out for them.
May 7, Monday. The Catbird showed up in the yard today.
May 11, Friday. This morning while looking out the
kitchen window I was lucky enough to catch a Common Yellowthroat Warbler taking
a bath in the pond. This bird is very special to me, since it is the bird that
got me excited about birding.
Also this morning we confirmed our suspicion that the deer were back in the
yard. My wife saw the doe with one of her fawns from last year.
May 13, Sunday. This evening I was sitting on
the porch, looking out over the back yard. Within a half hour the yard was
visited by a Kingbird, a Least Flycatcher, and a new addition to my back yard
list, a Magnolia Warbler. The Magnolia was in the birdbath, then it moved to a
blooming Bleeding Heart (Oh, to have a camera with a long lens) before
heading up into the trees to feed.
The Catbirds have been regulars in the yard, feeding and collecting nesting
material. They may be building in the Barberries under the bedroom window, or in
the row of pine trees. I'll be monitoring their progress.
The Robins are still collecting nesting materials too. I've also witnessed
chases involving 3 birds. Seems to be a little interloping going on.
May 20, Sunday. I set the garden ornaments out today, including the gazing ball. By 6:00pm I had to take the ball back in; The Catbird was very busy displaying at his reflection. Eventually he hopped on top of it and tried attacking from above. It was clear he wasn't going to get much rest as long as that intruder was in his territory, so I brought it in. You should have seen mister Catbird after the enemy was vanquished; He was on a prominent tree branch prancing about and displaying for his mate, apparently quite proud of his victory.
May 24, Thursday. This evening I heard a Wood Thrush singing from the woods.
May 26, Saturday. This afternoon there was a Brown
Thrasher in the yard.
Later in the evening, around 8:00, my pair of Song Sparrows were both taking a
bath at the pond. While they were there, two Wood Thrushes by and around the
fence out of sight. After the sparrows had left the pond, the thrushes came in
and took their turns. One was bathing while the other was collecting nesting
material from the wet moss. Then it tried bathing with a beak full of muck.
While it was bathing, a Robin flew in and chased it out of the pond. There was a
little scuffle while they went around the yard a couple of times. Then the Robin
took its turn in the pond. Meanwhile, one of the thrushes and the male
Cardinal calling from branches on the same tree, about 6 feet apart.
When the Robin left, the thrushes made their way back to the pond. They weren't
back there too long, when suddenly, out from behind the bush next to the pond,
came the Song Sparrow. It made it very clear that thrushes were not allowed in
its pond. It very aggressively chased them out of the pond and right out of the
yard.
I was thinking that the Robin was chasing away the thrush because it was another
thrush, but it seems that nobody likes the Wood Thrush. Probably jealous of
their singing ability.
June 12, Tuesday. The Cardinals brought
four fledglings to the feeders today. That's the most I've ever seen.. Also saw some Chickadee youngsters begging for food the other day.
The Catbird has been singing up a storm lately, often from shrubs next to the house. This afternoon I had an eye-to-eye with him from the office window while he was singing in the rhododendron.
Also heard a Chestnut-sided Warbler singing in the yard this afternoon.
This evening around 8:15 I looked out the kitchen window to see the Wood Thrush sitting on the garden bench, looking over the pond. After a brief hesitation he went in for an evening dip. The pond seems to get a good deal of use in the evening.
June 26, Tuesday. Today around noon I started hearing
a House Wren singing in the back yard. When I went out on the porch to look for
it pleasantly surprised to find a pair! Before long they were bringing
sticks and twigs into a nest box that has gone vacant since we got it three
years ago. Since they started they've been at it all day long, until about
8:00pm. These two little birds are tireless. The were at the box with
nesting materials about every 30 seconds or so. They never seemed to travel more
than 20 feet from the box to do their collecting. And the male was singing most
of the while. ( it was almost getting annoying). It's going to be fun
watching this pair raise a family.
While watching them in the evening around 7:00, I also had the pleasure of
watching the Wood Thrush take a bath, while the Catbird was singing up a storm;
life is good.
July 1, Sunday. Today there was a Robin fledgling
in the yard trying to eat the ripening cherries from branches too flimsy to bare
their weight. After giving that up it went on to the not-quite-ripe Pin
Cherries. A couple of those and it was off to take a bath in the pond. This
fledgling seemed to be totally own it's own, it was not being attended by any
adult. In fact, while I was watching this youngster, the adults were busy
gathering nesting material from the pond; obviously preparing for a second
brood.
I also finally say the first Catbird fledgling. At one point it and the two
adults flew into the lilac bush at the porch window. This is one of the male's
favored singing perches.
After a couple days of hearing the Wren singing, but not seeing him, they were
finally back in the yard at the nest box.
I also had a face-to-face conversation with our deer today. I went out on the
deck and there she was in the middle of one of the beds, about 15 feet from me.
I talked to her for a while, telling her how much I disapprove of her choice of
eating establishments. I think all she heard was "Yadda yadda yadda".
Eventually she just turned and walked back into the woods. Such is life on East
Avenue.