Spring birds arriving.

[tcreeley]

Common grackles are arrived and the gold finches were in bigger numbers today. I had a bluebird around my house 2 evenings ago. Still in the high 20's at night. Ice and snow in shaded areas. There are few to no bugs and very few frogs as yet. Mallards are around. No flooded fields around this spring- used to get green and bluewinged teal and pintails in the fields!

Pics from the net of the latest:
Grackle, Gold finches (summer + winter plumage)

 

[tcreeley]

Heard some tree swallows yesterday.
Today I saw two red shouldered hawks flying over some trees and wet boggy area.
In the same area there was a yellow shafted flicker flying down the road away from me.
(my bird pic site-http://www.natureinstruct.org/dendroica/spec.php)
Tree swallow, Flicker, Red shouldered hawk

 

[richtape]

I have 4 Purple Martin boxes up. Have about 12 pair of Martins on them. Great birds to have around. No mosquitoes, I don't know how they do it, but they sure keep them down. We're in Mountain View Arkansas.

 

[tcreeley]

I have 4 Purple Martin boxes up. Have about 12 pair of Martins on them. Great birds to have around. No mosquitoes, I don't know how they do it, but they sure keep them down. We're in Mountain View Arkansas.

Purple matins are just beautiful!

 

[tcreeley]

I went out back this evening and heard a Yellow bellied sapsucker drumming away and a winter wren. I like the wren- such a small bird and loud! They've been less common the past few years. Used to be I could count on their song every night I walked to the back field. Pic from NatureInstruct - Dendroica
Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, Winter Wren

 

[Looking4new]

The Canada Geese are back. The other nite at home I heard the tree frogs singing away.
I'm still waiting for the Blue Heron to come back to the marina.

 

[jimmyj]

Tree swallow scouts are here. Just in time for the bugs!

 

[tcreeley]

Today I had a yellow bellied sapsucker hit the window and fall to the deck. I picked him up gently and he (male) perched on my finger and I supported him with my fingers. I walked away from the house (cats) with my palm open and his gradual increase in holding himself up. I walked a roundabout route. Cars went by and he reacted to the sound through the trees. I finally got to my wooded lawn trail and paused. My son had kept with me and we had talked quietly all the way- about a 100 yards from the house. He suddenly was off my hand and flew strongly to a fallen spruce that was propped up at an angle. He perched on the broken top edge -looking about- and we left him. I think he liked the warmth of my hand, and was content to stay with me as I walked until he was ready. Strange to see the reaction to cars with a good bunch of trees separating us from the road.

Really beautiful bird. Actively looking about.

 

[tcreeley]

I can hear the common loons from my bedroom window again. The lake is about 3/4 miles away.
I love the sound. I saw two turkeys in the back field poking around the grass today.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrkn_-pjVUE&feature=related]Loon Tremelo & Wail - YouTube[/ame]

 

[tcreeley]

I heard an American Bittern tonight as dusk was arrived. A poor white throat sparrow had hit the window. I picked it up and it sits in my hand as I type - a source of warmth for it.(passed)
NatureInstruct - Dendroica

 

[tcreeley]

I am hearing the chipping sparrows everywhere. My winter wrens are moving about or another is arrived. The cardinal was singing from the woods when I fed our cats outside- been raining today.
I don't go looking - posting what I see and just hear as I am moving about. I have one that I just checked out and was a sweet sounding rose breasted grosbeak. I used to feed heavily and I could just look out the window and see everything. The las two years we someho have 10 healthy cats running around- so I stopped. I used to have a fenced enclosure and the cats would be on one side while the chickadees and trees sparrows would eat seed 4 feet away on the other side of the fence. Now the cats are too young and active- climb anything.

Pic from NatureInstruct - Dendroica

Chipping Sparrow & Rose breasted Grosbeak

 

[tcreeley]

Two days ago- Tuesday in the evening I heard two Hermit Thrushes singing from the woods- very pretty song.



Pic from NatureInstruct - Dendroica

 

[Bird]

I don't know the different species of birds very well, but I know they're sure going through the birdseed I put in the birdfeeder every day (Scott's Morning Song Year Round mix with additional sunflower seed) and the water in my makeshift bird bath. Of course the squirrels are getting a fair amount, too, and I don't mind that. It seems to me that we have even more Cardinals than usual and quite a few Blue Jays, then every evening a few Mourning Doves. Then we have lots of smaller birds every day and I don't even know what they are.

 

[Baby Grand]

Haven't heard the Wood Thrush in months! Soon, though ...

 

[hr3]

Our pond so far has 2 geese staying around a bunch of Wood ducks and a pair of Hooded Merganser,, the female has started a home in the Wood Duck house I built years a go..

 

[grnspot110]

Last week, I noticed a birds nest in a cut off plastic bottle in the carport next to my pickup. The orange "Surf" bottle on the shelf.

I hae been having problems with Cardinals fighting themselves in the mirrors & chrome on the pickup. And we do have many varieties of songbirds around the property, including Bluebirds.

Last Sunday morning I checked the nest, empty! We went to town & when we came home an hour later, one Bluebird egg. The next morning there was one Bluebird egg & one Cardinal egg! I've been checking it daily, today we're up to five Bluebird & two Cardinal eggs. The Bluebird hen started "setting" the nest yesterday!

First Baltimore Oriole came to the feeder today, some of the little Chipping Sparrows & White Crowned Sparrows around the last few days.

It's getting a little crowded in here! Just hope the neighborhood cats don't find them! ~~ grnspot

 

[tcreeley]

Driving by the lake yesterday 40 minutes south of me I stopped to listen to a Marsh Wren- sound like an old Singer sewing machine in action - short bursts! Always in the thick reeds..
Birding is one of my pleasures- all for enjoyment- it is easy to get competitive with yourself and see how many you can track down in this much time, this much area. I try not to do that anymore. They arrive through the spring and are nesting by June. July they are flocking and by the end of the month they are starting to move again. Mid August- most of the local migrants are gone and the ones from further north are passing through. The milder weather has extended the time up here by a few weeks.

Pic from NatureInstruct - Dendroica

 

[tcreeley]

I saw a brown thrasher in the top of my plums and wild cherry singing- colorful song. The leaves are just beginning. Long tail!

Pic from Dendroica.
Brown Thrasher

 

[Baby Grand]

Heard the wood thrush late yesterday afternoon. Carolina wrens are raising a brood in a clay pot under the shed.

 

[tcreeley]

Two days ago we had a couple of ruby throated hummingbirds flying around- quite the tittering sound they make. We don't get the Carolina Wren up here- Years ago on a visit south I ran into them- pretty song. Haven't heard a wood thrush yet. Another influx came in over the weekend.
My cat had trapped a savannah sparrow in the cat door. I rescued it before it was killed. I carried it out far from the house and opened my hands to watch it fly strongly up into a larch. I have also lately removed 2 green snakes and a brown snake from inside the house.

pics from Dendroica.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird , Savannah Sparrow