Spring birds arriving.

[Baby Grand]

The baby robbins are all following their mothers around; complaining that they're hungry. Starts at 5:30 every morning. I don't have to set the alarm any more. We saw a sharp shinned hawk, this morning, on one of the poles we set up for the peas.

Found the first dragonfly larval husk on a grass stem next to the little pool (8x12') we dug with the rear blade 3 years ago. Plan was to encourage dragonflys, so they would eat the Spring skeeters. Saw a lot of 4 spots and 10 spots laying eggs in the water the past 2 Autumns, but this is our first crop to emerge. I love it when a plan comes together!

 

[tcreeley]

The baby robbins are all following their mothers around; complaining that they're hungry. Starts at 5:30 every morning. I don't have to set the alarm any more. We saw a sharp shinned hawk, this morning, on one of the poles we set up for the peas.

Found the first dragonfly larval husk on a grass stem next to the little pool (8x12') we dug with the rear blade 3 years ago. Plan was to encourage dragonflys, so they would eat the Spring skeeters. Saw a lot of 4 spots and 10 spots laying eggs in the water the past 2 Autumns, but this is our first crop to emerge. I love it when a plan comes together!

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Gruesome looking! I like them buzzing around me more, as I mow the grass, and they are looking for flying meals that I am attracting!

 

[crash325]

Gona have to change this thread to Summer Birds & Critters.

Got some fair pictures of a big Raven sitting on the bird bath.

No pictures but a Blue Gross Beak is now here. Fun to watch, he sits on top of Buffo Grass and picks off seeds.

My little hummer girl has built a new nest about 3.5' from the old one.

The nest in the vent is about 4 years old, still in use and added too all the time. Funny little sparrows, when they have something to add, sit and wait for approval from their mate.

New Tarantula hole. She can be seen about 2" down the hole.

 

[tcreeley]

I saw an Eastern Meadowlark in Albion south of me. It was sitting on a telephone wire. It's shape was something like this first pic- singing silhouette. It is a meadow/field bird and another ground nester.

In the mornings now, we can count on seeing some wild turkeys eating the scratch feed I scatter the night before along a stretch of road to the back field. I scatter it thinly becaise the horses travel the same route and I don't want them catching on to it.--We have a bunch of apple trees in the back and the horses love the apples - but too many can cause colic. We pick the apples up and toss them over the fence or bring them in to uses as treats. When we bring the horses in at night (otherwise they turn into walking puffballs in a day or two) they rush from tree to tree looking. They haven't caught on yet that the apples are in the trees. We are always careful to pick them when we are out of sight of the horses. It has been this way for 3-4 years. - On the same road we scatter the scratch feed- we are also feeding starlings and crows (not ravens!) We had two young deer looking down the length of it at us by the barn a week ago- all ears!
I hate to be too friendly- our neighbor and everyone else hunts like crazy come time. They'll probably be asking for permission to come get the deer on my side that they shot from their side!

Crash...........That's one feisty bird/raven there by the feeder!

pic from NatureInstruct - Dendroica

 

[crash325]

The Ravens around here a funny to watch, really act goofy at times. As the "Crow Flies" they roost & nest about 15/20 miles north of me. At times during the year they go over my place like a stream of WW2 bombers, cawing all the way. South in the AM & north in the PM. Before I had outside dogs, I'd throw out stale bread, tortillas or crackers. Some mornings the yard would turn black with them as they stopped to refuel.

As I was typing this a small family of quail came in. 6 Or 7 young ones, 2 different ages. This morning a huge family came in 20 or so young ones. 3 Different ages. There are a few more family's are coming in as well.

My little humming bird mother is setting her new nest. Should have some (1 or 2) new little ones soon.

 

[tcreeley]

I heard a wood thrush (woods bird) yesterday going out to bush hog the back field- pretty song and in initial and ending phrases. Peaceful. While I was greasing and changing the gear oil in the bush hog, a bobolink (grassland/fields) was scolding another bird- chasing it. I've been keeping track of the new birds I see and hear, but I haven't gone looking. By the 2nd week in July many of these birds will be on the move- flocking and starting their push south. By the first week in August the migration is fully underway. The bug eating birds are always the first to go. They have to keep ahead of the frost for the most part.

re Blue Grosbeak- years ago I met a man who said he had them regularly further north. I never seen one, and know some lifelong birders who never have either. That would be something special!


pic from NatureInstruct - Dendroica

Wood Thrush.....................................................................................................................Bobolink M + F

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[tcreeley]

I watched a Sharp Shinned hawk fly over the field I had been bush hogging. It was a direct straight flight to the spruce woods and poplar on the other side of the field.

pic from NatureInstruct - Dendroica

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[crash325]

Most of my spring birds have gone on north. Glad to see most of them go, cow birds & white wing doves. Very aggressive feeders and crowd out my year around birds.

I have a new Baby. Little humming bird mother has 1 new little one. First she had 2, then 1 that died, now a healthy one. Think maybe this will go on all summer.

The Road Runner (maybe 2 different ones) are here 2 or 3 times a day that I see them. Maybe more not seen.

In spite of no rain and little feed or water outside of what is provided by humans the Quail have had a banner year of making babies. Several large families coming in.

Hard to tell young doves from the adults, just slightly smaller, lots of them as well.

Have some pictures to post later.

 

[crash325]

Road Runners really active today. Not sure if its a male & female and her not in the mood. Or 2 males staking out territory?? They have been going back & forth for over 2 hours now. I think one of them did catch a lizard and looked like it washed it before eating it.

Young Quail are having fun today. They jump up and grab some green leaves off the mesquite tree. These are old enough to come in with out parents, just not full adults. Adults rarely eat anything green, but babies and young ones love green things.

Think my New bay Hummer has left the nest. Mom going to raise another???

 

[tcreeley]

I finally took a drive looking for birds- my old route I used to travel. I was wanting to fill in some blanks of regulars. A little after 4 through the open window I heard an "old friend" - an Olive Sided Flycatcher. It has been a few years for this one. My neighbor had his woods logged last winter and I think that it was in the open clearings back there. The call phrase is "Quick - three beers". This flycatcher is found on both the east and west coast and winters by the Yucatan and northern South America...a long distance to travel! It inspired me to get up and out.
On my drive I head and saw a Magnolia Warbler- pretty bird, and heard a Cape May Warbler- heard more than seen, near by. It is a wooded road left to grow, but logged every 10-20 years. There is a lake a mile or two down the road. Further back on the road I heard a Black Throated Green Warbler- tst tst tst so tst - with a drop in pitch on so and an increase on the last tst. I use the rhythm and pitch to memorize the songs. Earlier on the drive I had seen a redstart, warbler, but I think I've posted that one already- along with the cedar waxwings I watched eating berries that were unripe- little porcelain birds- they are so perfect.
What was a treat was the family of hermit thrushes (posted already) that I came across by the road- 3-10' off the ground calling to each other with a single note tchirup. I watched from the truck out the open window (mosquitoes + deer flies) for five minutes then shushed them- pish/pish/pish/pish (it works to bring them closer -some birds). A parent hermit thrush flew into the road- 5 feet to the side of my front tire. I was good, I started the truck and drove away rather than alarm them further!

pics from NatureInstruct - Dendroica

Olive Sided Flycatcher....Magnolia Warbler.......Cape May Warbler......Black Throated Green Warbler
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[tcreeley]

Road Runners really active today. Not sure if its a male & female and her not in the mood. Or 2 males staking out territory?? They have been going back & forth for over 2 hours now. I think one of them did catch a lizard and looked like it washed it before eating it.

Young Quail are having fun today. They jump up and grab some green leaves off the mesquite tree. These are old enough to come in with out parents, just not full adults. Adults rarely eat anything green, but babies and young ones love green things.

Think my New bay Hummer has left the nest. Mom going to raise another???

I saw our resident hummingbird today. I always worry about our cats- but it is still there. I've never seen their nest. We are still feeding out turkeys- 3 smaller ones compared to the adult. My son said the crows were raising a racket in the corner of the back field- he heard them gobble, then two adults came out from that corner. Our crows act like the neighborhood sentries! I've seen birds in mass. raise two sets in a summer. I think it depends on how much time there is and the cycle length. Amazing to think of the distances migrated. Seeing wildlife is often seeing the world at its best!

 

[tcreeley]

Driving the back roads about 11 mi from home I had a Philadelphia Vireo- quieter and slower song than a red eyed vireo. They sound like they are working from the same music- maybe a little sweeter! For me, it is not as melodic as the solitary video. The Philadelphia Vireo makes me pause and listen as it slowly proceeds -deliberately. Another migration traveller- Yucatan + south to No Maine/Canada -East to West

pics from Nature Instruct Dendroica. (songs are available on site as well, along with range/seasonal maps)

Philadelphia Vireo
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[crash325]

It's been a good and a bad year for the Quail. Lots & lots of babies, but many families loosing young ones, some loosing a parent. One bunch of little guys (6) have lost both parents. They are way to young to be on their own. Have 1 combined family with 4 parents and 20? of so young ones all sizes.

Humming bird mother has raised living baby #3 and no longer at her nest. Maybe she is done for the year???

 

[tcreeley]

Two days ago I saw an Osprey sitting on its nest on top of the high transmission powerline poles. It is enjoyable to watch them fish- dropping into the water at the end of a dive and coming up with a fish in their talons. When I kayaked, we'd see them along the coast.

Come 4 am, it is quiet- relatively speaking. The bird songs are easy to sleep through as the is not a layering of sound- just a few individuals. A blackbilled cuckoo was calling yesterday- and at 11 pm as well. The nesting season is winding down. I've seen barn swallows in larger numbers on one road I drive of farm after farm. The young are out and independent. Two days ago I encountered about 20 kildeer flying over Johnny's Seed company when we visited. They were in the air, dropping into the garden rows looking for bugs and the like. Swallows are usually one of the first to go- one days in early August we had 6 bank swallows show up and spend the night under the eaves of our house where the barn swallows used to nest. Birds time their migrations with their food sources becoming available. My honeysuckles are covered in berries, as are the still ripening elderberries and dogwood. By September the berries will be gone- as bird after bird comes through.
In the spring the apple blossoms told me when to expect the cedar waxwings- when the petals are out- the birds are there eating the petals.

Summer is a time of growth, followed by harvest. I always find it a time of sadness as the days are more quiet and the migrating birds- while a delight to see- have a frenzied level of activity as they push south. Anecdotally birds can live 9-11 years. The bird that comes by for food, will be back the following year- roughly same time, same place. We have a family of 3 crows that return year after year- producing young- getting up to 5,6 birds, dropping to 2,3 the next spring.
We are still putting scratch feed out for the turkeys, chipmunk, crows, jays, and now some ruffed grouse 2-3 - on our road to the back field. I expect we will be feeding during the winter as I generally plow this road for the horses.

pics from Dendroica

Osprey.................................................................................Ruffed Grouse............................................................Wild Turkey
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[tcreeley]

It's been a good and a bad year for the Quail. Lots & lots of babies, but many families loosing young ones, some loosing a parent. One bunch of little guys (6) have lost both parents. They are way to young to be on their own. Have 1 combined family with 4 parents and 20? of so young ones all sizes.

Humming bird mother has raised living baby #3 and no longer at her nest. Maybe she is done for the year???

I didn't realize that a hummingbird would keep nesting! What a lucky thing to have been watching her nest all this time!
I am always amazed at how animals will care for each others offspring!

 

[crash325]

I didn't realize that a hummingbird would keep nesting! What a lucky thing to have been watching her nest all this time!
I am always amazed at how animals will care for each others offspring!

I now have at least 3 humming birds. Think they are all female, very drab gray, with sort of red tail. All three are tiny (as was the nest mother). At least 2 of them think they own the sugar water. Lots of chasing.

The Mexican Air Force has landed. (Turkey Buzzard). Several of them over fly the yard most every day.

Road runners come hunting most every day as well

The quail are a trip to watch, very entertaining. The large 2 family group was squabbling today, little ones & adults all chasing each other. With all of that they still left as a group.

 

[jimmyj]

I love this thread. Thanks for all of your posts and comments.

 

[tcreeley]

Things are slowing down here. Sunrise feels like an hour later and I'm sleeping through the early songs- because there are much less- yellowthroats mostly. The loons are still calling at night. (My wife went swimming at the lake couple days ago- said that she was being bitten by fish when she settled on a large submerged rock.)
Cedar waxwings are everywhere when I am outside- what with all of the berries around and gnarly apples. My wife went riding, and I went along next town over- as we were unloading 3 killdeer were in and off the mowed field. Twenty minutes later 3 bluebirds headed from the trees to the powerline and then across the road. Some goldfinches were on the lines as well. The turkey vultures are moving about and turkeys are popping up in small groups- young included. We are still feeding them. My wife headed out with a ton of scratch feed last night- 5x what I give them! We;ve had a hummingbird in the yard- down by the honeysuckles and up to the clematis on the kitchen window. It will perch and look in then head off.
A chipmunk found its way into our tack room where the horse feed and carrots are. First we noticed the carrots going- then the hole in the feed bag. We are using a metal trash can now and closing the window more frequently. The chipmunk will chatter at my wife. Our cat, Sneakers that used to patrol this area passed away in June and I think it is appreciated by the wild little guys. They are making the best of it.