Spring birds arriving.

Baby Grand · Jun 9, 2012

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 · Jun 9, 2012

Baby Grand said:
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 · Jun 10, 2012

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 · Jun 11, 2012

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 · Jun 11, 2012

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 · Jun 21, 2012

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 · Jun 24, 2012

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 · Jun 28, 2012

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 · Jun 28, 2012

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 · Jul 1, 2012

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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