Recliner Birding

I spent yesterday in a recliner in front of our backdoor watching the birds at our feeders because of hyper-extending my knee pretty badly on Sunday. There was no way I could have walked in the woods. The worst part is it was an absolutely gorgeous day! Sigh . . .

But, the day wasn't completely without highlights! Pretty early in the morning, a Dickcissel showed up in the tree behind my feeders. I got some excellent looks at him. Later, he hopped down to my ground feeder and ate some of the millet there. He went to my birdbath a couple of times and drank from it. I got several really good looks at him, as did my wife and kids. I checked the UTC Checklist and Dickcissels aren't even mentioned to be here at the end of March, so this little guy was very early. The first week of April it's considered uncommon and then common by the second week of April. I guess he wanted to get a jump on all the other Dickcissels and get some good territory to nest in! He was only the second Dickcissel I have seen on the property in nearly seven years. It was neat to enter the Dickcissel into my Project FeederWatch records. When I was finished, they very politely wanted me to go back and confirm that I actually meant Dickcissel because their records show it is early for my area.

American Goldfinches were coming to the feeders. I had five of them. One of the males had nearly completed his molt into breeding plumage. There was one streak of the light brown on his chest. The rest of his plumage was breathtaking! A House Wren has found my suet and visited several times yesterday. Also, a male and female Yellow-rumped Warbler ate from the suet throughout the day. The male has changed into his breeding plumage. I always enjoy seeing them in that plumage because we don't get to see them like that very often. Like the goldfinches, they leave about the time they molt.

Several Northern Rough-winged Swallows flew over. That was the first time I've seen them this year. Cattle Egrets were following the cows in the pasture. A Pileated Woodpecker flew across the pasture on his way to the woods. The numbers of Mourning Doves and Eurasian Collared-Doves is going up at my feeders. I had four of each yesterday. The most I saw all winter of each was two.

The eggs in the Eastern Bluebird nest should hatch on Wednesday or Thursday. I'll walk/hobble over there to see what's going on with them on Wednesday afternoon.

Birds seen 3/29/10 (22 species): Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, Turkey Vulture, Red-shouldered Hawk, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow (FOS), Carolina Chickadee, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Dickcissel (FOS), Red-winged Blackbird, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow

More Spring Migrants

Kristen and I went walking for about an hour this morning in the woods. The trail around the fence line on the east side of the property is cleared, so the walking is a bit easier. It was chilly this morning when we left, but it warmed up nicely by the time we were going in. We were about halfway around the trail and a Hooded Warbler began calling. I walked off the trail and found him in a tree that fell down in Hurricane Ike. He sang several times and then some Carolina Wrens began making their alarm call which attracted his attention. He gave me several good looks at him. Not too much further down the trail, a male Northern Parula sang from the one tree left with Spanish moss on it. He gave me a few good looks. Those were all the migrants we saw this morning.

There are still several winter birds around. There are large flocks of Cedar Waxwings on the yaupon trees. American Goldfinches were in the woods on the budding trees. White-throated Sparrows called from the thick understory. A Hermit Thrush sang from somewhere in the woods. Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets flitted around in the treetops.

I love being in the woods and hearing the spring chorus of territorial calls. Northern Cardinals, White-eyed Vireos, Carolina Wrens and Tufted Titmice all were singing.

On Saturday, 3/20, I saw the first Ruby-throated Hummingbird of the year. It was a male visiting the feeder I have set up in the backyard.

Birds seen 3/22/10 (29 species): Little Blue Heron, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, White-eyed Vireo, blue Jay, Purple Martin, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, Northern Mockingbird, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Parula, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Hooded Warbler (FOS), Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow

First Outing of the Spring

This morning I went birding in the woods for the first time this spring. I still can't get over how different things look since Hurricane Ike. I was hoping to see some early migrants. I did see four - Great Crested Flycatcher, Barn Swallow, Black-and-white Warbler and Northern Parula. It was nice to see them. I look forward to spring migration so much and it is very exciting when I start seeing the migrants come in. The birds are certainly anticipating spring's arrival. The woods were filled with songs of Carolina Wrens, Northern Cardinals, White-eyed Vireos and Hermit Thrushes.

Another sign of spring is nesting. I checked the Eastern Bluebird nest to find one egg in the nest! This is two weeks earlier than they laid eggs in 2008 and a month earlier than last year. If they lay five eggs, the last one will be laid on March 17.

Birds seen 3/13/10 (31 species): White Ibis, Turkey Vulture, Red-shouldered Hawk, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Blue Jay, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Parula, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird

Spring!

I love spring! Watching the birds begin their territorial displays and courtship is so fun. I love to walk outside early in the morning and hear the chorus of cardinals, Carolina Wrens, White-eyed Vireos, bluebirds and robins ushering in the new day. Watching the birds at my feeders is fun too. Male cardinals will crack a safflower seed and feed the female. When another male cardinal comes to the feeders, a chase ensues to get the intruder out of the territory. It won't be long before the hummingbirds come to the feeders. Buntings and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks may come to the feeders. I am still hopeful the Purple Martins will return to the houses here. They seem to be late coming in across the board this year. Add to all that the anticipation of the upcoming migration of many songbirds heading from South America and Central America to their breeding grounds as far north as Canada. I always look forward to the trill of Northern Parulas singing to announce his territory and attract a mate. I look forward to finding Hooded Warblers skulking in the tangles of tri-foliate orange trees. I always feel my spring has been complete if I can see the trio of Chestnut-sided Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler and Blackburnian Warbler. Last year I missed the Bay-breasted Warbler. I look forward to the breath-taking red on Scarlet Tanagers as they fly through the treetops in search of insects. And I'm always hopeful to see a male Painted Bunting. Spring is such a fun time of the year for birds!

The American Goldfinches are slowing down quite a bit at the feeders. I went from having 50+ last week to having fewer than 20 this week. I am always sad to see them go. They provide a lot of entertainment over the winter months. I did have a happy feeder story today. I have been spreading Jim's Birdacious Bark Butter on a tallow tree in the backyard. Bark Butter is a mixture of suet, peanuts and corn made by the CEO of Wild Birds Unlimited to attract Brown Creepers in his yard. I have seen woodpeckers in that tallow tree often and hoped they would eventually find the Bark Butter. This morning I watched a female Red-bellied Woodpecker go to the Bark Butter and eat from it. That is very exciting to me because I have never had any luck with attracting woodpeckers to my feeders. Other birds I have seen eating the Bark Butter are Pine Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Red-winged Blackbird and Carolina Wren. I'm looking forward to seeing what else finds it!

I checked the Eastern Bluebird box in my aunt's yard on Saturday and found a partially completed nest. This is the earliest I have seen a nesting attempt. There isn't any activity in the other boxes I have up yet, but some younger birds sometimes take a little longer to get going in the spring. I'm still hopeful it will happen.

Next week I will begin my weekly trips down into the woods to see the migrants that are coming through. I would go today, but it's raining. March 9 is the earliest date I have seen any of the migrant songbirds coming through. Normally I will see them beginning in the third week of March. I will post what I am see regularly.