Spring Migration Wrap-up

Spring migration has come and gone. Now instead of seeing reports of the migrants people are seeing, we start seeing the results of breeding bird surveys. I have never really tried to find breeding birds on our property. A couple of years ago, I happened to look up and see a Yellow-billed Cuckoo sitting on a nest. Last year I found a tuft of Spanish moss where a pair of Northern Parula had built a nest. I know that Hooded Warblers, Kentucky Warblers, Red-eyed Vireos and Summer Tanagers nest here, so they should be out there. Most of the time it's just too hot and the mosquitoes are too bad to spend the time in the woods to find the nests.

I had a good spring on the property. I saw 21 species of warblers, both tanagers, both buntings and both orioles. I saw all of the thrushes that migrate through here, as well as all of the swallows. I did miss several warblers that I normally expect to see - Yellow-throated Warbler, Canada Warbler, American Redstart, Ovenbird, Swainson's Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler and Yellow Warbler. I added one property bird to my list this spring - Prothonotary Warbler. That brings my property list to 194. I missed seeing a Philadelphia Vireo and Warbling Vireo on the property this year, although I saw them at High Island. The best bird of the spring for me was the Fork-tailed Flycatcher seen at Smith Oaks in High Island. They normally don't range farther north than central Mexico. We had a period of strong west winds that brought several rarities to the Upper Texas Coast including the flycatcher. Overall spring migration was a lot of fun this year.

The last time I checked the Purple Martin nest, they still had three eggs in it. There was a lot of activity today with some SY martins flying around the gourd. The male and female that have the nest in it were trying to make them leave. I didn't check the nest today. I did check the Eastern Bluebird nest and found it empty. The babies should be a week old today and not nearly ready to leave the nest. I blame House Sparrows for this one. I'm going to make a sparrow spooker and see if I can keep the sparrows out of the nest in the future. I am intensifying my trapping and hope to take care of the sparrows around here.

Last Days of Spring Migration

Walking in the woods was a joy yesterday. The sweet smells of Chinese privet and honeysuckle filled the air. The bees busily gathered nectar from the privet and grapevines. Giant Swallowtails, Pipevine Swallowtails and a couple of Monarchs also feasted on the flowers. The wind was strong and that made looking in the tops of the trees difficult. But, there were several birds in the woods. I added three new ones for the year - Bay-breasted Warbler, Magnolia Warbler and Acadian Flycatcher. I have probably seen the flycatcher before, but they look so similar to four other species of flycatcher that come through here that I don't count them unless I hear them call. The Magnolia Warbler was one of the first birds I saw as I entered the woods. He was hopping around in some yaupon thickets. It has always been my experience that when the Magnolia Warblers show up, migration is just about over. There were several throughout the woods. The Bay-breasted Warbler was hanging around with a mixed group of Carolina Chickadees and Red-eyed Vireos. Seeing him gave me what I like to call "The Big Three" for the year - Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler and Bay-breasted Warbler. I'm not sure what it is about those three that I like to see every year, but they are high on my list each migration. The Acadian Flycatcher was showing off his flycatching abilities along with an Eastern Wood-Pewee. He would fly off a dead branch, catch an insect, fly back to the branch and sing. It was a lot of fun watching him! I haven't seen nearly as many Indigo Buntings, so they must be moving on north. Several Yellow-billed Cuckoos called their frog-like call. Swallows and swifts flew overhead almost constantly. Kentucky Warblers and a Hooded Warbler called from deep within tangled understory.

The Purple Martins that showed up last Sunday have just about completed their nest in gourd #5 on my gourd rack. I keep checking hoping to see a pure white egg in the nest, but nothing yet. The SY male that has been trying to attract a female is still not giving up. He sits on top of the house and sings frequently. He may end up being an unmated bird this year, but will return next year and have more success. The unmated males actually serve a purpose at martin colonies. They will hang around throughout the breeding season. When the young martins fledge, these unmated males will harass them and give them a negative impression on the colony. Next year, those newly fledged birds will not return to their natal colony, but will join a new one or establish a new colony. The gene pool is kept much cleaner that way. So, unless a late-arriving female joins the SY male out there, I'll have one pair again, but should have more next year. Hopefully they'll arrive sooner next year and be here to sing their dawnsong to attract more SY birds to the colony.

The Eastern Bluebird eggs should hatch on Monday, May 17. There are five eggs again. I still haven't seen the young from the first brood. Normally they come to my birdbath within two or three weeks of fledging. I've seen the parents flying around, but the juveniles have been absent. I hope they're okay. The first year of life for a songbird is extremely perilous. Fewer than half of all the birds that hatch this year will live to see their first birthday. That's why they have so many at a time. I'm thinking of trying a time-lapse photo session with the bluebird chicks this time and seeing how it goes. I'll take pictures every day at the same time (weather permitting of course!) and then put them into my video editing software and creating a video that shows each day of their development. That could be fun. I hope they cooperate!

Birds seen 5/10/10 (37 species): Great Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, Turkey Vulture, Red-shouldered Hawk, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Barred Owl, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Acadian Flycatcher*, White-eyed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, European Starling, Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler*, Bay-breasted Warbler*, Kentucky Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow

Best Day of the Year!

Today has probably been the best day of the year for me. I didn't see a new species. I didn't have a record high species count for the property. Today was the best day because the Purple Martins that showed up yesterday are still around today! I had given up on having any martins in my housing this year. Yesterday an ASY male (left picture) and female (right picture) along with an SY male showed up and explored the gourds and the house. They were joined today by another SY male and female. I just love hearing their gurgling call as they fly around. It's so fun to have them!

I did get out and do a little birding this morning. The woods were pretty dead as far as activity goes. There were a few warblers singing on territory - Hooded, Kentucky, Northern Parula. A Summer tanager sang from high in the tree tops. A late Chipping Sparrow chipped from a cedar tree. A juvenile male Painted Bunting sang from a clump of thick vegetation. An Eastern Wood-Pewee and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo sang on the trail near the new pond. It's getting to that time of year when I stop seeing new things and start hearing the nesting birds singing. I watched the Red-shouldered Hawks flying around and finally found the nest. I couldn't see in it very well because it was obscured by leaves. I couldn't tell if there were chicks in the nest or not. I'll keep watching it.

The Eastern Bluebirds have four eggs in their nest. The second brood is well underway! If they lay five eggs, they should hatch sometime around May 17. I haven't seen any of the first brood flying around yet. Normally the parents will bring them to my water, but so far I haven't seen them. It probably won't be long, especially when the parents have another brood in the nest box to feed.

Birds Seen 5/3/10 (41 species): American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, White Ibis, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Red-shouldered Hawk, Laughing Gull, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, White-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Northern Mockingbird, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Parula, Black-and-white Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Summer Tanager, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Painted Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow