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