This ongoing thread series has been great for the winter - I'm really focused on birds (not much choice since nothing much else is happening in the yard yet).

It's definitely the warblers' time to shine now. I have six Yellow-rumped Warblers (that I know of), and the males are really getting feisty.

They were all fighting over the suet hanging from the rose arch, so I decided to put some more suet feeders on the wisteria pseudo-standard. It took about 10 minutes for them to find it, and now they feed on both these feeders (close to the house), and on the suet pseudo-log down near the road.

For a while one male seemed to be trying to cover the whole yard, but hopefully they'll divide up the territory and get on with eating and breeding.

Claire

Hi, all.
I have really enjoyed visiting these posts throughout teh winter, and they've helped me to understand who has been visiting my feeders this year. Thanks for all of the photos.
Question: over on Perennials, there is a conversation about how BOSS hulls kill plants and grass below the feeders. Is this true? Uh-oh.... Where do you put your BOSS feeders? How do you keep the areas below them?
Thanks,
ML

Hi ML

Yes, I have heard the same about sunflower seeds causing a sterile area directly below what ever feeder it is in. I don't know exactly how true it is how long it lasts. I'm not sure if it is caused by an enzyme in the seeds/hulls or if it is caused by the sheer amount of cover produced by the waste that falls or, is left by the birds, mice and other critters that visit. The tube feeder I am using for BOSS/sunflower hearts is hung over a large, invasive patch of poison ivy. I'm hoping for the best...

Claire...those YRW are making them selves at home in your yard. They love suet!

sooey

ML: I haven't checked the Perennials thread yet, but I will. I've been worried about the sunflower seed hulls, and I try to place the feeders away from grass and perennials. Periodically I rake them up and put them somewhere where they won't do damage. I have some paths mulched with sunflower seed hulls.

I posted the question once on the Soil, Compost and Mulch Forum, and got royally shot down.

Claire

This birdbath has been filled with ice for most of the winter, and just partially melting on sunny days. Yesterday the grackles were celebrating the new found water. I guess it's like the far north where Ice Out is a season. The glare is reflections in the window glass.

ICE OUT!

Claire

sooey: The warblers are flying back and forth and playing musical chairs at the different suet feeders. Some of them are acting like territorial males (VERY territorial males), but none of the warblers seem to be wearing their breeding plumage. Do your warblers have anything like the flashy plumage I see in the field guides?

The first photo is of a warbler that just chased away another warbler, like a male, but is not strongly marked.

The warbler in the second photo is more strongly marked, but nothing like a breeding male as shown in the guides.

Maybe the breeding behavior shows up faster than the breeding plumage?

Also, when I enter "Yellow-rumped Warbler" into the PFW count, I get an automated alert asking if I'm SURE I saw a Yellow-rumped Warbler, and please CONFIRM. Do you get the same message? or is Plymouth that different from Brewster?

Claire

Hi claire,

Yes, I get the same 'ooops' messaage from PFW when I enter my YRW info. It always wants me to check the 'confirmd' box. They need to work on that.

My YRW have not changed their plumage. A few weeks ago, I noticed one male that was much darker. I was impressed, thinking that the plumage change had started. Now, I wonder if it was just an older male. They are a sweet bird and I'm glad I have become aware of them. Another reason I am happy to have been a part of PFW. I have learned so much.

Great shots! Did you take them from inside the house?

sooey

sooey:

I also got the Please Confirm message the first time I reported something like 20 Blue Jays a few years ago. The note said that this is unusual for this location, which is what it said for my first warbler entry. Their computer probably checks numbers and/or species against a list of what's reasonable for southeast MA, or some such region. They want to make sure you didn't just mis-type a number, or don't really know what you saw.

Those shots were taken from inside - the wisteria is right near the window, which is one reason I decided to put more suet there. It's just too hard to focus through the rose canes. I also sprinkle thistleseed on the bluestone path which is just outside my computer window. It attracts Song Sparrows, Juncos, and American Tree Sparrows to an area where I can even sit down and take photos. You can see the thistleseed on the bluestone in the following photos.

These American Tree Sparrows really like the thistleseed and don't seem to be very wary. I'm seeing two of them almost every day. The Goldfinches don't seem to like to come over to the bluestone path, although they'll feed on the ground under the tube feeder.

And how about those peepers!

Claire

Yes...the peepers are waking up in CT. I miss that. The peepers have long been an important part of Spring for me. I miss this time of year in CT. Beautiful, long Springs that are sunny, clear and warm. Waaay different from the Cape. But, I will make it a point to drive around the wet spots tonight and every night until I hear the peepers for myself. It's like a tonic...

Thursday and yesterday were count days for me and there was not much to see. I had some good variety but not lots of anything at any one time. Today, in the rain, lots and lots of birds are all over the palce. I need to get my nesting boxes up...first I need to clean them.

re: the Oooops message on PFW...it will be interesting to see if that is changed for next season. We have both reported YRW this season and everyone I talk with here on the Cape sees YRW often. They are not an uncommon bird. Our findings, as we report them to PFW, should be reflected in future data. If not, why keep data at all?

It looks like your grass is starting to green up!

sooey

sooey: Yes, a faint haze of green on the lawn, and I have a few snowdrops. The Rijnveld's Early Sensation daffodils will be open soon. Spring is not the best season on the coast. At least not the beginning of it.

Are you still seeing White-throated Sparrows? I haven't seen them for a while; maybe they've headed north, or it could just be that it's gotten too crowded here with the blackbirds. Lots and lots and lots of blackbirds....

The Goldfinches are no longer in big flocks now.

Claire

Hi Claire,

I saw no White-throated Sparrows this week but I did record some during last weeks count. I am still seeing Goldfinch in large numbers but, not all day, every day. I see the Song Sparrow every day but I have seen no Blackbirds. The one bird I am seeing more and more, always on the ground, is the Junco. I love that pink beak. All of the bird chatter is starting to pick up. I hear them during the early morning, just as it's getting light. Nice way to wake up.

sooey

Hi guys, very cool that you have all those Warblers, Claire. You get a nice variety of birds.

I saw a couple of White throat Sparrows today, so they are still around. Also been seeing a new Sparrow the last couple days...this is not the greatest picture, but does anybody know what type of sparrow this is??

{{gwi:1064386}}

Saw two other new birds in the yard today.

A male Red-bellied Woodpecker has been coming to the Suet log for a couple months, but he has always been alone. I wondered if he was going to find a mate. And look who showed up on the suet cage today, eating the raw suet - a female Red-belly. Not a very good picture, but you can see she has the grey head. The male was there too, higher up in the tree.

{{gwi:1064388}}

Later I happened to be looking out back and noticed this little brown bird hopping steadily up a tree. Realized it must be a Brown Creeper! They are interesting the way they move up a tree.

terrene: Looks like a Song Sparrow to me, although it's really heavily marked. I'm always a little uncertain about Song Sparrows - ever since I saw a Fox Sparrow (I don't think this is a Fox Sparrow).

The Red-bellies are such surreal birds - I love to see them.

Eight Yellow-rumped Warblers today! Yesterday I discovered that one of them has a band on its leg. I sent the photo off to PFW in case it means something to them.

The warblers don't seem too shy - yesterday I was out talking to someone about ten feet from the wisteria, and one of the warblers still flew to the suet (didn't stay there though).

I've been trying to get a good shot of a bunch of warblers on the suet, but they don't really stand out against the branches. This is the best I could get this morning (3 warblers). They like to eat out of the cone - maybe it's more natural for them. The suet is a store-bought C&S suet melted with Nut N' Berry mix added.

And the other day a Red-winged Blackbird climbed onto the tube feeder. There are still a lot of them around, calling from the trees.

I had to move the heated birdbath today, there was a daffodil coming up under it. I knew that would happen sooner or later because it was nice and warm under there. I doubt if it will bloom for a while.

But these daffodils (Rijnveld's Early Sensation) are achingly close to bloom!

Claire

Yesterday I noticed some Mourning Doves taking a siesta break around noontime. It almost looks like summer time with the green foliage, but actually they're lounging under the big old Osmanthus, and the green in the background is a pine branch that came down in the last storm. I moved the branch today because it was lying on a garden bed.

It reminds me of the pleasures of lounging in the shade of a tree on a hot summer day .....

Claire

Closer and closer.....

Claire

Claire - my mourning doves also love to bask in the sun. Some people don't like them because they're so common but I like their gentle natures :-)

I am happy, I haven't seen Song Sparrows all winter long but yesterday one of them paid a visit. I wonder where he's been, I didn't think these guys went south...
{{gwi:1064401}}

Very serene photo of the Song Sparrow, ellen_s.

To me, the Mourning Doves can be very beautiful - soft, muted beige tones, sometimes suffused with a rosy glow on the breast. And I love to see them bob along like some toy in the rear window of a car.

Today a downy decided to feed at the new suet cage on the wisteria. This is a feeding station that the warblers consider their own. I could almost hear the harrumphing as the warblers tried to decide whether it was safe to eat with the downy there.

Oh, how dare that thing eat our suet!

Maybe we can share?

I'll stay on the other end of the table and just keep a close eye on it...

Claire

Claire - love your commentaries :-) You're right, the warbler really does look affronted by the Downy upstart at his feeder!

ellen_s: The behavior of the different bird species fascinates me. I know some would say I'm anthropomorphizing here, but I do believe that animals are more than the sum of their "instincts".

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I also probably sound like a broken record (do kids nowadays know what a broken record sounds like?), but I will repeat my mantra "Grackles are good for your yard." Each year the Grackles root around in the grass and vegetation under the oaks, cherries and cedars, presumably scarfing up insects and other treats. Because this is where winter moths and other defoliating moths winter over, I really want the Grackles to hang around. There's been minimal defoliation in the last few years since the Grackles have raised their broods here.

There are some Red-winged Blackbirds in there too.

They eat an awful lot of birdseed, but they pay me back a hundredfold.

Claire

The birds are definitely reacting to the change of seasons:

the warblers are getting darker,

the goldfinches are getting brighter (I think that's molting feathers on the heads), The goldfinch on the tube feeder has a seed in its beak.

The grackles and cowbirds are getting more and more iridescent - I like the way the coloring of the Brown-headed Cowbird complements the coloring of the Common Grackle. And the grackles are doing their point-the-bill-straight-up-in-the-air act (I have no idea why but they often do it).

However, the event made me realize I had to revise my birdseed menu since the remaining birds are emptying the hopper feeder every day. Forget about the gourmet Nut N' Berry mix and other little goodies. I found a reasonable mix in 40 lb bags for $25 at Ocean State Job Lot. It contains black oil and striped sunflower seeds, cracked corn, safflower seed and white millet. Seems OK so far. I'm still using gourmet food in the tube feeder, and filling the thistleseed sock.

Claire

Someone mentioned hummingbirds (in NH) on another thread, so I checked the Hummingbird Migration Map. This shows the first Ruby-throated Hummingbird siting of the year in different locations.

They're heading north!

Claire

"I found a reasonable mix in 40 lb bags for $25 at Ocean State Job Lot. It contains black oil and striped sunflower seeds, cracked corn, safflower seed and white millet."

I forgot to say it also contains peanut parts, so the woodpeckers should be alright with it.

Claire

The Brown-headed Cowbirds are really making themselves at home now - this group reminded me of co-workers gathered around the water cooler discussing guy things (these are all males). The one on the right is keeping his eye out for the boss.

Oh-oh, better get back to work now!

I've only seen one female so far, I guess they sent the guys ahead to scout living quarters.

Claire

Claire, that is so cool that the Grackles and Blackbirds are out there rooting out the pesky insects for you. Those birds are an important part of "integrated pest management" for your yard.

I'm still watching the birds and making their suet, but gardening season has started!! So the birds will take a back seat. There is some interesting stuff happening though.

There are now TWO female Hairy woodpeckers coming by, but where the heck is a male? I hope they both find mates.

The male Red Belly comes by regularly, and boy is he territorial about the Suet Log when he's around! Twice I've watched him swoop down and bang Downy woodpeckers that are on the log to chase them away. (First time, I thought it was a hawk...but no. Saw the perpetrator with my own eyes.)

Also lots of sparrows showing up - Song sparrows, Fox sparrows, and one that I can't identify - not a great pic but I don't think he's a White Throat, because no white throat, and not a Song sparrow because his underbelly is beige-grey (not striped) -

{{gwi:1064416}}

Got some other pics I like this week too -

Here are the "Blues" hanging out by the Suet Log. Mr. Blue is on the log eating, and Mrs. Blue is hanging out on the gutter, keeping watch I assume -

{{gwi:1064417}}

I have left standing about a dozen dead trees in the back yard. Most people would probably consider them ugly (and they are kinda ugly) and cut them down immediately. But snags are a critical part of habitat for the cavity-nesters and roosters. I hope to use them as a trellis and grow perennials vines up them, to provide additional food and cover for the birds.

Boy was I excited to see a little Chickadee, making a nest in a hole in one of the trees! I watched him fly back and forth, putting stuff in the hole. Hope they nest there!

{{gwi:1064419}}


A cute little guy hanging out in a Mountain Laurel just outside a window -

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terrene: That might be a first-year White-crowned Sparrow (according to my Sibley Guide). Not old enough to have developed the flashy head stripes.

I'm seeing my regular sparrows: House, Song, White-throated and American Tree Sparrows.

Gardening season hasn't started here yet, and probably won't for a while. I have a few daffodils, crocuses, snowdrops, and a hellebore. Other bulb leaves just peeking out (muscari, scillas, daffodils, etc.). I won't even start clean-up until the bulbs need the space. Springs are slow here on the coast. I have a huge pile of used coffee grounds/filters waiting for the clean out!

I also have dead trees here, and in the no-man's space between my yard and the next door neighbor's yard. Birds probably roost in them, but the House Sparrows may prevent nesting there in the breeding season. I think the cavity-nesters hang out across the street, out of the range of the House Sparrows. The House Sparrow population is down, so this year may be different.

Claire

I'll try to get a better picture, because there are a few of these guys and despite perusing the Audubon Bird guide I still can't figure out what kind of Sparrow it is. Why is it that Sparrows are so hard to identify? The only one that was ever obvious to me was the White-crowned Sparrows that came by last fall.

It is cool here too Claire, and there isn't much growing, but there's lots to do! "Gardening season" pretty much entails "doing stuff outside in the yard".

Why do you have so many House Sparrows? Don't they tend to like the more urban/retail centers? I see one or two about once a month, even though the nursery and horse farm down the street have lots of them.

terrene: I start out with the Audubon Guide, but I move to the Sibley Guide when things get confusing. The Sibley Guide shows illustrations of different stages of bird life, e.g. juvenile, breeding, non-breeding, and regional variations. All on one page, as well as similar birds.

I just Googled first-year White-crowned Sparrow and found this:
scroll halfway down for hatch-year Whit-crowned Sparrow

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I like the birding term "Small Brown Jobs" which refers to confusing sparrow sized birds. Whenever I think I've finally begun to identify Small Brown Jobs, I just look at the beach, and all of the white and grey and black birds there. Many challenges left.

I don't know why I have so many House Sparrows. I've seen them locally outside a Christmas Tree Shop (Sandwich) and in Home Depots and Lowes'. They like to hang around in the wheel wells of cars here, and yesterday two of them were checking out the overhang of the tool shed.

I just did a Google search for House Sparrow habitat, and found this site: Sparrows Need Hedges.

There's a wild shrubby "hedge" of viburnums, roses, briars, trees, etc. between my yard and the neighbor, and the bank is heavily vegetated. Maybe the House Sparrows live there. I've wondered how the British feel about House Sparrows which are native for them. The tone of this article is affectionate, not tinged with disgust as happens here (where the bird is non-native).

Claire

I, like you Claire have many house sparrows..My son went to a charter school and one of his classes was "bird watching"..he got me involved..He came home with a hand out that described the "evils" of the "house sparrow"...seems they can be very cruel to other birds..

I guess that is nature..however, I often wonder why everyone else in town has bluebirds..I can't get them..I have been blessed by having a scarlet tangier and indigo bunting visit...

I keep a large brush pile that my neighbors hate, every xmas I collect the discarded trees and add to my pile..lots of birds love it..

I feed everybody (the squirrels will knock on my window to let me know they are out of peanuts!)..they are all welcome..my neighors may complain about the flocks that come for food, I don't look at it as "just another blackbird"..I see another hungry bird, exhausted from migrating...!!! Once they are fed and rested..they move on.. They also keep away the hungry hawks...Love them too...but I didn't set up a feeding station so they could circle waiting to pick off something...

malorn: I also have brush piles that my neighbors don't like. When the power company topped/mutilated a big spruce (in spite of my entreaties), I insisted they leave the cut branches under the tree. Another place to hide from the hawks, or the neighbor's cat.

House Sparrows are very territorial and kick out or kill other small birds in their area. Brown-headed Cowbirds are brood parasites - they lay their eggs in other birds' nests. Hawks eat smaller birds; in fact, many birds will eat smaller birds' eggs or nestlings if they can get away with it.

But this doesn't make any of them evil, IMO.

Speaking of squirrels ........ it's warm today, and one squirrel has been skittering around, playing with sticks, and leaping from tree to tree.

I tried to photograph it, but it wouldn't hold still, except here, when it dangled from the pussywillow tree for a few seconds. It looks like a huge grey fuzzy pussywilow catkin.

Claire

Claire, you might be right, those could be juvenile White throats. Aren't there 29 species of Sparrows or something? A lot of them do look like amorphous little brown things until you get more experienced at watching them.

I like watching the squirrels too - but they are probably annoyed with me. They were using these 2 shrubs that were next to the house as ladders to get up to the BOSS feeders. I put bird netting all around one shrub to block their way, but they just climbed up the shrub next to that one and climbed over the bird netting, or chewed through it.

So I moved both shrubs in the last 2 weeks and no more ladders for squirrels! Oh well. They really have no way of getting up the pole/baffle system now.

Here's a cutie eating a peanut last summer -

{{gwi:1064427}}

Oh terrene..if your squirrels are anything like mine...they'll figure out some way to get that BOSS!

Great pictures...

Hi KIds,

Yesterday was the last day of PFW for the 2007-2008 season and I discoverd a new bird at the suet. Thinking back on it, I have been seeing this bird for the past few weeks but, I thought they were Goldfinch changing their plumage. Now I see, this is not a Goldfinch at all.

I'm thinking that they may be Yellow Warblers. I got these pics yesterday and today. I have sent them off to PFW for ID help. If not Yellow Warblers, what else could they be? Any thoughts?

I have also been seeing Bluebirds, off and on. They come for the suet...love the homemade gourmet peanut butter & raisin. I just saw them checking out the Bluebird house I put up last week. I hope they like it.

Claire...the squirrels in my yard have been doing the same as yours...playing with sticks...tossing them into the air, jumping on them, running up and down the trees...acting a little like kittens. Almost cute...almost...

sooey
who is a little sad that PFW has come to an end...

Sooey - that fits with the description/illustration of an adult female Yellow Warbler in my Sibley Guide. Does it eat anything besides suet, like thistleseed? Now I'm thinking I have to look closer at my "goldfinches"....

I'm sorry to see PFW end too, but I'll continue to feed the birds throughout the summer. I just won't count them. PFW made me concentrate on the birds, and work harder at identifying them.

Claire

Hi Claire,

I agree about the PFW experience...made me think about what I was looking at. If nothing else, I have discovered 4 new-to-me birds that I had not known of before...Brown Creeper, Gold Crown Kinglet, Yellow Rumped Warbler and now, Yellow Warbler. It makes me wonder what I have missed. I'm glad you agree re: the Yellow Warbler. I heard Vern Laux give the YW as a possible ID to two callers who called during 'The Point' on WCAI this past Thursday. They discribed what they had been seeing at their feeders and suet. It made me take a second look at what I thought were Goldfinch changing plumage. Bingo! I have not seen this bird at the Thistle feeder but I will now take a closer look...I do put thistle mix in my gourmet suet. I will continue to feed through the nesting season and beyond. I'm also thinking of ordering some meal worms...anything for those Bluebirds... Are you still seeing Reg-winged Blackbirds? I hear them but I don't see them.

sooey

Claire...I just re-checked my Petersons Guide and I think I my have been a bit off re: my Yellow Warbler ID. I am now thinking it may be a Pine Warbler. I have been hearing what sounds like a Chipping Sparrow but with a different tone, a little slower and lower in the trees. I hear the Chipping Sparrow in the tops of the trees during the summer...more gusto than what I am hearing now. Peterson says of the Pine Warbler...Song, a trill on one pitch like Chipping Sparrow's song but looser, more musical, slower... Hummm...what do you think? This bird I am seeing has white wing bars. In the note I sent off to Anne Marie this morning, I asked if the Yellow Warbler sounded like a Chipping Sparrow. She is sure to think me a dunce... :( We shall see ...

sooey
who is very happy to have both Claire and Anne Marie on the case...

Sooey, that's exciting that you have Warblers too. I have seen some pass through the yard, but they have never come to the feeders (that I know of). Hope that the Bluebirds will nest in your box this year!

There's been some "bird excitement" at the feeders lately.

- 2 female Purple Finches showed up one morning to eat BOSS

- A male Hairy Woodpecker is now showing up to eat suet, as well as TWO female Hairy's. The male was following one of the females around in a tree, so maybe there will be baby Hairys this year!

- The male Red Belly is still quite possessive about the Suet Log. He likes to dive-bomb the Suet Log and chase off whoever dares to land on it. I watched him chase a Blue Jay off today!

- A Chipping Sparrow showed up today! I'm glad to see the Chippies back, they hang around all summer and love to poke around in the gardens, and take dust baths in the sandy spots.

- LOTS of Goldfinches, never seen so many before. Sometimes there are 10-15 on the feeders and many more up in the trees.

- And all the other usual suspects, including the Bluebirds, that I NEVER get tired of watching!

Here is a pic of the female Purple Finches. They look a lot like female House Finches, BUT they have a distinct white stripes along the side of their head.

{{gwi:1064433}}

terrene: As far as I know, I've never seen a Chipping Sparrow or a Purple Finch here. And the Red-bellied Woodpeckers much prefer the tube feeder to the suet!

sooey: The white wing bars does sound more like a Pine Warbler, according to my references. I'm way over my head with warbler ID, so I'll wait for PFW's response.

It's nice to have something unusual on your last count for the season - your warbler is a great challenge to identify. I had unusual birds too, 2 Wild Turkeys - at least there's no doubt about the identity of these guys! I couldn't get a good photo, though.

And yes I still see Red-winged Blackbirds. I'm getting a mixed flock of grackles and red-wings numbering about 50 to 60 birds total (plus a half-dozen cowbirds).

When I go outside I hear the red-wings and grackles singing away most of the time. They sing when I go to the mailbox, or get the paper, or refill the bird baths. But when I walk out with the bucket of birdseed, there's total silence - you could hear a seed drop... As I fill the feeders and spread the seed on the ground, there's an occasional muffled murmur until I go inside. Then they descend. They're very flighty (pun intended) and fly off and back and off and back, probably because of the hawks. This makes them hard to photograph, but I'm working at it.

While I love having all these birds around, the downside is that they seem to want to thank me for the food by fertilizing my car. I don't know how to get across to them that shiny gray metal doesn't grow - they should aim at the green and brown stuff. At least it's been raining a lot, which helps clean the car.

Claire

I seem to have lots of these fellows that will always stop for a handful of seed and my son will always oblige..lots of TT's and red breasted nuthatches visiting..the nuthatches will not hand feed, but will gladly buzz your head so close that you get frightened and drop the seed...

No exactly birding...but this guy has been drinking out of my birdbaths for 3 years now..sorry about picture quality but I was not getting any closer...

We have nicknamed him big boy because despite not being able to see it in the pics..he's is the largest coyote I have ever seen..and I have seen hundreds (don't know why one eye reflected that way..other than I was in an awful hurry to get out of there)

Holy Crap...Claire, that picture of the Red-winged Blackbirds is wonderful! That red really jumps out at you. I've never seen them in a flock like that. How lucky you are to have such a view from your window. And wild Turkey...are they not the strangest big birds you have ever seen walking? We had them by the hundreds in CT. They would troop through our woods/yard and kick up all sorts of ground litter. You could mark their path as they moved on. Like a flock of big ol' chickens. And yes, I know full well about the bird poop v gray car issue. But, better gray then black or navy...

I have heard back from PFW. The final word is...Pine Warbler. Anne Marie said that their song is much like the Chipping Sparrow, as is the song of the Junco. I did not know that. I do not have many Junco, a hand full at most. I don't think I have ever heard them in song but, now I know what to listen for. Something else that I have learned from PFW.

terrene...I can not say that I have ever seen a Chipping Sparrow up close. I see them during the nesting season, only with my field glasses, up in the tops of the pine trees, singing their little hearts out...marking their territory I think. Such a loud song from such a small bird. As I recall, they have a chestnut crown with a light eyebrow and a black/dark eyeline? Their underparts are a light gray...that I know. A very sweet little bird. I'm getting better with my Sparrow ID...just in time to start work on the Warblers... I will now be watching for the Chipping Sparrow with my new, more educated eye. We use to see the Purple Finch a lot in our yard but that is going waaaay back...15 years at least. I saw one this season and almost jumped for joy. We get a lot of House Finch which are nice, but the Purple Finch is always a special find... The Red-belly Woodpeckers in our yard still love the grocery store suet. I have seen the female at the tube feeder that holds the sunflower hearts. A sight to see.

I have been seeing the Bluebirds almost every day. I think they may be here to stay. I am going out in just a little bit to get another Bluebird box. I have one in the front yard but I think they may like one in the back yard, a bit farther away from the house. I'm still thinking about those mealworms...

sooey
who is seeing lots and lots of busy little birds out there...

malorn...! Oh My Goodness, we seem to have another Bird Whisperer! I have tried to get birds to eat from my hand but I guess I don't have what it takes. Your son is very brave and...how lucky that you had your camera at hand! And, Big Boy...oh my. I have seen Coyote here in Brewster but only from a distance. Lucky you.

sooey

Malorn! Fantastic photos! That is so special, a picture of a Titmouse on your son's hand - yes he must have that "special touch"! And I love the pics of the Coyote.

Claire - I love the sound of the Red-Winged Blackbirds. They were one of early harbingers of Spring in the wetlands. But, 50 of them must be pretty noisy!

Sooey...I confused the Chipping and Tree Sparrows at first, but the Chippies have white stripes on their head and live here in the summer, the Tree Sparrows in the winter. They are sweet little birds, must meander over to the Cornell website and listen to their song...

Congrats on attracting the Bluebirds! Do you have a nice nesting habitat for them? They like open areas don't they.

terrene..yes, the Blues like to be on the edge of a south facing meadow. That was our yard in CT and the Blues loved it. They would often produce several broods during a nesting season. They also like to be away from the house which is my problem here. Our lot here in Brewster is much smaller and more wooded...no open area except for a small part of the front yard which is too close to the house. I can situate a BB box in the back yard so it faces south, but it will be in an area which is more wooded then what they may want. I'm still going to give it a try. Like you, I am seeing lots and lots of Goldfinch. The males are now very yellow. Lots of yellow out there.

sooey