There is a park, a small field that is regularly mowed, and a sort of a wet-weather slough that runs between four properties (one of which is ours). It's basically what's left when a developer is too lazy to properly landscape when they build a plat on uneven terrain. There may be only one of the females; We've been away for awhile and I've not yet seen her again since we got back. Apparently my female house sparrows have lost their itty-bitty minds and have taken to scattering the seed from the window feeder far and wide, which has finally given the grackles something they can get at. The grackles are making things a little more difficult for everyone else and I wonder if they've driven her off. So I'll not be filling the window feeder any more - then we'll see if Ms. RWBB comes back or no, LOL!

Very nice! I saw my first Brown Thrasher of the season on April 16, and the first catbird on May 2, so there was about a two week delay. I'm in southeast MA. Thrashers bred here last year, but I didn't see them most of the time. The catbirds, on the other hand, are in my face every day eating grape jam. Claire

Awesome that you have a natural water source. I would do a birdbath somewhere close by my feeders if I were you. That way, you get to observe them drinking and bathing! :o)

Our desert Thrashers will peck tomatoes open to get the juice, Brown thrashers are omnivores, so maybe they are pecking open the peppers to get the developing seeds. The cabbage - maybe a rabbit or rodent.