It still amazes me how few geese you see up in NH where I grew up, versus the Boston area. The geese are grazing here by the side of the road or in the soccer fields, same as they have been for months.

Sure signs of spring in my neighborhood are the growing babel of birdsong starting before first light, and the robins flying into my windows. I’ve also seen and heard an unusual number of woodpeckers over the last month — red bellied and pileated. I need to bring the big camera along on my next walk in the woods.

In 2021, the March equinox happens on Saturday, March 20, at 5:37 A.M. EDT. Not 24 hours before the day we have waited SO long to see, I opened the shutters this morning and for the first time since last fall. . .he's up. Time to stop battling. Wildflowers - everywhere, let the chips fall where they may.

I also saw a chipmunk a few days ago - the first of the season.

Mother Nature is gripping Winter tightly today, with bitter cold winds (relatively speaking - how easily you forget what really cold bitter winds feel like).

I'm really counting on tomorrow bringing a new season.

Claire

A left-leaning cardinal in gusty winds takes the plunge. (sounds like a tabloid lead)

Jane 😊

HAPPY SPRING !

Let's see, do I vacuum or help the birds with nest making supplies? I cut up natural jute twine and inserted it into a nest ball. They literally use this ball as a supply depot. Now that I've cut up and dissected 3" long stands of jute, I do need to vacuum,lol.

Somebody gave me the grapevine ball filled with alpaca or somebody's else's hair and the titmice and chickadees loved it. I checked the plural of titmouses and it seems it is still a toss-up with some dictionaries and Britannica claiming titmice versus some purists writing titmouses (which houzz red lines). I guess it's time to go vacuum and give the last two juncos a map and compass.

Jane - let the sun SHINE ! 😊

TitMouses or TitMice ?

I hope someone else finds their camera and posts here, but, I must be a bird nerd to get this excited about capturing the pair Carolina Wrens together in one frame. I think this is a first for me. It's those stackables!

Jane

Happy wrens you/ve got there, Jane!

I can't imagine turkeys on those stackables but they seem to be happy eating on the ground here. I'm seeing several flocks each day, one of them with about 20 turkeys.

It's warm and sunny and the turkeys are relaxed and busy eating.

With their heads down they look like lumps of feather.

But then something gets their attention and the heads are up and checking out the yard.

Then they go back to feeding which involves a lot of scratching around in the litter and spreading it into the birdbaths on the ground. I end up cleaning out the muddy water in the birdbaths.

Claire

And more signs of Spring - bugs flying in the warmth of the sun:

Claire

Snapped a couple photos of the red-bellied woodpecker from my wnidow yesterday. First, giving me the hairy eyeball as it decided whether the guy behind the camera was a threat:

Nice pics, nekobus! It always impresses me how aware birds are of cameras in windows.

I guess I think that being in a window is like being in a bird blind and they can't see me. In reality we must be on display with everything short of flashing arrows saying "Look what's watching you!"

Claire

I shared pizza crusts and he was happy. He buried what he didn't eat in my planter. I was not happy.

Conversely, Olivia O'Possum and friend ate everything then and there. So glad to see they made it through the winter.

Jane

Well, it's woodpecker drumming season (and nice RBs on the suet cake, nekobus). Can you see the length of this hollowed out branch? When this guy hammers on that, it's like hearing an African drum call across a savanna. Inside the house with windows shut, his drumming is loud. I'm glad it's a branch and not the main trunk. I hope his honey hears it.

Jane

I love the pileateds — they sound like avian jackhammers, and when you see one it’s always disconcerting to spot an almost chicken sized bird in the treetops. Striking black and white patterns in flight, too. Great pics Jane!

This unusual leucistic junco spent only one day visiting a friend's yard last week. He shared the photo on Facebook but I don't think he wants his address publicized. I'll just say small town near Concord NH.

Very unusual and very special bird, Donna Frost! Thank you for sharing the photo - I can understand your friend not wanting hordes of birders visiting him.

Claire

Okay - Last Call. Time to board the Junco Express to the North. Two are left, chasing each other. Nighttime temps are forecast to be above freezing for the next 10 days (an assumption, but I'll take it). It's time to reconnect the hose, doves are mating on any branch in sight, finches are allo feeding, Mr. Cardinal also fed Mrs. Cardinal, so it's time for the Junco Express to pull out of this station. Knowing just how much control I (do not) have, I'll simply post his mug shot and go reconnect the hose...as soon as it thaws.

Jane

Love is in the air. First time capturing Carolina Wrens allo feeding. Allo feeding with a slightly curved beak can't be easy.

I heard and then saw the first broadwinged hawk of the season on Fridayand the various flycatchers have been here for about a week, so spring is truly here in central NH.

Wild turkeys must be mating. The toms are showing off. Their heads get very white. Tree swallows are back plus I've seen at least one phoebe. We had four pairs of bluebirds all winter which a local birder said were winter bluebirds. Now I think we only have one pair. Bird feeders are down and the birds weren't happy but my husband saw one of the bluebirds pull up a worm.

Chipping sparrows in yesterday's warmth, house finches jumping ship in today's snow. I have a hard time detecting Mother Nature's sense of humor.

Jane...slowly shaking head and sighing... It'll melt.

Just walked back into my office and there, outside my window in the cherry tree:

Didn't have time to change the camera settings, just shoot or miss him. B&W Warbler. Seldom see him. Actually, this may be the first. The other warbler in 2017 was a black-throated green warbler. Fuzzy pic, but it brought a smile. :)

Jane

The beavers have been active and have dammed the stream, so areas that haven’t been flooded previously now are. Along the driveway to the shop, Flax has a favorite viewing spot on a beaver trail over a flooded area. We have seen a pair of mallards, wood ducks, mergansers, a kingfisher, a great blue heron, flycatchers, and an unidentified warbler. He likes to wait here for our walking buddies, a friend with dogs, who join us on a ramble most days. He just watches, and though sometimes the birds choose to leave, often they just ignore him. Sorry no photos of the wildlife, but the branches get in the way, and if I blundered down the slope they would definitely leave!

We have a new feature, probably more “mobile” vs bird, but kitty can’t hunt this one! Birthday gift for husband.

I really miss having a kitty, so I appreciate seeing yours, Deanna. Interesting sculpture, nice gift!.

A new season, but it's the same circus, albeit with fewer clowns which may be due to the RT Hawks living across the street.

Unless the pterodactyl shows up again, there are few new characters in our yard. But I did decide this morning to grow scarlet runner beans along with climbing nasturtiums for the hummers. With whatshisname (above) screwing up every pot of flowers, the yard, stone walls, garage, ad infinitum, I hope the runner beans are faster.

Jane

Nice garden feature, Deanna. It adds a touch of whimsy to the yard.

I'm waiting for hummingbirds to show up, but I'm beginning to see Baltimore Orioles which usually arrive about the same time.

I just got one quick pic this morning.

Claire

The orioles are so striking. They rarely appear here, but I did put an orange out just in case.

Early broods this year of House Sparrows and Carolina Wrens. This new fledgling was flapping her? wings and yelling for Mom outside my window in the cherry tree this morning. Brand new primary (?) feathers show up gray in her wings.

Mom did come after her and it was hard to tell if Mom was happy to find her or chasing her home, but they live here so it wasn't a long trip. They can nest 3-4 times in one season, so it looks like they got an early start. Glad I'm not a bird...raising a batch once is enough.

Jane

At the very moment I was leaving the house to set up the trail cam to video the birdbath, these two HS were dripping in indignation. Could try video for a day, I suppose, but I really like taking action still shots.

Jane

One of these days, somebody new will come along.

First bear sighting of the season yesterday. Our neighbors never remove their bird feeders early enough.

Wow, Sue! He is a good looking chap! I'm walking a fine line here inasmuch as a bear was in close neighborhood yards last summer. I've read their range can be 20 miles, so until/if he makes a full circle, I'm hoping to stay open to bird feeding. But it's a risk. This morning, (through 3 layers of glass window, hence fuzziness) I got the Winter Wren. They have again chosen the house I put up with a wren-sized metal plate affixed to the opening. That plate, however, does not stop the sparrows from trying to enter. There is a wren/sparrow battle every day. Every life form faces some problem.

Jane

Bears are a part of life here in the Farmington Valley, Jane. I stay vigilant in the garden and always admire them from a distance.

For some reason there are no house sparrows here. In my former garden in Wethersfield they were a real nuisance. Here we have many bluebirds though which I much prefer.

Something made me look outside and there he was. Evening Grosbeak, adult male. Never before in my sight. Rose-breasted come each Spring, but not the Evening - until today. 😊

About Cardinal size

Jane

Violet-the-Bunny - in her buffet. Mature dandelion stems were preferred, as were tender quince, and violets were taken from the bottom of the stem only. I love her and would miss her.

A little bath before resting.

Full tummy and a nap.

Jane

We noticed one of our bluebird houses was down on the ground. Then my husband noticed evidence that a bear had been in the yard and then decided to see if the bear had found the bag of old apples he had set outside the garage door meaning to take them to the compost pile. Not an apple left. We did find the bear nosing around my kitchen porch on our driveway security cam. The driveway is close to the house and it was smelling the garden hooks which usually hold some bird feeders in winter. This is the first time we've had a bear close to the house. Last time we leave apples outside.

Oh, defrost49 - a whole bag of apples? You may have a new friend. The bear that came last year around suppertime in our neighborhood, strolled from yard to yard in full twilight. So far, he hasn't been back. Hopefully, 'your' bear found 2 bags of apples far from your house.

Jane

These pics are a couple weeks out of order. I think she was looking for a place to call home and I was luckily home and in that corner room and heard her climbing up the house (pic is her climbing back down). Then a couple weeks later I saw them in an old dead tree in the backyard. So far no harm no foul. There's at least 2 babies. 2 years ago in the same tree I saw 5!

Not a very good picture, but it's the first time I caught all the Baseball teams in the same picture... the Cardinals, Blue jays, and Orioles. The oriole is a female that's a bit hard to see enjoying an orange. I think you could see that cardinal from space though.

LOL, Jane. The bear might still be around but our neighbor had three at the same time in his yard and he couldn't scare them off.

For the second time a pileated woodpecker has scrounged around on a piece of bare ground. He must be getting insects. We haven't seen any baby wild turkeys yet.

This is a weird year for us, bird wise. I only saw a single oriole two times, over 3 weeks ago, we usually have them daily until mid June. Now we have cowbirds daily, which never happened before. The squirrels are certainly enjoying the oranges i put out daily.

Claire?

Our local bird expert said she has never seen pileated woodpeckers feeding on the ground. finally saw baby wild turkeys. There are at least two families usually traveling together. it's odd not to see as much bird activity as we did when the feeders were up but we know there are two baby robins in a nest in the rhododendron. My husband has twice spotted a hummingbird but I haven't yet. i plant scarlet runner beans for them but the beans have just germinated. No idea what they might be finding in our yard for food. Insomnia tonight so a little while ago I heard two owls hooting at each other. my husband said he finally heard a whip-poor-will but it's not nearby. He loves hearing them.

I've been reading waaaaaaay back to the beginning to see what I missed. I missed some gems! I can't believe the bear activity you all have. In NH we had an occasional experience, but they stayed very hidden. They're practically house guests for you all! I have seen more foxes this year than in the past years combined, probably. It's Foxaloooza around here.

Gregg, I LOVE all the baseball teams. That's hysterical! That's a very bird-friendly yard.

Coronum, congratulations on the Evening Grosbeak. I know that was an exciting day. The pictures are beautiful!

I've got some hummers and am trying to keep those feeders clean. Need to refresh the bird feeders. But, the big news is we have a nest, no ID on the bird yet but the beak is curved, with four babies which is placed far too accessible to the cats. I can't believe they've lasted this long. I check periodically and for a while was afraid the parents had been eaten, but they eventually showed up. They built the nest about 4 feet off the ground in a rhododendron that is sparse on one side, making the nest very easy to see.

I am hoping that Claire is OK. she is usually around and seems to have dropped off the forums for a while, since the first week of May.

Yes, I am wondering about her. I sent an IM back channel to check on her and didn't get a response. Doesn't seem right around here without Claire posting.

She started this particular section of this forum and is the reason I've loved it so and learned so much. Even tho' I'm not in New England, she kindly welcomed me in.

prairie, what is an IM back channel? I'm thinking of calling the Plymouth police.

Pat, one can send messages via GW to those who have messaging turned on. However, Claire has family living very close (my memory is next door) so whatever has caused her to drop off the forums, I am sure that her family has things in hand. Sometimes folks leave for reasons we never know, one of the disadvantages of digital friendships. I do miss her observations and photos, however.

NHBabs, I cannot tell you how much your message above means to me. You are one of those true gems of the world. Thank you.

Pat

For Pat, Pm2, NHBB, defrost, Nebokus, and all other bird lovers, the lady behind this thread has passed away. Please read the post I created on the main New England Gardening page. I am crushed - as many other will be.

OMGosh! Thank you for posting this. I'm going to go look for your thread now.