Last Saturday, July 28, I found a Blue Grosbeak nest in a plot of Nanking Cherries. Four eggs, none cowbird. They hatched a couple of days later and are now thriving. I also have a Bluebird with four eggs in one of my nesting boxes.
A couple of weeks ago, I had a recently fledged Tufted Titmouse begging for food and being fed sunflower pieces by a parent. Mommy (or Daddy) flew away and the offspring flew to the hummingbird feeder stand which is about 2 feet from my window. It noticed its reflection in the window and started fluttering its wings and begging for food. It did this a couple of times the next day or so. Lots of fun.
The OCDC (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Cardinal) has continued banging against the various windows in the house. This has been going on for months. He is molting now and has no feathers on its head. This bird will pick up a sunflower seed (about 15 feet from the window) and then launch itself to bonk against the window. It then lands on the hummingbird feeder stand, eats the seed and then bonks the window a couple of times.
On a more personal note ... while dead-heading buddleia, I had a Cicada land on my ear. After a second of total shock, I gently brushed it off. And then just last night I was checking the different nesting boxes in the yard. I tapped the outside of a box and startled a Gray Tree Frog which jumped onto my head, which is easy to grip because of the lack of hair. In the past I have found Gray Tree frogs in the nesting boxes or sitting in the hole. One was even sharing the box with a Chickadee nest.
Jim Wilson
Queenstown
ps: Scarlet Tanager and Yellow-billed Cuckoo singing in the yard this morning.
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