Tuesdays are typically my day in the field at SERC. I monitor three streams for mercury, among other things, so get to be out around SERC for a couple of hours. We had a Bald Eagle nest in a dead tree near one of our beaver ponds but last year, just when they looked like they were getting ready to lay eggs, the tree lost a major piece that supported the nest and it collapsed. This year, I was able to locate their new nest when I was up on the 120' meteoroligical tower and saw an adult carrying a stick off toward Muddy Creek Road. Today, both male and female were at the nest. She in the bowl, he perched nearby. Won't know the outcome of their nesting probably well into April as there is no angle from below to see well. The hatchlings will have to be pretty large to see them. We have our fingers crossed.
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One of my favorite bird songs, next to Wood Thrush, is Winter Wren. I heard one singing today near the beaver pond. When we were doing extensive field work in NW Ontario, Winter Wrens were quite common though you rarely saw them. Nothing quite like their convoluted song!
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I've been keeping my ears tuned for Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Louisiana Waterthrush and Yellow-throated Warbler. They're usually pretty early arrivals here at SERC. Not going to smash records like last year, though :(
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�Tyler Bell
<jtylerbell...>
California, Maryland
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