Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 23:22:41 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: leslie fisher Organization: cecil bird club Subject: Nesting Chickadees Surrounded!! MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi All: You know how we all keep tabs on birds nesting in our backyards? Well, " my " chickadees have been feeding young for about a week now, and watching the coming/going of the adults today, was dismayed to note the presence of at least 1/2 dozen male ENGLISH SPARROWS lurking on the fence in the near vicinity of the nest box, harassing the parents as they tried to take care of business. The entrance hole is of course too small for them ( the sparrows ) to get in, but I`m concerned they will effect the youngsters getting adequate nutrition. Also, GRACKLES seem to be hovering on the branch over the nest box, perhaps to snatch a fledgling as it leaves the box. Guess I`m going to have to take up target practice!! I already practice " agressive eviction" of ENSP from Blue Bird boxes. Anyways, nature is rough; sometimes I wonder how any young are successfully raised. I was delighted to find fledgling Carolina Wrens in the yard this week. Referring to a previous post from this evening, I had a late night singer at 11 PM as I got home from work, a drowsy sounding SONG SPARROW. Can`t recall ever hearing one this late before. Leslie Fisher Cecil Co. ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================