Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2002 11:58:37 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Bill & Helen Subject: Yard birds - Ellicott City MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT I spent some pleasant time watching the birds in my yard this weekend. The first catbird of the year arrived Friday and has been back at the feeders yesterday and today. I also had my first positive identification of a Carolina wren and a red-bellied woodpecker - nice to see. Juncos haven't been seen for several days, though, and the handsome white throated sparrow also seems to have moved on. I also notice that the goldfinches are markedly more aggressive at the moment. Until recently they were fairly tolerant of one another at the thistle feeder (unless five birds were trying to get on to the four perches!). However, the four pairs I can identify, based on condition of male summer plumage, now chase each other off quite violently if another pair encroaches. That time of year, I suppose! Bill Welsh ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================