Date: Mon, 5 May 2003 04:44:53 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Fran Saunders Subject: Re: A Worcester Saturday -- More Notes In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Notably absent have been the Hummers we had last summer. The feeders were up well before April 15 and we have diligently watched for any indication of feeding, but none found and no hummers seen to date. I've been taking a real interest in the Starling/Flicker competition Norm mentioned. Amazing to watch the flickers poke their heads into the nest hole and hang there for minutes at a minutes at a time. Possibly to intimate the current occupants? Sometimes he goes to the side, and just waits, perhaps hoping the Starling would exit the nest hole so he could take over once again. The female does the same from time to time, but neither are quick enough to move in when the Starling exits the hole. Another Starling almost always gets there first. Very frustrating, even though the pair are very persevering. This pair spent 3 weeks molding this nest hold to their satisfaction while the Starlings just waited for them complete all the work. I don't remember the Starlings even attempting to enter the nest hole until it was obviously ready for nesting. We see many groups of flickers around the area during the Xmas Count, so I guess they are doing well. It's a good thing they are not all as unsuccessful as this pair (and not for the lack of trying). Fran Saunders MOS State Web Site Director http://www.MDBirds.org Silver Spring, MD | ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================