Backyard Birds, They`re Everywhere!!
Harry Fisher (fish8553@dpnet.net)
Wed, 10 Jun 1998 13:49:35 -0400
Hi All: ( Yeah, it`s me again. What can I say, I`m having a blast
reading & sharing stories/sightings.)
Our 3/4 acre yard is truly alive with bird life @ the moment.
Fledglings are everywhere, & the alarm calls of watchful parents , as
well as the begging calls of the babies are constant. Best sighting of
the morning as I worked in the yard- an adult male Downy filling the
face of a female fledgling with suet, as fast as she could take it. I
was just @ Tri-State yesterday feeding young downies, & twigged on to
their presence when I heard the familiar begging call. Trust me, this is
one well fed individual, as are the baby robins gorging themselves
silly on mulberries. A male adult Red-bellied came to the suet as well,
& made repeat trips away with a beak full, no doubt off to feed a close
by young `un. Discovered nests of a mocker ( pyracantha ), cardinal (
apple tree ), robin ( peach tree ) , & chipper ( low branch of a young
pine, about 1` from the ground ). I have no doubt that a more prolonged
investigation would have turned up @ least a gazillion HOFI & MODO
nests as well. My neighbour must have the Orchard Oriole, I can hear it
singing.
Checked my BB boxes as well, 4 broods of Tree Swallows present ranging
from incubating eggs to young about to fledge, as well as an actual Blue
Bird brood of about 4 days. I wanted to get there before the black
snake I spotted on my last trip wreaked havoc. My homemade baffle looks
a little silly, but it`s free!! We`ll see if my inverted plastic
bucket snipped up one side & into the center to fit snugly around the
pole will work.
`Til next time
Leslie Fisher
North East Md