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Re: Fledging Day

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Rick Sussman

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Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:09:13 -0400

We still have a box full of baby bluebirds here. I watched the male coming and going yesterday afternoon, and saw at least one little head popping out of the hole begging for more food. This is the 3rd set of young in this box this season! Very successful indeed! Our other boxes mmay ave fledged a set or two between them (2 boxes) another fledged a set of Tree Swallows earlier in the summer. I was battling House Sparrows all summer, but they must've finally given up and moved on.

This morning, just a short time ago, I was standing in the kitchen with my coffee looking out the window towards the feeders, etc. when I noticed a yellow bird perching on a black-eyed susan stem, flitting for balance. This is not terribly unusual, as I often see goldfinches do this, picking at the flower heads for seeds or insects. But this bird seemed different, larger. It turned out it was a recently fledged oriole (Baltimore I think, though it was rather yellowish). It was joined by a second one, and they briefly went in and out of a large holly bush right by the side porch, then back to the black-eyed susan, then one perched on the deck rail (for photos!), before they went off. Neat!

Rick  Sussman
Woodbine,Md




-----Original Message-----
From: Gerald & Laura Tarbell <>
To: 
Sent: Tue, Aug 10, 2010 8:23 am
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Fledging Day


There are two of the five little BLUEBIRDS still in the box and the parents
re trying to coax the last ones out. Always a big event.
We had a good year and even with only one box we got two successful broods
f 5 each. The sparrows weren't as big of a problem this year and some Tree
wallows stopped one day but evidently were shown to the road by the
luebirds. There have been years recently when we were lucky to get a brood
f the swallows as our only positive production. It's great to be back in
he bluebird business.
We birded in a foreign country named Shenandoah NP Sunday and Laura got her
irst ever look at a Scarlet/Green Tanager. I've spotted them 3 or 4 times
efore. If you hear Tanagers this time of year try to get a visual. The
ales look kinda funny as they shed their red colors.
We also had looks at HOODED WARBLER and OVENBIRD. And a RAVEN in the road,
ut that's normal up there.
Jerry Tarbell
atching fledglings in Carroll County