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Subject:

Breeding ain't easy

From:

Dan Haas

Reply-To:

Dan Haas

Date:

Fri, 20 May 2011 13:18:43 -0400

Recently, I've witnessed a couple of examples that show just how hard it is for birds to successfully raise young.

My Cardinal chicks that were in my azelea bush all mysteriously disappeared early last week. 

This morning, two crows, a dozen blue jays, chickadees, titmice and a red-bellied woodpecker were mobbing something at the top of a tree in my front yard. It took me a few seconds, but I found the cause for concern: a black snake raiding a nest. I imaging that is what emptied the cardinal's nest, leaving no mess and a perfectly empty nest.

Yesterday, just before I arrived to the pond, that adorable Black-crowned Night Heron at Patterson Park gulped down a fledgling Red-winged Blackbird.  A photographer whom I met   there took several photos of the heron lunching.  (BTW, the Least Bittern was still there.)

And in places where I regularly hear Kentucky and Hooded Warblers boldly singing, say Patuxent Ponds Park in Gambrills for example, it makes me wonder what that pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds have in mind.  Same for the pair that have been in my yard lately.

Go breeders. Best of luck.

Good Birding,

Dan 
St Margaret's
Nervousbirdsatgmail.com

Sent from my iPhone
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