Feeding Wild Birds

[R2elk]

The grackles are out of the nest early.

These are from yesterday. Surprisingly both fledglings are still alive this morning.

 

[R2elk]

Killdeer pretending to be injured.

 

[sourland]

There's a mulberry tree along the beagle club lane. Yesterday there was a juvenile starling on the lane feebly pecking at mulberries and dead cicadas. When I got out of my truck it came right up to me. Today it was dead. Most likely West Nile virus was the cause of death.

 

[sourland]

Today I saw an Eastern Kingbird at the beagle club - first I have seen in a while. A kestrel is also back hunting the grounds.

 

[sourland]

Second brood of Phoebes fledged earlier this week. There were 5 in this brood. Yesterday evening I was watching them hunt insects over the club house lawn.

 

[TwoCrows]

I just cleaned out two nest boxes, a successful year for the Ash-throated Flycatchers and the Bewicks Wrens, both species hatched and fledged out 4 babies each. I had hoped the Juniper Titmice would have nested in their box this year but the male didn't find a mate until early June, they must have decided against nesting this year.

 

[sourland]

they must have decided against nesting this year.

Some unusual happenings here this year: tree swallows never arrived, female redwing blackbirds never arrived, Carolina wrens did not nest at the club or at home. Bird populations in general are down.

 

[TwoCrows]

Some unusual happenings here this year: tree swallows never arrived, female redwing blackbirds never arrived, Carolina wrens did not nest at the club or at home. Bird populations in general are down.

Our counts and species are down too and have been this past decade. Nightjars used to be abundant in our evening skies, now only 1 pair arrives each year. Don't see Blue Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks, Redwing Blackbirds, Cowbirds, Northern Harrier Hawks, to name a few. Our raccoons and porcupines have been gone for 2 decades. Drought is killing the west.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hummingbird counts are going down too.

 

[sourland]

Today at the club I watched a Yellow Warbler feeding on aphids on an elderberry bush. It was very curious about my presence. I also watched a couple of bumble bee mimics having a territorial dispute. My third sighting was a medium sized female Eastern box turtle. What will I see later this afternoon?