Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Trip Report - Oak Hammock Marsh

.
Very chilly, and very WINDY!  Especially out at the marsh, the birds were just being blown every which way.

Saw Red-Winged Blackbirds on the highway out to the marsh, as well as a few Canada Geese. 


Didn't even notice the baby til I was looking at the pic on the computer!

In one of the ponds near the interpretive center were a few Canvasback and Lesser Scaup.  Too distant for good pics though.

Soon picked up Yellow-Headed Blackbird, Brewers Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-Headed Cowbird, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Killdeer, Mallard and American White Pelican. 


This Cliff Swallow was in a flock of about a hundred altogether, resting on the road.  Warmer?  Easier to weather the wind? 


Kind of a small brood!  Poppa was very protective of his family though!

We decided to try to road to the north mound, and picked up a few more species.  Northern Shoveler, Blue-Winged Teal, Gadwall, Northern Harrier, and the highlight (for me) a singing and displaying male Bobolink!  No pics (darn!)


There's a more typical brood size!  Daddy hadn't crossed the road yet.  They had a bit of a time, herding all those babies down into the water, but they made it!

Last sighting was a Franklin's Gull, right before we got back to the highway.
.
 

Yesterdays birds (May 23)

.
No photos from the yard birds, didn't spend much time watching - got to go on a trip to Oak Hammock!  Will post shortly about that!

Yard birds included Chipping Sparrow and Pine Siskin.

But no pictures.  Darn!
.

Day before yesterdays birds (May 22)

.
Much better day than previously!

No firsts, but there were some American Goldfinches (two males, one female) again, and a Rose-Breasted Grosbeak male, singing from a treetop!

Other birds were Chipping Sparrows, American Robin, Pine Siskin, Tennessee Warbler.

Also took a short trip to one of the greenhouses outside of town, and managed to see Canada Geese, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Yellow-Headed Blackbirds and a few Killdeer.

Most of my pics were DARK!  Did manage to get one picture of a Hairy Woodpecker though!

.

Birds from three days ago (May 21)

.
Might as well post, if just for the sake of completeness!

Only birds seen that day was a trio of Chipping Sparrows, who had themselves quite a tussle over the seed feeder.

No pictures (darn!)
.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Yesterdays birds (May 20)

.
Slower birding today, but did have a first of the year Nashville Warbler.

Other birds include two Chipping Sparrows, two pairs of American Goldfinches, a Swainson's Thrush and the Red-Breasted Nuthatch.

American Goldfinch, peeking from behind a pole!


A bit of a hide-and-seek, but there is a Nashville Warbler in there!  One of my better warbler pics this year - yikes!


A Chipping Sparrow taking a bath.  Not much light, had to use a slow shutter speed, but I got such a kick out of the "curly" wings!


No half measures here, this bird got WET!


An American Robin came next, took his time making his way over to the bath.  I like this pic, with the pot's scalloped edges.


Decision made, bathing to commence!






He got WAY into the experience, water was flying everywhere!  Love his wild-eyed look in the last two pics. 
.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Yesterdays birds (May 19)

.
What a great day!  Started out cloudy, but cleared.  A first of the year was a male Mourning Warbler!  No pics, darn!

Other birds:  Pine Siskins (about four), a female American Goldfinch, a Swainsons Thrush, two Chipping Sparrows, a Black and White Warbler, a male Cape May Warbler, a male Tennessee Warbler, and a male Blackpoll Warbler!  Gotta love a five warbler day, no pics though!

Male Hairy Woodpecker.  Loves peanuts!  Check out that beak!  Sometimes it's hard to tell Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers apart.  Sometimes it's not.


American Crow.  Also loves peanuts!



I wondered who was leaving peanut shells in the birdbath!


Female American Goldfinch.  Didn't see any of her boys today.


White-Breasted Nuthatch.  Not sure what was going on here, maybe he was fending off a House Sparrow.

.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Yesterdays birds (May 18)

,
Still only a few birds, but good ones!  The Goldfinches arrived, at least three males and one female today.  A few more siskins as well.  Got a brief glimpse of one of the Chipping Sparrows as well.

American Goldfinches






Don't usually like feeder photos, but got a kick out of this one, looks like they're checking each other out!


Pine Siskins.  They don't usually feed that close to each other!




This little one has a bald spot on the chest!  Wonder if it's a brooding female (too soon?) or molting...


Check out that yellow rump!


A bonus Red Squirrel


Another look at the Nanking Cherry blossoms!  No bird in the picture (darn!)

.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Yesterdays birds (May 17)

.
A slow birding day!  All of the sparrows left except for the Chipping Sparrows.  I think they nest somewhere nearby, but they're not being as conspicuous.  Thought my spring birds were done with, but had a surprise in the evening, a small flock of Pine Siskins!  Love their cheery little voices!


Very unusual pose!


This Hairy Woodpecker seemed to be getting seeds from the feeder and stuffing them into the cracks of this "snag" we have against the fence. 

.

Day before yesterdays birds (May 16)

.
A much slower birding day.  Did have an Orange-Crowned Warbler, but the number of sparrows were way down.  One Lincoln's Sparrow that was singing, a White-Throated Sparrow, a Chipping Sparrow and a Clay-Colored Sparrow.

The birds weren't cooperating for pictures though!

Did get this one shot of a Starling.  He stayed in that pose for a while, not sure what the point of it was!

.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Yesterdays birds (May 15)

.
Great weather, but most of the birds didn't show.  Seems to be the trend!

Todays birds included Harris's Sparrow (two or three), White-Crowned Sparrow, Lincolns Sparrow, White-Throated Sparrow, Chipping Spparrow, Clay-Colored Sparrow, Common Grackle and Ovenbird.  No new birds, and no warblers other than the Ovenbird.

Chipping Sparrow


Female House Sparrow


Harris's Sparrows



This one was funny, I guess he was leery about the bath, so contented himself with snagging water drops from the side!

.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Yesterdays birds (May 14)

.
Well the nice weather finally returned!  Good birding today, but had trouble readjusting to bright sunlight for pictures!

A first of the year was a very nice male Yellow Warbler. 

Others:  White-Throated Sparrow (still about 15 or so), Chipping Sparrow (at least two), Harris Sparrow (two or three), White-Crowned Sparrow, Ovenbird, Lincoln's Sparrow, Red-Breasted Nuthatch, Purple Finch, Clay-Colored Sparrow, and one female Rose-Breasted Grosbeak.

Harris's Sparrow.  He's giving me a bit of a stinkeye, I think!


American Crow. 


Ovenbird


Female Purple Finch


European Starling


White-Crowned Sparrow


Not sure if he's checking out the water, or the sky here!  But nice flexibility!

.