Reports from at Home and Away (1 Viewer)

[marianna]

I have been thinking about Sara, too, Dan....I do hope everything went well, and that she will soon make it back to her computer!

Had the first indigo bunting (male) today.....what a handsome fellow.

AND for the first time in 29 years of living in this home, there were blue birds (a pair) investigating an empty old wren house hanging in an old redbud in my front yard. I did the happy dance, indeed. What gorgeous birds! I saw them Sunday, and figured they were passing by.....but maybe they'll stay and have a family! That would be wonderful! I think the opening in the wren house may have become enlarged thanks to woodpeckers? or chewing rodents? Don't know, but it appears bigger than before, and Mrs. BB was in and out, in and out.

Found the start of a chickadee nest in a wren house in the backyard.

And the baby Carolina wrens appear to be fit as little fiddles. They are so cute! Mom is very busy, and it has been in the low 80's, so the insects are out. The babies are starting to take on the look of little wrens already...amazing. They are only 5 days old. Wowser!

 

[Tammie]

Marianna, you are so lucky to have all this nesting activity in your yard! I'm just beginning to try that. I have only one nest box up right now... I'm hopeful tree swallows will take it but it's so early here yet. We'll hopefully be putting up two more this coming weekend.... for bluebirds?? Could I be so lucky??

Sara did say with her last surgery it was around 10 days or so before she managed to come back online so she may be a few more days yet. I certianly hope she's having a speedy recovery and that she won't be laid up for too long.

 

[marianna]

There is one bluebird egg in that old wren house in my front yard! Woo Hoo!

The parents were flying back and forth this morning when I was raking, picking up 3 million sticks and branches and mowing. The female was in and out of the house.

I can't believe there are finally nesting bluebirds in MY yard! Wowzer!!!

Yes, Tammie, I am incredibly lucky to have all this nesting activity going on....and I love every minute of it! Those little Carolina wrens are just so cute!!!

 

[Tammie]

Wonderful, Marianna! Congratulations!! Please keep us posted on the nesting progression.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

There is one bluebird egg in that old wren house in my front yard! Woo Hoo!

The parents were flying back and forth this morning when I was raking, picking up 3 million sticks and branches and mowing. The female was in and out of the house.

I can't believe there are finally nesting bluebirds in MY yard! Wowzer!!!

Yes, Tammie, I am incredibly lucky to have all this nesting activity going on....and I love every minute of it! Those little Carolina wrens are just so cute!!!

 

[marianna]

Oh, Oh, Oh.....today there are TWO bluebird eggs!

The Carolina wren babies are snuggled together today, as our temps dropped about 35 degrees! Yesterday, they were absolutely sprawled out....either way, they're cute as can be.

 

[snowyowl]

Two of us planned to head out birding yesterday looking specifically for a flock of Brant Geese that have been around. When I woke up in the morning there was about 4" of snow on the ground. a quick phone call to my buddy and the decision was made to go ahead with our trip. Here's our result:
Total Count: 46 21 April 2005
Name Name
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
Brant
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Osprey
Bald Eagle - 13 in total
Northern Harrier
American Kestrel
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Iceland Gull
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Snowy Owl
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Tree Swallow
American Robin
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
European Starling
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Savannah Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Observer: <Dan Kennedy>, Location: <PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND>, Taxonomy: <Wells World Birds>, Tax Filter: <<Not Defined>>
Printed: 4/22/2005 9:37:18 AM Birder's Diary - Thayer Birding Software Page 1 of 1
That's my list but I suspect that I've missed a few.

I've highlited some to indicate the first of the species in this year for me.
the Snowy Owl was the last bird of the day but we spent about two hours watching and taking pictures. Both of us had spent hours and hours searching for one over the winter and had just about given up.
A great outing. Definitely a three bounce day!
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

 

[Tammie]

FAbulous list, and a great photo too, Dan! Quite a few of those would be lifers for me too.

Bet you're glad you decided to go regardless of the snow! By the way, we woke up to snow this morning too but just a dusting.
But it was cold and super windy all day today! Visited to dentist again today so I'm going to nurse my wounds.
On the plus side, I saw an unidentifiable hawk, a female kestrel and lovely cow moose in our travels!

 

[marianna]

Lovely picture of the snowy owl, Dan......they are sure something! Glad you got to watch one for such a time.

Bad news at my old wren house. When I came home late afternoon, and went to check on the 2 bluebird eggs, they were lying on the ground, broken open. Rats.

Sparrows, ya' think? There's lots around that area.

Well, I had just purchased some live meal worms and a little pouch of bluebird nuggets, so maybe I can coax them back. sigh.

 

[snowyowl]

Yes, that was a great outing. I was with a friend who is, IMHO, the best birder in the province. It really helps to be with someone like that.
Yesterday I took my wife to see the owl but it was gone. We did, however see four Northern harriers and some Black Scoters. The only mammals were a couple of foxes, pretty poor compared to Tammie's moose. I really want to get some mammals shots when I'm in the North-west Territories next month.
Too bad about the eggs. Could be sparrows.

 

[marianna]

Tammie, I would love to see a moose in my travels!!! What a thrill! And the snowy owl that was in Indiana was truly something wonderful to see last summer, too....even though it just seemed so odd to have it hang around for so long in the middle of Indiana! Sorry your wife didn't get to see it, Dan.

Several people have suggested that perhaps house wrens destroyed 'my' bluebird eggs. Haven't heard or seen any this spring....but sounds probable.....house wrens have nested in that same house for the last several years.

Our weather has gone down the proverbial place......on Wednesday it was 85....this morning it is 39, wet, windy and the promise of snow and a freeze tonight! Sheesh!

 

[snowyowl]

It's pouring rain and very windy. A really great day to stay indoors, even the dog doesn't want to go out.
I spent all day Saturday building a photo blind back on the river. I really wanted to get it done before this wet weather hit. While it was dry I could get my truck to the edge of the woods but was afraid that I wouldn't be able to once the rain hit and the ground became soft.
I cut everything to length in my workshop, trucked it back then had to carry each piece down a trail then through a shallow salt marsh. I was only a about 150 meters but I was really beat by the end of the day. My dog was black with mud from the marsh. Now all I need is some decent weather so that I can try it out.
While I was working back there I saw a flock of Blue-winged Teal and an Osprey flew over me.
Great fun! :bounce:

 

[snowyowl]

I often refer to the Prince Edward Island National Park as an area where I frequently bird so here are some pictures of the park. I've put a couple of them in My Gallery but thought that it wouldn't hurt to put them here as well.
It's a pretty deserted place now but come back in July and August and it will be a different story.

 

[Tammie]

Wow, Dan. What a beautiful area. I never get access to areas like this.... you're quite lucky.

Good luck with the blind.... I'll be watching for photos from it!

 

[snowyowl]

The dog and I were working back by the river today. Things were quiet. The tide was very high. A pair of Green-winged Teal zipped by, a male Northern Harrier landed across from me, two Bald Eagles soaring, a couple of Herring Gulls, some Blue Jays plus I could hear lots of robins, chickadees, RBnuts and flickers calling. At one point I could have sworn that I heard a single call note from either a Northern Saw-whet Owl or, rather remotely, a Boreal Owl. On my way out of the woods I saw my resident Ruffed Grouse drumming again.
Not spectacular but very enjoyable. |:d|

 

[Tammie]

I don't know, Dan..... sounds pretty spectacular to me!

The dog and I were working back by the river today. Things were quiet. The tide was very high. A pair of Green-winged Teal zipped by, a male Northern Harrier landed across from me, two Bald Eagles soaring, a couple of Herring Gulls, some Blue Jays plus I could hear lots of robins, chickadees, RBnuts and flickers calling. At one point I could have sworn that I heard a single call note from either a Northern Saw-whet Owl or, rather remotely, a Boreal Owl. On my way out of the woods I saw my resident Ruffed Grouse drumming again.
Not spectacular but very enjoyable. |:d|

 

[marianna]

Boy, sounds spectacular to me, too!!! Wow!

The pictures are lovely....the day after my daughter's wedding in Sackville, NB, we went over to PEI and spent some time on a beach area that looks remarkably like the pictures you shared with us, Dan. It was September 30, 2001......and it was especially beautiful to midwesterners like us! Just a wonderful day we had.

Anybody hear from Sara yet? Hope all is well!

My little Carolina wrens are near fledging....and today I put out mealworms that I had bought for the bluebirds (who moved on) for the parent wrens. I do believe they did the happy dance! There was much busy-ness and chatter, and they all ate a bunch of mealies!

 

[snowyowl]

Boy, sounds spectacular to me, too!!! Wow!

The pictures are lovely....the day after my daughter's wedding in Sackville, NB, we went over to PEI and spent some time on a beach area that looks remarkably like the pictures you shared with us, Dan. It was September 30, 2001......and it was especially beautiful to midwesterners like us! Just a wonderful day we had.

Anybody hear from Sara yet? Hope all is well!

My little Carolina wrens are near fledging....and today I put out mealworms that I had bought for the bluebirds (who moved on) for the parent wrens. I do believe they did the happy dance! There was much busy-ness and chatter, and they all ate a bunch of mealies!

Yes, Sara has been back on line, on Today att he Feeder I think. Happily, she seems to be doing fine.

 

[amasara]

Hi - thanks for asking - I'm only getting upstairs to my computer when hubby is home and willing!! It'll be 2 wks post-op tomorrow and my PT is amazed at my progress. Got those pesky STAPLES out yesterday!! HAve you all heard the NEWS re: the Ivory billed woodpecker sighting in Arkansas!!!! Cornell is estatic - hasn't been seen for 60 years!!

 

[snowyowl]

I must say that I had an exceptional day of birding, at least for variety. The day started with a phone call to alert me that there was an Indigo Bunting at someone's feeders and ended with a Great Egret sighting,
I saw the bunting and the egret, both rare birds for here. I didn't get any pictures of the bunting but was successful with everything else. I did get some fairly good pictures of the Great Horned Owl female with two owlets but I can't post the pictures because of the BF rules. I cetainly didn't disturb them. My pictures were taken from at least 50 metres away and the nest is closer to a busy road way than that.
The Great Egret was busily raiding some fish pens on a trout pond.
I'll put some of the best ones of the Osprey in My Gallery after I've had a chance to look at all the shots to find the best ones.

 

[amasara]

Great photos Dan - good variety!! I've been comparing birdtales with my PT. He saw a bald eagle actually dive and hit a goose and wait for it to expire and flew in and off with it!! We thought they were fishers? He's also seen a great blue heron pick off a small bird!! ???
I was trying to get warm on my sunny porch Sun. and just happened to see 2 orioles (northern-baltimore) fly into front sycamore and then across the yard to back woods.
Of course no camera at hand and I'm not up to running yet! Should be seeing the pair build that unique nest in the front sycamore soon! Hope they get started before the leaves are fully out - now I can see them! I've noticed a lot of birds feeding on those seed balls on the s. tree!