Woodcock calling

Woodcock is "beeping" right outside my door wall.... two pairs nested near my house last year... very cool bird...

Great day for a walk behind the house

Took a long walk behind the house today. As usual for this time of year it was very wet... With my Rubber knee high boots I walked for about two hours exploring most of the acreage. The ponds directly behind my house had a dozen Hooded Mergansers and 1 pair of Ring-necked Ducks. There were a couple dozen Song Sparrows. Tree Sparrows are still around in good numbers. I flushed 4 Wilson's Snipe and 1 Woodcock today. The Snipe has an interesting call note when flushed. I have never heard it before. I have only seen them doing there courtship flight or silently feeding from a distance. I will not forget it. The Northern Harrier that I have seen all winter was making his loop around the fields. I would love to get a picture of it in flight. An awesome looking male. I know I keep complaining about not having my zoom, but I saw my first Eastern Phoebe of the year, on a branch 8 feet away from me and it sat perfectly still in the bright sunlight.... Arrrrgh!!  I pair of Golden Crowned Kinglets working the tree tops on the back edge of the property where all the pines are. In the large pond off of 25 mile rd there were 50+ Mallards, a few Black Ducks and half dozen Hooded Mergansers. Tons of Bluebirds and at least a gazillion Red-winged Blackbirds.. yes gazillion is a word.  Found a possible fox den with fresh activity and put the trail camera on it..... Chorus Frogs were singing everywhere... 


I love spring......

If I dont get my zoom back this week I am gonna freak out.... Bluebird on the new house

I put up my first Eastern Bluebird box last week... today I got my first one sitting on top of the box... I was hoping a family declared it there own before the tree swallows showed up...

Wilson's Snipe - I miss my Zoom :(

With the melting snow I have a small lake right behind my bird feeders.... this little guy showed up today and was probing for insects.... still out there at 625PM... another odd bird at the feeders for this year.... LOL!!

Unfortunately my Zoom is not back from the Manufacture for a calibration so this is taken with a 100mm Macro. Oh, well...... 

Cold.... no new reports

At Stoney Creek today there were a ton of Song sparrows along the path around the lake... Saw one Bald Eagle on ice near north dam.... The big Raft of ducks that was there a week ago is gone.... The lake is still frozen over for the most part.... Nothing knew to report on the home front... The Woodcock have quieted down since the cold spell and the feeder is full of Grackles, Cowbirds, Redwinged Blackbirds (Males), House Finches and an occasional junco or Tree Sparrow....

Camera Back but still missing the zoom.... feeder shots with the macro..

Feeders are active with Grackles, Redwinged Blackbirds and Cowbirds... a few tree sparrows still around... the Goldfinches and House Finches have disappeared for the most part.... I dont know if the bigger birds are scaring them away.... Marsh behind house is full of ducks... most of what I see are Mallards but I have not put on the Rubber boots and traversed across the wet area.... click on image to enlarge.

First 60 degree day since November.. Stoney Creek and Yard report

Stopped by Stoney Creek Metropark today to scope the lake... Most of it is still iced over, however the bridge area near the Nature Center road is open... 20+ Common Merganser, 6 Hooded Merganser, 6 American Wigeon, 50+ Ring-necked Ducks, 50+ Redhead, 12 Canvasback and a few bufflehead...

Feeder was busy today with Grackles, Red winged Blackbirds and new arrival Cowbirds... a couple of Tree Sparrows stopped by.... 

My blog is so boring without pictures.... camera is on its way back from Canon... hopefully they fixed my autofocus issue...

Migration Report

Killdeer arrived in full force last night... they were making a ton of noise into the midnight hours... Also one of my breeding pair of woodcocks was doing his skyward dance last night.... I had two pair nest within a couple hundred yards of my home last year.... still waiting on the White Thr Sparrows or a Fox to show up... Lots Turkey Vultures around.... The Tree Sparrows have disappeared....

Feeling sad, even though new migrants are showing up every day...

I have been having some issues with my camera as of late... The autofocus seems to be off... I did a series of tests with it today on a tripod and using my 4 lenses and it is front focusing almost a half inch.... So, I shipped it off to Canon Service today to have it calibrated... Hope the turn around is fast...


On the Birding front, yesterday saw the arrival of Turkey Vultures... several were seen near my home.. Also had one Killdeer on a flyover and a flock of male Robins in the yard today....

Looked out at the feeders today at 1300 and there was an opossum helping himself to the tray feeder... not what I wanted to see.... I made it clear to him and his relatives that I do not want them visiting my feeding station... I'll just leave it at that......

Robins... and not the wintering population

Today I noticed that Robins have begun to return to the area... I have seen more wintering Robins this year than any other year... Hundred or so... but these Robins were all Males and in a group of 10... One of them singing form the roof top.... Spring is closing in.... Also saw 3 Turkey Vultures today.... Still no Killdeer.. I expect them in the next few days...

New Arrivals.... Common Grackle

It snowed 3 inches over night much to my chagrin.. I am really tired of winter.. Sitting at my computer studying for a certification test this morning I hear a loud chorus of squeaky bird songs and instantly know what I am hearing... walk to the back doorwall and lo and behold I have 20 Common Grackles and 50 RedWinged Blackbirds in my feeders, sharing room with a dozen Horned Larks.... I am thinking that even though spring has not broke (snow and ice), the birds must know something we dont..... Just sayin....

Good Hiding spot....

I had a feeder full of birds today and it was snowing.... I looked out into the field and about 25 yards behind the feeder I see this Cooper hawk sitting on a pile of branches from a cotton wood that I cut down in the fall... None of the birds knew he was there because usually he uses the roof tops or sits in the trees about 10 feet off of the ground.... He sat there for about 10 minutes and took off toward the feeders... Unsuccessful...

Common Redpoll in Feeder - Finally

Had a Redpoll visiting the feeder today.. Just one female... hanging with a group of Goldfinches.. Fun to watch. The Common Redpoll is more cocky and aggressive than the Goldfinches. She chased a couple of them out of the feeder, and then hopped on the ground, tail cocked in the air, acting like she owed the place... Hope she brings her friends.. Nice streaking under tail coverts... This is my first year attempting to photograph birds and my zoom is not very long... I find it hard to get good shots on cloudy days..

Redwinged Blackbird in feeder

The Red-winged Blackbird that arrived on the second decided to come into the yard into my feeders yesterday. It sure is good seeing a spring migrant... On an interesting note, he immediately chased a couple of starlings away... I do not like starlings in the feeders... eat too much, sit on my roof and poop all over my patio... warming up today and rain, might let the feeders sit empty for a day or two so the flock moves on...

Red-winged Blackbird

Redwinged Blackbirds arrived today behind the house... one day earlier than last year...