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Late Spring Early Summer

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 18:03:14 -0400

Late Spring or Early Summer

Mid-June ... most of the migration is over and birds are now claiming territories and setting up nests. Some early nesters are already feeding the first brood and will start a second nest soon.

Chipping Sparrows must be early nesters because I saw definite young fledglings being fed by an adult bird today. Lots of begging and the parent flying in with juicy worms, filling young mouths. One worm is not enough and the parent quickly leaves (after stuffing the open mouth) and then flies away again to return shortly with another morsel. Must be exhausting for the adult bird.

3-4 Great Crested Flycatchers flying around with lots of fluttering going on. Couldn’t get a close look, but it must have been young also looking to be fed. Too much wing flapping, chasing and fluttering going on for it to be just one pair setting up house.

This time of year we see a lot of Crows being chased by smaller birds like Red-winged Blackbirds. Since Crows steal eggs from nests, the smaller birds are defending the nest from this predator and it can be exhausting for the smaller bird. Sometimes, the Crow is chased off ... sometimes not. Sad, but part of nature. I hate seeing it though.

Speaking of Red-winged Blackbirds ... did you know that one male will take on more than one female and nest? One male can have as many as 7 nests going at one time. Energetic little guys!. Sadly I saw a male RW Blackbird that had been hit by a car the other day, dead on the side of the road. I couldn’t help but thinking about the nests that now wouldn’t be attended to ... possible as many as 7 females that would now have to go out and hunt for food leaving the eggs unattended. Nature again ... a tough and hard world sometimes.

Squabbles and Courtship

Tue, 10 May 2011 21:17:24 -0400

More Spring Squabbles & Courtship:

It’s almost always the males! Driving along the road leading to Dune Road, I see a black and orange ball fall to the ground in front of the car. It was three male Baltimore Orioles fighting (most likely over territory). They were so intense in their battle that they didn’t fly apart until they almost hit the ground ... and they were totally unaware of my car. If I hadn’t stopped quickly, I would have hit them.

The battle of song; Ovenbirds singing their hearts out defining territory. Their songs were everywhere, ringing out loudly in the woods all around me at Wertheim Refuge in Shirley.

Wood Ducks; 5 males and one female. The males showing off, but the female seemed to have made a choice. She pretty much stayed close to one male, completely ignoring the head-bobbing of the other drakes.

Willets along Dune Road. Lots of calling, head-bobbing (and Willet sex too).

The Ospreys and Cooper’s Hawks that I have been watching at Wertheim are beyond the territory and courtship period. They are actively sitting on nests, with the mate paying close attention and either bringing food or alternating incubating.

Spring Squabbles

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 10:16:36 -0400

Spring Squabbles ...

Males defending territory; it's happening everywhere.

Canada Geese: One pair chasing another at Wertheim. Necks extended, lots of noise, chasing through the water. And if too close, then taking to the air in chase as well. Lots of wing flapping, although little actual contact. Once one pair was chased off, all got quiet again.

Mute Swans: Very similar to the Canada Geese, but more in the air chasing. Again, lots of noise with wing flapping. You don't realize just how big they are until they show aggression.

Ospreys: Setting up housekeeping on the nest. And chasing away any other Osprey that might fly too low over the nest sight. If that happens the male (and female as well if she is not sitting on eggs) will give chase, coming close to physical contact (the last resort).

Cooper's Hawk: Flying around while calling, declaring his territory as well. Then sitting quietly by the nest waiting for a mate.

Not as much tussling going on with the smaller birds, although that happens with them too. However, with them, most territory disputes are settled with song. (Wouldn't it be nice if humans settled territory boundaries that way?) Chase is given if the song is ignored and in some cases some physical tussling will occur.

Territory is critical to nest survival ... And spring time is the time to set that up. Hard on the birds, but fun for us to watch.