Monday, April 15, 2019

Full Swing

It's been really nice watching spring unfurl and the 5 mile radius birding has really been a big part of that this year. Day by day a new bird pops up!  I have not been too fortunate with getting photos of them..but not giving up as the season is only now coming into full swing.  

The White Eyed Vireo has been driving me crazy...while I'm trying to stalk other birds they come shouting at me they are sooo loud.  They are beauties tho so how can I ignore them? #81




...and then in the yard a (#82) Red Eyed Vireo "here I am where are you"...over and over...also avoiding my photo opts but I'll keep trying. 

I had some (#83) chimney swifts soaring high up of course no photos of that I just happened to look up and there they were.  At that moment I was in a forest clearing they soared by and gone.  Typical "flying cigar" look.  I was busy chasing a (#84) Prairie Warbler!


I could hear him all around me, and finally he landed and allowed me to see him.


  Also in the heard only so far is the (#85) Great Crested Flycatcher.  I always enjoy hearing their loud whistle.   They nest right here in the yard normally and they are showing interest in my martin house already if you came by early when I published this I didn't have a photo of the FOY bird, since the publishing time, I got one so I replaced the place holder photo with this years bird seen this morning...

 

Our Ruby Throated Hummers have arrived.  For some reason they don't like my feeder... We had a terrific thunderstorm and this one perched up on the old antenna that is still on the chimney...just a damp silhouette against the dull sky . (#86)





Over at the cow pasture I was hoping for cattle egret saw some about one mile outside the radius..but not inside..


then today saw about 50 of them still outside the radius..oh so beautiful~

...did see #87 the barn swallow swooping around the water hole in the cow pasture.  I've got a couple more pastures to check when we get a break in the rains. 

I will share this here because you who read here know my interest is purely due to the natural history around me...I was so UPSET to see this road killed beaver!!


The odd thing is there is no pond nearby where he was trying to cross this road, none visible at least! I really want to get some footage of a beaver working...this was so not good..:o(  I am at least hopefully that the numbers are increasing....and I was not able to at the time stop at a road killed armadillo within my 5 mile radius! The DNR just declared war on the coyote here so Im sure they will declare war on the armadillo as well.  :o(
  
At the Recycling center I had a great look and listen to the Eastern Meadowlark one of my favorite bird songs! Been hearing them and reported them for the radius already but finally got a decent shot of one. 



and a little song too...


I didn't make it over to the sorghum fields this week so thats going to be my concentration on Wednesday...Good week this week!! 7 Added to the radius that makes it 87 species since Jan 1st within 5 miles of home.  

And added 5 more "heard from the yard" list for the month.
30. White Eyed Vireo

31. Red Eyed Vireo
32. Ruby Throated Hummingbird
33. Great Crested Flycatcher
34. Golden Crowned Kinglet



PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.

22 comments:

  1. I so enjoy your recordings of them singing, you have lovely birds in your area. Keep them coming.

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    1. HI Jo, I love to get them in action it really showcases how awesome they are!

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  2. That Meadowlark is wonderful. Sad about the beaver but I would think that there must be a water source for them nearby. Do beavers travel to mate? as maybe he? was travelling to find a mate, with it being Spring. Just a thought. Around here some farmers shoot badgers and then dump the bodies by the road side to make them look like roadkill.

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    1. There must be some hidden water in that area, I will drive back over and see if I can figure out where it is...Sometimes I don't consider farmers and I never consider ranchers as friends of the environment! I know very little about Beaver! I must google and see what is written about their mating behavior.

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  3. Hello, you are seeing some great birds. I love the Prairie Warbler and Meadowlark. We are slowing seeing some our new birds returning. Sad to see the beaver on the road. Happy birding!

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    1. Hi Eileen...We've been getting a new FOY bird every day this month! It has been exciting! I can't recall the last time I saw a Prairie Warbler, I had almost given up "spring warblering" it can be very frustrating, but since Im just taking what comes it has not been hard!

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  4. Send a few of those White-eyed Vireos here, please. I have only ever seen two (or maybe three now that I think about it) in Ontario.

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    1. We have a good amount of the White eyed this year I'd say more than usual..and it makes me wonder why? AM thrilled about it too.

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  5. What a shame about the Beaver :( It's good to see you adding the new birds to the list, the Cattle Egrets aren't playing ball though are they!

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    1. HI Pam! I was so sad about that beaver, if that road was not so busy I'd like to have given him a proper burial...I imagine the vultures have done their job...I hope I can get back there to check it out. There is one big herd of cattle in one of my quads so I hope to check it out tomorrow!

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  6. Lovely lovely photos! Thanks for sharing. Have a lovely weekend.

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  7. came upon you by chance here in Melbourne.
    What a lovely site. Charmed by the birds and their calls

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  8. Wow you're doing great with your yard list! Sad about the beaver, there's one area here where I see that a lot. Great spring birding!

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    1. Hi Jen, yeah I really was bummed about the death of this awesome animal!

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  9. I found your blog via Dave's 'Everyone likes pictures' here in the UK... I have enjoyed going back over some of your previous posts.....
    Great images of birds here and the bird song is delightful....

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    1. HI Trevor welcome to my blog, I will pop over to see if you have one.

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  10. Wowser ... a great week! If you get tired of that loud white eyed vireo, send him here, I would love to see (and hear) it in person. Ask him to sit still and pose while you’re at it, because I’m old and slow . Road kill makes me want to cry ...every time, even though we spent a million hours on the road and saw way too much of it,

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    1. Im telling that white eyed to head your way...lol we have many this yr Im happy to report. I always say a little line when I pass an animal killed on the road "bless the life of this wonderful animal he was a part of this Earth"

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  11. The birds are soooooo very exciting and the dead beaver so sad. Life and death always go hand in hand, don't they? I completely understand the devastation you feel my friend so let's keep soaking up all the life and grieving the life turning into new life. I always move the roadkill I find when I can so they can return to the Earth so fast. The barred owl is almost completely gone. WOW!

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    1. I was sad for your owl loss...last time I checked the beaver is missing I don't know if someone got it or vultures moved it farther afield..I hope they did. Yep I move a carcass when I can...this particular road is a logging truck main way!

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