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Birdrush
It's upon us. The spring migration and residence changeover of the birds is here. First Baltimore Orioles, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, White-crowned Sparrows, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were spotted this weekend in the yard. The juncos and siskins appear to have made their exit, finally. When we hear the song of a Wood Thrush, we'll know that summer is almost here.
The bird population looked so interesting that we decided to go up to Marengo Ridge for a little hike this afternoon. Gary brought Red, since dogs are allowed as long as they are on leash. We covered about two miles of hilly trail through deciduous and coniferous forest zones as well as some dense scrub thickets. It had been sunny in the morning but was pretty much overcast. The temperature was a pleasant 55°F but the winds were gusty at times. We saw almost no birds at all. One Red-tailed Hawk showed up near the end of the walk, and several Turkey Vultures were circling, possibly looking at road kill on the nearby state highway. No songbirds were heard nor were they seen. Very odd.
Still, it was a pleasant walk. The trees are not leafed out as well as I expected them to be. The spring Audubon bird count is Saturday, May 7, and right now it looks as if we'll be seeing a lot of naked branches. This can make it easier to spot and track birds, but it also tends to inhibit birds from showing themselves I think.
The bird population looked so interesting that we decided to go up to Marengo Ridge for a little hike this afternoon. Gary brought Red, since dogs are allowed as long as they are on leash. We covered about two miles of hilly trail through deciduous and coniferous forest zones as well as some dense scrub thickets. It had been sunny in the morning but was pretty much overcast. The temperature was a pleasant 55°F but the winds were gusty at times. We saw almost no birds at all. One Red-tailed Hawk showed up near the end of the walk, and several Turkey Vultures were circling, possibly looking at road kill on the nearby state highway. No songbirds were heard nor were they seen. Very odd.
Still, it was a pleasant walk. The trees are not leafed out as well as I expected them to be. The spring Audubon bird count is Saturday, May 7, and right now it looks as if we'll be seeing a lot of naked branches. This can make it easier to spot and track birds, but it also tends to inhibit birds from showing themselves I think.
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Our usual complement of summer birds are here now, except for the Indigo Bunting. Those are a bit erratic, depending on some elements I don't understand. Some years we see quite a few, other years (like 2010) none at all. A friend a couple of miles away says she has them, so it's just some odd thing about terrain or environment I guess.