Currently there are some mississippi kites overhead generally heading east.
They come out of the clouds to feed and then go back up out of sight.
Yesterday had a new bird eating bark butter and not one that I ever
expected. Most of the butter goes into holes on a wooden piece protected by
a basket but I put some on the balcony rail.
Yesterday morning a young and rather fuzzy yellow-crowned night heron ate
the butter on the railing and waited for more. Was too nervous to come down
and the blue jays got it all when I did add more. Did not return today.
Day before one of the local barred owls had a todo with the pair of
cooper's hawks. The owl was sitting and minding its business at first light
when the male cooper's started swooping around the owl with lots of
cakcing. The female called but stayed at a distance. At least for a bit now
I can distinguish the male/female calls. This went on for about 15 minutes
with the owl moving a bit to try to attract less attention but finally
headed up-bayou and the hawks did not follow.
Not many migrants this spring with most days just a single or two. Almost
none at the feeders even though I put out extra for them.
First baby birds were chickadees followed by downy woodpeckers with more
than one brood of each. Maybe titmice which are keeping a distance while
being fed out of the nest. Hordes of young of the year house finches. Most
adults already gone to raise another brood whereever they nest which is not
close. Good cardinal numbers and they are fighting more than most years.
Perhaps that is related to the fact that the birds that left in the fall
did not return until nesting time and thus did not get territories set up
before needing to nest. The cardinal nests are in different areas than
prior years.
--
Joseph C. Kennedy
on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
