[TN-Bird] Re: Henry County spring arrivals & others (pic)
- From: "Ford, Robert" <robert_p_ford@xxxxxxx>
- To: <yodergoat@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:31:22 -0500
On white-breasted nuthatch behavior that you mention below, it reminded me
of a paper in The Migrant by Anne Tarbell (available here:
http://www.tnbirds.org/MigrantOnline/V068/V068p001-006.pdf ). She also
presented this information at the Fall TOS symposium; it's still one of my
favorite presentations/papers. In her case, the female acted much as you
describe below and it seemed to be about courtship. Defensive behavior was
more often bill sweeping. Her paper is an easy read, and worth it.
Very cool observation - I've been hoping to see it, but never have. Thanks
for sharing.
Bob Ford
Haywood County
On Sat, Apr 13, 2013 at 9:23 PM, Shawna Ellis <yodergoat@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> April 13, 2013
> Paris, Henry County
>
> This evening after supper we went out into the yard and saw some
> interesting birds. The first to catch our eye was a common yard bird,
> but his behavior was interesting. There
> was a squirrel hanging out on a limb a few feet above the nest box
> occupied by White-breasted Nuthatches, and the male nuthatch did not
> like this at all. He was flaring out his wings and swaying slowly back
> and forth on the box in a very intimidating manner. He kept this up
> for a while until the squirrel left (it was startled by our neighbor
> starting a tractor). I was proud of how well the bird protected his
> family.
>
> We then saw a couple first of season (for our yard) birds. We had long
> looks at a singing male Northern Parula. We've seen them already
> elsewhere and have heard them in our yard in the last few days, but
> this was the first yard visual.
>
> Lots of motion in a red oak tree drew our attention where we saw one
> drab Yellow-rumped Warbler and several in brilliant breeding plumage
> and a few others in between. Some were singing. We've seen
> Yellow-rumped Warblers all winter, but of course not so brilliantly
> colored. In the same area where we saw these, there was a male Summer
> Tanager... this was our first time to see one anywhere this year. He
> lingered for a while and later we heard him doing the "ticky-tuck"
> type call.
>
> We saw a few FOS Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and observed one at our
> feeder. I think they came April 12 last year.
>
> Although we've seen Blue-gray Gnatcatchers elsewhere already this
> spring, we had our first of season for the yard today.
>
> We've heard our first Whip-poor-wills in the last couple nights.
>
> The Blue Grosbeaks (at least one, anyway) continue and one of them is
> a regular feeder visitor now. He was nervous and jittery at first but
> is settling down to come even when we're in the yard. Lovely bird.
>
> I decided to turn on the water drip... the Summer Tanagers loved it
> last year. I'm hoping the Blue Grosbeak comes to bathe or drink
> because I keep a list of "what has come to the water."
>
> As a non-bird side note, we also saw a few first of season bats.
>
> Shawna Ellis
> Paris, Henry County
>
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