Greetings to all,
On a hot day in August, birding the backyard seemed to fit the bill (no pun
intended).
We had:
DOWNY WOODPECKER--4
HAIRY WOODPECKER--1, a young male
RED BELLIED WOODPECKER--1, a year round visitor
NORTHERN FLICKER--1, is showing up more often
These woodpeckers are coming to our suet feeders
WHITE BREASTED NUTHATCH--2, they are coming to the suet feeders more frequently
of late
RUBY THROATED HUMMINGBIRD--one male today (Sometimes we have two who do not get
along with each other.)
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH--a lot, and now the juveniles are starting to show up. They
are
the thistle feeders and helping themselves to the Zinnias and other flowers.
NORTHERN CARDINAL--quite a few, including juveniles
GRAY CATBIRD--several, including juveniles
CAROLINA WREN--at least 2
TUFTED TITMOUSE--three were here today, but they are infrequent visitors.
Unfortunately for them, we are cutting way back on Safflower feeders in an
attempt to persuade the House Sparrows and House Finches to go elsewhere. It's
not working so far.
MOURNING DOVE--common visitor
EUROPEAN STARLING and COMMON GRACKLE (far to many)--these two species compete
with the woodpeckers
for the suet
BLUE JAY
Did not visit today, but CAROLINA CHICKADEE--one, sometimes two, are infrequent
visitors. Too much competition from the already mentioned House Sparrows and
House Finches?
On another note, we concur with Bill Brown about Bluebird nesting success this
summer.
We monitor half the boxes at the Herndon Community Golf Course. So far this
summer, 39 BLUEBIRDS have fledged and there is one box, a third nesting!, that
has four babies in it. If all goes well, they should fledge by the end of the
month.
Also, four HOUSE WREN babies and 31 TREE SWALLOWS fledged from the nest box
trail as well. Not bad for a 10 nest box trail.
And that is it from hot and dry Herndon.
Good birding to all,
Jay and Carol Hadlock
Herndon, VA
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