VA Birders,
This morning as I was checking the bluebird boxes at the golf course here on
Compton Mt, I heard and saw several species including a singing Cerulean
Warbler and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo.Ceruleans seem to be much more numerous here
in Buchanan County this year. Also heard were Hooded Warblers, Redstarts, an
Ovenbird, a Black-and-white Warbler, Yellow-throated Warblers and a Yellow
Warbler, Indigo Buntings, Red-eyed Vireos and Scarlet Tanagers. As I was
driving the couple of miles home a turkey crossed the road in front of me.
Unfortunately for the nesting birds we had a week or so of cold (low 40's), wet
weather. I have since found 10 dead young bluebirds and 3 dead chickadees in
the nest boxes. I believe the cause to be a combination of cold and the
inability of the parents to find enough food. I wonder how other species did
with their nesting attempts during the same weather. In spite of the bad
weather 48 birds fledged from the 27 nest boxes here on the mt.
The complete list follows.
Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
Buchanan County
American Goldfinch 3
American Redstart 2
American Robin 2
Barn Swallow 1
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Brown Thrasher 1
Chipping Sparrow 3
Eastern Bluebird 4 (adults)
Eastern Towhee 1
Hooded Warbler 2
House Finch 2
Indigo Bunting 3
Mourning Dove 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Ovenbird 1
Northern Flicker 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Scarlet Tanager 2
Song Sparrow 1
Tree Swallow 3
Wild Turkey 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Yellow-throated Warbler 3
Yellow Warbler 2