This morning the Wood Thrush in our yard started singing before dawn, starting the chorus that we listen to through the window as we wake, and continuing past 8:00. We've never had a Wood Thrush stay beyond migration before, but this one has been singing in the same place since May 21. I take this as evidence that the little wooded area along the hedgerow has become sufficiently thick to suit him. As I walked the dog after sunrise, the thrush was singing from a large snag between the woods and our neighbor's hayfield, where it was briefly joined by a singing Meadowlark; the latter scolded and chased the thrush back into the woods, and then returned to the hayfield. ( A moment later the tree held 3 Cedar Waxwings and two Grackles.) As I looped around toward our little (but tall) spruce grove, I heard the shrieking Green Heron who's been hanging out (nesting?) there, and saw him hopping from one treetop to the next. In our open field the House Wrens and Field Sparrows were singing, while the Baltimore Oriole and Scarlet Tanager vocalized from the cherry tree... and so on. What a fine morning.
I have counted 91 species in the yard so far this year, and 126 over the past 23 years, largely due to the nice mix of habitats. The 19-acre property, with antique farmhouse and two sturdy red barns, is now for sale, and I would dearly love for it to be bought by someone who will appreciate the birdlife. If anyone here is interested, please contact me off-list or see carolbushberg.com<http://carolbushberg.com>. (Sorry for the self-promotion.) Nancy Dickinson Mecklenburg Make a little birdhouse in your soul. -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
