Surprise Yard Nester, and More

[Donald Mackler]

I've been spending most of the past week birding elsewhere, and today was surprised to hear a Common Yellowthroat singing just a few feet away from my house. I had seen a male in my backyard (full of thick forsythia and spirea, etc) since May 7, but had not heard it at all, until today.  Upon carefully looking through wisteria growing against my shed, I found its small nest, and with three eggs already (I believe one egg is a likely cowbird egg)! It's only 11 feet from my house.  I didn't think they nest close to houses.

   My Brown Thrasher nest in the spirea had three eggs (maybe including a cowbird egg) on May 9.  I have not heard the male sing since before that date, (but it may be common for the males not to sing during egg incubation).But I do have singing mockingbird and catbird, cardinal, Song Sparrow, House Wren, titmouse, robin, starling, and more.

   Yesterday at Dragon's Tooth, Pine Warblers were singing at the top. But the highlight to me was witnessing Red-eyed Vireo romance that included short fluttery flights from branch to branch. There were plenty of red-eyeds, Scarlet Tanagers, Ovenbirds, and some Black-throated Green Warblers, Blue-headed Vireos, Great-crested Flycatchers, etc.

[Mary Bentley]

I trust that if you are indeed finding cowbird eggs that you are destroying them.

Stan Bentley

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