Fledgling Coopers Hawks & Violet Green Swallows, other

[JAMES D SMITH]

Hi Folks,

 

I’m going to report on general activities, fledgling Coopers Hawks, and the second family of Violet Green Swallows that took over the back box.

 

Coopers Hawks

7/10 – While washing some dishes a hawk settled onto my side fence and I initially wrote it off as a juvenile Sharp Shin. A few moments later, another settled beside the other and I noticed the large body size, big feet, and rounded tail. Checking Sibley, the large brown markings were nothing like the photograph, see attached CH fledglings 071115. Exploring the web didn’t help, and given they were not Northern Harrier or Goshawks, I could only assume they were very early fledglings. What you can’t see in the picture is my iron bird feeding station which was filled with Finches and was 20 feet away. After a while, they flew back in the direction of the suspected nest. The second picture has a close up of one of the birds (CH fledglings II 071115). The next day is presented in the third picture CH fledglings 071215. What I did witness, is that the birds would hang out on the fences or trees until a call from the nest area, apparently dinner bell call, and they would squawk and fly to the nest. I did find the nest around this time and thought it was empty; I was wrong. It was coated with feathers from Eurasian Collared Doves. Also, given the lack of juvenile Starlings this year; a lot of them were "disappeared".

7/16 – a Third Fledgling was seen; the pair in the tree and one on a roof.

7/18 – A pair in the tree, a pair on the roof.

Over all, its been a bit tough to hear the crying of the hungry hawks; they appear to have made it with them getting the sick and weak birds at my feeding station. They have appeared to move on with one hanging out in the area, which can be seen in the last photograph which I call MINE!.

 

Violet Green Swallows – Back box

6/9 – Caught feathers

7/9 First chirps out of back box

7/16 – First bill out of back box

7/19 – Weather is awlful, no more chirps; I open box and several (appear) are dead. Thinking this is it; I tried misting into hole since this was hot and dry, wetted box; nothing. Since the box was in the afternoon sun, I was going to move it when (fortunately) my drill battery died. At 2:10, a bird sticks its head out and chirps. Wow, I was so close to a very bad move. At that point, I just cooled the box with water and left it alone to nature.

7/26 – Last bird gone. This morning there were 6 birds flying around the box with junior hanging out the hole and chirping. By 11:00 am, no more chirping and no Swallows in area. Temperature was very nice. Around 1:00 as I was walking the yard (nature area) a single VGSwallow flew several times around the house pulling some aerials and having a lot of fun. I did not fly like an adult, and  given the tendency of kids to come back to the nest, I will take the liberty to assume it was the last “junior” to come back for a final visit. There were no more VGSwallows in the area from this time.

 

Other

7/12 – Unusual blue colored bird with white breast spotted; not seen since. Based upon input, it was likely a Black Throated Blue Warbler. Male Common Yellow Throat feeding kids.

7/14 – Bush tit babies being feed in trees.

7/17 – Yard first; a Brown Creeper in neighbors (rotting, rust infected) Cherry trees.