Late yesterday afternoon, I had flocks of >12 Mountain Bluebirds sheltering from the snow and wind on my two covered porches. I forgot to get some dried mealworms in anticipation of the storm like I used last spring when 60+ Brewer’s Blackbirds helped themselves to the mealworms I spread on the sidewalks! Also last spring neighbors with the same type of porches had photos of 17 Mountain Bluebirds perched all over on their porch. A little oasis of shelter in a sea of buffalo grass prairie? The Brewer’s Blackbirds have not arrived here yet, but I have ~4 Red-winged Blackbirds that are feeding on sunflower seeds.
Alas, my Say’s Phoebes have not been back to their nesting box, nor have I seen any phoebes hawking insects from the pdog fenceline along N Table Mt P a block from my house. They have usually arrived between Apr 2 and 9 according to Avisys. I have only seen one once last week at a house across the street. Will keep hoping.
Kay
Kayleen A. Niyo, Ph.D.
Niyo Scientific Communications
5651 Garnet St.
Golden, CO 80403
K...@KayNiyo.com; www.KayNiyo.com