The Return of Piney

[Steve Wilson]

We had a pine warbler appear at our feeder today, two days later than last year's arrival but a day ahead of the year before. We've been feeding a particular male for the last three years and have become quite fond of him (and I'd like to think him of us), but he would have to be at least five years old to make it back this year, pretty old for a small songbird. At first I didn't think today's bird was "Piney" because it wasn't singing on a territory as Piney did in previous years right off the bat. It did take a live mealworm from my hand, but was mostly interested in suet, so I thought perhaps it was one of the other two, less bold pine warblers we fed last year.

However, any doubt it was Piney disappeared when Mary was sitting on our porch in one of our large wicker easy chairs, heard a scratching noise next to her and when she looked that direction found a pine warbler perched on the back of the chair, not a foot away, looking at her and waiting for a handout. She fetched a couple of live mealworms from the fridge and when she returned he hopped onto her hand and ate both, returning later to the same perch next to her head and being rewarded with two more mealworms.

Later he appeared on our window feeder. When he saw me just inside, he hopped over to the corner of the feeder closest to where the window opens and patiently waited until I stuck my hand out with a couple of mealworms, as he had learned to do last year.

It will be interesting to see how long before he starts singing and exactly where. Last year he was bumped off the territory that includes the feeder by another male and became more furtive on his visits, so perhaps he's anticipating the arrival of the other male and trying not to antagonize him.

Steve Wilson

Isabella

[Mary M White / Charles R Neil]

It’s wonderful that good news in this troubled old world can sometimes land in your hand out of thin air in a beautiful 0.42 oz. package!

Chuck Neil, Embarrass

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ely Field Naturalists" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to elyfieldnatural...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elyfieldnaturalists/CABsbq9jLkS9odH6rKV9YjpqRGRU%2BD1f2SCY2Qh%2BvEnUWt0gktQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Merrie Healy]

Thank you.

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/elyfieldnaturalists/CAKW1GhhY-Yv%3DT%2B5UeySBKU9dK%2Bs7E0YVb-J7HrQ%3Dw8n5B3XSEA%40mail.gmail.com.