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Saturday, July 09, 2011

Willow Flycatcher



I think. Though this has been just the worst summer for weather we have seen in decades, it sure has been a great one for birds. Sit for a few minutes on the sitting porch or listen to the fields and hedgerows around the house and you will see or hear something interesting every day.

Right now I am too lazy to get up, but something is singing right in front of the door....okay, I got up, it was a baby house finch singing, and very prettily too, for its breakfast right on the porch railing. The cardinals and house finches still come to eat in the cardboard box every day and the baby finches still beg for food even though they are weeks old.

And I think I finally got a shot...or two actually of the willow flycatcher ....I think....(we know we have one by the call..other than that it is an lbb).

I believe I have identified our other caller...the thing I thought was a crazed turkey. It sang right by the house yesterday and I am pretty sure it is a black-billed cuckoo. A few more listens and I will put it on the yearlong list of birds we see here at the farm that I am keeping.

Hope you are having a good weekend. We had another godawful gully washer last night, with lightning so bad I sat up and waited it out in case it hit one of the barns. It didn't and I am hoping the fencers are okay. Lost one a couple weeks ago. They don't like lightning much.

5 comments:

joated said...

I'm surrounded by birds here at the Bolt Hole. My resident Phoebe's, however, are not among them. I need to import a few more flycatching species. Lots for them to eat!

Most annoying is the Vireo singing in the poplars across the road. Steadily (and loudly!) it calls, "Here I am. Where are you? Here I am. Where are you? Here I am. Where are you?..." All. Day. Long. And you can never find the dang bird in the upper branches of the trees.

That gully washer passed just to the south of us. I could hear the thunder and see the very tops of the clouds. We got zip. Heard Dolgeville got hit pretty hard, though.

threecollie said...

Joated, I hear you on the monotonous calls. I love the indigo buntings, but after weeks of them screaming right in front of the house, I am glad they are tapering off a little. I am going to go look up vireo calls now and see if I have ever heard them. We got a horrendous storm. Lightning hit right next to the barn. I was afraid to go to bed!

Dani said...

You have the best bird yard!

Sandcastle Momma said...

I agree with Dani - your yard is a bird lover's dream! I wish we had the variety you have.

threecollie said...

Dani, thanks, wish you could sit on the porch and listen and watch with me.

SCMomma, we are fortunate... And I think they like to be near the rushing water in the water garden fountain and the mulberry trees and the short grass where they can forage. I sure do enjoy them.