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Thursday, July 09, 2015

Ravens

Everybody likes mulberries

It has been a weird year for counting birds. Normally Eastern Kingbirds show up early in the season and are seen on the horse pasture all summer long.

This year we didn't see any until last week and even now they are in and out.

No Eastern Towhees. No Eastern Bluebirds. Only House Wrens representing the wren family......

Sigh.....

And up until this past weekend, no Common Ravens either. We usually see more of them during the colder months so they tend to get counted early.

However, a flock of at least five flew over when we cooking out the other day. Every morning since they have been perching in the dead elm behind the heifer barn croaking up a storm.

And every day I hurry for the camera. And every day they are gone.

I guess they prefer to take their quothing elsewhere.

Despite these notable holes in the count list we have still seen 72 species so far this year, which nearly equals last year's total of 73 for the whole year. No reason to think we won't pick up something else as fall migration sets in. 

I am looking forward to counting next week at Peck's Lake....family members have spotted nesting Common Loons there...it is always good for mountain birds we don't see down here in the valleys and foothills....

4 comments:

Cathy said...

Whaaaa? No bluebirds. This won't do. What the heck?

threecollie said...

Cathy, I suspect they are out there and I just haven't been in the right place at the right time. We don't ever have more than a handful, usually way up in the Stolen Car Lot. They used to nest down at the neighbors at the bottom of our driveway, but when Harold passed away, they moved and no more bluebirds for some reason.

Eaton Rapids Joe said...

A study out of Massachusetts discovered that most crows are killed as they feasted on roadkill. Researchers were stunned to discover that over 99% of the crows were killed when hit by trucks. Trucks make up about 45% of the vehicles on the road.

Investigation revealed that crows are smart birds and they post a sentry. Apparently, the sentries are very capable of informing the feasting crows of an approaching "Ca, ca, ca!" but are completely incapable of enunciating "Truck, truck, truck!"

threecollie said...

Joe Mama, you had me going there for a minute. lol....and you are right, I have never heard one mention a truck!