June 14th

 

Burbine Forest Revisited and Wren Update

Veery

 So, I talked myself into it. We went back to the Thomas H. Burbine Memorial Forest this morning, Ralph to read on his phone and me to walk the trails and stalk the birds.

This trip was even better than the previous one. As soon as I left the parking lot I heard my first of the year Winter Wren singing, and before the day was up I heard two more and saw one. If you have never heard one give this a listen. This song is my favorite of all the bird songs I have actually heard. It isn't quite a Musician Wren, but close enough for Upstate NY. (Do give both a listen; you will be glad you did.)

Here is a link to the trip checklist with two recordings I made of the Winter Wrens today.

After enjoying the wren, a nice flock of Red-breasted Nuthatches and some Blackburnian Warblers, I walked on and found some of the trails I missed last time.

They are much more extensive, enough so that I didn't dare walk them all for fear that Ralph might get bored and leave me to walk home. JK, he wouldn't do that but I was afraid he would worry.

Two different deer burst out behind me barking and coughing and snorting their terror and outrage at finding an intruder in their woods. 

There is a gazebo, a pond, and a nice little deck with chairs near the pond. I ended my walk with 34 species, many of them unique to tall, open woodland like this. 

There is a Northern Flicker nest with babies in a snag there. Hermit Thrushes singing everywhere. Veerys ditto.

It is a really nice place and I highly recommend it. Can't wait to go back.

Update on the wren situation I mentioned yesterday. Today there has been a tame little Northern House Wren singing on the sitting porch and checking out the nestbox all day. Could be a stranger but I have a feeling it's  Mr. C&LB. We'll see how tame he is.....

Ragged Robin

Thomas H. Burbine Sr. Memorial Forest

 

Although it is often birded by others, I had never visited, even though it is close to home, adjacent to another spot we frequently visit, and easily accessible. Last week I decided to give it a try.

Before I was even out of the car, while I was still looping camera and binocular straps around my neck, I counted birds singing in every direction. Crossing the wide, well-graveled parking lot I heard more Red-breasted Nuthatches than I have ever encountered at one time before. Blackburnian Warblers sang softly all around me. A Pine Warbler slurred its gentle, junco-like song from the underbrush.

Although the easy trails were not extensive, the open pine forest with little understory was not unlike a cathedral, almost silent except for the bird song. I think I missed a lot, not knowing where to go. 

I hadn't gone more than a few yards before I heard a singing Hermit Thrush, a bird that had eluded me in our home county this year up until that point. Because the big trees muffled most of the traffic noise I was able to record even a very vocal Brown Creeper, and Golden-crowned Kinglets were easily heard.

The forest would be beautiful, even without the plethora of lovely singers, but the birds do add a delightful dimension. I look forward to returning, especially maybe next spring during warbler migration. Spectacular habitat for anything that likes tall evergreens. I'll bet there are owls there!

I knew Tom and liked him a lot. He gave me a deer foot fern once because I admired one in his office...that was just the kind of man he was. I am glad to have visited this forest tribute to him.

Tough Little Mama

 

Northern House Wren in the act of fledging

Late May and early June brought our wrens back to the Sitting Porch, sporting a brand new name, as the House Wren species was split this year. Now there are Northern House Wrens and Southern House Wrens, plus some new Caribbean wrens. (I predict that, like many other splits, the US species will either be "lumped" back into one pretty quick, or the powers that be will discover that the two species hybridize with "hybrid vigor" along the line of demarcation like it was their job.)

Anyhow the early season went by in a normal fashion. One of the pair hated me with a thousand passions, scolding furiously if I so much as walked past the screen door...on the inside. The other half of the equation hopped around my feet, landed on the flower box next to me if I dared to sit in my chair out there, and generally seemed to find me downright acceptable.

The chicks hatched. The one I assume to be the mother, as she spent much more time in the box than the other, hated me ever more vigorously as the bug shuttle began. The male just yawned and shrugged.

Insect Door Dash in the side yard

Then her partner vanished. It is hard to tell if you are seeing one or two wrens in the never-ending insect delivery brigade on the porch, but I was only noting an angry bird with not a sign of Mr. Calm and Laid Back. I lamented him. I am sure if she was capable of lamenting the hen wren did too, as both parents normally feed the nestlings. 

A couple of days later I was watering plants in an upstairs bedroom when a wren calmly hopped up to me and perched on a corner shelf. I was sure it was Mr. C&LB. I couldn't catch him though, and he vanished again. I think he got through a gap into the attic.

I felt terrible. I looked and looked but no luck.

Meanwhile Ms. Ultra-Karen continued to feed the kids alone. I read in Cornell's Birds of the World that a male that had lost his mate was documented making 1217 insect deliveries in one day. She probably didn't bring that many bugs but the shuttle ran dawn to dark, with pauses only to natter at me to get offa her lawn...or porch as the case may be.

Today the babies fledged. There was much cajoling on her part to get them to come out into the world. They were pretty reluctant. I don't know how many there were altogether, but babies came out of that tiny white bird house like clowns out of a circus car. I can't say I was sad. it is always great, every single year, when I can finally water the plants on the porch in peace and guilt free.

A couple of hours later as we ate our lunch in the living room there was a soft window strike on one of the big windows....

From the inside!

Our visitor was an adult Northern House Wren. Did the female accidentally find her way indoors? Was it one of the other pair that has taken up housekeeping on the other side of the house?

I don't know. We managed after a few tries to shoo it out the door to the Sitting Porch and it flew off as if its tail feathers were on fire.

I do know that I will be watching...and hoping...to see an extra tame, really, really friendly Northern House Wren in the coming days. I sure hope that it was Mr. C&LB.

Also, I wonder if the missus is a new bird this year and the male was half of the old pair...a lot can happen to a bird that weights less than four tenths of an ounce on a trip from here to Central America and back. If she nests again this year or returns next, I hope she gets used to me though. Last year's wren adventure was much more peaceful.

I don't like you!

Happy Birthday

To our personal horse/cow/dog/etc. whisperer. Also oldest kiddo. 

Hope you have a wonderful and .....peaceful....(as if) day. 

Love you Liz. Happy Birthday! 

Some Gave All

 Thank you!

Welcome to Sprinter

 

You've heard of golf ball-sized hail?
This is a golf ball-sized golf ball that
mysteriously appeared in our barnyard recently.
I blame the weather

An unpopular Frankenseason, bastard child of ice and thunder, ugly babe of snow and rainbow.

Nobody likes it and it just won't go away.

I'm grateful that we are neither making hay nor planting corn right now, and those who are have my deepest sympathies. 

March didn't go out like a lamb
Neither did April
And now look at May
I call foul

There was this Thing Last Saturday

Red-eyed Vireo

 *** a Century Run is an attempt to find at least 100 species in 24 hours in a given area. A fellow birder and I gave it a go last Saturday and had quite a time. 

2025 Fulton-Montgomery County Century Run

200 miles, 110 birds. 15 ½ hours.

.55 birds per mile, for George Steele and myself, Marianne Friers, on our Fulton and Montgomery County Century Run this year.

 The day began just after 3 AM, with a duo of American Woodcocks peenting on a Montgomery County back road, with a Common Yellowthroat complaining about all those pesky witchities nearby.

Ruffed Grouse (through the windshield, sadly)

It ended sometime after 6 PM with a fortuitous Ruffed Grouse that showed up mere seconds after George pointed out that the habitat was perfect for them, and I mentioned seeing one in that spot last year.

“What’s that in the road?”

“A Ruffed Grouse, believe it or not.”

Wildy enough it was like that all day. A Grasshopper Sparrow buzzed from the exact bush where one has been found singing for the past three years. A Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched at the tip of the very same swampland snag where one has awaited us for even longer than that. Ditto a Common Gallinule up in Fulton County. There has been one calling or running back and forth across the road every time we have visited this year. It was joined by a Virginia Rail scurrying past just as we left. 

We got some strange looks on the Gateway Bridge, which was thronged with non-bird folk, when we cried in perfect unison, “Fish Crow!” as one called nearby. The expected Northern Rough-winged Swallows were swiftly flitting there as well.

Cobra Chicken and Chicken Children

George called up a pair of Great-horned Owls and a couple of Barred Owls in the early morning darkness. Even Merlin thought his vocal imitations were actually birds of the night. 

Species highlights included a Worm-eating Warbler  flitting around and singing its buzzy trill from the edge of a woodland road. It was a first in NY for me, and only the second anywhere, and brought us to a total of 14 warbler species.  

Common Merganser

Just as last year we failed to find either a Brown Thrasher or a Hermit Thrush, although other thrush species abounded. The afternoon brought snarling winds and driving rain, but George still managed to spot a pair of Common Loons way out on the seething waters of Caroga Lake. Had a great time as always.

A Wren by any other Name

 

Little Northern House Wren, silent as a leaf's fall

Or raucous as a grand parade, big brass band and all

Let them change your name dude,

Just keep your attitude!

Happy Mother's Day to you Ladies Too

 

Mother's Day

 

Happy Mother's Day in Heaven, Mama. I sure do miss you.

Early Birds

 

Morning dog walking time. Too cool for his kennel run, so, like a balloon on a string, I tag along on his o'dark thirty adventure.

Twenty feet to my left something sprinkles fresh notes across the dawn, thin, airy, and clear, as fragile and bright as the ring of good crystal. For a second I wonder, what singer is this? I have never heard this song before.

Then the singer lets go with a lusty spring song, heard early and often around here, as soon as the snow starts to melt.

A Song Sparrow.

Who knew that they share this delicate and lovely little prelude to their sometimes monotonous regular riff? It was a small treat in a series of far from flavorful days and I will try to relish the memory through all the gloom and rain.

Meanwhile, who released the Yakushima Rain Ducks????

Happy Easter

 

Pony

 

This little pony was hauling a cartload of Amish boys when we spotted it the other day. It was quite a job for the little critter but he seemed unimpressed.

I do love ponies!

My Buddy

 Is getting old, but he isn't slowing down.

Doors

 

Reflections

 

Although Rumor has It

 

That this guy's birthday was yesterday, it is actually today. I want to wish him a very happy one, even though he is far from home and everyone misses him a whole bunch.

Have a great birthday, Alan, we love you a lot!