News Flash and Latest Migrants 5-28-24

May 28, 2024  •  Leave a Comment

May 28, 2024 ~ News Flash!

 

We were just featured in our hometown newspaper and the response has been amazing!

We've been getting comments on our website, through emails and texts from friends, old and new.

Welcome to new readers of the blog! 
 

A big shout out to Miki McKee Koelsch for really getting what we are all about and conveying it so well in the article,

and to Ursula Ruhl for taking photos of us (who'd rather be behind the camera).  Thank you!

And, a big hug and thank you to our dear friend, Armetta Smitley, who called the Times initially!
 

Here's the link to the Webster-Kirkwood Times, look for this title to read all about it:

Our Garden is for the Birds!

 


Now...on to the latest spring migrants!

 

5-16-24 Northern Waterthrush5-16-24 Northern Waterthrush 5-16-24 Northern Waterthrush5-16-24 Northern Waterthrush 5-16-24 Northern Waterthrush5-16-24 Northern Waterthrush

A Northern Waterthrush found some small larvae in the algae to eat in the bubbler on 5-16-24.

  5-18-24 Veery5-18-24 Veery

Overnight, on 5-18-24, over two million birds had flown over according to BirdCast. One that stopped in to refresh itself was this Veery.

 

5-18-24 Magnolia Warbler5-18-24 Magnolia Warbler

Another migrant was a Magnolia Warbler that just took its sweet ol' time while it bathed.

 

5-19-24 Tufted Titmouse5-19-24 Tufted Titmouse 5-19-24 Tufted Titmouse5-19-24 Tufted Titmouse 5-19-24 Tufted Titmouse5-19-24 Tufted Titmouse

This little Tufted Titmouse seemed very excited and pleased with itself for finding a caterpillar snack! It celebrated with a big splash.

 

5-19-24 Brown Thrasher5-19-24 Brown Thrasher 5-19-24 Brown Thrasher5-19-24 Brown Thrasher 5-19-24 Brown Thrasher5-19-24 Brown Thrasher

Sunday, 5-19-24 also brought a Brown Thrasher out of the thicket.

  5-21-24 Bay-breasted Warbler5-21-24 Bay-breasted Warbler

It was really dark at 7:30 am when this Bay-breasted Warbler needed a bath. Over a million and a half birds again had passed overhead the night before, but we did have a few warblers here the next morning. In fact, two females can be quite challenging to ID.

  5-21-24 Tufted Titmouse and Blackpoll Warbler female5-21-24 Tufted Titmouse and Blackpoll Warbler female

QUIZ bird! That's a Tufted Titmouse in the foreground, but what is the bird in back? Let's see if we can figure it out.

 

5-22-24 Bay-breasted and Blackpoll Warblers5-22-24 Bay-breasted and Blackpoll Warblers

These two species are favorites of many birders. The males are distinctly different, though nearly the same size. Study the leg color, that is considered a diagnostic detail to help differentiate between the females.

 

5-22-24 Two Bay=breasted females5-22-24 Two Bay=breasted females

These are both female Bay-breasted Warblers. There is variation among them but females have a split buffy eye-ring and usually dark legs and feet.


5-22-24 Two Blackpoll females5-22-24 Two Blackpoll females

Here are two female Blackpoll Warblers, again with some variation, yellowish to whitish breast with dark streaking on the sides. Some have darker streaking on top of head. Note the yellow-orangish legs and feet. 

 

5-21-24 Tufted Titmouse and Blackpoll Warbler female5-21-24 Tufted Titmouse and Blackpoll Warbler female
5-21-24 Blackpoll Warbler female5-21-24 Blackpoll Warbler female

So, what do you think the QUIZ bird is? These two are the same species. You've got this! 

 

5-21-24 Chestnut-sided Warbler5-21-24 Chestnut-sided Warbler 5-21-24 Chestnut-sided Warbler5-21-24 Chestnut-sided Warbler

Two Chestnut-sided Warblers also came in on 5-21-24. The second one is a female, not as strongly marked as the male.

  5-23-24 Canada Warbler female5-23-24 Canada Warbler female 5-23-24 Canada Warbler female5-23-24 Canada Warbler female 5-23-24 Canada Warbler female5-23-24 Canada Warbler female

On Thursday, 5-23-24, it made my day to see this female! It had been a year and a half since I'd photographed the 'necklaced' or Canada Warbler. 

 

5-25-24 Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica)5-25-24 Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica)
Indian Pinks (Spigelia marilandica) have been attracting the female Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Oops, just missed her!

 

5-26-24 Water lilies (Nymphaea odorata)5-26-24 Water lilies (Nymphaea odorata)

We've been enjoying our lush water garden, especially the water lily leaves which had expanded to huge proportions this week!

 

5-27-24 Water lilies (Nymphaea odorata) after hail storm5-27-24 Water lilies (Nymphaea odorata) after hail storm

And then, tornado warnings and a hail storm came in on Sunday evening, 5-26-24. Shredded lettuce! We were fortunate that the only damage was torn leaves, and they were everywhere.

 

As you can see by the charts, migration is winding down. There is still a slight chance for a surprise, so stay tuned!

Cicadas? Oh yes, we still hear and see the cicadas and they will soon complete their life cycle.

They have fed many birds and critters, and the leftovers will be broken down by many insects to return nutrients to the soil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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