Hope springs eternal.

Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man, 1732

Spring itself is a hopeful time, and it sure seems like we all need to reach deep within right now to stay in that positive, forward-moving lane of life. Just one week ago, Dan and I were very involved in the Partners for Native Landscaping events here in town. So much enthusiasm on display, such wonderful opportunities to hear positive thoughts and learn even more about conservation in our own yards from the most persuasive wildlife ecologist and author in the country today, Doug Tallamy. The speakers that followed him on Saturday were also brimming with excitement about new methods and new approaches to fulfill our collective proprietary goals of gardening for birds and wildlife, and thus supporting life in our local ecosystems. After all, as Doug says: 

"To save life on earth, we need to preserve functional ecosystems everywhere! So, save it where you live!" 

It is time to jump in on this conservation approach, every single one of us is needed! Do check out his newest book, Nature's Best Hope. 

I will continue to do my utmost to document and share with you, my friends, the wonderful interactions we see in our own

Shady Oaks Conservation Garden. The resiliency of Nature is our ultimate inspiration!

Let's begin with a surprising new visitor to the yard on 2/26/20, just as it began to snow. Yes, our first ever skunk. It kept on going, we have not seen (or smelled) it since. But, if you'd like to read more about this misunderstood critter, check this out:  Skunk

2-26-20 Skunk

Eastern bluebirds have been coming in, calling to each other and looking for insects in the leaves. What a brilliant blue coat the males wear! The most sustainable practice now is to leave the leaves in the garden beds so bluebirds and others will find plenty of insects to eat! Here's a look at the bird and butterfly garden and surrounding beds on 3/1/20. 

3-6-20 Eastern Bluebird 3-6-20 Eastern Bluebird

3-1-20 Leaves in E beds and bird and butterfly garden

On Friday, 3/6/20, something was moving in the shade near the pond, one of the Carolina wrens gathering nesting material. I wondered where the pair was building a nest this year?.

3-6-20 Carolina wren gathering moss for nest 3-6-20 Carolina wren gathering moss for nest

The answer would soon be revealed. The little wren sure was busy, returning frequently to the same spot, collecting lots of soft green moss.

3-6-20 Carolina wren gathering moss for nest

The brown creepers are still visiting some days, and I caught this one as it took off, revealing the pattern in its wings.

3-6-30 Brown Creeper takes off

On 3/8/20, as I sat down with my favorite mug full of coffee, I heard a familiar call. Are they back already, 11 days earlier than last year? YES! The Eastern phoebe pair was chattering noisily, checking out their nest site from last year, under the gazebo. They are species #39 for the year.

3-8-20 FOY #39 Eastern Phoebe

It was a bright, cool morning and birds became more active as the day warmed. The female Red-shouldered Hawk was perched in the sugar maple overlooking the pond. A Cooper's hawk flew in and landed on the tall white oak snag, followed by a noisy American crow. The Red-shouldered hawk flew over to the top of the same snag and began calling to her mate. The other two birds had flown off by the time I got outside to document what was going on. The male came in, the pair copulated and the male flew off into a nearby oak. Another sign of spring and the promise of life to come!

3-8-20 Red-shouldered Hawk female 3-8-20 Red-shouldered Hawk female 3-8-20 Red-shouldered Hawk pair copulating

3-8-20 Red-shouldered Hawk

Shortly after this interaction, I walked down the steps to check out the Eastern phoebes' old nest site. Aha. Well, this was going to get more interesting, indeed! The Carolina wrens have been building their nest right on top of the phoebes'. Oh, dear...

3-8-20 Carolina wren nest atop old Eastern phoebe nest

The next morning was quite gray and the female opossum was active in the woodland. (From the right angle, I could tell it was a female.)

3-9-20 Opossum female

The Eastern phoebes are still around, undeterred by the obstruction of the wrens' nest. They flutter around underneath the site. One of the wrens was still carrying in nesting material on 3/9/20. I really don't know if the female wren is inside the nest on eggs yet or not. Inquiring minds need to know but all will be revealed at some point.

3-9-20 Eastern phoebe 3-9-20 Carolina wren with nesting material 3-9-20 Carolina wren on the lookout

The bubbler had yet another visitor on 3/10/20, early in the morning. We had a clip from January that showed a scrawny coyote, but this animal  looked quite robust. Two short clips are here for you to view.

3-10-20 Coyote 3-10-20 Coyote

This morning I took 2 photos, but I still have no clue as to what is going on. I'll leave them be, as 'least disturbance' is our motto here!

UPDATE - I studied the photos and realized there is much more mud in and around the nest. It looks more like the phoebes are taking over!

3-13-20 Carolina wren nest atop old Eastern phoebe nest

3-13-20 Carolina wren nest atop old Eastern Phoebe nest

Last but not least, Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) are emerging.

Hope does spring eternal.

Take deep breaths, stay informed, be pragmatic, calm and hopeful.

We will weather this current COVID-19 crisis in due time.

3-13-20 Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)

February always seems to fly by, even in this Leap Year!

We have added a few birds to the year list and this hairy woodpecker came to the bubbler. On warmer days, which we have thankfully had, birds get in to splash and bathe in the sunshine. The Carolina wren and tufted titmouse are often first in.

2-20-20 Hairy Woodpecker

2-23-20 Carolina Wren
2-23-20 Tufted Titmouse 2-23-20 Tufted Titmouse 2-23-20 Tufted Titmouse

Nice days often precede a drop in temperatures and incoming snow. Here is how the garden looked early in the morning on 2/26 from my upstairs perch. Snow continued to fall, birds were hungry - there was a lot of activity.

2-26-20 Garden in snow

Brown creepers, European starlings and dark-eyed juncos came in with the usual mix of birds.

2-26-20 Brown Creeper 2-26-20 European Starling 2-26-20 Dark-eyed Junco

Nature reveals itself in fine layers, almost like peeling an onion. Northern flickers fascinate as they seem to change from every angle viewed. From the back, one sees the heart shape on the head. From the side, there's the black mustache of the male. But from a full frontal view, wow, yellow feathers flash! It truly is a looker. Did you know that in the West, they are red-shafted, not yellow? Learn more about them by opening this page.

Northern Flicker

2-26-20 Northern Flicker 2-26-20 Northern Flicker 2-26-20 Northern Flicker 2-26-20 Northern Flicker

Birds are courting and pairing up. One of the red-shouldered hawks was checking out this old nest in an oak. Perhaps the birds may build it up, and refurbish it. The American crows have been seen carrying sticks to begin their own nests, and they sure harass the hawks at every chance.

2-26-20 Red-shouldered Hawk nest

On Leap Day, I saw this American robin settled into the leaves. It was early, which led me to think the bird had slept there, soothed by the calming sounds of the water in the stream bed. 

2-29-20 American Robin resting

March began with a lovely day, the high reached 69 degrees and spring was in the air. The wren was singing a new tune that I hadn't heard before. American goldfinches are molting, yet blend in so easily with soft yellows and dull greens of Christmas fern and mossy rocks.

3-1-20 Carolina Wren 3-1-20 American Goldfinch in spring molt

Surely, you recognize the cheery song of the Northern cardinals, who've begun chasing other males to prove their fitness? As spring arrives, it will bring more of our migrant birds. Cornell Lab has a FREE app that will help you identify birds in your own area on any given day! What a great idea to get a leg up on learning about our beautiful native birds!

Merlin Bird ID

3-1-20 Northern Cardinal
 

We'll start with Thursday, 2-13-20. That was the day the temperature started to plummet. For a brief period, the birds seemed hyperactive as they realized what was happening. They would need some extra calories to get through a very cold night. 

The Red-bellied Woodpecker came to check out the bark butter while a Brown Creeper was on the same small oak.

2-13-20 Red-bellied Woodpecker and Brown Creeper

A few minutes later on the same tree, the female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was surprised by a Northern Flicker.

2-13-20 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker female and Northern Flicker

The Red-bellied Woodpecker came back, circling the tree in a dance with the sapsucker. Looked like the sapsucker held on for the goods.

2-13-20 Red-bellied Woodpecker and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker female 2-13-20 Red-bellied Woodpecker and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker female 2-13-20 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker female

The heater in the bubbler had failed on Thursday, 2-13, and Dan decided to wait out the short frigid spell and test the ability of the bubbler pump to keep percolating. He had faith in the warmth of the ground temperature to keep the whole system from freezing. On the morning of Friday, 2-14, the thermometer read 5.2 degrees and this is what it looked like. Icy! But, still flowing!

2-15-20 Icy Bubbler at 5 degrees

The GBBC (Great Backyard Bird Count) had begun! We had 19 species on Friday including American Goldfinches, the immature Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and at least 2 Brown Creepers.
 

2-13-20 American Goldfinch 2-14-20 Immature female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2-14-20 Brown Creeper #1 2-14-20 Brown Creeper #2 2-14-20 Brown Creeper

Late in the afternoon, a flock of robins came in, numbering 13 or more. I counted 11 when I took this photo. It's an eye test!

2-14-20 Eleven American Robins in leaf litter, north bed

About 8:30 the next morning, I went to check the east side of the yard and found the robins had come in again, along with starlings and a new bird, #35 for the year, Rusty Blackbirds! There were at least 8 that I was able to isolate as they worked in the leaf litter. They're a favorite of mine to see in the winter. This species is in a severe decline and watching them forage and find food here is very gratifying. Our yards do make a difference in helping our native birds!

2-15-20 FOY 35 Rusty Blackbird 2-15-20 FOY 35 Rusty Blackbird pairTwo Rusty Blackbirds foraging in leaf litter in our east bed. 2-15-20 FOY 35 Rusty Blackbird with insect

The Red-bellied Woodpecker was spending time on this side of the yard, as seen here on one of the sugar maples (Acer saccharum).

2-15-20 Red-bellied Woodpecker  

The American Robins were not deterred by the icy cold water in the stream bed. Several got in to bathe.

2-15-20 American Robin

The flock of Rusty Blackbirds, robins and starlings were here until about noon. They continued to find insects to eat under the leaves and in the swampy thicket. At times, they flew into cover to rest, like the bird in the twiggy Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis).

2-15-20 FOY 35 Rusty Blackbird with insect 2-15-20 FOY 35 Rusty Blackbird with insect  

2-15-20 FOY 35 Four Rusty Blackbirds in swampy thicket

2-15-20 FOY 35 Rusty Blackbird in cover of Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
 

An American Goldfinch was able to drink at the basin by early afternoon as a Carolina Wren perched nearby.

2-15-20 American Goldfinch 2-15-20 Carolina Wren

Sunday, 2-16-20, brought in 4 American Crows harassing the male Red-shouldered Hawk. It was interesting watching the larger birds. The hawk must have found a vole to eat in the swampy thicket, for it was low on the ground. The crows dived towards it, then the hawk flew to this perch and watched the crows intensely before going after them. It almost looked like a game of 'tag', but I suspect there was more to it!

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  2-16-20 Red-shouldered Hawk

Enjoy our winter birds, for soon it will be spring!