Tree swallows are back and swooping around their nest boxes. I knew I had better get a move on and clean the mouse nests from their boxes. Perhaps this is the year Eastern Bluebirds will again try their nesting luck here. So this morning, I hoisted my bird house cleaning kit and set off to the far reaches of my property. On my two hour trek, I did not see any sign of the hoped for bluebirds. However, I did imagine I could hear snatches of their soft melodious warble. On my walk back down the lane towards home, all was revealed. I'd been punked! The bluebird song was interspersed with other bird sounds and even -- this really astonished me -- a rendition of a dog owner calling "Come he-e-ere, come he-e-ere, come he-e-ere. Good boy-y-y, good boy-y-y, good boy-y-y". High up in an Ash tree, I saw that it was a Brown Thrasher performing these clever impressions. Sometimes you just can't believe your own ears. Canada has talent!
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| A Brown Thrasher belts out a convincing medley of sounds from other species. |
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| He takes a performance break to explore a brush pile. |
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| A squirrel has enlarged the entrance to another bird box. |
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| A lovely Earth Day to sit by a stream and enjoy the sights, sounds and scents of Spring. |
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| ... waitin' round the bend, my Huckleberry friend ... |
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| Only one of my two honey bee colonies survived the severe cold of last winter. |
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| Both native and honey bees are visiting my patch of lawn crocus. |
Do you have to start off with a whole new colony? Love the water trickling down, bare tree trunks, and the crocus, perfect there waiting for a bee to find some goodies.
ReplyDeleteAs always, thanks for dropping by, Jean. My one surviving hive of honey bees looks healthy and robust so in another three weeks I'll split that colony in two and the half that does not have the queen will make their own. We came through an especially cold winter that I suspect resulted in the loss of one of my colonies.
DeleteKnow the anticipation with the Bluebirds. For 14 years the sparrows ran off my Bluebird hopefuls then last year, they out lasted the sparrows and actually fledged. This year they are in control of the house again Yea.
ReplyDeleteSo glad at least one of your colonies survived and can be stretched to two. We really need bees.
I'm so glad to know you have bluebirds nesting at your place, Patti. House sparrows can be a serious threat, often killing the bluebirds trying to defend a box. Sparrows simply have bigger and stronger beaks and easily dominate the poor bluebirds. I'll be thinking and cheering for your little cuties!
DeleteI'm so sorry about your bees. You work so hard with them.
ReplyDeleteI get so excited by the nesting. We don't have any bluebirds, as their boxes are close to the ground and we have cats!
I LOVE SPRING!!!!
Yes, Jeninifer Spring is wonderful as we see new generations in the making. Each day seems to bring another delightful surprise. All of our senses on alert!
DeleteTwo-hour trek???!!! Wow! I just reread this!
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