building a nest

a secluded nestbox

This "snag tube" is based on a design tested and recommended by researchers at Cornell.  http://www.birds.cornell.edu/
We have 3 of these tubes placed in the quiet seclusion of the wild woods. 

We positioned this tube about 12 feet up, in a young Ash tree that grows among Elm, Bitternut Hickory, and Boxelder trees.  Wild Grape vines and pesky Buckthorn provide additional coverage in the understory.

Hawks

This big gray hawk is probably an adult Coopers Accipiter cooperii.  He was very inquisitive, searching around in the adjacent back yards as well as in the exposed areas of the woods.  As a predator of smaller birds, he was not shy about being here, in the open and even perched for a while on a neighboring deck railing.

                 

                                    

The smaller hawk on the log pile is probably a Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus.  He was also looking for smaller birds, but not as bold as the Coopers.



Red-bellied Woodpecker

The Red-bellied Woodpeckers have been at our feeders all winter.  Still nearby in the woods, we hear them calling to one another.  Today the male was making noise as he hopped around hunting insects in the gutters.

larch cones

The larch branches still bear cones from last year while this year's new cones open among them. The larch Larix laricina is also known as Tamarack .  It's cones are approximately one inch tall, upright, initially rosey red and then turning brown. The cones fall in the second year and have a pair of brown long-winged seeds. 

woodland flowers

The first Jack-in-the-Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum this season seems to be too green and bright; usually they are more secretive in shades of dark green and maroon. Maybe this one is a bit early, encouraged by the very warm winter?