green heron

 

 

Green Heron stood on the log, soaking up the sun and looking for lunch in the water beneath. 

Suddenly, he stuck out his neck and grabbed a morsel from the pond.

empty nest

 

Cornell University has a program called NestWatch  https://nestwatch.org/ where citizen scientists report on birds' nests they see.  I missed this one until now; it was hidden very well in the reeds near the pond.

fledgling robin

The nest is nearby. When the young American Robins fledged, this one flew only a little distance.  

It sat a long time waiting for someone to bring food. 

two killdeers

I've seen two Killdeer around the pond since early June.  I wonder if they're are pair or siblings?  

If they are a pair, wonder where the nest is?  

The pond and it's environs are full of questions that I ask myself every day!

ducklings napping

 

song sparrow

 

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia live up their binomial nomenclature 'melodia' by singing a delightful song, enthusiatically, and often.

They move along wetland edges like around the pond. I see the males occasionally, but they spend most of the time in dense, low vegetation. 

nest box Tree Swallows

Tree Swallows nest in cavities . . . old woodpecker holes in trees, or nest boxes.  They do not go far south in winter; they return to Minnesota before any other swallows.  They can eat plant foods, so they can survive before the insects come out.  In the nest box near the pond, the Tree Swallow laid one egg each day in the last six days.  She started incubating the eggs today.  They will hatch in 11 to 20 days.

And the Tree Swallow male stands by to guard the nest while the female incubates the eggs. 

ducklings, Mallard 2023

 This clutch of Mallard ducklings came to the pond a few days ago, led by their mother.

sandpiper on pond

 

yellow-rumped warbler

 Yellow-rumped Warblers Setophaga coronata arrived here on the pond today on migration to the northern part of Minnesota and Canada, where they will nest and breed young birds.  Also called "Myrtle" Warblers.  On migration they eat fruits and seeds.  Here, they flit along the shoreline hunting insects among the grasses.  These individuals came to the feeders to eat thistle and sunflower chips. When more insects appear and the Warblers arrive on the breeding ground up north, they will eat caterpillars and other larvae, small beetles, weevils, ants, scale insects, aphids, grasshoppers, caddisflies, spiders, and gnats.

tree swallows find nest box

The pond is home to Tree Swallows Tachycineta bicolor who hunt insects 'on the wing'.  They catch flying insects while flying low over water or over grasses that the insects forage among. 

We have boxes that Tree Swallows use to nest in.  This bird was checking the box for suitability. 

The box has a 'Sparrow Spooker' (nylon line attached securely with hook-eyes on top and around the entrance) that protects eggs and babies of Tree Swallows from House Sparrows who cannot negotiate the lines.  House Sparrows destroy eggs and baby birds in other species' nests.

tree sparrow

American Tree Sparrows come to the feeders often in winter.  Spizelloides arborea Tree Sparrows often fluff out their feathers.  A rusty cap makes them look like chipping sparrows, who migrate south of Minnesota for winter.  These little birds come 'south' to the northern US for winter.  In spring, they breed in the far north tundra in Canada (near the tree line) building nests on the ground, often in a tussock of grass.  They sport a rusty eyeline, a brown back, and dark smudge in the center of the smooth breast.

heavy snow

We use a metal toy 'slinky' to keep squirrels away from the bird feeders.  The feeder was blown off the metal pole that held it. But the slinky held on and gathered a coating of the wet heavy snow.

Slinkys have been discouraging squirrels for many years in my experience as a bird watcher.  They try to get to the feeders again and again.  But they are startled by the movement under their claws, or their feet get tangled up in the flat wire coil.

bird tracks

 

sparrow

 Sparrows are common birds all across North America. They quietly nest in woodlands, prairies, wetlands, and open grasslands so they have seeds to eat and they can hunt insects to feed their babies.  In winter, sparrows that stay through winter eat seeds from dried plants and at bird feeders.

dove

 

Mourning doves are often seen in winter, especially under bird feeders.

Crows gather in massive groups to roost together at night so they can share warmth and safety from predators. It is believed they even exchange information about food and weather fronts.

hidden nest found in autumn

We trimmed back some undesirable willow plants around the pond.  That action revealed a hidden nest.  Earlier this summer, I found one Red-winged Blackbird nest near the pond in some reeds.  All summer long, the male RWBB was bothered when anyone walked near the willows. He even dived at my head when I walked near that shore. I assumed he and his mate had a nest among the reeds closer to the pond.  No wonder I could not find it in the reeds!  It was revealed -- low in the willow sprouts -- when we trimmed around that area.
 

hummingbird on salvia

very green heron

The taxonomic name for Green Heron is Butorides virescens.  It translates to the bird "resembles bitterns" and the color is "greenish".  Green Herons hunt from shore rather than wading like other herons who have longer legs, so they like to stand on the log to hunt for food.  Today he spread his wing out fully so we could admire the green.