Work and Home

.I keep getting to the college early so that I can have a look around for migrant songbirds before starting work. I haven't seen any yet this week, however, and I'm beginning to think that no more will turn up before spring migration ends. Fortunately, there are other birds around to make my early morning walks worthwhile.

I see Western Kingbirds every day now, and our Purple Martin nesting colony is always a hive of activity.

Male Northern Cardinals brighten up my walks as they perch and sing from several tree tops.

Now that the winter has gone, I rarely see raptors any more but yesterday was an exception. One of our pair of Red-tailed Hawks spent several minutes perched on a lamp post.

Although the hawk seemed to content to perch and watch the day begin, it wasn't allowed to do so in peace. A Northern Mockingbird, two Western Kingbirds and a male Brown-headed Cowbirds took turns circling over and diving on it. The mobbing was continuing as I headed for my office. 

Back at home our resident pair of Downy Woodpeckers take turns at the suet feeder throughout the day. Occasionally another male Downy sneaks in for a quick snack while our residents aren't looking.

If Northern Cardinals are a regular fixture at the college, they were largely absent from our yards through the winter. I'm happy to say that several of them are once again regular visitors to our feeders and our birdbaths.

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