[Mnbird] summer 2015 in Plymouth

[Sid Stivland]

We are about to wrap up what we might refer to as a “lackluster” birding season here at the opulent Stivland ranch in Plymouth.  Warblers were scarce to absent with only Yellow-rumped, Palm, and Redstart in any numbers with a few others here and there.  

“Resident” birds did very well.  We have had numerous adult and juvenile Chickadees, Nuthatches, Finches (Gold and House), Cardinals, and three species of Woodpecker (Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied).  The Hummingbird pair returned and fledged one chick, the Catbirds nested, all three of my Wood Duck boxes fledged successfully – two with Woodies and one “blended family” with roughly half Woodies and half Hoodies.  The Phoebe returned after a one year hiatus following the disastrous spring a couple years ago.  The Red-shouldered Hawk evidently fledged young as they were calling persistently.

But nature never disappoints so here are a few highlights:

-  For the second year, my neighbor’s kids knocked on my door to inform me that “The flycatchers are back”.  So they dragged me down to my neighbor’s mailbox and – sure enough – there were four baby Great-Crested Flycatchers in the box.  This year, though, my neighbor’s kids were the bird’s de facto “protectors”, as my wife overheard them telling other neighbors “It is OK to look, but don’t stay too long, the mom has to get in here to feed the babies”.  Sadly, the feistiest one managed to crawl out and perished.  This calls, I suppose, for a redesign of the “baby gate” nest spring.  I believe the other three fledged if all the “Rheeep – Rheeeping” in the immediate area was any indication.

- We had a flock of maybe 2 dozen Eastern Bluebirds around the neighborhood for several weeks in late summer.  This inspired my neighbor’s kids to bug me about building a Bluebird nest box.  Since my carpentry skills have deteriorated over the years, I was able to enlist the help of a friend who has actual tools and we managed to salvage the project.  I told the 10 year old she could pick the color so we now have the “cutest” Robin’s egg blue Bluebird nest box in the whole neighborhood!  We shall see if the Bluebirds agree with this decorating scheme.

-  Migration brought many Hummers to our Hummingbird feeder.  Very entertaining!  My thinks maybe they were “tweeting” each other – Sorry, couldn’t help it.

Whoooa – as I am writing this, a Red-tailed Hawk flew into the yard and made off with one of my squirrels.  That is a first record for Red-tail here at the ranch.  Nice catch, though!  That sure is one way to clear out the Grackles.

-   Under the heading of “trauma” - We had a hermit Thrush hit the window this spring and, after my triage efforts failed, I brought him to the folks over at the Wildlife Rehab Center.  They were able to get him ‘back on his feet’ or ‘back on his wing’, if you prefer, and he was successfully released.  

-  Under ‘bad news’ – the Green Herons did not nest here this year.  I have yet to determine if this was due to increased activity on the pond.

- The Great Egret and Great-Blue Herons made several appearances this year – a big improvement as there were none last year.  The Great-Blue perched on my Wood Duck box one day.  The Belted Kingfisher made several appearances, the Great-Horned Owls have already started hooting in the woods, and the Juncos, sparrows, and ducks are back.  Woodies are doing a good job of cleaning up the acorns.

Maybe it wasn’t such a bad season after all.

Sid Stivland
Plymouth, MN

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