[Mnbird] Weekend birds - Oak Grove Anoka county

[Pamela Freeman]

This rainy chilly weekend saw my first of the year American Redstart,
fluttering and tail fanning in the tree tops of a hackberry near my
upstairs window.
I also saw a Magnolia warbler, single, and first of the year and maybe
lifer for me, certainly lifer in my yard, rustling and poking about in my
raspberry canes at the edge of a garden. I am not sure he was finding much
and when I went to spy on him again after tending to what was on the stove,
he had moved on and never re-found.
I had plenty, PLENTY of orioles, at my jelly feeder, refilling it twice
each day, as well as catbirds, both genders of rose breasted gros beaks,
who despite their name, are pretty dainty with the jelly. And a male and
female cardinal, also, at the jelly.  The cat birds seem to prefer the meal
worms to the jelly, as they frequent them more. Perhaps they like that meal
worms don't make the beak so sticky...
I had a male oriole window strike, I have window stickers, but now and then
I hear that sickening thump. I rushed out, and found the poor guy, still on
his side. I picked him up and put a kitchen towel over him to keep him just
a bit warm and dry a it was misting out and chilly in the morning. Put him
under some vegetation so he might feel less in danger from being in the
open, and hoped he might recover. I have found that if they don't hit too
hard, they do often recover, and it does seem to make a difference to get
them warmer and righted and under cover, rather than leaving them laying
where they landed. But also to not handle them too much, as then they have
fear.  I don't know how well they do, once on their way, of course, what
with possible brain injuries or other injuries. But I always hope for the
best, and I leave them with a whispered prayer for their well being and an
apology.
This one, when I looked after maybe 15 minutes, was gone, and I had noticed
a male oriole on a branch outside the window. So he had flown up and away.
I love living where I do, in the woods at the edge of the marsh, but it
troubles me that where I live causes danger to those beings whom I so
delight in. Not just the feathered ones, but the little furred ones, the
amazing insects, all of them. I try to live as lightly as I can. But
still...

The chickadees and nuthatches are plentiful. And I saw a phoebe hawking at
the garden.
Missing yet are indigos, great crested flycatcher, and scarlet tanager -
usually we see these in the springtime, often before the leaves are fully
out, in the case of the tanager, who comes to the jelly most years.

I find it interesting that many who like jelly sport at least a little red
or orange, except for the kitty birds, all sleek and grey.




- Pamela
Never give up on a dream just because of the length of time it will take to
accomplish it. The time will pass anyway. - Unknown

“There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.”
― Aldo Leopold
I am one who cannot.
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