Avian Update

For most of the summer I have seen birds darting here and there, but nothing in the many bird boxes that we have.  We did see one box had chickadees, but they must have fledged before we returned from France.

Yes, cardinals nest in trees, but what about the other birds?  Finally a little wren has picked the woven bird house hanging under an eve by the front door for probably her second batch of little ones, as we are well into summer.  She screeches at me as I come and go, but I think their personalities are such that they need someone to scold, or why else do they nest so close to houses?

 This morning I discovered another wren family is nest building on this mid-summer day, carrying in soft grasses.  Must be a second batch of little ones coming.  This is in a box inside the garden, which means they will eat our bad bugs!

I also have watched a cardinal sitting on a nest in the crepe myrtle tree in my front flower bed as I weed.  No little baby head has shown itself, but she is still sitting on some days if the weather is not horrible hot.  

Yes, a bad photo, but you can see her bill.

 I also noticed a nest in the Japanese cutleaf maple under the front bay window.  A female cardinal was tending it, but it has not been used at all for egg laying.  Maybe it is a secondary nest for distraction to predators?  It is certainly beautifully made.  A cardinal did successfully raise two little ones in this tree a few years ago.

  Our osprey couple is tending two awkward and spotted fledglings.  I am totally amazed they have not fallen out of the nest as they balance and flap their large wings on the skewed sticks.  Yesterday the Parks and Rec boat came by, placed a ladder against the post, remove the two teenagers and banded them and then returned them traumatizing the whole family, even though it took only a minute or two.  The lead scientist has been doing this for over twenty years.  Mrs. Osprey, Ethel, is now even more crazy/angry when we go to our dock.  We were told she is about three weeks behind schedule with her family!  Last year she had none, and must have lost the eggs in some way, so we are happy to see two this year.

Apologies for the blurriness.  It was too hot to carry around my tripod!