There is a pair of Bald Eagles nesting on property that borders mine. I can watch the nest from my picture window. What a treat! Once the trees leaf-out I won’t be able to watch from the house but can still go out into my field and observe with my scope & binoculars.

They renovated an old Red-tailed Hawk–Great horned Owl nest starting in September of last year. I kept hoping they would actually nest here. It is surprising since there are homes & activity fairly close to them. February 28th, I noticed they had begun incubating– could tell by noting they now SAT IN the rather than flying to it and standing. It has been exciting to watch them & I feel priveliged to have them select this area to raise young.

I hope it results in success. Too much can happen. People are a concern—if people approach too close, it could cause them to abandon the nest or leave the eggs unattended for too long a time. Also I hope the birds are capable of having fertile eggs that will hatch.
I will keep you posted. Birders around the state are reporting Tree Swallows— time to start preparing my boxes & gourds. I have not seen one here yet.

Well, another year has passed. It has been a cold & icy winter. I am anxiously awaiting warmer weather and SPRING! The male Red-wing Blackbirds returned on February 17th. Heard one calling.

Have been listening to the Woodcocks calling & performing their amazing courtship flight in the field behind my house. I have gone out several nights and sat in the field at dusk to have them call and land within 15 ft. of me. I encourage you to read up on these birds and learn their calls. You may have them calling in a field near you! Go to Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s website: www.birds.cornell.edu and click on Bird Guide. You can look up any bird species and learn a great deal about them.
I will blog again with an exciting new nester near my home!

07.13.07
Age: 20 days old

Beautiful weather again. Rained last night.
Woke up just after 7:00 am—2 still present in box. Fell asleep and then woke up about 8:10 am and the box was empty. Remaining 2 fledged. I was hoping to witness them fledging. Did not think it would happen so soon in the day. Box #9 successfully fledged 4 out of 4 nestlings.

It seems so strange to see an empty nest on the TV screen. I will miss them. This was my last TRES nest for 2007. Now the TRES will be gearing up to migrate in the near future.

I will add some additional info plus hopefully some photos. Stay tuned!!

07.12.07
Age: 20 & 19 days

Gorgeous weather again. Low humidity 80’s

2 FLEDGED!!
Sometime between 1:00 and 4:45 pm, 2 nestlings fledged. I was gone.
2 are left. One is perched at the entrance, the other appears lethargic/sleepy in the box. I know it hasn’t been fed as often as it should.
Where did the two go? I have been watching and listening for them. Ten TRES are sitting on the power lines.
The female just fed the young bird in the entrance. Via the TV, the other simply sits in the bottom of the box and cheeps occasionally.
Just saw a bird (possibly female) feed a young TRES on the electrical lines. Was it one of the recently fledged birds? About 12 Tree Swallows are perched currently on the lines.

2 present in the box tonight.
The end is near . . .

07.11.07
Age: 19 & 18 days old

Weather gorgeous—low humidity, 80° breezy

Strange TRES (HY) again in box.

I am concerned although probably don’t need to be—one nestling hogs the entrance and gets fed. The other three seem to have given up cheeping and trying to be fed. They are huddled in the box often facing the back of the box, sleeping. I wonder if this is unusual or not. The female continues to feed whoever sits in the entrance. If no one is there, she enters the box.

07.10.07
Age: 18 & 17 days old

At 7:31 pm—No nestlings have fledged. It is suppose to rain and possibly storm tonight.

Something must have happened to the male. I have not witnessed him feeding since early yesterday.
Strangely the nestlings have not been perched at the entrance much since late afternoon. Female has been entering the box to feed.
All present tonight.