Author Topic: Signs of Spring (Read 5031 times)

yewberry · « **Reply #45 on:** April 14, 2014, 11:41:42 pm »

Quote from: Altair;145211

The same! Hearing the first red-wing is my #1 sign of spring. It usually happens here in the metro NYC area at the end of Feb beginning of March...as it did this year, despite our prolonged polar vortex.

What do you mean by red-wing? Agelaius phoeniceus? Or something that doesn't live on my side of the Rockies?

But on the subject of spring birds: I'm finding my semi-broody speckled Sussex hen tragicomic. She's been running off and laying her eggs in a clutch under a hollowed-out cedar stump. She'll spend about an hour with them every day, then leave when I offer a snack and completely forget about them. The pile grows, but it's so buried in blackberries I can't get the eggs out without a major excavation with leather gloves. Poor thing hasn't figured this mothering thing out yet.

Just above, the bush tits are hunkered down with their eggs and grown quiet. I find their nests so charming and homey. I think about them when it rains or blows (it'll do both tonight...I'll totally miss the eclipse AGAIN). I hope they built a sturdy nursery!

Brina

Altair · « **Reply #46 on:** April 15, 2014, 02:56:18 pm »

Quote from: yewberry;145245

What do you mean by red-wing? Agelaius phoeniceus?

Yes, Agelaius phoeniceus, the red-winged blackbird; birders often say "red-wing" for short, although that leaves the possibility for confusion with the European species of that name. Since the redwing (Europe's version) almost never strays to American shores, you're usually safe throwing the term around without confusion.

(Unlike our red-winged blackbird, the redwing is actually a Turdus thrush, related to our American robin...which is only very distantly related to the European robin...but both the American robin and the redwing are closely related to Europe's common blackbird, another Turdus thrush...but the European blackbird has little or no kinship with our American blackbirds. Bird nomenclature can give you a headache...)

Quote from: yewberry;145245

Just above, the bush tits are hunkered down with their eggs and grown quiet. I find their nests so charming and homey. I think about them when it rains or blows (it'll do both tonight...I'll totally miss the eclipse AGAIN). I hope they built a sturdy nursery!

We had clouds, so I missed it too.

Enjoy the bushtit nest! I've heard they make interesting ones. They're a unique species I've only seen once or twice and know very little about.

yewberry · « **Reply #47 on:** April 15, 2014, 11:14:21 pm »

Quote from: Altair;145299

Yes, Agelaius phoeniceus, the red-winged blackbird; birders often say "red-wing" for short, although that leaves the possibility for confusion with the European species of that name. Since the redwing (Europe's version) almost never strays to American shores, you're usually safe throwing the term around without confusion.

I've honestly never heard them referred to that way, but I'm not a birder!

Quote

Enjoy the bushtit nest! I've heard they make interesting ones. They're a unique species I've only seen once or twice and know very little about.

Oh, I think you should enjoy it too. So I rushed outside and took a pic before it got too dark. A family of them has been making a nest in the same spot on that tree for probably five years now. I assume this is offspring, but I have no idea how long they live.

Brina