Bird Log-6/1/08

With a few unusual feathered visitors over the last week, I thought our bird log might be of interest to some readers. Particularly interesting were the pair of Swainsons Thrushes that hung around for about a week and the Wood ducks who roosted briefly in the big tree at our rental cottage behind us.

Swainsons Thrush 2

Goldfinch 4

House Finch 4

Cardinal 4

Mourning Dove 2

House Wren 2

White Breasted Nuthatch

Starlings (!$%&*! - eating my suet!) 6

Downy Woodpecker MF

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Chipping Sparrow 2

Robin (!$#%*! - eating our strawberries!) 4

House Sparrow 6

Blue Jay 2

Tufted Titmouse 2

Chimney Swift 8

Grackle

Hummingbird

Catbird 2

Wood ducks MF

Great Blue Heron

Canada Goose 2

Turkey Vulture 3

I realize the picture of the thrush is a little grainy-kinda like Bigfoot footage, but it's for real. My folks and us are in competition as we phone anytime we have a new or unusual sighting. I finally trumped them when I said we had a Bald Eagle on our suet cake......I don't think they believed me. We particularly appreciate the return of the Chimney Swifts because they keep down the mosquito population. They nest/roost in a large brick chimney on an old brick Italianate house two houses down and they are fun to watch.