October 27, 2008
A more wintry tableau is unfolding amongst the creatures outside. Goldfinches which have lost their summer luster are back in force at the niger feeder which they generally ignored through the summer months – four are chowing down as I write. Beneath them are half a dozen white-throated sparrows along with four mourning doves and a couple of house sparrows.
The wood pecker that attacked the house last month seems to have given up, but not until after doing enough damage to require the repair and painting (leading into a whole-house painting) of several holes, which seems to have discourage the beast. One recommendation to deter such activity was putting up a suet cage, so that was reloaded and this past weekend drew a pair of downies.
A few small flocks of grackles and red-winged blackbirds were spotted at Oak Beach a week ago, but they have disappeared from here to head for warmer climes, along with the previously departed catbirds, most robins and others. Plenty of noisy jays still around -- more than usual, so they may in fact be passing through. The feeding area was enlivened for a week or so by three Eastern Towhees, who hung around for the free food. Various warblers have been spotted in the area as well, but no good IDs were made.
A Carolina Wren poked around the woodpile last week. Resident cardinals, chickadees and mallards are regulars.
On the water, this morning’s early hours were highlighted by four Black Crowned Night Herons. Two adults were perched just above the pond surface on the downed tree to the east and an adult and young ‘un were on the snag opposite. Overhead, at least three ragged flocks of cackling Snow Geese moved south a low levels at midday last Friday. Our local gulls, Canada geese, cormorants and hunting osprey are often sighted or heard.
Visiting Oak Beach last week turned up what most likely was a Sharp-shinned Hawk and a pair of Least Sandpipers. IDs are tentative on the former who perched about 15 up near the top of a tree a good hundred yards away; more sure on the latter who searched a boardwalk for tidbits within a few feet of me.
During a visit to Mattituck on the North Fork on October 6, we heard a loon on the Peconic Sound – interesting in that we notably did not hear any during a few days on Lake Winnipesauke in August, a place where in past years they have almost always been in evidence.
On October 7, a great blue heron was working along the newly downed tree on the east side of the pond. I didn’t see it collect any food, but neighbor Joe saw an adult BCH at the culvert head of the creek next to Belton Ct a week ago and watched as it took a small fish, before meandering across the road to work its way further up the creek. The GBH was back on the tree again on the afternoon of the 9th, but did not stay long.
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Monday, October 27, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Housepecker
Blue jays are more in abundance in recent weeks – perhaps part of early migration moves. Today a jay, cardinal, chickadee and a great blue heron were the outstanding morning visitors as a cold front built in after days of rain generated in part by Hurricane Kyle, an unusual
Other visitors to our feed area today were five grackles, a flock of starlings and one mourning dove, accompanying three squirrels who interrupted their acorn feasting (and burial) activities to take advantage of the free handouts. A couple of house sparrows quickly came and went.
A female downy woodpecker has found some fascination with the house. Her pecking heard from the living room drew me outside yesterday and today to see what she was after. I couldn’t tell, although there are signs of attack behind the gutter and at the inside edge of the soffit. Never a good sign when things are in the walls which a critter wants to eat.
Egrets got out of town really early this year. They decamped by the end of the second week in August, although a loner appeared a couple of evenings subsequently. The peak count this year was 14 one late July evening. No sighting since around the 20th of August, nearly a full month ahead of the usual departure date -- somewhere between Sept 15 and 27th in recent years.
On the subject of seasonal things, the Montauk daisies were a bit early with some of the first buds flowering on September 18, about a week to 10 days ahead of historic opening dates. Most are open today, although not all, especially right along the creek in the shadier sections.
Goldenrod is in full bloom along the pond, attracting scores of bees who hopefully are enjoying my new wildflower bed. I scattered a bag full of seeds in late June and with only minimal fertilizer, plus regular sprinkler action, they have completely covered a 10 x 4 plot at the pond edge, adding lots of color for late summer and fall enjoyment. They range from a few inches high to nearly five feet tall.
A single male mallard is on the pond now. Last week a couple of females held sway, but no crowds of loud birds as in past years at this time. Perhaps later on. Two turtles are regularly sunning themselves on a newly downed tree on the east side of the pond. The tall maple slowly denuded over the last year or two and toppled into the water during high winds in the early days of September. Herons have joined the turtles in making good use of the new perching platform – the tree trunk stretches just above the water about 30 feet toward the center of the pond.
We continue to hear the calls of a pair of osprey that patrol this area daily. The female perched high in a tree overlooking the pond from the west side a few weeks ago, giving out a sharp cry now and again and fixing a cold stare on the local birdwatcher who ventured into the yard for a closer look.
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