Susan Gets Native

Don't have any bird photos today...don't have much of anything. I went to see my Mom yesterday and got some cute pics of the girls, though.

They had a picnic inside since it was raining.

And Lorelei fell asleep on the way home, behind her Cinderella book.

Last night, after the storm had passed, we heard one really loud frog outside. This morning, I saw FOUR sitting in the fountain. One male and his harem?

I looked up frogs of Ohio and discovered that they are green frogs.

There are so many critters who make our property their home. Ever since I began my "native" crusade, the biomass visible in the yard has quadrupled. And how many things are living out there that we can't see? I'm proud that I have bettered the lives of some animals (though the bluebirds are probably disgusted with me).

That started me thinking how many successful nestings have happened in the yard and surroundings.

Here are the fledglings that I have seen at the feeders:

American Robin

Tufted Titmouse

Northern Cardinal

Song Sparrow

Mourning Dove

Starling (yuck)

House Sparrow (double yuck)

House Finch

Northern Mockingbird

Downy Woodpecker

And the successfull nests with chicks that actually made it (actively monitored):

Carolina Chickadee

Tree Swallows (remember them?)

I'm now on watch for American Goldfinches, who nest in June/July when the thistle fluffs out. What a nice bed that would make, huh?

Also looking for Ruby-Throated Hummingbird nests...they nest here every year, but we don't find the nests until fall, when the leaves drop. I hope I get to actually find one this summer, to marvel at a walnut-sized nest with marble-sized nestlings.

No sign of the bluebirds...not one. Julie Zickefoose agreed with my assessment that the chicks starved, and she also informed me that if the female dies, the chicks will be fed by the male, but he has no brood pouch or the instinct to brood, so they probably were weakened by hypothermia. Nestlings over 8 days old can thermoregulate themselves, but these guys were too young. If I see no further activity, I will take the box, pole and baffle to my Mom, who lost 4 bluebird eggs this week and maybe we can try again there.