I have an 8' x 12' shed out back, it's plywood with a metal roof. Dad had it built 50 years ago, for our "play house". Years ago my brother sawed a hole in the wall, so we'd have electric. Just poked the end of an extension cord inside.

The shed has been moved, now I don't have electric, but the hole is still in the wall.

About 3 weeks ago I watched 2 Carolina wrens buzz through the hole. I assume they have a nest inside the shed, I haven't looked or tried to find it. There isn't anything inside that the wrens could damage, so I'll let them have at it.

This morning I noticed a starling, sitting on the shed, I guess it's looking for a nesting site too? The starling buzzed up around the hole, 2 or 3 times while I was watching. We had a little dogfight going on between a wren and a starling. I'll tell you that wren was all over that starling.

We haven't talked about birds for a while, I'll try to bring you up to date on my latest outings.

It was about the 2nd week of November, deer season, I found myself in a flock (I'm sure there is a better term) of "eastern bluebirds". At first I noticed 3 or 4 or 5 birds, then I could see them, all over the place. Up and down the ridge, 50 yards out.

I'm not positive, but it seems that I see them every year, at just about the same time of year. Other than here on the forum, and in my head, I don't keep record.

Here's a link to Eastern bluebirds. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_bluebird

About the first of January, the mailman told me that he'd seen a robin. Just one. I'll tell you, since then I've seen 3 "bobbins" of robins. If they were all different birds?

The other day there was a bobbin in my neighbor's trees and on the ground. That was just before our last snow, a little bit of bare ground here and there. I'd guess that flock at over 100 head.

My neighbor Dora was home, I sent her a message, something like this: "Good morning, there are over 100 robins in your trees and yard". A little bit later, Dora sent me a message back: Wow, I guess they're just like me, ready for spring.

Talked to the mailman today, he hasn't noticed that many yet. A little bit early, but I guess they are heading north.

I'll tell you this too, I don't recall seeing a crow within the last 6 weeks or so? That's kind of odd, usually we have a few around all winter.

On the mountain the other day, I didn't see the woodpecker, but there were fresh chips on top of the snow. There are a good many sassafras trees in that area, that's what it was pecking. Honestly, I'm not seeing many hawks or eagles. That's kind of odd too.

I'm still feeding the birds on the porch, and the robin/dove nest is in place. Maybe something will take advantage of the nest this season? It is pretty neat to watch the chicks grow and all.

Somewhere on these bird posts I mentioned peregrine falcons were at my backyard. Well they're back. Here a pic of the white colored female on the left and the darker colored with some reddish male on the right. She's ripping apart some kind of bird/animal for lunch. On a different camera, that I can't down load to this putr, I took a video of them. A couple of seconds into the recording, the male flew over and jumped her bones! Great capture on film. He's working on the same nest he tried last year, but when she rejected it last year, he built one in one of my neighbor's pine trees. Last year we had high winds which did not help the nest building. High winds are again forecasted for this time of the year. Ain't gonna help his nest building again.

Cool

Do you have any updates on the breeding falcons?

I've been seeing sparrow chicks, for the last 5 weeks or so? I know of 2 sparrow nests here at the house, I'm pretty sure this is their second brood, this season. Before I started typing this comment, I had a dove and 10 sparrows on the feeding table. The table is only 2 feet by 3 feet. Busy place. Also had a rabbit in the yard, she's got her fur pulled out, so I'm sure she has a nest someplace.

I haven't seen any baby rabbits yet.

About 2 weeks ago, I walked out back to feed my dog, talked to her for a minute. On the way back inside, I almost stepped on a dove chick. I honestly don't know if it was there on the way out, of if it had just fell from the sky? Either way, it fluttered away from me, about 6 inches, dragging it's feet. Like it was stuck in the grass.

Happened to think about the camera on my phone, so I went out and took pictures of it. It was getting pretty warm that morning and it was in full sunshine. I'd check on it every so often, one check it had it's head down, feet still stretched out behind it. I wasn't sure if was dead or not? So I touched it with like 3 fingers, it came around and tried to flutter away.

My daughter stopped by a little bit later, she found 2 dove chicks and 3 Carolina wrens in one of the trees. If you're really close, you can see the difference in the length of a chick's tail feathers and the feathers of an adult.

It's the first of June, I figure they will nest at least 1 more time this season.

And the nest that we replaced in my window is still empty. I guess it's just out in the open too much, to be suitable? I've got some of those plastic flowers, vine type of leaves and all. I could use some tie wire and kind of surround the nest and across the top with leaves and make it look more secure. If I get a chance I'll do that and see what happens. But it was pretty neat when the birds nested in the window.

Yea, the falcons flew the coup. Seems when the sparrows and grackles appeared, they left. They abandoned the same nest they abandoned last year. And they weren't getting along with the neighborhood squirrels either. I've seen them face off on the same branch. The squirrel on high alert, and the bird with flared wings. Pretty cool. When they were here, they brought their meals into my backyard trees and tore them apart. It would snow down feathers, and I'd find guts hanging in the branches. All of our city streets are tree lined, and we have several parks, so if them falcons are still around, they could be anywhere. Been searching the skies for them, but no can find. BTW, I'm logged into this site with my old putr, (2002) cuz my new one won't let me. So you'll probably see me logged in next time as a nubie!

Frank.

Well, the falcons are about the same size as a red-tailed hawk. I've mentioned this before but years ago hawks rebuilt a squirrel nest on the farm. I think they nested there for about 3 years and then an owl took over the nest. The tree has died and fell since then.

That tree was in the fenceline, pasture on one side and woods on the other. I'm sure it was a good spot to hunt from. If a rabbit or squirrel would get out 50 or so yards in the field, it'd be easy pickings.

I was out the other evening, about 2 weeks ago, just looking at the skyline of the mountain to my west. We've had a cold and wet spring, the leaves on the timber is 2 or 3, maybe 4 weeks behind usual. (I had 42* this morning) Anyway, the sky was a light gray, I noticed a black spot above the horizon. It was some kind of eagle, then I noticed a second one. They were over there just sailing north and south. If you'd take your eye off of them for a minute, they were hard to pick up again.

I pulled out my rifle and scoped them over, I couldn't see a white tail on either of them. I assume they were golden eagles. That's a big mountain, lots of places where they could have a nest and very few people would ever notice it.

There is a bald eagle nest on one of our hunt clubs, I haven't been up there this spring, but last year I think they raised chicks. I'll try to get up past that nest, in the next week or 2, see what's going on.

We haven't talked about the birds for a long time. Here at the house I've had 5 doves here all winter, most days I'd only 2, some days none. Talking to a friend of mine, he lives west of the river, but here in the valley. He's been seeing 75 to 100 dove, most of the winter.

But it was the 3rd week of February when I spotted my first robin. Just 1, they are everywhere now. On the farm the other morning, the dog was out in the pasture 100 yards away, I'll bet she flushed 2 dozen. I'd guess there were 40 or more.

About the same time, first of March or so? I noticed the first Eastern Bluebird. It was during the past deer season, I bumped into Eastern Bluebirds, packed up and headed South, so that would have been late November. I've been seeing 1 or 2 on my feeder now and then.

I heard a red-winged blackbird the other day, didn't see it. Also have the glossy looking blackbirds and more blue jays than normal.

And we've got about 50 of those black vultures/black headed buzzards?, roosting in the trees just east of town. I'll ask the DNR what all I can do with them.

Just checked the feeding table, 2 doves, 2 sparrows and another waiting it's turn.