Saturday, March 10, 2007

Last Evening in the Meadow

Saturday, March 10, 2007
8 comments
This time of year, we're always on the lookout for signs of spring to apppear. Yesterday was our first springlike day of the year---temps in the 60's, actual SUNSHINE, snow melting, birds singing their tiny heads off. Perhaps singing is not completely accurate for all the birds.

The red-shouldered hawk was screaming it's ahh-ah, ahh-ah as it soared over the sycamore.

This is a game called Find the Red-shouldered Hawk in an Underexposed Photo.

The mocker is back! S/he is taking up temporary housing in the sumac tangle on the west edge of the meadow.

At least three pairs of bluebirds were flirting with each other and taking a tour of homes. This male staked out the mid-meadow box and its old fencepost.

I spied a meadow sprite flitting across the grasstops. Yes, it's spring at last.

8 comments:

On March 10, 2007 at 10:45 PM Susan Gets Native said...

I went out with a RAPTOR friend yesterday, nest-hunting for RSHA nests, and she was blasting a recording of a pair of them being, well, amorous... and I think that is my favorite bird sound right now. They sure are serious about their love, aren't they?

The meadow sprite...what can I say? Tell her to direct some spring fairy dust in our direction.

On March 11, 2007 at 5:28 PM Laughingrat said...

It's a beautiful place you live in. :) I saw a sign of spring today, too--a crow harassing a hawk. There's lots of wilderness to be found in the city, rare and fragile though it is. It feels important to me to watch for it.

On March 11, 2007 at 8:25 PM Mary said...

Glad to hear spring has finally come to southeast Ohio. Yesterday I heard the bullfrogs in the pond and this morning a lizard crossed my path on the warm, western side of the house!

That's a beautiful sight in your last photo :o)

On March 12, 2007 at 9:53 AM Rondeau Ric said...

What a lovely sprite.
We have a ways to go but there are a few signs os spring.

On March 12, 2007 at 4:05 PM Anne said...

That photo of your Phoebe embodies the feelings of Spring. Absolutely lovely!

On March 14, 2007 at 12:59 PM Julie in VT said...

Bill-- I'm hoping you can help me verify whether or not a bird that frequents our yard is a red-shouldered hawk. These are all pictures of what I -think- is the same bird (though I'm not dead certain):

Red-Shoulder pictures here

This is in Southeastern Vermont and for the longest time I thought it was a red-tail. Your book, however, suggests that without the dark patagium, it's probably not a red-tail. I don't see the patagial mark here, which suggests red-shouldered hawk to me, but some people have suggested it might be a hybrid red-shoulder red-tail.

I'm still learning to ID birds and this one is a bit baffling, especially since I've had conflicting points of view from fairly authoritative sources. I'm hoping you can help me out with this.

Your blog is awesome. Thanks,

--julie

On March 14, 2007 at 1:27 PM Bill of the Birds said...

Hey Julie:
Yep, that's a red-shouldered on your image site. Nice photos! And nice version of the Star of COunty Down on your blog profile, too!

On March 14, 2007 at 1:55 PM Julie in VT said...

Bill-- thank you so much. Do you mind if I quote you on the web site to put the naysayers to rest?

--julie

P.S. I really enjoyed doing that arrangement of Star of the County Down-- it just felt really nice to put all the parts together in a way that clicked. As I said, your blog is awesome. Just what I needed. Another birding blog :)


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