Day 9

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I peeked in on the bluebird babies again yesterday. Should be day 9. They should fledge day 16-21. I won't be looking in again but will try to capture a picture of them outside the box or peeking out of the box.

Red Headed Woodpecker

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Although I have red-bellied, downy, hairy, northern flicker, and yellow bellied sapsucker woodpeckers in my yard and even and occasional pileated woodpecker, I've never had a red headed woodpecker.  However, a couple of miles away in a swampy area, I often see red headed woodpeckers nesting.  You have to stop along the road and really look hard, but yes, you can see them.  How exciting!

I even got the red headed woodpecker at the entrence to his/her nest.  I saw the bird go in and waited for an out shot but the bird didn't come back out before I had to go.

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Red Shouldered Hawk

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I posted the shot above as my daily.  I actually meant to post this one which I think is a bit better.

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Seen on the route between our house and the boys' school.  Posting a 'friend' of his for tomorrow's picture too.

It's Getting Crowded in Here!

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This is day 6 or 7.  So I don't confuse us, let's just say it's 7.  They aren't looking anywhere near as bald anymore:-)  Mom and dad were very vocal overhead as I looked in today.  Any day now they should open their eyes.  I'll check back in again in a couple of days.  I would love to have one of those open mouth shots, but they instinctively are still when I look in.

Here's the dad.

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Here's the mom.

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The tulip popular nearby is blooming and very pretty too.

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Peony

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A peony bloom after a hard rain.  This is such a different variety than I grew up with, but I think it's quite pretty.

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Growing

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I managed to get a quick shot of the babies today.  There was a 10 minute window of sunshine before the heavy rains hit, and I boogied over to the box quick. Notice that the wing tips are starting to form and there is more 'hair' on their heads.  All 5 appear to be doing well.  I heard mom and dad overhead as I was 'visiting'.  I'll keep you posted with more pics as they get bigger.

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Project Feederwatch Summary 2012-2013 Count Period

I just finished entering my 2012-2013 Project Feederwatch data.  If you didn't participate this year, please consider participating next year.  I'll be signing up Donnie's yard as my count site for the 2013-2014 count period.  I expect to see similar results there, and it will be interesting to compare the data from both count sites.  Counting will start again in November.

My maximum species counted for a week was 13, and my maximum number of birds counted for a week was 32.  This year I started spotting and reporting ruby crowned kinglets which I didn't know or report in prior count years.  It's always exciting to get a new high count for a given species or to add new species that I can identify correctly.

Personal Count Summary for 2012-2013 : 27592

Species	Maximum number observed during count period																					Avg group size when seen	Avg group size per count period
Alphabetic | Taxonomic	Nov			Dec				Jan					Feb				Mar				Apr
	13	20	27	4	11	18	25	1	8	15	22	29	5	12	19	26	5	12	19	26	2
Mourning Dove	0	0	1	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	2	2	0	0	3	0	1.9	0.7
Red-bellied Woodpecker	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	1	1.1	0.7
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	1.0	0.1
Downy Woodpecker	2	0	1	1	1	1	2	0	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	1	2	1	1	1	2	1.2	1.0
Hairy Woodpecker	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.0	0.0
Northern Flicker	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.0	0.0
Blue Jay	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	1.0	0.1
Black-capped Chickadee	2	2	2	0	1	1	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	1.4	0.7
Carolina/Black-capped Chickadee	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.0	0.1
Tufted Titmouse	0	2	2	2	2	3	3	2	2	2	2	2	2	3	3	1	3	3	3	0	2	2.3	2.1
Red-breasted Nuthatch	2	1	1	2	1	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	1.1	0.8
White-breasted Nuthatch	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1.2	0.3
Brown Creeper	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	1.0	0.2
Carolina Wren	0	0	2	2	1	0	1	0	1	2	1	0	0	1	0	2	1	1	2	0	1	1.4	0.9
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	1	1	0	1	0	1	1.2	0.3
Eastern Bluebird	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1.0	0.0
Hermit Thrush	1	0	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	1.0	0.4
American Robin	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.0	0.1
Pine Warbler	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	1.0	0.2
Yellow-rumped Warbler	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	1	1.0	0.2
Dark-eyed Junco	3	0	1	2	2	0	0	0	0	2	2	1	0	2	2	0	1	2	1	0	0	1.8	1.0
Northern Cardinal	2	1	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	1	2	0	1.3	0.6
Pine Siskin	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	4	15	3	11	6	0	5	10	6.3	2.7
American Goldfinch	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	5	0	4	3	2	3	1	3	1	2.8	1.2
Total species observed	8	4	12	8	6	7	7	3	4	7	10	13	8	10	11	13	13	8	13	7	12
Total individuals observed	14	6	15	12	8	10	10	4	5	11	14	17	13	17	32	19	29	18	16	17	23
Click on a column heading to re-order table. For example, click on "Average group size when seen" to order table by group size.

I know the table isn't showing up correctly.  It's the best I can do.  Sorry.