Birdsters! March "Firsts" Part 2 (Vernal Equinox Edition)

Today's the Vernal Equinox and Spring is here (or not)! So a new thread is in order, no matter.

We've had requests to start a "March Firsts" Part 2, partly in anticipation of all the new First Spring Sightings we expect 'til the end of March (and also because the other http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/488314/ thread was getting sooooo loooong because of all the great developments this month so far!)

I waited 'til late in the day, hoping I would have an interesting pic to post, but, alas, no luck, so just the same visitors to our red feeder--a cute woodpecker and our quorum of cardinals (is that right? anyway, it 'sounds' right!)

We have had a gaggle of grackles arrive, but hardly worth a mention....at least they drove away the starlings.

Still waiting for the Red-headeds and the BBs. Oh, and the Orioles and HBs. Also would like to see the warblers this month although probably a bit early...

So, what have we to add, Birdsters? Seems like we should have some really interesting "First" posts in the next eleven days! t.

Shouldn't it be a "College of Cardinals"! LOL

I knew I could flush you out of the bushes with that one! Aren't you going to say anything about the gaggle of grackles?!! t.

tabasco - I saw a bluebird today. He was checking for an unoccupied birdbox. Could hardly believe my eyes as they stay down around the bluebird trail at the nature center. Another large gaggle of geese flew north last night about 7 PM. They looked like dark colored ones. A gaggle of grackles came in today, polished up and sassy. Also several flocks of the small grey and brown assorted in groups of about 40 or so. Yep, Spring has Sprung. Since the temp is about 42 tonight - first time this year - I will hang out a hummingbird feeder and let you know.
(Are they gaggles Kennedyh?) I'll have to go back and print out that last page.

se-eds, congratulations on the Bluebird sighting. In case anyone wants to follow the hummingbird migration northward here is the link to the migration map. I saw that a sighting was reported in South Carolina, yesterday. It's fun to watch the daily movement. I'll wait until April 1st to put a feeder out since the last two years they arrived near me on April 10.

http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html

seeds--great news about the bb. I think we should start up a separate BB trail report thread--I know we're going to have a lot of good luck this year attracting them to the nest boxes and I think it would be fun to track the progress thru the year in an orderly fashion. Iris said she would set it up--maybe you should give her a nudge since it looks like you might have some action soon ;-).

linth--that HB migration map is a lot of fun--last time I checked it it had no entries and in the past few weeks the birds have marked a lot of progress. I noticed another one for rufous hummingbirds (for the westerners among us) http://home.pacifier.com/~neawanna/humm/map.html

A few weeks ago I posted somewhere a map showing probable arrival dates of HBs in different locales, but I can't find it now--I think huga might have it...I think it said April 1-7 for southern Ohio. It would be fun to record our first HB sightings on the hummingbird.net sight. (I suppose we should properly discuss this on the HB/Butterfly forum, but....) They say they are coming earlier each year, but it seems too cold and dull for them now...certainly no red flowers around to attract them (here at least).

Ah well...'til tomorrow. t.

My "first"is also a lifetime first! Went into the Florida scrub with Floridian, and had a wild scrub jay land on my hand! I haave a great photo of it but it's her photo so I need to get permission before I post it.

Darius, Congrats on your FL Scrub Jay. I remember my first sighting and it was BIG!!! Landed on YOUR HAND??? WOW! Can you believe that they are common in the Northwest?? But not the Florida!

BTW it's a Shimmer of Hummingbirds.

Tabasco, is this what you mean??? Siting map for 2004:

http://www.hummingbirds.net/2004maps.html

It's the same site that Lithicum posted, but I clicked on the 2004 info :) Hope that was what you were looking for! I'm planning on putting my HB feeder out around the end of the month :)

A shimmer, very appropriate, isn't it???

Wow! I was looking on the hummer site a bit more and found out that 2 years ago there were two separate sightings in my area on April 1st. Not an April Fool's joke, either :) Tabasco, maybe we ought to think about getting our feeders out next weekend??? I noticed on this same 2003 map that there was one on 3/31 around the Louisville area. FUN!!!

http://www.hummingbirds.net/2003maps.html

My first for this forum came on Saturday when I went for a hike with the rest of my family. This is some sort of Bunting from what I can tell, but I haven't been able to ID it precisely yet.

-Julie

Nice bunting. I've never used a map but I know the hummers come when the qince flowers are open....(so old fashioned)

huga, thanks, but I meant' the map with the lines drawn across--kind of the easy to read version...(maybe I can find it today if the 'Search' is working.

I got my HB feeders out yesterday and mixed up a batch of glucose water. They say if you put Three feeders out together you will get a LOT of HB's because of some kind of territorial superiority interaction...mmm...

Wow, we've started this thread off with some great sightings. Darius--pretty neat (yet scarey) to have a scrub jay on your hand! I'd be afreaid he would peck at me.

Good to know Salv got her camera in action. Looks like an interesting little bunting...

Have a good (birding) week! t.

OK--Here is a Ruby Throated Hummingbird Arrival Map in a different format:

http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek040308.html

with other assorted interesting information.

Wow COOL Darius! I sure hope you post that photo!!!

-Julie

SalviaLover, Nice pic!

...Darius, What a neat experience! Hope to see a pic of it!

...The cam still has not come in and if it doesn't come in tommorrow then somethings wrong because it should really have come in today, But, Got a greaT site that you can all view and watch a screech owl, She allready has 4 eggs and the video up-dates every 60 seconds (Day and Night!) Just go to the 'Current View' and the daily archives, Plus there is some great info, And some video clips and info on a Barred Owl family, Also info on how the boxes were made, Love this site! ~
http://eis005.its.utexas.edu/owl/

Okay, folks...Stacey has given me permission to post the photo. The bad news is that the photo is on my computer in the truck and I doubt I will be home and get my computer hooked up again until Thursday. But, I WILL post it!

Saw my first hummer for the season, a light emrald green,,,




Viv

Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what this is? Shot this yesterday morning. I think it may be a White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus, but it seems weird that it's all on it's own flying way up high there. I brought it in as close a I could once I got the pic on my computer, but it was REALLY way up there!

-Julie

Looked out the window this AM and guess what? He's back

He just wouldn't sit still for his picture more than 2 seconds. He may have filled up on the suet before I got to see him.

High flyer could also be a wood stork. Or are they only in the new world?

Julie,
My first thought on seeing your high-flyer was the White Stork Ciconia ciconia (the one that is supposed to deliver babies). They would certainly be in your area at least at migration time.
Ken

Thanks Ken. That one isn't listed in my bird book, but the Black Stork, Ciconia nigra, is. I looked up the White Stork on Birdguides.com and it certainly looks like a candidate. The other possibility I've been mulling over is the Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber which should just about be finishing it's migration about now. In any case, it's a bit far off in my pic to be able to tell if the neck extends long enough to warrant this suspicion LOL.

-Julie

White Storks breed in Europe and migrate to Africa in the winter, so I would have thought they were bound to fly over Israel on passage both ways.

Ken I'm sure you're right that they are here....they just aren't in my bird book, so I didn't think about them before you mentioned them.

Isn't she a beauty ? I've posted, and willl be posting a few more photos on my Pileated Woodpecker thread. Another March "First" for me (this morning) ....

This has been a good month. Eagles, Osprey, Screech Owl and the infamous Pileated Woodpecker.
What more could one ask ?

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/448718/

l. That is SO FUN! Who would ever believe that you have practically a pet Pileated! t.

On the windshield wiper no less!!! :) Great shot!

I have a fun story to tell... skip to the next post if you aren't in the mood for a story, I'm feeling chatty :)

The other day, we were up at my parent's house for my sister's birthday. Mom's neighbor has all kind of terrific trees and feeders for the birds. I wasn't outside more than 30 seconds before I was entertained by a cute little white-breasted nuthatch hopping all over my mom's sugar maple, turning upside down and all over, poking it's head straight out :) After that little treat, I of course had to ask Mom to hold the baby (like she minded) while I sneak around and try to spot some fun birds.

So, quiet as I could, I tippy toed around my parent's back porch and over by her neighbor's trees. Red wing blackbird...nice. Sparrows everywhere... cute. Finches....chitty-chattery. I crept around the corner of mom's house like a stelthy little thing and VVVRROOOOSH! About a dozen birds took off all at once from a shrub about 18" in front of me. Scared the living daylights outta me! 3 seconds later....VAROOOOOOOOSH!!!!!!!!! A hawk literally swept down close to 6 ft above my head and zoomed across the lawn. He chased down one of those little sparrows (couldn't tell if he got it) and gracefully landed in a large tree across the street. My heart was beating a mile a minute. How fun!!!!

Fun indeed! How exciting....even if it did nearly give ya a heart attack! ;-)

-Julie

Sharp-shinned hawks stalk feeders for song birds. We have them here, too. Although I'm usually watching through a window or down the driveway so it's not as breathtaking!

My big excitement was the 2 GREAT HORNED OWLS that were talking up a storm at 11PM last night. One was in a tree across the street and one was in the woods in back of the house. I hung out outside as long as I could, then I cracked the window in my bedroom to hear them some more as I went to sleep. It was lovely.

http://www.cheekwood.org/nature/audio/horned.html

Cool link Boojum! I loved hearing the GHO call :-). I bet that was lovely to fall asleep by :-)

-Julie

Huga--that's a lot of avian excitement! It would seem like a good idea to wear a hard-hat when you go out birding next time!

Boojum--do you think the two owls were courting? I looked up on your link and others and read more about them--it said great horned owls nest and breed early in the year (as early as January) so you may have some more before too long...that would be fascinating--they are magnificent birds...

Folks, finally here are the photos of the Florida Scrub Jay, and one with one of them on my hand. Please remember, these are Floridian's photos although I have permission to post them.

And a photo of me with a FL scrub jay on my hand...

Oh WOW! What a heart-stopping breath-catching moment! I'd have been afraid to blink, breathe, swallow, or move in any fashion whatsoever. Not for fear of the bird, but fear I'd scare it away and ruin the once in a life-time moment! WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW! Oh I et you can still feel those little feet clutching your fingers. I'd be so giddy with excitement I wouldn't have slept a wink the entire night after that :-).

Congratulations on getting such an honor from such a lovely birdie! And THANK YOU for sharing the pic .... to both you and Stacey!

-Julie

Darius, what a thrill!! And what a good photo. Thanks for letting us share your good fortune.

What a great experience for both of you!! Well worth the wait, Darius!!

se-eds, Congrats on getting those shot's of the RB Woodpecker!

...Linthicum, Fantasic picture of that pileated!!

....Hugahosta, Enjoyed the story! Nothing like some unexpected bird commotion to get the ole heart racing! LOL!

.....Boojum, Wow ~ The call of the GHO's!!! Lucky you! To me, Thats pretty exciting!!! Do you by chance have any old (Or new) hawks or crows nests close by your house? If you do, I'd keep an eye on it!

...Darius, Thanks for sharring the photos!! What a Great experience that must have been to have him on your hand like that!!

....I got the cam set up, But, I have to turn the lens tomorrow and zoom it back so that I get a pic of the whole inside box ( Ran out of time today) ~ Now I just have to wait for the owl to come back, He/she hasn't been back in about a week, But, She/he does that sometimes, Sure hope it comes back soon!! ~This is a pic of how it looks as of right now ~ When the lens gets adjusted tomorrow, I should have a view of the hole box and entrance hole, But at least for tonight I'll know if she goes in it or not.

I just found this thread.
Wow darius, what an experience! I'm glad you have a picture to remember it by. A framer, for sure!
Yesterday I was working on the river's edge and I saw a loon!
A first ever for me. I have no idea if they are common to this area, but I have never seen one before. It was so beautiful, and it was right in front of me making its lonesome call... then a Great Blue Heron flew up at the same time.
The Ospreys were busy in their nest, and fishing- and the Bufflehead ducks and Mallards were about.
And of course the seagulls.
A sad find though- I was dumping buckets of debris on to the truck (I work as a gardener) and I found a dead owl.
It was so pretty, small with brown and tawny feathers. I don't know what kind it was.

Boojum, that is so exciting, hearing the GHO's.
I love the "shimmer of hummingbirds." I have been looking for a book with all those bird and animal groups in it. No luck so far.
Any snow there today?
Cindy