Almost A Full House 

The temperature is still seesawing, but most of the migrating birds have reached us on their usual schedule.  The Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) have finally settled in one of the bird boxes and have started building their nest despite harassment from the House sparrows.  We really have to keep an eye on this one to make sure that the sparrows don’t rout them.

The Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) came back as soon as the flowering fruit trees like cherry and pear here blossomed.  One of them was waiting patiently at the feeder station for the welcome mat.  We promptly cut a few oranges and put them on a tray for them.  It didn’t take them long to dive in for the juice, they must be hungry from their long flight.

Gray Catbirds, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Chipping sparrows are also here.  The first two still play hide and seek with us; every time we took the cameras out they flew off.  The Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina), the smallest sparrow around here, are not camera shy.  The Ruby-throated Hummingbird haven’t reached here yet.  Only the Bleeding heart flowers have start to bud and the Columbine still have a long way to go.  We use the blooming of these flowers as an indication of the arrival of the Hummingbirds.  The Columbine is a more reliable reference.

In the mean time, the resident Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) took no time in starting their family.  So far she has laid five eggs and any day now we’ll will see the first chick.

The Black-capped Chickadees (Parus atricapillus)  have almost completed their nest construction.  It looks very comfortable with moss and a fine hair lining.  It will be a couple of days before we see the first egg.

We are only missing the Ruby-throated Hummingbird but they should reach our garden soon.  A flight from down south on their tiny wings takes a little longer than the others.