Tuesday May 10
The everlasting winter seems to have delayed the spring arrival of my avian friends. I have been eagerly awaiting the return of my Bobolinks —now five days behind last year's first appearance on the 5th of May. This will be the 19th year of their return to South Branch.
The morning air is chilled by northwest winds—perhaps the reason the fields are fairly silent. After feeding my resident regulars which included cardinals, blue jays, catbirds and white-crowned sparrows, I walked past the bluebird boxes into the farm fields that border our property.
The only birdsong heard was the familiar conk-a-reeeee from a few Red-winged Blackbirds that rose from the grasses. As I walked along the farm road to distant fields, I strained to hear a faint trace of Bobolink chatter. Along the hedgerow I spotted a few birds continuously moving away from me as I approached them. This small group of about 8 birds was probably the advance scouting team ahead of a larger wave to follow.
In addition to seeing the first Bobolink, the hedgerow offered a surprise sighting of an Orchard Oriole who didn't seem as bothered by my presence.
Wednesday May 11
I don't know why I even bother to attempt to repair my rubber boots with new duct tape considering I know that I'll be walking through thigh-high wet grass —but I did a quick fix anyway.
At 6:30 AM I began an earlier walk through the farm fields, anticipating a larger presence of Bobolinks, but again the winds were silent and no birds were topping the seed heads. The crisp Canadian air mass was still with us, but the fields were much wetter with dew and my jeans were soaked with the high-water mark rising fast.
I visit a tall maple tracking some happy bird songs that were unfamiliar to me. A pair of Baltimore Orioles flies directly overhead back towards my house. I'm lucky to catch the glimpse of another male oriole happy to continue singing in the morning sun.
A few more orioles took flight from the tree as I continued to walk to the distant upper fields hoping to find it filled with Bobolinks.
Unfortunately only a few fearful buff-crested males were found—even less than the day before. The fields seemed silent except for the song of distant red-winged blackbirds.
Along the hedgerow I enjoyed an encounter with a resident Song Sparrow
and Gray Catbird
both local birds which I have visited before and seem to accept my presence and willing to pose in the warm morning light.
Unfortunately only a few fearful buff-crested males were found—even less than the day before. The fields seemed silent except for the song of distant red-winged blackbirds.
Along the hedgerow I enjoyed an encounter with a resident Song Sparrow
and Gray Catbird
both local birds which I have visited before and seem to accept my presence and willing to pose in the warm morning light.
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