Words On Birds 03-07-25

 

     Last week, on the last day of February, 2 grackles showed up at our feeders. It was our first grackles at the feeders this season. We could hear red-winged blackbirds singing their spring songs as we counted five visiting our yard. Our first cowbird of the season came to our deck to feed on the millet that we put out for the juncos and tree sparrows. By the middle of this week we were up to almost a dozen grackles and our high red-winged count was eighteen on one day. 

 

     Out in the field, we encountered hundreds, maybe thousands of blackbirds, in mixed flocks around the Salisbury marshes one evening. Spring has arrived in force! Some of these birds will invade area feeders and soon the calls will come in at the store from customers overwhelmed by blackbirds. Most of these birds will move on, redwings to the marshes, grackles to areas where they traditionally nest.

 

     Other signs of spring include the first tree swallows being reported in Peabody, Ipswich, Rowley and on Plum Island. The “peent” call of the first woodcocks have been heard in Rowley, Newbury, and Boxford. A lone great egret was seen in the marsh near the doomed Pink House, and then seen heading north shortly thereafter. Small flocks of killdeer are arriving at the Plum Island airport and in other area fields.

 

     Great horned owls are already on nest. They are calling back and forth less often, but they will still communicate while the female incubates for more than a month. Our local pairs of bald eagles are freshening up their nests and will be on eggs by mid-March or early April.

 

     Back at home, our bluebirds have been getting feisty at the mealworm feeder. In the colder weather they would huddle together around the mealworm dish feeder to keep warm. Now there is a little more aggressive behavior among them, perhaps the start of territorialization in preparation for nesting. We have had a pair of them checking out the bluebird house in the side yard. Last year, chickadees eventually nested in the box, but we are hoping bluebirds will stay and nest this year.

 

     We haven’t seen our screech owls this winter.  One would roost all winter and last year a male showed up and they nested last spring, producing five very cute owlets! We haven’t seen any of them since they fledged last May. We will need to dissuade the starlings from taking over one of the boxes in the meantime, and hope that the owls return.

 

     Both bluebirds and screech owls are early nesters. They both scout out potential nesting sites in March and are usually on eggs by April. If you have a bluebird or screech owl nest box, now is the time to check it.  Make sure it is clean and ready for occupancy (and add fresh wood chips for the owl). If you don’t have nest boxes, now is a good time to add one or more to your yard.

 

     Bluebirds can have up to three broods a year. If you don’t get any takers for the first early brood, bluebirds could be looking into May and June, or later, for subsequent nesting sites. If bluebirds don’t find your nest box this year, a chickadee, titmouse or nuthatch might happily use it.  If you are near water, a tree swallow is always a welcome tenant.

 

     Screech owls have only one brood but they are delightful tenants as well. They can be seen early morning, late afternoon, and sometimes midday, sunning themselves in the hole. An added benefit is they can help keep your yard free of rodents. We had screech owls roosting every year since we put up a box seven years ago. Watching them finally nest and fledge young was such a thrill.

 

     Our boxes were built by Scott Weston, local author of The Screech Owl Companion. His book describes all you need to know about screech owls, and more, including building your own house. Or you may purchase his nest box and he may even put it up for you if you are local. You can contact our store for more information.

 

     A couple of other birds are early nesters. Eastern phoebes will be arriving in March and they will be looking for nest sites. We usually have a pair arrive in our yard in mid-March. These small, brown, tail wagging flycatchers do not nest in boxes, but they will build a nest under a bridge, on eaves of a building, or under a deck. If you don’t have a bridge available, or suitable shed or deck, phoebes will also consider an open nesting shelf. As will our American robin.

 

     The boldly colored winter robins are leaving and the spring robins are arriving in small flocks, covering the freshly open lawns and fields. We already have a pair of robins that are “sharing” the bluebirds’ mealworms. We have a nesting shelf attached to the back of our shed, just in case our robins, or arriving phoebes need a home.