We don't usually keep a yard list, but late this afternoon my wife started
jotting them all down for the day. Twenty-six species in all, a few of
which were real highlights for us.
Our Indian Magic Crabapple is in peak blossom right now-what remains of the
thing. It is dying and we are planning to replace it as soon as peak
foliage is over on the remaining branches of the tree. In fact, today was
to be the day. While on the way to the nursery today, my wife called to say
a pair of Baltimore orioles had arrived to eat orange halves hanging from
this particular tree. The camera hummed as various family members took
turns taking photos.
After returning with a replacement tree, I was able to see and photograph
the birds too. Other birds we saw included a red-breasted nuthatch, a bird
that we have not seen in quite a long time, male and female rose-breasted
grosbeaks, male and female ruby-throated hummingbirds, a yellow-rumped
warbler, male and female indigo buntings, and, oh yes, a first time ever
visitor-a red-headed woodpecker.
New photos from today (or recently) are on the website at this link:
http://www.naturefriendmagazine.com/photos/ under the following folders:
Bunting, Indigo
Finch, Gold
Nuthatch, Red-breasted
Oriole, Baltimore
Thrasher, Brown
Towhee, Rufous-sided
Warbler, Yellow-rumped
Woodpecker, Red-headed
Kevin Shank
Rockingham County