A repeated "thanks" to the reports of BOBOLINKS! I went this morning to
Gravelly Point (Arlington, VA) and there were a hanful of Bobolinks singing in
the weeds exactly as described. I was able to get great binocular views of
them by walking towards the river on the bike path (as opposed to looking into
the fenced off field from the parking lot). Perhaps it shouldn't have been,
but they were a life bird for me - made for a great morning! What a beautiful
bird!
Back in Alexandria (in Loftridge Park) I continue to monitor a HAIRY WOODPECKER
nest we have in the woods near our townhome. As of a couple of days ago, there
is now constant light-medium chirping coming from the nest cavity. I'm
guessing the babies have arrived! I hope to spend a little more time this
weekend watching the hole (wow, don't we birders lead exciting lives!) to see
what I can see. Betsy True has been fantastic at snapping some photos from
afar as well, so perhaps she'll be lucky enough to snag a few more.
The PILEATED WOODPECKERS haven't been seen in their hopeful-nest cavity (which
I reported earlier this Spring), so perhaps it was simply a feeding cavity they
were preparing. They are still present in the woods, so perhaps they're
nesting elsewhere? OVENBIRDS and WOOD THRUSHes are singing every evening.
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS have been frequent visitors to our feeder as well as
to our blueberry tree. Each year we forget (and are reminded) how much they
love going to the little flowers on the tree (which will soon become berries).
We watched one male hummingbird spend about 2 full minutes hitting each flower!
At the end of the "tour", he went back and drank from the feeder and sat to
relax. Bird TV for us!
Happy Spring Birding!
-Renee Grebe
Alexandria, VA
