LOVE IS IN THE AIR AND IN THE TREES AND IN THE WATER…

Presently the weather in the Northeast  is not cooperating, but it is spring. A few weeks ago I talked about how busy the birds were getting and last week the action was definitely up a notch.  Let me bring you up to date.

I have noticed a number of new birds along with some of my favorites.  They all had one thing in common – finding a mate and starting a family.  This tiny but valiant baird sparrow was so determined, he was still singing over 2 hours after I first sighted him. The still photos are mine – and I have added some internet videos so you can hear what I heard:

Baird Sparrow

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These sparrows already formed a bond and were very busy making a nest in a tree’s knothole:

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There are always many robins hopping around, and their song is quite familiar,  but they kept a very careful eye on me:

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Seagulls, as my readers have seen are a popular challenge for me as I attempt to catch them mid-swoop or even better just after making a catch.  This one was already feasting on quite a large haul:

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No doubt he was gathering energy for his mating dance with a female gull which is quite elaborate:

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This starling hadn’t yet found a mate – but was sure to attract someone soon with his sexy puffy scruff:

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And his song is quite mesmerizing:

 

The cardinal is one of my favorite birds species – but it also one of the most difficult for me to photograph as they are very skittish.  The song of a cardinal is immediately recognizable:

However, even knowing their song does not make them easier to photograph.  The cardinals appear to have a large territory and they spend a great deal of time flying from perch to  perch either to sing their defense and/or find a mate.  This fellow gave me a tantalizing peek as his plumage shone through the branches:

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Another cardinal was nearby – I don’t know whether these two battled after I left – this one certainly was out in the open and easy to see:

 

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I though I had glimpsed a potential mate in a nearby tree:

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Some birders much more knowledgeable than myself corrected my misidentification – this is a purple finch with its own distinctive call:

 

Hopefully the weather will moderate in the next few weeks and I can start to look for evidence of new families!  Stay tuned.

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