June 2020 Wrap up

Well there are two words that pretty much sum up June 2020 - wet - and windy.  Even when it isn't being 'wet' it seems the wind is blowing....guess the only good thing about that is it keeps the mosquitoes at bay, because all that 'wet' has caused their numbers to soar - which is a good thing for the poor birds....but not so pleasant for us humans....

So where to begin?

I guess with water - we'd all thought the water levels had peaked as they had started going down, but no.....they came back with a vengeance.  This is the Kilby parking lot and the campground, that had opened, is again shut.

That high water has caused some serious problems...

 as some of the martin boxes are now completely submerged.

and as if the high water level wasn't enough, there are a lot of inconsiderate boaters and personal water craft operators whose wakes cause even more problems.  Hopefully the birds can move up to the boxes off of Eagle Point and still have time to raise a family.  Haven't been able to check those boxes recently due to the wind.

The weather has been hard on any flying insect feeding bird....

we did see a pair of Barn Swallows the other day feeding this one fledgling.  Four would be a more normal number.

Speaking of youngsters....

finally caught sight of the young Bald Eagle!  Looks ready to leave the nest...again, only saw the one.  Another sad story, courtesy of a couple of birders who had sat watching with spotting scopes....there have been a pair of Osprey with a nest way out on the bay....I'm pretty sure they had young, but all were lost - possibly to feed a baby eagle?....not giving up, the pair had been rebuilding their nest and had laid an egg but with the water levels so high, a River Otter swam right up and plopped in the nest and grabbed the egg.  

Still in just the nest building mode are...

the Cedar Waxwings.  These guys, along with American Goldfinch are about the last to get down to business.

Still on guard duty...

the Spotted Sandpiper....hope we will get to see the little ones when they hatch.

the Hairy Woodpeckers aren't effected by the weather....that is the youngster on the right, not sure if it was mom or dad on the left....

you can tell a young one, at least a young male, by the red patch on the forehead.  That will migrate to the back of the head.

At home, in the relative safety of our yard...

we've had a family of Dark-eyed Junco....that is mom on the left - she has a bad leg but it hasn't kept her from raising 3 youngsters - one of which is on the right.  Daddy is also around.  On the other side of the house in a quickly slapped together bird house, we have Black Cap Chickadees....mom and dad are busy feeding all day long....don't know how many young there are, hopefully will get to see them when they leave the box.

still young Steller's Jay around as well.

have also had visits of White crowned Sparrow (on left) and Purple Finch (right) but haven't seen any youngster of either species yet.  Black headed Grosbeak occasionally show up and lots of hummingbird activity lately, mainly Anna's and young Rufous....in fact, now it is the end of June, the male Rufous Hummingbirds, that have been in pretty short supply around here this year, will already be starting their leisurely southward trek.

so we will hope that the water levels have peaked - for the second time and things will improve.....in lots of different ways!