Minor Urban Phenology

[pameladean]

Yesterday was mostly overcast and full of a bitter wind, but there was a great deal of birdsong going on. I heard and saw a grackle for the first time in months. Starlings, who have been around for several weeks now, were making their squeaky slidewhistle sounds. I've heard individual house finches tuning up, but yesterday five or six ot them were having a little preliminary competition. Chickadees were buzzing and deeing. No "Phoebe!" cries so far. Cardinals settled into their longer song, not just "What cheer" but also the triple set of notes at the end. Robins were whistling, and also making that very indignant woodpecker-like noise with which they indicate displeasure. And for the first time since last fall, mourning doves were calling in the twilight.

Today a male house finch, resplendent in his raspberry-colored head and neck feathers, walked up and down the outside ledge of my office window, cocking his head. Possibly he wondered where the other tree was. While I was out walking, I made sure to go past a corner lot near my house that is lavishly planted, mostly with native species. Next to the red-stemmed dogwood is a spindly shrub with cherry-like clumps of bright-red berries. A flock of chickadees was busily devouring them. One female cardinal was there as well, but she decamped as soon as she noticed me, although I was standing still.

The snow is melting as fast as it can, but there is still quite a lot of it about.

P.

Comments

[kijjohnson.livejournal.com]

I was just reading Gilbert White, and turned directly to LJ and found this. Birds seem to be going around.

the light is different

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

not just longer. It is different. I notice the birds. After that, the light is what I notice most.

I was just wondering how it would look there. When I visit the city in April, are there any places you might recommend for walking?

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Our house-sparrows are prospecting for dog hair in the courtyard, the better to make their nests, and I think I saw a catbird in Rittenhouse Square today. That's about as good as it gets here, except for the time we saw a scarlet tanager in Fitler Square back in 1982.

I envy you your bird population, but not enough to move.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

A few years ago I hung bits of yarn on the branches of a backyard bush and the nest builders took every one. I suppose the gleanings from my hairbrush would work as well.

K.

[redbird]

There are a lot of mourning doves here this spring. (For values of "here" that include upper Manhattan and the Bronx Zoo--I haven't done larger-scale surveys, and don't remember noticing many while I was in Boston ten days ago. (Seagulls and Canada geese, yes.)

[kijjohnson.livejournal.com]

I adore your icon -- so beautiful.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

How I love these images! Thank you for posting that.

[von-krag.livejournal.com]

We have quite a bit of snow on the north side of my bulding. There if you could read the tale was a Epic writ small. About dawn this morning a fox cought a rabbit then had to fight off one off the weasel family ( I googled but still couldn't identify) I'm going to miss the canvas of snow and it's tales.

[marileeann.livejournal.com]

I heard one, single "phoebe" about two weeks ago. I thought it was a bit early.

[clindau.livejournal.com]

I thought I saw a grackle at the neighbor's feeder this weekend. The red-winged blackbirds are back--I hear them at the Sculpture Garden. No mourning doves yet, but I might not be outside at the right time.