Monday, March 20, 2017

Bluebirds! Season 7. Episode 1.

Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA
First day of spring. "Birds begin nesting," says my Japanese almanac. "Doubt it, this year," I thought.
House Sparrow nest
To my surprise the house sparrows have begun nesting. They didn't even wait for me to disinfect the box (my project today).
Eastern Bluebird, Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA
The resident bluebird pair, on the other hand, seem content to wait.
Eastern Bluebird, Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA
They, as usual, have their eye on box 16, under the giant oak (see top image). Box 16 will need a day to air out (disinfectant) but then it will be good to go.
Wood Ducks, Charles River, Needham, MA
In other first-day-of-spring bird news: wood ducks! Plus, hooded mergansers and, spotted for the first time at CRP cruising over the fields, black vultures! I thought they were big crows and then I saw the white wing tips. Black vultures in Massachusetts. That's a scary global warming trend.