[NatureNS] Hermit Thrush

From: Barbara Pat Giffin <barpat@eastlink.ca>
To: NATURENS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 09:18:08 -0300
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Good morning.
We regularly hear the Hermit Thrush in the woodland beyond our backyard. =

This morning, 0800, 26Jul13, near the house on the lawn we had an =
adolescent begging for attention from an adult.=20
Yesterday, afternoon's yard list included 13 species, the only unusual =
species for the yard were the Pilleated Woodpeckers. Some years ago they =
were regularly at our suet feeders and the trees between us and our =
neighbour, however, they located a tree or two about 2000 ft to the east =
that deserved more attention and had not returned, that we know of, =
until yesterday!
Yesterday, birding in the Gaspereau area we saw an Eastern Kingbird for =
the first time in many years. No doubt our minimal sightings are =
directly related to our effort.
Two days ago, Barbara and I mounted a replacement for our Barred Owl =
Nestbox. Bernard had advised us that this was necessary as the floor in =
the original was in poor condition.  Before dropping it to the ground I =
looked inside and was surprised to find it nearly a third full of leaves =
and bits of branches; when it hit the ground it burst open and we =
searched through the contents: the only recognizable items were Bluejay =
feathers: no obvious pellets.
The original box, made from well aged and used lumber lasted 4 years and =
was home to, I think, 10 chicks during those years.
I had promised myself that I would not remove the old nestbox until a =
replacement ready to install.  I confess to not following through on =
this target, there was a 24 hour delay, and fate took its toll on me, =
during the one night that the old box was on the ground and the new one =
was still in the workshop I heard the Barred Owls calling!!! I slept =
little and, with Barbara's help, had the new box mounted by noon! =
Nothing more heard from the owls, hopefully they will find the new box =
to their liking next spring. This box was enhanced by my adding shallow =
saw blade cuts to the inside of the front panel, hopefully this will be =
helpful when it is time for the offspring to exit. This year at least 4 =
days went by before all three chicks had emerged: the adult, mother =
seemed distressed while waiting a short distance away during this =
period.  This spring, for the first time, we witnessed the mother with =
the three offspring lined up on a limb, and staring at her, flapping her =
wings at regular intervals while she and the chicks were facing one =
another, we translated this into, 'this is what your wings are for'!!=20
Presently, not unusually, we have 3 Grey Squirrels beneath the feeders, =
Red Squirrels come and go on a regular basis too, the two species, for =
the most part, seem compatible, plenty of food for everybody so why =
waste energy fighting for it? Chipmunks are in good supply too.
Cheers, Barbara and Pat

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<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dwindows-1252" =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
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<BODY>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D2 face=3D"Arial Black">Good =
morning.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D2 face=3D"Arial Black">We regularly hear the =
Hermit Thrush=20
in the woodland beyond our backyard. </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D2 face=3D"Arial Black">This morning, =
0800,&nbsp;26Jul13,=20
near the house on the lawn we had an adolescent begging for attention =
from an=20
adult. </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D2 face=3D"Arial Black">Yesterday, =
afternoon's&nbsp;yard=20
list included 13 species, the only unusual species for the yard were the =

Pilleated Woodpeckers. Some years ago they were regularly at our suet =
feeders=20
and the trees between us and our neighbour, however, they located a tree =
or two=20
about 2000 ft to the east that deserved more attention and had not =
returned,=20
that we know of,&nbsp;until yesterday!</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D2 face=3D"Arial Black">Yesterday, birding in =
the Gaspereau=20
area we saw an Eastern Kingbird for the first time in many years. No =
doubt our=20
minimal sightings are directly related to our =
effort.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D2 face=3D"Arial Black">Two days =
ago,&nbsp;Barbara and I=20
mounted a replacement for our Barred Owl Nestbox. Bernard had advised us =
that=20
this was necessary as the floor in the original was in poor =
condition.&nbsp;=20
Before dropping it to the ground I looked inside and was surprised to =
find it=20
nearly a third full of leaves and bits of branches; when it hit the =
ground it=20
burst open and we searched through the contents: the only recognizable =
items=20
were Bluejay feathers: no&nbsp;obvious pellets.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D2 face=3D"Arial Black">The original box, made =
from well=20
aged and used lumber lasted 4 years and was home to, I think, 10 chicks =
during=20
those years.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D2 face=3D"Arial Black">I had promised myself =
that I would=20
not remove the old&nbsp;nestbox until a replacement ready to =
install.&nbsp; I=20
confess to not following through on this target, there was a 24 hour =
delay, and=20
fate took its toll on me, during the one night that the old box was on =
the=20
ground and the new one was still in the workshop I heard the Barred Owls =

calling!!! I slept little and, with Barbara's help,&nbsp;had the new box =
mounted=20
by noon! Nothing more heard from the owls, hopefully they will find the =
new box=20
to their liking next spring. This box was enhanced by my adding shallow =
saw=20
blade cuts to the inside of the front panel, hopefully this will be =
helpful when=20
it is time for the offspring to exit. This year at least 4 days went by =
before=20
all three chicks had emerged: the adult, mother seemed distressed while =
waiting=20
a short distance away during this period.&nbsp; This spring, for =
the&nbsp;first=20
time, we witnessed the mother with the three offspring lined up on a =
limb, and=20
staring at her,&nbsp;flapping her wings at regular intervals =
while&nbsp;she and=20
the chicks were facing one another, we translated this into, 'this is =
what your=20
wings are for'!!&nbsp;</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D2 face=3D"Arial Black">Presently, not =
unusually, we have 3=20
Grey Squirrels beneath the feeders, Red Squirrels come and go on a =
regular basis=20
too, t