Tree Swallows havebuilt nests, laid eggs, and are now raising nestlings in my plastic gourds. The Carolina Chickadees have nestlings in a box next to my house.
I participate in the citizen science project from Cornell Lab of Ornithology called NestWatch. I place boxes and plastic gourds in my yard for cavity nesters and then monitor them. The data I collect is submitted online to the NestWatch website http://www.nestwatch.org/. I encourage you to visit the website, read about it, and then sign up.
I awaken every morning to dawn song by Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Baltimore Orioles, American Robins, Northern Cardinals, Song Sparrows, White-eyed Vireos, and Yellow-breasted Chats. The Chat sings during the night to accompany the many frogs and toads calling from the ponds.
I am busy teaching a nature photography class during the month of May and am enjoying it. It is a good group of people.
I hope you are enjoying this beautiful spring we are having-- that began in March!
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| Tree Swallow taking pine needles to build nest ©Joni L. James   |