tuesdays birds (3/18/25)

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saw 8 mallards, 4 chickadees, as well as 2 red-winged blackbirds! 
i feel the males black birds are a bit early this year, so im going out again to see if theyre still around or not (it also snowed the day right after this). got followed by the same four chickadees (they've been over fed by humans out of hands). <- which i am also guilty of a little
all the local species are still looking good for this winter, im looking forward to seeing the mallard chicks this spring. 

Comments

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> saw 8 mallards, 4 chickadees, as well as 2 red-winged blackbirds! <<

Yay!

>> i feel the males black birds are a bit early this year, <<

They are way early here too, which has happened in recent years. They wind up clinging to the few remaining weed stems and mostly on posts, looking around wondering where their perches and food are because not much is growing yet. They used to arrive in May, when things were greener, then April.

>>all the local species are still looking good for this winter, im looking forward to seeing the mallard chicks this spring. <<

I've seen Canada geese sitting on eggs.

Re: Thoughts

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yeah, usually they come during spring cause of how the marshes take forever to defrost fully and sprout up again. I always feel so bad when theyre here early.
also nice! I have yet to see any eggs, its not the right photoperiod for most birds to be egg laying yet. but it will be shortly i think!

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> yeah, usually they come during spring cause of how the marshes take forever to defrost fully and sprout up again. I always feel so bad when theyre here early.<<

That used to be the case here. Now the snow doesn't last near as long, but it still takes a while for the marsh plants to regrow. The cattails and the big weeds like mullein that the blackbirds rely on are summer plants that won't appear for months yet. I feel sorry for them too. Insects are starting to stir, but I don't know if those include what the blackbirds eat.

>> also nice! I have yet to see any eggs, its not the right photoperiod for most birds to be egg laying yet. but it will be shortly i think! <<

Ducks and geese are early nesters. Geese will start laying about when the grass greens up, because they eat grass. So if you see a flock of geese grazing, and a couple hunkered down hissing at anyone who comes close, they're laying.

I haven't seen other birds starting yet. The mourning doves are just beginning to court but I don't think they're serious. That usually happens later too.

This winter I've had a tufted titmouse and I really hope it sticks around. Spring and fall shuffle the deck on what birds I get.

Re: Thoughts

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oh yeah, usually its the same here, but we had a longer snow then usual. also blackbirds tend to eat seeds iirc based on the beaks they have (conical shaped). tho insects are probably on the list of foods they'll eat anyways.
true usually they are, where i live they're are a few flocks that stay year round and they usually rely on the same photoperiods that grass tend to use where i live. they usually start nesting here april to may cause otherwise the eggs will all freeze and die :(

i hope your tufted titmouse stays around! ive personally yet to see one in person

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> also blackbirds tend to eat seeds iirc based on the beaks they have (conical shaped). tho insects are probably on the list of foods they'll eat anyways.<<

They are omnivores. In summer they favor insects and worms, in winter more fruits and seeds. Thing is, they really like marshy areas, and in spring the marshes are a sad mess of mud and dead stems with not a lot to eat yet. Some will come to feeders, though -- I get a lot of grackles here who will walk under the birdfeeders and clean up spilled seed like the mourning doves do.

>> i hope your tufted titmouse stays around! ive personally yet to see one in person <<

They're really fun. This is one of the few birds I can recognize by behavior even without a clear view. He'll grab one seed, fly up to a branch, and hammer it open. No other bird that size does that.

Re: Thoughts

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oh yeah most birds during breeding season will go for anything. im just used to guessing food habits in the field which is usually done via beak shape, plus like mammals birds get preferences based seasonally too.
i love grackles, here its mostly the common grackle and occasionally cowbirds both are very pretty.