5/5/17
Yesterday I reported that I didn't see or hear either local wren species; this morning I heard both. In fact, House Wrens were singing all over the place and a pair of them were trying to get into the dryer outlet where Carolina Wrens have tried to nest in past years. Although a piece of mesh now covers the hole, the smallish House Wren might have been able to slip in through the sides of the mesh. Or, perhaps, he (and I'm pretty sure it was a he as he sang several times) simply wanted to obliterate the hole by filling it with trash (a favorite, somewhat incomprehensible occupation of male House Wrens). In any case we chased him away and made the hole more difficult to enter. We'll see.

The Carolina Wrens seem to ne uncharacteristically quiet -- I heard just one song -- probably because they are already nesting, sitting on eggs or even feeding young. Carolinas are year-round residents and one of the earliest breeders around here. House Wrens, on the other hand, leave us for the winter and these birds might actually be recent returnees, only just starting to sing and investigating possible nest holes. Ditto for Catbirds. On the other hand, American Goldfinches are often here in the winter and, although they are notably late nesters, they are already actively singing their short songs. A couple of them were even checking out the area where the thistles grow; thistle seed is their favorite food -- but the seeds are months away from appearing.

The wrens were not the only FOS's for me (FOS is birder code for First of Season). And overhead flight of loons (mostly or entirely Commons) came right overhead on their usual migratory track, from southwest to northeast; quite an impressive sight. Also a large raptor, probably a Red-tailed Hawk, came flapping by; it was hard to make out any detail against the heavily clouded, brightening sky but it was certainly a buteo. Heard Yellow and Pine Warblers singing; assuming these audio IDs are correct, these would be the first warblers of the year. 

White-throated Sparrows are still around but rather silent and seemingly in small flocks. These may be -- at least in part -- through migrants rather than lingering winter birds. They nest further north so, in any case they will be leaving us shortly. Other birds seen today included Mourning Doves (oddly enough, missed yesterday), and Ring-billed Gulls (ditto).
 
A startling clatter coming out of the marsh was almost certainly a Clapper Rail; couldn't find it even though the marsh grass is still very low (it was probably working the little creek bed through which the marsh water flows in and out. The big action here was the high speed chases of the Red-winged Blackbirds -- males chasing males, males chasing females, females chasing other females. The females don't sing (or at least not very much) but they play an active role in the mating process.

Eric Salzman