Imagine my surprise when recently contacted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology wondering why I had skipped my March/April Birding Journal Observations?! To read the journal entries of the Cornell search team that looked for the ivory-billed woodpecker in S.C in 2007 click here.
The neotropical migratory songbirds of Spring did not disappoint and April was simply exhilerating! A kingfisher was observed at the pasture pond on March 8 in addition to other March observations of a cardinal, carolina chickadee, chipping sparrow, red-bellied woodpecker, carolina wren, pileated woodpecker, yellow-bellied sapsucker, white-throated sparrow, hairy woodpecker, brown thrasher, dove, and brown-headed cowbird.
On April 2 I recorded a bright-yellow male goldfinch plus two male towhees.
April 11 the first male Indigo bunting of the season was viewed and it turned into a first viewing double-header when the blue grosbeak turned up that very day!
April 20 the first ruby-throated hummingbird of the season was spotted!
Also on April 20 the first Swallow-tailed Kite was spotted over the cow pasture!
And a male yellow warbler showed up that day for good measure, plus bluebirds, blue jays, red-headed woodpeckers, pileated woodpeckers, and most of the regular songbirds listed above.
April 22 was a shocker when a very green, first-spring male painted bunting turned up.
New observations in May and June were limited to the yellow-billed cuckoo and barn swallows, with lots of observations of the regular songbirds listed above.
The most powerful attractant in this time of drought has been water in birdbaths.
Feed in the form of suet, black sunflower seeds, birdseed and peanuts is also utilized.
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