From Left Field

A Song Sparrow Chick Has Hatched!

Please excuse the fuzziness of the image! We didn't want to be hovering too long over this obviously hungry newborn. It's bad enough that we're grilling out tonight. We're leaving tomorrow for the weekend. I expect that if all goes well, all 5 chicks will be hatched when we return.

I checked the Bluebird nest today and found 5 warm eggs. I assume that incubation has begun. We'll have to get some mealworms for them when we get back into town. OH, this is just so exciting!!

Well-deserved Kudos to Westbrook

Cleveland's Jake Westbrook named American League Player of the Week

I Feel Like a Playground Monitor

Fox pup showed up again today. When I first saw her, she was in "her place" under the suet feeder, but she wasn't there for long. She started what amounted to a tour of our yard, doing a circle that included a side-trip into the garage. I noticed yesterday that the builders ate their lunch inside the garage and left their toaster oven behind (ok, now I have this creepy feeling that I'm an voyeur!) I'm sure that crumbs remained as well.

The fox was noticably larger, more nimble and less afraid of her environment.(I'm just going to stick with "her" until I get evidence otherwise.) Because of this developmental growth, what worried me today was not the well-being of the fox, but instead the possibility that she could destroy the song sparrow nest. As the fox emerged from the garage, she came around by the deck near the nest and that's when I decided that it was time to monitor the situation from the outside. When I came out on the deck, she must have been under it because I couldn't find her at first. Gingerly walking towards the nest and then checking it (I received "that look" from the mom-bird) gave the fox time to emerge from under the deck. What amazed me is that she didn't seem to know that I was out there. Granted, I opened the door as softly as possible, but it sticks and doesn't open very easily. Therefore I was sure that she would have heard me come out. But I was able to snap a couple of photos (on a side note, please excuse my picture-taking--I'm still learning how to use the digital camera!) Then she took off at a fairly fast clip down into the ravine and out of sight.

Am I not the luckiest girl in the world to be a playground monitor between a red fox pup and a song sparrow and her nest?

And Then There Were 5

I am very, very pleased to report that another egg has been added to the bluebird nest. Last night, the temperature dipped into the upper 30's, but despite this, all is well with the nest.

I don't think that nest size exceeds 6 for bluebirds, so if there is to be another eggs, it should appear by tomorrow. Paul and I are heading to Milwaukee on Thursday when I imagine that the female will begin incubation.

Philip II and George II

I'm currently reading Barbara W. Tuchman's The First Salute: A View of the American Revolution.

I was struck by her description of Spain's Philip II and his uncanny resemblance to another "II" that we are all too familiar with in this country.

She writes,

"The ruler, Philip II--that "odious personage", as Motley, classic historian of the revolt, cannot refrain in his Protestant Victorian rectitude from calling him--was himself too narrow and rigid to recognize as rebellion the trouble he was stirring up for himself; Philip could think only in terms of being ordained by God to root out Protestantism, and he rejected any consideration that might suggest an obstacle in the way of this task"

and continues.....

"The sack [in 1576 of Antwerp] was precipitated by a mutiny of Spanish troops who had not received their promised pay for 22 months. Philip II, having transferred the cost of the war into a huge debt owed to the merchants and magnates of Spain, had declared his exchequer in bankruptcy in 1575 and had received a dispensation from the Pope permitting him to revoke all promises or commitments "lest he should be ruined by usury while combating the heretics." With his customary lack of sense, the richest monarch of his time applied the dispensation to non-payment of his army on the theory that, as he was God's instrument for crushing heresy, whatever he did, whether or not was wise, was right. Like most of Philip's policy judgments, it turned against himself."

Because my public high school education didn't exactly teach me much history, I was until now unaware of the parallels between the Dutch provinces' struggle for independence from Spain and the American colonists' struggle against England which happened 200 years later. I was also unaware of how important the Dutch mercantile system was to the Revolution. Washington most likely would not have survived the first winter without Dutch supplies of provisions and ammunition.

Tuchman is a favorite popular author of history books. I only took one history class at The College of Wooster and so have happily avoided the dry and uninteresting (sometimes revisionist) histories to which scholars are beholden. I get to read Gibbon, Tuchman, Boorstin in happy bliss.

I encourage all curious minds to take in any or all of Tuchman's works. The journalist/homemaker was a 2-time Pulitzer Prize winner. I'm sure that it is because of her separation from academia that she wrote such dynamic and engrossing books.

And Then There Were 4

I just checked the bluebird nest box and discovered a total of 4 eggs. When we checked yesterday there were 3, so she's been laying one per day. I laid out some more grubs that we pulled from the ground last evening while continuing to dig up an area on the back side of our house.

The Amish builders are here, but I doubt that their presence will adversely affect the blues. It will, however, impact the goldfinches who gather 12 at a time at the niger (thistle) seed feeder.

The Bluebird Nest Has Eggs!

Well, it's been a very exciting day here at Tate Rd. Paul mowed the grass for the first time this season. We had been putting it off because we don't have anywhere to store the mower. It was in our neighbor's barn over the winter. Our garage is still in the process of being built and we disposed of the plastic tarp that we used last year (a very inelegant solution, but the only viable option we had). But our grass was approaching the unmanageable and we feared that if we postponed the mowing any longer our Toro just wouldn't be able to manage. And fortunately, our neighbor is providing room and board for as long as we need.

While Paul was busy walking the Toro across the near-acre that we have to mow, I was busy digging in the dirt. Our goal is to get the tall grasses transplanted to the back of the house to provide a backdrop to the wildflowers and herbs that I want to plant there. My mom gave me a pre-seeded wildflower mat that I plan to use back there. But first, I needed to dig up area and remove the grass and weeds. Boy, is that a lot of work!!

From my vantage point, I was able to keep an eye on the bluebird house. Because Bob, our neighbor, was also mowing his grass, the birds weren't around. I figured that it would be a perfect time to monitor the nest. Yesterday when I checked it out, I was disappointed to see an empty nest. Today, however, I was thrilled to discover two blue eggs. I started jumping around, Paul came over and we jumped around together awhile. It made me feel so good that I chased away those House Sparrows while they were building their nest (I kept removing their efforts).

I went back to digging and I uncovered quite a few grubs. I put them in a shallow dish near the nest for the "birds of blue" as I like to call them.

Bluebirds lay their eggs once a day and they can lay as many as 6. Once all eggs are laid, incubation begins and lasts 13-14 days. Once the chicks hatch, they remain in the nest another 17-18 days. A bluebird pair to can have 3 broods per mating season. I think that the best our pair could do is to have 2 since they are getting a relatively late start.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. There are many dangers the lie between now and a healthy brood of bluebirds able to care for themselves. Racoons are predators who will eat the eggs. Other birds are also predators known for removing eggs and hatchlings in order to seize control of a nest for their use. Careful monitoring helps as does providing a supplemental food source (mealworms). I intend to provide both. I've been a responsible bluebird house owner thus far, I don't plan on slacking off now :)

Song Sparrow Nest

The rains have subsided, the fog is gone and temperatures are on the rise. Therefore, I felt that it would be alright to check on the song sparrow's nest. In the past when I've leaned out over the railing to get a good look, she has flown away, which has given me access to the eggs, but it also gives other creatures access as well. I've seen a pair of Brown-Headed Cowbirds around lately and I'm sure that they are actively looking for nests to lay their eggs in. I certainly do not want to be culpable in such a 'crime', so I have afforded the song sparrow a lot of girth in my movements outdoors. But with the change in the weather, curiousity overcame me. I went out without the camera because I was convinced that she would fly away and that I'd have plenty of time to come back in to get it if there was something worth shooting. However, she did not fly off, even when I extended myself over the railing to get a good look. If you've never been stared at by a bird at close range (about 3 feet in my case), you really should take any opportunity to do it. There is something so unique in the experience that it is a bit beyond words for me right now. Anyway, as the picture shows, a "good look" is still obscured by grass, not to mention the fact of how well she blends into her environment. I tried to capture the look in her eyes, but I'm afraid that its not possible to see them in the picture.

I wonder what her reluctance to fly away means. Is she just simply more accustomed to my intrusions? Or is she sitting on newly hatched little ones? The latter possibility causes in me almost enough temptation to want to go out there and deliberately scare her away. I will not, however. I think that I'll go play tennis instead. I saw a Great Blue Heron last week fly in to the stream that runs near the courts, maybe I'll be lucky again today.

1st Hummingbird of the Season

My efforts to get the hummingbird feeder out have already been rewarded. I spotted a hummer (you may know it as a car, but to me it's a bird) this afternoon and was able to take a picture. It's not the best, but it was the closest that I could get. He flew away right after snapping it. It has rained all day causing our yard to be enshrouded in this wonderful fog that reminds me of Scotland. Most birds haven't ventured out of their warm homes to come to the feeders, so this hummer is quite a treat.

Recent Additions to Our List of Yard Birds

It has been a very exciting spring here on Tate Rd. About a month ago, we spied a Northern Flicker and then three weeks ago, we spotted a Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker. We have now seen all woodpecker species that are native to this area. We have daily visits by numerous Downy, Red-bellied, Hairy woodpeckers. We've observed 2 pairs of Pileateds who are also daily visitors. The Red-headed(s) have moved on for breeding season, establishing territories in more wooded areas.

This past weekend, we spotted 2 male Indigo Buntings. One spent a good deal of time on the thistle feeder yesterday.

When I was out in the yard watching the bluebirds yesterday, I spotted a Brown Thrasher. It is a beautiful bird with that long tail and spotted brown breast.

Today, I've put the hummingbird feeder out. It took me awhile to find it and to properly clean it (there was a bit of mold in it), but hopefully my efforts will be rewarded today. Hummers have recently arrived from more southern climes and are hungry. I used a 3-1 water/sugar mixture instead of the 4-1 that I use in the summer months.

Red Fox Pup Update

After having a pup-free day, I spoke with Jan. When she heard that none of the dogfood was eaten nor had I spied the little one all day, she confirmed my suspicion that most likely the mother fox found the pup on her nocturnal journey. It is highly likely that the pup woke up and wandered away from the den during the day while its mother was asleep. Red foxes (Vulpes Vulpes) are "fox fox" for a reason: they are very intelligent, quick and clever. Paul and I suspect that the pup was just exhibiting its natural curiosity by exploring the area around its den. It seemed to like the spot under the suet because it could eat the little bits that drop when the woodpeckers feed and nearby it could scope the birds.

I must say that I miss seeing the little bugger. I was really worried at first, but now that I'm almost certain that the pup is safe, sound and with her pack, I'd really like to see her (I'm convinced it was a female) again. I might just have to have my own daytime exploratory adventure.

Red Fox Pup

When Paul arrived home from work last evening, he discovered a red fox pup sitting beneath the suet feeder. The pup let us both approach, but once we were within about 6 feet, s/he started moving away from us down the ravine. S/he didn't appear injured in any way, just lost. I threw out some pieces of apple since I coudn't think of anything else to do and Paul was able to take some pictures (I'll post the rest later).

We called the folks at Wildcare Inc and Jan ("the fox expert") called me back. She didn't seem too concerned since the pup was not injured and not in any immediate danger. We agreed that she would call back in about 2 hours for a status report. Paul and I headed out and played some tennis. When we returned we didn't see any sign of the pup, but when Jan called back, I looked out and saw it under the suet feeder.

At this point, I was getting quite worried about its welfare. Jan explained that sometimes pups wander away from the den, that it's not necessarily true that the mother was killed. She advised me to put out some water and dog food for it. Since its only natural predators are wolves and Great Horned Owls, we figured that it would be safe overnight.

I haven't spied the little one today. Hopefully its mother found it last night. Foxes are nocturnal hunters, so if the mother would find it, I would think that nighttime would be the best time for that. I was concerned that the pup might disturb the song sparrow nest, but thankfully that didn't occur. The nest of mother with 5 eggs is still intact.

Jan is going to phone back later today and I will post an update after speaking with her.

3rd Party Candidates

It's good to see that 3rd party candidates are coming from the left and the right. It seems to me that Nader is getting too much press. I say let's hear from those Libertarians!

I'm A Tennis Player Again!

The tennis ball machine is working out wonderfully. I've used it every day since last Monday except for Sunday when I manage to get in enough exercise planting seedlings. My body is sore, but it's an exquisite feeling. Oddly enough, my forehand is currently my better shot from the baseline. Can it be that I've switched sides? I've never had much confidence in my forehand. It's an odd feeling being out on the court and actually wanting to hit from my right side. My forehand volley is also stronger than my backhand, but this is not a change--too bad since I could really use a stronger backhand volley!!

Tree Farm

On Sunday, Paul and I planted 19 very little trees that we received from The Arbor Day Foundation and a garden show that we attended on Saturday. It took us about 3 hours to dig the holes, work in top soil, secure the trees in the hole and place a ring of mulch around each. They are located in the "ravine" section of our yard. I watered them yesterday and they looked good, although I do worry that deer will come through and trample them. We placed them in a circular design so it would be easy enough to place some chicken wire around them.

Bluebird Nest

We have a pair of bluebirds who have nested in the box that we put out last fall. I observed the male hovering around the box most of the day yesterday. The female did emerge for what I assume was a meal. At one point she was perched on the post that holds the thistle and safflower feeders.

Design Note

For the curious who are checking in on this weblog periodically, I would like to remind you that I am actively working on its design. Since I'm pretty much learning CSS as I go, I'm buillding it from scratch. Therefore, if you think that it has some very ugly color combos, please know that I agree with you.

Daygame

As I work on the design of this weblog, I'm listening to the radio broadcast of the Indians game. As a sure sign of spring baseball obsession, I also have the TV tuned to the Cardinals/Brewers game. I'm afraid to turn around, though, because the last time that I did, the Cards were down 4-11.

The Indians, on the other hand, have been a source of joy. I can't really comment on D'Amico's pitching because I can't see it. Also, I listen for matt Underwood's signature "excited tone" that he adopts when something big happens. I can, however, comment on the Royals' Affeldt. He has somehow managed to balk, not once, but twice in 4 innings! He is obviously having control problems as well because the Indians have had 9 hits and 6 runs already (it's the 6th inning).

Hit Parade

Last night's Indians game was wonderful to watch. Now, don't get me wrong, it's always great to watch them, but when they win (big), it adds that extra something.

I wasn't very impressed with Cliff Lee's pitching. He seemed to lack control and was too often behind in the count with runners on. He must have spend 75% of his time pitching out of the stretch. Fortunately, he held his own enough to keep the damage to a minimum and he had some hot bats to keep him very much in the game.

For the box score or a recap