Activity Around Rose Acres

There has been a flurry of activity around Rose Acres this past week. The Eastern Phoebe chicks have fledged and remain in the area. Its's though to get a shot of them. The Bluebirds have started a nest and I hope she lays eggs this week. The Red-shoulder Hawks are growing rapidly and I can see changes in them almost every day. The Summer Tanagers are very active. I spotted at least six of them chasing each other around the from yard. They should be nest building any day. The House Finches are coming to the feeders in large numbers and bringing their young. I even saw a rarity yesterday, it was a Yellow-Variant adult House Finch. Strange sight to see.

House Finch Yellow-Variant 

House Finch - Baby

House Finch - Baby

House Finch - Female

Red-winged Blackbird

House Sparrow - Female

American Goldfinch - Male

Northern Cardinal - Female on left feeding young male

House Finch - Yellow-Variant with eye disease 

Bluebird - Female builds the nest

Bluebird - Male watches

Carolina Wren

Summer Tanager - Female

House Finch - Male

Indigo Bunting

Northern Cardinal - Male

Carolina Wren

Carolina Wren

The Wrens are back and looking for a spot to build their nest. They were all over the yard calling much of the day.

Red-shoulder Hawks

The chicks are making dramatic growth spurts. Their development is very apparent and when I check the nest every day I usually see one or both parents there feeding them something. You can see the wing feathers starting to develop when you compare the photos below.  

This was taken on 5/11

This was taken on 5/16

Taken 5/19

Rose-breasted Grosbeak - Female

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

It's been a disappointment that the male Grosbeak hasn't shown up here.  The female arrived a couple of weeks ago but, so far no male.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Breeding colors

Song Sparrow 

The Song Sparrows have returned. I'm looking forward to their beautiful songs

Song Sparrow

Red-shoulder Hawk

They are getting so big they nearly push each other out of the nest. It really gets crowded when the parents arrive with food. They are anywhere from 3 to 4 weeks old now. Their wing feathers are starting to develop as seen in one of the photos below 

Waiting for Mom to show with food

Looking up at Mom

Look at the feet. No longer tiny

Dad arrives with food

Lunch is over

Feathers starting to form on wings

Summer Tanager

The Summer Tanagers are really enjoying it here. They sing and chirp every morning and cover most of my 6 acres during the day. They are really beautiful now that they have their full breeding colors on.

Male

Female

Red-shoulder Hawk Chicks Are Growing 

Red-shoulder Chicks

Chick After Eating

Baby Chicks Are Really Growing

The Summer Tanagers Have Arrived

I spotted at least three new Summer Tanagers among the visitors here at Rose Acres. There is a male and female juvenile among the group. they sit out in the tress and call each other most of the day. I can bring them in pretty close when I turn on my iBird app and use the calls. They fly from branch to branch around the yard and go crazy trying to figure out what is making the sounds.

Female Tanager

Female Tanager

Female Tanager

Juvenile Male

Juvenile Male

Juvenile Male

Red-tailed Hawk Update

The hawk chicks continue to grow everyday. Today I watched the parents as they brought frogs from the pond next door. I still see four little heads and beaks that stick out when they get fed. The parents sometimes leave them for what seems like an unusually long time. When they do you can see the little guys moving around and stretching their wings. They are most amusing to watch.

I like this one that shows the red shoulder feathers on the adult

Feeding chicks some frog for lunch

If you look close you can count four heads and four beaks

Red-shoulder Hawk Update

The hawk chicks are making great progress. The parents are constantly going back and forth to the nest with food. The chicks look like they are growing daily. Even saw one flapping his little wings today.

Birding At Rose Hill


It was another great day of birding at Rose Hill. After the excitement of the hawks I returned to my other subjects to try to get some good shots since the weather was so nice. I used my bird app on my iPad to call in the Summer Tanagers. They both showed up. Saw the Female Indigo Bunting which is really a rare thing here. Also got a few more pictures of the Eastern Phoebe.

Summer Tanager - Male

                                               

Eastern Phoebe

                                    Summer Tanager - Female

Eastern Phoebe

                                                   

Indigo Bunting - Female