There's Something in the Air--07/03/09

There’s definitely something in the air here in the Green Mountains. With the advent of spring comes the irresistible onset of longer and warmer days, the shy peeking of flowers and plants as they resurface after a long winter’s sleep, and, of course, the return of our feathered friends who have finally come home after their holiday in warmer climes down South. I, too, returned to my beloved Vermont after months away at school and was delighted to have the birds welcome me back. There has been a veritable banquet of activity in the yard. The cardinals, blue jays, and goldfinches have shed their dull winter feathers for electric reds, blues, and yellows which dot the trees and lilac bushes like living Christmas lights.

In addition to “all the usual suspects”—chickadees, cardinals, mourning doves, and sparrows—I’ve had a few very interesting sightings over the past week. First off, I saw a male Red-Belled Woodpecker clinging to the tube feeder and feasting on sunflower seeds a few times. Though I have received various e-mails from readers who have seen these beautiful and noisy birds in their yards, I had never seen one before the other day. Red-belled woodpeckers do not, amusingly, have a visible red belly (the name refers, rather, to a reddish wash on the rump), but are easily identifiable by their bright white fronts, red crown, and distinctive zebra pattern on the back, a characteristic which gives them their nickname of “zebra backs.” Their range extends from Southern Vermont and Upstate New York down to Florida and the Midwest. Hopefully, I’ll get some other visits from this pretty woodpecker.

I was also pleased to see one of my favorite summer visitors—you guessed it!—the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. After a heavy rain, I was taking a walk in the garden when I heard the distinctive buzzing zip right above my head. Sure enough, a little male hummer was investigating the lilac bushes, apparently for something other than the fragrant blooms, as he was performing the sweeping U-shaped arc used to impress potential mates. I’ll make sure to whip up some sugar water and get the hummingbird feeders out in the next day or two!

Have you had any delightful spring visitors in your backyard? Do you have any questions about the column or a sighting you had? If so, please send me an e-mail at chickadee@att.net and I will be happy to send you a prompt reply. Happy Birding!