More returnees

Sunday, 11th April was another glorious, though cool, spring day, bright with sunshine and brisk with a good breeze.

From the northern end of the 4th Line, 25 buteo hawks were visible, hunting over the small-rodent-riddled, dry fields. Most of these hawks were roughlegs, though at least four were redtails. Three harriers, including one adult male, were quartering over the fields beneath their broad-tailed cousins. A couple of turkey vultures soared high overhead.

I glimpsed a couple of Savannah sparrows, though neither was singing.

Later in the afternoon, along a marshy stretch of the northernmost 5th Line, I heard much singing by frogs. A male kestrel was perched on a line. At the corner of the 5th Line and the Base Line, there were plenty of little ground birds amongst the stubble. Approximately 100 (at least) of these small birds were Lapland longspurs, male and female, in breeding plumage; so lovely. Most of the other small birds were horned larks.

Twice during the week, raucous voices made me look intently skyward at, in each case, a pair of birds flying over the village: ravens and Caspian terns. Another voice lower down also caught my attention - a male cowbird. Later I spotted the female.

Posted by Marjorie at April 11, 2004 04:39 PM | TrackBack