Red-shouldered Hawk

The adult Red-shouldered Hawk can be identified by 3 white stripes on the tail and a white breast interspersed with tan barring.

It has a habit of flying low through wooded areas in search of prey, and perches on fences and low branches. 

It is a very vocal hawk. If you hear a lot of screeching, but can’t make out the markings, it’s likely to be a red-shouldered hawk.

Phoebe’s Unusual Call

One of the heralds of spring in my North Carolina backyard is the call of the Phoebe. This bird calls its name, “fee bee.” Once the call is identified, it’s easy to recognize.

An interesting fact is that the male Phoebe stops vocalizing once his nest is built. That means the little bird in my yard is desperately trying to attract a mate, and will, hopefully for him, fall silent soon.

It is a petite gray and white bird with a dark head. There’s a rounded point towards the back of the head, and he twitches his tail frequently. (Please forgive the shaky video. The point is to hear the distinctive "fee-bee" call.)

Carolina Wren Nests in Milk Jug

I cut out plastic milk jugs to carry garden produce. I had a couple of jugs stored on a shelf in an open greenhouse shed.  We went away for 3 days in early April, and came back to find a nest with eggs in one of the jugs.

The photograph shows two chicks and an egg pushed towards the front of the nest.

Hummingbird Visiting Feeder

Hummingbirds

Anyone who has seen a hummingbird swoop in and defend his territory will agree they are dynamos in flight.   The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is found In North Carolina from April through October. 

I have a hummingbird feeder in my backyard.  Hummingbirds sip nectar so their feeders are filled with sugar water. There are easy-dissolving sugar powders you can purchase, or a 1:4 mixture of sugar and water can be boiled.  There is some inconvenience involved in cleaning the feeders and keeping it filled all summer, but the antics and beauty of the little bird make it worthwhile.

The male hummingbird is around 3 inches long with an iridescent red throat. His wings are green with white and black accents. His breast is white. The females and immature males are similar, but have a whitish throat.  Hummingbirds are territorial about their feeders and emit loud chirps when fighting. They buzz loudly when approaching the feeder. They exhibit astounding flexibility and speed in flight.  They hover, move up and down, and fly backward- much like a living mini-helicopter.

If you have a successful hummingbird feeder you will be rewarded by a view of the bird perching nearby.  They don’t sit still for long, but they will preen and look around. They also enjoy garden flowers.  They visit my butterfly bushes and cleomes.  Anything red or pink will be investigated.  They often return to the same feeder location year after year.

While I was writing this, a hummingbird peaked in the window.  That’s to be expected – I live in a red house!