This turned out to be a banner year to be a bird landlord. We had some tragedies, of course (more on that in a later post), but for the most part, success all around!
This was the first year we’ve ever gotten Tree Swallows to nest on our property, and they were a dream to work with.
That’s not to say there wasn’t any drama. For a few weeks there, it was a pretty violent battle between multiple Tree Swallows and a pair of Eastern Bluebirds to claim this coveted mansion.
And there might have been an incident with a carefully placed note from a neighbor, suggesting that our thriving wildlife habitat was ‘not pretty.’
But in the end, this adorable little couple won, because no one can take your home if you’re sitting in the entrance every second of the day.
Also, we ignored our neighbors
And they successfully raised their brood to fledgling (stay tuned for photos of the babies), which is, unfortunately, a rarity on our property.
And in addition to our newest tenants, May had some other memorable moments for me.
I spent a good hour one morning walking back and forth underneath the trees just so I could catch a glimpse of a Chestnut-sided Warbler (a lifer!). Thankfully I spotted him, because the Northern Parula I searched for all summer continues to evade me.
I interrupted this Eastern Chipmunk.
I walked around the backyard on a few sunny afternoons trying to get some snaps of our regulars.
And my grandpa tried to use a roadkill deer to attract vultures, crows, and ravens for me, but they caught sight of me behind my poorly disguised blind, so this is all I got.
And as a last note, I may have started a Youtube channel.
Because apparently, I still don’t have enough hobbies. So if you’re interested, click here to check it out!