An Update at Easter

The quintessential Spring Observance is Easter Sunday, and as part of my observance of that feast day today would like to update my readers on several ongoing--mostly discouraging--springtime developments at Cary BirdCam.

• The Tufted Titmouse nest is not happening. I suspect the Cooper’s Hawk has had something to do with that. I have seen no activity at that box in many days.
• The winter birds are definitely gone. The last winter species I observed was a Ruby Crowned Kinglet on April 7th.
• So far I have seen no Ruby Throated Hummingbirdsat any of my four feeders. They have been in North Carolina for at least 23 days.
• The fickle American Goldfinches are still AWOL. I have recorded two isolated visits by one bird, but otherwise the principal flock is elsewhere.
• We have seen no Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, at least not yet. Nor have I gotten an Orchard Oriole, for that matter.
• Squirrels? Yes, we have them. There are at least two pesky squirrels continuing to annoy me at the feeders. While I have had rollback success at some feeders they are not entirely discouraged.

All in all this has been a less successful springtime start than I had hoped for. But birds are unpredictable, and conditions change year over year, so I patiently wait for the breaks that must come. Stay tuned for developments.