habitat

crow

I started keeping a list of birds that have been hanging around here in the lands of 29 Black Street. This old brick house is surrounded by a huge lot, a double lot and I've been told the largest yard in the village limits. And within this large lot we have several common avian habitats - small marsh and/or bog area, a petite forest and wild flower meadow like areas. The birds seem to love our terracotta gardens and I'm always trying to entice new species with a variety of seeds, nuts, suet, halved oranges nailed to trees and clusters of fat red grapes (a favourite of my Lady Baltimore's). I've been keeping track of sightings in the inside cover of my much loved and well used essential bible of bird watching - Peterson's Guide to Eastern Birds.

chickadee
sparrow (haven't nailed down specific species)
downy woodpecker
common grackle
starling
blue jay
robin
purple finch (house finch)
gold finch
vireo
mourning dove
nuthatch
sharp shinned hawk (very occasional visitor - Phew !)
American red start
rose breasted grosbeak
red winged black bird
red crested kinglet
Baltimore oriole (the famous Lady Baltimore)
hairy woodpecker
junco
cedar waxwing
bohemian waxwing
magnolia warbler
tufted titmouse
evening grosbeak
yellow throated warbler
crow
brown headed cowbird
and of course the occasional seagull

along the harbour we see bald eagles, occasional osprey, kingfishers, cormorants and an huge assortment of ducks, gulls and long legged, pointy beaked shore boards that skittle along the waters edge in summer - like sandpipers and killdeers. Oh goodness and we can't forget the tres majestic great blue herons who haven't arrived just yet but I expect to see them anytime soon.