Through the Window: May 2017

Wow, what a spring! Some unusual species seen and heard this month, for us, down here at the Viewing Window. (Okay, okay, we did record a few birds heard or seen while we were coming into the Museum or running out to check the mail….)

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Female (woodcarving)
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Female (carved by Bob Spear)

Bold items in this list are those species not recorded last month.

  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • Blue Jay
  • Red-Winged Blackbird
  • Mourning Dove
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Wild Turkey
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • American Goldfinch
  • Common Grackle
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak (May 2, 2017 and often thereafter)
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Wood Thrush
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird (First of Year male: May 10, 2017; female: May 13)
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Common Raven
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Baltimore Oriole (FOY 5/15/2017)
  • Ovenbird (heard outside May 16, 2017)
  • Canada Goose (heard outside May 14, 2017)
  • Song Sparrow (heard outside)
  • Scarlet Tanager (Male, seen drinking from stream below the riparian slope pollinator gardens on May 17, 2017)
  • Eastern Phoebe (nesting under Bridge)
  • Cooper’s Hawk (trying to take prey at the feeding area, May 28, 2017; two unsuccessful attempts)
  • Olive-sided Flycatcher (heard and seen Tuesday May 23, 2017)
  • Eastern Towhee

The usual mammals maintained their presence: Red and Gray Squirrels, and Eastern Chipmunks. We didn’t observe the Eastern Cottontail but we did see the Woodchuck. Wood Frogs tadpoles occupied the pon on May 17, 2017, and Tiger Swallowtail butterflies are back by May 23.

Our “summer” hours have arrived! May through October, we are open daily from 10am – 4pm (with a few extra evenings, and sometime closed for part of the July 4 holiday). Click over to our events page.  If you follow us on Facebook, Twitter , tumblr, and/or Instagram too, you’ll find more comments, links, and observations. See you soon!

The “Through the Window” series is an informal record of observations made by staff, volunteers, and visitors. Anyone at the Museum may add to this list. Observations are usually through our viewing window: a large window with a film covering that helps hide watchers from the birds. We have chairs and binoculars to try, a white board, and many identification guides. Outdoors, several feeders are attached on a single, bear-resistant pole. A small pond, flowers and water plants, shrubs and trees add cover and (seasonally) other food choices . You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.

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