First Sign of Spring?

In what could be the first preview of the upcoming spring, two birds that do not typically winter in the Colvin Run Habitat appeared in the last two days. First, an American Robin appeared and immediately visited the bird bath.
Unfortunately, the heater was out of the water, so the robin found only ice.
Second, a pair of Eastern Bluebirds appeared in the maple trees. The bluebirds did not visit the feeders. Blue birds have not been observed in the Habitat in the last five years. Their early arrival is a clear sign that I need to but out the bluebird house that I received as a Christmas present from my daughter and son-in-law.

More Gray Squirrels

The squirrels enjoy drinking water at the bird bath or at the water fountain.
As we all know, the squirrels are themselves a favorite food source of the red-tailed fox that lives in the Colvin Run Habitat.

Many of the buried nuts that are not retrieved later germinate. The Habitat is full of many oak trees thanks to these little gray arborists.
As seen in the third photo, many Habitat squirrels live and den (that is, have their young) in leaf nests high up in mature trees. Males and females build winter and summer nests.
The eastern gray squirrel mate and then give birth twice a year – in early spring and later summer. You can often see squirrels performing a mating "chase" where the male or males following a female as she moves about during the day.

Taking a Winter Bath

Saturday afternoon’s temperature in the Colvin Run Habitat barely reached freezing, but that did not stop the starlings from taking a bath. From the color of the water after they were done, it was a much needed bath. Click on the photo to get an enlarged photo and see the drops of water.

Why wasn’t the bath water frozen? I may have mentioned previously that earlier in the fall I received a bird bath warmer which keeps the water at just above freezing. Only the starlings take a bath. The other birds and the squirrels just drink the water.

Saturday Visit to Washington, D.C.

To enjoy the spring-like weather, we headed downtown yesterday and walked around the Lincoln, Washington, and Jefferson memorials. A few bird photos to share. In the first, we have a sparrow enjoying a drink at (where else?) a water fountain.
In the second photo, we have some Mallard ducks enjoying the reflecting pool between the Lincoln and Washington memorials.
And in the last two photos, we have a large number of Canadian geese just floating in the Tidal Basin.
The highes each day for the last week have been in the high 60s and low 70s. Contrary to the news reports, we saw no cherry trees in bloom.

After the Blue Jay Bath

After his bath, the blue jay immediately did what the jays do best in the habitat - he made noise. In this photo, you can see the jay screaming.
After splashing and drying off, the jay visited the feeder for a bit of suet and then took a favorite place in the dogwood for more squealing.

Blue Jay Bath

Splashing water caught my ear this morning. With the help of my camera, I caught this blue jay taking a bath in one of the flower pots.
I do not plant in several of the pots so that the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks have a different place to get a drink (or take bath) after it rains. With the 1/2" of rain in the last two days, this blue jay found the water in this pot inviting and enjoyable.

With West Nile Virus in Virginia, I only leave the water stand in these pots (and the other water sources in the habitat) for 24 hours.