Yesterday we had full nests...today they're empty!

In yesterday’s post the nests were huge and filled with mama and papa herons, but in today’s they are small and empty, left over from last year’s breeding season. When Matty got home from school, we ran over to Pine Hills park, a small park with varied habitat and a nice bike/hike/skate trail. Matty brought his skates and hit the trail, while I slipped off to the brushy meadow to look for nests. Meadows are always so sweet this time of year. They are still dormant so are easy to traverse, but in just weeks (or even days) they will start to come alive. It's a perfect time to map out old nests and get ready for the coming season. Some day I’d like to be able to spot a nest and know who nested in it by shape, construction material and location. I’ve got a beginning now!














In addition to nests, I was hoping to find the first Tree Swallows of the year. Last year, they arrived on March 25, but no luck yet this year. Notes from my field journal on that day last year:

Matty and I dropped Rick off after visiting the rookery and went to Pine Hills to see if any birds were around. It was 4:30, so we weren't expecting much. I'm glad we went because we ended up seeing the first Tree Swallows of spring! I heard their calls before I saw them and told Matty to "look up.....swallows!" We found them right away and followed their aerial show over the hill and out of the woods to the open field. There we watched them close up. Two came down from their play and rested on a nest box. The box was old and a weathered red...the swallow's iridescent blue feathers looked amazing against it.

This year, the old red nesting boxes have been replaced 

with new ones. Hopefully the swallows approve! This new 

nesting box standing in the grasses of the dormant field 

caught my eye. Like the meadow, it seems to be 

waiting for spring residents to arrive.

I did, however, see a different spring arrival. Where the scrub starts to weave into trees, I heard a slight scuffle and suddenly the profile of a Brown Thrasher came into view! I love these birds. They are so big and their profile is so recognizable. I also love that rufous color and their funky, big eyes! I pulled out the field journal and did a very fast 2-minute sketch, which although not as colorful or accurate, is fun to do!