May 6, 2007

A cool sunny day. My walk at Holden was nice. No Phoebe in any of the historic locations. Bole woods had a good variety of Warblers. 15 in all. Having few leaves out makes it much easier to see the birds. Nothing exceptional, noteworthy or unexpected. It is interesting that we did not have any Juncos at the Arboretum. Here at home they are all over the yard.

It is fun to see the new arrivals each year. Like getting reacquainted with old friends.

The Holden Arboretum used to be a better birding location, but something changed in Corning Lake which is the body of water that feeds most of the other ponds. As a result of this change there are fewer ducks and waterfowl. Also the central gardens of the Arboretum have been tidied up. While a manicured garden may look pretty, it is a very low diversity environment. Birds like bugs and scrub. Places they can hide. They like untidy areas and there used to be more of these at Holden. At times the Arboretum has gone nuts clearing undergrowth and “non native” plants. The result may be pleasing to some, but the elimination of these habitats has resulted in the loss of certain birds. For instance, at one time Blue-winged Warbler was an expected nesting species. But all the honeysuckle was eliminated and now that species is largely absent except as a migrant.

On the other hand some areas of the arboretum away from the central garden are being allowed to go more natural. This should eventually provide better overall habitat.

I am going to cut my grass for the first time this year today. I wish my neighbors would not apply fertilizers, weed killers or pesticides. These wash into the watershed, and create all sorts of associated problems. The likelihood of my voice winning over the advertising of the yard chemical industry are zilch. There is no money to be made not selling yard chemicals.

Personally I would like to have at least one section of my yard as a prairie. Tall grasses and forbs. Full of bugs and birds.

Late afternoon brings a new yard bird. Yellow-throated Warbler. Yard bird number 98. Not bad given the habitat. Of course my yard list covers all of Gildersleeve Mountain, but I don’t think there are more than 5 species I have not actually seen from my yard.