It's Spring-migrants, nests and chicks.. It is that time of year when migrants and seasonal residents appear, nests are being built, and chicks can be found. Here are a few photos that...

jak86094

It is that time of year when migrants and seasonal residents appear, nests are being built, and chicks can be found. Here are a few photos that have captured these signs of Spring in the past week.

Uncommon and secretive, the Yellow-breasted Chat was once seen as a member of the Wood Warbler family. DNA studies show it to be an earlier breakoff from the Warbler family. I've seldom seen this species until the past two weeks when I've seen it on at least three occasions and heard it on several more. Frequenting thickets and brushy patches, it was calling and singing from up in trees in sunny areas.

Though Great Egrets are fairly common, year-round residents here, our survey of the Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Beach discovered 17 Great Egret nests in a stand of California sycamore trees with adults ferrying back and forth, often carrying nesting materials to enhance their nests.

House Wrens have been very active, singing and nest-building almost everywhere I have birded. This pair of House Wrens found a hole in the frame of the door on a steel container up in Big Canyon, Newport Beach. We watched for about 20 minutes as both birds flew out and returned carrying nesting materials before disappearing through the hole in the container's gate, only to reappear after a few minutes to seek more materials.

Our survey at the UCI Preserve on May 3 found many signs of breeding including several Americans Coots herding or feeding their brightly colored chicks. The chicks are capable swimmers, but the parents continue to feed them at this early age. We departed somewhat concerned for one chick which seemed to have something wrapped around one of its legs, preventing it from joining its parent and sibling on the pond. Nature is not always kind. I hope the chick was able to free itself.

Recent sightings of young have included owlets, song sparrows, goslings, grebes, finches, herons and ducklings, and I expect to see more offspring in the coming weeks. The voluminous rains this spring have resulted in huge plant growth and is showing signs of large populations of gnats, mosquitos, and other insects. I've also seen lots of squirrels and other rodents that may end up as prey for our raptors, coyotes, and even domestic dogs and cats.

jak
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Yellow-breasted Chat in Big Canyon.

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Great Egret flying over UCI Preserve.

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House Wrens building nest in trash container in Big Canyon.

(Download)

American Coots - parent and chick.

(Download)

CindyHouk Loc: Nw MT

Love the Coot shot....have never seen a chick before! Great set.

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Great set, I really like the Chat. They are common here in the summer in suitable habitat but I have never come close to getting a shot of one.

jak86094

CindyHouk wrote:

Love the Coot shot....have never seen a chick before! Great set.

Thanks for writing, Cindy. I think it was my first sighting of a coot chick too, and I saw several of them. Just the right time, I guess. Kind words...thanks. Have a great weekend. jak

jak86094

Curmudgeon, I've only seen them here about 5 times, and 3 of them just in the last 10 days. This one was perched at the top of a tree, singing and singing. It seemed to look out in one direction as though searching for something then sing for quite a while before stopping and peering out in search again, then it hopped and turned on its perch, repeating the singing and searching. I'd have to guess that it was hoping to find a partner/mate. It was beautiful and almost sad. Thanks for the kind comments. Hope you have a great weekend. Take some pictures and share them with us. jak

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

Extra kudos for the coot capture!

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

jak86094 wrote:

It is that time of year when migrants and seasonal residents appear, nests are being built, and chicks can be found. Here are a few photos that have captured these signs of Spring in the past week.

Uncommon and secretive, the Yellow-breasted Chat was once seen as a member of the Wood Warbler family. DNA studies show it to be an earlier breakoff from the Warbler family. I've seldom seen this species until the past two weeks when I've seen it on at least three occasions and heard it on several more. Frequenting thickets and brushy patches, it was calling and singing from up in trees in sunny areas.

Though Great Egrets are fairly common, year-round residents here, our survey of the Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Beach discovered 17 Great Egret nests in a stand of California sycamore trees with adults ferrying back and forth, often carrying nesting materials to enhance their nests.

House Wrens have been very active, singing and nest-building almost everywhere I have birded. This pair of House Wrens found a hole in the frame of the door on a steel container up in Big Canyon, Newport Beach. We watched for about 20 minutes as both birds flew out and returned carrying nesting materials before disappearing through the hole in the container's gate, only to reappear after a few minutes to seek more materials.

Our survey at the UCI Preserve on May 3 found many signs of breeding including several Americans Coots herding or feeding their brightly colored chicks. The chicks are capable swimmers, but the parents continue to feed them at this early age. We departed somewhat concerned for one chick which seemed to have something wrapped around one of its legs, preventing it from joining its parent and sibling on the pond. Nature is not always kind. I hope the chick was able to free itself.

Recent sightings of young have included owlets, song sparrows, goslings, grebes, finches, herons and ducklings, and I expect to see more offspring in the coming weeks. The voluminous rains this spring have resulted in huge plant growth and is showing signs of large populations of gnats, mosquitos, and other insects. I've also seen lots of squirrels and other rodents that may end up as prey for our raptors, coyotes, and even domestic dogs and cats.

jak
.

It is that time of year when migrants and seasonal... (show quote)

Nice set.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I've never heard of a bird called a chat. It's quite pretty. That coot chick is a darling!

jak86094

raymondh wrote:

Extra kudos for the coot capture!

Thank you,Raymond. We get lots of coots here so J guess we were going to see the chicks sometime. I probably just didn’t look well at the right time. Have a great weekend. jak

jak86094

J-SPEIGHT wrote:

Nice set.

Thanks very much, Jack.

jak86094

AzPicLady wrote:

I've never heard of a bird called a chat. It's quite pretty. That coot chick is a darling!

Thank you for your kind comments. I’ve come to look for chats now that I have some good ideas where and when to look. They are quite attractive. jak

JeffDavidson Loc: Originally Detroit Now Los Angeles

Nice Coot shot!

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

Great set, Jak.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

jak86094 wrote:

It is that time of year when migrants and seasonal residents appear, nests are being built, and chicks can be found. Here are a few photos that have captured these signs of Spring in the past week.

Uncommon and secretive, the Yellow-breasted Chat was once seen as a member of the Wood Warbler family. DNA studies show it to be an earlier breakoff from the Warbler family. I've seldom seen this species until the past two weeks when I've seen it on at least three occasions and heard it on several more. Frequenting thickets and brushy patches, it was calling and singing from up in trees in sunny areas.

Though Great Egrets are fairly common, year-round residents here, our survey of the Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Beach discovered 17 Great Egret nests in a stand of California sycamore trees with adults ferrying back and forth, often carrying nesting materials to enhance their nests.

House Wrens have been very active, singing and nest-building almost everywhere I have birded. This pair of House Wrens found a hole in the frame of the door on a steel container up in Big Canyon, Newport Beach. We watched for about 20 minutes as both birds flew out and returned carrying nesting materials before disappearing through the hole in the container's gate, only to reappear after a few minutes to seek more materials.

Our survey at the UCI Preserve on May 3 found many signs of breeding including several Americans Coots herding or feeding their brightly colored chicks. The chicks are capable swimmers, but the parents continue to feed them at this early age. We departed somewhat concerned for one chick which seemed to have something wrapped around one of its legs, preventing it from joining its parent and sibling on the pond. Nature is not always kind. I hope the chick was able to free itself.

Recent sightings of young have included owlets, song sparrows, goslings, grebes, finches, herons and ducklings, and I expect to see more offspring in the coming weeks. The voluminous rains this spring have resulted in huge plant growth and is showing signs of large populations of gnats, mosquitos, and other insects. I've also seen lots of squirrels and other rodents that may end up as prey for our raptors, coyotes, and even domestic dogs and cats.

jak
.

It is that time of year when migrants and seasonal... (show quote)

Beautiful job - and I really love that last shot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

jak86094

JeffDavidson wrote:

Nice Coot shot!

Many thanks, Jeff. Have a great weekend. jak