Home Again

After our long journey, we made it back to Bobolink Farm, our 45 acre NH property named in honor of the Bobolinks that nest in our large hayfield. The first thing we did was hang up our bird feeder. Greeting us were many birds. Each morning, over our cup of coffee, we write in our journal and keep a list of the birds and happenings. This morning there were a pair of Common Mergansers, 7 beautiful Common Goldeneye ducks, and a pair of Mallards on the pond. A Bald Eagle, then a Great Blue Heron, flew over. A pair of Eastern Phoebes were checking out our barn. That is where phoebes nested last year, we think this is the same pair. Robins, titmice, juncos, and a Pine Warbler were singing. At the feeders were chickadees, titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, Red-winged Blackbirds, Downy Woodpeckers, juncos, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, and Song Sparrows.

In the field, all heck was breaking loose. A pair of bluebirds was defending a nest box from many Tree Swallows who were all flying about and competing for our nest boxes. The bluebird female we recognized as "Buffy," our female from last year. But she was with a new male, not "Spot" from last year, but a big, handsome male with a lot of red on his breast. We named him, "Prince Charming" or "P.C." Last year's adventure of "Spot", "Buffy" and their abandoned young, "Baby Blue", is a story for another time.

From the north woods 8 Turkeys appeared and walked by the stone wall. A big male constantly displayed to the females, while a tree Swallow looked on. See the digiscoped photo taken from far away, I just held the camera to the scope.

Here in NH the daffodils are not even out yet, just the crocuses. It is the perfect time for gardening, and we are. We are adding to, and changing our gardens in some exciting new ways. Stay tuned.