Date: 4/11/24 9:49 am From: kuschmanfred via groups.io <makusch...> Subject: [centralvalleybirds] More spring arrivals
By now, all three locally breeding swallow species, Tree, Barn and Cliff swallows have arrived and in that particular order. I noticed the first Cliff Swallows yesterday at Stevenson Bridge where they have a breeding colony. Tree Swallows are building nests in several nest boxes near my house , and three pairs of Barn Swallows (solar) are beginning to attach the first pellets of mud under the roof of my front and back porches as the foundation for their nests.
Hooded and Bullock’s orioles arrived during the last 10 days of March, first three Hooded and then 5 days later the first Bullock’s, initially only the males but by now the first females have shown up also.
After the early arrival of a single Western Kingbird in late March I noticed yesterday what seemed like a wave of them, with a number of them perching on power lines in the neighborhood.
While Rufous Hummingbirds, both males and females, continue to pass through my garden I was very surprised that Black-chinned Hummingbirds who normally arrive during the last days of March and during the first week of April had not made an appearance. But late yesterday afternoon I finally noticed a first male at one of my feeders, certainly the latest arrival date I can remember.
Manfred Kusch
3 miles west of Davis
South bank of Putah Creek
