… because while cleaning up the fenced-in part of the yard a few moments ago – the area right outside our bedroom – I encountered a bird’s nest with an anxious bird in it, and I’m trying to identify the bird. Brown head, big black eyes, black spots on its belly…
The bird has built its nest quite low among the azaleas and hollies, and I can’t blame it for thinking that was a clever move. While I was away all those months in Rehoboth and Key West, the place was neglected, and things grew massively wild. The bird must have figured it had plenty of cover. And because of the, er, untidiness of our gutters, it had a vast and convenient supply of nest junk.
But this afternoon, under pressure of guests for dinner tonight (someone might – gulp – want a garden tour), UD went out there, gloved, hatted, and insect-repellented. Hacking at honeysuckle, she suddenly uncovered the nest and thought Again. Again the animals make it impossible for me to maneuver in my own backyard. Yes because now the back area has to be treated like a hospital so the babies aren’t disturbed, blahblah. I stopped hacking midhack. God forbid the whatevers — cowbirds? — should be disturbed in their egg-maintenance…
No – now I’m almost certain it’s a wood thrush.
Same big melting black eyes and speckled belly.
May 22nd, 2009 at 4:09PM
> God forbid the whatevers — cowbirds? — should be disturbed in their egg-maintenance
One thing you never need fear is that you might disturb cowbirds in their egg-maintenance.
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:37AM
That’s a thrush all right. I used to see a lot more of them while growing up in Philadelphia, but rarely see them in suburban NJ these days.