Great Crested Flycatcher
Phoebe
I couldn’t figure this one out, a friend helped ID it and although it’s brown, it is a Phoebe. This one was perched on a bobbing log at Epping bridge.
Fun fact: the Eastern Phoebe was the first bird to be banded by John Audubon in 1804, at the time a silver thread was used so he would know when the bird returned each spring.
Bluebirds growing up
Getting brighter feathers and flying more and more, father is still perched on the dish watching over the young ones.
Phoebe on the farm fence
These fly eating birds have been residents here at the farm for many years, they were already here when we arrived in 1996. They live in nests similar to swallows in the barn beams, in the horse stalls with the Barn Swallows.
Purple Martins
This was a very successful Martin house with more than 50 in the colony, they actually opened the house at night and counted the sleeping birds, done by the Audibon Bird Society volunteers.
urple Martins