Hey, I missed you!

[Martin Gal]

Hi all, I'm glad to be back, and so sorry I missed the early part of the season. My computer woes are (mostly) resolved, as I am now the proud new owner of a modern Dell Dimension, which replaced my Stone Age model this week. I still have some issues to work out, like I seem to have lost all my Favorite Places in the move, but I'm getting there.

Where to start? Well, I had a nest of 5 bluebirds already fledge and Mama is sitting on a new clutch, this time 6 eggs. Wow! I never had more eggs in the second clutch than in the first before - this is terrific.

I have a nest of Tree Swallows with 7 eggs, only 5 of whcih hatched.

I have a COLONY of Purple Martins (but you have to read the main Roundtable to hear about them.)

I added 38 Life Birds to my Life List in 2006, and have added 15 more so far this year, bringing my total up to 272 as of the end of May. (I had 219 at the end of 2005) Included in that total is 35 species of wood-warblers, leaving only Orange-crowned, Connecticut, and Kirklands to see to complete my set of eastern species.

I have added 3 new Yard Birds to my yard list this spring - a Yellow Warbler, a female Wood Duck, and Orchard Oriole. I also have Baltimore Orioles coming around more often. I hear and see Northern Mockingbirds every day, and I hear a Brown Thrasher regularly, though he is harder to see. I have 2 Red-winged blackbird nets, but no eggs yet, as far as I can see, and I think I have an Eastern Meadowlark nesting in my newly established meadow.

So, it has been a very busy spring here so far, and more goodies to come. Now that I am back, let's stir things up around here. What do we want to talk about?

[Terry Suchma]

Kathi,

We missed your enthusiasm, too!

Birding camp sounded great. We should have had it on our Calendar of Events on the main website. Maybe, next year!

Terry