Young in the Swamp

We have not seen any young Prothonotary Warblers (Protonotaria citrea) around the boardwalk at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest, but the young of many animals are beginning to appear.  A pair of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) along Mims Road have three goslings each from two clutches, a fawn was spotted near #143 yesterday, inch-long Carolina Anoles (Anolis carolinensis) can be seen running for cover along the boardwalk.

On Saturday, we discovered another Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) nest.  The first nest is located between the parking area and the power line corridor north of the parking area (see 2011).  That pair of hawks is nesting in the same location this year.  The new hawk nest is located in a Bald Cypress tree right of #153.2.  However, to view the nest, one must stand closer to #152.

Adult Red-shouldered Hawk returning to nest in cypress

Two fuzzy-headed Red-shouldered Hawk chicks in nest

Away from Beidler Forest, we spotted a female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) sitting on a nest in a small oak tree in a Summerville yard.  The pair abandoned the nest for an unknown reason, but built a new nest a few yards away in a Flowering Dogwood.

Female Northern Cardinal sitting on nest

On May 12th, while scouting the area for Saturday's bird walk at The Ponds community in Summerville, we spotted a pair of Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) and their two chicks.  One adult made quite a show of calling and flying like a wounded bird to distract our attention, which it did momentarily.  However, by see where the adult Killdeer landed, we knew to look 180 degrees from that spot to find the nest or chicks.  The other adult kept an eye on us, but the chicks walked about oblivious to nearby birder/photographer.

Killdeer chick and adult

Killdeer chick

Adult Killdeer and chick

Adult Killdeer

Here are the birds we saw that day:
The Ponds, Dorchester, US-SC
May 12, 2012 3:55 PM - 6:55 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments:    Overcast, 70Fs
26 species

Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)  2
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)  2
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  4    chicks walking, no flight feathers
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  2
Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens)  1
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)  4
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  1
White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus)  3
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  3
Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)  1
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)  8
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  6
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)  1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)  4
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)  4
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)  6
Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)  1
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)  2
Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)  1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  6
Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)  3
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  7


What young life have you seen around your yard or neighborhood?