The Tyrant - redux

I just blipped #36, the Eastern Wood Pewee three days ago, but I could not resist featuring him again today.  This diminutive bird is the the Tyrant family of flycatchers, one of the largest groups of birds in the Americas with some 400 species.  In this guy's case, the name "tyrant" seems especially fitting.

While we usually hear them back in the woods every summer, this is the first time I have ever had one stake out the back yard and actively defend it.  I noticed him for the first time a couple of weeks ago when he was on the "bluebird perch".  While the bluebird was busy chasing larger birds, this little Tyrant was chasing everything else.  Now that the bluebirds have fledged, the pewee has the perch to himself and uses it to rain terror on everything that comes near him.  Today, from inside my hide, I watched him chase sparrows, cardinals, chickadees, starlings and titmice.  He seems to have a special dislike of the titmice, chasing them wildly through the yard and into the woods.  Based on this behavior, I believe he has a nest nearby, probably somewhere in the trees at the edge of our woods.  So, of course, I'm hoping to see fledgling Eastern Wood Pewees one of these days, if I'm lucky.

The starlings were back today, teaching their rather obnoxious offspring to eat suet (oh goodie...).  And, a male House Sparrow showed up with 5 hungry but much better mannered youngsters.  Somewhere up in the trees, I heard the distinctive peeping trill of a downy woodpecker fledgling, which put a big smile on my face.  It is always such fun when the baby titmice and downy woodpeckers start coming around the Bistro.

Thunderstorms were forecast for today, so I decided to stay close to home and spend some time in the hide.  The storms haven't yet materialized, but I'm totally enjoying the time quietly observing the comings and goings in the garden.

And a special shout-out to my Mom and Dad and my friend Peggy and her hubby as all are celebrating today - Happy Anniversary you guys!

xo
Debbi