[Mnbird] Great Crested Flycatcher in Oak Grove, Anoka County

[Pamela Freeman]

So, I spy with my little eye.... something that begins with G....

Sitting on my garden fence, a somewhat time-bent thing of vertical
rectangles standing about 4 feet high which sags in places where the
raccoons have scaled it to thieve from my garden, is a great crested fly
catcher!  We started seeing this bird some years ago, when a family first
nested in a wood duck box placed closer to the house than others, farther
from the pond and marsh, and nestled in the woods and near where it opens
up to our 'yard.'  (Yard being an area that is reluctantly shared by grass
with gill o'er the ground, dandelions, purple violets in the spring, wild
strawberries, patches of white clover and various mosses and lichens where
it is shaded and whatever else attempts to grow before it gets mowed
down.)  Some of it is eco-grass (that we seeded,) some regular grass mix
that the previous owner put down as sod or seed. And much of it was placed
without any soil under it but right upon the sand that is what the soil is
here. Grass doesn't like that very much. Other things do better. Why fight
it? They all produce green and some produce flowers that the bees visit.

Perhaps we are lucky enough to house the fly catchers again. I do so hope
so!
In any case, it seems at least the male has taken me up on my invite to
come and glean what insects he might from my garden's environment.
I am thankful, as he is an enjoyment to watch. He seems interested in
possible nesting material as much as edible, as he just went after some
willow fluff.

This is definitely foy, and since we don't ALWAYS see them reliably each
year, esp at our home, an exciting one for me.

I do so enjoy working from home where lunch breaks equal birding breaks!

Good birding to all!



- Pamela
Never give up on a dream just because of the length of time it will take to
accomplish it. The time will pass anyway. - Unknown

“There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.”
― Aldo Leopold
I am one who cannot.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.lists.mnbird.net/pipermail/mnbird_lists.mnbird.net/attachments/20190531/a8679e4d/attachment.htm>