April was a busy month with much nesting activity all over the neighborhood. Three of the four bird houses on the Nature Trail have occupants. Two neighbors on Darlington Commons had nests in shrubbery right outside their front door, and we counted at least four nests in our yard, including a Brown Thrasher pair who nested in the Carolina Jessamine vine on the side of the house.
Most trees have leafed out now. American Basswood, Pignut Hickory, Georgia Hackberry and Southern Sugar Maple along with eight other species were identified on the Nature Trail and will be marked. Hummers are here for sure, and flowering plants like Crossvine and Native Honeysuckle are in bloom for them.
And it looks like the Wild Turkey hen has moved on. We hope she’s safe and well.
the Intown Hawk 
Bill, Always fun and informative . David
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Thanks David! We know you love Peachtree Paek as much as we do.
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Intown Hawk,
I love your reporting! So glad to get these postings!
I’m writing to note that the wren in your house photo is a house wren, not a Carolina. And perhaps the one on the perch as well. Just keepin’ ya honest! You’ll probably get 100 of these emails!
Esther
On Mon, May 1, 2017 at 7:56 AM, the Intown Hawk wrote:
> beveritt posted: “April was a busy month with much nesting activity all > over the neighborhood. Three of the four bird houses on the Nature Trail > have occupants. Two neighbors on Darlington Commons had nests in shrubbery > right outside their front door, and we counted at l” >
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Thanks Esther! We really appreciate your feedback and for keeping us honest. Our apologies for the mistake, but thank you for reporting it. Looking forward to following your blog in the UK and learning more about the birds you see there.
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Again, beautiful photography and great info. I am much more aware of all of nature now when I walk our lovely neighborhood.
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Thanks Debbie. Glad you are enjoying the nature that we have here.
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Great pictures and info Bill. Thanks!!!
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Thank you Jack!
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How is the Carolina Wren different from the House Wren? And the Black-capped Chickadee & the one pictured. I saw a small chickadee at our feeder, but she was very small – had a black cap, but was slender, not chubby like the photos I have seen on the web.
Beth
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Thanks for these two good questions.
1) Wrens: We created some initial confusion ourselves on the original post by incorrectly identifying the House Wren as a Carolina Wren. In an earlier comment a thoughtful reader corrected our mistake. Both birds are similar, but the House Wren is slightly smaller and does not have the distinctive white stripe above the eye as does the Carolina Wren. Also, the House Wren is usually in this part of the country only in the winter while the Carolina Wren is here all year. Not sure why this House Wren is nesting here now.
2) Chickadees: It would be very unusual to see a Black-Capped Chickadee here since we are outside its range. However both birds look very similar and I for one would have a hard time telling them apart just by appearance. If your bird is not chubby it’s probably because this time of year they are working extra hard raising young and giving a lot of the food it catches to their young.
Perhaps someone else reading this could weigh in as well.
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