The Birds of Spring

This duck is in the top of one of the many 4 and 5 foot high pines that surround my yard.   Her right leg is badly damaged.  She has a hard time walking.  She seems to swim and fly fine.  Each year for several years now she has made her nest in one of these short trees.  Her faithful mate is always watching out for her.  Saturday he floated patiently just off shore while she tried out five trees, flying from one to the other.  This was the fifth.  Still not satisfied she flew down to her mate in the lake and they swam off together.  I haven't seen them since, so maybe they have found something more suitable.  I wish I could think of some duck house I could have built for them. 
I did have a friend build a bluebird house for my yard about ten years ago.  The first year two beautiful bluebirds made their home there.  The second spring two tree swallows enlarged the entrance a little and moved in before the bluebirds returned.  Tree swallows are gorgeous.  Unlike their dingy barn swallow cousins, they have a bright, metallic blue back and a pure white chest.  Like their cousins, they are very aggressive.  When the bluebirds arrived and tried to take over the tree swallows chased them off.
Every year since, there has been a battle.  The bluebirds won only once.  In early March this year two tree swallows arrived, stayed a day and left.  Two bluebirds moved in.  Three days later the tree swallows came back.  Irate to find the house occupied, they started trying to intimidate the bluebirds.  The tree swallows fly up high and then swoop down towards the male bluebird sitting on top of the house, just missing him each time.   When that didn't work they went away.  They were soon back with two other tree swallows and continued their intimidation.  The bluebirds moved out.  Then the four tree swallows began fighting over the house.  Word got out.  By Saturday there were at least ten tree swallows swooping and diving, trying to get possession of the house.  I thought one pair won, but yesterday and today the house seems to be empty. 
Robins, starlings, a cardinal, and a cute pair of house finches add to my bird watching pleasure.