HONOR’S HAVEN NATURE ALMANAC 10

Summertime is a time for vacation – well not for the birds and wildlife around Honor's Haven.  For them summertime is time to raise a family.  We have had several birds raise their young near the Honor's Haven Hotel.  One of the birds that raised a youngster nearby was  a pair of  Northern Flickers.  Pictured on the right is the chick just before it left the nest.  The black mustache indicates that it is a male.  Flickers are our only woodpeckers which leave us in the winter for warmer climates, the others remain through the winter.  As can be seen in the picture, they make their nests in a hollowed out tree.

Another bird that nests in a hollowed out tree, or in this case a nest box that emulates a hollowed out tree, is the Tree Swallow.  They catch insects on the fly.  As can be seen by lower youngster on the left, their mouths are very large and well equipped for catching insects while flying.  Their flying abilities are truly amazing, darting through the air, changing  direction on a dime to catch their prey – some of which no doubt are mosquitoes.  At this time they must not only feed themselves but also up to four chicks.  Apparently when it comes to meal time, it pays to be sitting on the highest branch if one wants to be fed first.

Another swallow nesting here at Honor's Haven is the Cliff Swallow.  Because there are no cliffs in the immediate area of the hotel, the Cliff Swallows use the hotel as a “cliff” for their mud nests. Fortunately it is on parts of the hotel were their mess is limited and not a problem.  As can be seen on picture on the right, they are quite the engineers.  While their cousin the Barn Swallow (which also nests close by – and looks similar ) builds a nest which is like a cup cut in half and stuck to a barn beam, the Cliff Swallows completely enclose their nests.  They are also very social and often build their nests next to each other.

Birds are not the only ones raising their young at this time.  Many animals raise their young at this time as well.  The Whitetail Deer usually gives birth between April and July.  For the first few weeks the plan of survival is to lie still.  When first born they have no scent, and brown with white spots makes for great camouflage  I have led a group of people just a few feet away from a newborn fawn and none of us saw it until I happened to pick it out on the return trip.  If predators comes near the doe will get their attention and get them to chase her, leading them well away from her fawn or fawns (they sometimes have twins or triplets).  By fall when they are strong enough to run away on their own, they lose their spots.