Day 178: I don't recall having ever had as many Redwinged Blackbirds in my yard, nor that they have ever hung around for more than a few days while in transit to Mineral Lake, their customary habitat. This year, the first ones arrived about a month ago, stayed for a week (longer than usual even at that), and then I saw what I assumed to be a few stragglers passing through every few days or so. Today, they seized control of the contorted filbert within minutes of the time I had put out seed, eight or nine females (left) and four or five males (right). I stayed on the porch, not willing to risk my hide for closer shots. The males were actively displaying, spreading their wings and calling.
Don't laugh. Redwings are notoriously territorial toward other birds during mating season and will even conduct air strikes on humans if they feel their nesting area is threatened. Several years ago, I saw a sign on the fence surrounding a water-reclamation pool at a business park: WARNING - AGGRESSIVE BLACK BIRD. Apparently, employees were being terrorized while on lunch break, and people arriving to do business were being driven back to the safety of their vehicles.
I'm puzzled as to why I have so many this year. There are no cattails growing in the ditches nearby, and the nearest bodies of water (excluding a small stream) are Mineral Lake and Alder Lake, each about two miles away. Theoretically, there should be no draw to bring these birds to my yard. I'm a little ashamed of myself for saying it, but I hope they move on fairly soon.
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