Nature Happenings

• Painted Buntings, Orchard and Baltimore Orioles begin to arrive.

• 
• Painted Bunting

 

• 
• Orchard Oriole

 

• 
• Baltimore Oriole

 

• Young are born in nursery colonies of bats.

• The Dawn Chorus begins. Be sure to listen for the early morning natural serenade.

• Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies fly May-September, two flights.

• 
• Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

 

• Red-headed Woodpeckers are nesting. Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers are incubating.

• 
• Red Headed 

 

• 
• Downy

 

• 
• Hairy

 

• Chickadees, titmice and nuthatches are incubating eggs and are less likely to be at feeders.

• 
• Chickadee

 

• 
• Tufted Titmouse

 

• 
• Nuthatch

 

• Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, nighthawks, Wood Thrushes, Veerys and Chimney Swifts return.

• 
• Rose Breasted Grosbeak

 

• 
• Nighthawk

 

• 
• Veery's

 

• 
• Chimney Swift

 

• House Wrens return. They may come in late April (earlier in south) if spring is warm.

• 

 

• Sub-adult Purple Martins return to establish new colonies early in the month.

• 
• Purple Martin

 

• Nesting materials are being collected.

• Eta Aquarids meteor shower is early-May.

• 

• International Migratory Bird Day is mid-May.