At the park: 30

I had intended to show Dirk the nest box with Tufted Titmouse eggs in it, but we were surprised to find that the eggs had already hatched and the nest comprised six gaping, blind mouths.

As for the intended residents, Box #13 hatched out 13 Wood Duck eggs. A merganser family of hen and three ducklings, practicing diving, was spotted this morning; possibly this is the same family of thirteen that hatched on 17 April.

Four boxes in a row along lower Barnyard Run are due to hatch out soon, probably this week. We then have two remaining boxes to hatch in June: #2 at the head of the main pond (Hooded Merganser) and #68 at the far end (Wood Duck).

New bird arrivals detected over the past couple weeks: Chimney Swift, all three swallows, Wood Thrush, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Acadian Flycatcher, and a Brown-headed Cowbird chasing insects in the parking lot as bold as any urban Rock Dove.