The Guest Nest at Blue Heron Farm - King Agri-Ventures LLC

08/30/2024

Registration is still open!

Stonesong Nature and Awareness Center is approx.1 mile from us, and we still have availability at The Guest Nest at Blue Heron Farm - King Agri-Ventures LLC if you'd prefer more private lodging!

Dear Friends, we hope you will join for a wonderful late summer weekend together. Registration Open through September 6th! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepnt_a235hwo_gqpTHCYktJzR9s1IQxJ7YHHEaHEHV0_ba_A/viewform. DM us for more information.

08/29/2024

Come book a stay with us this fall and experience the beauty of the season that Western Maryland offers!

08/13/2024

After the spring migration and nesting, we've settled into seeing many of the more common birds as many of the others are not as conspicuous, if they're around at all. The screech owls have made it a habit for about the last week to come in by the house close to evening, and that has been a treat to watch and see, and there are still a few whip-poor-wills calling in the evening but not as many as earlier in the season.

The bald eagle isn't a consistent visitor but not uncommon, either. It's always nice to see them.

05/18/2024

Art and I watched a few red-winged blackbirds dive-bomb and fly into an eagle that was sitting on a branch and presumably too close to their nest. It's either one of the most courageous or stupidest things I've ever seen a bird do.

Moral of the story...don't mess with red-winged blackbirds and their nests/babies.

05/08/2024

This has been a busy time of year with planting and other projects so I haven't been posting as often as I should.

The birds lately have just been overwhelmingly exciting for me. My new-to-me bird this week is the Prairie Warbler. There have been multiple warblers come up on my Merlin app but I don't consider them sightings unless I can specifically pick them out for certain or see them.

Here are some of our recent reliable visitors: the woodcocks are still in the field and the whip-poor-wills are really getting motivated now. Nesting geese and killdeer by the pond, the Great Blue Heron is here on and off along with a Great Egret friend. Sandpipers have also been around for a few days. The Green Heron is back, Kingfishers, and tree swallows are frequently at the pond. The usual feeder birds are around. Our daughter was happy to have the hummingbirds back as well and we're starting to see some of the girls as well. Blue-Grey gnatcatchers were flitting around the other day and cedar waxwings pass through but prefer the tree tops around the house. The orchard and Baltimore Orioles are back, and the yellow-warblers have been one of the most frequent visitors in the trees around the house, well, with the exception of the red-winged blackbirds 😆. The yellow-billed cuckoo is often heard in the trees nearby but I rarely see them. The wood ducks and pie-billed grebes haven't been visible but they will emerge with their babies before long...Mama wood duck had hers out one day and I assume they're keeping hidden somewhere for now.

I'd love to have some bird watching friends to visit as I'm sure there are others around that I'm overlooking! Or if you want to make a longer stay, feel free to check out our rental!

03/13/2024

This is one of the most exciting times of the year here for birds! Our visitors today included Green-winged Teal, American Coot, geese (almost always geese) and the first day we've seen tree swallows this season. The common mergansers come toward evening consistently now. The turtles were on the logs soaking in the sun, and the woodcocks are audible and visible. Our 5 year old loves woodcock watching...we hear the "buzzing call" and then can hear them take flight with their whistling and often catch a glimpse of them flying over. Last year we watched them land in the hayfield but it's so dark by the time they're out that it's rather hard to see much. It's time to try out the new night-vision binoculars! Right now there are wood frogs, chorus frogs and peepers..all very vocal. Usually the wood frogs are first in the season but I suppose the early warm spurt has things has things altered a bit. I watched mama fox for quite awhile in the field today as well. Every day seems to bring something new for the season!

02/04/2024

Yesterday evening I heard the first woodcock of the season and I was very excited to hear it; it stopped me right in my tracks as I was walking up to the house. 😁 Geese are on the pond, the robins are more visible, and it's sounding like winter is leaving us behind a little more each day!

Spring is coming! ❤️