We have Cedar Waxwings! That is the big headline from my weekend observations for Project FeederWatch. I had thought that I heard waxwing voices coming from farther down my street on Saturday, but I couldn't be absolutely sure. Yesterday, they were in my yard and there could be no doubt of their presence. I counted nine of the beauties, a small flock, but, generally the flocks grow in size throughout the winter.
Also, I finally saw American Goldfinches in my yard this weekend. I had noted them flying over the yard on other occasions, but this weekend they landed! One of the birds was investigating my new nyger seed feeders in the backyard. He sat on the hook that holds them and looked, but I never saw him actually partaking of the seeds. It's just a matter of time, though.
All in all, this was my most successful session of FeederWatching this season, with eighteen species tallied. Things are beginning to look up.
Here's what I saw this weekend.
Cooper's Hawk - 1
White-winged Dove - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 1
American Crow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 4
Tufted Titmouse - 5
Carolina Wren - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 2
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 9
Pine Warbler - 2
Northern Cardinal - 4
American Goldfinch - 2
House Sparrow - 15
I wonder what treasures next weekend will bring.
You had a good selection this week Dorothy. I don't get Cedar Waxwings here and I haven't seen any goldfinches yet. I posted my photo of the hawk to the warbler calls Facebook page and it turns out its a Sharp Shinned Hawk, not a Cooper's hawk as I thought.
ReplyDeleteThose two are very hard to distinguish in the field. About the only way I can tell them apart is by their tails. The Sharp-shinned has a squared-off tail and the Cooper's is more rounded. Even then I can't always be sure.
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