Action at the feeders stayed fast and furious this past weekend for week #12 of my Project FeederWatch, as the cold weather continues and the birds are looking for a quick and easy meal - one on which they are not required to expend a lot of energy. Keeping the feeders stocked with the foods that they like has become a daily occupation of mine, as they empty as if by magic.
I did not note any new species in the yard this week, just more of the usual ones. There was a total of 29 species checked on my list by the time the weekend ended.
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1
Eurasian Collared-dove - 1
White-winged Dove - 3
Mourning Dove - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Pileated Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 3
American Crow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 2
Tufted Titmouse - 4
Carolina Wren -2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 2
American Robin - 2
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 5
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1
Chipping Sparrow - 2
Northern Cardinal - 6
Red-winged Blackbird - 4
Brown-headed Cowbird - 14
House Finch - 1
American Goldfinch - 60
House Sparrow - 7
It was nice to see the Pileated Woodpecker put in an appearance once again. They seem to have been more active in the area in recent weeks and it is always fun to see them working their way up the trunks of the big pine trees in the area.
I've been thinking about the birds that I'm missing on my counts and wondering if they are here and I'm just not seeing them or if they are absent this winter. Normally, I would be seeing White-throated Sparrows, Eastern Phoebes, and Common Grackles among others, but so far none of these have appeared this winter. At least not while I've been looking.
Next weekend will be the last count before the big Great Backyard Bird Count weekend and it will be a tune-up for that count. It should give me a good idea of how many species I might expect for the GBBC. Of course, for that project, we can also count birds flying over the yard like Black and Turkey Vultures, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and the occasional heron and egret. I hope to tally around 40 species for that weekend.
Showing posts with label Project FeederWatch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Project FeederWatch. Show all posts
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
FeederWatching - Week #11
Wow! My yard is absolutely teeming with birds. It is difficult to get an accurate count of the types of species and of the overall numbers just because of the constant activity. But I did my best in this eleventh week of my observations for Project FeederWatch.
Here's my count for the two day period.
Red-shouldered Hawk - 2
Red-tailed Hawk - 1
White-winged Dove - 3
Rufous Hummingbird - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 3
American Crow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 2
Tufted Titmouse - 3
Carolina Wren - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 1
American Robin - 2
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 9
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 5
Chipping Sparrow - 1
Northern Cardinal - 5
Red-winged Blackbird - 14
Brown-headed Cowbird - 24
House Finch - 1
American Goldfinch - 84
House Sparrow - 7
So, 27 species in all for the period. I feel sure there were some that I missed, and I know my totals for some of the species are off. The American Goldfinches, for example. There were way more than 84 present at one time in the yard, but I couldn't accurately count more than that.
The goldfinches, by the way, have done something that I did not think was possible. They have crowded the House Sparrows away from the feeders! When I see sparrows at the feeders now, there are usually one or two, whereas in the past there might have been twenty. They mostly feed on the ground now, but there, too, they are crowded by the goldfinches which feed...everywhere!
I'm also quite sure there were more Chipping Sparrows and House Finches present than the one that I counted for each species. But the Orange-crowned Warbler continues to show up as a singleton - I've never seen more than one at the feeders this season. It is a very faithful visitor, though. I can just about set my watch by its appearances.
The biggest changes noted this week were the overall increase in numbers and the appearances from members of the blackbird family. Were there some Brewer's Blackbirds among those groups? It's possible but I couldn't confirm it.
As we count down toward the weekend of the Great Backyard Bird Count in mid-February, the numbers of the birds continue to increase. It should be a very interesting count this year. Have you signed up for it yet?
Here's my count for the two day period.
Red-shouldered Hawk - 2
Red-tailed Hawk - 1
White-winged Dove - 3
Rufous Hummingbird - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 3
American Crow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 2
Tufted Titmouse - 3
Carolina Wren - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 1
American Robin - 2
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 9
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 5
Chipping Sparrow - 1
Northern Cardinal - 5
Red-winged Blackbird - 14
Brown-headed Cowbird - 24
House Finch - 1
American Goldfinch - 84
House Sparrow - 7
So, 27 species in all for the period. I feel sure there were some that I missed, and I know my totals for some of the species are off. The American Goldfinches, for example. There were way more than 84 present at one time in the yard, but I couldn't accurately count more than that.
The goldfinches, by the way, have done something that I did not think was possible. They have crowded the House Sparrows away from the feeders! When I see sparrows at the feeders now, there are usually one or two, whereas in the past there might have been twenty. They mostly feed on the ground now, but there, too, they are crowded by the goldfinches which feed...everywhere!
I'm also quite sure there were more Chipping Sparrows and House Finches present than the one that I counted for each species. But the Orange-crowned Warbler continues to show up as a singleton - I've never seen more than one at the feeders this season. It is a very faithful visitor, though. I can just about set my watch by its appearances.
The biggest changes noted this week were the overall increase in numbers and the appearances from members of the blackbird family. Were there some Brewer's Blackbirds among those groups? It's possible but I couldn't confirm it.
As we count down toward the weekend of the Great Backyard Bird Count in mid-February, the numbers of the birds continue to increase. It should be a very interesting count this year. Have you signed up for it yet?
Monday, January 20, 2014
FeederWatching - Week #10
It was an exciting weekend of FeederWatching - the most productive weekend yet for this season with a grand total of 26 species counted.
Much of the excitement was caused by the Red-shouldered Hawks which were in courtship mode. The pair spent much of their time circling and swooping in the sky over my yard, calling noisily all the time.
In fact, it was a great weekend for hawk watching in general, because in addition to the Red-shouldereds, both of the other hawks that I know to be in residence here now also showed up. A Red-tailed Hawk spent a lot of time circling over my yard, sometimes flying along with the Red-shouldered Hawks. The Cooper's Hawk made several assaults on the birds at the backyard feeders while I was watching. As far as I could tell, he never actually managed to catch one, but he chased a flock of House Sparrows into the shrubbery and perhaps got lucky there.
I was also excited to witness a visit by a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. It was the first time I had seen one in my yard this winter. I always look forward to their seasonal trips to this area.
Additionally, it was a very good weekend for doves in my backyard. Three of the four resident doves put in an appearance. Here is the complete list of birds counted this weekend.
Cooper's Hawk - 1
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1
Red-tailed Hawk - 1
Eurasian Collared-dove - 1
White-winged Dove - 1
Mourning Dove - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 2
American Crow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 2
Tufted Titmouse - 3
Carolina Wren - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 1
American Robin - 1
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 2
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1
Northern Cardinal - 6
American Goldfinch - 27
House Sparrow - 10
Seeds are being consumed from the feeders at a much faster rate these days. Even the nyger seed feeders have to be refilled often, and the suet cakes disappear as if by magic! The birds are hungry at mid-winter, but they repay us for their food bill by their entertainment value. Actually, I think I come out ahead on the transaction.
Much of the excitement was caused by the Red-shouldered Hawks which were in courtship mode. The pair spent much of their time circling and swooping in the sky over my yard, calling noisily all the time.
In fact, it was a great weekend for hawk watching in general, because in addition to the Red-shouldereds, both of the other hawks that I know to be in residence here now also showed up. A Red-tailed Hawk spent a lot of time circling over my yard, sometimes flying along with the Red-shouldered Hawks. The Cooper's Hawk made several assaults on the birds at the backyard feeders while I was watching. As far as I could tell, he never actually managed to catch one, but he chased a flock of House Sparrows into the shrubbery and perhaps got lucky there.
I was also excited to witness a visit by a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. It was the first time I had seen one in my yard this winter. I always look forward to their seasonal trips to this area.
Additionally, it was a very good weekend for doves in my backyard. Three of the four resident doves put in an appearance. Here is the complete list of birds counted this weekend.
Cooper's Hawk - 1
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1
Red-tailed Hawk - 1
Eurasian Collared-dove - 1
White-winged Dove - 1
Mourning Dove - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 2
American Crow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 2
Tufted Titmouse - 3
Carolina Wren - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 1
American Robin - 1
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 2
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1
Northern Cardinal - 6
American Goldfinch - 27
House Sparrow - 10
Seeds are being consumed from the feeders at a much faster rate these days. Even the nyger seed feeders have to be refilled often, and the suet cakes disappear as if by magic! The birds are hungry at mid-winter, but they repay us for their food bill by their entertainment value. Actually, I think I come out ahead on the transaction.
Monday, January 13, 2014
FeederWatching - Week #9
All the usual suspects - well, most of them anyway - turned up for my ninth weekend of Project FeederWatch. There were also a couple of new entries; one expected, the other one pretty much unexpected. Here's this week's list:
White-winged Dove - 5
Rufous Hummingbird - 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Pileated Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 2
American Crow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 1
Tufted Titmouse - 5
Carolina Wren - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 1
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 50
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1
Northern Cardinal - 5
Red-winged Blackbird - 2
American Goldfinch - 22
House Sparrow - 10
There were slightly fewer species than in the last couple of weeks but more birds in total because the Cedar Waxwing and American Goldfinch flocks increased by quite a bit.
The two new species on the list were the Red-winged Blackbird and the Pileated Woodpecker. I had been expecting the Red-winged Blackbird to show up but the Pileated Woodpecker was a very pleasant surprise. Pileateds are infrequent visitors to the yard and so it is always a special treat when one drops in.
I was happy to find the Orange-crowned Warbler at the feeders this week, and, likewise, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. I had only seen both of these birds feeding in the shrubbery previously.
As we near the mid-winter point, I would expect the numbers at the feeders to increase even more. Surely, most of the wild food has been depleted by now and birds will be searching elsewhere for a meal. I would especially hope to see more members of the sparrow family at my feeders. They've been mostly absent so far - except for House Sparrows, of course.
White-winged Dove - 5
Rufous Hummingbird - 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Pileated Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 2
American Crow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 1
Tufted Titmouse - 5
Carolina Wren - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 1
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 50
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1
Northern Cardinal - 5
Red-winged Blackbird - 2
American Goldfinch - 22
House Sparrow - 10
There were slightly fewer species than in the last couple of weeks but more birds in total because the Cedar Waxwing and American Goldfinch flocks increased by quite a bit.
The two new species on the list were the Red-winged Blackbird and the Pileated Woodpecker. I had been expecting the Red-winged Blackbird to show up but the Pileated Woodpecker was a very pleasant surprise. Pileateds are infrequent visitors to the yard and so it is always a special treat when one drops in.
I was happy to find the Orange-crowned Warbler at the feeders this week, and, likewise, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. I had only seen both of these birds feeding in the shrubbery previously.
As we near the mid-winter point, I would expect the numbers at the feeders to increase even more. Surely, most of the wild food has been depleted by now and birds will be searching elsewhere for a meal. I would especially hope to see more members of the sparrow family at my feeders. They've been mostly absent so far - except for House Sparrows, of course.
Monday, January 6, 2014
FeederWatching - week #8
The frigid weather has brought more birds to the feeders over the weekend, and consequently, I had my most successful Project FeederWatch session for this reporting season, even though my time in counting the birds was really quite limited. I tallied a total of 23 species for this latest report.
Cooper's Hawk - 1
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1
White-winged Dove - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 2
American Crow - 4
Carolina Chickadee - 4
Tufted Titmouse - 3
Brown-headed Nuthatch - 1
Carolina Wren - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 1
American Robin - 2
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 2
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 4
Northern Cardinal - 5
House Finch - 4
American Goldfinch - 3
House Sparrow - 20
This week marked the first observation this winter of American Robins in the yard. They may have been there all along, but they typically appear very early in the morning and late in the afternoon and I had missed them before. This week I saw them early in the morning.
This week also marked the reappearance of the House Finches. I had not seen any of them in the yard for several weeks, but there were four at the front yard feeder when I first looked out my window this morning. They are always welcome visitors.
Another first this week was the first visit to the feeders by the American Goldfinches. Although they have been in the yard for several weeks, I had not seen them visiting the feeders at all, but today, there they were, consuming the black oil sunflower seeds. I still haven't seen them visit the nyger seed feeders, set up especially for them.
This was also the first appearance by a Red-shouldered Hawk on my counts. I've had Red-tailed Hawks a couple of times, but this lone Red-shouldered was hunting over my backyard on Sunday, where, earlier, I had also seen the Cooper's Hawk.
I missed seeing the Orange-crowned Warbler this week, but I probably just wasn't out and observing when he visited. The other two winter warblers were present in the yard in relatively large numbers this weekend.
Overall, I was happy with my first FeederWatch count of the new year. Things should become even more interesting in coming weeks as the wild food continues to get scarcer and the birds look for other sources of food. They will find my feeders stocked and waiting for them.
Cooper's Hawk - 1
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1
White-winged Dove - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 2
American Crow - 4
Carolina Chickadee - 4
Tufted Titmouse - 3
Brown-headed Nuthatch - 1
Carolina Wren - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 1
American Robin - 2
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 2
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 4
Northern Cardinal - 5
House Finch - 4
American Goldfinch - 3
House Sparrow - 20
This week marked the first observation this winter of American Robins in the yard. They may have been there all along, but they typically appear very early in the morning and late in the afternoon and I had missed them before. This week I saw them early in the morning.
This week also marked the reappearance of the House Finches. I had not seen any of them in the yard for several weeks, but there were four at the front yard feeder when I first looked out my window this morning. They are always welcome visitors.
Another first this week was the first visit to the feeders by the American Goldfinches. Although they have been in the yard for several weeks, I had not seen them visiting the feeders at all, but today, there they were, consuming the black oil sunflower seeds. I still haven't seen them visit the nyger seed feeders, set up especially for them.
This was also the first appearance by a Red-shouldered Hawk on my counts. I've had Red-tailed Hawks a couple of times, but this lone Red-shouldered was hunting over my backyard on Sunday, where, earlier, I had also seen the Cooper's Hawk.
I missed seeing the Orange-crowned Warbler this week, but I probably just wasn't out and observing when he visited. The other two winter warblers were present in the yard in relatively large numbers this weekend.
Overall, I was happy with my first FeederWatch count of the new year. Things should become even more interesting in coming weeks as the wild food continues to get scarcer and the birds look for other sources of food. They will find my feeders stocked and waiting for them.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
FeederWatching - Week #7
Another weekend, another session of watching my bird feeders and my yard to count the birds for Project FeederWatch.
It was another pretty successful weekend, with 21 species counted. I feel that I could have done better and gotten even more species if I had had more time to spend on it. I was limited by the weather. It was cold and dreary. And on Sunday I had family over so bird counting took a back seat. Still, I'm pretty happy with the birds I was able to check off my list.
Red-tailed Hawk - 2
White-winged Dove - 3
Mourning Dove - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 1
American Crow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 2
Tufted Titmouse - 3
Brown-headed Nuthatch - 1
Carolina Wren - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 2
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2
Northern Cardinal - 4
American Goldfinch - 1
House Sparrow - 23
I was delighted to be able to add the Mourning Dove to my 2013-14 FeederWatch record this week and there was a single male Red-winged Blackbird who flew over the yard while I was watching, but he didn't drop in so I didn't count him. At least, I know now that he's in the neighborhood so maybe he'll come to visit next week.
My most interesting observation this week was that pair of Red-tailed Hawks that circled over my yard for several minutes looking for a meal. They didn't find anything that interested them and finally moved on. And I was very happy to see the Orange-crowned Warbler return this week. He's become a bit of a welcome regular in the yard.
*~*~*~*
And now, before we bid farewell to this old year, let me take a moment to wish you all the best in 2014. Most importantly, may your life list of birds grow and may you never be confused by a bird ID.
It was another pretty successful weekend, with 21 species counted. I feel that I could have done better and gotten even more species if I had had more time to spend on it. I was limited by the weather. It was cold and dreary. And on Sunday I had family over so bird counting took a back seat. Still, I'm pretty happy with the birds I was able to check off my list.
Red-tailed Hawk - 2
White-winged Dove - 3
Mourning Dove - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 1
American Crow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 2
Tufted Titmouse - 3
Brown-headed Nuthatch - 1
Carolina Wren - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 2
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2
Northern Cardinal - 4
American Goldfinch - 1
House Sparrow - 23
I was delighted to be able to add the Mourning Dove to my 2013-14 FeederWatch record this week and there was a single male Red-winged Blackbird who flew over the yard while I was watching, but he didn't drop in so I didn't count him. At least, I know now that he's in the neighborhood so maybe he'll come to visit next week.
My most interesting observation this week was that pair of Red-tailed Hawks that circled over my yard for several minutes looking for a meal. They didn't find anything that interested them and finally moved on. And I was very happy to see the Orange-crowned Warbler return this week. He's become a bit of a welcome regular in the yard.
*~*~*~*
And now, before we bid farewell to this old year, let me take a moment to wish you all the best in 2014. Most importantly, may your life list of birds grow and may you never be confused by a bird ID.
HAVE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR!!!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
FeederWatching - Week #6
Week #6 of my observations for Project FeederWatch was my most successful time of watching so far in this season. I tallied 22 species of birds.
Red-tailed Hawk - 1
White-winged Dove - 7
Rufous Hummingbird - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 2
American Crow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 4
Tufted Titmouse - 3
Brown-headed Nuthatch - 1
Carolina Wren - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 1
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 2
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2
Chipping Sparrow - 1
Northern Cardinal - 3
American Goldfinch - 3
House Sparrow - 20
This was the first appearance on my FeederWatch reports for this season of Red-tailed Hawk, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Orange-crowned Warbler, and only the second appearance for Yellow-rumped Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, and American Goldfinch. Slowly, the numbers and the diversity of species at the feeders are beginning to increase.
I still haven't seen an Eastern Phoebe, a Red-winged Blackbird or any other member of the blackbird family, or a Mourning Dove or Eurasian Collared-dove. They are all species I'll be looking for in coming weeks.
Meantime, here are a few birds that I saw during my most recent observations.
And, of course, what would a day of observations be without an appearance by my friend, the fox squirrel?
Red-tailed Hawk - 1
White-winged Dove - 7
Rufous Hummingbird - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 2
American Crow - 1
Carolina Chickadee - 4
Tufted Titmouse - 3
Brown-headed Nuthatch - 1
Carolina Wren - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Eastern Bluebird - 1
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Cedar Waxwing - 2
Orange-crowned Warbler - 1
Pine Warbler - 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2
Chipping Sparrow - 1
Northern Cardinal - 3
American Goldfinch - 3
House Sparrow - 20
This was the first appearance on my FeederWatch reports for this season of Red-tailed Hawk, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Orange-crowned Warbler, and only the second appearance for Yellow-rumped Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, and American Goldfinch. Slowly, the numbers and the diversity of species at the feeders are beginning to increase.
I still haven't seen an Eastern Phoebe, a Red-winged Blackbird or any other member of the blackbird family, or a Mourning Dove or Eurasian Collared-dove. They are all species I'll be looking for in coming weeks.
Meantime, here are a few birds that I saw during my most recent observations.
Northern Mockingbird
Blue Jay
Carolina Wren
Carolina Chickadee
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Cardinal
Pine Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Rufous Hummingbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Monday, December 16, 2013
FeederWatching - Week #5
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.
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.
Monday, December 9, 2013
FeederWatching - Week #4
This is not the way it is supposed to be. In the past 10 years of doing Project FeederWatch, my counting has started out slow in early November and then built week by week. This year, I seem to be going in the opposite direction. During the weekend just past, I had the lowest total of species yet.
Now, I wasn't able to devote as much time to it as I normally do and the very cold temperatures limited my time outside, but still, even though there was more activity around the feeders, I only saw twelve species. I would have expected more.
Here are the species that I was able to check off the list for this week.
White-winged Dove - 1
American Crow - 1
Blue Jay - 1
Northern Cardinal - 3
Tufted Titmouse - 4
Carolina Chickadee - 3
Carolina Wren - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Pine Warbler - 1
House Sparrow - 14
That one White-winged Dove may be the harbinger of more to come and there was a lot of Northern Cardinal activity in the yard, more than in past weeks, although I never saw more than three birds at a time. But the majority of visitors once again proved to be House Sparrows, which is a bit depressing.
I've hung my nyger seed feeders for the American Goldfinches, but I don't think they have been visited yet. Also, I haven't seen any House Finches around the yard lately, although they had been very visible earlier in the year.
So, on the whole, things are still distressingly quiet on the avian front. Here's hoping for better luck - and better weather - next weekend.
Now, I wasn't able to devote as much time to it as I normally do and the very cold temperatures limited my time outside, but still, even though there was more activity around the feeders, I only saw twelve species. I would have expected more.
Here are the species that I was able to check off the list for this week.
White-winged Dove - 1
American Crow - 1
Blue Jay - 1
Northern Cardinal - 3
Tufted Titmouse - 4
Carolina Chickadee - 3
Carolina Wren - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Downy Woodpecker - 1
Pine Warbler - 1
House Sparrow - 14
That one White-winged Dove may be the harbinger of more to come and there was a lot of Northern Cardinal activity in the yard, more than in past weeks, although I never saw more than three birds at a time. But the majority of visitors once again proved to be House Sparrows, which is a bit depressing.
I've hung my nyger seed feeders for the American Goldfinches, but I don't think they have been visited yet. Also, I haven't seen any House Finches around the yard lately, although they had been very visible earlier in the year.
So, on the whole, things are still distressingly quiet on the avian front. Here's hoping for better luck - and better weather - next weekend.
Monday, December 2, 2013
FeederWatching - Week 3
My third weekend of observations for Project FeederWatch was actually delayed by a week because of very inclement weather. Heavy rains and cold kept me indoors on the third weekend of the project, but the weekend just past was much more backyard birder friendly
Things were still pretty slow at the feeders. I only counted thirteen species and most of the birds that we think of as our "winter visitors" were absent. Here's my list.
House Sparrows - 20
Blue Jays - 3
Carolina Chickadee - 2
Pine Warbler - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet -1
American Crow - 2
Eastern Bluebird - 1
Northern Cardinal - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 1
Tufted Titmouse - 3
Downy Woodpecker -1
Carolina Wren - 1
Once again, I heard an American Goldfinch overhead, but as far as I know it didn't drop into my yard, so I didn't get to count it.
Although there were not any unusual avian visitors while I was making my observations, there were actually some never-before-seen visitors at the feeders.
We have lived in our home for twenty-five years and in all those years our yard and our neighborhood have been dominated by fox squirrels, the big and aggressive rusty-colored squirrels.
One of the resident fox squirrels perches on our fence.
In all those years, I have never seen one of the smaller gray squirrels in our yard. Until this past weekend.
While watching the birds, I became aware of a squirrel feeding on the ground. I looked at it and did a double take. It was a gray squirrel! An adult gray squirrel - a female, I think. I went inside to get my camera to document it, but, of course, when I got back outside, the squirrel was gone. But I kept the camera close by and waited and in a while I was rewarded.
Not one, but two gray squirrels showed up. Only it wasn't the adult I had seen earlier. These were babies - two half-grown kits. Progeny of the adult perhaps.
I had crumbled some stale rolls left over from Thanksgiving dinner and spread them on the ground and the little squirrels were enjoying a snack of bread.
Note the white - or light gray belly - indicative of gray squirrels.
Also, the backs of the ears are the same light color.
I enjoyed watching the little guys almost as much as I enjoyed watching the birds, even though I couldn't include them on my Project FeederWatch list.
Things were still pretty slow at the feeders. I only counted thirteen species and most of the birds that we think of as our "winter visitors" were absent. Here's my list.
House Sparrows - 20
Blue Jays - 3
Carolina Chickadee - 2
Pine Warbler - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet -1
American Crow - 2
Eastern Bluebird - 1
Northern Cardinal - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Rufous Hummingbird - 1
Tufted Titmouse - 3
Downy Woodpecker -1
Carolina Wren - 1
Once again, I heard an American Goldfinch overhead, but as far as I know it didn't drop into my yard, so I didn't get to count it.
Although there were not any unusual avian visitors while I was making my observations, there were actually some never-before-seen visitors at the feeders.
We have lived in our home for twenty-five years and in all those years our yard and our neighborhood have been dominated by fox squirrels, the big and aggressive rusty-colored squirrels.
In all those years, I have never seen one of the smaller gray squirrels in our yard. Until this past weekend.
While watching the birds, I became aware of a squirrel feeding on the ground. I looked at it and did a double take. It was a gray squirrel! An adult gray squirrel - a female, I think. I went inside to get my camera to document it, but, of course, when I got back outside, the squirrel was gone. But I kept the camera close by and waited and in a while I was rewarded.
I had crumbled some stale rolls left over from Thanksgiving dinner and spread them on the ground and the little squirrels were enjoying a snack of bread.
I enjoyed watching the little guys almost as much as I enjoyed watching the birds, even though I couldn't include them on my Project FeederWatch list.
Monday, November 18, 2013
FeederWatching - Week 2
My second session of observations for Project FeederWatch was still pretty quiet but marginally better than last week. I increased my species count by two, to 16, and added some new species that I had not seen last week. Here is this week's list:
Northern Mockingbird
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse
House Sparrow
Carolina Chickadee
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Pine Warbler
Chipping Sparrow (!)
American Crow
Downy Woodpecker
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Bluebird
Carolina Wren
Northern Cardinal
Rufous Hummingbird
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
The biggest surprise to me was that Chipping Sparrow. It seemed awfully early to be seeing this wonderful little bird, so I checked my records, and, indeed, the earliest date I had seen one in my yard previously was December 17. So this little guy was at least a month early.
No doves of any type showed up this week. A flock of about a dozen White-winged Doves flew over the yard, but didn't drop in so I couldn't count them.
My most exciting discovery of the day, rivaling the Sparrow, was another bird that I wasn't able to include in my count. It was a single American Goldfinch which flew over the yard, but didn't stop. He was also almost a month earlier than my previous earliest sighting of this species in the yard. Time to stock up on nyger seed and get those feeders filled and ready.
Northern Mockingbird
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse
House Sparrow
Carolina Chickadee
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Pine Warbler
Chipping Sparrow (!)
American Crow
Downy Woodpecker
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Bluebird
Carolina Wren
Northern Cardinal
Rufous Hummingbird
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
The biggest surprise to me was that Chipping Sparrow. It seemed awfully early to be seeing this wonderful little bird, so I checked my records, and, indeed, the earliest date I had seen one in my yard previously was December 17. So this little guy was at least a month early.
No doves of any type showed up this week. A flock of about a dozen White-winged Doves flew over the yard, but didn't drop in so I couldn't count them.
My most exciting discovery of the day, rivaling the Sparrow, was another bird that I wasn't able to include in my count. It was a single American Goldfinch which flew over the yard, but didn't stop. He was also almost a month earlier than my previous earliest sighting of this species in the yard. Time to stock up on nyger seed and get those feeders filled and ready.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Project FeederWatch begins...slowly
So, my first days of doing observations for Project FeederWatch 2013-14 were very, very slow. For a long time, I thought the only birds I was going to have to report were House Sparrows. But persistence paid off and eventually more birds did show up.
My total for the two days of observations was fourteen species. Only one of them was a bit unexpected.
Cooper's Hawk
American Crow
Blue Jay
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Rufous Hummingbird
Inca Dove
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Northern Mockingbird
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Northern Cardinal
House Sparrow
My unexpected visitor was the Inca Dove. I don't actually see them very often in my yard any more, but there it was, the lovely little dove feeding under my feeders. It was the only species of dove that showed up in the yard on these days.
The most exciting moment of my observations was a dive bomb attack by the Cooper's Hawk which chased a flock of House Sparrows. I have to admit I cheered him on, but I'm not sure if he was successful in his hunt.
Only one Rufous Hummingbird showed itself while I was watching. It may be that all the others have moved on.
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet was the only strictly winter bird that I saw. I'm sure there must be others in the area, but they didn't reveal themselves to me.
I've been doing this citizen science project since the 2004-05 season and this was one of the slowest starts I've ever had. It will be interesting to see how the species total grows - or not - in coming weeks.
Are you doing Project FeederWatch this year? If so, how is your watching going?
My total for the two days of observations was fourteen species. Only one of them was a bit unexpected.
Cooper's Hawk
American Crow
Blue Jay
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Rufous Hummingbird
Inca Dove
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Northern Mockingbird
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Northern Cardinal
House Sparrow
My unexpected visitor was the Inca Dove. I don't actually see them very often in my yard any more, but there it was, the lovely little dove feeding under my feeders. It was the only species of dove that showed up in the yard on these days.
The most exciting moment of my observations was a dive bomb attack by the Cooper's Hawk which chased a flock of House Sparrows. I have to admit I cheered him on, but I'm not sure if he was successful in his hunt.
Only one Rufous Hummingbird showed itself while I was watching. It may be that all the others have moved on.
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet was the only strictly winter bird that I saw. I'm sure there must be others in the area, but they didn't reveal themselves to me.
I've been doing this citizen science project since the 2004-05 season and this was one of the slowest starts I've ever had. It will be interesting to see how the species total grows - or not - in coming weeks.
Are you doing Project FeederWatch this year? If so, how is your watching going?
Monday, November 4, 2013
Where are my birds?
I've refilled my bird feeders and I spent some time outside this weekend in the glorious fall weather watching for visitors to those feeders. Mostly, I watched in vain. The yard continues to be depressingly quiet except for the occasional outbreak of chatter from the mob of House Sparrows. It seems that my ten-day absence from observing has brought major, if perhaps temporary, changes. The birds have fled.
This is not good timing, because I just got my reminder from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that Project FeederWatch begins next weekend. Time to once again count the birds that come to eat at our feeders or the plants in our yards. Unless traffic picks up over the next few days, I won't have much to report.
Of course, birds at the feeders are always cyclical. They come and they go as wild food is or isn't available, but some of the backyard birds visit the feeders throughout the year and it is a bit disconcerting to see them with virtually no activity, no Northern Cardinals or Carolina Chickadees swooping in for black oil sunflower seeds or suet.
The thing about birds is they have wings and they fly. They fly to sources of food. No doubt "my" birds are still around close by and will put in an appearance again when they need a predictable source of food. At least that's what I tell myself. Being a birder is always an exercise in patience.
This is not good timing, because I just got my reminder from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that Project FeederWatch begins next weekend. Time to once again count the birds that come to eat at our feeders or the plants in our yards. Unless traffic picks up over the next few days, I won't have much to report.
Of course, birds at the feeders are always cyclical. They come and they go as wild food is or isn't available, but some of the backyard birds visit the feeders throughout the year and it is a bit disconcerting to see them with virtually no activity, no Northern Cardinals or Carolina Chickadees swooping in for black oil sunflower seeds or suet.
The thing about birds is they have wings and they fly. They fly to sources of food. No doubt "my" birds are still around close by and will put in an appearance again when they need a predictable source of food. At least that's what I tell myself. Being a birder is always an exercise in patience.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Among the missing
My third weekend of FeederWatching brought some unexpected entries to my list of observations and also some unexpected absences.
Yesterday afternoon, as I was scanning the trunks of trees for nuthatches and woodpeckers, I got a nice surprise. There, on one of my neighbor's pine trees was a Brown Creeper! These little birds are so inconspicuous that they can easily go unnoticed. I've only ever had one other sighting of the bird in my yard, even though I suspect they are present in fall and winter most years. I was able to watch this bird for several minutes as it crept up the trunk, poking its beak under and around the bark as it went. That observation made my day.
The neighbor's pine tree played a part in another unexpected observation. I happened to be looking up as a magnificent Red-tailed Hawk settled into the top of the tree. Unfortunately, he was positioned behind some branches and I was unable to get a clear picture of him. A few minutes later, a "murder" of crows - five in number - arrived and started harassing the hawk, mobbing him and trying to evict him from his perch. The big hawk ignored them, but a smaller hawk that I had not seen did not. A tiny American Kestrel was dislodged from another nearby tree and rose into the air where he was chased by three of the much larger birds. He soon flew out of my visual range and the American Crows went on about their business of stirring up mischief in the neighborhood, but I would never have known that the kestrel was there but for the action of those naughty crows.
On the other end of the spectrum, among the missing this weekend were Northern Cardinals and Blue Jays. Yes, these most ubiquitous of backyard birds were totally absent for the entire weekend. at least during the times that I was counting birds. In fact, thinking back over the past week, I don't think I've seen or heard either of those birds in the yard at all. Another mystery for me to ponder.
Yesterday afternoon, as I was scanning the trunks of trees for nuthatches and woodpeckers, I got a nice surprise. There, on one of my neighbor's pine trees was a Brown Creeper! These little birds are so inconspicuous that they can easily go unnoticed. I've only ever had one other sighting of the bird in my yard, even though I suspect they are present in fall and winter most years. I was able to watch this bird for several minutes as it crept up the trunk, poking its beak under and around the bark as it went. That observation made my day.
The neighbor's pine tree played a part in another unexpected observation. I happened to be looking up as a magnificent Red-tailed Hawk settled into the top of the tree. Unfortunately, he was positioned behind some branches and I was unable to get a clear picture of him. A few minutes later, a "murder" of crows - five in number - arrived and started harassing the hawk, mobbing him and trying to evict him from his perch. The big hawk ignored them, but a smaller hawk that I had not seen did not. A tiny American Kestrel was dislodged from another nearby tree and rose into the air where he was chased by three of the much larger birds. He soon flew out of my visual range and the American Crows went on about their business of stirring up mischief in the neighborhood, but I would never have known that the kestrel was there but for the action of those naughty crows.
On the other end of the spectrum, among the missing this weekend were Northern Cardinals and Blue Jays. Yes, these most ubiquitous of backyard birds were totally absent for the entire weekend. at least during the times that I was counting birds. In fact, thinking back over the past week, I don't think I've seen or heard either of those birds in the yard at all. Another mystery for me to ponder.
Monday, November 12, 2012
First weekend of Project FeederWatch
It's too bad I wasn't counting butterflies this weekend. There were plenty of them in the yard, in spite of windy conditions. Monarchs, fritillaries, sulphurs, swallowtails, and skippers all were present in large numbers. Birds? Not so much.
Both days of the weekend were quite windy as well as overcast and occasionally misty - not ideal conditions for finding or observing birds - but I was able to tally thirteen species, none of them very numerous except for the House Sparrows, for my first weekend of FeederWatch reporting. At the height of the feeding season in late December and January, I will normally have at least twice that many species feeding in the yard. But for this first weekend, here's what I saw.
Eurasian Collared-dove
White-winged Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Carolina Wren
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
House Sparrow
I hope for better conditions and more birds next weekend.
Both days of the weekend were quite windy as well as overcast and occasionally misty - not ideal conditions for finding or observing birds - but I was able to tally thirteen species, none of them very numerous except for the House Sparrows, for my first weekend of FeederWatch reporting. At the height of the feeding season in late December and January, I will normally have at least twice that many species feeding in the yard. But for this first weekend, here's what I saw.
Eurasian Collared-dove
White-winged Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Carolina Wren
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
House Sparrow
I hope for better conditions and more birds next weekend.
Monday, April 9, 2012
The end of FeederWatch
Last Friday marked the end of Project FeederWatch for this season. The citizen science project runs from the second week of November through the first week in April. My last report period was March 31 - April 1.
It was an interesting 21 weeks, marked by less diversity of species in the yard and at the feeders than we have in many winters, but, as always, there were a few delightfully unexpected visitors to keep things interesting.
For example, this was the first winter in which I have had Rufous Hummingbirds in my yard. One of the birds showed up the first week in January and was last seen in the yard on the 27th of March. Throughout most of this period, two of the birds were in my yard and visiting my feeders. Moreover, the migrating Ruby-throated Hummingbirds lingered in the yard until December 3 and then made their reappearance earlier than ever before on March 17.
This FeederWatch season marked my first ever sighting of a Dickcissel in my yard. The lone bird visited my feeders on November 26.
Another non-typical sighting was that of the Brown Creeper on March 17.
But perhaps the most notable aspect of this FeederWatch was the birds who were absent. There were no Pine Siskins or Red-breasted Nuthatches. The Orange-crowned Warblers that are plentiful here in some winters did not make a single appearance at my feeders during any of my FeederWatch observation days and I saw only a few of the birds at other times during the winter. Even the Yellow-rumped Warblers were fewer in number than usual. The first Common Grackle was not noted in the yard until March 17 and the birds only appeared on my reports for that date and for March 24. For many years, a Red-shouldered Hawk pair lived in my neighborhood and appeared on practically every report I submitted to any citizen science project. This year, a single Red-shouldered only appeared twice, on December 3 and February 11, while the Red-tailed Hawks were much more likely to be seen and a Cooper's Hawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk appeared nearly every week.
My most productive weekend of feeder watching was February 18-19 when I found 29 species of birds feeding in or over my yard. It was not a coincidence that that was a part of the Great Backyard Bird Count weekend which is my most intensive weekend of bird watching during the year. The fewest number of birds were seen on the first weekend of watching, November 12-13, when I only found 13 species.
So this season of feeder watching is in the books but the project is already signing up participants for the next season beginning in November. If you've never participated before, please consider signing up. It's an excellent way to learn more about the birds in your yard and also to provide valuable data to the scientists which can be instrumental in protecting and conserving all birds. The birds need all the help we can give them.
It was an interesting 21 weeks, marked by less diversity of species in the yard and at the feeders than we have in many winters, but, as always, there were a few delightfully unexpected visitors to keep things interesting.
For example, this was the first winter in which I have had Rufous Hummingbirds in my yard. One of the birds showed up the first week in January and was last seen in the yard on the 27th of March. Throughout most of this period, two of the birds were in my yard and visiting my feeders. Moreover, the migrating Ruby-throated Hummingbirds lingered in the yard until December 3 and then made their reappearance earlier than ever before on March 17.
This FeederWatch season marked my first ever sighting of a Dickcissel in my yard. The lone bird visited my feeders on November 26.
Another non-typical sighting was that of the Brown Creeper on March 17.
But perhaps the most notable aspect of this FeederWatch was the birds who were absent. There were no Pine Siskins or Red-breasted Nuthatches. The Orange-crowned Warblers that are plentiful here in some winters did not make a single appearance at my feeders during any of my FeederWatch observation days and I saw only a few of the birds at other times during the winter. Even the Yellow-rumped Warblers were fewer in number than usual. The first Common Grackle was not noted in the yard until March 17 and the birds only appeared on my reports for that date and for March 24. For many years, a Red-shouldered Hawk pair lived in my neighborhood and appeared on practically every report I submitted to any citizen science project. This year, a single Red-shouldered only appeared twice, on December 3 and February 11, while the Red-tailed Hawks were much more likely to be seen and a Cooper's Hawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk appeared nearly every week.
My most productive weekend of feeder watching was February 18-19 when I found 29 species of birds feeding in or over my yard. It was not a coincidence that that was a part of the Great Backyard Bird Count weekend which is my most intensive weekend of bird watching during the year. The fewest number of birds were seen on the first weekend of watching, November 12-13, when I only found 13 species.
So this season of feeder watching is in the books but the project is already signing up participants for the next season beginning in November. If you've never participated before, please consider signing up. It's an excellent way to learn more about the birds in your yard and also to provide valuable data to the scientists which can be instrumental in protecting and conserving all birds. The birds need all the help we can give them.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Project FeederWatch: Weekend #5
I've just been outside making some observations for my Project FeederWatch report. It's a beautiful day. The sun is out and the temperature is moderate and the winds are quiet for the moment, but things are still pretty slow at the feeders. The usual suspects have shown up but nothing unexpected today. The most unexpected visitors I've had this fall so far have been the Dickcissel of a few weeks back and the White-throated Sparrow. The Dickcissel is long gone but the sparrow is still hanging around. I saw him yesterday but not so far today.
Even when there is nothing other than my everyday backyard visitors showing up, it is always fun to watch the interactions of the birds. They never fail to entertain me.
I know that there are some unusual visitors in the area. I'm not that far away from Katy Prairie where Pyrrhuloxias, Green-tailed Towhees, Spotted Towhees, Eastern Towhees (!) and many, many kinds of sparrows have been reported this fall. I can dream that some of these birds might wander into my yard, but I think if I really want a good chance to see them, I'm probably going to have to plan a trip to the Prairie. Maybe even this week. Meantime, I'll try to be content with my chickadees, cardinals, mockingbirds, wrens, and doves.
Even when there is nothing other than my everyday backyard visitors showing up, it is always fun to watch the interactions of the birds. They never fail to entertain me.
I know that there are some unusual visitors in the area. I'm not that far away from Katy Prairie where Pyrrhuloxias, Green-tailed Towhees, Spotted Towhees, Eastern Towhees (!) and many, many kinds of sparrows have been reported this fall. I can dream that some of these birds might wander into my yard, but I think if I really want a good chance to see them, I'm probably going to have to plan a trip to the Prairie. Maybe even this week. Meantime, I'll try to be content with my chickadees, cardinals, mockingbirds, wrens, and doves.
Monday, November 14, 2011
FeederWatch follow-up
As I reported yesterday, my first weekend of FeederWatching was fairly quiet. First of all, I wasn't able to devote a lot of time to it and, secondly, during the times that I did spend observing, not much was going on in the yard. But I made my report and then I looked back over my previous years' reports and found that my first weekend of observations was very much in line with all of those years with much the same cast of characters.
This is the eighth season that I have been a FeederWatcher, although that first season, 2004-2005, I didn't get started until later in the year. During those years, the highest number of species that I have reported for my first observation in November was 14 in 2009. The lowest was 8 in 2008. This year I had 12 species on my list.
This is the eighth season that I have been a FeederWatcher, although that first season, 2004-2005, I didn't get started until later in the year. During those years, the highest number of species that I have reported for my first observation in November was 14 in 2009. The lowest was 8 in 2008. This year I had 12 species on my list.
Cooper's HawkI know there are several other species of birds in the yard. Just within the last week, for example, I had seen Orange-crowned Warblers, Pine Warblers, and Chipping Sparrows there, but, frustratingly, none of these winter birds nor several other of the permanent resident birds showed up while I was watching. Maybe next weekend.
Red-tailed Hawk (Krider's)
White-winged Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Cardinal
House Sparrow
Friday, November 4, 2011
More feeder watchers needed!
Project FeederWatch starts in just one week and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has issued a call for more people to sign up and participate. Here is their October press release:
More FeederWatchers Needed to Track Generations of BirdsCornell Lab of Ornithology citizen-science project celebrates 25 years
Ithaca, NY—When thousands of Americans begin tallying birds at their backyard feeders next month for Project FeederWatch, they will launch the 25th season for this popular citizen-science program. The information reported online from across the continent helps scientists at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology track changes in the numbers of birds and the distribution of species. Anyone with an interest in birds and nature is invited to learn more about the project and become a “citizen scientist.” The new season of FeederWatch begins November 12, but participants can come on board at any time at www.FeederWatch.org.
Because most birds reproduce yearly, FeederWatch data cover nearly 25 generations of birds. Keeping tabs on 25 human generations would mean covering about 500 years! Many mysteries and surprises have been revealed since the program began in 1987. Some species, like Northern Cardinals and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, are expanding their ranges to the north, probably the result of a changing climate and the alteration of habitat. The Evening Grosbeak, once a familiar feeder bird in winter, has disappeared from much of its former range. Meanwhile, an invasive species, the Eurasian Collared-Dove, has spread from Florida to Alaska in less than a decade and is quickly becoming one of the more familiar birds at feeders across the country.
“None of these important changes in the distribution and abundance of birds would be understood without the help of our dedicated FeederWatchers,” said project leader David Bonter. “By watching and keeping track of the birds in your own neighborhood, you really can make a difference.” More than 50,000 people have participated in FeederWatch, and new participants are welcome to join at any time. “The more people watching, the more we can learn about the birds that brighten the winter landscape,” said Bonter.
To learn more about joining Project FeederWatch and to sign up, visit www.FeederWatch.org or call the Cornell Lab toll-free at (866) 989-2473. In return for the $15 fee ($12 for Cornell Lab members) participants receive the FeederWatcher’s Handbook with tips on how to successfully attract birds, an identification poster of the most common feeder birds, a calendar, complete instructions, and Winter Bird Highlights, an annual summary of FeederWatch findings.As noted in the press release, you can actually become a FeederWatcher at any time during the season which runs until the first week of April, but why wouldn't you want to get in at the beginning? Our yards are very dynamic just now. The cast of characters changes almost daily and birds seem to be coming to the feeders earlier in the season than usual. That may reflect the fact that wild food is not available in its usual abundance. It promises to be an exciting fall and winter of feeder watching. If you haven't signed up already, now's the time!
Project FeederWatch is a joint research and education project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Be a FeederWatcher!
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada jointly operate one of my favorite citizen science projects each winter. It is called Project FeederWatch and it enlists birders around North America in a winter-long survey of birds that visit backyard feeders, as well as nature centers and other public spaces. The survey runs from the second Saturday of November through the first Friday of April and reports from participants provide valuable information about the movements of bird populations throughout the continent during the coldest months of the years. It also gives clues as to the health and numbers of those populations. All of this information is collected and provided to ornithologists who can evaluate it and plan ways to better protect and assist birds in their fight for survival.
FeederWatchers agree to periodically count the birds that they see at their feeders or other designated sites and report their findings through the website. There is also provision for participants to report using manual forms if they don't have access to a computer or if they just prefer to do it that way. Participants do not need any particular skill level. People of any age, children through retirement, can participate. All it takes is an interest in birds and a willingness to record and report what you see.
FeederWatchers count birds that appear in their designated site because of something that is provided there. It may be plantings or water, as well as a bird feeder. One reports the highest number of individual birds of any given species that one sees at one time during the count period. The count period consists of two consecutive days once every two weeks (or you can do every week if you are reporting online and wish to do so). You select the days when you want to count and you can spend as much or as little time as you want during those days doing the count. Sound simple? Of course it is!
There is a participation fee of $15, or $12 for members of the Lab of Ornithology (CAN$35 for Canadian participants). This fee pays for the materials, staff support, web design, data analysis, and a year-end report. The project is paid for almost entirely with participation fees.
FeederWatch results are shared with ornithologists and bird lovers throughout North America and they are regularly published in scientific journals. And you can be a part of all this! If you haven't already done so, go to the Project FeederWatch website (link in the first paragraph) and sign up. It is fun, it's easy, I guarantee you'll learn a lot about the birds in your yard, and, most importantly, it is for the birds.
FeederWatchers agree to periodically count the birds that they see at their feeders or other designated sites and report their findings through the website. There is also provision for participants to report using manual forms if they don't have access to a computer or if they just prefer to do it that way. Participants do not need any particular skill level. People of any age, children through retirement, can participate. All it takes is an interest in birds and a willingness to record and report what you see.
FeederWatchers count birds that appear in their designated site because of something that is provided there. It may be plantings or water, as well as a bird feeder. One reports the highest number of individual birds of any given species that one sees at one time during the count period. The count period consists of two consecutive days once every two weeks (or you can do every week if you are reporting online and wish to do so). You select the days when you want to count and you can spend as much or as little time as you want during those days doing the count. Sound simple? Of course it is!
There is a participation fee of $15, or $12 for members of the Lab of Ornithology (CAN$35 for Canadian participants). This fee pays for the materials, staff support, web design, data analysis, and a year-end report. The project is paid for almost entirely with participation fees.
FeederWatch results are shared with ornithologists and bird lovers throughout North America and they are regularly published in scientific journals. And you can be a part of all this! If you haven't already done so, go to the Project FeederWatch website (link in the first paragraph) and sign up. It is fun, it's easy, I guarantee you'll learn a lot about the birds in your yard, and, most importantly, it is for the birds.
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