| Cooper's Hawk | 1 |
| Mourning Dove | 7 |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | 2 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 2 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Blue Jay | 3 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 8 |
| Tufted Titmouse | 5 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 2 |
| Carolina Wren | 1 |
| European Starling | 1 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 5 |
| Northern Cardinal | 3 |
| House Finch | 12 |
| American Goldfinch | 5 |
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Project FeederWatch - Week 12
For this weekend, I not only submitted my weekly sightings during today's observance to Cornell for Project FeederWatch, but also for Mass Audubon's Focus on Feeders citizen-science research program. And thankfully, this weekend was a bit more interesting than weekends past due to the following: There were 2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers in attendance! One female near the top-center of the dogwood tree that is closest to the suet feeder in our front yard, and one male just a few feet below her. Both would take turns chowing down on the suet feeder nearby! Fucking loved it because they are my favorite woodpecker, with their bright colors and their awesome "chiv-chiv-chiv" call that always amuses me! However, the most notable bird observed today was the presence of an adult Cooper's Hawk that had swooped into our front yard in the same aforementioned dogwood tree. One moment I am looking at 2 Mourning Doves perched on this tree, the next moment, after looking away, watching the Celtics beat up on the Magic, I see a Cooper's Hawk in their place! Unfortunately for the Coopers, the doves got away, but fortunate for me, because it was a first here at home! Gorgeous raptor!! Anyhoo, below is my full listing, happy birding everyone!!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Mass Audubon's Focus on Feeders: Feb. 5th and 6th, 2011
Just a rather quick message here in regards to a citizen-science project that I had participated in last winter before I was fully aware of Cornell's Project FeederWatch. Mass Audubon has been running their Focus on Feeders project for over the last 40 years, having citizen-scientists collect data on birds observed at their feeders one weekend every winter over the aforementioned time-frame and send them in to Mass Audubon for their research. Here is a copied image of the initial email that was sent to me a few weeks ago in regards to Focus on Feeders:
I want to thank a certain follower of my wee little birding blog for sending me a message not only in regards to Focus on Feeders, but her kind words about this blog. I am very glad to know that some people do find some enjoyment with my occasional exploits with the birding world! So, thank you Hilary at Mass Audubon and happy birding to all! Now go out there this upcoming weekend and watch what wonderful birds alight onto your feeders!
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I want to thank a certain follower of my wee little birding blog for sending me a message not only in regards to Focus on Feeders, but her kind words about this blog. I am very glad to know that some people do find some enjoyment with my occasional exploits with the birding world! So, thank you Hilary at Mass Audubon and happy birding to all! Now go out there this upcoming weekend and watch what wonderful birds alight onto your feeders!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Project FeederWatch - Week 11 - The Day After Nothingness in VT!
Today's numbers were lower than they have been the past several weeks, but the numbers of species and bird totals FAR exceeded the birds Kirk and I tried to see yesterday up at Wenlock WMA in Ferdinand, Vermont! We were virtually "skunked", and I say virtually because we DID see 4 Black-capped Chickadees, but in my books, that equates to zilch when your hoping for at least a few boreal species that can sometimes be found in a boreal forest this time of year! Christ, Kirk and I thought we would see something of interest considering a year ago in January of 2010 we had plenty to make our mouths water. That day we went for our target bird (and got it), which was a Northern Hawk Owl, and we also chanced upon several Boreal Chickadees, a Gray Jay (my 2nd all-time favorite bird), a few Red-breasted Nuthatches and we heard several White-winged Crossbills but could not get on any of them, sadly. What a difference a year makes....and yes, that day in Jan of 2010, we did have BC Chickadees as well.....yay. You can see the aforementioned usual suspect EVERY day no matter where you are in New England. Yes, I am sure you can sense my frustration, and the fact that all this snow we are getting and will be getting (3-6 on Tuesday, 12-18 on Wednesday/Thursday possible this week) is driving me bonkers!
Nonetheless, our trip yesterday was a welcome adventure, just to get out in nature amongst the beautiful pristine climes of a boreal forest in the winter. So, today, when I did my observance for Project FeederWatch, I was secretly hoping for perhaps a Pine Siskin or Common Redpoll, maybe even a WW Crossbill.....but I didn't expect it, and did not receive such awesomeness today. My ever-present buddy, the lone Red-breasted Nuthatch was around and kickin', and we had only our 2nd American Tree Sparrow of the season in attendance today. And yes, that European Starling is still hanging around as well, but that isn't too surprising given the fact that there is a flock of over 200 of them not too far away from where I live. Anyhoo, my full list of sightings is below, and happy birding to all, for I know those winter finches are starting to creep around more and more as of late....you elusive, nomadic little buggers!!
Nonetheless, our trip yesterday was a welcome adventure, just to get out in nature amongst the beautiful pristine climes of a boreal forest in the winter. So, today, when I did my observance for Project FeederWatch, I was secretly hoping for perhaps a Pine Siskin or Common Redpoll, maybe even a WW Crossbill.....but I didn't expect it, and did not receive such awesomeness today. My ever-present buddy, the lone Red-breasted Nuthatch was around and kickin', and we had only our 2nd American Tree Sparrow of the season in attendance today. And yes, that European Starling is still hanging around as well, but that isn't too surprising given the fact that there is a flock of over 200 of them not too far away from where I live. Anyhoo, my full list of sightings is below, and happy birding to all, for I know those winter finches are starting to creep around more and more as of late....you elusive, nomadic little buggers!!
| Mourning Dove | 4 |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | 1 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 2 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Blue Jay | 3 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 7 |
| Tufted Titmouse | 3 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| European Starling | 1 |
| American Tree Sparrow | 1 |
| White-throated Sparrow | 1 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 3 |
| Northern Cardinal | 5 |
| House Finch | 8 |
| American Goldfinch | 3 |
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Project FeederWatch - Week 10
Nothing of terrible significance to report in terms of this week's observation for Project FeederWatch. All the same species seen last weekend were seen today, though of course in varying numbers amidst the chilly temperatures. This isn't unexpected to say the least, for most of the time you will typically have the usual suspects in attendance (ie: chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, cardinals, goldfinches, juncos, etc).
Nonetheless, I must say I am becoming a bit antsy, a little bit frustrated. I am desperately hoping some sort of winter finch of significance would make its presence known. Yes, we did have 3 Purple Finches one weekend back in December, and a cadre of House Finches have been hanging around for a while. But it is the more unusual and more interesting finches that I am hoping for, like Common Redpolls and Pine Siskins. I had word that this year might be a good year for irruptive species like redpolls, siskins and perhaps even Evening Grosbeaks, which have unfortunately seen a steady decline in their population and range over the past 50+ years. I certainly haven't given up hope for this season, considering I still have until April 8th, which is when Project FeederWatch will close up shop for the year.
Plus, its not like I haven't had the fortune of having such birds as Pine Siskins or Purple Finches show up here at home. 2 years ago it was an irruptive year for siskins (they showed up several times in late February through early March), and purples were more numerous that year at the feeders as well. On the other hand, last year was a huge downer, for only a small handfull of House Finches had shown up. I just need to be patient and ever-vigilant during the course of the next 12 weeks, and I most certainly will be! Anyhoo, enough ranting and raving from me.....below is my full list of sightings.....happy birding to all!!
Nonetheless, I must say I am becoming a bit antsy, a little bit frustrated. I am desperately hoping some sort of winter finch of significance would make its presence known. Yes, we did have 3 Purple Finches one weekend back in December, and a cadre of House Finches have been hanging around for a while. But it is the more unusual and more interesting finches that I am hoping for, like Common Redpolls and Pine Siskins. I had word that this year might be a good year for irruptive species like redpolls, siskins and perhaps even Evening Grosbeaks, which have unfortunately seen a steady decline in their population and range over the past 50+ years. I certainly haven't given up hope for this season, considering I still have until April 8th, which is when Project FeederWatch will close up shop for the year.
Plus, its not like I haven't had the fortune of having such birds as Pine Siskins or Purple Finches show up here at home. 2 years ago it was an irruptive year for siskins (they showed up several times in late February through early March), and purples were more numerous that year at the feeders as well. On the other hand, last year was a huge downer, for only a small handfull of House Finches had shown up. I just need to be patient and ever-vigilant during the course of the next 12 weeks, and I most certainly will be! Anyhoo, enough ranting and raving from me.....below is my full list of sightings.....happy birding to all!!
| Mourning Dove | 3 |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | 1 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 2 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Blue Jay | 4 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 9 |
| Tufted Titmouse | 7 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 2 |
| Carolina Wren | 1 |
| European Starling | 1 |
| White-throated Sparrow | 2 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 4 |
| Northern Cardinal | 7 |
| House Finch | 6 |
| American Goldfinch | 3 |
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Project FeederWatch - Week 9
Gonna be short with this week's observance for Project FeederWatch. As expected, all the usual suspects, nothing terribly unusual or uncommon. Highlights being as follows: 8 Northern Cardinals (all couples), the high number showing up at dusk; a good group of 16 House Finches causing a ruckus; 2 Carolina Wrens going back and forth between the front and back yards; the European Starling that showed up last week was present again at the suet feeder; and 2 faves of mine, that being 1 gorgeous male Red-bellied Woodpecker and the lone, ever-present Red-breasted Nuthatch! Below is the full listing, happy birding everyone!!
| Mourning Dove | 4 |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | 1 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 2 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Blue Jay | 4 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 6 |
| Tufted Titmouse | 5 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| Carolina Wren | 2 |
| European Starling | 1 |
| White-throated Sparrow | 1 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 2 |
| Northern Cardinal | 8 |
| House Finch | 16 |
| American Goldfinch | 5 |
Monday, January 10, 2011
Project FeederWatch - Week 8 (01/09/2011)
Yesterday's observance for FeederWatch sure was a blustery one, and still that didn't keep the birds down all too much. A fairly active period of time, and as always, its the usual suspects that are more in abundance than others. Still, a couple new bird species not noted in prior observations showed up, including this winter's first American Tree Sparrow and more unusually, a lone European Starling decided to stop by and gain some deliciousness from both the sunflower seeds and the suet. Yes, I know, its just a starling, and its an introduced species, but never had I seen a starling in our yard before. And yes, I know, its not like there could not have been an instance where a starling had shown up in the past, for I obviously cannot watch the feeders 24/7 year-round! Still, rather unusual in my opinion for here at home! Anyhoo, a Hermit Thrush was still in attendance as well, and thankfully, the Red-breasted Nuthatch is still kicking around! My full results from yesterday are below....happy birding folks!!
| Mourning Dove | 6 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Blue Jay | 6 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 10 |
| Tufted Titmouse | 7 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 2 |
| Carolina Wren | 1 |
| Hermit Thrush | 1 |
| European Starling | 1 |
| American Tree Sparrow | 1 |
| White-throated Sparrow | 1 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 5 |
| Northern Cardinal | 8 |
| House Finch | 9 |
| American Goldfinch | 3 |
Monday, January 3, 2011
Project FeederWatch - Week 7 (01/02/2011)
After a fantastic start to 2011 being down in RI, 2011 continued to offer up some goodness during yesterday's observance for Project FeederWatch. It was mostly the usual suspects as is expected at the feeders during this time of year (or any time of the year really), but what was most remarkable to me was the presence of a lone Hermit Thrush chilling around the lilacs and holly bushes that surround the main tube feeder full of sunflower seeds. Certainly a bird that I was not expecting to see this time of year, though as I understand it, it is not entirely unheard of for a few Hermits to winter over this far up north. I know they winter regularly in the South, but up here to me is a bit out of the ordinary. Certainly was nice to see such a lovely bird again!
And speaking of thrushes, a handful (5) of American Robins were present, gulping down the bright red berries that the holly bushes yield every year. A large group of 11 Mourning Doves were in attendance again, and thankfully, the lone Red-breasted Nuthatch that had been in attendance for several weeks and had been absent over the past week, returned for an encore! Here is hoping my all-time favorite bird decides to stick around just a bit longer! Below you will find my full list of sightings....happy birding to all!!
And speaking of thrushes, a handful (5) of American Robins were present, gulping down the bright red berries that the holly bushes yield every year. A large group of 11 Mourning Doves were in attendance again, and thankfully, the lone Red-breasted Nuthatch that had been in attendance for several weeks and had been absent over the past week, returned for an encore! Here is hoping my all-time favorite bird decides to stick around just a bit longer! Below you will find my full list of sightings....happy birding to all!!
| Mourning Dove | 11 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 2 |
| Blue Jay | 2 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 6 |
| Tufted Titmouse | 7 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| Carolina Wren | 1 |
| Hermit Thrush | 1 |
| American Robin | 5 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 5 |
| Northern Cardinal | 4 |
| House Finch | 4 |
| American Goldfinch | 2 |
Saturday, January 1, 2011
eBird Report - Sachuest Point NWR, 1/1/11 - GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE - What an amazing way to kick off the New Year of 2011!!
What a way to kick off the New Year of 2011 right by snagging an amazing Life Bird with my great birding buddy, Kirk Marshall and my own lucky bird-charm (and sweetheart), Jennifer Carson!! I say this because during the past few months or so, for the most part, whenever Kirk and I went out bird watching, we would always nearly have bad luck finding the target birds we were looking for (like the Cave Swallows for instance). This time, I was joined by my own very lucky bird-charm, Jen! Her charisma and aura seemed to give us the good fortune we needed to start off 2011 right!
Our whole point and goal heading down to the Newport/Middletown area of Rhode Island was to observe the vagrant Green-tailed Towhee that had made the northwesterly border of Sachuest Point NWR (adjacent to the campground near Second Beach) home for the past couple of weeks! My god, what an utterly amazing and GORGEOUS Lifer!! Tis a bird that Kirk and I have wanted to see for quite some time since first seeing its likeness in our birding field guides. Of course, its range is mainly found out in the Rocky Mountains down through the Southwest and western Texas. From my understanding, it is only the 2nd or 3rd recorded sighting of a Green-tailed Towhee within the Ocean State! This bird was fairly cooperative, though a bit timid at times, hopping in and out of the thickets, kicking up dirt and debris looking for yummy goodness along with a number of American Tree Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, and Song Sparrows.
The towhee was obviously the big-time highlight of the day, and I would have been completely happy if that were the only bird I saw this day, but again, thanks to good luck that Jen brought with her, we had numerous other birds of interest that made this day superb, including a Northern Shrike!! The shrike is only the second time I have ever had good fortune to observe one (though I have only been an active birder for a few years), this particular bird being found perched atop the highest shrub overlooking the Flint Point Loop side of Sachuest Point NWR. Other rather notable birds included: A half-dozen Common Eiders along the Third Beach side of Sachuest Point; 4 lovely Surf Scoters seen through Kirk's spotting scope off of Flint Point on Sachuest; a lone Brant seen resting on the Island Rocks with a flotilla of a dozen other Brant seen along the Third Beach side of Sachuest near Flint Point; 3 Common Loons in their nonbreeding plumage off of various points of interest along Sachuest; 7 Red-breasted Mergansers, most near Flint Point and the Island Rocks; 2 American Pipits that we heard (through their flight song of course) flying over our heads when we first got to the area where the Green-tailed Towhee was being seen; a pair of Harlequin Ducks (my all-time favorite duck!) seen near the observation platform overlooking Island Rocks off of Sachuest; and lastly, a cluster of 15 Ruddy Turnstones that had been pointed out to us by a very friendly birder from Bristol, RI, whom found them roosting atop the rocky shoreline on the northerly side of Flint Point looking towards Third Beach.
A truly remarkable day filled with wonderful companionship, beautiful weather, and great bird-watching! As always, below you will find my full list of sightings today whilst at Sachuest Point NWR! Happy New Year to everyone, and more importantly, happy birding!!!
Location: Sachuest Point NWR
Observation date: 1/1/11
Notes: The lone and vagrant Green-tailed Towhee that has been seen since the 18th of December, 2010 was observed my numerous birders throughout the course of our time down and around Sachuest Point NWR, mingling with various other ground-feeders, such as American Tree Sparrows, Song Sparrows and Savannah Sparrows; Northern Shrike was seen while trekking along the southerly side of the Flint Point Loop trail, looking inland perched atop the tallest shrub in that area.
Number of species: 30
Brant - Branta bernicla 13
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos 42
Common Eider - Somateria mollissima 6
Harlequin Duck - Histrionicus histrionicus 2
Surf Scoter - Melanitta perspicillata 4
Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator 7
Common Loon - Gavia immer 3
Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus 1
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias 1
Northern Harrier - Circus cyaneus 1
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis 2
Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres 15
Sanderling - Calidris alba 13
Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis 3
Herring Gull - Larus argentatus 5
Northern Shrike - Lanius excubitor 1
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos 6
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus 6
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus 1
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis 1
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos 5
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris 200
American Pipit - Anthus rubescens 2
Green-tailed Towhee - Pipilo chlorurus 1
American Tree Sparrow - Spizella arborea 10
Savannah Sparrow - Passerculus sandwichensis 2
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia 3
White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis 1
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis 3
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis 4
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Our whole point and goal heading down to the Newport/Middletown area of Rhode Island was to observe the vagrant Green-tailed Towhee that had made the northwesterly border of Sachuest Point NWR (adjacent to the campground near Second Beach) home for the past couple of weeks! My god, what an utterly amazing and GORGEOUS Lifer!! Tis a bird that Kirk and I have wanted to see for quite some time since first seeing its likeness in our birding field guides. Of course, its range is mainly found out in the Rocky Mountains down through the Southwest and western Texas. From my understanding, it is only the 2nd or 3rd recorded sighting of a Green-tailed Towhee within the Ocean State! This bird was fairly cooperative, though a bit timid at times, hopping in and out of the thickets, kicking up dirt and debris looking for yummy goodness along with a number of American Tree Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, and Song Sparrows.
 |
| Photo of Green-tailed Towhee taken on 12/30/2010 by Myer Bornstein of Taunton, MA |
The towhee was obviously the big-time highlight of the day, and I would have been completely happy if that were the only bird I saw this day, but again, thanks to good luck that Jen brought with her, we had numerous other birds of interest that made this day superb, including a Northern Shrike!! The shrike is only the second time I have ever had good fortune to observe one (though I have only been an active birder for a few years), this particular bird being found perched atop the highest shrub overlooking the Flint Point Loop side of Sachuest Point NWR. Other rather notable birds included: A half-dozen Common Eiders along the Third Beach side of Sachuest Point; 4 lovely Surf Scoters seen through Kirk's spotting scope off of Flint Point on Sachuest; a lone Brant seen resting on the Island Rocks with a flotilla of a dozen other Brant seen along the Third Beach side of Sachuest near Flint Point; 3 Common Loons in their nonbreeding plumage off of various points of interest along Sachuest; 7 Red-breasted Mergansers, most near Flint Point and the Island Rocks; 2 American Pipits that we heard (through their flight song of course) flying over our heads when we first got to the area where the Green-tailed Towhee was being seen; a pair of Harlequin Ducks (my all-time favorite duck!) seen near the observation platform overlooking Island Rocks off of Sachuest; and lastly, a cluster of 15 Ruddy Turnstones that had been pointed out to us by a very friendly birder from Bristol, RI, whom found them roosting atop the rocky shoreline on the northerly side of Flint Point looking towards Third Beach.
A truly remarkable day filled with wonderful companionship, beautiful weather, and great bird-watching! As always, below you will find my full list of sightings today whilst at Sachuest Point NWR! Happy New Year to everyone, and more importantly, happy birding!!!
Location: Sachuest Point NWR
Observation date: 1/1/11
Notes: The lone and vagrant Green-tailed Towhee that has been seen since the 18th of December, 2010 was observed my numerous birders throughout the course of our time down and around Sachuest Point NWR, mingling with various other ground-feeders, such as American Tree Sparrows, Song Sparrows and Savannah Sparrows; Northern Shrike was seen while trekking along the southerly side of the Flint Point Loop trail, looking inland perched atop the tallest shrub in that area.
Number of species: 30
Brant - Branta bernicla 13
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos 42
Common Eider - Somateria mollissima 6
Harlequin Duck - Histrionicus histrionicus 2
Surf Scoter - Melanitta perspicillata 4
Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator 7
Common Loon - Gavia immer 3
Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus 1
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias 1
Northern Harrier - Circus cyaneus 1
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis 2
Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres 15
Sanderling - Calidris alba 13
Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis 3
Herring Gull - Larus argentatus 5
Northern Shrike - Lanius excubitor 1
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos 6
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus 6
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus 1
Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis 1
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos 5
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris 200
American Pipit - Anthus rubescens 2
Green-tailed Towhee - Pipilo chlorurus 1
American Tree Sparrow - Spizella arborea 10
Savannah Sparrow - Passerculus sandwichensis 2
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia 3
White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis 1
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis 3
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis 4
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Monday, December 27, 2010
Project FeederWatch - Week 6 (12/26/2010)
During the beginning stages and the prelude to this holiday weekend's big snowstorm/blizzard (or as the media calls it: "The Blizzard of 2010"), I continued my participation with Project FeederWatch. And it surely was not disappointing. The birds knew something big was going down, for they were everywhere and in good numbers! And as soon as it started to snow steadily and the winds picked up some, they hunkered down and the activity dropped off dramatically late in the afternoon!
6 Northern Cardinals (4 males, 2 females) were around all day long; 9 Dark-eyed Juncos were meandering around the bushes on the ground, trying to dig up goodness with their feet; 13 Mourning Doves flew in together, again scaring all the other diners off; a gorgeous Red-bellied Woodpecker (mature male) scared off a pair of Blue Jays out front so he could get at the suet cakes; and most notably, 3 Purple Finches and a good grouping of 16 House Finches kept all other comers at bay for the privilege of eating at the main tube feeder full of sunflower seeds.
All in all, quite pleased with yesterday's observance of 16 bird species, totaling 77 birds altogether. As always, the full listing is below.....happy birding everyone and good luck digging out from this storm....we had 12 inches here in Littleton, and I know many other places got much more!
6 Northern Cardinals (4 males, 2 females) were around all day long; 9 Dark-eyed Juncos were meandering around the bushes on the ground, trying to dig up goodness with their feet; 13 Mourning Doves flew in together, again scaring all the other diners off; a gorgeous Red-bellied Woodpecker (mature male) scared off a pair of Blue Jays out front so he could get at the suet cakes; and most notably, 3 Purple Finches and a good grouping of 16 House Finches kept all other comers at bay for the privilege of eating at the main tube feeder full of sunflower seeds.
All in all, quite pleased with yesterday's observance of 16 bird species, totaling 77 birds altogether. As always, the full listing is below.....happy birding everyone and good luck digging out from this storm....we had 12 inches here in Littleton, and I know many other places got much more!
| Mourning Dove | 13 |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | 1 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Blue Jay | 5 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 5 |
| Tufted Titmouse | 5 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 2 |
| Carolina Wren | 1 |
| American Robin | 1 |
| White-throated Sparrow | 3 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 9 |
| Northern Cardinal | 6 |
| Purple Finch | 3 |
| House Finch | 16 |
| American Goldfinch | 5 |
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Project FeederWatch - Week 5
Today in Week 5 of my participation in the 2010-2011 Project FeederWatch program featured the highest number of birds seen at any one time during the course of my observance today, that being 46 total birds compared to 43 from last weekend. The pair of boisterous and wicked cutesy (yes, I said cutesy) Carolina Wrens showed up today, eating all 3 varieties of birdy-goodness available (the black sunflower seeds in the main tube feeder; the suet cakes and Nyjer from the Nyjer seed tube feeder).
Woodpeckers were prevalent today, where 2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers made an appearance today, though only 1 can be counted for both were not together at the same time, unfortunately. 3 Downy Woodpeckers and 2 Hairy Woodpeckers also showed up.....too bad a Northern Flicker or Pileated Woodpecker didn't show up, or a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker for that matter (one had been seen a couple days ago in Framingham at a feeder).
For me, the biggest surprise of today's count was the number of Northern Cardinals that were around, 5 in all (2 males, 3 females) all at one particular moment in time during the course of my time watching the birdiness today. No matter how many times you see a Cardinal, I can always revel in the rich and bright redness of the male and the brown and subtle redness of the female!
Below, as always, is the full listing of birds seen....happy birding to all!!
Woodpeckers were prevalent today, where 2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers made an appearance today, though only 1 can be counted for both were not together at the same time, unfortunately. 3 Downy Woodpeckers and 2 Hairy Woodpeckers also showed up.....too bad a Northern Flicker or Pileated Woodpecker didn't show up, or a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker for that matter (one had been seen a couple days ago in Framingham at a feeder).
For me, the biggest surprise of today's count was the number of Northern Cardinals that were around, 5 in all (2 males, 3 females) all at one particular moment in time during the course of my time watching the birdiness today. No matter how many times you see a Cardinal, I can always revel in the rich and bright redness of the male and the brown and subtle redness of the female!
Below, as always, is the full listing of birds seen....happy birding to all!!
| Mourning Dove | 5 |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | 1 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 3 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 2 |
| Blue Jay | 3 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 8 |
| Tufted Titmouse | 7 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| Carolina Wren | 2 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 5 |
| Northern Cardinal | 5 |
| American Goldfinch | 3 |
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Project FeederWatch - Week 4
This weekend's observance featured the highest numbers of birds and bird species to date during my first go with Project FeederWatch, despite today's nasty weather filled with water and wind! 14 different species visited the feeders at our home (between 11:20 am and 4 pm), including the first White-throated Sparrow to visit during the Project so far. When White-throats first started showing up this season, they were seen for two weeks in a row prior to my joining up with FeederWatch. Since then, nothing seen until today.
A male Red-bellied Woodpecker made an appearance again, mowing down upon the suet before being driven off by Blue Jays. I found it highly amusing to see a small group of Mourning Doves (5 in all) flying in from across the yard all at once to the base of the main tube feeder filled with black sunflower seed, scattering the 2 Blue Jays, gray squirrels and a female Northern Cardinal that had been busy pecking away at the ground for sustenance at the time.
The biggest surprise for me was seeing 2 Carolina Wrens with each other scoping out the ground in the front yard around the base of the suet feeder. None were vocal, but I suppose I wouldn't want to be singing too much with the copious amounts of rain coming down today, and the fact that it is not breeding season!
Anyhow, here is today's full list of birds observed are below. Happy birding everyone!
A male Red-bellied Woodpecker made an appearance again, mowing down upon the suet before being driven off by Blue Jays. I found it highly amusing to see a small group of Mourning Doves (5 in all) flying in from across the yard all at once to the base of the main tube feeder filled with black sunflower seed, scattering the 2 Blue Jays, gray squirrels and a female Northern Cardinal that had been busy pecking away at the ground for sustenance at the time.
The biggest surprise for me was seeing 2 Carolina Wrens with each other scoping out the ground in the front yard around the base of the suet feeder. None were vocal, but I suppose I wouldn't want to be singing too much with the copious amounts of rain coming down today, and the fact that it is not breeding season!
Anyhow, here is today's full list of birds observed are below. Happy birding everyone!
| Mourning Dove | 5 |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | 1 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Blue Jay | 2 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 8 |
| Tufted Titmouse | 6 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 2 |
| Carolina Wren | 2 |
| White-throated Sparrow | 1 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 5 |
| Northern Cardinal | 3 |
| House Finch | 2 |
| American Goldfinch | 4 |
Monday, December 6, 2010
Project FeederWatch - Week 3 (12/05/2010)
This weekend of observing the feeders and environs surrounding them around our house featured 2 new species making an appearance and the return of a species of bird (American Goldfinch) that had been absent last weekend. A lone Brown Creeper (I love them "boids" to pieces!) as well as a lone male House Finch showed up during the course of my observance (from 11 am to 1:15 pm) before heading off to join all the nutjobs in purchasing Christmas gifts.
I just love watching Brown Creepers and their mannerisms! This amazing, bark-colored bird with curved-bill has the habit of walking (climbing) directly up a tree from the base-upwards in a spiral, gleaning insects from the crevices in the bark of the tree....then, when its had its fun, it will either fly back down to base of the very same tree to make sure it didn't miss anything or make its way over to the base of another tree, always spiraling upwards in search of deliciousness! Their habit of walking along the trunks and branches of a tree are similar to woodpeckers and nuthatches, but as noted early, are different for their upwards spiraling climb. Creepers will use their stiffened tail much like a woodpecker for balance and grip. But nuthatches can climb upwards AND downwards in any direction compared the aforementioned. All 3 families of bird species just enthrall me to no end!
Below is my full list for yesterday's observance! Happy birding to everyone out their!
I just love watching Brown Creepers and their mannerisms! This amazing, bark-colored bird with curved-bill has the habit of walking (climbing) directly up a tree from the base-upwards in a spiral, gleaning insects from the crevices in the bark of the tree....then, when its had its fun, it will either fly back down to base of the very same tree to make sure it didn't miss anything or make its way over to the base of another tree, always spiraling upwards in search of deliciousness! Their habit of walking along the trunks and branches of a tree are similar to woodpeckers and nuthatches, but as noted early, are different for their upwards spiraling climb. Creepers will use their stiffened tail much like a woodpecker for balance and grip. But nuthatches can climb upwards AND downwards in any direction compared the aforementioned. All 3 families of bird species just enthrall me to no end!
Below is my full list for yesterday's observance! Happy birding to everyone out their!
| Downy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Blue Jay | 2 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 7 |
| Tufted Titmouse | 4 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 2 |
| Brown Creeper | 1 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 5 |
| Northern Cardinal | 2 |
| House Finch | 1 |
| American Goldfinch | 4 |
Monday, November 29, 2010
Project FeederWatch - Week 2 (11/28/2010)
Nothing overly significant to report with this post....just want to keep a "journal" of sorts of my time participating in Project FeederWatch this year. Though I would imagine on a week-to-week basis that the numbers and variety of species of birds will not change very much. As it is for this weekend (Sunday rather), a very noisy and boisterous Carolina Wren and an always lovely little Red-breasted Nuthatch were the highlights of this week's observance! What was most pleasant was that the RBNH stuck around the black sunflower seed tube feeder during most of the time I watched the feeders, whereas the Carolina was here for a few minutes, flitting from lilac to tree to shrub, etcetera. And yes, the RBNH was making its cute, nasally little "anks"! Anyhoo, here is my full list of sightings around our feeders:
| Mourning Dove | 4 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 1 |
| Blue Jay | 2 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | 6 |
| Tufted Titmouse | 5 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 1 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 2 |
| Carolina Wren | 1 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 3 |
| Northern Cardinal | 2 |
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