Year Property Bird #140

When I got home from work, several sparrows were hopping around my ground feeder where I have millet out for them. I grabbed my binoculars and found a Dark-eyed Junco (year property bird #140) among the Chipping Sparrows and House Sparrows. I remember growing up and seeing Dark-eyed Juncos at my feeder regularly, and sometimes abundantly. I just don't see that many of them now. Maybe it's a result of warmer temperatures. Maybe they just don't have to come down as far south any longer. I'll enjoy the few I get when I see them.

When I started out the year, I wanted to beat my 2004 number of species seen on my property. That was 129. I didn't think I could beat it by eleven. I figured it would be late December and I'd be scouring the woods to get #130! There is still a month left to add to my total. What's really cool is that I've seen all but 48 species this year that I've seen in the five years we've lived here! It's been a good year for birding.