On Sunday, Nov. 27, I was sitting down at the new pond watching for a huge hog that has been down there. I had backed the four wheeler up near the pond to try and get out of the strong north wind. A Marsh Wren was hopping around in the cattails growing in the pond. He gave me some great looks. I wasn't sure if I had seen one before on the property. I put it in my bird listing program, I ran a report and saw the number 200 on it. So, eight years, three months and 24 days after we moved here, I finally saw my 200th property species.
Project FeederWatch week three was pretty much like the first two weeks. I was able to add a Ruby-crowned Kinglet to the list of birds that come to the feeders. There is one that is consistently on the Bark Butter log. The Red-bellied Woodpeckers have found the Bark Butter as well. I'm looking forward to the Pine Warblers and American Goldfinches coming. According to my records, I should see Pine Warblers showing up next week. The goldfinches should show up at my feeders within the next couple of weeks.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
More Winter Birds
Today I had several Chipping Sparrows show up at my feeder. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet has begun visiting my Bark Butter feeder. I am still waiting on the Pine Warblers to show up. Yellow-rumped Warblers have visited my birdbath frequently today. It started off cool this morning but warmed up quickly through the day. The clouds were low and thick this morning an I heard several flocks of Snow Geese flying over. I was finally able to see some of them once the clouds broke. There were about twenty Eastern Bluebirds in my yard. Several of them must be migrants from northern areas.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Project FeederWatch Week 1
Project FeederWatch began for me on Sunday, Nov. 13. If you don't know what PFW is, it is a project that the Cornell Lab of Ornithology sponsors where they ask people will feeders across the U.S. and Canada to record the highest number at a given time of all the species that come to anything the participants have put up for birds in their yard. I watch my feeders, birdbath and brush pile for bird species. Participants pick two consecutive days to watch their feeders as much as they can. Then the reports are sent to Cornell where they compile them. They are able to monitor the populations of individual species, watch how different species are spreading across the U.S. and Canada or how they are declining and get an idea of different migration patterns. It's fun to know the information I get from my little spot is helping the scientists understand birds a little better.
My first week of PFW was a good one. Despite the birds not coming to the feeders in the same abundance as they did in the summer, I recorded 15 species. That is the highest first week species count since I've been participating in 2009/2010. The species were: Eurasian Collared-Dove (3), White-winged Dove (12), Mourning Dove (2), Red-bellied Woodpecker (2), Blue Jay (2), Carolina Chickadee (2), Carolina Wren (2), Northern Mockingbird (1), Yellow-rumped Warbler (1), Song Sparrow (1), Northern Cardinal (3), Red-winged Blackbird (2), Common Grackle (2), House Sparrow (6) and Brown Thrasher (1).
I was a little worried that my numbers were going to be down this year because my feeders in the woods are inactive. I cannot keep the raccoons (I'm assuming it's raccoons) out of them. I bought a BirdCam with a flash so I can put it down there at night to see how they're getting into the feeders to see if I can outsmart them. So far the score is Raccoons - 5, Paul - 0. Hopefully I can keep them out of the feeders and have them active as well to keep track of the birds visiting down in the woods.
My first week of PFW was a good one. Despite the birds not coming to the feeders in the same abundance as they did in the summer, I recorded 15 species. That is the highest first week species count since I've been participating in 2009/2010. The species were: Eurasian Collared-Dove (3), White-winged Dove (12), Mourning Dove (2), Red-bellied Woodpecker (2), Blue Jay (2), Carolina Chickadee (2), Carolina Wren (2), Northern Mockingbird (1), Yellow-rumped Warbler (1), Song Sparrow (1), Northern Cardinal (3), Red-winged Blackbird (2), Common Grackle (2), House Sparrow (6) and Brown Thrasher (1).
I was a little worried that my numbers were going to be down this year because my feeders in the woods are inactive. I cannot keep the raccoons (I'm assuming it's raccoons) out of them. I bought a BirdCam with a flash so I can put it down there at night to see how they're getting into the feeders to see if I can outsmart them. So far the score is Raccoons - 5, Paul - 0. Hopefully I can keep them out of the feeders and have them active as well to keep track of the birds visiting down in the woods.
Rufous Hummingbird
On Sunday, November 6, I saw my first Rufous Hummingbird on my property, giving me 199 property species. I was hoping she'd stick around for my first weekend of Project FeederWatch, but no luck. Here are some pictures I got of her with my BirdCam.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Winter Migrants and Project FeederWatch
It's been a while since I wrote about anything happening on the property. Between the mosquitoes and being very busy, I didn't get out to see what was going on with fall migration this year on the property. But I did get to see some neat things that aren't terribly common on my property.
On September 17, I drove in from work and saw a flycatcher sitting at the top of a tree. I ran in and grabbed my binoculars and saw it was an Olive-sided Flycatcher. That was only the third sighting of one on the property. On October 8, I walked out to hear the first Eastern Phoebe of the season singing his name. A Great-crested Flycatcher was in the top of the hackberry tree in my backyard. A Crested Caracara flew over the house. That was the fourth sighting of a caracara. On November 3, I was driving down the driveway headed to work and a White-tailed Kite was flying over the yard. That was the second time I've seen one of them on the property. On November 4, a Brown Creeper began exploring the bark on a tallow tree in my backyard. That was only the third time I've seen one of them on the property. Then on November 6, I was sitting outside drinking my coffee while watching my feeders and a Rufous Hummingbird came up to my hummingbird feeders. That was the first time I've ever seen one on my property. That gives me 199 property species!
Winter residents are showing up. A Brown Thrasher visited my birdbath a few weeks ago. Yellow-rumped Warblers are eating the hackberries and visiting my birdbath with regularity. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet joined them in the hackberry tree looking for insects. Eastern Phoebes chase insects while announcing their presence with their "phoebe" call. Chipping Sparrows have begun visiting my feeder. I see Song Sparrows in the grassy areas of the pasture. I heard a Northern Flicker calling from the woods on Sunday morning. I love the fall season with all the birds that migrate into the area. It won't be long before the goldfinches show up at the feeders. House Wrens will show up soon. Pine Warblers will start visiting the suet in the coming weeks.
Project FeederWatch starts on November 13 for me. Sundays and Mondays will be my count days again this year. It looks like I'll be able to get off to a better start this year than I did last year. There are several birds visiting my feeders and birdbath already this year. Last year was pretty slow to start the season. Hopefully that will continue throughout the season.
On September 17, I drove in from work and saw a flycatcher sitting at the top of a tree. I ran in and grabbed my binoculars and saw it was an Olive-sided Flycatcher. That was only the third sighting of one on the property. On October 8, I walked out to hear the first Eastern Phoebe of the season singing his name. A Great-crested Flycatcher was in the top of the hackberry tree in my backyard. A Crested Caracara flew over the house. That was the fourth sighting of a caracara. On November 3, I was driving down the driveway headed to work and a White-tailed Kite was flying over the yard. That was the second time I've seen one of them on the property. On November 4, a Brown Creeper began exploring the bark on a tallow tree in my backyard. That was only the third time I've seen one of them on the property. Then on November 6, I was sitting outside drinking my coffee while watching my feeders and a Rufous Hummingbird came up to my hummingbird feeders. That was the first time I've ever seen one on my property. That gives me 199 property species!
Winter residents are showing up. A Brown Thrasher visited my birdbath a few weeks ago. Yellow-rumped Warblers are eating the hackberries and visiting my birdbath with regularity. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet joined them in the hackberry tree looking for insects. Eastern Phoebes chase insects while announcing their presence with their "phoebe" call. Chipping Sparrows have begun visiting my feeder. I see Song Sparrows in the grassy areas of the pasture. I heard a Northern Flicker calling from the woods on Sunday morning. I love the fall season with all the birds that migrate into the area. It won't be long before the goldfinches show up at the feeders. House Wrens will show up soon. Pine Warblers will start visiting the suet in the coming weeks.
Project FeederWatch starts on November 13 for me. Sundays and Mondays will be my count days again this year. It looks like I'll be able to get off to a better start this year than I did last year. There are several birds visiting my feeders and birdbath already this year. Last year was pretty slow to start the season. Hopefully that will continue throughout the season.
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