The Zen Birdfeeder

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Project FeederWatch - Chickadees!

I only had one day this week for my Project FeederWatch count.  Monday's temperatures reached the 40s but the ground was still covered with over 2 feet of snow.

HIGHLIGHTS:  Redpolls still numerous.  Black-capped Chickadees vocal and plentiful.  Both Common Raven and American Crow seen in flight.

Here's what I'll report to Project FeederWatch:

Common Redpoll  40
Black capped Chickadee   15
Mourning Dove   7
Blue Jay   6
Dark-eyed Junco   4
Downy Woodpecker   3
Hairy Woodpecker   2
Tufted Titmouse   2
Red-breasted Nuthatch   1
White-breasted Nuthatch   1
American Crow   1
Common Raven   1

Species 12
Individuals  83

Are you seeing lots of chickadees too?

Local GBBC Summary

Here's a summary from the Great Backyard Bird Count on the checklists submitted in my town:

2008 Results: Middle Grove, New York
This town report includes all data submitted to the town and to all postal codes associated with the town.

Species            Number of Birds    Number of Checklists
Sharp-shinned Hawk  1       1      
Northern Goshawk  1       1      
Mourning Dove  6       3      
Downy Woodpecker  10       5      
Hairy Woodpecker  7       3      
Blue Jay  7       5      
American Crow  8       5      
Common Raven  2       2      
Black-capped Chickadee  64       8      
Tufted Titmouse  11       6      
Red-breasted Nuthatch  8       4      
White-breasted Nuthatch  7       6      
Dark-eyed Junco  10       4      
Common Redpoll  436       8      
Total 578             

A total of 14 species were reported.

My checklists over the 4-day count period included 13 species (I didn't report a raven during the count). 
Sharp-shinned Hawk  1         
Northern Goshawk  1             
Mourning Dove  6             
Downy Woodpecker  5               
Hairy Woodpecker  7             
Blue Jay  5             
American Crow  4             
Black-capped Chickadee  54             
Tufted Titmouse  9             
Red-breasted Nuthatch  8             
White-breasted Nuthatch  4             
Dark-eyed Junco  10             
Common Redpoll  340

Middle Grove reported a significant number of Common Redpolls.  IN FACT, Middle Grove NY was #26 in the country in redpoll counts and #1 in New York state:

2008 Results: Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea):
Top 100 Reporting Localities

Town  Number of Birds    Number of Checklists Reporting the Species 
1  Anchorage, Alaska  3,254       59      
2  Juneau, Alaska  1,810       30      
3  Haines Junction, Yukon Territory  1,648       7      
4  Whitehorse, Yukon Territory  1,157       30      
5  Temple, Maine  1,058       5      
6  Trois-Rivieres, Quebec  942       36      
7  Dillingham, Alaska  786       8      
8  Ely, Minnesota  757       28      
9  Quesnel, British Columbia  737       19      
10  Wasilla, Alaska  671       7      
11  Saint-Valerien-de-Rimouski, Quebec  650       4      
12  Pinawa, Manitoba  638       23      
13  Plantagenet, Ontario  630       4      
14  South River, Ontario  619       6      
15  Ripton, Vermont  556       7      
16  Gustavus, Alaska  553       8      
17  Midland, Ontario  550       4      
18  Cloquet, Minnesota  540       7      
19  Hallstead, Pennsylvania  524       4      
20  Miramichi, New Brunswick  512       3      
21  London, Ontario  497       44      
22  Cap-aux-Meules, Quebec  450       3      
23  Kasilof, Alaska  450       4      
24  Lac la Biche, Alberta  437       17      
25  Williston, Vermont  437       4      
26  Middle Grove, New York  436       8

Two of my GBBC highlights were the Northern Goshawk on Day 1 and the Sharp-shinned Hawk on Day 4.  I'm especially pleased to have reported a goshawk; only 28 of these birds were reported in New York state on 22 checklists.  Only 174 were reported across the country.  What a thrill to have been one of those lucky few to have one in my own yard!

The Great Backyard Bird Count is held every year over President's Day Weekend.  Plan to join the fun in 2009! 

Bidding Adieu to the Pine Grosbeak

A single Pine Grosbeak returned to my feeders last Thursday.  It had been absent since the end of January and returned to my feeders, perhaps for the last time, on a beautiful sunny day.

The Pine Grosbeak came our way courtesy of the Winter Finch Irruption of 2007-08, showing up in New York in numbers that are seldom seen.  The entire northern tier of states was visited by this bird, allowing many birders and birdfeeders, including me, to see this boreal bird for the first time.

View this graph from the ebird site that shows just how many more Pine Grosbeaks were reported this winter than in the previous 4 winters.

Pine Grosbeaks reported during last weekend's Great Backyard Bird Count were significant - way more than any GBBCs this decade.  Click "Multi-year animation" on this GBBC map to see Pine Grosbeak reports from 2000-2007 to compare to this year's map above.

And data maps in Project FeederWatch show many Pine Grosbeak reports in the US, while very few were reported over the last 19 PFW seasons.

 

The ebird graph indicates that Pine Grosbeak frequency and abundance peaked in December and has been dropping off since. It also seems to point to a departure in March. So I'll get in a last post featuring this calm and approachable bird, a 2008 life bird and yard bird for me, just in case the visit on Thursday was the last.  Safe journey back to the boreal. 

Great Backyard Bird Count 2008 - Day 4

Today is the last day of the 2008 Great Backyard Bird Count.

HIGHLIGHTS:
My GBBC days were bookended by the appearance of accipiters - a Northern Goshawk on Day 1 and a Sharp-shinned Hawk on Day 4.

I had just finished preparing lunch, walked to the table, and saw this sharpie perched on my Advanced Pole System (APS).

I grabbed the camera and got a few shots in before he took off into the foggy day.  I'm ashamed to admit that I was in such a hurry to take the pictures and zoomed in on the hawk, I didn't see a Downy Woodpecker frozen still on the suet feeder right underneath the sharpie! What a sight (and photo op) I missed because I wasn't taking in the big picture! :(

Woodpeckers continue to be busy not only at my feeders, but at lots of feeders across the country. The Downy is the #4 reported bird so far in this year's count.  I'm reporting three from today's count - were any of the 18,419 downys reported so far from YOUR count?

In recent mornings, I'd wake to redpolls on the feeders outside my window.  Seems the mid-40s temperatures have given them other options.  I didn't see my first redpoll flock until 2pm, and they didn't stay long.  The redpoll count in Middle Grove NY (my reporting zip) ranks us #22 in the Top 100 Common Redpoll Reporting Localities COUNTRYWIDE!!!!  Woo hoo!!!

MY COUNT:
Common Redpoll  80
Black capped Chickadee  20
Tufted Titmouse  3
Downy Woodpecker  3
Red-breasted Nuthatch  2
Hairy Woodpecker  2
American Crow  2
Dark-eyed Junco  2
Blue Jay  1
Mourning Dove  1
Sharp-shinned Hawk  1

Species 11 - Individuals 117

March 1 is the deadline to submit counts.  If you participated, make sure you take a couple minutes to take the GBBC survey to help Cornell better understand the birding community, including how to improve the Great Backyard Bird Count. Take the survey and you'll receive a special offer from Cornell.

Within the week, I'll explore the results more and recap my counts and counts around the Saratoga area.  I hope you had as much fun counting the birds as I did.  Plan to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count next year, presumably over President's Day Weekend.

Great Backyard Bird Count 2008 - Day 3

Had a little more time this morning to count birds for the Great Backyard Bird count.

HIGHLIGHTS:  Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers were busy eating up suet.

MY COUNT:
Common Redpoll   110
Black capped Chickadee   13
Hairy Woodpecker   3
Dark-eyed Junco   3
Downy Woodpecker   2
Tufted Titmouse   2
Red breasted Nuthatch   2
Mourning Dove   2
Blue Jay   1
White breasted Nuthatch   1
American Crow   1

Species 11 - Individual 140

Dark-eyed Juncos are the 4th most reported species in New York so far this count.  Do you have juncos to report?

One more day to count!

Great Backyard Bird Count 2008 - Day 2

To participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, you really only need 15 minutes!

That's all the time I had today, checking the feeders as I got ready for work and ate breakfast this morning.

HIGHLIGHT:  REDPOLLS!!!  Lots of 'em.

MY COUNT:
Common Redpoll   100
Black capped Chickadee   6
Tufted Titmouse   2
Blue Jay   1
Downy Woodpecker   1
White breasted Nuthatch   1
Red breasted Nuthatch   1
Dark-eyed Junco   1

8 Species - 113 Individuals

Even 15 minutes count!  There are still 2 days left to participate - don't miss The Great Backyard Bird Count!

Great Backyard Bird Count 2008 - Day 1

Today was the first day of the 4-day Great Backyard Bird Count.  I was home today so I was able to keep an eye on the yard most of the day.

HIGHLIGHTS:
My highlight today HAD TO BE the appearance of a Northern Goshawk.  He has visited the yard a number of times before, the last time back in December. 
 
Taken in December 2007

On his first pass through, he flew towards the south over one side of the house, swooping through the yard and into the trees across the road.  I went out with binoculars to find him, to no avail.

About 3 minutes later he emerged, flying back northward over the other side of the house towards the back of my property. You cannot run through the house fast enough to keep up with this guy!

On that second pass, I noted his very large size that made me think "goshawk" - NOT Cooper's or sharpie.  He had very whitish underparts, but I was still unwilling to definitely call it a Northern Goshawk.

But then, about 4-5 minutes later, he again emerged from the trees across the road, flying right up my driveway only 12 feet or so off the ground.  Big, powerful, and beautiful, I got a great look at it's fierce face including a strong white eye line.  Northern Goshawk it was!

Another GBBC highlight is watching the White-breasted Nuthatch pair as they start to hang around closer together as their courtship behaviors begin.

MY COUNT:
Common Redpoll  50
Black capped Chickadee   15
Dark-eyed Junco   4
Red breasted Nuthatch   3
Mourning Dove   3
Hairy Woodpecker   2
Blue Jay   2
White breasted Nuthatch   2
Downy Woodpecker   2

Tufted Titmouse   2
American Crow   1
Northern Goshawk   1

12 Species - 87 Individuals

Remember, it only takes 15 minutes of counting to participate.  Check out the Great Backyard Bird Count for information and activities!

Practicin' Up for The Great Backyard Bird Count

Except for redpolls, woodpeckers, and the mixed winter flock of chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches, feeder activity is overall slower the last few weeks or so. 
My Project Feeder Watch days were Monday and Tuesday - here's what I'll report to Cornell:

Common Redpolls  100
Black capped Chickadees  10
Dark-eyed Junco  3
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Tufted Titmouse  2
Blue Jay  2
Red breasted Nuthatch  1
White breasted Nuthatch  1

9 Species
124 Individuals

Missing in Action: Evening Grosbeaks, the Pine Grosbeak, even Mourning Doves.  Earlier this count season, I had reported up to 30 Evening Grosbeaks, 24 Blue Jays, and 19 doves - quite a change. 

Birds move around in winter to find reliable sources of food.  I'm sure my weeklong absences (and empty feeders) in mid-January and again earlier this month gave the birds good reason to move on.  In the meantime, I'll enjoy the visitors I do have in the true spirit of Zen Acceptance.

REMINDER:  The Great Backyard Bird Count starts Friday! 

Until then, test your Zen Attention with “Eagle Eyes”, Cornell's new, interactive game!  When you’ve finished, be sure to send it on to friends, especially if they have young people at home.

To enter your bird count checklists, go to http://www.birdcount.org and click on the big “Enter your Checklists” button at the top of the page.

You can send your photos to the GBBC website from February 15 through March 1, 2008. A select number of photos will be posted during GBBC weekend.

Check out the GBBC blog at http://www.birdcount.org/blog, run by Audubon’s Senior Scientist, Rob Fergus, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Science Editor, Laura Erickson.

Wild Birds Unlimited is a proud sponsor of this citizen science project. 

If you live in the Saratoga Springs NY area, and your kids age 16 or younger participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, bring them in before the end of February with proof of their participation and they'll receive a free sample bag of WBU birdseed.  Sorry, this fun offer is made by Wild Birds Unlimited - Saratoga Springs ONLY and will not be available in other Wild Birds Unlimited stores.   

THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT - Count for Fun, Count for the Future!

A Personal Best Project FeederWatch Count

My most recent Project FeederWatch days (January 1-2) produced a personal best in regard to counts of individual birds.  Significant snowfall brought about a lot of activity at the feeders, and during the 2 day count, I was fortunate enough to have 250 INDIVIDUAL BIRDS visit my yard (or the sky above it, in the case of the raven).  WOW!

Common Redpoll Feeding on Niger Seed

Dark-eyed Junco enjoying WBU Cranberry Fare on a new WBU Seed Cylinder feeder.

American Tree Sparrow

These birds represented 14 different species, a high species count for my yard during PFW, though not a personal PFW best. 

Blue Jay on WBU Heated Birdbath

Here's what I'll report to Cornell:

Common Redpoll  140
Evening Grosbeak   30
Blue Jay 22
Mourning Dove   19
Dark-eyed Junco  15
Black capped Chickadee   10
Tufted Titmouse   4
Hairy Woodpecker   3
Downy Woodpecker   2
Red-breasted Nuthatch   1
White-breasted Nuthatch   1
Pine Grosbeak   1
American Tree Sparrow   1
Common Raven   1

Common Redpolls on a WBU Mesh Finch Feeder