BS: Birdwatching 2009

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: maeve
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 07:34 AM

Welcome back, Ferrara.

I've been otherwise occupied lately. I did want to note that we've been seeing many red-breasted nuthatches lately. We're seeing 4 at a time, with others in the locust trees and bushes. They are cheeky little birds. Still a multitude of chickadees here. I keep hoping to see kinglets, a common flocking companion, but no sign of them so far.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Beer
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 12:39 PM

I'm real happy today. Gnu's birthday and I just heard and viewed a very large flock of Geese flying over.
Spring is in the air.
Adrien

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: maeve
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 03:02 PM

Yes, Adrien! Black capped chickadees singing their spring song for the 1st time this year, 10:16 AM our time. Spring spring, lovely spring!

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: gnu
Date: 07 Mar 09 - 05:05 PM

Two days ago, I saw a Blue Jay singing spring songs. AND, I was taken aback. I have never heard a BJ "chortle" like a raven. Never, not once in all my years, but I did. It was one of those "Oh My!" moments. Really cool.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 04:09 AM

A couple of bright days here means my tits have been making merry in the garden. The feeder is set to 'constant swing' as they stock up on high energy seeds for mating rituals and nest building. Hopefully there is enough buddleia missing (snow brought down a big branch) to discourage them from nesting in it - it's too exposed now and I need to cut down more of it.

The robin is still trilling away so I suspect he's not found a mate yet. If he's not careful, he's going to end up with the ugly one.

The blackbirds have gone quiet but I see the fat pecker (I had no luck with the balls, they kept melting in the sun and falling off the string. I compromised with a plastic tray of beef fat and sunflower seeds) is being frequented and the sparrows are being noisy in my bay tree.

Alas, other than passing geese on their way to the lake in the park half a mile away, and black headed gulls in their summer plumage there have been no sightings of any different species. The perils of living in an urban area.

So; a tally reveals I have observed to date in 2009:

Great Tits
Blue Tits
Coal Tits
Sparrow
Blackbird
Robin
Pigeon (Rock dove and racing varieties)
Wood Pigeon (the brown and grey variety)
Magpie
Crow
Black Headed Gull
Grey Backed Gull

So far, the kitties have not eaten any birds (that I know of) but they've developed a new 'watching post' - a planter that is on the garden table because it was in the way of the fencing I was erecting and I never put back. They look so cute in it but it's doing my fuschia no favours at all.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: ragdall
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 05:11 AM

It's March and there are no new birds to add at home.

My "at home" list to date:
Black-capped Chickadee
Dark-eyed Junco
House Finch
House Sparrow
Song Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Common Redpoll
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker (Yellow shafted)
Northern Flicker (Red shafted)
Bohemian Waxwing
European Starling
Hairy Woodpecker
Crow
Pine Grosbeak

Around Town list
add:
Bald Eagle
Great Gray Owl
Hawk Owl
Rock Dove
Mallard

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: gnu
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 03:57 PM

With the apples knocked out of the tree by ice and wind, then covered with snow and ice, and with the presence and persistance of a Sharp Shinned Hawk, not much activity these days. Pigions, crows and gulls and not much more.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Janie
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 06:29 PM

I've noticed hawks and crows flying around with nesting materials, but it seems a bit early for that for most birds around here. Guess I'll start leaving dryer out for them anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: gnu
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 06:39 PM

Maeve heard spring songs in Maine. So did I, in New Brunswick.

If you are seeing birds gathering nesting materials, spring is on the way.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: ragdall
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 10:13 PM

It may be spring in Maine and NB, but we're a long way from spring here in N. British Columbia.

I went out today with my camera to look for early Robins or Red-winged Blackbirds returning to the frozen North. The only birds I saw were European Starlings and Crows. It felt so very cold at -12º C (10º F) with the 28km/h (17 mph)wind that I lost all sensation in my fingers and wondered if they would ever recover.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Janie
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 11:08 PM

Oh my, Ragdall!

Believe I'll plan on staying south.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: maeve
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 11:55 PM

I saw the first skunk roadkill tonight while returning from a Cindy Kallet house concert.

Having declared it "Spring" here in midcoast Maine, I must point out that our temps have been very low still. Today was as warm as 50F, but it was -6 F just a night or so ago, and the ring around the moon tonight suggests more snow and cold to come. The ice is still smashing bones, snow is still 3-4 feet deep against the house and 'most everywhere I look and yet... skunks and birds say spring is trickling in.

The window of opportunity for our annual Audubon Owl Count has just begun and will close in mid-April. I wonder whooo we'll hear and see on our nighttime excursion.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: raredance
Date: 09 Mar 09 - 12:02 AM

Last week a Cooper's hawk sat in a gray dogwood in my back yard for over 30 minutes in the morning. There were no little birds at the feeders all day.

Today, the common redpolls descended. Have had a few around since January, but today there must have been 75-100 in and around the yard pretty much displacing the 20-30 pine siskins that have been regulars. Could be getting ready to head back north.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: ard mhacha
Date: 09 Mar 09 - 08:27 AM

Jim Martin, I had phone call this morning from the Oxford Island Nature Reserve the caller told me it was a definite one-off sighting for Lurgan Park Lake, he has no record of any in his area the southern shore of Lough Neagh.
That is one time the camera came in handy.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: bubblyrat
Date: 09 Mar 09 - 10:43 AM

My favourite bird is the Striated Kara-Kara---However,I concede that a sighting in rural Buckinghamshire is,probably,unlikely.By way of compensation,however, I did espy an unusual birdie on the roof of my partner's garden shed in Marlow Bottom yesterday. "Look !" I exclaimed excitedly, " A hawk of some sort !"
    "It's a Wood Pigeon,you plonker!" she retorted.
"Wood Pigeons haven't got talons,long tails,and curved beaks",I riposted.
So she went and got her digi camera,and got off three good shots before it Foxtrotted Oscar, and then put them up on the computer screen.
         Even SHE had to admit that it was, in fact,a Goshawk.
Not really Karen's thing,birds.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: maeve
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 03:49 PM

Flit, flee, fly

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Beer
Date: 14 Mar 09 - 10:48 AM

YES!!!!
Four Robins on the lawn this morning.
Adrien

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Janie
Date: 14 Mar 09 - 01:15 PM

On my way to pick up my son from a sleepover this morning, I saw a pasture with a large flock of cow egrets. I'm wondering if they are migrating from southwest as this is very far inland from their usual summer range in North Carolina.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: maeve
Date: 15 Mar 09 - 08:14 AM

We watched 4 red-breasted nuthatches at the suet feeder yesterday, with several more bustling around in the trees. A single Canada goose flew over early this morning.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: maeve
Date: 15 Mar 09 - 11:49 AM

20 (...30...maybe more) gulls were riding a thermal over our house an hour ago. It's 60 F with blue sky and sunshine. We couldn't tell whether they were all herring gulls; too high in the sky. First they would circlr on the warm air until they were high enough, then shoot off in a northerly direction. The calls were mostly the occasional "we're here" variety, but I did here a few "food here!" calls as well. They may have been heading over to the neighbor's pastures to hunt earthworms.

What a beautiful morning!

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: gnu
Date: 15 Mar 09 - 01:17 PM

"... single Canada Goose..." RECON!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: maeve
Date: 15 Mar 09 - 01:24 PM

The sharp-shinned hawk was back in the yard this morning, as well. Last time it enjoyed a mourning dove for breakfast.

Yes, gnu- bet the sneaky geese will try to infiltrate by dark of night.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: EBarnacle
Date: 16 Mar 09 - 01:23 PM

Yes, the Spring birds are back and the robins' breasts are mating season red.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 17 Mar 09 - 03:33 AM

Add a starling to my list - he was investigating the wall outside our front window. Never see them in the back garden, only the front. I suppose scavenging is more successful where people drop litter from the chip shops down the road.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: gnu
Date: 17 Mar 09 - 06:41 AM

Mum's robin was back in the apple tree yesterday, but the apples below te tree are still covered with a thich layer of ice/snow.

I put a slice of bread spread with chicken fat on the tree and a couple of dozen grapes under the tree. Dunno if he touched any of it. It's he MIA for weeks so I thought the Sharp Shinned Hawk may have gotten it. Nice surprise for us.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: maeve
Date: 17 Mar 09 - 07:19 AM

Great news, gnu. Welcome home, robin.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 17 Mar 09 - 08:49 AM

Had a buzzard fly over being mobbed by seven crows on Saturday. He evaded them with remakably little effort and seemed little bothered. Later in the day saw a crow fleeing from a heron, perhaps word had got around!

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: GUEST,EBarnacle on a friend's machine
Date: 17 Mar 09 - 10:23 PM

Mobs of sparrows were on mating flights this afternoon! Spring is definitely here.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: gnu
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 07:48 AM

Robinssss!!! And they are chasing each other around!

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: maeve
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 08:01 AM

Robin talking a blue streak this morning. I reckon he's fairly certain spring is here.

maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Clifton53
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 11:16 AM

The first red-winged blackbird in my yard today, never see them in the yard, there are always some down on the bayfront though. And yes the robin's breast are flaming orange. The robins didn't visit my yard in a flock like they did last year however, the crabapples were picked very clean this winter.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Ferrara
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 09:01 PM

Add 3 species to my count.

1. Didn't even think about posting here -- or adding them to my count -- when I saw the first starlings of the year. I just cussed them and banged on the window to scare them off the suet feeder. One of life's least useful activities, they fly back within 60 seconds.

2. I heard Canada geese last week, next morning I heard them again and saw two flying over.

3. Today I heard and saw a red shouldered hawk in the back yard. A juvenile I think. Yelling its head off in the treetops, and the jays were yelling insults in return.

There's been a pair of hairy woodpeckers at the suet and even checking out our back porch. There was a big flock of American robins today. I got an almost good photo 2 weeks ago of the ruby crowned kinglet flashing its red crest. I say "almost" because there was a bit of something in the way here and there, but it's neat anyway.

Carolina wrens and mourning doves compete to nest on our back porch. This year the wrens are really early and they've picked out a new nesting spot, it's an old plastic hamster cage. They fly in through the little opening in the top. Fun to watch them. Not a very safe nesting spot though, we think. I asked Bill to take down the doves' nest until the wrens get one litter raised. Hope he will.

Rita

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Janie
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 11:33 PM

More sick house finches. Didn't see the pox lesions, but suspect that is what is happening. Two females, too tired and sick to fly away when I approach the feeders to fill them. I hate the thought of not feeding, but think I may have to stop for awhile to not contribute to the spread of the virus.

Mr. Wren singing out his heart this morning advertising a nest ready for occupancy on the carport.

Chickadees, Tufted Titmice and Robins all vieing for the attention of the ladies. One (just one), male goldfinch that is nearly completely molted spied today.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Ferrara
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 01:37 PM

Yes, it's hard to know what to do when there's an epidemic illness. House finches seem especially prone to problems. We rescued one once, and two rehabilitators didn't want to take her because they were having epidemics in their house finch populations. sigh....

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Janie
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 08:43 PM

Here is a link to an article of interest on CNN.com about threatened bird species. Not real detailed, but a decent brief overview of problems with declining bird populations.

I think it points to the value of creating habitat in your yard to go with the feeders.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Mar 09 - 04:46 AM

My tits are on a feeding frenzy. Filled the feeder last Saturday... had to fill it again on Thursday.

The Great tits are especially active, two big males seem to be vying for the attention of a female by demonstrating how many seeds they can provide. The Blues are obviously nesting nearby, they come for twigs and leaf litter. The Coals are a bit shyer.. I don't see them so much these days, but they are still around. Perhaps he's having trouble finding a mate.

The blackbird couple are back again, I make this the 5th year running... of course, they may not be the original couple, but the son/daughter of that pair. Still, they're doing a good job of de-bugging my garden, although the cats have done that pretty well by digging up my polyanthus/primroses. Little bastards.

Right, I'm away to the shops now for more tit food.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 21 Mar 09 - 07:14 AM

Actually, it's LTS at home....

Just been shopping for bird seed.

Who the heck thought that fruit flavoured dried meal worms would be a sensible foodstuff... why fruit flavoured?!!!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Mar 09 - 12:38 PM

That way the vegetarians and the carnivores get to be happy.

Saw a few cardinals today in several locations. They were to crimson that they looked like something else.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: GUEST,EBarnacle on a friend's computer
Date: 21 Mar 09 - 06:44 PM

Abobe Guest was yours truly

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: maeve
Date: 22 Mar 09 - 08:17 AM

A big wild tom turkey strolled through the front yard a short time ago.
He sampled a few sunflower seeds from beneath one of the feeders, then wandered across the quiet Sunday morning road, passing the edge of the field, and away into the trees by the brook that feeds into the Sheepscot River.


maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Arkie
Date: 22 Mar 09 - 07:37 PM

The first Purple Martins of the season arrived this afternoon. The air is filled with their songs as they circle overhead and check out their housing all clean and awaiting them. Big day for me.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: GUEST,Jim Martin
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 09:02 AM

Friday 20th March 2009
One Swallow was on the Bog Road, Doora Ennis this morning (8.30).
This is the first for this Spring and one of the earliest ever recorded in the county.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: olddude
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 09:11 AM

I have a palliated woodpecker in my old dead tree out back every morning he is out there wacking away at the tree. I can get right up close to him ... beautiful bird

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 06:10 PM

Palliated wood pecker eh? I'd see the doc about that if I were you!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: GUEST,guest_olddude
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 07:55 PM

Liz
LOL yea can't type either

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: GUEST,LTS pretending to work
Date: 24 Mar 09 - 09:43 AM

The crows are starting to nest now... they were gathering twigs from the tree outside the house yesterday. Hope they don't pick our chimney again... (it was allegedly capped several years ago), the noise of their cawing, echoing down the chimney breast is incredibly loud and scary!

Almost as bad as my neighbour's 'call to prayer' alarm clock which now (as the sun appears earlier) goes off at 4.30am.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: black walnut
Date: 24 Mar 09 - 03:56 PM

Robins! We saw robins! (Toronto, Canada).

~b.w.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 27 Mar 09 - 10:09 PM

I live about twenty miles from the nearest substantial body of water, so I'd never expect to see an osprey (fish hawk) in my neighborhood, but one seems to have taken up residence nearby. I've seen it twice now in almost the same spot. The first time it was in an overgrown pasture, alternately hovering a few feet off the ground and then diving into the low brush, apparently attacking some prey animal. I thought it was probably a kite of some sort, but its wings were too long and narrow to match any kite species in my Peterson's Guide. The closest match to its wing profile was an osprey, but they aren't supposed to live this far from water and they're supposed to eat fish from lakes and rivers, not snakes and rodents from cow pastures. Then today, I saw it again. It was flying overhead within a half-mile of where I had seen it before and, this time, there was no mistaking it. I've seen plenty of ospreys in flight and recognized it immediately.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: Janie
Date: 28 Mar 09 - 09:14 AM

Cowbird on the platform feeder this morning.

Most of the bird species around here are year round residents, and we are off the beaten path of the migratory flyways. I always think of how exciting it would be to anticipate the return of lots of different species in spring.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching 2009
From: ard mhacha
Date: 28 Mar 09 - 09:23 AM

Jim Martin that is very early for a Swallow in Ireland up here in the north-east I have been recording first Swallow sightings for the past 30 years and April 4th is my earliest sighting, the average days are between the 10th and 15th of April.