BS: Birdwatching Challenge

Subject: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Raptor
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 10:53 AM

Start today, Count Speices that you see at your house or yard. See how many you get in 2006. Only from your house or a 100 foot radius from your property. In 2003 I got 49, in 2004 I got 60, and last year I got 63. We can check in once a month to see how we're doing.
Who's in?

Raptor

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: leftydee
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 11:00 AM

I'm in.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Metchosin
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 12:36 PM

me too. Although its so windy here today I doubt I'll get off to a good start.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 01:29 PM

borrinnnngggggg....snarrrrrkkkkk

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Mo the caller
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 03:11 PM

well I wasn't looking but I saw my friendly robin + 4 hens

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: tarheel
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 03:26 PM

raptor...count us in...it's one of the terrific things that my wife peg,does each winter as we keep the feeders full for our fine feathered friends...it is a great hobby for anyone to keep from being bored with the winter dulldrums...peg enjoys it and it makes me happy seeing her thrilled each time she discovers a new species since last winter!
try it...you'll like it!
tar
btw,about 60 different ones last year,too!...

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Rapparee
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 03:38 PM

Last Spring I saw a goshawk in white phase!! Right there, sitting on the old satellite TV antenna mast! By the time I got the camera it was gone, dang it.

Saw three mockingbirds and a raven this morning, but nimby -- up in the hills.

Can I put out a feeder or two?

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: leftydee
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 07:26 PM

I think the monthly check in should include our location, it may tell us a few things.

Bob

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Naemanson
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 07:29 PM

Here in Guam we generally only see one species of bird that close to the house, the wild chicken.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Janie
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 07:31 PM

I'm in too!

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Raptor
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 07:55 PM

Feeders will help your numbers greatly!

I'm at 11 species for today including a Horry Redpol. My first in 3 years.

Raptor

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Bobert
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 07:58 PM

Well, well, well...

Now this is my kinda contest...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Raptor
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 08:03 PM

Bobert hows the monster(Feeder system)?

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Arkie
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 08:22 PM

Count me in. I look forward to seeing the count. I have three regular feeders out but only one is getting any activity. I also have a thistle feeder for goldfinches and any other finch is welcome. That gets a lot of company.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Janie
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 08:25 PM

Just filled my feeders today (They needed scrubbed out real good and sterilized.) Happy New Year birds!

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: TIA
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 11:36 PM

I'm in.
Nine on the first day of 2006.
Never kept any kind of list before, but this'll be fun.
Thanks Raptor.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: number 6
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 01:08 AM

23 pidgeons out and about on our street ... 4 seagulls hanging around the neigbours chimney keeping warm.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: maeve
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 09:00 AM

I'm in, as well, in Maine.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Raptor
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 12:26 PM

#6 we need to count species of gull not individuals!

If anyone has trouble IDing the birds check in here with the field marks and we'll help you.

Raptor

Good luck all!

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Alba
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 12:31 PM

I'm in too Raptor.
Northern Maine. Maeve may be near me so it will be interesting to see if our species differ:>)
5 feeders here. 2 near House for larger species. 1 for finches and smaller birds. 2 near pond for shy birds. Great water Birds in the Spring and a lot of Prey Birds too.
Great Idea.
Best wishes to all
Jude

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Joybell
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 04:47 PM

Thanks Raptor. Count me in. Starting the count now. Can we include 100 feet up too? We have lots of low fly-over birds that live just beyond the 100 foot limit.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: lamarca
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 06:37 PM

I gave up bird feeders a couple years ago, as we started to get visitations from rats, stray cats and a very determined raccoon. I didn't mind feeding the squirrels as well as my birds, but the rest of the not-so-wildlife were too much.

Y'all might be interested in looking at Cornell Ornithology Lab's Project Feeder Watch. They are enlisting folks all over the country to submit their feeder bird lists. Visit their website here:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: KathWestra
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 10:08 PM

I'm in too. Maeve, where in Maine are you? And how about you, Alba? I'm in Rockland in the Midcoast area. Wish I could count the immature white-winged crossbill I saw in my side yard in early Dec.--a life bird for me, and beautiful! Today's list is mallards, crows, and chickadees. Others will follow, I'm sure, when I get my several feeders restocked. Kathy

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: maeve
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 06:28 AM

Kathy- I'm in Whitefield. One of these days we'll meet!

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Raptor
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 09:00 AM

As far as you can see from within 100 feet of your property. So if a bird flies over the house half a mile from yours but you're in your driveway and see it Count it!

Hearing birds also counts. As long as you know for certin that you are hearing one perticular species you can count it, Such as owls.You must be certin though.

Any other questions?

Thanks for the link Iamarca.
Try this one too

Bird Studies Canada
Raptor

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Metchosin
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 11:39 AM

If you want to identify by voice in North America What Bird has sound files that are useful too.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 03:59 PM

Anyone know what sort of bird has dark flight feathers with a pale, rich brown line along the top?

No idea what the rest of the plummage is, Raven the kitten had already eaten that bit.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Naemanson
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 07:40 PM

22 chickens and one fairy tern. Oops, the tern wasn't close to the house.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Grab
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 07:45 PM

Could be a (young) female blackbird. How big, roughly?

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 06:34 AM

Sparrow sized.... it wasn't the right sort of brown for a blackbird, it was more golden.... and blood stained.

Can't decide whether we're feeding him too much (all that excess energy has to go somewhere) or not feeding him enough (so he needs to supplement his diet).... Still, he's only young yet.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: gnu
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 06:59 AM

Excellent links!! I'll have a go as well. Can I include the chicken and turkey in my freezer?

I can id ravens, seagulls, morning doves, starlings (late!!!), bluejays, chickedees and a pheasant from my office window. Not bad for a first quick glance. Do pidgeons count, too, or are they rats with wings?

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: MartinRyan
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 05:16 PM

Just when I thought I'd got over this sort of thing......

Having moved to a new house in the past year, I'm curious about the local denizewns, anyway.

Regards

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: MartinRyan
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 05:16 PM

Make that "denizens"!

Regards

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Naemanson
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 05:57 PM

Does it matter if we count the same chickens over and over? How do you guys know you are not counting the same birds? *Grin*

As a side note, the chickens we have here are feral, if you can apply that word to chickens. They are wild, no doubt about that. They seem to have a set route through the neighborhood. The roosters crow and ruffle their feathers and chase off rivals, the hens lay their eggs and raise their chicks. I love to watch a hen with chicks. The peeping and running to keep up with their mother is a riot. She scratches the dirt and the chicks run to see what she's uncovered.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Naemanson
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 06:00 PM

By the way, Guam used to have abundant bird life. That was before the brown tree snake arrived in the cargo holds of ships and planes. Now there are very few birds and other species are either extinct or endangered. Guam is a lesson in ecology that should not be ignored.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Sorcha
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 06:16 PM

Crows and more crows, sparrows both American and US
Robin, blue jays and house finches.
Once in a GREAT while, a Western Tannager. Not often
That is about all.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Raptor
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 06:39 PM

Remember folks we're counting different Species not individual birds!
Raptor

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 06:42 PM

Raven the kitten doesn't leave enough to identify species, can I count meals instead?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: pdq
Date: 04 Jan 06 - 06:57 PM

LTS,

Those are listed separately under "fluff sandwich".

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 04:38 AM

Raven the kitty is presently birdwatching out of the back window here... he's got his eye on a huge gull that's perched on the roof of 3 doors down..... the damn thing is bigger than him!

And good news.... my great tits are back. I must put my fat balls out for them again.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Raptor
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 02:03 PM

Quit braging Liz!
Raptor

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Joybell
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 04:57 PM

Blue Tits in the frost that would be Liz?

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 06:27 PM

Not today... they were definately great. Other sightings/menu options = A pair of magpies, the aforementioned gull (black backed), a crow and several pigeons, one of which was a proper fawn brown wood pigeon!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: bfdk
Date: 05 Jan 06 - 07:01 PM

Seen around here today:
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Hooded crow (Corvus cornix)
Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus)
Collared Turtle Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus)
Herring gull (Larus argentatus)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) - large flock
Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula)
Magpie (Pica pica)
House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Tree sparrow (Passer montanus)
Great tit (Parus major)
Blue tit (Parus caeruleus)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)

To the best of my knowledge neither the great tits nor the blue tits belonged to Liz.. ;-))

Best wishes,

Bente

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Metchosin
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 12:17 PM

I'm so excited. I was in Vancouver yesterday at Lee Valley Tools and bought a belated Christmas present for myself.

I've got a big problem here with both grey squirrels and roof rats and I had been wondering how I was going to participate using my old feeder without squandering soggy seed on the feral rodent population.

I ended up buying a Squirrel Buster instead of a pair of lovely Wellingtons imported from Scotland, to replace my leaky 20+ year old gumboots. While I will continue to have swamp foot, at least the local bird's seed will remain dry.

No problem with the squirrels now and I can probably adjust this feeder to keep the rats out too, but as a result, the adjustment will likely prevent some of our larger birds, such as Stellar's Jays from feeding as well. Does anyone know if an adult roof rat weighs more than a Jay?

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Janie
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 12:31 PM

Metchosin I could kiss you! I had lost a catolog from a company of which I had not heard. They had designed and sold brackets to make inexpensive raised beds from precast concrete pavers. When I just read your post, Lee Valley rang a bell. went to their website, and sho' nuff!

Thanks!

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Metchosin
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 05:17 PM

They are the best! They have the most incredible selection of hardware and wood working tools I've ever found in this country. I drool over their catalogues constantly. Glad I could be of help.

We got the feeder up this afternoon just outside the front window. Unfortunately I have this sinking feeling that without the jays, the other birds might not notice it and if I'm going to be in the count, I'm going to have to get outside in my gumboots, raingear and binoculars and stare up at tall dripping trees. I will let you know if it stumps the rats though, regardless.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 07:45 PM

Once the birds notice the feeder, they'll spread the news. Trouble is, once they've sussed one place, you have to keep using that same place or they get confused and don't come back.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Arnie
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 10:13 AM

From my window this aft - herring gull,wren, blue tit, blackbird,song thrush and collared dove. The only unusual visitor to my garden is a green woodpecker that attacks the lawn every winter. I'm on the south coast of Kent UK.

Subject: RE: BS: Birdwatching Challenge
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 11:20 AM

A vast array of tits today! News of the bird feeder must have spread, either that or the remaining berries on the pyrocantha have attracted them. Had both Blue and Great tits in my butterfly bush.

LTS