Backyard Bird Count

You all just had too many birds. I hardly had any.

I feel that the # of birds visiting our feeder has been down this yr, in spite of the snow. A flock of Jan. robins visiting our crabapple tree was fun. At least the turkeys showed up on Fri. I don't like them in the summer when they take dust baths in the weed free part of the iris beds--so here was the count:
17 wild turkeys
2 titmice
1 dark eyed junco
4 black capped chickadees
1 gold finch
2 cardinals (the pair)
1 mourning dove
1 downy woodpecker (female)
5 crows
Way down on gold finches this yr. Must like food somewhere else

We have a wonderfull abundance of waterfowl and songbirds. I am most in awe of a pair of Bald Eagles which have become regulars over the past couple of years. The unusual for this year were the Red Necked Phalerope, which was swimming just off shore in 36" circles - I wondered if birds contacted Rabies, but found out that is their feeding tactic, and a Pintail duck - just 1 swimming with a flock of Mallards. :)

I suspect our relatively nice weather and my changing the food had an impact on the number of birds in the yard. Glad to be done, but am still considering on signing up for Project Feederwatch!

Good job to all who participated!!

Over 2200 American Robins reported in NJ

Good Morning Bird Fans and to my fellow NASCAR fans, this turned out to be so much fun to read what you all saw and counted. I think a count in May would be alot of fun also but not for me Boo-Hoo. I have to put the bird feeders away and take out the thistle feeder because of the darn bears, so I dont get to many birds :>(

I did enjoy the race even though my Jr didnt do well at all. I am keeping a eye on the new kid #20 Logano, I think he's going places :>)

Christine

Wife of a NASCAR fan here! (I got so upset with Jr's stunt) Hello duckmother, I live in Monticello AR, which is down in the SE corner of the state. I am so jealous of all your Cedar Waxwings!
Mrs. Ed, I too was disappointed. I bet I walked what seemed like 20 miles looking for a new bird but, with a few exceptions, still didn't see much more than I would have seen at home. But I got some much needed exercise. ;))
I have submitted my lists and feel like I have done my part but I am glad it is over!
As for counting birds that you only heard, it was my understanding that if you could positively ID the bird from it's call/song it was countable.

I had to go to town this morning and noticed Robins were everywhere...almost like spring!!

Yippee1999 - The goldfinches are returning. They started showing up in my yard just in time for the GBBC. In past years they didn't appear until the end of Feb/beginning of March. I guess the word got out, "HEY! We want to be counted too!"

Here's my count:
Cooper's Hawk - 1
Rock Pigeon - 12
Mourning Dove - 35
Downy Woodpecker - 4
Blue Jay - 6
American Crow - 2
Black-capped Chickadee - 4
Tufted Titmouse - 18
American Robin - 1
Northern Mockingbird - 4
European Starling - 36
American Tree Sparrow - 37
Song Sparrow - 34
Dark-eyed Junco - 24
Northern Cardinal - 12
Common Grackle - 1
Brown-headed Cowbird - 1
House Finch - 24
American Goldfinch - 8
House Sparrow - 53

Compared to 2008, I had less Mourning Doves (59 in 2008) & more Cardinals (4 in 2008).

So, Yonkers is where all the birds have gone--it's good to know where they are. Seriously, I wonder if they are staying away from coastal winds. How about western Mass? Any reports there?

LOL!
Sometimes I think ALL the birds are in my yard!
I made a short (27 sec) video - taken from my upstairs window of some of the birdie activity.
I wish I recorded about 3 seconds more. At the very end, a cardinal flew into the yard. You can see a flash of red just before the clip ends.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nlf/3258973560/

Come for a visit, crazybird and I will show you all kinds of waxwings...of course, then you have to see all of my ducks, too ;o) Do you ever post on Mid-South Gardening? We would love for you to join us there, too.

Gab, the video is super!

Kim

I think a DG bird count would be good. Then I could pipe in.

YAY. that would be awesome Margaret.

Thanks for the invite, duckmother, I'll check Mid-South Gardening out. Great video gabagoo! I could see that cardinal you mentioned. My yard looks like that sometimes until this stray cat comes to call!

I have a stray cat that shows up from time to time. I usually know when she's around 'cuz the squirrels send out the alarm.

Squirrels are great that way. And in the summer, house wrens too.

House wrens talk ALL the time. I think they are just made up of chatter.

oh...that's funny about the wrens!! lol

My cat Max only gets supervised trips to the garden now. He used to think he was a dog and would stay in the yard, but now he knows he's a cat and hops the fence. Anyway, sometimes he'll go MIA (either in the yard or out). I just follow the sound of the house wrens who are tattling on him!

Around here, the blue jays sound the alarm for cats, dogs, hawks and sometimes, people ;o)

Yesterday, we had over 300 cedar waxwings! We counted them in 17 trees. We have never had that many at one time before. I hope this is a sign of the future. I would love to have this many and/or more each year.

Kim

Wow that's a great number Kim!

Margaret, do they do bird counts in Australia? I assume they do, and if you ever participate I hope you give us your list of visitors!

Pelle, great list for one day! How many hours did you watch?

We didn't have much luck at all. Just the usuals and a hawk. Nothing too interesting at all and I had my 4 nieces over to help out on the count but we got a little distracted with making valentines!

Must check out your video, gab. Sounds interesting. You certainly got high numbers of some of the species in your count! You must have a big yard!

Did anyone get bluebirds in their count? I wonder?

I saw 6 bluebirds but only on Monday.

Hi t, Probably no more than 3-4 hours.

tabasco, they do have a National bird count in Australia on January 26th (I think). I haven't participated as yet, but guess I should.

Well, I waited forever, but I finally got my counts in.
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2
Downy Woodpecker - 2
Blue Jay - 3
Carolina Chickadee - 3
Tufted Titmouse - 3
White-breasted Nuthatch - 1
Brown-headed Nuthatch - 2
Carolina Wren - 1
American Robin - 3
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Brown Thrasher - 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1
Eastern Towhee - 4
Fox Sparrow - 2
Song Sparrow - 2
Dark-eyed Junco - 2
Northern Cardinal - 4
Red-winged Blackbird - 6
House Finch - 2
Pine Siskin - 4
American Goldfinch - 5
I have a small community of birds. It feels like I know them all. Except the 4 Titmice and Chicadees, they flit in and out so quickly, I don't get to spend more that a few seconds at a time looking at each of them. And it's funny because I count on seeing them and LOVE Chicadees so much.
Anyway, what I mean is, since I have such a small number of each species, sometimes only a pair of each, or a male that brings in a female each spring, I feel like I "know" them. I know what their particular habits are. Like I can recognize by sight 3 of my different male Rufus-sided towhees, stuff, like that. That's why I get so upset when something happens to ome of them. It's not the same as a bird from a flock being caught by a cat, which is bad enough.
This is also how I immediately knew I had a visitor (or new resident) when I saw the warbler, he landed where no other bird in my yard did. On the tips of leafless stems and branches.
Participating in this bird count has opened my eyes to new aspects of enjoying my backyard birds and I want to thack you for letting me know about it!

That's a great list 3g's! Your so lucky to get the Brown-headed Nuthatch and Brown Thrasher.
Getting to know each bird is wonderful but as you mentioned is much harder if anything bad happens.Glad you had a good time!

It just really does tune you in a bit more...nice list and glad you shared it with us and the GBBC!!

Thanks for the Kudos!
Those were my official reports for the 16th, but I'm so happy to report that my Brown Thrasher has brought in a girlfriend (or the otherway around; I'm just assuming the banded one that lives here is a boy) and that I have couple more junco pairs!!! (I love them)
My girl Cardinals weren't out that day, but they double that #.
My poor, poor Mocking bird had found himself a girlfriend too, but I believe she feel victim to the neighbors cat after being here for only a week. D*@# cat. And I'm a cat person (without a cat presently). I hope my Mockingbird can find someone else this year. He's been here alone for years. Maybe he goes elsewhere for amore`?

And my female Downy Woodpecker is really fat. Is it my imagination, or could she already be growing eggs, or was she just sitting funny? I do not know anything about how long the gestation period is for various bird or which birds produce eggs twice.

3G...you have a great list! I did the count for the first time last year and I agree it really opens your eyes about the birds and just nature in general. I am anxiously awaiting the return of the Brown Thrashers...I love to watch them and their antics. Hope your Mocker finds a new mate..it is extra sad when you "know" them!