Tuesday, March 6, 2018

A Little Luck is Always a Good Thing

I am on my second March stitch - this one is called "A Little Luck" by Lizzie Kate.

So, finally as promised, here's a recap of my recent Grat Backyard Bird Count.I ended up with 10 lists over the four days and 23 species. I've listed below the highest number of each species that I saw / heard over the four day period.

2          Great Horned Owls (heard)
28        California Quail
1          Cooper’s Hawk
1          Hairy Woodpecker
3          Acorn Woodpecker
2          Northern Flicker
3          Anna’s Hummingbirds
10        Steller’s Jay
1          California Scrub Jay
3          Black-capped Chickadee
2          Chestnut-backed Chickadee
120      American Robin
4          European Starlings
16        Oregon Juncos
4          Song Sparrow
6          Golden-crowned Sparrows

5          Spotted Towhee
4          Fox Sparrows
4          House Finches
12        Pine Siskins
1          Mourning Dove
1          Red-breasted Nuthatch
1          Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon)


I've participated in the count since 2012, and each year my list is different. This year I had so many Robins. They gathered in the trees and took off in large flocks as it became light.  I also had my Yellow-rumped Warbler, which was a gift.
I tend to dwell on who I did not see like Bushtits, Sapsuckers, and Kinglets, rather than who showed up.  Here are a few of the rarer birds who've made The Count in past years.  

Evening Grosbeaks showed up for the count in 2012.

In 2013 I had a Varied Thrush.  

2013 Golden-crowned Kinglet

2014 Band-tailed Pigeon

 In 2015 I was fortunate to see a flock of Sandhill Cranes fly overhead - that was amazing!

 
2016's highlight was a White-throated Sparrow with 34 species total.

2017 I saw a female Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

So the lesson is - only by observation over several years can you see patterns and anomalies both! 


7 comments:

LaNelle said...

Beth, Thanks for sharing your counts...amazing! I too have counted for many years here in northern MN and love ❤️ when I get a new bird so fun to look back! It’s great fun to do....besides important information gathered. My new bird was a Loggerhead Shrike very fun to watch!

Mary said...

The bird count is interesting to see what comes and goes each year. If I could only recognize them like you do! I'm sure it's a much greater thrill to see the rarer birds.
Cute March stitch!

Robin in Virginia said...

Your Luck stitch is off to a good start, Beth. Thank you for sharing your bird counts and observations.

RJ said...

@What an amazing count you have Beth. I must tell you I have learned so much from your blog. I can recite a long list much to my husband's surprise because of my long time fear of birds. I also love your newest stitch. Hope you are enjoying the new job. RJ

Meg said...

Beth, wow! I have friends in my hometown who participate each year in the bird count, and a friend who literally travels the world in search of birds. Friends will email her that they've spotted a rare such-and-such in, say, Australia, and off she goes to see it. Not all of us have the time or funds to do that, but for her it's a passion.

I'm new to your blog, and I look forward to future posts from you!

Hugs... Meg

Barb said...

Thanks so much for sharing your count. It was amazing and very interesting. I also enjoyed seeing the special visitors from last year.

Maggee said...

I think that high bird count would be a good one they can use for research and such! I remember when a Rose-breasted Grosbeak dropped in for a visit here! That was such a rare thing for me... and our area!! It was during a particularly stormy time in mid-May... Gonna have a cute March finish before I get through all the blogs in my cue! Hugs!