The Great Backyard Bird Count

[journey11]

We were at Walmart the other day and saw maybe 50 seagulls hanging out in the parking lot. I had never seen so many gathered around here (usually just see a handful.) I let the kids get out of the car and feed them some broken cookies we had on hand. I'm sure someone would have thought they were a nuisance, but my kids were delighted with them!

 

[Lavender2]

We were at Walmart the other day and saw maybe 50 seagulls hanging out in the parking lot. I had never seen so many gathered around here (usually just see a handful.) I let the kids get out of the car and feed them some broken cookies we had on hand. I'm sure someone would have thought they were a nuisance, but my kids were delighted with them!

I like watching those seagulls, and DH has a hard time not feeding them something.

Well, it snowed yesterday (imagine that!) so the birds were a bit scarce. A few cardinals and blue jays, and a ring-necked pheasant. I think the hawk was hanging around so the smaller birds were hiding. Oh, and I did have 2 squirrels.

 

[journey11]

I know people get annoyed with the squirrels, but I wish I had one! They crack me up. I don't have any big trees in my yard to give them cover though.

With the heavy snow we've had and the freezing temps for weeks on end, I've seen so many more birds this year than last. We usually have only one Cardinal pair, but this week we've seen 5 pairs all at the same time! They and the others hang out in my curly willow tree and look like Christmas ornaments.

I have one little Carolina Wren that I just love. He hops around the trusses of the porch roof, waiting for the others to go. He's been my favorite. He's just a little ball of fluff with a perky little tail that sticks straight up.

 

[thistlebloom]

Journey, why haven't you taken a picture of those Cardinals? It sounds like a Kodak moment.
Since you brought the bird count to our attention I've been watching my feeders more closely, but it's as though everybody got all shy and doesn't want to be seen.
This time of year we usually we have Hairy and Downy and Flicker woodpeckers on the suet, nuthatches, finches, siskins and chickadees year round, but other than a few chickadees it looks like a ghost town out there.

Maybe if I quit looking they'll all swarm back.

 

[journey11]

I'd like to try to get a pic of them. I wish I had a zoom lens! I've tried taking a few pics of the birds on the feeders, but the porch is too shady for good lighting and there's too many sticky handprints all over my windows to see them well.

 

[curly_kate]

It's been the strangest thing since we moved across the field to our new house - the nuthatch and wren that I used to see before haven't made the move! I guess it's because I don't have a nice oak to hang the feeder from, just a scrubby patch of honey locust. We've had a TON of cardinals, blue jays, finches of every type, juncos, sparrows, and just the other day, we had a towhee show up. I'm hoping that's a sign of spring.

 

[Lavender2]

@curly_kate ... Now that you mention it, where are my juncos? They usually come with the snow and leave when the last patch is melting. hmm. I saw a few in Nov. -maybe all the sub-zero temps were too much for them too!

@journey11 ... I don't mind the gray/black squirrels so much, but the red ones are a menace! They like to chew through our wood siding to make a home. I have trapped them if the hawk doesn't get them fast enough.
Birds seem to know when you pick up your camera :/ but squirrels will sit and pose for ya all day ...



I was able to catch the jays, it's snowing, and my aim was off..

 

[journey11]

@curly_kate ... Now that you mention it, where are my juncos? They usually come with the snow and leave when the last patch is melting. hmm. I saw a few in Nov. -maybe all the sub-zero temps were too much for them too!

@journey11 ... I don't mind the gray/black squirrels so much, but the red ones are a menace! They like to chew through our wood siding to make a home. I have trapped them if the hawk doesn't get them fast enough.
Birds seem to know when you pick up your camera :/ but squirrels will sit and pose for ya all day ...

View attachment 1276

I was able to catch the jays, it's snowing, and my aim was off..

View attachment 1277

My DH likes to hunt squirrels. He says the red ones are bigger and meatier.