Great Backyard Bird Count 2015

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is something I look forward to every year in mid-February, when the weather is bleak and my year list is still in its infant stages. This last weekend, 2/13--2/16, was the GBBC this year, and I have to admit it was one of my favorites so far. I was limited to my yard and neighborhood, but with the oncoming ice storm the birds were more willing than usual to show themselves as they worked up all that fat and energy.

Day 1 (2/13):

I got up relatively early this morning, to be greeted with this friendly face:

Our new dog--Xena, Warrior Princess.

I set out for the patch of woods down the street from my house at around 7:20 AM. Common Grackles were abundant, and I strained my ears to hear the unmistakable call of Red-winged Blackbirds among the grackles' rusty creaks and squawks, but no such luck. The expected Red-wings are a bit late this year. Despite the cold temperature (around 20 degrees, which is pretty cold for Mississippi), the woods yielded 11 species, but surprisingly no White-throated Sparrows or Dark-eyed Juncos.

After birding the woods for about 45 minutes, I walked down our street and around the corner, which was lined with brushy weeds and bushes and pine trees. I got an additional 8 species in that half hour, including a Great Blue Heron that flew from a pond straight in front of me and scared me to death.

Day 2 (2/14):

Besides being Valentine's Day, today was the day we decided to stock up on supplies before the imminent winter storm. So the majority of the second day of the GBBC was spent braving the crowds of people at Kroger and Target. But---I did manage to snare 10 species (including a year bird!) while following my little brother around the yard and trying to keep him from splattering muddy water all over himself and the dog. I'll take it.

Day 3 (2/15):

Today was the most successful day of the GBBC this year. I set out at 2:30 in the afternoon for the same woods I birded on Day 1. The birds were more active today than the first day, probably because of the ice storm that would hit that night. The highlight species was a Golden-crowned Kinglet--one of my favorite birds ever. (Along with Eastern Bluebird, Great Blue Heron, Veery, Baltimore Oriole, Scarlet Tanager...Okay fine, it's really not that hard to get on the list).

Golden-crowned Kinglet

The White-throated Sparrows made up for their absence on Day 1 by appearing in droves on Day 3--I estimated there were at least 100 of them today.

Afterwards I decided to go up to the undeveloped land on the other side of my neighborhood, which proved to be a good idea. There I found several Song Sparrows (year bird!) and a couple of Swamp Sparrows, which was a surprise as I'd never seen them at this location before.

Swamp Sparrow

Before I left, I managed to be startled by a Great Blue Heron again, and flush a very loud Killdeer (another year bird!). I ended the day with 28 species, seen and heard in 2 hours.

Day 4 (2/16):

As I sit here writing on the last day of the GBBC, freezing rain and sleet coats everything in ice outside. White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Chipping Sparrows, and a few other species are raiding the feeders, but sadly, I'm not hardcore enough to venture out into the winter weather. Nevertheless, I'm pretty satisfied with this year's GBBC, and I'm looking forward to next year!

Great Backyard Bird Count Day 4

Today was the last day of the GBBC! I was a little too tired to get up at 6:30 again this morning, so I slept in until about 8 like I usually do. I had my online Latin class at 11:00 and archery league at 1:00, so today was pretty busy. I did get some birding done in the late afternoon, though. I got 19 species today; making my GBBC total 40 species. I also got an email from eBird (a bird sighting database) asking me for proof for the hawk I've been reporting as a Broad-winged Hawk. They think it is more likely to be a Red-shouldered Hawk, and now that I compare the two more closely, I can see it does look like a Red-shoulder. Here's a photo. What do you think?

 It's not a great photo, but it's the best I have. But just in case you need it, here's another one:

And it's almost the same as the first one. :) Oh, well. I didn't get too many angles. The hawks have been here all winter, and that should mean they're Red-shoulders. But I'm confused by their calls. In my iBird app on my iPod, it sounds like a Red-shoulder. On the Maculay Library from Cornell, it sounds like a Broad-winged. I'll try to figure it out. In the mean time, maybe you can tell just from the field marks?

Thanks and happy trails,

~Katie

Great Backyard Bird Count Day 3

Okay, I've got to go fast. Today it rained in the morning, so I didn't really get much of an early start. I did, however, get a lifer today. A handsome male Pine Warbler, which I am SO glad I got. It was kind of embarrassing sometimes to say I didn't have it yet. I only got about 15 species today. Oh, well, there's always tomorrow. (The last day of the GBBC!) AND (I'm not done yet:) I decided today that I am going to make a new page on my blog for bird jokes. That's right, bird jokes. I found some really good ones today. Be looking out for it! Oh, yeah, I took some photos:

 A nice male robin. He looked almost like he was posing for me. He kept lifting his head like in this photo.

And the robin wasn't the only thrush around. This male E. Bluebird sat around for me to photograph. He actually stuck around for quite a while.

Until he noticed something. And I noticed it too. It wasn't a bug. It was....

A Pine Warbler!! (I know, kind of a lot of drama for one little bird. But I'm a birder. What did you expect?) He didn't let me get too close. He was hanging around with 2 or 3 Yellow-rumped Warblers. Here's a photo of one of them:

I think he's a male. (You can see why some people call them "Butterbutts":) But then I noticed.....

Some grass. :) But I thought the backlighting was pretty. It made it look so green and lush.

On that note, I conclude my post. Oh, yeah, one more thing. I want to work on my portriat photography. Anybody have any tips?

Thanks for reading! How goes the bird counting?

~Katie

Great Backyard Bird Count Day 2

So, today started out cloudy and cold. (40 degrees. Scoff away, Northerners :) I went out in the yard at about 7 AM, and spotted 21 species, starting with about 400 grackles and other assorted blackbirds. Then I noticed mallards on the neighbors' pond, a cardinal on the feeder, etc. It was pretty much the norm; a chickadee here, a bluebird there. The only kind of unusual species by our yard's standards was 25 Cedar Waxwings. But it was spoiled a little bit by the fact that I saw some yesterday. :) oh well. It's supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow, (maybe even snow!) so I probably won't be seeing much. But you never know what you'll see in just a backyard, right? So I'll do my best and maybe I'll see a little more than chickadees and titmice. And the GBBC itself seems to be doing just fine, according to the map on the website. Warmer temperatures and a lack of snow seem to be making an effect across the country. How's your GBBC going?

Great Backyard Bird Count Day 1

Today was the first day of the GBBC!! It started with me getting outside at 6:30 in the morning, and birding for about an hour. In that hour I got 23 species, including 500 Common Grackle, 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, 2 broad-winged hawks (why are they not in central America?!) and 10 Cedar Waxwings. Then I came in for oatmeal and orange juice. :) My favorite. Also, I think we may have nighthawks in our yard, because one of our mockingbirds was imitating one.

Then, after lunch, we all piled into our van and drove to the Lucius E. Burch Natural Area near Shelby Farms Park. The first species I spotted was two mallards swimming in a nearby pond. Then we ventured down the woodland trail that led along the Wolf River. Though my brothers were rather loud, (scratch that; really loud) I was able to count Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, and a lot more. I spotted a little grayish bird that might have been a kinglet, but my brothers scared it away before I could get a good look at it. Oh well. Then we looked over the Ducks Unlimited Wildlife Viewing Area and counted about 15 Mallards, 20 Canada Geese, 6 Gadwall, 12 Killdeer, and 1 Song Sparrow. I wasn't able to get a lot of photos, but here are some of them:

Northern Mockingbird. Taken in our yard.

Eastern Bluebird. Taken in our yard.

Downy Woodpecker. Taken in our yard. What you looking at?

Canada Geese. Taken at the Ducks Unlimited Wildlife Viewing Area.

Red-bellied Woodpecker. Taken at the Lucius E. Burch Natural Area.

And here are some other photos taken along the way:

Today's sunrise in north Mississippi.

Cool clouds over our yard.

A snake (what kind??) on the banks of the Wolf River.

The Wolf River. It isn't very big; it's more like a large creek than a river.

Okay, one more thing. I really want to know why our Broad-winged Hawk pair hasn't migrated south. They've been here all winter. Is it because the winter's been so mild? What do my readers think?

Hope your GBBC going as great as mine!! Good Birding, everybody!!

Great Backyard Bird Count

Just wanted to remind everyone the GBBC starts tomorrow, Feb. 17 and lasts until Feb. 20!

Find details here.