{BIRD NOTES} ~ January 6, 2012

 

Bird Notes

Albinistic Cardinal

I have an almost white male Cardinal he has two red flight feathers, the rest of the bird is almost a peach color.  I have been trying to get a picture. But he is a very wary bird. He comes in with a pair of regular type cardinals.  I live on Pond rd in Vernon.   The first time I saw him was on 11/30/2011.     

---Patrick Mockler

 

Peregrine and Prey in Vernon

Birding Brattleboro and Vernon for a couple hours this morning turned up 35 species. The highlight was witnessing the drama a Peregrine Falcon created
by putting up about 60 Ring-billed Gulls from a field across from the Miller
farm in Vernon, zooming into the mix, shadowing a singled out gull's futile
evasive maneuvers, making the kill, and chowing down on its lunch.

---Dave Johnston, W. Brattleboro, VT

 

 

This is our final revised count of the Christmas Bird Count held on December 17. There were seven volunteer groups and several individuals that took time out from their busy day to do a feeder count. All told, 4,177birds of 58 species were counted, which includes the 5 (CW) Count Week species.

 

Statistics________________________

 

Skies:  Partly Cloudy

Temp.:  A.M. 15    P.M. 35

Precipitation: None

Snow Cover:  None

Lakes, Ponds and Rivers:  Mostly Open

Small Streams:  Open and Running

No. of Groups: 7

No. of Participants:  26

No. of Feeder Counts:  several

Car Miles: 254

Walk Miles:   10.5

People Hours:  131.5

Total No. of Species: 58 (inc. 5 CW)

Total No. of Individuals:  4,177

 

 

 

VTBR--Brattleboro Christmas Bird Count, Saturday, December 17, 2011

CW = Count Week = 3 days before count day and 3 days after

Bold Face = new species this year

 

1. Canada Goose   572
2. American Black Duck   4
3. Mallard   59 
4. Lesser Scaup   1
5. Common Goldeneye   1 
6. Hooded Merganser   24
7. Common Merganser   26
8. Ruffed Grouse   CW
9. Wild Turkey   CW
10. Great Blue Heron   1
11. Bald Eagle   3
12. Sharp-shinned Hawk   1
13. Cooper’s Hawk   3
14. Red-tailed Hawk   14
15. Peregrine Falcon   1
16. Ring-billed Gull   14
17. Herring Gull   101
18. Great Black-backed Gull   CW
19. Rock Pigeon   174
20. Mourning Dove   123
21. Snowy Owl   CW
22. Barred Owl   CW
23. Belted Kingfisher   1
24. Red-bellied Woodpecker   13
25. Downy Woodpecker   38
26. Hairy Woodpecker   20
27. Pileated Woodpecker   1
28. Northern Shrike   1
29. Blue Jay   229
30. American Crow   301
31. Common Raven   7
32. Horned Lark   4
33. Black-capped Chickadee   338
34. Tufted Titmouse   53
35. Red-breasted Nuthatch   5
36. White-breasted Nuthatch   43
37. Brown Creeper   1
38. Carolina Wren   6
39. Golden-crowned Kinglet   10
40. Eastern Bluebird   54
41. American Robin   95
42. Northern Mockingbird   7
43. European Starling   116
44. Cedar Waxwing   116 
45. American Redstart   1 (F)
46. American Tree Sparrows   60
47. Song Sparrow   12
48. White-throated Sparrow   13
49. Dark-eyed Junco   546  
50. Lapland Longspur   1  
51. Snow Bunting   4
52. Northern Cardinal   27 
53. Purple Finch   13
54. House Finch   23
55. Pine Siskin   42
56. American Goldfinch   629
57. Evening Grosbeak   10
58. House Sparrow   215

 

 

 

Old Christmas Trees Make New Bird Cover

Instead of discarding the family Christmas tree this year, turn it into cover for the birds. The life of the festive tree can be extended for several more months by taking it outside and laying it down or propping it up near or next to a bird feeder. In a matter of minutes, the old Christmas tree is providing new natural cover for the birds.

Every New Year’s, after undecorating our Christmas tree, I drag it outside and anchor it upright behind a low tray feeder just outside the sunroom where we eat breakfast and lunch everyday during the winter. The addition of the tree as cover behind the tray feeder immediately increases the number and kinds of birds that feed at the tray. In addition to the usual ground feeders, such as dark-eyed juncos and American tree sparrows, the Christmas tree cover attracts chickadees, nuthatches, northern cardinals and mourning doves. One year, we had a bobwhite use the feeder, and during other winters, ring-necked pheasants and wild turkeys visited.

If I want more cover than my one Christmas tree offers, I have gathered up and used the discarded Christmas trees of my neighbors, who have left their past glories at the curb to be picked up by the garbage man. One year, I was late removing the Christmas tree in the spring, and an American robin built a nest in its rusty red boughs, and raised four youngsters.

—George Harrison, eNature

 

 

 

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Please share your birding news with us.

What have you got coming to your feeders?

 

Are there any birds nesting in your yard?

 

What have you seen while on a trip?

 

Drop us an e-mail chpmnkx@sover.net

 

 Al Merritt

W. Brattleboro, VT

 

 

Check out our website:   http://sevtaudubonbirdnotes.blogspot.com/

 

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A friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.