More on Bob Marcotte's winter visitors. Eighteen species is good going. What do others experience?

http://php.democratandchronicle.com/blog/birds/?p=4005

In my fairly urban yard, I typically get between 10 and 13 species (not always the same species), but if I hang out and watch the feeders for a couple of hours over the weekend, which I do regularly as part of Cornell's Project Feeder Watch, 12 species would be a good number for me, and I feel really lucky when I get 14 species.  My all-time high species count for a weekend is 17.  I think he said that his 18 species was since he started logging on January 8th or so...

My complete winter bird list (adding up all the species I've seen since logging for Cornell) is 34 species...I've denoted the regulars in this color.  Those are the birds that are most likely to make a regular appearance at my house...the others are more rare, or in some cases, I've only seen them once in many years.

American Crow
American Goldfinch
American Robin
Blue Jay
Brown Creeper  (very rare)
Brown-headed Cowbird  (very rare)
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Wren
Common Grackle  (very rare)
Cooper's Hawk
Dark-eyed Junco
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Towhee
European Starling
Golden-crowned Kinglet  (very rare)
Hairy Woodpecker
House Finch
House Sparrow
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Northern Mockingbird
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-shouldered Hawk  (very rare)
Red-tailed Hawk  (very rare)
Rock Pigeon
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  (very rare)
Sharp-shinned Hawk  (very rare)
Song Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-throated Sparrow
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  (extremely rare)

That's only my winter backyard list; I don't bother logging birds I see during the summer.  Even though I live in the heart of the city, it's part of the old city; a neighborhood of turn-of-the-century Victorian houses, with 100-year-old trees and plants and less of a focus on lawns, as in the suburbs.

Nice job for a starving college student who is happy to continue to starve:
http://www.nps.gov/acad/parknews/internship-opportunity.htm

Yay!  Marvelous display!

So far just two days of solid rain for us...but the temperature is supposed to drop...so we'll see what happens then!  I did a run in the pouring rain at 39 degrees tonight...I've spent all evening with hot drinks trying to warm my thoroughly rain-soaked chilled body!

Very nice...are you taking the close-ups with the scope?

I think the british folks get off on killing birds! 

Might that be a bit of an over-generalization, and offensive to our members and/or readers who are "british folks"?

Oh Mercy, I don't think she meant it that way. Have to admit though, they haven't been to kind to the birds in the past, especially to the falcons. Just a percentage of the people, (definitely, not all). 

I'm sure she didn't mean it that way...I just sort of wanted to raise awareness...people sometimes over-generalize without thinking about it, and may not realize the impact on others.

Very beautiful, and interesting story!

Those are some really spectacular photos of the falcon and gull!

Nice blog entry...thanks!  I made peace with my squirrels by giving up on growing tomatoes...now I throw peanuts out for them when there's snow on the ground, as there has been most of this winter.

Found this article today:
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110122/NEWS01/101220327/-1/sports0101/Proposal-hunt-sandhill-cranes-delayed

Now we just need to stop the Kentucky proposed hunt...

I hope you will read the following and check the link to protest against such actions. Here in Ireland, we have experienced far too many poisonings of Birds of Prey. And this non-selective poison, as used in the States and with the approval of the EPA, should not continue. This is done in "our name", and I have added my name to the list of those who are saying "No!"

_____

https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=2009&autologin=true&s_src=3WDE1100XXYXX&s_subsrc=012111_email_withtoplink&JServSessionIdr004=qukxifoq91.app226a

Done...

Here's a raptor-oriented entry from today!

I hope this is accurate information...it came from one of the KY Fish & Wildlife guys who participates on the Kentucky bird listserv.  I'm assuming he's buddies with the Tennessee Fish & Wildlife guys:

"I understand from Chris Sloan that TWRA tabled the proposed Sandhill Crane hunting season for two years at today's meeting. The subject will be studied in more detail during the interim. I suspect more info will be available soon on Tennessee's state listserv."

Here's how to make the world's best b'loney sammich with poke 'n beans and some cone bread on the side. Remember that there should be no gap in your meat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVOID53WCaU

Lou

PS Who's going to be the first volunteer to try this?

I take exception to your introduction; the man does have an 'r' in his pork, though not so much in his cone bread.  This feller's accent is, sadly, very familiar.  My dad used to make us fried bologna...but I am from Kentucky, after all.  My dad's specialties were sweet tea, fried bologna, and grilled cheese sandwiches.

Nice photos; so glad Nora and company helped take care of you through the holidays...