As part of Project FeederWatch, I’m keeping an eye on our feeders two days out of the week to help scientists track winter bird activity, abundance and diversity. It’s a great way to spend an hour or two drinking coffee and peering out into the rain. I’ve also decided to start a yard list of all the birds that visit …
Backyard Birds
Project FeederWatch
Mark November 14th on your calendars and think about signing up for Project FeederWatch. If you’ve got a yard and a bird feeder you can collect valuable data about birds in your area. As a bonus, it is fun getting to know your regulars. This will be my first winter counting birds that visit our feeder. I’ve done Coastal Waterbird …
Downtown Downy Woodpecker
A week ago I noticed a Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) working its way through the domestic Elderberry on our front lawn and hurried out to get a photograph. Unfortunately it had moved a little too high into the shrub and was beyond the effective reach of my lens to get a good photograph. Yesterday it returned, or at least I …
Fabulous Finches
American Goldfinch | Carduelis tristis The sunflowers are done in our back lane but the seeds are now attracting birds – primarily American goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) but also house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus), chestnut-backed chickadee (Poecile rufescens) and house sparrow (Passer domesticus). That’s one of the many benefits of growing sunflowers. Not only do you (and insects) get to enjoy the …