Monday, December 19, 2016

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

    I participated in our Christmas bird count on Sun. Dec. 18. I have participated in the bird count for close to 50 years. I've written about the Christmas bird count most years.

   I promised somebody that I would report the species I found. So I found blue jay, magpie, black capped chickadee, bohemian waxwing, raven, crow  house finch.  The crow was a first for me in a winter bird count. I was also expecting to see red breasted nuthatches, boreal chickadees, downy woodpeckers, pileated woodpeckers, house sparrows. However in one day you can't run into everybody.

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    So to top the day off we got together for a potluck supper.


28 comments:

  1. Sounds like a very productive day. Nothing amazing over here. If I were to go out and do a bird count, I already know what I would find. Mynahs, pigeons, Java finches, sparrows, doves, bulbuls, koleas, egrets.

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  2. I think that would be a fun activity to participate in.

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    1. It's a day that really gets you out of the house

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  3. I think it would be fun to participate in a bird count like this.

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  4. Beautiful bird!!Its soo nice looking at those little creatures.Wish you a merry Christmas Red!

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    1. It's always a surprise what you see. Merry Christmas.

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  5. Fifty years of bird counts... that is a great achievement Red. Clearly your fascination with birdlife has not dimmed as the years have passed by. Well done!

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    1. I missed some in that stretch as sometimes we were away.

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  6. I don't think I've ever seen a Bohemian Waxwing, but at my mom's we used to see Cedar Waxwings. Do you get Steller's jays in Alberta, or plain ol' North American blue jays?

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    1. Bohemian waxwings and cedar waxwings are close cousins and it's hard to tell them apart. Bohemians are a winter bid here. We see the odd stellar's jay but they are a mountain bird. Now we have lots of plain old blue jays.

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  7. Replies
    1. Wow! The area that I do should have about 12-14 species.

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  8. A potluck after your bird count, I'd say that's a good way to end the day!

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  9. You can't run in to everybody, but you did manage some great sightings.

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    1. What you find is always a surprise. I know there's a pileated woodpecker in the area but I didn't see him.

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  10. A big pat on the back for you for doing such a wonderful task for so many years. About five years ago my then 8 year old grand-daughter and I did a bird count around the farm. I was surprised with how many birds we found, it was a great lesson to both of us to take more notice of what we see around us.

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    1. My kids went with me when they lived at home. They were good at seeing birds.

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  11. That's a good way to take in that day.

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    1. It takes lots of effort as i do all my count by walking.

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  12. Replies
    1. Thanks. I wrote a post about how I became a birder. My Mom showed me a mallard drake when I was 3 -4. I've never forgotten it and that's probably what gave me m start.

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  13. I have plenty of friends who participate in the bird counts around here. I don't know one from another, so I would be useless out there. We have plenty of birds, though. Thanks for letting me know about your birds! :-)

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  14. Even if you missed a few species, it sounds like you had a fun day.

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  15. Close to 50 years! Now THAT'S dedication. A potluck supper is always fun.

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  16. Thanks for the bird count and it's a good way to get in your walking too. Wow, 50 years ... Martha is right about that! :-)

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  17. You get along so well with your peers! I'm just hunkering down.
    I did a bird count, but just from the window. I was too sick to go for a walk.

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