Yesterday was our final day for this year. There comes a time when it's too cold for binoculars, cameras and fingers. We start to see very few birds as we don't have many winter birds.
Yesterday was dull and cold . I didn't think we'd see much. However , our list included:Canada geese, black-billed magpie, common raven, downy woodpecker, black-capped chickadee, boreal chickadee, red-breasted nuthatch, white breasted nuthatch and northern flicker.
I sent the group around a 1.5 km loop and I went back to the nature center to get coffee and cake ready. Yes, we have coffee and cake on the last day. They were supposed to be back before three and they weren't back. So they had a story. They had almost got all the way around when they encountered a mother moose with two calves on the trail. When she lowered her head they cleared out as fast as possible and had to walk all the way back around the trail. They were excited about their experience.
Birding has changed a bit. Camera optics are better than binocular optics. Many times someone gets a good photo and we use that to identify a bird. The camera has a photo and it doesn't matter if the bird flies away.
So we had our cake and coffee and talked about what we'd seen over the summer and look forward to next year. This year we saw about 90 species. There are a little over 200 species in this area.
One of Lynette's photos that brings in the detail.
...when I'm in the Adirondack Mountains I see lots of Moose signs, but have yet to see a moose. I love to see one, but perhaps not this close up though! Stay warm.
ReplyDeleteThis sighting was in the city although in a wooded area.. we do have them wonder through.
DeleteHow exciting (and a little scary) to see a moose and babies! Did anyone get pictures of them? Your birding group sounds interesting and fun. I imagine the final get together for the year is nice. It is always good to share a hobby with others.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to get a moose photo. I know they were taken.
DeleteThat is really an awesome photo of that pretty bird. Is that a nuthatch? I've seen the forecasts for temperatures in Chicago and I can imagine it's not a great time for birding anymore.
ReplyDeleteYes, white-breasted nuthatch. We were minus 21 C last night. It's enough to make somebody go to Hawaii!!
Delete90 species that is impressive! :)
ReplyDeleteI never thought of counting them until the end.
DeleteGreat photo. Moose can be more dangerous that bear if you startle them.
ReplyDelete...and if you have a dog moose can become very unpredictable.
DeleteWow, what an ending. I would love to see the moose, just not too close. I think the Boreal Chickadee is the only one you listed I have not seen.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day, wishing you a happy new week!
I'll get a moose photo. I'm surprised that you don't have boreal chickadees.
DeleteWhat a lovely tale, but scary. I didn't realize you have few winter birds.
ReplyDeleteWe have more winter birds but just not right in the area.
DeleteI always love to hear about your birding exploits, Red. I know how to identify just about all those you listed. We see hummingbirds daily, too, even at this time of the year. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe have to be lucky to see a hummingbird here.
DeleteI began my feeder watch for Cornell this weekend as you end your birding tours!
ReplyDeleteThere's lots of feeder action here.
DeleteAn exciting and intimidating experience with the moose and babies!
ReplyDeleteThe babies were almost the size of Mama.
DeleteSounds like a wonderful group! I just saw a photo of a white raven on social media, never knew about these.
ReplyDeleteThey're albinos. While I'm on moose there are albino moose ...just not very many like albino people.
DeleteWhat an experience that members of your birding group had to share, Red. We used to see lots of bird species when we lived in VA, and now that we live in New England we have never seen a moose!
ReplyDeleteOur song bird populations have crashed here. we do have lots of moose as they seem to adapt to many things. We see them in farmers fields eating the crops.
DeleteA nice list for your year finale. We were out early Saturday morning and about froze our fingers as it was a surprising 33 degrees here. We’re back up to 71 today so we will be back out a few more early mornings.
ReplyDeleteI have about 35 people who have participated in this group. Usually 10 -12 show up.
DeleteP.S. I use my camera that way, too, and have wondered a little bit about “cheating”! The ability to blow up the photo and get clear markings kinda changes the ability to id on the fly, so to speak.
ReplyDeleteNo cheating there. Just the good use of technology.
DeleteMoose are generally best left completely alone! But they were lucky folks to see the babies relatively closely.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to have a group of acquaintances with a common interest and be able to celebrate small occasions together.
The caves were almost eh size of Mom.
DeleteGreat ending to your end of Birdwatching Red but with the Moose we have them all year round. They sure are not an animal to deal with. They are in charge. For sure. Sometimes you cant even run from them. Glad your friends could run, run.
ReplyDeleteWell I don't think they ran . They just left the area quietly.
DeleteThat exciting for them to see some moose on their last day. Makes of a great story.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we saw a moose until the last day.
DeleteWhile in Israel, I heard to sounds of some different birds. I did recognize a magpie but the sounds of most of those birds I just did not hear before. I like the photo that you are sharing.
ReplyDeleteI never thought about birds in Israel. I guess they would have many very different species.
DeleteThey will always remember their last birding session when they spotted a moose. Neat story!
ReplyDeleteYes, they'll remember that one.
Deletei felt bit sad for your last day party dear Red
ReplyDeletei think it must be tough to separate from group friends for almost year
i wish ,hope and pray that you guys will meet again soon and continue the fun of bird watching
which sounds really interesting and appealing
the image of bird is very beautiful
I see relatively few birds here on Lewis although there are plenty if you go looking closely at their habitats. Some of the other Islands have lots of different wading sea and freshwater loch birds.
ReplyDeleteMust have been wonderful to see that moose and calves while out birding. I'm glad everyone had a safe and good time.
ReplyDeleteIt is always best to give a mama moose a whole lot of space.
ReplyDeleteHello Red: I am quite sure that most birders would have enjoyed the encounter with the moose and her calves, even if it did mean an extra walk. Boreal Chickadee is a species I have seen but once in Ontario, in Algonquin Provincial Park, which is as far south as it gets, but even there it is very difficult to find.
ReplyDeleteIt is a splendid hobby Red and it's great that you co-ordinate the birding activity. Did anybody get a photo of Mama Moose and her calves? Perhaps you could get a picture from one of your group members and post it here.
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice picture of the bird. Did anyone get photos of the moose?
ReplyDeleteVery pretty bird photo and what an experience to come across the protective mother moose and her calves. I enjoyed this very much. Sounded like a good ending to this year's birding.
ReplyDelete