Great Backyard Bird Count!

An American Tree Sparrow under a feeder in our yard.

I hope you have done your part to help with this fantastic citizen science project! It's very simple, just go to http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/whycount.html and follow the instructions.

We've done it for the past three years now and it always seems to snow on that day! The snow does make the birds come to the feeders. So far, nothing very unusual to report. We did have a Red-tailed Hawk in the way back of the yard for a moment, and the Cooper's Hawk (Bob) flew through to shake things up.

A few things I've noticed today, only two Dark-eyed Juncos in the gardens. We have had quite a few more in the past. And the male American Goldfinches are getting brighter plumage...o-boy, spring is nearing!

I'll update this post if anything exciting happens. Let me know if you get a good bird out there!

American Goldfinch in one of our little evergreens.

Red-tailed hawk in the back corner of our yard...looking for breakfast?

4pm update:

The Cooper's Hawk came for two more visits. On the first visit I was trying to get a shot of a Cardinal through our dining room window when everyone took off in an explosion of feathers. Rocket Bob (the Cooper's Hawk) blasted past the window brushing his wings against it and snagged a Cardinal that was sitting so briefly on a holly bush. I guess I'll have to change the counts now...

On his (or a relatives) second visit, he was in the way back and dived down into the scrub where the Sparrows roost. I didn't see if he was successful or not, though I did see a good number of escapees!

This year, the count has been lower, possibly due to our buddy Bob. We haven't seen the Titmouse, Chickadee, or any of the woodpeckers that usually stop by for a snack at one of the eight feeders. We have something for everyone, black oil sunflower, thistle, cracked corn, suet, and a delightful blend of nuts, including macadamia nuts, spoiled rotten birds...

Maybe we'll have better luck on Sunday.

A Valentine's Day poem by Laurie

Laurie wrote a poem for me dedicated to the Eastern Screech Owl that I described in a blog of last week.

The Screech Owl calls
It says who-whooo-whooooo
Wake up, wake up sleepy Laurie Looooo.
With camera and flashlight Loopy runs for the shoot
And the Screech Owl says hooooot-hooooot-oooooot.
It's the morning now, oh the light of day,
And the little Screech Owl has gone away.
Laurie Loo awakens to hear the story
And we spend the day basking in glory.
Loopy and Laurie Loo are not a bit sappy
Thank you little Screech Owl for making us so happy.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Isn't that cute, even the Rock Pigeons are getting cuddly.

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I would post a few 'special' photos. As Cole Porter wrote:"...birds do it, bees do it, even monkeys in the trees do it!...", so here ya go...love is definitely in the air.

I hope you have a great Valentine's Day!

Black-headed Gulls at Minsmere Reserve in England...making more Black-headed Gulls.

Hairy Woodpeckers close to home in the Rocky River Metropark. Make up your own jokes here.

A pair of endangered Pied Avocets at Titchwell Reserve in England working on getting off the endangered list.

A Mantled Howler Monkey in Panama not living up to Cole's lyrics.

Happy Valentine's Day Laurie-loo! And to everyone else out there too!

Who's buried in Garfield's Monument?

Garfield's monument at Cleveland's Lakeview Cemetery

Nevermind!

There are White-winged Crossbills near it and they're more important right now.

Everyone we've spoken with lately has seen them and keeps asking "Have you seen the Crossbills?, they're everywhere!". Well, every time we go chasing some crazy new bird, all we see is its tiny butt flying off into the sunset.

Get yer ice cold birders here!

This time we decided to give it another chance. And guess what, we saw three flying off into the sunset as usual.

As we were getting ready to pack it in, I saw a few birders in the distance with spotting scopes looking into a pine that we scanned earlier. They were waving at us to come and see. Lo and behold, more White-winged Crossbills had arrived and were feeding in the pines. If only I could stop my hands from shaking in the cold! We had been out for quite awhile at the lakefront looking at gulls. Not my idea of fun, I prefer woodsy birds, but...you never know what you'll see.

I have another new bird to add to my list now. Dave's a happy boy.

White-winged Crossbill

Who's a pretty bird?

Lovin' them piney cones!

By the way, President James A. Garfield actually is in his monument...