GBBC 2011, The Olive Plants' 3rd and Last Report

We did not get to do as much birding today as we had hoped.  Neither Michael nor I slept well due to a persistant cough, so we waited to take our last bird outing after dinner.  We went to a dam which creates the lake covering a very large portion of our county.

The weather was lovely, sunny and breezy, and we got to watch the sun set over the lake.  However, there had been a controlled burn in the area earlier in the week which made song birds scarce.  We found two forested areas that had not been burned, but there were campers in both areas who were enjoying very loud music.  So, we did not see or hear much there either.

Also the road across the dam was closed, hindering our ability to get a close-up view of the hundreds of water birds that perch along the rocks and fishing nets along the base of the dam.  I am sure we missed some species and did not get as accurate of a count as if we could have driven further in.  Still we were able to positively identify a large number of birds. 

Here is what we saw or heard:

• 17 Canada geese
• 210 Ring-billed gulls
• 1 Killdeer
• 1 Chipping Sparrow
• 3 Brown-headed Nuthatches
• 5 American Robins
• 1 Belted Kingfisher
• 2 Eastern Towhees
• 50 American Coots
• 500 Double-crested Cormorants
• 1 Great Blue Heron
• 4 House Sparrows
• 1 Mockingbird

Total number of species identified for all three days:  49

Total number of birds counted over all three days:  1,499

If you are new to bird watching, keep in mind that we have been at this for five years and know our area really well.  There are A LOT of prime birding locations in our county, and over the years, we have learned what to keep an eye (and an ear) out for.  If you know me irl or are a certain internet friend who wants to come visit me (you know who you are), come on down some time, and I'll take you to all the good spots. 

Maybe we can have our own blogging/birding convention, hmmm....

What would we call it?

Blirdging!

Blording!

Blogirding!

I don't know.  That's sounds more like a convention for Swedes.  Maybe, we'll just all call ourselves the Birding Chicks!

How was your GBBC weekend?  Please do tell!

Happy Birding!
Dawn

GBBC 2011, The Olive Plants' 2nd Report

We drove around our neighborhood today for about an hour and then took lunch to a picnic area near the lake.  We have an expansive lake in our county, so there are many parks, picnic areas and campgrounds.    It was a gorgeous day, the first pretty Saturday we've had in many weeks. 

Our neighborhood is located in downtown.  We are on a main street, and there is a small neighborhood that backs up to our house.  Most of the houses in that circle have multiple feeders and there are a variety of mature trees.  We watched our feeders for about half an hour and then drove around the circle, pulling over to the side of the road from time to time for a better look.  The neighborhood backs up to a park and outdoor athletic complex where there are mature trees and a pond.  We drove through the complex, stopping at the pond for a closer look.  Here is what we saw or heard:

• 1 chickadee
• 4 blue jays
• 5 northern cardinals
• 1 yellow-rumped warbler
• 6 mockingbirds
• 7 mourning doves
• 2 tufted titmice
• 2 brown-headed nuthatches
• 100 (at least, we did our best to get an accurate count but must estimate due to the overwhelming quantity and movement) red-winged blackbirds
• 3 worm-eating warblers
• 125 (again estimating; the trees and lawns were covered) American robins
• 100 + grackles
• 100 + European starlings
• 4 brown thrashers
• 15 cedar waxwings
• 3 eastern bluebirds
• 5 black vultures
• 1 house finch
• 1 Tennessee warbler
• 1 chipping sparrow
• 1 pine warbler
• 1 red-tailed hawk
• 9 American Crows
• 3 Canada geese
• 2 turkey vultures
• 4 house sparrows

The picnic area near the lake is forested, mostly pines.  Here is what we saw or heard there:

• 4 American Crows
• 3 fish crows
• 4 brown-headed nuthatches
• 2 tufted titmice
• 1 belted kingfisher
• 3 eastern bluebirds
• 1 great blue heron
• 1 red-tailed hawk
• 1 eastern towhee
• 4 Carolina chickadees
• 3 pine warblers
• 1 downy woodpecker
• 1 muscovey duck
• 3 mallards
• 5 snow geese
• 1 ring-billed gull

We drove through a new, in-town subdivision to find the house where my husband will tutor this week.  It is in town but forested, mostly pines.  Here is what we saw or heard there:

• 1 eastern towhee
• 3 song sparrows
• 1 robin

Before returning home, we stopped at Kroger.  It is located along a major highway.  While there we saw:

• 3 American crows
• 1 rock pigeon

That is all we feel like accomplishing today.  I have ginger tea brewing for our coughs, and we're about to take some meds and dream about birds instead of seek them.  Nightie, night.  Lord willing, we will be better by Monday.  It is our plan to end our birding weekend with a bang at one of the prime birding locations in our state.  Please pray for our health.

Please, do tell what you are seeing.  I really want to read your reports!  If you are posting about what you are finding, leave a link in comments.  When I sleep off the decongestant, I will hop on over and read about your day!

Happy Birding!
Dawn 

GBBC 2011, The Olive Plants' 1st Report

Today I awoke at 3 a.m. sick with a cold that has been passing through our house this week.  My turn!  I had planned to take the boys birding in the morning today since that is usually when birds are most active; however, it took me until lunchtime to muster up the energy to take them out.

We went to three different locations, the first of which was a park on the lake in our county.  Mostly we drove through the park, stopping at two different docks to get out and take a look around.  The area is forested, mostly pines.  Here is what we saw or heard:

• 5 cedar waxwings
• 2 Canada geese
• 3 pileated woodpeckers
• 1 mourning dove
• 4 fish crows
• 2 red-winged blackbirds
• 1 European starling
• 9 American crows
• 4 killdeer
• 3 belted kingfishers
• 1 blue jay
• 1 white-breasted nuthatch
• 2 Carolina chickadees
• 5 tufted titmice
• 1 eastern phoebe
• 2 downy woodpeckers
• 1 American robin
• 3 eastern bluebirds
• 1 BALD EAGLE! (It swooped down so close to us we did not need binoculars to i.d. it!)
• 2 ring-billed gulls
• 1 eastern meadowlark
• 7 pine warblers
• 4 brown-headed nuthatches
• 1 red-bellied woodpecker
• 1 great blue heron
• 2 red-shouldered hawks
• 3 Turkey vultures

Then we met my husband at the high school where he teaches.  We saw these birds in the trees surrounding the school:

• 1 blue jay
• 1 mockingbird
• 2 house finches
• 2 northern cardinals
• 2 song sparrows

We made a quick stop at a church with a pond in front.  It is surrounded by pine trees and is located on a major highway.  Here is what we saw there:

• 2 killdeer
• 2 Muscovy
• 6 snow geese
• 8 mallards
• 3 Canada geese
• 2 American black ducks

Next we drove through the subdivision where my parents live.  It is a new development and is mostly forested.  Here is what we identified there:

• 2 American crows
• 10 field sparrows
• 1 pileated woodpecker
• 1 Carolina chickadee

We took note of what we saw as we drove from place to place, too.  We spotted these birds along the roadside in town:

• 13 American robins
• 3 American crows

Tomorrow we plan to bird watch at our feeders and in our neighborhood.  If everyone in our family feels well, we will go to another spot along the lake.

Happy Birding!
Dawn

GBBC 2011- #1

Hop over to Kingdom Arrows where I am keeping my running tab for the GBBC!

Have you seen anything unusual?  Please share your top observations!
Heather

Foto Friday and Great Backyard Bird Count



Pine Siskins at our feeder.

This may not seem a very exciting picture, but for a bird lover, to have any bird come to your feeder for the first time is fun.  It is also wonderful to be able to add another bird to your Life List.




 

  Thanks to our new friends at Renaissance who let us participate in Foto Friday.  Check out the other great pics!

It is ONE WEEK from today that the GBBC starts.  This means you have not missed it!  Click here to read the rules.  You only have to do a minimum of 15 minutes, although once you get started bird counting, you and your kids  might be hooked!  There are also educational ideas for this week that you can use in schooling and for nature study. 

If you enjoy the GBBC, you might want to consider participating in a monthly Bird List called Tweet and See.  Click here to learn more about it. 

Heather