BackyardBirdRace/Daily Bucket combo - November tally

Duck arrivals, plus friends

November 24, 2019

Welcome back Backyard BirdRacers!

A refresher on the BirdRace this year:

In January, we introduced the new and revised version of the Backyard BirdRace. Psychedelic Pheasant in my yard, Nov 21 This time around, we each watch for birds in our yard — however you want to define that —  and keep a list of them to share here each month in the BirdRace diary. We’ll each be keeping track of our own bird lists this time. eBird is a very easy way to do that. Or you can write them down in a notebook. We hope to generate some conversation amongst us comparing and contrasting who we see, and perhaps find some insights into the world of birds as they intersect with our lives. The “race” aspect is a form of gentle humorous encouragement to keep watching throughout the year…. perhaps you will see more birds than you thought, or than you saw last year or a decade ago, or your fellow regional kossacks, or other birdracers who live in the same kind of setting as yourself. It’s all a discovery, and meant to be fun.

So if you’d like to participate, please list the birds you've seen, naming your general locale and type of setting. Pointing out who are the new birds since last month will be useful information too.

For me up to late November:

• My general locale is coastal northwest Washington state, a mix of habitats from shrubs to woods to roadside to beach overlook.
• New birds: 4  New total for me: 77

All my new birds are waterfowl who have migrated in this fall. There are other kinds elsewhere in my area too but these are the ones in my BirdRace Yard: Trumpeter Swan, American Wigeon, Mallard, Ringneck Duck.

The swans are sometimes bemused sometimes annoyed by the ducks hanging about.

Please add your latest Birdrace update a comment below about who you’re seeing and any interesting behavior as winter season sets in. 
 

For me a nice surprise was seeing three Red Crossbills at my seed feeder. Usually they leave after the youngsters get up to speed in summer.

November 9. Mom and two youngsters.

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And of course as always, we welcome your notes about any aspect of nature in your area.

This diary is also The Daily Bucket for today.

Now the winter rains have begun mushrooms are popping up all over. 

Orange mushroom = ?

The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns. We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.

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Partly sunny and calm this morning after a sprinkly and windy night the PNW islands.

What’s up in nature in your area?

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"SPOTLIGHT ON GREEN NEWS & VIEWS" EVERY SATURDAY AT 3:00 PM PACIFIC TIME ON THE DAILY KOS FRONT PAGE. IT'S A GREAT WAY TO CATCH UP ON DIARIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED. BE SURE TO RECOMMEND AND COMMENT IN THE DIARY.