My personal report:
Backyard general locale is coastal northwest Washington state, a mix of habitats from shrubs to woods to roadside to beach overlook.
New birds this month: 0 with a Grand total for me this year: 77
Grand total for 2018, in same observing area: 76
What I found by comparing these years:
- Similar number of species (and checklists submitted to eBird, which is how I’m tracking my observations)
- Fewer waterbird species this year (geese, ducks, grebes)
- More forest species (eg wrens, varied thrush, waxwing, rc kinglet)
Questions for me to consider:
- Why fewer ducks? I’m not seeing as many numbers of them, as well as kinds. Are they going elsewhere? How are they doing in general?
- Weather considerations: we had a cold, late spring, and a dry fall this year — might that have reduced waterbirds, who are mainly migratory?
- Climate considerations in the Arctic: are changes there affecting breeding of migratory birds?
- To what extent did a couple of months-long episodes of my own physical debility interfere with birding, especially farther from the house?
Some other thoughts:
- The wide range of kinds of birds is due to the variety of nearby habitats — eg. ducks, shorebirds (water), insect and seed foragers (bushes and fields), woodpeckers, owls (forest))
- Feeders attract birds, and lots of them. I see their life activity day in day out too, like fledgling season
- The new fountain/birdbath attracted birds who don’t visit the feeders, especially in summer (little rain, no streams/rivers)
- Some goals for next year, besides continuing to observe and document: See if I can locate nests in the nearby shrubs/trees. Learn more bird songs/calls.
Please add your latest Birdrace update a comment below about who you’re seeing and any interesting behavior this season or this year. If you have comparisons to make — over time or geography — that would be interesting to hear about too.
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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.
Unusual to see a rhodie blooming in December. We’ve had a warm fall and winter so far. No freezing weather yet. Likely to see a cold snap or so as winter settles in though.
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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Weather in the PacificNorthwest islands today: Cloudy and mild. Temps in mid to upper 40s. Light east wind.
What’s up in nature in your area?
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