Welcome back Backyard BirdRacers!
The Daily Kos Backyard BirdRace is a birding “competition” where, over the course of one year, participants strive to identify the most bird species - by sight and/or by sound - from their yards.
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Last month we introduced the new and revised version of the Backyard BirdRace, which had been slumbering for a while like a hummingbird in torpor, tucked against a branch high up in its fir tree on a cold winter’s night.
As when the sun peeks over the hillside warming the canopy, and the hummer’s heart picks up the pace warming and wakening the little fellow for the next day’s adventures, we have awakened the BirdRace in its new form.
To wit, 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.
Birds go every which way. It behooves us to keep a sharp lookout in many directions and times of day. You can watch through the window or while outside.
The wintry weather we’re seeing can either keep birds in hiding, or draw them to feeders. Seed, suet and hummingbird feeders are especially welcome right now.
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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.
As an example, here’s my report for this edition:
Locale: Northwest Washington state
Setting: the loop I walk around my homeowners association most days. This is not all my own personal property obviously, but I consider it my backyard. It includes the beach access owned collectively by all homeowners in the association and for which I pay dues. I stand out on the overlook there and see aquatic birds in that quiet bay. There is no road to it, so there’s always more birds than people there. At this time of year I’m usually the only person.
New birds are marked with red on the list to the right.
19 birds last time, 38 this time. Number of species is doubled.
Many of my new birds this month are from the overlook at the bay, including the ducks, geese, oystercatchers, loons, grebes, cormorants, heron and kingfisher.
I’m still seeing the same feeder birds: finches, sparrows, woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatch, hummingbirds.
New raptor: Redtailed hawk.
Nocturnal: heard a Barred owl.
Winter birds include all the ducks, and the loons and grebes. Also the Golden-crowned sparrow.
Winter activity includes Robins in flocks. In summer they are loners, but these days it’s common to see half a dozen to as many as two dozen foraging.
Unusual birds include the Wild Turkeys, the Turkey Vultures (typically summer only) and the REALLY rare bird, a Golden Pheasant. Reportedly there’s somebody in the area who raises pheasants and lets them loose to beautify the area. I first saw this guy last fall, had no idea who he was. Since then I’ve seen him off and on around the neighborhood. He wanders around pecking at the ground, acting exactly like a chicken.
Feel free to add a comment below about your bird observations this year so far.
And of course as always, we welcome your notes about any aspect of nature in your area. This diary is also today’s Daily Bucket.
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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What’s up in nature in your area?
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IT'S A GREAT WAY TO CATCH UP ON DIARIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED. BE SURE TO RECOMMEND AND COMMENT IN THE DIARY.
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