May 16, 2021
Welcome back Backyard BirdRacers!
So, what’s the Backyard BirdRace about? Read on!
The new and revised version of the Backyard BirdRace is a way to focus attention on birds we see around our neighborhood.
We each watch for birds in our yard — however we each want to define ours — and keep a list of them to share here in the BirdRace diary periodically. eBird is one way to do that. Or you can write them down in a notebook. 📒 Or you can take pictures and add them to a folder on your computer.
The idea is to watch for who we share our neighborhood with, and to track their occurrence over time. Is somebody new? Has a bird decamped? When do migrating birds come and go, and is that changing?
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Look for the BackyardBirdRace on Sundays, seasonally. Follow the group so you are alerted when a new edition posts.
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There are no “rules” for the BirdRace beyond what you set for yourself. Some ideas for information that you might share here as part of the conversation, any combination of:
- a total list of birds you’ve seen
- new birds you’ve seen, since the last tally
- interesting behavior you’ve seen
- any patterns or changes in patterns
- general location in the country
- type of habitat
If you move during the year, it would be very interesting to compare the backyard birds you see in the different settings!
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My general locale is coastal northwest Washington state, a mix of habitats from shrubs to woods to roadside to beach overlook.
Winter birds have flown, the bays are empty of waterfowl, loons and grebes. But summer birds are arriving.
My list since the last roundup on February 23 continues with these birds:
March 10
45. White-crowned sparrow
46. Ruby-crowned kinglet
47. Rufous hummingbird
48. Barred owl
March 13
49. Harlequin duck
April 6
50. American goldfinch
51. Orange-crowned warbler
April 16
52. Rough-winged swallow
53. Barn swallow
54. Cliff swallow
55. Violet-green swallow
April 17
56. Green-winged teal
April 20
57. Red crossbill
April 25
58. Osprey
April 26
59. Brewers blackbird
May 1
60. Brown-headed cowbird
May 4
61. Wild Turkey
May 6
62. Black-headed grosbeak
May 12
63. Western sandpiper
May 13
64. Olive-sided flycatcher
Heard only. Here’s what it sounds like. Very distinctive!
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Please add your Birdrace observations in a comment below.
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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.
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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As summer solstice approaches, tides are getting low in the middle of the day.
Sunny and dry in the PacificNorthwest today. Some fog. Temps in the 50s. Light breeze.
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What’s up in nature in your area today?