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Garden / Yard List 2015 (2 Viewers)

22. Nutmeg Mannikin

Well, with nearly as many exotics as natives on my list, I wonder if I was correct with the American Feral Pigeon ID?;)
 
15. Goldfinch (European).

Like the earlier FPs, these 2 flying over were probably a garden tick (not made much effort previously).
 
When I got into the New World, I joined an American Bird Forum. I am also posting a yard list there. I was just informed by one of the 'Young Guns' on it that Western Kingbird isn't present this time of year.8-P All my field guides are at my place in San Diego and I made a bad assumption. I guess you shouldn't be cavalier about listing a garden list any more than a life list. There are some really sharp kids on the forum--can't help think of them as birder Young Guns. So, minus one.
 
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Here's my yard list thus far:
1. Cattle Egret
2. Cooper's Hawk
3. Red-shouldered Hawk
4. Red-tailed Hawk
5. Eurasian Collared-Dove
6. Mourning Dove
7. Barn Owl
8. Anna's Hummingbird
9. Acorn Woodpecker
10. Nuttal's Woodpecker
11. Northern Flicker
12. Black Phoebe
13. Say's Phoebe
14. Cassin's Kingbird
15. Western Scrub-Jay
16. American Crow
17. Common Raven
18. Oak Titmouse
19. Rock Wren (one showed up in a large pile of boulders in October and seems to like it)
20. Bewick's Wren
21. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
22. Western Bluebird
23. Hermit Thrush
24. American Robin
25. Northern Mockingbird
26. European Starling
27. American Pipit (these guys love to feed in the back yard -- had almost a hundred at one time last year but this year only a couple dozen)
28. Cedar Waxwing
29. Phainopepla
30. Yellow-rumped Warbler
31. Orange-crowned Warbler
32. Common Yellowthroat
33. Spotted Towhee
34. California Towhee
35. Lark Sparrow
36. White-crowned Sparrow
37. House Finch
38. Pine Siskin
39. Lesser Goldfinch
40. House Sparrow
 
Still no wren however!.....interaction between two Kestrels over the backwood was most welcome, as was the bounding Grey Wagtail, out of the "Wild Blue Yonder" with the low sun "flaring-out" the sulphur yellow flanks. 39 and 40 respectively, neck and neck with "our across the pond oppos" ;)
 
Had a little cold snap with temperatures hitting minus 21 C, quite a bit of snow too. Lots of good mammal tracks - Roe Deer and Red Fox in the main, but also Pine Marten and, best of the lot, an Otter meandering around my totally frozen lake (second record on my land - had tracks last winter too).

A few additions to the bird list:

11. Black Woodpecker
12. Grey-headed Woodpecker
13. Magpie
14. Siskin
 
38. Magpie
One this morning, completing the set of corvids for the year (unless I get a surprise Hooded Crow, Chough or Nutcracker!).
 
Had a little cold snap with temperatures hitting minus 21 C, quite a bit of snow too. Lots of good mammal tracks - Roe Deer and Red Fox in the main, but also Pine Marten and, best of the lot, an Otter meandering around my totally frozen lake (second record on my land - had tracks last winter too).

A few additions to the bird list:

11. Black Woodpecker
12. Grey-headed Woodpecker
13. Magpie
14. Siskin

You always get some amazing wildlife Jos!!

CB
 
Cold and significant snowfall are bringing in a few more species to the feeders these days; added these three yesterday (Friday):

05) American Tree Sparrow
06) House Sparrow
07) Downy Woodpecker

The Tree Sparrow is actually a really good one, for "right in the yard" - we haven't had one in the past couple of years. (Despite the name, not a species that's particularly keen on trees, much preferring low shrubs and stands of phragamites in winter).
 
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Cold and significant snowfall are bringing in a few more species to the feeders these days; added these three yesterday (Friday):

05) American Tree Sparrow
06) House Sparrow
07) Downy Woodpecker

The Tree Sparrow is actually a really good one, for "right in the yard" - we haven't had one in the past couple of years. (Despite the name, not a species that's particularly keen on trees, much preferring low shrubs and stands of phragamites in winter).

You'll have to rename it American Phragmites Sparrow (bit of a mouthful though) ;) As for House Sparrow, I didn't get one at all last year! perhaps we need to import some American House Sparrows with the (Dynamic) gene, and release them over here...they might re-invigorate our dwindling stock.
 
Real surprise this morning: I was shoveling snow off from my garden path, when 10 Starlings landed on pine in garden. (You might remember) I saw one Starling in garden last December and that was first Starling I have never seen in Finland at wintertime. And now whole flock :eek!:. - Maybe it's that climate changeing...
 
As for House Sparrow, I didn't get one at all last year! perhaps we need to import some American House Sparrows with the (Dynamic) gene, and release them over here...they might re-invigorate our dwindling stock.

Yikes! I would have placed the blame on the move to mechanised farming, except we don't exactly use a great many draught horses over here anymore, either (and the HOSP population is just fine, thanks).

Your lack of them seems very fishy, indeed... hmm... there must be something in the environment. Wonder if it's the out-of-control hawk population...

[*dons tin hat, dives for trench*]


08). Mourning Dove
 
32) Raven
33) Cormorant
34) Black-headed Gull
35) Grey Wagtail


BTW, my Honey Buzzard from last September has been accepted. How lucky I am to be on a migration route.
 
Your lack of them seems very fishy, indeed... hmm... there must be something in the environment. Wonder if it's the out-of-control hawk population...

Don't know why, suffice to say that most of our seedeaters are in partial and real decline...On a happier note (shouldn't have been surprised) as earlier in the week I'd observed large flock of mostly Chaffinches moving through the backwood. A single Brambling atop the highest hornbeam tree (first for a few years), followed by a pair of displaying Stock Doves, all out of a wall to wall blue, 41 and 42 respectively.
 
..., an Otter meandering around my totally frozen lake (second record on my land - had tracks last winter too).

The Otter seems to have taken up temporary residence, seems to be using a hole under an old upturned tree aside my cabin ...no idea what it is feeding on though, the lake is totally frozen, as is all other water in the area. If he lingers, I'll see if I can catch him on camera on the next days.


A couple more additions to the bird list:

15. Nuthatch
16. Raven
 
Congratulations Joanne on your Bunny Hazard getting accepted:t:
Been very quiet here for the past few days with mild températures encouraging the Mistle thrushes and Coal Tits to pipe up. The most surprising event is the first ever over-wintering Collared Dove (shades of Wari's Finnish Starling appearances), it's a male and he started singing on the 2nd, so I imagined he'd have to keep cooing until at least mid March before he got his 'reward'. But blow me down, a female has turned up so he's strutting about with his chest expanded like a feathered Charles Atlas!
One to add to the year's list:

31 Common Buzzard
heading puposefully north east this afternoon
 
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