Is there any picticular month you don't go birding? (2 Viewers)

[Farnboro John]

I sometimes get the blues in November - comes after the clocks go back so I can't get out after work, the weather is crap and as October recedes it dawns on me that there is no longer a rarity in every bush.

On January 1st all is forgotten as House Sparrows suddenly become desirable....

John

 

[Zheljko]

Don't usually go in Jan.-Mar. Not much to see here except chickadees and nuthatches, as well as the odd redpoll. All the other birds seem to be hiding from me :flyaway:

We are lucky that we have Danube, and it rarely freezes (about twice in a decade or so) so there are diverse waterbirds present exactly at that time of year. Birdfeeders seem to be quite a hit the last two winters (especially since the last big freeze when public became aware of need for birdfeeders) and generate hundreds of pictures that are shared on our FB albums.

The strangest phenomenon of last winter (2013) in our area was alternate deep snow and periods of complete thaw and spring weather. It was problematic for people taking part in waterbird census as they would either have problems reaching the banks in 2 meters of snow covering the frozen waterbodies, or birds would disperse everywhere because there was absolutely no ice anywhere (and this alternated in half-a-week periods all January).

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

July and August are the "Catbird Doldrums" for me because every other bird you see is a gray catbird. But I still try to get out if it isn't too hot.

 

[Frogfish]

It's been so hot here (35-42C) for the past 2-3 weeks (and will probably stay that way through early Sept) that the birds and I have the same thought - stay in cover ! Shanghai birding is tough at this time of year (quiet too) so tripping to slightly cooler neighbouring countries (or mountain regions) is the way to go.

 

[gandytron]

When I lived in the Uk I remember mid Nov - Xmas being pretty much birding free, but the Xmas week holidays and the chance of some new year-listing always made life better.

Here in Thailand there isn't much to be had on my city centre patch between mid-May and mid-August, though the forests further afield are ripe with Pittas :t:

 

[Frogfish]

.......though the forests further afield are ripe with Pittas :t:

drooling ..... 8-P

 

[lmans66]

In South Jersey.....while I bird every month....it is darn hard birding in the summer months with the 'biting' greenheads and mosquitoes...'.....

 

[bongofury]

June - July are definitely the least productive for me and so I save the brownie points up for autumn:t:

 

[Peter C.]

December,January(spurt of birding to get new year list going,does not last long before I get everything local),February,and much of March(towards the end of the month start checking out open water)

I would've included December as well, except that's when I wake up temporarily (from hibernation) and go out for Christmas Bird Counts. Brrr.

 

[Nightranger]

I used to adapt my birding from mid June to mid August and spend more time observing behaviour until recently. After a few years going down a road in birding that I was not happy with, I broke away again and promised myself that I would get behind Birdtrack again. This has worked tremendously well because I am looking at little bit harder given that not all birds are singing by now. There is also the task of recording things such as fledged youngsters etc so it gives one much more to do at a traditionally quieter time.