2013 and beyond

It's pretty simple: the most birds seen or heard from one's yard during 2013 will be the "winner". Want in? O.k....then do it despite that.

2013 promises to be a lot less mean but still a carbon-free birding competition, even if slightly less exciting than a MEGA x EPIC hybrid.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

The Great Exodus

I woke up this morning to the bugling of Sandhill Cranes and started watching outside as it was obvious that waterfowl were clearing out with the recent cold temps and snow cover... Over the next hour plus I had the scope out and counted the flocks streaming south. Diversity was ok, the most noteworthy birds were all in one flock; a group of ducks that contained 22 Redhead, 2 Lesser Scaup, and a female Northern Pintail (3 yardbirds in a flock!). I also had a lone Greater White-fronted Goose go over among the many CANGs. 161 Sandhill Cranes (in three flocks) is probably the largest tally I've ever had in December.

Location: Country Lakes wetland complex
Observation date: 12/5/10
Number of species: 17

Greater White-fronted Goose 1
Cackling Goose (Richardson's) 8
Canada Goose 825
American Black Duck 1
Mallard 4
Northern Pintail 1
Redhead 22
Lesser Scaup 2
Sandhill Crane 161
Mourning Dove 9
American Robin 14
European Starling 42
American Tree Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 2
House Finch 8
American Goldfinch 1

I'm guessing that these may be my final yardbirds of the year (barring a SNBU or RLHA). I have to confess that my yardbirding has been very minimal the last few weeks...
I know Boone has managed at least one good addition down at his place, let's see if he can make that brant that's only a few miles from him fly over for an epic waterbird score!
Posted by at

3 comments:

  1. The Owl RanchDecember 5, 2010 at 5:05 PM

    Oh Snap!!

    Come on Fitzy! you can pull ahead yet! there is still nearly a month of late migrants to go. Stuff is coming to a stand-still in the north so work your southern magic!
    Seven birds- you can do it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sean FitzgeraldDecember 5, 2010 at 11:52 PM

    @Skye, My experience is that duck watching away from open water has to have a whole slew of conditions line up to be successful. Those include a significant weather system, low cloud ceiling, and something causing them to clear out of points north or south (water opening or closing). So the chances that these things lining up again, and that I see species I still need (COGO, BUFF, COME, CANV, GRSC, AMWI, GADW) seem pretty slim... I think these are the first decent migrant ducks I've ever observed in the fall as fly overs. Almost all my sightings of fly over migrant ducks have been right at ice-out in the spring.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Owl RanchDecember 6, 2010 at 2:33 AM

    no excuses duder-think outside the box and beat these guys!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)