2011 Great Backyard Bird Count: A summary

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I will have to say, this year's GBBC was one of the oddest I can remember, much different from last year! The mild temperatures and rain changed the usual feeder visitors. On Monday, it poured down rain (2.00") the entire day. I didn't see or hear one Carolina Wren, Dark-eyed Junco or White-throated Sparrow the whole weekend/period!!! Lots of blackbirds consisting of Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds. Didn't get any rusties, dang. Just a couple of days before the GBBC, I had two American Woodcocks in the backyard, but I couldn't get them for the count. They must have been just passing through, as they didn't display. Highlights include a Killdeer as well as a Barred Owl calling at dusk on Sunday. I was also able to spish in a Yellow-rumped Warbler Saturday. I have found that the Pine Siskins like the rain, as Monday, I was able to count twenty of them. Here is the complete list for the entire 2011 GBBC (not in taxonomic order) 26 species total:

Canada Goose
Red-tailed Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Barred Owl
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
American Crow
Blue Jay
American Robin
Eastern Bluebird
Northern Cardinal
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Pine Siskin
Killdeer
Northern Mockingbird
American Tree Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
European Starling

Red-winged Blackbird courtesy of USFWS/

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Ready for Spring!!!

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The male Cardinals have been singing, Redwing Blackbirds are calling, and the American Woodcock has just returned today to the fields behind the house.

It looks and feels a lot different from this time last year! :-)

Won't be long, and Tree Swallows will be here, followed by Brown Thrashers and the first migrant warbler, the Louisiana Waterthrush (I don't see Pine Warblers around my place)!

The thing I will miss most about winter is my winter yard birds. The Pine Siskins have dwindled down to just a few left. I will miss their constant chattering and bickering.

Another bird that I will miss, is the American Tree Sparrow. They are beautiful sparrows that just don't get enough respect. I love their sound, two-toned bill and dotted belly.

Spring is my favorite time of year, all the new life that is all around, the love that is in the air. Looking forward to hearing my first Spring Peepers, Chorus Frogs and seeing my FOS birds!

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Kumlien's Iceland Gull (another life bird!)

Tweet Another birder found and IDed this gull on the Ohio River in New Richmond, Ohio the other day. It has been hanging out for a while. I believe that I had seen this bird for a while and was passing it off as an odd Herring Gull. I am not as familiar with gulls as I would like to be!

This morning, before work, I was able to obtain these photos of the bird.

And just to add some color to the grays and whites, this male Wood Duck flew in and was preening nearby this morning.

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Ross's Goose!

Tweet I found this Ross's Goose at East Fork State Park on Friday, Feb. 11, 2011. This is a life bird! (Click on all for larger)

And there was this far away Long-tailed Duck

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