We counted 47 species here at the house, this weekend. Our best ever was
50, in 2018, and we might have reached that if we’d have had a decent-weather
Saturday before this absolutely lovely Sunday! I’m forgetting what nice
weather on a Saturday is like.
In spite of yesterday’s windy and cold weather, we still managed to count our
first-of-year Chipping Sparrow and Tufted Titmouse. I am astounded that we
made it 78 days into the year before counting a Titmouse! I’m happy to report
that it sang all day, today, as though it plans to make this home.
We counted two more first-of-year, today, including a Merlin early this morning
and the Barn Swallow that I reported around noon. I saw a second Barn Swallow,
later, while scoping for Purple Martins. I missed the Martins but spotted the
second Swallow as it flew past, on a strong south-to-north line. It was
definitely traveling.
We counted Short-eared Owls from here, again, but not until this evening when I
saw two. Debby has been monitoring the Trimble Road roost and has been seeing
Owls consistently, though fewer of them.
I got a photo of momma owl, this morning, with all three juveniles. They were
crowding her in her roost tree. They’d gradually sidle up to her until she’d
get restless and hop to another limb, until they eventually settled down. They
were out of sight most of the day, during yesterday’s intense wind. I finally
spotted one of them, late in the day, in a low magnolia tree that huddles near
their normal roosting trees. I’ll attach a Flickr link to a photo.
Last year will be a tough year to follow, here, though I checked our numbers on
this date in 2021 and found that we’re matched, today, at 66 species.
https://flic.kr/p/2n9G6uP
Stephen (Steve) Tyson, Schochoh, Logan Co., KY
Species Name:
Canada Goose
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Killdeer
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Horned Owl
Short-eared Owl
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin (FOY)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse (FOY)
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow (FOY)
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
House Sparrow
American Pipit
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow (FOY)
Field Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Eastern Meadowlark
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Northern Cardinal
