We counted 54 species, here, this weekend. That’s a dozen short of last
weekend, but still our best ever for this mid-late October period. The weather
was lovely, except for a stiff breeze both days. The wind limits bird activity…
or maybe I just miss them because of the noise and foliage movement but, either
way, wind generally holds our numbers down.
The cold weather, early in the week, must have convinced the dawdling
neotropicals that it was time to go, because our bird mix had a settled
autumn-feel, this weekend. The Tennessee Warblers, which had been abundant for
weeks, are gone; the mobs of Indigo Buntings and the polite Rose-breasted
Grosbeaks that had been around the feeders and baths, for several weeks, are
also missing.
Our only first-of-season was the Bald Eagle that I reported yesterday. Debby
got photos of one on Tuesday and we were happy to able to add one to our
weekend list. Late this afternoon, I thought I’d see if I could find the Eagle
on a favorite winter perch tree, which is actually more that three miles east
of the house. I set the scope in the spot in the driveway where I can get a
clear-view of that distant tree but was disappointed to see that it is in
lovely fall colors and still holding all of its leaves. If the Eagle was
there, I couldn’t see it. But, then I noticed that the “Mockingbird“ in my
slightly-blurred peripheral view, on top of a tree in the much-closer
fencerow…was very white-breasted and acting oddly. I focused on it and
realized I was looking a Loggerhead Shrike. That kind of experience is what
makes birding so delightful! This was the same fencerow where I sometimes
counted a Shrike in November 2020.
Our only other notable was the Harriers, which I posted about yesterday. I
counted 17 of them in the same fields, late this afternoon. eBird flags any
number above 5.
The tame juvenile Red-tails continue to hang around. Following is a Flickr
link to a photo of one from yesterday morning.
https://flic.kr/p/2nUNpu3
Stephen (Steve) Tyson, Schochoh, Logan Co., KY
Species Name:
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Mourning Dove
Killdeer
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Cooper's Hawk
Bald Eagle (FOS - Tuesday)
Red-tailed Hawk
Barn Owl
Great Horned Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Loggerhead Shrike
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
American Pipit
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Eastern Meadowlark
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
