We counted 51 species this weekend. Our previous December high-count was 50
species, on this first weekend, two years ago.
There were lots of highlights, including 200+, first-of-year, Snow Geese that
passed over, in two groups, yesterday morning. I got a glimpse of only our
second Red-breasted Nuthatch of 2022, yesterday, but was most delighted to
count our first Brown Creeper, here, since April 2019 (this morning). It was
feeding among a loosely-associated flock of Chickadees, Titmice, Kinglets, and
White-breasted Nuthatches. I was surprised to find at least one Palm Warbler
that was chipping loudly, at the far end of the pond thicket, yesterday
morning. I was also surprised to glimpse three Sandhills, gliding in to land,
in the east fields, later this afternoon. This was the odd time that I saw
Sandhills without hearing them, first.
I’m feeling seriously spoiled because I discovered that I can see the
Short-eared Owls, in the air over the roost fields, north of the house, from
our east yard! Last evening, I counted four of them and I counted three this
evening, among the gathering Harriers. The recent intense-cold wilted the
cover-crop turnips, so there’s less cover and the glut of Harriers that we
found concentrated there, before the freeze, seems to have thinned as a result.
The SEOW still seem okay with it.
I was scoping the SEOW, last evening, and realized that a Shrike was sitting on
a fence post, along the near edge of the roost field. I found it on top of a
tree, near that fence-line, today, so, I’m starting to I think that location is
part of its winter territory. I now know where to watch for it.
I wasn’t here last weekend and did not compile a weekend list, though Debby was
here and counted our first Fox Sparrow of the season. It was nowhere to be
found this weekend.
Stephen (Steve) Tyson, Schochoh, Logan Co., KY
Species Name:
Snow Goose (FOY)
Northern Bobwhite
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Horned Owl
Short-eared Owl
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
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper (FOY)
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
American Pipit
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Field Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Meadowlark
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Palm Warbler
Northern Cardinal