[bcbirdclub] Spring Weather Birding in January
- From: "Roger Mayhorn" <rmayhorn@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "BCBC Listserve" <bcbirdclub@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2013 05:59:09 -0500
Yesterday Don Carrier and I took advantage of the unusual weather (71°) to do
some birding around Buchanan County. Don started the day off right by finding
an overwintering Brown Thrasher here on Compton Mt. This is one of only a few
Brown Thasher sightings we have ever recorded for Compton Mt during the month
of January. They have been occasionally found down in nearby valleys during the
winter, but not usually at this elevation, 2400 ft.
After birding Compton Mt where we found plenty of activity, including Eastern
Bluebirds, 8 Pine Siskins and 32 Northern Cardinals, we headed for Enoch's
Branch near Grundy. A Great Blue Heron on Slate Creek was a nice surprise, and
a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches at Enoch's Branch park was even better. While
at the park we counted 4 Red-shouldered Hawks and one Red-tail. In the same
area a Common Raven croaked its way across the sky.
From Enoch's Branch under gathering clouds we headed for Poplar Gap Park. There
we were treated to a female Northern Harrier floating effortlessly on the wind
as it hunted the open grassy areas. Even though I have seen it numerous times
it was amazing to see this raptor just hang in the air a few feet off the
ground as it searched for small rodents in the grass.
While at the park we finally located one of our target species for the day,
Horned Larks. A pair landed only a few feet from us, and we had close-up looks
at the male with his yellow throat and his horns (small black feathers that
stick up from the top of his head).
We had a total of 35 species for the day and we were able to enjoy spring
weather in January. It doesn't get better than that. Below is the day's
complete species list.
Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
Compton Mt
Wild Turkey 1f
Mourning Dove 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1m
Downy Woodpecker 2 (1m, 2f)
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 6
American Crow 2
Carolina Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Carolina Wren 5
Eastern Bluebird 3 (1m, 2f)
Brown Thrasher 1
European Starling 3
Song Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 3
Dark-eyed Junco 5
Northern Cardinal 32
American Goldfinch 6
House Finch 5 (2m, 3f)
Pine Siskin 8 (6 Loggy Bottom) (2 Mayhorns')
Enoch's Branch
Great Blue Heron 1 (Slate Creek)
Red-shouldered Hawk 4
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Downy Woodpecker 2 (1m, 1f)
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 7
American Crow 1
Common Raven 1
Carolina Chickadee 1
Tufted Titmouse 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 (1m, 1f)
Carolina Wren 3
Winter Wren 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet 4
Eastern Bluebird 7
European Starling 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Field Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 6
Dark-eyed Junco 18
Northern Cardinal 15
American Goldfinch 1
Poplar Gap Park
Northern Harrier 1f
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
American Kestrel 1
Mourning Dove 65
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 10
Eastern Bluebird 2
Song Sparrow 1
Horned Lark 3 (2m, 1f)
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