All,
Today I decided to participate in the Great Backyard Birdcount out here in
Torrington, Wyoming. Since I am a guest on a Cattle Ranch the idea of
putting up bird feeders when I got here didn't seem appropriate, so I had
to go out and about.
This morning the temperature was a balmy -6 F, with a windchill approaching
-15. Getting out of the car and walking seemed a stretch as well. Wyoming
is an interesting place for backyard bird counts. So I drove about a 25
mile loop and stopped at a few favorite locations and found a few more
roads, I haven't been on.
I was pleasantly surprised by the count though (26 Species). Considering
the weather and all. I only missed the Merlin on the Raptor side of
sightings.
Golden Eagle - 2
Bald Eagle - 4
Red-tailed Hawk - 3
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 (Almost got lunch, chased off by a Northern Harrier)
Rough-legged Hawk - 2 or 3
Ferruginous Hawk - 6 (4 together in small area)
Prairie Falcon - 2 (One of them, attacked a Great Horned Owl, that was
being pestered by Blue Jays)
American Kestrel - 1
Great Horned Owl - 7 (Two pairs)
Northern Harrier - 4
Song Sparrow -3
Northern Flicker - 1
Black-billed Magpie - 2
American Robin - 3
American Goldfinch - Numerous
Red-winged Blackbird - Numerous
Downy Woodpecker - 1
European Starling - Numerous
House Sparrow - Way too Many
House Finch - Several
Pine Siskin - A few
Dark-eyed Junco - A few
Horned Lark - Numerous, Plowing into the snow from flight.
American Tree Sparrow - Numerous
Blue Jay - Several
Western Meadowlark - A few
I will say in my defense, while driving back roads in 6" of snow, it is
easier to see the large birds in a tree, on a wire, etc., then it is to see
the many little birds.
I hope everybody is getting out there and birding wherever you may be.
After a year of being cooped up, bird watching is a nice change of pace.
Joe
