Through the Window: April 2016

The intense time has begun! Just look at this list:

• Blue Jay
• Dark-eyed Junco 
• Wild Turkey 
• Red-winged Blackbird (M & F 4/3)
  
• Mourning Dove
• Tufted Titmouse
• American Goldfinch 
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Common Grackle
  
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Bohemian Waxwing (! hungry for our little crabapples on April 3)
• Song Sparrow (4/1)
• Downy Woodpecker
• Ruffed Grouse (March 2)
• Northern Cardinal
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• American Robin 
• American Crow (mostly observed with the web cam; they are usually here before we are)
  
• Barred Owl (observed on the nightcam 4/14)
• Ruffed Grouse
• White-breasted Nuthatch
• Purple Finch
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• Rough-legged Hawk (4/24 over parking lot and private afjacent land)
• Evening Grosbeaks (4/14)
• Cedar Waxwing (4/14)
• Northern Goshawk (4/18, took a Mourning Dove)
• White-throated Sparrow (4/19)
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak (4/29)
• Possible Red-tailed Hawk (4/7, briefly glimpsed mostly silhouetted)
  

Bold indicates those we didn’t see last month.

Other neighbors:: OH! Those squirrels! Red, Gray and Eastern Chipmunks, as usual. We’ve also heard and seen Wood Frogs (as early as 4/1, “quacking” 4/12).

You too can watch from our window! We are open daily now (May 1- October 31, except for the July 4th Holiday). Drop in between 10am and 4pm, or come early on Sundays in May and June for bird walks. Details are on our events page. Enjoy our new art exhibit! Bring kids, grandparents, neighbors and friends. Oh, and did we mention we have a new bridge! It’s UP! You can walk on it! More details in future blog posts, or follow us on Facebook, where we are often more quick to let you know what’s happening.

The “Through the Window” series is an informal record of observations made by staff, volunteers, and visitors. Anyone at the Museum may add to this list. Observations are usually through our viewing window: a large window with a film covering that helps hide watchers from the birds. We have chairs and binoculars to try, a white board, and many identification guides. Outdoors, several feeders are attached on a single, bear-resistant pole. A small pond, flowers and water plants, shrubs and trees add cover and (seasonally) other food choices . You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.