Through the Window: May 2016

Twenty-nine species noticed and recorded on our informal Viewing Window white board in May (and can you believe it’s already June?).

Female Goldfinch, carved by Bob Spear, photographed by A. Galvin for the Museum
Female Goldfinch, carved by Bob Spear, photographed by A. Galvin for the Museum


  • American Goldfinch 
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Blue Jay
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Mourning Dove
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Common Grackle
  • American Crow 
  • Purple Finch
  • Wild Turkey
  • European Starling
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Ruffed Grouse (in the crabapple tree, again!)
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • White-crowned Sparrow
  • Chipping Sparrow
  • Catbird (5/10, probably FOY)
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird (5/12/16, FOY)
  • Veery (5/14/16, heard, FOY)
  • Great-crested Flycatcher (5/21/16, FOY)
  • Song Sparrow
  • Baltimore Oriole (2 males, 5/24/16, FOY)

Bold indicates those we didn’t see last month. For more precise records, you can also see eBird data for recent years at the Museum.

Yet more critters: Red Squirrels, Gray Squirrels, and Eastern Chipmunks, as usual. We noted also a Tiger Swallowtail on May 25, and a Woodchuck (a.k.a. Groundhog) on May 31.

Come and see what we see…or write it down in case we didn’t. The viewing window is open as the Museum is: daily May 1- October 31, except for the July 4th Holiday. Visit between 10am and 4pm, or come early on Sundays this month for Early Birder walks. Details are on our events page. You can see from that that we start with birds but don’t stop there.  Follow us on Facebook, where we are often more quick to let you know what’s happening. We’ve just started using Instagram too, because more photos are more fun.

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.

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