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Through the Window: November 2012 Gets a Little Quieter

Our plucky female Grosbeak friend is still around! You can find out more about her in last month’s entry.

  • Evening Grosbeak (including the feamle with the injured wing. Still going!)
  • Blue JayTufted Titmouse
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Pine Siskin
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Ruffed Grouse
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Fox Sparrow (11/6/2012)
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Mourning Dove
  • Wild Turkey (usually 6-10, but we did see a flock of 23!)

Project Feederwatch started November 10th! We enjoy having our lunch while “standing watch”. When do you take your data?

Of course some Red and Gray squirrels appeared quite pleased to hoover up some of our corn and black oil seed from the ground.

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 to make it more difficult for birds to see the watchers. We have chairs and binoculars to try there, 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 other food choices. You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.

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Through the Window: October 2012 with a Big Sit too

The Big Sit! event always boosts the size of the October list. Something about actually sitting around and watching for birds, instead of trying to notice them while you’re talking to other visitors…  Bold birds are the ones we didn’t record last month.

  • Blue Jay
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Evening Grosbeak*
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • American Crow
  • Mourning Dove
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Purple Finch
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Sharp-shinned Hawk (caught something on October 19!)
  • American Goldfinch
  • Pine Siskins (more than 20!)
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • Wild Turkeys (a flock of 9)
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Song Sparrow? (10/12, observed by Jim O. Not bolded due to uncertainty, although Jim is an expert birder.)
  • Cedar Waxwing (during the Big Sit)
  • mystery Duck (a Big Sit observation–too silhouetted to identify properly)
  • Common Raven (also during the Big Sit!)
  • Rusty Blackbird (10/17)
  • Pileated Woodpecker (flew over 10/12)
  • Canada Geese (heard overhead 10/23)
  • American Robin (10/23)
  • Common Grackle (10/07)
  • Ruffed Grouse (in the crab apple tree 10/28)

*Observe? Or Act?

We observed several Evening Grosbeaks, male and female. One female seemed to have an injured right wing. Over the course of the month, she continued to make appearances, generally foraging on the ground and hopping back to shelter in the cedar hedge. However, one day she did fly—perhaps flutter is a more accurate verb—up into some shrubs as well. We saw her off and on through the end of October, and we wish her well. Her persistence does raise the question: what, if anything, should we do about her? Catch her? Send her to rehab? Observe her without interference?

Also,  Project Feederwatch starts November 10th! Are you ready? We are!

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 to make it more difficult for birds to see the watchers. We have chairs and binoculars to try there, a white board and many identification guides, and several feeders outside on a single, bear-resistant pole, as well as a small pond, flowers and water plants, shrubs and trees. You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.

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Through the Window: September 2012 Bye-bye, (Humming) Birdie

Last of the Hummingbirds! We’re confident that our feeding of them didn’t slow their departure; rather, feeding seems to supplement migrating birds rather than delay them.  If you’re curious about what we saw in high summer, you can see that list too. Bold birds are the ones we didn’t record last month.

  • American Goldfinch
  • Mourning Dove
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • House Finch (female)
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird (female last seen 9/15/2012)
  • Blue Jay
  • Northern Cardinal
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Purple Finch
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • American Crow
  • Evening Grosbeak
  • Wild Turkey
  • Cooper’s Hawk
  • Northern Flicker

Some typical (and observed) wee neighbors:

  • Red squirrel
  • Gray Squirrel
  • Chipmunks

You can always compare our informal list to other area records on eBird—that’s where we record the observations from our monthly bird monitoring walks (thanks to our wonderful volunteer MM) . We will be part of Project Feederwatch this winter of course, as well as the Great Backyard Bird Count.

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 to make it more difficult for birds to see the watchers. We have chairs and binoculars to try there, a white board and many identification guides, and several feeders outside on a single, bear-resistant pole, as well as a small pond, flowers and water plants, shrubs and trees. You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.

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Through the Window: August 2012 : A rainbow of feathers

Did we get every color of the rainbow, Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet?
Here’s the month’s list, more or less in the order observed. You can compare it to last month’s if you like.

  • American Goldfinch
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Mourning Dove
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • House Finch (female)
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Common Grackle
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  • Blue Jay
  • Northern Goshawk
  • Purple Finch
  • Black-billed Cuckoo (near mailbox)
  • Northern Cardinal
  • White-throated Sparrow (on the ground)
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (male and female)
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Common Yellowthroat (female, at the tiny frog pond in the feeder area)
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Evening Grosbeak
  • Sharp-shinned Hawk

The Cuckoo and Yellowthroat were a treat to see! Common Yellowthroats are usually on the other side of the Museum or across the road near our meadow.  The Cuckoos are more rarely seen or heard altogether.

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 to make it more  difficult for birds to see the watchers. We have chairs and binoculars to try there, a white board and many identification guides, and several feeders outside on a single, bear-resistant pole, as well as a small pond, flowers and water plants, shrubs and trees. You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.

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Through the Window: July 2012 is for Fledglings

We list them on our white board in the order we see them (more or less, since the usually the first several are from the first day of the month). We put the ones not seen last month in bold.

  • Common Grackle
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Mourning Dove
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Blue Jay
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • American Crow
  • Baltimore Oriole
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • American Goldfinch
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Northern Goshawk (and on 7/23, observed it taking a Mourning Dove!)
  • Black-billed Cuckoo (by the pond)
  • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (nest and fledglings in the tree beyond the picnic table, later filmed by Linda Hurd for us)
  • House Finch
  • Eastern Phoebe
  • Indigo Bunting
  • Purple Finch

Some other intriguing and special notes:

  • Red squirrel
  • Gray Squirrel
  • Chipmunks
  • Sphinx Moth (at first mistaken for a Hummingbird!)
  • and a baby Skunk

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 to make it more difficult for birds to see the watchers. We have chairs and binoculars to try there, a white board and many identification guides, and several feeders outside on a single, bear-resistant pole, as well as a small pond, flowers and water plants, shrubs and trees. You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.

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Through the Window: June 2012 Goshawks, Sapsuckers, and Skunks Oh My!

Did you know we just list them in the order we see them? Usually the first several are from the first day of the month. We put the ones not seen last month in bold.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (male). Carved by Bob Spear in 1985.
  • American Crow (6/4/12 fly – over, 6/22/12 juveniles under feeder)
  • Blue Jay
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Evening Grosbeak
  • Wild Turkey
  • American Robin
  • Mourning Dove
  • Common Grackle
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Purple Finch
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Downy Woodpecker (6/27/12 downy with young feeding)
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Baltimore Oriole (6/22/12)
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird (5/5/12 FOY male)
  • Northern Cardinal (male & female)
  • Goshawk (6/13/12 chasing 3 crows, 6/21/12 perched in the tree above picnic table)
  • Sapsucker (6/21/12 & 6/22/12 nestlings calling for food, nest hole visible from picnic tables)
  • Black Bear (6/14/12 @ 12:30 pm stayed about 3 minutes until the sound of the door scared it off)
  • Skunk (6/29/12)
  • Gray Squirrels
  • Red Squirrels
  • Chipmunks

*FOY stands for First Of Year.

Skunk visiting bird feeders on June 29, 2012
Skunk visiting bird feeders on June 29, 2012

You can always compare this list to other months, or check out sightings in the area on eBird.

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Through the Window: May 2012 is rich in color

Did you know we just list them in the order we see them? Usually the first several are from the first day of the month.Our board looks like this:

Through the Window (May 2012)
A white board, a window, some feeders and some staff and volunteers: put ’em together and you have a loose record of birds

We put the ones not seen last month in bold.

  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Blue Jay
  • American Goldfinch
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Pine Siskin
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Mourning Dove
  • Common Grackle
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Chipping Sparrow
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Evening Grosbeak
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Red-tailed Hawk (flew over May 4)
  • White-crowned Sparrow
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird (FOY* 5/5/12 male; female on 5/9/12. Also seen in E. Dorset 5/3/12)
  • Sharp-shinned Hawk (5/5/12 Caught a bird!)
  • Black-throated Green Warbler (in parking lot 5/3/12)
  • American Robin
  • House Finch
  • Northern Oriole (5/11/12)
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Purple Finch
  • Starling
  • Red squirrel
  • Gray Squirrel
  • Chipmunks

* FOY stands for First of Year.

You can always compare this list to other months, or check out sightings in the area on eBird.

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Through the Window: April 2012 Birds in the thick of spring

Did you know we just list them in the order we see them? Usually the first several are from the first day of the month. We put the ones not seen last month in bold. We’ll try to be more consistent with that!

Brown-headed Cowbird (male). Carved by Bob Spear in 1982
Brown-headed Cowbird (male). Carved by Bob Spear in 1982
  • American Goldfinch
  • Red-winged blackbird
  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Blue Jay
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Mourning Dove
  • Common Grackle
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Wild Turkey
  • Eastern Phoebe
  • Pine Siskin
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • American Robin
  • Brown-head Cowbird (FOY* 4/12)
  • American Crow (2 on 4/21)
  • Evening Grosbeaks (male and female)
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Purple Finch
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male, FOY)
  • Spotted Salamander (8 eggs noted March 31, and a headless adult in the small pond)
  • Red squirrel
  • Gray Squirrel
  • Chipmunks

* FOY stands for First of Year.

You can always compare this list to last April, or check out sightings in the area on eBird. The wood frogs eggs seen in March may have gotten a little too dry, but some live frog (moving too fast and hiding too well to be identified) was seen in the small feeder area pond this month as well.

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Through the Window: March 2012 – Early Spring Sightings

More birds! Did we have more time to watch? More visitors? Or is this the sign of spring? It was an extremely warm March, after all.

  • An Early Spring View from Our Window (the webcam portion)
    An Early Spring View from Our Window

    Wild Turkey

  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • Blue Jay
  • American Goldfinch
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Downy Woodpecker (both male and female observed and noted)
  • Mourning Dove
  • American Robin
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Brown Creeper
  • Red-winged Blackbird (3/8 FOY*)
  • Common Grackle (3/9 FOY)
  • Pine Siskin (3/10)
  • American Crow
  • Eastern Phoebe (heard 3/20 FOY; heard also the day before in Hanksville and then seen 3/31)
  • Northern Goshawk (flew by 3/24)
  • Song Sparrow
  • Purple Finch

Other wonderful neighbors:

  • Wood frogs (3/23 in pond!)
  • Gray Squirrels
  • Red Squirrels

* FOY = First of Year

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Through the Window: February 2012 Birds and Others

American Goldfinch Male (photo by Anna Marie Gavin, Intern, 2011)
American Goldfinch Male (photo by Anna Marie Gavin, Intern, 2011). The ones seen through the winter are still a deep olive, not yet yellowgold...

The goldfinch plumage is getting crisper, but is not yet gold… here’s the February list of birds and others seen through our windows.

  • Blue Jay
  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • American Goldfinch
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Dark-eyed Junco (a.k.a. Snowbird)
  • American Crow
  • Wild Turkey
  • Red-breasted Nuthatch
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Ruffed Grouse
  • Mourning Dove
  • Purple Finch
  • American Robin
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Evening Grosbeak
  • Gray Squirrel (one was on the feeder platform! So we re-greased the pole)
  • Red Squirrel
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