Backyard Birders Take Note: Winter Bird Count Next Weekend
Help track bird species and their numbers by noting what you see at your bird feeder on Feb. 2 and 3.
Last year's warm and largely snow-less winter resulted in far fewer birds being seen at feeders during Mass Audubon's winter bird count.
This year's count is Feb. 2-3.
Anyone is welcome to take part.
Record one count for each species seen then submit your results to Mass Audubon. Participants’ names will be entered in a drawing to win several prizes.
The deadline for submissions is Thursday, Feb. 28.
Information on how to participate and submit reports can be found at www.massaudubon.org/focus.
Last year, nearly 100 species were reported in 292 communities statewide, thanks to more than 850 observers, according to Mass Audubon.
Here are some highlights from the 2012 Count
- Nearly 100 species were reported. These included 39 of the 40 species we have been tracking since 1997 (no ruby-crowned kinglets this year). Several raptors, waterfowl, wading birds, and rare species were also reported, including the lazuli bunting at our Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary, and a Townsend's warbler in Ipswich.
- Species which were observed in the greatest numbers:
4,353 Dark-eyed Juncos
3,820 House Sparrows
3,642 Mourning Doves
3,332 American Goldfinches
2,791 Black-capped Chickadees
What bird species do you see near your house in Salem? Let us know in the comments section below.
Daniel
8:41 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
Over the last year or two we had been seeing an increase in what I like to call High Target Birds at our back Yard Bird Feeders. We have a Black Oil Sunflower seed feeder, a Thistle Seed feeder and a Suet feeder. We've had daily visits of Goldfinches, House Finches, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Cardinals, Bluejays, Purple Finches and House Sparrows. We also have regular sightings of birds like Mourning Doves, the standard Starlings, and few Cow Birds and Crows. The sad thing is that until our neighbor cut down 6 trees on their property we had a group of Downey Woodpeckers and Hairy Woodpeckers that fed regularly but I haven't seen them since the trees were cut down.