Subject: [Tweeters] Nice Day at Roy
Date: Feb 19 21:48:17 2008
From: Denis DeSilvis - avnacrs4birds at q.com
Tweets,
It was a nice day to loaf after doing some errands, so I tallied some of
what I saw in and around the house at Roy. Standouts were the 170 or so
NORTHERN PINTAIL; 2 GREATER SCAUP; 28 RING-NECKED DUCKS; 59 MOURNING DOVES;
11 STELLER'S JAYS; 2 WESTERN BLUEBIRDS; 5 FOX SPARROWS; 15+ SONG SPARROWS; 8
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROWS; 2 RED CROSSBILLS; and the "living carpet" of about
250 PINE SISKINS (down from about 300 on Sunday last). The scaup
(apparently) remain from Sunday, where they were the 100th species tallied
for the property. The ephemeral pond - strike that - lake across the street
continues to pull in a host of ducks since hunting season closed. In
addition, the wetland behind the house has lots of ducks roosting at night
in the water around the extensive growth of willows.
In addition to the above, had some good numbers for several species:
Mallard - about 150; California Quail - 10; Downy Woodpeckers - 4; Common
Ravens - 3; Black-capped Chickadees - 15+; Chestnut-backed Chickadees - 10+;
Red-breasted Nuthatches - 4; Bewick's Wrens - 2; Marsh Wrens - about 5
singing; Golden-crowned Kinglets - 7; Yellow-rumped Warblers - 6, including
the "winter-residing" "Myrtle"; 50+ Dark-eyed Juncos - about 40; and 8-10
Purple Finches.
Tried to spook up some Virginia Rails, but no luck as yet. Did however, get
to see one of the local Great Horned Owls on a pole across the street -
silhouetted against the horizon. The local Red-tailed Hawks continue to make
progress on the new nest at the southeast corner of the property.
Species seen today include the following:
Canada Goose
American Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
California Quail
Great Blue Heron
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Killdeer
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Western Bluebird
American Robin
Varied Thrush (Note: this one tries every morning to get water from the
frozen birdbath - my wife watched it "ice-skate" on Sunday.)
European Starling (one of these does a great "Western Meadowlark," but I've
not seen one around here except on Ft Lewis)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin
House Sparrow
Species today: 44 ; Year-to-date - 57; Site-to-date - 100.
Note: Since I've not described it before - The property is about 10 acres,
located about one mile south of the intersection of 288th and 48th Ave S,
in Roy, WA. About half the property is wetland, with a barn, pasture, and
ephemeral lake across the street. Vegetation consists of the remains of a
Christmas tree farm (noble firs - about 20ft tall) and Douglas-firs of
various ages - the oldest not more than 12-15 years and 20 or so feet tall
behind the house. Several non-native blackberry patches are in the field
behind the house. A screen of eight more-mature Douglas-firs and big-leaf
maples is between the front of the house and the road. I have a variety of
feeding stations (black oilseed, niger, suet, and peanut) scattered around
the property. Most are within 300 feet of the house, but none closer than 60
feet.
May all your birds be identified,
Denis DeSilvis
Roy, WA
Mailto: avnacrs4birds at q.com