This is the first year I have participated in Cornell's Project
Feederwatch, and I am impressed with how much I have learned through
this effort. First, I have discovered that there are many more species
visiting my feeders (or that area of my 'yard;') than I realized and a
greater number of the birds I knew were visiting. One reason for this
is that I have increased the variety of food I put out to include small
pieces of bread, some nuts, and various fruit. (I have avoided nuts in
the past because the Jays steal them away so quickly and the squirrels
and chipmunks in the feeder area multiply.)

Then, I have learned more about those species because I have been
watching more carefully and discovered variations that I had not noticed
previously. For example, I now know that the Dark-eyed Juncos that come
to my feeders are the Oregon pale adult variety and that few of them are
females; I wonder if that is significant. (Do only the females migrate?
Are there fewer females than males?) Early this year, I inherited the
library of an avid and highly intelligent birder, and there are many
different field guides included. None of them, however, refer to this
uneven distribution of females that I have found to be consistent day
after day.

Also, I discovered that the strange, anemic-looking sparrow resembling a
Fox Sparrow that visits my feeders IS a Fox Sparrow, pale adult version.

Not only that, but I have at last seen a large flock of Pine Siskins, a
species that other birders in this area said were visiting their
feeders, but which I had not seen--probably because I had not been
watching in such a careful and continuous manner because there have been
more than 20 in every 'flock' I've seen.

The Feederwatch site is also a great place to look up data about what
birds were seen where and when, especially if you are visiting
unfamiliar areas.


Darlene
Cinebar