Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 17:47:55 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "George M. Jett" Subject: Yard Birds Weekend Observations Comments: To: SMAS Comments: cc: Miliff@aol.com, Zeke Zarnosky MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Hi Folks. My yard list in Waldorf, Charles Co. for the weekend included a couple interesting observations. See below. 3 Black Vultures - soaring high in the thermals 8 Turkey Vultures - at different times 20 Canada Geese flyovers 1 adult Bald Eagle - - soaring in the same thermal as the Black Vultures 1 adult Red Shouldered Hawk - no squirrels taken yet to my knowledge (the bird has 30 to choose from), and visited the yard several times over the weekend. At one point I watched the bird picking up either split peanuts or black oil sunflower seeds from the ground. 15 Mourning Dove 4 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 subadult male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. This bird was feeding on peanut butter and Holly Berries. A little red is coming in on the center of the throat patch. Not as yellow on the underside as the bird on Morgantown Rd. late last week either. I think this species is in better than usual numbers this winter. 6 Downy Woodpeckers 2 Hairy Woodpeckers eating both peanut butter and split peanuts from the feeder now. 1 Northern Shafted Flicker (Yellow race) 1 Pileated Woodpecker calling off in the woods after a couple gun shots at mid-day. 12 Blue Jays 8 American Crow - put out any scraps for these guys and it will help recycle your waste. 10 Carolina Chickadees - one visiting the beef fat feeder. I don't buy process suet and the birds seem fine. Nothing is going to go bad in this weather anyway. $2.56 for 10.5 pounds. That should last them awhile. 8 Tufted Titmouse 4 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Carolina Wren - visiting the peanut butter tree and scratching the seed area grounds. I think I have identified at least 20 species eating peanut butter. It's an excellent food source in cold weather. Carolina Wrens are especially susceptible to extreme cold unless they get supplemental food. 4 Eastern Bluebird - flyovers Hermit Thrush* - eating both Black Oiled Sunflower seed and split peanuts from the ground. They eat more than just berries. If you have this species around now, I encourage putting down some split peanuts. It's a treat to watch this wing flicking, tail pumping animal jumping around the yard. The additional calories provided by the seed and peanuts will help him or her survive these harsh winter days we are experiencing. ~1000 American Robins - flyovers. One stopped by providing a photo op from eight feet in good light. Northern Mockingbird seen most days but not today. The water bath is a great attraction for this and other species. Please keep your water open and clean. It is essential for good health during these cold days. I don't know how the 6 Starling bath in the stuff at 10 " F, but they do. 2 Eastern Towhee, one male, one female 1 Song Sparrow 35 White-throated Sparrow 60+ Dark-eyed Junco 22 Northern Cardinals - put out some Safflower seeds for this species besides the other stuff. Squirrels are not suppose to like Safflower seed either. 1 - 60 Common Grackles - depends on ? 30 House Finch - a good number with the conjunctivitis. 30 American Goldfinch - as hard as I try, I can't find anything else in the flock. Not a good finch season. Enjoy your birds. George ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================