Sunday, February 7, 2021

Counting Crows

 . . . and other birds for that matter.

It's no secret that we love our birds around here.  In the summer we have a Hummingbird feeder at the edge of the patio.  We also have several bird houses placed around the property that were intended to be homes for Blue Birds, but are usually occupied by House Wrens and Sparrows.  We don't mind since the Wrens frequently serenade us with their beautiful and joyful songs.  

In the winter, seed and suet on the patio draws in birds of every kind.  We laugh at them as there definitely seems to be a pecking order in who gets to eat what.  Woodpeckers rule the roost but the Junkos are great at finding every last seed when it looks like there is none left.

The birds provide me with what I often term my personal air show.  They make me smile.  They amuse me.  And, given the time we spend at home these days, that is much needed and appreciated.

Next weekend, February 12th-15th, The Cornell Lab and the Audubon Society are once again sponsoring the Great Backyard Bird Count.  People from all over the world will spend a little time recording what birds visit their area.  Click on the link for more information.  

Last year I counted fourteen distinct species.  I am curious as to what I will see this year.  My guess it will be even more.  

Carolina Wren & Downy Woodpecker

Red Shouldered Hawk

Hummingbirds

Nuthatch


The main point of Christianity was this:  that Nature is not our mother: Nature is our sister.  We can be proud of her beauty, since we have the same father

- Orthodoxy by GK Chesterton

AMDG


3 comments:

  1. I hope you are breaking your record of 14 species this weekend! We don't have much in the yard, but all the ducks from the north are visiting us this weekend because the ponds are not frozen. We haven't seen a lot of these ducks in a few years so it's been a real treat! Happy Counting!

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    1. 17 this year!
      American Crow
      Black-capped Chickadee
      Blue Jay
      Brown-headed Cowbird
      Carolina Wren
      Dark-eyed Junco
      Downy Woodpecker
      European Starling
      House Sparrow
      Mourning Dove
      Northern Cardinal
      Red-bellied Woodpecker
      Red-tailed Hawk
      Red-winged Blackbird
      Tufted Titmouse
      White-breasted Nuthatch
      White-crowned Sparrow

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    2. Yay! I think you and I ended up with almost the same list although we have never had a white-crowned sparrow in the backyard. Lucky you!

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