mainebirder's Journal
Start of a new approach. Most interesting observation was this woodpecker hole dripping sap. Doesn't seem square like a pileated woodpecker. About 8 feet off the ground. The woods were quiet today. Light flurries, about 30 degrees, no wind. The beech leaves continue to hang on.
18mph nw wind, 17 degrees, 3 inches snow cover, .69miles. There were some ring billed gulls in the Walmart parking lot, and about 5 crows flew overhead, Some vocalizing. The highlight of the walk were the Robins seen by the water treatment plant. They seemed restless. Flock form was like they had cooties. Best ID mark was the white on the lower belly, although when I first saw them I had to eliminate starlings and bluebirds. Spotty fruit left on the ornamentals in the neighborhood, but the Robins moved on, not feeding.
While getting into my car to run my errands, I noticed 4 bluebirds at my feeder, eating suet. Not very efficiently. Two male, two females. The female on the ground first struck me as possibly a flicker. I have no fruit left in my yard. There was also 2 goldfinches earlier, as well as a white breasted nuthatch on the street corner feeder.
2 ebird lists for this date.
Called Pat because I saw on the list serve that a redwing had been seen in Capisic Park 1/29. We met there around 7:45, and maintaining social distance was more difficult than seeing the bird. Becky, Linda, Turk, Derek, and various other bird luminaries were there. The bird was hanging with about 150 American Robins. Mostly skulky, but finally teeing up for photos. Very exciting. Satisfying looks. Lousy photos. A bald eagle, a coopers hawk both made an appearance. I heard eastern bluebird vocalizations when the robin flock would move, brt never actually saw the bluebirds. Some cedars waxwings were in the crowd, and I did see those. The birds were eating multiflora rose hips. The bird was slightly smaller than the robins, but I never was able to distinguish it in flight, as I looked for the brick red arm pits. Reminded me somewhat of an eyebrow thrush.
We also looked for the black headed grosbeak and the dicksisal while we were there but saw neither. The crowds were discouraging, for any strategy to stake out a feeder.
Including this photo of a viburnum, so far unidentified as to species. The birds seemed uninterested. Wonder if the open habit of the shrub did not offer sufficient cover from the predators.
Temperature 2 degrees, winds calm, sunny skies. Walked .69 miles. Snow cover 1-2 inches and trodden by many feet.
