Birds of 2013

Starting in 2008, we have kept a list of birds we see here on the 'family farm'.  I've always enjoyed birding, but at that time was inspired by my brother to start keeping a year list.  At the end of 2008, we had 91 species on our list.  That grew to 96 in 2009.  Each year I have learned more about where to watch for different birds in various places - from the feeders to the woods to the beaver swamp.  We had our top number in 2010.   That year, we saw 103 kinds, which fulfilled my goal to get over 100.  The following year, I decided not to keep track.... just to "enjoy" the birds.  That year I made a header in my notebook: "New in 2011".  Turned out I only had one to write down, which was Bufflehead Ducks on May 10th.  Each year the list changes a bit.  Here's our list for 2013:

1.   Downy Woodpecker         January 1
2.   Mourning Dove
3.   Tufted Titmouse
4.   Blue Jay
5.   Black-capped Chickadee
6.   House Finch
7.   American Goldfinch
8.   American Crow
9.   Northern Cardinal
10. Dark-eyed Junco
11. American Tree Sparrow
12. House Sparrow
13.White-breasted Nuthatch

 14. White-throated Sparrow
15.  Hairy Woodpecker
16.  Common Redpoll

17. Red-tailed Hawk

18. Starling

19. Great-horned Owl  (heard)      January 2

20. Red-bellied Woodpecker         January 3

21. Red-winged Blackbird       

22. Hoary Redpoll (we had a huge number of Redpolls and after really studying them, decided there were a couple of Hoary's!)

Flock of Redpolls in a tree by our house

23. Ruffed Grouse     January 27

24. Bald Eagle           February 10

Laura got to write this one down, as she saw it first!  This is NOT an eagle nest, it is a great-blue heron's nest.  To read the story of our heron's nest, click here.

25.  Carolina Wren            February 28

26.  Canada Goose            February 28

27.  Mallards                     March 11

28.  Fox Sparrow               March 13

29.  Sharp-shinned Hawk  March 11

We would probably be able to up our number if I was better at identifying raptors... but this one sat right over the bird feeders for awhile so I could get some nice photos of him.

30.  American Robin              March 11

31.  Wood Duck                      March 13

32.  Brown-headed Cowbird   March 15

33.  Great-blue Heron             March 19

34.  Song Sparrow                  March 21

35.  Pileated Woodpecker        March 28

36.  Snow Goose                     March 29

37.  Turkey Vulture                March 30

38.  Wild Turkey                    March 31

39.  Common Merganser    

40.  Tree Swallow                   April 6

41.  Eastern Phoebe                   April 7

42.  Ruby-crowned Kinglet

43.  Kestral

44.  Pied-billed Grebe

45.  Eastern Bluebird

46.  Northern Flicker                   April 8

47.  Yellow-bellied Sapsucker         April 17

48.  American Woodcock        

49.  Osprey                                April 18

50.  Brown Thrasher                  April 20

51.  Green-winged Teal             April 21

52.  Blue-winged Teal

53.  Chipping Sparrow              April 23

54.  Barred Owl (heard)            April 28

55.  Belted Kingfisher             

56.  Baltimore Oriole                April 30

57.  Red-eyed Vireo

58.  Barn Swallow

59.  Yellow Warbler                  May 2

60.  Warbling Vireo

61.  Common Yellowthroat

62.  Rose-breasted Grosbeak

63.  Ring-necked Pheasant

Sadly, the pheasant was seen in the road after it had been killed by a vehicle.

64.  Ovenbird                           May 6

65.  Chestnut-sided Warbler

66.  Black-throated Green Warbler

67.  Solitary Sandpiper

68.  Eastern Towhee

69.  Ruby-throated Hummingbird

70.  Eastern Kingbird

71.  Swamp Sparrow

72.  Northern Rough-winged Swallow

73.  Hermit Thrush                   May 8

74.  White-crowned Sparrow   May 9

75.  Catbird                              May 10

76.  Lessor Yellowlegs             May 11

77.  Wood Thrush                    May 12

78.  Great Egret                       May 13

A pretty rare bird for us, my husband saw this one while I was out and he snapped this photo.

79.  Bobolink
80.  Scarlet Tanager                         May 16
81.  American Redstart
82. Nashville Warbler
83.  Magnolia Warbler
84.  Wood Peewee                            May 18
85.  Black-throated Blue Warbler
86.  Least Flycatcher
87.  Veery                                         May 20
88.  Black-billed Cuckcoo  (heard)  May 30
89.  Killdeer                                      June 3
90.  Cedar Waxwing
91.  Great-crested Flycatcher           July 8
92.  House Wren       
93.  Purple Finch                              July 16
94.  Black Vulture                            September 11
95.  Blue-headed Vireo                    September 30
96.  Northern Harrier                       October 5

Northern Harrier flying low over the swamp.

97.  Yellow-rumped Warbler     October 15  (somehow missed this common warbler during spring migration so we were happy to see them in the fall-- a whole flock in our little woods)
98.  Brown Creeper                   November 1

That's it for 2013! Tomorrow begins another year, and a whole lot more birds to see!  Happy New Year!