[NatureNS] Birding the woodlands

From: "Peter Hope" <peterhope@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:17:52 -0400
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In the last several days I have made a number of outings on foot, and =
today on cross country skis, in northern Queens and southern Annapolis =
counties. In five and a half hours walking on three different woodland =
outings, during which I called (swished for birds and made a few barred =
owl calls by voice) and searched with binoculars I had little luck. One =
day I found 5 black-capped chickadees, another day 3 black-capped =
chickadees and I heard a pileated woodpecker calling nearby. One 2 1/4 =
hour outing in good boreal woods produced nothing and during 2 hours of =
skiing today I neither heard nor saw anything.

There are no cones in any softwoods around here. I can't speak for food =
in birches or alders but have seen no birds near those species.=20

In contrast we had about 200 birds at our feeders  on January 22 - a day =
when I was skunked in the woods. Most of our feeder birds were common =
redpolls but good numbers of Am. goldfinches have been with us all =
winter and the pine siskins have arrived in the last 2 weeks and built =
up to over a dozen on most days. We have 15 plus black-capped =
chickadees, both nuthatches, and a downy and a hairy woodpecker at our =
feeders. Starlings and crows and blue jays round out our species - =
visits by a few evening grosbeaks are few and far between. A =
sharp-shinned hawk has, surprisingly, made only 2 visits.

I think as well as it being a redpoll winter it may also be a feeder =
year here in the southern interior.

Northern shrikes have been seen in this district near three widely =
scattered feeder houses in the last couple of weeks.=20

An extra treat was a great horned owl seen at 4 pm today perched in a =
tree in Kempt, Queens County. While I see barred owls hunt the winter =
daylight like that I don't have experience of great horned owls doing =
the same.

Just thought I'd report what I'm not finding in our woods.

Pete Hope
South Brookfield
Queens Co.


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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>In the last several days I have made a number of =
outings=20
on foot, and today on cross country skis, in northern Queens and =
southern=20
Annapolis counties. In five and a half hours walking on three different =
woodland=20
outings, during which I called (swished for birds and made a few barred =
owl=20
calls by voice) and searched with binoculars I had little luck. One day =
I found=20
5 black-capped chickadees, another day 3 black-capped chickadees and I =
heard a=20
pileated woodpecker calling nearby. One 2 1/4 hour outing in good boreal =
woods=20
produced nothing and during 2 hours of skiing today I neither heard nor =
saw=20
anything.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>There are no cones in any softwoods around here. =
I can't=20
speak for food in birches or alders but have seen no birds near those =
species.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>In contrast we had about 200 birds at our =
feeders&nbsp; on=20
January 22 - a day when I was skunked in the woods. Most of =
our&nbsp;feeder=20
birds were common redpolls but good numbers of Am. goldfinches have been =
with us=20
all winter and the pine siskins have arrived in the last 2 weeks and =
built up to=20
over a dozen on most days. We have 15 plus black-capped chickadees, both =

nuthatches, and a downy and a hairy woodpecker at our =
feeders.&nbsp;Starlings=20
and crows and blue jays round out our species - visits by a few evening=20
grosbeaks are few and far between. A sharp-shinned hawk has, =
surprisingly, made=20
only 2 visits.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>I think as well as it being a redpoll winter it =
may also=20
be a feeder year here in the southern interior.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Northern shrikes have been seen in this district =
near=20
three widely scattered feeder houses in the last couple of weeks. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>An extra treat was a great horned owl seen at 4 =
pm today=20
perched in a tree in Kempt, Queens County. While I see barred owls hunt =
the=20
winter daylight like that I don't have experience of great horned owls =
doing the=20
same.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Just thought I'd report what I'm not finding in =
our=20
woods.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Pete Hope</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>South Brookfield</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Queens Co.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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