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<div> --0000000000001a158e0585a2bbd1 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" I see Nov 10th as my first survey of the season...so, I'd sign up in early November. By the way, I reported that I had 50 species recorded at my feeders for this program; I didn't notice that one of the entries was "hawk sp.", so that brings me down to 49. Probably the two most interesting visitors were the Black Vulture and Hoary Redpoll. My favourites must be the ravens though - wonderful birds! Randy _________________________________ RF Lauff Way in the boonies of Antigonish County, NS. On Wed, 3 Apr 2019 at 13:21, bdigout <bdigout@seaside.ns.ca> wrote: > Well done, Randy. I might have to try this next winter. When does it > start? > > Bill > > On 03 Apr 2019 09:43, Randy Lauff wrote: > > All, > > I just finished entering data for the final week of Project FeederWatch ( > https://feederwatch.org/), an easy, comfortable (i.e. from inside your > house) citizen science project to do. This is my 17th year of participation > at the same site. > > In the 17 years, I have recorded 50 species (exactly!) at my feeder system > (at least during the project survey times...there may be a few more either > out of season or in season, but not on survey days). My feeder system is > different than most, since it includes a carrion feeding station (I'm a > zoologist, and have ready access to carrion because of my line of work, and > I also get carcasses from trappers). This station is in my orchard, perhaps > 50 m from my home and the conventional feeding stations. I normally feed > niger, black oil sunflower, cracked corn and suet, though their were three > modifications this season. > > 1. Essentially no niger this year. I had a few goldfinch in November and > the first survey of December, then *not a single finch* until one redpoll > showed up two weeks ago but didn't stay. I took the niger feeder down > mid-December. > > 2. Some small mammal species, perhaps more than one, was exceedingly > plentiful this year (I have a very good owl nesting season, which was one > indicator). This, in combination with the low snow cover, made hunting very > easy for bobcats (bear with me...this does relate to bird feeding!). > Trappers had good luck with bobcats, so I got more than 20 carcasses to > process for upcoming student projects. The bobcats were the fattest I've > ever seen, so I harvested large chunks of fat from them, rendered it, and > along with conventional suet, served it up to the birds. The birds ate it, > but strongly preferred the conventional suet. As a side note, I did not > take in my two suet feeders the other night...the raccoons only took down > the one with the conventional suet. > > 3. I had some dry cat food that was not to the taste of my cats. So out it > went with cracked corn on the ground. The jays and crows loved it. > > *Species richness*: Each weekend, save for the last two, I counted > between 6 and 9 species; the last two were in the low teens. In contrast, > last year's weekly tally was frequently over 10 species. > > *Number of birds per survey period*:Despite the lower number of species > this year, the average number of birds per survey was constant at 48-49, > again, compared with last year. > > *Species of note*: The birds I had at my conventional feeders can be > described as routine. However, I had at least six Downy Woodpeckers, which > is a record for me. The carrion station only added Bald Eagle and > Raven...no hawks, gulls or owls on the carrion this year, as has happened > in the past. Other than finches, notable absences were Mourning Doves > (except for the last two weeks) and Tree Sparrows (which I don't get every > year, but mostly [11 of 17 seasons] I do). > > *Fun Fact*: In the 17 seasons, I've counted 23,653 birds! > > Randy > _________________________________ > RF Lauff > Way in the boonies of > Antigonish County, NS. > > > > --0000000000001a158e0585a2bbd1 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr">I see Nov 10th as my first survey of the season...so, I= 9;d sign up in early November.<div><br></div><div>By the way, I reported th= at I had 50 species recorded at my feeders for this program; I didn't n= otice that one of the entries was "hawk sp.", so that brings me d= own to 49. Probably the two most interesting visitors were the Black Vultur= e and Hoary Redpoll. My favourites must be the ravens though - wonderful bi= rds!<br><div><br></div><div>Randy<br clear=3D"all"><div><div dir=3D"ltr" cl= ass=3D"gmail_signature" data-smartmail=3D"gmail_signature">________________= _________________<br>RF Lauff<br>Way in the boonies of<br>Antigonish County= , NS.</div></div><br></div></div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div = dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Wed, 3 Apr 2019 at 13:21, bdigout <<= a href=3D"mailto:bdigout@seaside.ns.ca">bdigout@seaside.ns.ca</a>> wrote= :<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.= 8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><u></u> <div> <p>Well done, Randy.=C2=A0 I might have to try this next winter.=C2=A0 When= does it start?</p> <p>Bill</p> <p>On 03 Apr 2019 09:43, Randy Lauff wrote:</p> <blockquote type=3D"cite" style=3D"padding-left:5px;border-left:2px solid r= gb(16,16,255);margin-left:5px;width:100%"> <div dir=3D"ltr"> <div dir=3D"ltr">All, <div>=C2=A0</div> <div>I just finished entering data for the final week of Project FeederWatc= h (<a href=3D"https://feederwatch.org/" target=3D"_blank">https://feederwat= ch.org/</a>), an easy, comfortable (i.e. from inside your house) citizen sc= ience project to do. This is my 17th year of participation at the same site= .</div> <div>=C2=A0</div> <div>In the 17 years, I have recorded 50 species (exactly!) at my feeder sy= stem (at least during the project survey times...there may be a few more ei= ther out of season or in season, but not on survey days). My feeder system = is different than most, since it includes a carrion feeding station (I'= m a zoologist, and have ready access to carrion because of my line of work,= and I also get carcasses from trappers). This station is in my orchard, pe= rhaps 50 m from my home and the conventional feeding stations. I normally f= eed niger, black oil sunflower, cracked corn and suet, though their were th= ree modifications this season.