The first month of the 5MR birding challenge is history I didn't earn one single point on the bar graph challenge for my one HotSpot however I def filled in some grey bars on my own bar graph for this spot. June and Aug are the only grey spots on this Hotspot where no checklists have been submitted..so IF I'm here then I will def work on getting those weeks filled in! I submitted 9 checklists this month for my Hotspot, and 37 checklists for January.
It is very hard to create Hotspots on private land...so that didn't happen...there is one more public space and I hope to check that out later during the migration....
My month ended with 55 species. I'm satisfied with that 60.4 of the species reported in my county for January (91) (thank you Jen) since my radius includes 90% privately owned tracts of pine timber, 5% Ag fields, and homes. The one public space is the one hotspot, shown above and a Golf Course I did a drive by and saw nothing to report.
The most exciting bird for me was a Merlin I flushed out of heavy cover he had some prey down and I heard it thrashing in the edge then it was airborne quickly away from me, I noted mostly Grey overall with a band of white on the tail edge a small bird of prey. Not rare but a county bird for me!
..and a very curious Immature (Lineatus) Red Shouldered Hawk...
He is pretending to be an owl turning his head 180 degrees and looking over his back...If I hadn't seen the large chestnut bars on the outer wings on this bird when he flew I may have thought it was an imm. red-tailed. I didn't get a photo or video of his wing patches but check out this photo online to see what I'm referring to, also the same chestnut coloration on the top portion of the tail feathers.
He was sooo lovely.
Here's a Carolina Chickadee, they can hang upside down like a nuthatch watch as he is busy getting that small tweezer beak of his into the pod of the sweet gum tree...Goldfinch also enjoy the sweet gum seeds.
So now onto February...my first Feb new species was seen today in the southwestern section of my radius, Wild Turkey!
There was a flock of about 12, by the time I pulled over got my camera on and the window open they had nearly disappeared into the forest...but I snagged a couple shots...and a little video
We have had one of the rainiest winters I ever recall...standing water is everywhere...I have seen Wood Duck use these vernal pools before so I always slow down to check them out..nothing in this one but the reflections were cool...I just hope it's all gone by skeeter season.
A shout out to Maggie, my sister's dog. She was diagnosed with Lymphoma. We don't
know the reason why Maggie has cancer, as she was a rescue and already up in age by the time she came into our family. I can say Round Up or any other herbicide is a cancer causing agent, they spray our food and our dogs food with it too...think about where it goes each time it rains... once I did use it to kill the English Ivy, a few yrs back... I imagine these vernal pools have traces of Round Up in them. I always worry about using the flea drops on my dogs and I don't know if that can cause cancer, probably it can. She is responding well to some natural treatments and one chemo treatment per month...
We love you Maggie and we're hoping for a miracle...would y'all join us in putting out a wish for Maggie?
PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.
Wishing Maggie a good outcome from treatments.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. Pictures are great so clear I love the first reflection shot. Yes the hawk sure looks alot like a red tail. Love the little bird in the gum tree.
Hope you find some great birds this month.
Hi Jo, I didn't go far from home but I found so much, since home is the center, Im only 2.5 miles away at any given time..lol. So it makes one really look at what's around and take it a little slower...if so many dogs weren't allowed to run loose I would enjoy doing this by bike. I have been chased by a pack when I zoomed past a yard that was full of dogs pretty scary but I did out pedal them!
DeleteYes fingers crossed for Maggie. An interesting post and I really liked the Merlin and Wild Turkey shots. As they were running I was interested to see if they can fly as domesticated one dont, but these can fly up to about 400m.
ReplyDeleteI like the picture looking up through the trees. I took a similar one a few years ago and framed it for the wall. All the best for February birds Sondra. Whilst February here can be a cold and harsh month it gives you a great light for photographs and once its over Spring is really on its way.
Hi Dave, oh yes they can fly and they can roost up in trees too if they wish. I am looking forward to Spring it has been cold here too this week but no rain since Monday so that was nice for a change. We already have daffodils in bloom I must get a photo. There is on more spot that is public here...however it is surrounded by sketchy trailer parks, and its an on foot only wooded tract. I do want to bird there...since I live in a very similar habitat I would not expect to see much difference in what I have right here in my own woods, it's about 1.2 miles away. But migration may bring something through.
DeleteA Merlin is always a very exciting find. It is especially rewarding if you can watch it hunt with its amazing aerial skills. Right now I am in Costa Rica and will be happy to get back to some cold weather next week.
ReplyDeleteOh Costa Rica sounds good to me...I have never been there.
DeleteHello, prayers and well wishes for sweet Maggie. Your first photo is gorgeous, I love the reflections. I enjoyed the videos of the Hawk, Chickadee and the turkeys. That Hawk was able to turn that head around, the turkey looked funny running through the woods. Thanks always for your visits. Happy Sunday, enjoy your day, have a great new week ahead.
ReplyDeleteThank you Eileen, it is warming up here of course we will have a few cold snaps to deal with but spring is on the way!
Deletethank you for sharing the videos which capture beautiful natures.
ReplyDeletehave a great day
Thank you Tanza!
DeleteVery nice to see a Merlin, we get them here but i've never seen one! I managed 33 lists for my patch for January, I do enjoy doing them :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome Pam, Now the weather is warming up I have some yard chores to do so Im off to a slow start for Feb. I really hope the warm weather brings some new species to my Patch!
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed! I just realised I sent the comment without sending thoughts for Maggie, I hope she does well.
DeleteGood thoughts for Maggie. Your videos are great. I was trying to freeze that chickadee to see how the Carolina kind is different from the chickadees I know in Oregon...you probably know. Love,y sky and reflections ... all the you said about the water and rain is the same down here.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I used "where" I am as a defining factor, but in our upstate area the 2 do overlap so I turn to the experts...check this out---
Deletehttps://www.sibleyguides.com/bird-info/black-capped-chickadee/black-capped-carolina-chickadee/