[obol] Yard Bird Count

[Dave Haupt]

Like Kevin Spencer, I live in Klamath Falls.  My yard has mature landscaping compared to neighbors and is on the edge of a hillside open field.  My yard attracts many migrants, particularly in spring.  In the almost 7 years there my yard list is at 125, with soome rarities like Red-eyed Vireo, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Williamson's and Red-naped Sapsuckers, Green Heron, any other delights.  For counting, I use my yard as a position from which to detect birds that are physically within the bounds of my yard, birds heard or seen from my yard, even if flying high overhead.  I've even scoped birds from my roof on a lake nearly 1.5 miles distant.  My only criteria for counting is that I have to be in my yard to coount a bird.  If I'm across the street, and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker begins foraging in one of my trees, I need to haul buns back to my yard to count it.  Otherwise, I just write it into my county or life list.

Dave Haupt

>>> Kevin Spencer <rriparia at charter.net> 11/01/07 9:29 PM >>>
Hi,

I used to live in Tulelake, CA. There, my yard list was near 114. I counted birds that flew over. It was an interesting yard with Ovenbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Common Grackle, N. Mockingbird, Peregrine Falcon, Lewis's Woodpecker, and White-throated Sparrow among the fun stuff that showed up. A non-MacGillivray's Oporonis warbler showed up one time, but I wasn't able to narrow it down to species.

Here in Klamath Falls, the yard list is about 61. I heard a Common Poorwill while in bed one fall evening. A Costa's Hummingbird made a visit to the feeder. Hopefully something like a White-throated Swift come by. Or maybe a calling Chestnut-collared Longspur or Red-throated Pipit, or maybe a Hooded Oriole will come by the hummingbird feeder........... Stuff to dream about. Good excuses to work in the yard more often.

Kevin Spencer
rriparia at charter.net 


---- Lisa Ladd-Wilson <ladwil at comcast.net> wrote: 
> Howdy:
> I would be very interested in other people's Yard Counts!
> 
> My count of 30 includes only birds that have landed in my yard. I  
> don't count birds flying overhead, but I would count a bird that  
> perched on a telephone line or tree within my yard's boundaries.  
> Crows, for instance, don't come down from the wires very often, but I  
> count 'em if they are reasonably in my space, as it were.
> 
> I have counted non-native birds; i.e., the monk parrots and the  
> budgie. Birds is birds, and my ID skills for sparrows are crummy  
> enough that I feel justified in counting the budgie. A handicap!
> 
> I would love to hear what others come up with, especially those in  
> residential, urban areas. It'd be interesting to compare what those  
> of us in urban areas can attract into our yards vs. people in more  
> rural spots.
> 
> Anyone else intrigued by the idea?
> 
> Lisa Ladd-Wilson
> NE Portland
> 
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