After a busy summer of breeding blackbirds, and a flush of ducks and geese earlier in the month of September, things have quieted down at the bog. I was thinking and hoping that I would see more warblers coming through on migration, but so far this has not been the case. It has been a year now since I first started counting birds at the bog. I have done my best to count birds there at least once a week and report my finding to eBird. For the most part I have been able to do this, but with all the travelling I have done and the family activities there have been a few times I have missed a week or two.
In my years since first starting to eBird I have come to see the value of consistently counting birds at one location, for it gives the scientists and myself a view of the bird population over time. To count birds at one location every day is not hard and does not require a lot of time. In Just five minutes you can count birds and submit that data to eBird. That is all it takes. I count birds in my yard every day, often taking my coffee or tea out onto the porch and enjoying it while I watch birds. The amount of time I spend at the bog is often dictated by how many birds I am seeing. If it is relatively quiet, I do not stay long, but if there are a lot of birds I get so excited and absorbed in watching them all that I often stay for 40 minutes or more. But this is a peaceful and renewing time for me, and I enjoy it. I first counted birds at the bog on September 30, 2010. Since that time I have seen a total of 64 species at the Stirling Street Bog in Andover, Massachusetts. You can see the complete list is in the sidebar.
We have had at least two weeks of gray sky and gloomy, muggy days, and while it has cooled off today, until recently it was warm and muggy. While there is a hint of autumn in the air, the leaves are really just starting to turn where I live and have yet to reach their peak blaze of color.
Here is the list of species seen at the bog during the month of September 2011:
- Canada Goose
- Wood duck
- Mallard
- Great Blue heron
- Merlin
- Gull species
- Mourning dove
- Belted Kingfisher
- Red-bellied woodpecker
- Downy woodpecker
- Hairy woodpecker
- Northern flicker
- Eastern Phoebe
- Eastern Kingbird
- Blue Jay
- American Crow
- Black-capped chickadee
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Eastern bluebird
- American Robin
- Gray Catbird
- Cedar Waxwing
- warbler species
- Song Sparrow
- Northern Cardinal
- American goldfinch
- House sparrow
Please click on the link to take a tour of our amazing world!
To read more about the bog, just click on the links:
- My New Heaven (my first post about the bog)
- Bog (all posts with this label)
You are a great eBirder. Don't you just hate those gray columns on eBird bar charts for your locations showing that you missed a week?!
ReplyDeleteYes! I just did my first report for one of my Locations in order to write this post. Believe it or not, I have never done that before, just looked at location Life or Year Lists. I will have to do it more often (if I have time)!
ReplyDeleteYou have so many species, Kathie! I'm amazed. I would be watching for a very long time on my deck to just get two! That bluebird against the very blue sky is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteBarb, thanks. I think there were 3 of them there that day. I see them at the bog off and on throughout the year. I was even surprised to see one in January!
ReplyDeleteWow - what a fabulous list of sightings. That first shot is adorable.
ReplyDeleteThanks ladyfi!
ReplyDeleteWonderful shots and good to see the birds that you have in your world. I have many of the same here too.
ReplyDeleteVery good idea! Quite a variety of birds you have seen.
ReplyDeletelovely birds all over here. very well captured :)
ReplyDeleteHow nice to watch the bog change over the seasons.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'll think about counting birds in my winter yard and reporting them.
You are an inspiration.
Hi Kathie
ReplyDeleteYou have seen lots of birds and also created a valuable record. The Bluebird shot is quite nice.
Regards
Guy
Kathie, it is nice to bird the same spot. You have a great list of birds seen at the bog. Love the bluebird shot. Have a great day and happy birding.
ReplyDeleteThere's at least 3 birds on your list that I've seen downunder here in OZ! Who would have thought??!!
ReplyDeletewow!!! so many different birds!! ((i'm so far behind with my reading...but i'll be back to check out the older BOG posts!! :)
ReplyDeleteI am amazed with your photos and the the number of species seen at the bog! You have the excellent eye for birding. And I feel your deep love towards tiny creatures. The lovely bird in the blue sky; combination of the colors is just stunning!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
keiko