2 ms·

Christmas Is Bird-Counting Season (2016)

61 points by adrian_mrd 6y ago

ogre_codes 6y ago
Can confirm this. Here in the wet part of Oregon we go through about 50 pounds of bird food every 2 weeks. We have a feeder outside every window and they frequently have 5-10 birds each. It's great to be sitting at the desk coding and being able to look out and see a handful of birds attacking the feeder. - 2-3 Flickers (I've seen at least a male and a female) - 3-4 Acorn Woodpeckers often we get 2 per feeder and the other birds keep their distance. - About 20 Stellar Jays. They stick around most of the year. - Dozens of Junkos, House Finches, Chickadees, Silkens, Starlings, and Red-Winged Blackbirds. It's pretty crazy watching these little tiny birds get all belligerent at the feeder.
- wussboy 6y ago
  When I really need to concentrate I’ll clamp on the noise canceling headphones and listen to bird song. Where I live there’s nothing but sparrows and crows and magpies most of the year, and almost nothing from October to April.
manaskarekar 6y ago
Off topic, but if this your thing, might I suggest checking out this relaxing movie - The Big Year. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810/
Exmoor 6y ago
Besides a tremendous statistical data Christmas Bird Counts gather each year, they also have a habit of discovering some truly unusual birds. One of my favorite examples occurred last week. A birder doing a bird count in South Carolina was in a location that only allows access for the bird count. He photographed a small sandpiper that appeared to be Little Stint, a species native to Eurasia and very rare in North America. It happened to have a metal band on its legs and close inspection of photographs were able to reveal a code that traced the bird back to Ottenby Bird Observatory off the east coast of Sweden, where it had been banded in September of this year. Sadly both of my CBCs were cancelled this year due to concerns about pandemic. There is also a spring/summer cousin to the CBC, the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). https://www.usgs.gov/centers/pwrc/science/north-american-breeding-bird-survey?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects https://www.usgs.gov/centers/pwrc/science/north-american-bre...
oxfeed65261 6y ago
Birds typically counted during the Christmas season include swans, geese, calling birds, French hens, turtle doves, and partridges (traditionally only counted when in pear trees).

61 points by adrian_mrd 6y ago

Can confirm this. Here in the wet part of Oregon we go through about 50 pounds of bird food every 2 weeks. We have a feeder outside every window and they frequently have 5-10 birds each. It's great to be sitting at the desk coding and being able to look out and see a handful of birds attacking the feeder. - 2-3 Flickers (I've seen at least a male and a female) - 3-4 Acorn Woodpeckers often we get 2 per feeder and the other birds keep their distance. - About 20 Stellar Jays. They stick around most of the year. - Dozens of Junkos, House Finches, Chickadees, Silkens, Starlings, and Red-Winged Blackbirds. It's pretty crazy watching these little tiny birds get all belligerent at the feeder.

wussboy 6y ago
When I really need to concentrate I’ll clamp on the noise canceling headphones and listen to bird song. Where I live there’s nothing but sparrows and crows and magpies most of the year, and almost nothing from October to April.

manaskarekar 6y ago

Off topic, but if this your thing, might I suggest checking out this relaxing movie - The Big Year. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810/

Exmoor 6y ago

Besides a tremendous statistical data Christmas Bird Counts gather each year, they also have a habit of discovering some truly unusual birds. One of my favorite examples occurred last week. A birder doing a bird count in South Carolina was in a location that only allows access for the bird count. He photographed a small sandpiper that appeared to be Little Stint, a species native to Eurasia and very rare in North America. It happened to have a metal band on its legs and close inspection of photographs were able to reveal a code that traced the bird back to Ottenby Bird Observatory off the east coast of Sweden, where it had been banded in September of this year. Sadly both of my CBCs were cancelled this year due to concerns about pandemic. There is also a spring/summer cousin to the CBC, the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). https://www.usgs.gov/centers/pwrc/science/north-american-breeding-bird-survey?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects https://www.usgs.gov/centers/pwrc/science/north-american-bre...

oxfeed65261 6y ago

Birds typically counted during the Christmas season include swans, geese, calling birds, French hens, turtle doves, and partridges (traditionally only counted when in pear trees).