Rare bird! Ross's Goose

We saw a rare bird this morning!!  We drove to the Dobbins Farm Ponds . . . didn't see anything.  At the Fork Bridge we saw a great blue heron huddled against the wind.  We got breakfast, then decided to check out the new Green Pond boat landing.  Afterward I suggested - let's go see what's at the old landing.  There was a flock of about 15 Canada geese - with a little white goose walking, and then swimming, in the middle of the group.  At first we thought, just a common farm goose.  Then snow goose.  But the more we watched it, the more we realized it was much smaller than a snow goose and did not act like a tame goose at all.  We studied it carefully, and realized it had none of the black of a snow goose on its bill, but it did have the gray at the back of the bill, like a Ross's Goose.  They are not common around here at all - in fact, you won't even find them on the range maps.  We both determined that that is what it was!!  I turned it in to eBird and to the Carolina Bird Club, and got agreeable confirmation on both.  Very exciting for us!

Siskins are here!!

Yesterday as I drove in from school, I thought - "That looks kinda like a siskin on the feeder."  I came in carefully and looked through the binoculars - and got a beautiful view of that blinding yellow on the wing.  It was so nice to see a real siskin, and not just a female house finch.

By today, they are beginning to come with a vengeance, and take over the feeders as only siskins can.

Turkeys In Our Yard

January 4, 2015, as Mike, Dad, Mom, and I are eating Sunday dinner about 1:00.

2014-15 Birds

This list will be edited as (hopefully) more appear.

1. House finch
2. Goldfinch
3. Tufted titmouse
4. Carolina chickadee
5. Carolina wren
6. Mourning dove
7. Northern junco
8. Pine warbler
9. Red-bellied woodpecker
10. Downy woodpecker
11. Hermit thrush
12. Brown-headed nuthatch
13. White-breasted nuthatch
14. Northern cardinal
15. Ruby-crowned kinglet
16. Pine siskin
17. Chipping sparrow
18. Rufous-sided towhee
19. Yellow-rumped warbler
20. Cooper's Hawk (not eating, but at the feeders)
21. Red-Winged Blackbird
22. Blue Jay
23. White-Crowned Sparrow
24. Rose-breasted grosbeak
25. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (did not stay long when it became obvious it was at a seed, not a sugar water, feeder)
26. Mockingbird (perched on wire)
27. Cowbird (I really, really don't want to put that one on here but guess I've got to, to be honest.)

White-Breasted Nuthatch

I was working at the kitchen sink this afternoon, glanced out the window at the feeders--and got a quick glance at a white-breasted nuthatch!   A first at our feeders at this house, the first one I 've seen since being in Missouri in about 2003, and the first at any feeder since Mountain Creek Road in the late '80s. It returned about twenty minutes later and I got a much better look.  A real treat on a dreary December day!

We've already seen a brown-headed nuthatch this winter, about three times, so--if we could just get a red-breasted, it would complete the trio.  Never had that happen before.

Feeder Update

Had a brown-headed nuthatch and a ruby-crowned kinglet last weekend.

The weather was unseasonably warm yesterday; I have noticed that the level of seed in the feeders is directly proportional to the temperature.  When it's warmer, the level stays higher.  There are more bugs out to eat.

I am determined to try to see if we have any hairy woodpeckers this year.  I've always assumed that all the woodpeckers (but the red-bellied) are downy; however, there may be an occasional hairy also.

I am also determined to see if we have any purple, not just house, finches.  There is supposed to be an invasion this year.  We may also get siskins again this winter.

Finch Identification

Someone posted this on Carolina Birds on Facebook.  He photoshopped it to put all these types of finches on it.  I'm sorry I do not know whom to give proper credit to.

Supposedly we may get siskins and purple finches this year.  I haven't seen a purple finch in twenty years - it would be a joy to have some at our feeder.

Roger Tory Peterson always said that a purple finch (lower left in picture) looks like it is dipped in raspberry juice.  That's a perfect description of that little bird.  The house finch is more red/orange, and its red is restricted to face/front and rump.  The color is more distributed on the purple finch.

I do not think I would be able to distinguish the difference in the female purple and female house finches.

I would love to get siskins and purple finches this year.