Great Backyard Bird Count – Day 4

Pine Siskins and Lesser Goldfinches at the Thistle Feeder photo by Larry Jordan

The last day of the Great Backyard Bird Count was a great day for me.  Not because of the Pine Siskins and Lesser Goldfinches, but for the new birds I had on this days count.

I watched the birds in the backyard for about an hour in the morning, from 8:30 until around 9:30.  Most of the usual suspects were present, including my new visitor, the Nuttall’s Woodpecker.  The exciting part came later in the afternoon.

I was out doing chores most of the day when I heard them, around 0ne o’clock.  That distinctive primordial sound flying overhead.  The Sandhill Cranes were heading north.  In and of itself, this is not unusual for sightings from my yard.  I happen (luckily) to be directly in their migration flight path and they fly over every year.

I ran to the house to get my binoculars to get a better look but the small group flying over had already passed by.  I went to the back of the house, hoping to see another group trailing the first but nothing.  This is where the story gets exciting for me, as if Sandhill Cranes flying directly over my house is not exciting enough.  A brownish-gray bird flew right in front of me, seemingly from out of nowhere.

As it caught my eye, I thought it was a Mourning Dove, but this bird was not only flying fast, it was flying in a straight line.  I followed it with my naked eye to a small oak tree at the edge of the yard.  I got my bins on it.  It was a Sharp-shinned Hawk!  The squared-off striped tail differentiated it from a Cooper’s Hawk.  I soaked it all in as it sat perched on the branch, flipping its tail back and forth.

The light colored head with an almost white eyebrow, the rusty brown streaks running down its breast and the yellow eye gave away its age.  It was a juvenile.  It flew behind a manzanita, out of my view, but I kept my eye on that manzanita.  Less than a minute later this gorgeous accipiter flew back in front of the bush and turned upwards showing me its underside as  it flew high into the sky.

I watched with anticipation, hoping that it would head back in my direction.  It looked like it might briefly, but after a few shallow wing beats and a quick turn, it took a straight line of flight down and away and it was gone.  Reminiscent of the flight of a Merlin.  That was sweet!

Unfortunately, my camera was in the house.  Oh well, next time.  I am just happy to add a Sharpie to my yard list!

In the meantime, I don’t have to wonder why I’m going through so much sunflower seed.

This very clever squirrel seems to be able to eat out of almost any one of my feeders it chooses, so when I filled up the tray feeder, it didn’t surprise me to see him think it was his personal lunch counter.

I shot the video of this Western Gray Squirrel this morning as I was counting the birds at all the other feeders.

You must admit, he’s pretty cute!

Here’s my list for the last day of the Great Backyard Bird Count:

1. American Robin 32
2. Western Scrub-jay 5
3. Lesser Goldfinch 68
4. Golden-crowned Sparrow 3
5. Dark-eyed Junco 62
6. Northern Flicker 1
7. White-breasted Nuthatch 2
8. Acorn Woodpecker 1
9. Pine Siskin 9
10. Mourning Dove 3
11. Nuttall’s Woodpecker 1
12. House Finch 10
13. Oak Titmouse 2
14. Sandhill Crane 11
15. Sharp-shinned Hawk 1