2007 Great Backyard Bird Count Results for the Colvin Run Habitat

Here is a re-cap of the results from the 2007 Great Backyard Bird Count here at the Colvin Run Habitat. Let’s begin with a few antidotes:

>In each of the three 15-minute counts, at least one hawk was present; in two of the counts, two hawks were present.

>A pair of never before observed yellow-bellied sapsuckers was observed.

>A pileated woodpecker was observed from his call.

>A well-formed V of Canadian geese fly over during one of the 15-minute periods.

>The Habitat experienced a snow shower during the third period that left nearly an inch of additional snow on the ground.

>Bird totals for the three 15-minute periods were 103, 64, and 99, respectively.

>Nine white-tailed deer wondered through during the first day; they were not included in the submitted count.

The conditions were:

>Weather: excellent

>Snow Depth: 2 - 4 in (5.1 - 10.2 cm)

>Habitat(s): deciduous woods, grassland, suburban

Here are the links to the Colvin Run Habitat blog posts discussing the 2007 Great Backyard Bird Count:

>Cooper's Hawk, Red-Tailed, and Red-Shouldered Hawk All Appear for the Count

>Cooper’s Hawk and Red-Shouldered Hawk Arrive to be Counted Again

>2007 Great Backyard Bird Count Continues at the Colvin Run Habitat

>Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Arrives for First Time

>Showing Up to be Counted

>Great Backyard Bird Count

>Nine White-Tailed Deer Show for the Count

Below are the three 15-minute counts submitted to the 2007 Great Backyard Bird Count from the Colvin Run Habitat:

Species	Feb 17, 2007 9:00 AM	Feb 17, 2007 11:30 AM	Feb 18, 2007 5:45 PM
American Crow	6
American Goldfinch	2
Blue Jay	1	1
Canada Goose			15
Carolina Chickadee	6	3	7
Carolina Wren	10	4	4
Cooper's Hawk	1		1
Dark-eyed Junco	15	6	5
Downy Woodpecker	2	2	6
Eastern Starling	12	4
Eastern Towhee	2	1
House Finch	6	4
Morning Dove		2
Northern Cardinal		7	47
Northern Mockingbird		1
Pileated Woodpecker	1
Red-bellied Woodpecker			1
Red-shouldered Hawk		1	1
Red-tailed Hawk		1
Tufted Titmouse	12	8	8
White-breasted Nuthatch	1	1
White-throated Sparrow	24	18	4
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	2
White-tailed Deer		9

Cooper's Hawk, Red-Tailed, and Red-Shouldered Hawk All Appear for the Count

The 2007 Great Backyard Bird Count concluded its second day at the Colvin Run Habitat. In a truly amazing display, over these two days we have seen the Cooper's Hawk, Red-Tailed, and Red-Shouldered Hawk. I filed four sets of observations with Audubon Society; here is the raptor report:
Saturday, 9:00 AM - Cooper's Hawk perches in tree
Saturday, 11:30 AM - Red-Shouldered Hawk perches in tree, Red-Tailed Hawk flies high over head
Sunday, 8:00 AM - Cooper's Hawk flies through below tree-top level and Red-Shouldered Hawk perches in tree
Sunday, 2:00 PM - Cooper's Hawk flies through and perches in oak tree 25 feet from feeders
Sunday, 5:45 PM - Cooper's Hawk perches in tree, Red-Shouldered Hawk perches in another tree
Here are some photos from the Sunday 5:45 PM. We were in the middle of a snow shower, when the Cooper's hawk perched 10 feet up in a Bradford pear tree 30 feet from the feeders. This Cooper's hawk was relatively small, and I am guessing a male. The first photo shows the Coop in the burst of snow.
After a few minutes, a red-shouldered hawk perched in the maple trees, which are about 40 feet behind where the Cooper's hawk is perched. Click on the second photo to get a larger view, then notice the red-shouldered hawk in the upper left hand corner and the Cooper's hawk in the lower right hand corner. The red-shouldered hawk was nearly twice the size of the Cooper's hawk. The red-shouldered hawk stayed less than five minutes. Pardon the quality of the red-shouldered hawk photo (thrid photo) as it was taken in the snow through two lines of tree branches.
On the other hand, the Cooper's hawk stayed nearly 30 minutes, which caused a traffic jam of cardinals afraid to go to the feeders. The second photo shows part of the cardinal gridlock. I estimated nearly 4 dozen cardinals in my count.
Finally, the snow ended and the Cooper's hawk left.

Cooper’s Hawk and Red-Shouldered Hawk Arrive to be Counted Again

The Colvin Run Habitat is participating in the 2007 Great Backyard Bird Count, and we hope that you are as well. This morning’s 15 minute period of counting was exceptionally exciting. I counted birds while shaving and looking out the upstairs bathroom window. It was early, so the Habitat residents had the feeders to themselves (that is, it was too early for the starlings).

The two dozen plus mix of downy woodpeckers, titmice, cardinals, wrens, and sparrows quickly flew to shelter – a sure sign that there is a hawk in the Habitat. And sure enough, within 2 seconds, a Cooper’s hawk flew from over the house and through the Habitat about 15 feet off the ground. He flew slow enough that I am not sure he was hunting or just passing through. He continued down into the meadow and found a tree to perch in.
Fifteen minutes later (literally the end of the counting period), I did a quick count and look around only to find this red-shouldered hawk perched in the side oak about 25 feet off the ground. Within a few seconds he was gone. A red-shouldered hawk was included in yesterday’s second count period as well.
I began the afternoon bird count when this Cooper's hawk paid a visit.
Of course, when this guy shows up, flies within a few feet of the feeders, and perches 5 feet of the ground and 25 feet from the feeders, he is the only bird to be counted.
He only stayed a minute, and within minutes there were tens of birds back at the Habitat feeders.

2007 Great Backyard Bird Count Continues at the Colvin Run Habitat

Here are a few more photos from yesterday’s Colvin Run Habitat participation in the 2007 Great Backyard Bird Count. We start with the Habitat’s signature northern cardinal.
You have to love the blue jay’s colors in the still snow-covered ground. The same maple trees that attracted the yellow-bellied sapsucker yesterday also encouraged this Carolina chickadee to grab a hold of the maple tree trunk. Is there sap running? Could be. Anyway, I have never before observed the chickadee on the trunk like a woodpecker.
And we close with this crow doing what he does best – making lots of noise.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Arrives for First Time

As if not be left out of the 2007 Great Backyard Bird Count, a male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was observed in the Colvin Run Habitat for the very first time.

Showing Up to be Counted

It seems that all of the birds in the Colvin Run Habitat bird are showing up for the Audubon Society's 2007 Great Backyard Bird Count. Here are a few of the early morning visitors. The eastern towhee showed again this morning...
and the tufted titmouse is always present...
...as is the white-throated sparrow...
...and, of course, the Cooper's Hawk.
With the temperature in the 20's (F) this morning, all but the titmouse had their feathers fluffed.