02-23-15 Field Note

02-23-15 Field Note

February 23, 2015

Kate Stone's bird field note details the Great Backyard Bird Count, shrubby draw survey results, and nesting eagles.

Bird Field Note Kate Stone 02/20/15

We saw several signs of spring across the landscape. The Clubhouse Bald Eagle pair already sat near their nest. Raptor View Research Institute confirmed that the male has a leg band.

In the mid-elevation grasslands, clumps of bitterroots crowded towards the sun.

Several people have seen chipmunks. Gus caught this one sunning itself at the Clubhouse.

A moth struggled to stay active despite chilly morning temperatures.

We saw similar numbers of birds this month (258 vs. 255 in January), but species composition changed. American Tree Sparrow numbers dropped from 163 in January to just 35 in February. We did not detect any Gray Partridges, though they were our second most common species in January. Mourning Doves increased from just one in January to 46 in February.

We saw more sign of horses than birds in parts of the shrubby draws. Their congregation in the damp areas of Sheep Camp caused this mucky mess.

We hosted members of Bitterroot and Five Valleys Audubon Societies for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), an event sponsored by the National Audubon Society to provide a snapshot of winter bird occurrence throughout North America. Seventeen people counted 608 birds of 39 species (and at least three ticks).

A large flock of Common Redpolls beat out the Canada Goose as the top bird for the GBBC.

The redpoll flock moved from sagebrush to sagebrush, focusing on the seeds left in the standing flower heads. The redpoll flock moved from sagebrush to sagebrush, focusing on the seeds left in the standing flower heads.

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