From Sunup to Sundown, Always Birding

Waking up Sunday, brought a sigh of relief, as I stared out my window at a beautiful sunrise. I was grateful that the day would be sunny, rather then what it was like Friday, all icy and cloudy, and RAINY!!

Looking out the living room window, I discovered I live in Nepal, at the base of Mt. Everest! Fascinating!! Excuse me a minute, while I go look at some Guldenstadt's Redstarts, and Siberian Accentors!

Mt. Everest, I wish!
Walking by the spooky fog in the forest along my driveway, I headed for my local/secret patch, or called my neighbors yard. I was hoping to find some more birds, then I did Friday. Arriving, I ran into a flock of Pine Grosbeaks! That is cool no matter how often you see them! Luckily I saw the only sparrow in the whole area, a Song Sparrow. I managed to get a few semi-good shots as I chased it around and around the old garage.


This House Sparrow, though not a sparrow at all, but a weaver finch, was cooperative in letting me take a few shots of him.

After the fun I had at my neighbors, my granddad and I went into town to photograph, you guessed it, Pine Grosbeaks, and Waxwings. Our first stop help nothing but multiple American Robins. They seem to be increasing in numbers, as a few filter in from the south. This flock had about 15 birds, but the flock I saw Thursday, at the same spot, held more then 40 birds!

Just a short walk from the robins, was a little flock of Pine Grosbeaks, and like always, they offered some great photo opts.

This bird (above) looks like a first year male, in advanced molt, because it is the right color, but just on its head, and not breast.


On to the next location. Here, we found more Pine Grosbeaks, but none offered great photo opts, so I resorted to chasing White-winged Crossbills (the first seen of the day) into peoples yards. White-winged Crossbills have been decreasing in numbers, as our invasion wears off, so I felt honored and lucky to see and photograph an adult male.

This poor Sharp-shinned Hawk was right in the other side of the street from the Crossbills, and sadly enough was killed that morning, only a few hours earlier. It appears to have been shot, or hit by a car, and the hole in its side was made by magpies and not a projectile, or car. I assume it was killed by some kids or old person, who felt they must protect the flocks of waxwings that were feeding nearby. Vigilante justice isn't always the best.

We ran acrossed a small flock of waxwings, and in fact that was the bulk of the waxwings we saw! The rest 1,000+ must have moved on to greener pastures.



After the wonder through Columbia Falls, we headed over to the site where the road service dumps roadkills, mainly deer and elk. At this secret place, there are maybe 50 crows and ravens, and 7-10 Bald Eagles. It is a suckish place to photograph the birds, because they are so skiddish, so you spook them all, and hope one flies right by you in the sun. I capture this picture of a Common Raven as it flaired and went the other way.

This picture is looking down my driveway

I decided to do a little Bigbying after I got back from birding in town. I grabbed my bike and rode down to the old bridge that is now decommissioned, that crossed the Flathead River. Down by the bank, I found a great little spot for birds, to bad it has no winter birds, but it looks AMAZING for spring migration and breeders! I trompted around down by the river, until I realized that I might of been on private property! It is some beautiful country down by the river.

Leaving, after seening like NO birds, I headed home, and on my way out, along the little dead end road, I ran into a couple Black-capped Chickadees which gave semi-open photo opts. Just beyond that, someone planted bunch if apple trees, and eating those apples, was many Cedar Waxwings and a few American Robins. It looked like a good yard to be search in for Varied Thrush in a month or sooner.

I got home, and found this beauty in my Grandpa's ash tree. A single Townsend's Solitare. The first time I had the chance to photograph one. Then, a dozen Pine Grosbeaks flew in and started chowing down on my grandparents apples. I had to snap a few shots, and post then to prove it. It was getting dark, so the record shot had to be lightened a bit.

Have fun birding!!

A very Pine Grosbeak day!

My sister ( I took this WHILE riding my bike!!)

Today, my sister and I want to do some biking, and for me, that means Bigby birds! We biked south, along Middle Rd, and saw one Black-billed Magpie, and a Rough-legged Hawk. The hawk was new for my list, at #22. It was almost a horrible day for biking with the clouds and stong headwind, untill we spotted some gray birds in a Crab Apple Tree (right?). At first glance, which was still at a considerable distance, I called the birds Bohemian Waxwings, be upone riding closer (slowly) I saw one with rosy-red, not orangy-rust. PINE GROSBEAKS!!!! I yelled it in my head, fearing the birds would fly. My heart was pounding intensly, and was trying with all my might to stay calm and quiet, fearing the birds would fly. I first saw a few females, then notice the male, which lead be to Grosbeak, not Waxwing on the ID. The female sat atop a branch and posed, but was outdone by the showy male. It was as if he knew he was gorgeous and was showing off is plumage for the camera, will hiding it under the tast of feasting on the plentiful fruits. This was by far the best views I have ever had of Pine Grosbeaks; they were just 7 feet away!!

After that showstopper, the next two new Bigby birds were the aniclimax of the day, but still great! I saw and heard a couple CEDAR Waxwings in the flock of Bohemians we later saw (yes, saw....not grosbeaks!). Near home, we flushed a few Ring-necked Pheasants, and that was Bigby bird #24.

My First Real Try at "Bigby"ing!

For all of you who don't know what "Bigby" means, don't worry, I didn't learn about it until late in the year of 2008, which wasn't long ago. Bigby actually in an acronym, BGBY, for Big Green Big Year. That means that it is a green year of birding. In other words, the only birds you can count on your Bigby list are the ones you see walking, if cycling, or dog sledding, or horseback riding, or whatever, as long as NO FOSSIL FEULS were burned when seeing the birds. So, you can bike a mile from your principal place of work, or your home, and the birds seen, you can put towards your Bigby list. Also, the birds seen at your home count on yout list.

So this year I decided to keep a Bigby list, and today was the only day the weather allowed for some biking. I didn't bike far seeing the best spots were either fairly close, or really far away. I dug out my bike from at least 2 feet of snow(I should have put it in the garage), and made a test run down our quarter mile driveway. It passed, though in some spots the snow wasn't fully packed and I did fishtail a bit, but never fell. So, this morning I actually added 3 Bigby birds without even getting on the bike. I heard a Common Raven, and Dark-eyed Junco, and saw a White-breasted Nuthatch on my feeders. That brings me up to 10 bigby birds for the year, but the day wasn't over. After waiting for the glorious sun to stike my targeted spot, I hopped on the bike, and pedaled furiously through the loose snow of the driveway. On my way out, I saw a fairly decent sized flock of Bohemian Waxwings, and heard a couple Red Crossbills. Once out of the driveway, I was free of loose snow, and on to hard packed, slick snow of the road. Much quiter, but a bit more dangerous then the driveway. I stopped a couple times for photos of the beautiful views of the surrounding area.

On the other side of the road as the picture below

If you look down the line of reflections from the sun, that angle slightly right of center, where it crosses the trees, that is where my house is.

The "spot" was a couple of Aspen trees next to a very full Mountain Ash tree, down a little, quite drive, off the main road. This tree in the past month or two has had a nice assortment of winter berry-eaters, inlcuding both waxwings, and Pine Grosbeaks. Today was a different story, there was NO birds to be seen at the ash tree. Dissapointed, I pressed on down the quite road, which made a quick loop back to where it originally took off from the main road. On this loop, it wasn't so quite. EVERY house had a man, or man and machine plowing/shoveling snow. I stopped several times to listen for maybe a flock of White-winged Crossbills or the like. I heard nothing, but I was surprised to see a single Song Sparrow siting in a tree in someones front yard. That was Bigby bird number 13. With lightened spirits, I pedaled onward, hoping for another new addition. I got it later, as I finished the loop and was one to the main road. I stopped, like I always do, to listen for fly over birds. I heard an American Goldfinch make a pass, and it finally clicked. That was a COMPLETELY new year bird!! Number 54, not to mention Bigby #14. Fully happy, I rode just a short hundred yards when I encountered a new Bigby bird, a Mourning Dove, hurtling at me, zipping into the trees. It has turned out to be a good day, I told myself, even though I got no pictures of birds, I did get some new birds.

Almost to home, I stopped, again, to listen. This time I hear a flyby Evening Grosbeak in the same spot I have heard and seen them in the past. WOW!! Another Year bird, #55, and Bigby #16.

After resting up at home, and warming up my legs, I walked up the driveway an hour and a half before dark. I was suprised by some European Starlings, Bigby #17, and a couple Pine Grosbeaks, Year bird #56, and Bigby #18. Wow! 3 year birds today!! I was just thinking I was going to add a couple Bigby birds, but this was great!! Just a few moments after the starlings, and grosbeaks, I saw a bird fly up into the neighboors cottonwood tree. It was a juvenile Northern Shrike!! Great!! Another year/bigby bird!! #57, and #19. That was the end to a great day of local bigby birding!!

My dog, Blackie, playing in all the fresh powder! I love it when she gets covered in snow!

Looking forward to CBCing tomorrow!!