Help Scientists by Collecting Data with the Great Backyard Bird Count

The Great Backyard Bird Count ‘24

For four days each February, birdwatchers of every skill level can participate in a global event for the love and wellbeing of birds. On at least one of the four days, participants will spend 15 minutes or more identifying birds in a location of their choice. The birds identified will be submitted to an online database, alongside data from hundreds of thousands of other birders all around the world. 

This is a way for anyone with an interest in birds and wildlife to engage with the world around them and learn new things while contributing to a larger collective with the ability to make a positive global impact. 

How to Participate

If being a part of this project sounds like a fun way to get outside this February–great! It’s easy:

1. Where/Who/When

This year's bird count runs from Friday, February 16, through Monday, February 19. Pick what spot you’d like to bird, and who you’d like to go with. Local parks, trails, forests, around the neighborhood, and yes, even your own backyard, are all lovely options. You can bird anywhere, as long as you can legally and safely access the property, of course. 

2. Watch/Listen/Identify

For at least 15 minutes, at least one time over the course of that Friday-Monday, get out there and observe! Sight and sound are the most helpful cues for bird identification. Helpful tools for bird ID include binoculars, field guides, Merlin Bird ID, and a more experienced birder friend. Be sure to keep careful track of each bird species you see, so that data can be collected!

3. Enter Data

The most crucial step - adding to the international database - can be done in any of three ways:

• Enter data through the Merlin Bird ID App

• Enter data through a checklist on the eBird App

• Enter data on eBird through a compute

If you’re already familiar with eBird and/or Merlin, that’s good news, birder! Any lists added to either over the days of the Great Backyard Bird Count will automatically be a part of the count. So, keep up the good work, and make a point to get outside and do some birding the weekend of the count. 

Project Goals

With everyone’s help, we can better understand bird populations. Data on species diversity, population numbers, and location can help ornithologists and land managers to make informed decisions on how to best protect birds and the environment as a whole. 

Project History 

The Great Backyard Bird Count is a partnership between CornellLab, Audubon, and Birds Canada. Originally founded in 1998 by CornellLab and Audubon, the Great Backyard Bird Count is the first ever community science project launched online, with the purpose of collecting data on wild birds and publicly displaying results. Birds Canada became a part of the collaboration in 2009 to expand the scope of the project in Canada (it was limited to the US when created). In 2013, the Great Backyard Bird Count joined with eBird, the world’s largest ongoing biodiversity related community science project, and became global. 

Resources 

Visit the Great Backyard Bird Count website to learn more about the project, see photos and data from past years, and for anything else Great Backyard Bird Count related!  

Visit eBird to expand your bird knowledge and download a list of target potential species for your area, that you can familiarize yourself with ahead of time.

Data from past counts

We are all in this together.

Migratory birds are a lovely reminder that, across oceans and borders, our planet is one whole. The Great Backyard Bird Count is a testament to our force as a collective. It reassures us with proof that individuals who care to engage and participate in the world around them can come together to make a positive global difference. It reminds us to go outside and be in our world. It encourages us to notice and care for the others we share our planet with. And last but not at all least, it gives us that little extra push to go delight in watching a fluffy little bird hopping around. So get out there and look at some birds! 

BRDC takes on Burkes Garden!

Red-headed Woodpecker

This past Saturday, BRDC staff and friends set off on an expedition to see the superb bird species of Burke’s Garden in Tazewell, VA. Burke's Garden is a rare valley bowl with a floor that rests at 3,000' while the encircling ridge rises to around 4,000'. It is located in Tazewell County, VA, where the Appalachian Trail skirts its southern rim. The 8.5 mile long and 4-mile wide valley is often referred to as "God's Thumbprint" for its distinctive shape.

Eastern Screech Owl

American Kestrel

Golden Eagle

Belted Kingfisher

The bowl is a beautiful pastoral landscape during the summer but in the winter it is equally impressive. During February it plays host to the rare wintering birds from the far north including the Golden Eagle and Rough-legged Hawk. Once in the valley, we slowly worked our way around the bowl in a large loop by vehicle, searching for birds along the way. During this expedition, we were able to see 35 different bird species. Species observed were: Eastern Meadowlark, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, Common Raven, American Crow, Blue Jay, Eastern Phoebe, American Kestrel, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Belted Kingfisher, Eastern Screech-Owl, Rough-legged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Golden Eagle, Black Vulture, Great Blue Heron, Wilson’s Snipe, Mourning Dove, Rock Pigeon, American Black Duck, and Mallard. Seeing the Golden Eagles, the Red-headed Woodpecker, and the vast amount of Red-tailed hawks, 36, truly made this years trip special. This is one of our annual trips, so if you are interested in seeing any of these magnificent birds, we will continue to host this amazing expedition for the years to come.

Wilson’s Snipe

Goatsuckers

Nighthawks and nightjars of the family Caprimulgidae were once erroneously referred to as “goatsuckers” because they flew into barns at night to suckle on goats. Inappropriately named, nighthawks are not as nocturnal as once thought, nor are they related to hawks. They are active at dawn and dusk usually seen swooping and twisting high over fields, rivers, and towns in search of insects.

During the day, they roost on the ground or perch lengthwise on a branch. Cryptic colors aid them in blending in with their surroundings. In flight, they are easily identified by their erratic “bat-like” pattern. A white wing bar and white chin are other distinguishing features. Usually solitary, they form large, loose groups when feeding or migrating.

The birds begin their southward journey in late August and early September to South America where they will spend the winter in the Amazon rainforest and tropical savannas of Brazil. During fall migration, birds travel southeast through Florida, cross the Gulf of Mexico, stop in Cuba, and enter South America through either Ecuador, Colombia, or Venezuela, and then east to Brazil. This fall pattern sends them over the Blue Ridge where we can see large numbers this time of year. Come spring, they migrate back to their nesting grounds to nearly the exact location of the previous year. They return northwest through Brazil, across the Gulf of Mexico, stopping in Cuba, continuing northwest through the United States. This loop style migration keeps us from seeing them on their return flight.

Limited breeding bird survey data suggests a substantial decline in numbers of this species. It has been listed as threatened in Canada -- a decline of about 50% has been noted there over the past 3 generations. The 2014 State of the Birds Report lists common nighthawk as a “common bird in steep decline”. Across North America, threats include reduction in mosquitoes and other aerial insects due to pesticides, and habitat loss including open woods in rural areas and flat gravel rooftops in urban ones. Nighthawks are also vulnerable to being hit by cars as they forage over roads or roost on roadways at night. Creating nesting habitat by placing gravel pads in the corners of rubberized roofs and by burning and clearing patches of forest to create open nesting sites has been shown to have some success.

So, from the last week of August through the first week of September, enjoy the lovely pre-fall evenings outside looking up. How many common nighthawks do you see?

Photo credit: Steven Hopp

Cited Sources:
Brigham, R. M., J. Ng, R. G. Poulin, and S. D. Grindal (2011). Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor), version 2.0. In The Birds of North America (A. F. Poole, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bna.213

Cornell University. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/lifehistory

Canadian Journal of Zoology. https://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/10.1139/cjz-2017-0098#.XXFui5NKjK0

A Week of Discovery

Geology, birds, butterflies, cartography, stream ecology, primitive pottery interspersed with arts, crafts and hands-on activities filled our week. Thirteen kids joined BRDC at Matthews State Forest Pavilion for Discovery Day Camp. 

On Monday, we learned about types of rocks and the rock cycle, minerals and crystals. Using play-dogh and sugar, the kids created examples of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks and crystals from sugar. Later in the day, they examined a local map and then created a treasure map and found the hidden treasure from their maps.

The interns from Matthews State Forest took the kids on a hike around the property on Tuesday finding leaves to create a "Book of Trees". They put their hands into the Mystery Box and tried to identify the objects found inside. We later found seeds, nuts and fruits of trees and played games.

Wednesday was primitive cultures and tracks and signs. They created pinch, coil and slab pots out of clay and later expressed their artistic talents painting these creations. We played a game focused around information gathered from tracks and then created tracks of animals of the Blue Ridge. In the afternoon, we hiked to find tracks of animals and made casts of these tracks.

Thursday continued our adventures with birds and butterflies. After basic binocular use, we explored the Forest for as many species of birds as we could find. They found fifteen species of birds! After collecting materials that would be used for nests, the kids built nests and played games such as Migration, Bird Beak and had paper airplane contests. These games emphasized adaptations, basic needs, and physics of bird flight. During the afternoon, we caught Silver-spotted skippers and Common buckeye butterflies.

Friday was a day of playing and exploring in a creek. After scouring the bottom and rocks for aquatic insects, crawfish and fishes, they spent the remainder of the day splashing around. What a great week of discovery and sharing. A special thank you goes out to Matthews State Forest for allowing us to utilize this great property to explore, discover and share the wonders of the Blue Ridge! 

Birds... Neighbors? Tenants? Friends?

Each spring when songbirds return to our yards, they do so from epic journeys spanning as far south as South America. The birds that show up like clockwork, are often the very same individuals year after year, and if they are not the same individuals, then they are often their offspring! The very same bird... think about that for a moment. Their feathers molting to refresh, but the very same beak, legs, body, tiny eyes, make that journey thousands of miles just to come to your yard. We refer to this as "high site fidelity."

Now imagine for a moment, if a friend of yours traveled 2,500 miles by his own power with just the clothes on his back, across mountains, seas, rivers, through storms, dodging danger day in and day out, just to come to your doorstep. What kind of reception would you give him when he arrived after such a journey? You would give him a giant hug, immediate shelter, sustenance, and look on in awe as you sit to listen to his harrowing tale!

Granted, some birds do not have high site fidelity, and others in varying degree. The golden-winged warbler is a prime example of a bird with high site fidelity. For those birds that do key in on one location, your property is their home so to speak.

Our relationship with these birds and "nature" in general is complex, to say the least, but, in this particular relationship, can we define us and them as neighbors? I don't think so. No, as property owners, as people that have literally staked our lot out for our lives and presumably our children's lives after us, the relationship with wildlife is much more like the feudal system. One of lord and tenants.  

As property owners, we have complete and sole control over the resources of our property. It is at our discretion (with minor regulations) to build a pond, log timber, establish a farm, plant flowers, etc... The composition of our property is ours to paint.

Now, this is not to draw a picture of helplessness for the songbirds. These birds have evolved over millennia to a place of resiliency and strength through migration, adapting to make the most out of changing seasons and varying food sources. Each species has found its own niche. Some in fact have adapted to thrive in a the human manipulated landscape. Others rely on change, but for the most part, species have evolved to rely on a balanced and slow moving ecosystem.

There are things that humans do that can appear destructive one-hand but be productive on the other, maybe making it easier for one lot and harder for another. This is to acknowledge the differences in needs, opinions, and values that we all have. But with that being said, what I would encourage, as lords of your property, is richness, richness in diversity. A density of life rather than the absence of life. In considering what composition you will paint with broad strokes on your property, consider the individuals and their families, and how you can give them support through shelter and sustenance while making their chances of survival on this earth greater. In return, you will be rewarded with the riches of song, vibrant colors, and the lifelong companionship of our dear friends in nature.

Of all of the challenges that these birds go through on a yearly basis, you have the precious ability to create a safe haven for them on your property. So, when you sit on the porch this spring, crank up the lawn mower, or take a walk through your woods, pause for a moment, and think about their story.

There are some things you can do to help:

• Reconsider having a clean shaven mowed lawn - there is much beauty in the wild hair of an un-kept lawn!
• Ensure that cats are not on the loose outdoors. Feral and house cats have been devastating to bird populations.
• Foster insects. Insects are the foundation of the ecosystem, consider planting a variety of native plants that will not only feed the birds but will also feed the insects that feed the birds.

The dire picture is that the individual bird population has been reduced to 50% over the last 50 years. There is half the birdlife today than there was in the 1960's. That's is a massive loss in a very short period, but, you have the ability to control that destiny on your own property. What picture will you paint on your canvas?

Birding Adventure in the High Country

12 kids went on a gravity-defying adventure in the high country participating in BRDC’s inaugural Ornithology Camp in honor of William Roberts.  For four days and three nights, the kids camped out and honed their ornithology skills, searching for bird species that inhabit the diverse Appalachian ecosystems of southwest Virginia.  

Each morning the campers woke bright and early before leaving base camp to search for birds. They explored the region's prime birding spots including Cox's Chapel Low Water Bridge, Rural Retreat Lake, New River State Park, Fairwood Valley, Elk Garden, and Whitetop Mountain. They found a wide range of birds and logged a total of 80 species by the end of camp! When they weren’t actively searching for birds, the campers learned valuable birding and naturalist skills from guides Allen Boynton, Scott Jackson-Ricketts, Ashley Peele, Joyce Roberts and Aaron Floyd. They learned how to keep a naturlist's journal, how to use a guidebook and how to be good stewards to birds and other fauna and flora that are part of the Blue Ridge. 

Everyone enjoyed many other activities, like searching for crayfish in the creek, playing stickball, and telling stories around the campfire after a long day of birding.

At the conclusion of camp, the campers gathered together in a circle and discussed what they had enjoyed most. The highlights included seeing bald eagles and their nest, observing an oriole pair, hearing a hermit thrush and making lots of new friends. On the drive back from camp, the campers excitedly talked about coming back next year! 

Ornithology Camp Bird List:

Herons:
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
 
Waterfowl:
Canada Goose
 
Raptors:
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
 
Shorebirds:
Spotted Sandpiper
Killdeer
 
Pigeon-like:
Mourning Dove
 
Swifts and Hummingbirds:
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
 
Woodpeckers:
Red -bellied Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
 
Flycatchers:
Eastern Wood Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Acadian Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Great-crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
 
Vireos:
Red-eyed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Blue-headed  Vireo
 
Jays, Crows, Ravens:
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
 
Swallows:
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Chimney Swift
 
Chickadees, Nuthatches:
Carolina Chickadee
House Wren
Carolina Wren
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Tufted Titmouse
 
Thrushes:
Catbird
Mockingbird
American Robin
Veery
Brown Thrasher
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
Cedar Waxwing
Eastern Blue Bird
 
Warblers:
Louisiana Waterthrush
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Northern Parula
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Black-throated Blue
Black-throated Green
Canada Warbler
Hooded Warbler
 
Tanagers:
Scarlet Tanager
Indigo Bunting
Northern Cardinal
 
Sparrows and Juncos:
Dark-eyed Junco
Song Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Eastern Meadowlark
 
Blackbirds, Orioles:
Red Winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Common Grackle
European Starling
 
Finches:
American Goldfinch
 
80 Species!
 

Galax Enrichment Week - Give Me Shelter

​For BRDCs Give Me Shelter course, students built and installed nest and roosting boxes for owls, bats, ducks and bluebirds. They learned about nesting strategies, comparing the enormous variety of bird and bat nests, and the importance of incorporating features preferred by the particular bird species, including the entrance hole size, the height at which the box is posted, and the type of habitat surrounding the box.

During the week, students constructed a blue-bird box to take home, then moved on to building a screech owl, bat, wood duck and one other blue-bird box. Everyone got to help paint and decorate the boxes with an eye towards fun.

Students also examined bird feathers, skulls, feet, and wings. They participated in building nests and examining owl pellets.

Owls swallow most prey whole, and at some point in their digestive process the bones and fur are separated and eventually coughed up in the form of a mucous covered ball, or pellet. These pellets reveal what animal the owl had for a meal, and offer student-scientists the opportunity to better understand the diet of owls, and small mammal populations in a given area.

On Friday, in the frigid wind, the group placed nesting boxes on Dr. Robert Pryor's land, including protective baffles. The boxes were positioned to take advantage of early morning sun.  The kids had a great time, and by week's end they understood the difference between open nesting and cavity nesting, as well as bird habitat and diet.

Nesting Bald Eagles Discovered along the New River in Grayson County, VA!

You’re out weeding your garden, perhaps hiking the New River Trail, or just driving along any of our country roads when suddenly you spy a raptor overhead, stretched out like a board, a nine and a half pound bird with a wing span of 80 inches, its white head and tail sealing the identification, a graceful marriage of bird and sky. Take another look if you can, and savor the moment. Fortunately for residents of Grayson County, Virginia, this moment is becoming less rare. Many of us have been increasingly rewarded with sightings of these majestic eagles in southwest Virginia as their population continues to rebound from a low in 1971*. But not everyone, or more accurately, almost no one expects to see a bald eagle nest around here.  Yet that is exactly what happened to Ellie and Roald Kirby of Blue Ridge Discovery Center as they paddled down a quiet section of the New River one recent lazy afternoon.

Here is an account from Ellie Kirby: “On May 3rd my husband Roald and I were floating down the New River in a canoe. Roald had brought his fishing rod but he wasn’t doing any serious fishing as we drifted along. It was a still morning, and we had the river to ourselves. As we were enjoying the peaceful serenity of the water and admiring the lush greens of early spring, we saw a bird soaring above the river. At first we thought it might be a vulture, which are so common here, but then we saw its white head and knew it was a bald eagle.  Another eagle came gliding near the first. The pair didn’t fly very high, and soon one of them perched in a hillside tree. As we wondered why they didn’t fly away, we happened to glance at an island on the other side of the river and saw a big nest in the top of a large sycamore tree. Roald said, “I think there’s a bird in the nest…I can see a head!” We floated on down below the tree to get a better view and to our delight, standing there in the nest was a large, all-dark bird that had to be a baby eagle! We back-paddled a little and spent a few moments taking photos, then moved on down the river. We didn’t linger because the parents seemed perturbed at our presence, and we didn’t want to cause any more distress to this eagle family.”

From Virginia Society of Ornithology records research and conversation with wildlife officers, we have concluded that this is the first documented active bald eagle nest in Grayson County for 100 years. We have heard that bald eagles have been nesting below Byllesby and Buck Dams, and though adjacent to Grayson, that section of the New is in Carroll County. In general, the increase in bald eagle sightings in Grayson has concentrated along the New, from Fries to Mouth of Wilson. This resurgence points directly to a renewal of healthy populations and the success of conservation efforts. “The newly-discovered eagle nest in Grayson County is a welcome sign of the recovery of our Bald Eagle population, nearly lost from the widespread use of DDT decades over 50 years ago.” (Allen Boynton, formerly with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, is now employed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.)

The nest was discovered in a somewhat remote section of the New, with a cattle farm on one side and a steep forested slope on the other. Grayson contains a considerable amount of wilderness areas, private, state and national. Combine that with extensive cattle grazing lands, and a picture of viable habitat for the bald eagles emerges.

"Every trip outdoors holds an opportunity for discovery, but a trip down the New River always seems to be teeming with wildlife. On this particular trip, Ellie and Roald discovered a successful nesting pair of Bald Eagles! This is a landmark discovery many of us have been looking forward to for years." - Aaron Floyd, Executive Director of Blue Ridge Discovery Center

Without the parents flying around, hardly a soul would think to wonder about the presence of a nest. We are in debt to the Kirbys for their sharp observational skills. Through the hard work of birders and other outdoor enthusiasts, it was only a matter of time for this, the first definitive documentation of an active eagle nest, to come to our attention. 

The nest will be documented through the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Center for Conservation Biology. The Virginia Society of Ornithology has also been contacted.

Life history in brief: bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Most people know about the use, and subsequent ban in 1972, of the pesticide DDT in the United States, defined by the EPA as a persistent bioaccumulative. Attention was drawn to this toxin by Rachel Carson in her seminal work, Silent Spring. One dramatic outcome of the buildup of DDT in the food chain is the thinning of bird shells, especially those of fish consumers. The thin shells cannot support the weight of incubating parents. From 1950 until 1971, the bald eagle’s population plummeted along with other bird species such as the osprey and peregrine falcon. Only after DDT was banned, and slowly over the course of 30 years, were populations returning to viable numbers and showing signs of stabilization. 
In Virginia, from 1972 to 1977 the count on breeding bald eagle pairs came to 33, with 32 restricted to the coastal area. In 1986, records show 66 breeding pairs, and by 2001, 330 pairs. There are now over 11,000 nesting pairs in the continental US and the Bald Eagle was removed from the endangered species list in 2007. They still have protection thanks to the Bald & Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940. "Amercian Eagle Day" celebrates this iconic bird on June 20th the day America added the Bald Eagle as the main image in its national emblem in 1782.
“For all the years (1986-2014 - minus 2011 when the Parkway was closed) in which the hawk count has been carried out at Mahogany Rock for the Hawk Migration Association of North America, an average of 14 Bald Eagles a year have passed along or over the Blue Ridge at the Mahogany Rock Overlook at Milepost 235 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. What is particularly significant is the change in yearly count numbers of Bald Eagles over this 28-year count period. For the first ten years of the count the average number of Bald Eagles was only 2.3 with only 0 or 1 eagles passing each year for the first six years. The yearly average for the second ten year period was 8.4. And for the latest 8 years of the count the yearly average was 18. The change in this yearly average demonstrates the dramatic recovery of Bald Eagles from the persecution of pesticides, shooting and habitat loss eagles experienced for most of the 20th century.” - Jim Keighton
(Compiler of the Mahogany Rock Hawk Count for Blue Ridge Birders and the Hawk Migration Association of North America)

In the mountains of Virginia, the bald eagle is labeled as an uncommon transient, winter visitor, rare in summer, more often seen in the fall migration event. According to the Virginia Society of Ornithology’s 4th edition of Virginia Birdlife (S Rottenborn and E Brinkley), recent breeding records have been documented at Lake Moomaw, and Rockbridge and Shenandoah counties. The Center for Conservation Biology has documented Virginia nesting pairs below Claytor Lake, along the New River in Narrows, in Burkes Garden and on the banks of Watagua Lake.
Preferred bald eagle nesting sites are situated near water, especially coastal, marshes, rivers, large lakes and spillways. They build substantial stick nests, lined with finer materials, in a tall tree with a major fork, often in an open area. Bald eagles hold the world record for the largest bird nest, with one in Florida measuring 6.1 meters deep, 2.9 meters wide, and weighing in at 2,722 kg (almost 3 tons)! A single nest can be used for 35 years. They show nest fidelity, adding to it over the course of many years. Adult pairs show similar fidelity, with well recognized long term bonding. 
At one brood/year they lay from 1 to 3 eggs, with 2 being the expected average. Partly because of the asynchronal hatch, the smaller hatchling usually perishes. It takes a full four years for the young to mature into the white head and tail molt. The bald eagle diet mainly consists of fish, but other birds and small mammals will do in a pinch. They are also known to indulge in scavenging carrion and stealing food from other birds, especially the osprey. 

- Scott Jackson-Ricketts

----------------------------------------
Sources:
Virginia Birdlife (mentioned above)
Bird Watcher’s Companion, C Leahy
Essential Field Guide Companion, P Dunne
The Birder’s Handbook, P Ehrlich, D Dobkin and D Wheye
http://www.ccbbirds.org/maps/#eagles

Mid April (2015) BRDC Program Notes

In spite of our fickle weather, which is certainly typical, we have managed to increase outdoor activities married to our principles and mission. As well, we continue through Bird Sleuth, to provide teachers with curricula (and moral) support.

Starting on April 2nd, Grayson County High School’s ‘’Team Birds’’ made another visit to Matthews State Forest with the one and only requirement to search out by sight and sound any and all birds and record their findings. We had Chassney Hodge, our intern from Galax, Sarah Osborne and her intern-in-training son, Jack, and Carol Broderson as guides…along with me, Scott. The day was productive with a belted kingfisher, blue-gray gnatcatcher, yellow-rumped warbler (often referred to as ‘butter-butt’), and a wild turkey rounding off new discoveries. Keeping this team on track is challenging, but clearly they all enjoy time outdoors and many are becoming birders in spite of themselves.

William Roberts and I were invited to give a presentation on all things birdy for the Baywood Cub Scouts on the 9th. Meeting in the gym with 14 kids, along with their parents and siblings, was a noisy affair, but we managed to share with them bird feathers, skulls, feet and lore. We began with comparing screech and great-horned owl parts, and then the wild turkey. Most of these kids knew the turkey, of course, but when we brought out the great blue heron parts, confusion and competition…along with great questions and guesses…challenged the acoustical limits.

Then we moved out to a quieter hallway for a reading from William, based on a Pacific Northwest Indian creation myth, about how light, warmth and the all-important sun were given to people. The raven, a classical trickster figure in Native American stories, played a major role. Given that we had a little more time, I pulled out some bird flash cards to see exactly how much these youngsters knew about birds, and both William and I were amazed by their collective response.

One of my favorite kid groups comes from our local home educators, whose moms show at least as much interest as their children. Brenda Bonk (president of BRDC) joined me as a guide on a cool rainy day at the Matthews State Forest for a morning of birding and an afternoon of insect identification. In spite of the iffy weather, and having our study area situated on Judge Matthews’ old farmhouse porch, we were able to dodge intermittent rains with great productive success. These kids are patient and overwhelmingly excited about natural history. Many of them are already anglers and hunters, with a keen sense of outdoor experience. Sometimes I am happy to learn from them, as it should be.

At this time of year, early spring, and given that the Judge was crazy about apple trees in all of their varied glory, we had a blooming event that brought out a plethora of pollinators, mostly native along with the imported European honey bee. I have begun an insect collection/preservation bio survey component that requires the ‘killing jar’. So far, no one seems to object, but I need to say that we are careful with all insects, most are catch and release episodes, and those that do die are dispatched humanely. BRDC believes that this collection will serve not only as an important educational tool, but also as an archive of here and now, an important historical record. It appears that bees and ants are the first insects ready to go to work during the first hints of warmth.

Finally, on the 16th, Sarah Osborne, Chassney Hodge and I regrouped indoors (because birds and people are not as outdoor active on cold rainy days), we continued with the follow-through next step of Cornell’s Bird Sleuth program based on data analysis. This is a required component of our effort, and though the students would prefer to both escape the paper work and the classroom, giving them a sense of the importance of translating their outdoor experience to another level of value, completes both the school’s prerogative as well as BRDC’s commitment to a rounded out educational experience.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts, Program Director, BRDC

Golden-winged Warbler

The golden-winged warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) is a challenged species on at least two levels. Its preferred habitat of wet, brushy, early successional open areas with available perching trees is disappearing, which has contributed to the decline of this species, placing it in the ‘species of concern’ category by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The other contributing factor is the expansion of the Blue-winged warbler (Vermivora pinus) into the golden’s range, where hybridization between these cousins happens with relative frequency, resulting in two hybrid and back-cross types known as “Lawrence’s” and “Brewster’s”.

Credit: Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Pre-1923

The golden-winged mostly breeds in the Great Lakes region, with some remarkable fidelity to the Blue Ridge Eco-region. Here in our Blue Ridge Mountains, with some careful observation and exploration, breeding goldens can be found. Not that many years ago, one dependable such spot was at the Alleghany Access to the New River State Park…just across the NC/VA state line near Mouth of Wilson, VA. Speculation as to why they no longer breed here focuses on the changing composition of the rapidly aging successional fields within that park.   

Goldens are easy to identify by their buzzy song. Described as a high-pitched zeebeebeebee . Once familiar with their song, which is delivered by the male on an exposed perch, finding the bird becomes a matter of stealth, good eyes, and patience. But a word of caution:  given the rarity of this species especially, disturbing a nesting pair or their habitat is to be avoided. Use binoculars and spotting scopes to get those close-up views.

This small and highly active insectivore, wears a yellow cap above a brightly patterned black and white face and black throat. The body is mostly gray, but with a strong yellow wing patch, thus its name. Males are brighter than females.The nest is built on the ground, hidden by surrounding shrubs and/or grasses. Generally, their arrival dates are May 1st through the 10th. As one of the ‘neo-tropical migrants’, in the fall they head back south for the winter.  

Bird Sleuth at Grayson County High School

In consideration of spending more time outdoors, and that we are studying birds, the BRDC guides decided to initiate this year’s Bird Sleuth in March, not January, as we did last year.  This Cornell Lab of Ornithology program has different components, and the one we chose for this year is called “Most Wanted Birds” which offers a more basic approach to bird study.  

We are working in two Grayson County High School classrooms:  Becky Absher’s 2nd block and Deborah Greif’s and Kathy Wilson’s  4th block, twice each week for all of March and most of April.  Both classes average 10 students, smaller than last year, offering us a better opportunity to fully engage each student.  The reception has been positive.  By the end of March we should have accomplished most of our indoor studies, and will concentrate on bird identification in the field through a series of short field trips to local ‘hot spots’.

The main goals of Most Wanted are to familiarize students with birds’ size and shape, habitat preference, behavior, feeding strategies and other identification clues.  We study songs, body parts and the nomenclature, molting regimens, flight patterns and seasonal expectations including migration patterns.  Gaining skills with field guides and binoculars are essential to the success of field identification.  The students are keeping journals including written descriptions and sketching exercises.  

Behind the school, along the now infamous Stinky Creek, we have set up several bird feeders, which amazingly attract quite a variety of passerines, or songbirds…including Carolina Chickadee, American Goldfinch, House Finch, Tufted Titmouse, White-Breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal, and Blue Jay…while scratching on the ground beneath the feeders we can expect Song Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Carolina Wren, and White-Throated Sparrow.  

Along the trail we often startle the territorial Northern Mockingbird, and above us American Crows call, and both Black and Turkey Vultures soar.  But so far, the most exciting thing that has happened surprised even our adult birding guides.  Just as we arrived at Stinky Creek one afternoon, everyone noticed much activity in the brushy area that included some leftover berries.  From a decent distance, we all put our binoculars on the action which turned out to be a largish flock of Cedar Waxwings.  How many?  My guess is 30 to 40.  After everyone got good looks through the lenses, we stealthily moved closer, and eventually ended up within arm’s reach of the oh so beautiful waxwings, who seemed not to be bothered one bit by us.  Every single one of us understood that this was a special event not soon to be repeated.  

Early Spring Migrants: Birds: Red-winged blackbird

Avian spring migrants come in two categories: Northbound birds and elevation transients or lateral migrators. The second group mostly consists of our high elevation breeders, such as dark-eyed juncos, that drop off the mountain tops for a few winter months in search of easier food, water and in some cases, shelter. Most of us, however, think of the distance travelers, when we talk about spring migration.  

One of the fun things about early migrant spring bird sighting is the juxtaposition of new arrivals to our special winter visitors…who will soon enough become early spring migrants further north, even within the Blue Ridge. Some of the birds that will soon be leaving are pine siskins, purple finches, and eventually white-throated sparrows. Here in Grayson County, our avian harbingers of spring include red-winged blackbirds, rusty blackbirds, tree swallows, pine warblers, and an increase in our most common thrushes, bluebirds and robins.

Ring-necked Duck

Other birds seen during late winter and early spring, but do not breed here, are several species associated with ponds, lakes and rivers.  Among them we can hope to see these ducks: Scaup, ring-necked duck, blue-winged teal, common mergansers and hooded mergansers.  

Red-winged Blackbird, Photo Credit: Wikimedia CC

Most birders judge the evidence of spring by the red-winged blackbirds’ arrival. Males are always a couple of weeks ahead of the females, staking out territory for the upcoming breeding season. My Grayson County 2015 spring arrival species and dates follow:

• Red-winged blackbird…late February
• Blue-headed vireo…March 4th
• Pine warbler…March 7th

In other notes, on March 5th, I counted 33 ring-billed gulls on the New River at Cox’s Chapel, and have been hearing sighting reports of osprey on the move. Early breeders include screech and great-horned owls, ravens, and red-tail hawks.  

Snow and Birds on March 7

Today, March 7, was a good day to stay inside, enjoy the falling snow, and watch the birds. The first unexpected arrivals were red-winged blackbirds, three of them—a female and two first-winter males. The first photo shows the female.

The second photo shows a first-winter male. It's basic plumage is so dark that, with snow as the background, what is left of its juvenile striping doesn't show.

Here at the house song sparrows are infrequent visitors because the habitat isn't right. Any time I really want to see them I can drive several miles to her place, complete with pond, tall grass, and brush. I was happy this morning to photograph this one.

Starlings are a nuisance and a small flock has been around for a month or more. One showed up today with a flock of brown-headed cowbirds, the first of the year for my wife and me.

In case you're interested in photography, I took these photos through the window in my study. The feeder is maybe ten feet away, enabling me to use my standard zoom lens to provide more depth of field than my telephoto zoom provides.

FINALLY...The Elusive Red Crossbill

In the birding world, folks talk about their nemesis bird, the one that got away, that elusive, irritating species that everyone else sees but you.  Bragging rights and chest pounding are not uncommon.

So it has been for me, after many many forays to the highlands of our area, my search for the red crossbill has been but a bitter disappointment.  Not anymore.

Some background and one good story should precede today's successful discovery.  Prior to Glen Eller's moving back to his home turf in Tennessee from Grayson County, he (among others) was a great birding mentor to me.  For him as well, the crossbill was for years a nemesis bird.  These finches move around a lot, seeking the high pastures of red-spruce and other pine species cones, flying about in small flocks, not staying put in one place for dependable observation.  Their presence in our area is exclusive to where an abundance of heavy cone crops occur, mostly in our highlands.  They are more of a boreal species, but as we should all know by now, the Blue Ridge is a relict community extension of that ecosystem.  Glen and I spent hours searching for this bird, but I never hit pay dirt.

Our son's good friend, Jessica Cheng, painted me a picture of a red crossbill for this year's Christmas.

For inspiration (and with Damien's help), Jess looked up a former blog post describing my quest and gifted me 'my red crossbill'.  I am not one big on luck, but somehow Jess's gift encouraged me to not give up.

Yesterday afternoon, Joyce and William Roberts made a spontaneous run to Whitetop, after which they emailed their sighting of crossbills.  That was all it took, so I called Allen Boynton, and the two of us headed up this morning to make good on the expectation of my first life bird in over three years.  Half way on the service road to Whitetop, we found our first flock of at least five, flying about, but eventually landing in good light on the high tips of red spruce.  At the very top of Whitetop, we found another small flock, minimum of three, but much lower down and close enough for Allen to photograph.  Here are the results!

Thank you Damien, Jessica, Joyce, William, Glen and Allen.  We form our own societies around shared pleasures...even though for some...might seem peculiar.

SJR

Bird Sleuth, chapter one

Bird Sleuth is a program designed by Cornell's Lab of Ornithology (http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1478).  Blue Ridge Discovery Center decided to offer a first run of this investigative and hands-on citizen science project to two classes at Grayson County High School.  Through the able assistance of Rebecca Absher, Deborah Greif and Kathy Davis, we launched Bird Sleuth on the 13th of January.  As all teachers in the Blue Ridge understand, weather events conflict with continuity and focus, but we have persevered to the best of our abilities. 

Bird Sleuth is based on birds, naturally, and begins by giving the students some investigative tools, including a basic understanding of how data is collected and documented.  For our work at GCHS, we studied narratives of real scientists, what excited them, and how they went about their work.  Inside of these first steps, we learned about creating a hypothesis based upon targeted curiosity, various forms of graphs and other data assimilation devices, and how to walk through the mounting accumulation of evidence.

Then the students must devise their own questions, hypotheses and methods of investigation.  Documentation and end-products will eventually be shared with the community as well as the Lab of Ornithology.

An important aspect of any BRDC sponsored program is to spend as much time outdoors as possible.  Our other philosophical advocacy is to give kids/students/audience a stake in the learning process. To that end, Bird Sleuth seemed a perfect fit.  Scientific investigations require a combination of skills, including components of observation, experiment, and research. Depending on what each group of kids decides, their investigation might weigh heavily on one or two aspects, but rarely on all three.

Each class divided itself into these smaller groups, in order to remain both intimate and manageable.  As classes, we explored the school campus with an eye to the habitats that might be more productive bird-wise, while scoping out relatively good places to hang bird feeders for closer examination of what species were readily available for closer study. 

Behind the school, a small branch runs the entire length, and along the edges on one side are scrubby vines, small bushes and trees, thickets of brambles such as blackberry, and on the other side, a decent wood lot rises up the hill.  We labeled the branch 'Stinky Creek' for good reason, and that is where the avian action was happening and where we placed our first and most productive feeder.  Nearby we hung another feeder behind the nurses' station in a more open area.  Since initially choosing these feeder spots we have added some behind the ball stadium and further up the hill in a more defined wooded area.  It was gratifying to witness how quickly the feeders were discovered.  Keeping them full of seed has become another good reason for a walk outside, and while we walk along the trails, parking lots and ball field, we always keep an eye to the skies for soaring birds. 

At this time, all of our groups have decided upon an hypothesis and will soon begin their chosen investigations.  Stay tuned for chapter two.  And lest we forget, this is supposed to be fun!

We wish to thank our volunteers and guides Carol Broderson, Sarah Osborne and Sheila Jones...and a special thanks goes to our sponsors through the Jack M. Matthews Foundation. 

Christmas Bird Counts

2013 Christmas Bird Counts

These annual counts provide a great excuse to get out with friends and freeze. This year was gentler, with much warmer temps and less wind than usual. But the warmer weather seemed to negatively affect the bird numbers and species diversity. I am guessing, but some of my theories are: less need for the birds to form foraging flocks and less elevational migratory movement, both behaviors due to a wider abundance of food and water sources. Regardless, I had a great time on two counts…the New River and the Mount Rogers. On Saturday the 21st, Jesse Pope and I ran the roads down along the river at Cox’s Chapel Low Water Bridge. This is Jesse’s old stomping grounds, so every bend in the road (of which there were plenty) came with a memory and story shared. We counted 39 species, with high numbers of crows and Canada geese as was expected. Among the ‘good’ finds were several white-crowned sparrows, one chipping sparrow, one yellow-bellied sapsucker, and two bald eagles seen by Aaron Floyd who was fishing inside our circle.

Yesterday, Dec. 28th, Allen Boynton’s Mount Rogers CBC crew met at the Log House in Volney for food, coffee and instructions. Notice it's still dark outside.

Dispersing from there, Rick Cavey, Jim Minick, and I headed north and west, beginning our count along Homestead Road.

Here we found our only winter wren.

In spite of the early morning cold, we dug up several species, including an unidentified buteo.

It was too distant for the kind of look any of us was confident enough to be certain of, but it was exciting to see a raptor so early in the day.

Our largest single species count…estimated at 160…was a flock of horned larks, seen in the same place as last year.

These birds are typically found in corn stubbled fields.

We tried to turn one of the larks into an American pipet, alas, to no avail.

At the Buller Fish Hatchery Jim noticed that one of the new wood duck boxes was ‘plugged up’ by something.

That something turned out to be our best bird of the day, a red-morph screech owl.

While we were sneaking up on the box to photo-document our find a great blue heron rose up from the creek and flew upstream.

Towards the end of our day, at the Fairwood Cemetery, we all heard an odd mixture of high and low screeches, which turned out to be a red-tail being properly harassed by a few crazy crows.

Moments like these are held for a long time, reminding us that stomping around in the outdoors any time of year holds its own rewards.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts

RAPTORS OF HARVEY'S KNOB HAWK WATCH

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This project is a partnership with the Community School of Roanoke and Harvey's Knob Hawk Watch.  5th, 6th and 7th graders of the Community School in Roanoke, VA diligently observed and illustrated the raptors at Harvey's Knob Hawk Watch.

Hawk Watching with Galax High School

Mahogany Rock Hawk Watch with Galax HS Biology Students. On September 24th, BRDC hosted this year’s final Avian Adventures program at Mahogany Rock Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Teachers Emily Brown and Sam Starkey brought 12 kids for a day of hawk observations and discussions on migration.BRDC guides William Roberts and Scott Jackson-Ricketts began the program with a focus on a map, compass and questions about migratory patterns and the dynamics of energy saving flight techniques.

As the sun’s warmth was dissipating the fog and heating up the valley, we talked about thermals, which are columns of rising air caused by this heating up process.

For more in depth information on this phenomenon see:

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/HawkPrimer.html.

William and Scott also brought a box of raptor wings, talons and skulls (courtesy of the Carolina Raptor Center and William), giving the kids an opportunity to study up close the details and differences.

From the great horned owl to an Eastern screech owl, red-tailed hawk to a sharp-shinned hawk, we passed the parts around while referring to our hand-out guides, reminding everyone that shape and silhouette would be our key identification tools for the day…along with behavioral distinctions.

Wrapping up the primer session, we set up scopes, distributed binoculars and field guides and began to scan the skies.

We were not disappointed, and in fact, had a very good day.

Starting out slowly, with small numbers of broadwing hawks popping up over the ridge, eventually kettles (groups of birds that rise within the thermals) began to appear off in the distance.

Interspersed with the expected broadwings we also observed a couple of sharp-shinned hawks, a red-tailed hawk or two, one osprey high overhead, resident ravens, and both turkey and black vultures.

The culture of hawk-watching began as a protest and replacement for hawk gunning, a sport that has fortunately died out in the USA.

All over the world, but especially in North America, folks gather in the spring and fall to observe and count migrating hawks.

Carefully collecting the necessary data, including day, time, temperature, wind and other weather related information, hawk watching has grown from just a pleasurable past time to a serious effort to assess population trends and changing behavioral patterns.

BRDC would like to thank Jim Keighton and Blue Ridge Birders for their work as station monitors of Mahogany Rock, and for sharing the hand-outs, maps and space.

We also would like to thank the Matthews Foundation for their ongoing support through Avian Adventures.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts

President, BRDC

Orbweaver....do the birds notice?

I have been noticing a small but brightly colored spider, the orchard orbweaver (

Leucauge venusta

) in my rambles at Wildflower Preserve in Charlotte County, FL.

I have not been able to discover the function of the striking colors of this tiny and relatively unknown spider. If it were larger I am sure it would be well known and often photographed.

Does anyone have ideas about the purpose of such a striking coloration? The bright red colors are reminiscent of the dangerous black widow and I am thus wondering about what will happen when I by mistake walk through the web of this tiny beauty and find one on my face. For a small day-active orbweaver which is so exposed to predation by birds, such bright colors must mean something. Or could it be that it is so small (body 5.5-7.5 mm) that predators disdain to bother with it?

Bill Dunson

Englewood, FL

Galax, VA

Mount Rogers Christmas Bird Count

December 19th, 2010

We met in Volney, Virginia at 8 AM to receive our assignments from Allen Boynton, the

compiler for the Mount Rogers/White Top circle. This would be the 111th annual CBC

(http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count).

In order to prepare for a CBC day in the frigid high country, one must pack the

appropriate clothes, field binoculars and scopes, energy food, water and a truckload of

humor. Mica Paluzzi, Jim Minick and I were gifted part of area five and all of area four,

(which include both lower and higher elevations), thus offering us the chance to actually

see some birds.

We set off for Sugar Grove, (taking a short side jaunt down Homestead Road and back),

where we caught back roads to Buller Fish Cultural Station, along the edge of the South

Fork of the Holston River, and earnestly began our count. Ice covered the hatchery

driveways, so we took it easy and spent most of our time on foot. At first it looked like a

bust, but perseverance paid off as we quietly watched and waited. Peering into the woods

we found a mixed flock consisting of golden-crowned kinglets, Carolina chickadees, a

tufted titmouse, one downy, a yellow-bellied sapsucker, and blue jay. We noted crows

harassing a pileated woodpecker as Mica spotted a flyover flicker. On the water we

found a dozen mallards who spooked in mass, associating any human with a gunner.

While working our way back to the road, we observed the arrival of a lone fisherman,

who flushed three great blue herons and one kingfisher, causing us some jubilation.

Deciding to inspect the marshy spots at the entrance to the hatchery proved to be a sound

idea…yielding two of both Wilson’s snipe and killdeer.

Onward. Most of the lower country covered turned out to be residential, making

conspicuous and annoying our slow driving and rubbernecking. A few times did we

receive the impression that folks were not happy sharing the road with us, or scoping out

their bird feeders. But here it was that we saw the large portion of the 36 species tallied,

including rusty blackbirds, not always expected.

Relieved to leave the human density behind, we headed to Konnorock and Fairwood

Valley, on the way stopping for lunch at an iced-in overlook. While munching on carrots

and granola bars I spied a red-tailed hawk perched above the parking lot, and we three

got a decent look as it lifted up and away.

Many of the roads were either not plowed, or simply too slippery for safe negotiation,

so we played it safe and stayed on the main road alongside Big Laurel Creek, making

several stops and short hikes. A swampy zone gave us our hermit thrush and swamp

sparrow, the swamp being a ‘lifer’ for Mica. Nearby a feeder hosted purple finches,

(another lifer for Mica), a goldfinch or two, and the needed white-breasted nuthatch. Jim

kept finding turkeys, with our first handful found on Homestead Road, and last at the

very edge of our circle. Crows and juncos were abundant…where ever a birder be, so be

a crow, or more likely, many crows. Between crows (61), white-throated sparrows (19),

dark-eyed juncos (70), blue jays (31), mallards (28), and wild turkeys (25), our count

numbers grew rapidly.

We pulled into Grindstone Campground with determined hopes of adding a red-breasted

nuthatch and brown creeper. Joining us, on their way home, was another of our circle

group whose entire day had been spent in the higher elevations. Together then, we made

an effort to find either of these little birds, and just when we were about to give up, Mica

spotted a creeper flitting from one tree to another. His keen, (young), eyesight prevailed

upon the moment.

Not being satisfied without at least one winter wren, Jim urged us to stop at a couple of

likely wren habitats…along the fast flowing creek…and finally, we succeeded not with

one but two. Deciding that we were done, I nosed the truck towards ‘home’ and just as

we were crossing the circle line, we added two bluebirds.

It needs to be said that when otherwise perfectly rational people find themselves on such

a foray as this, they begin to wonder about choosing to spend a day in such harsh climate

over, say, sitting in a chair by a fire reading a book, cup of tea in hand. In defense of

what some would insist is a temporary condition of questionable sanity I offer this. The

winter landscape in the high country is infinitely beautiful, and cannot be experienced

through calendar pictures. Nope, you gotta be there, wind in face, toes and fingers numb,

laughing out loud at the pure joy of it all.

SJR