At Least a Lifer

On our trip to Las Vegas last month - a getaway we typically take in winter - I was able to get in some good birding, including discovering a new park to explore. At one of my favorite hotspots - the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve - I hit a jackpot of lifers, including one that seemed least of all but turned out to be a great sighting, a least sandpiper.

A short boardwalk at the preserve leads out into a shallow pond, and along the muddy shore a single peep was busy peeping his way through every crevice and cranny, searching for the next tidbit. I was able to get quite close to the bird, which was fortunate, for it was tiny! That alone is a good field mark for this species; the least sandpiper is the smallest shorebird in North America. The buff feathers with dark cores, the bright yellow legs, and the dark, slightly decurved bill were all additional clues, and a new lifer was added to my list.

It wasn't the only bird I saw for the first time on this trip; the black-tailed gnatcatcher and orange-crowned warbler also joined my life list in Vegas, and also at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve - what a winning streak of birding! I'm always amazed at the incredible diversity of birds in Las Vegas, and I have never yet failed to get a lifer when visiting that fabulous city. I can't wait to go back!

Sock-Tastic

A feeding flock of finches is a joy to watch, and I've had much of that joy in recent weeks. I have a nylon mesh sock filled with Nyjer, and while it took a couple of weeks for the birds to discover it, they have done so - with a vengeance. At first is was just a lonely lesser goldfinch or two, but their compatriots quickly joined in. Fast on their tail feathers were the American goldfinches, and shortly thereafter, the pine siskins. Now I have a hearty flock feeding daily, but fortunately, the bin of Nyjer is a generous size and there's plenty for all.

If you want to feed Nyjer to your backyard birds, I strongly recommend a heavyweight sock specially designed to hold these tiny seeds. It may look simple, but a less expensive sock will quickly be shredded under the birds' talons, and a stronger sock not only withstands more abuse, but holds more seed as well. I also have a mesh hoop beneath my feeder to catch spilled seed, and more birds are able to feed there as well - I've had up to 15 or more birds feeding at once, with room for more to join in. I hope more will visit; I've missed these birds in recent months as they've been absent from the new yard, and I'm grateful they're absent no longer.

May you have similar sock-tastic joy in your backyard!

A Birdy Goal

I can't imagine a better topic for my 200th blog post than lifers, lifers, lifers. First, my first lifer of 2012...

On one of the very few snowy days we've had this winter, I struck out to find the famed Lewis's woodpeckers not all that far from home. I'd been warned that they could be temperamental and might take awhile to show themselves in the isolated ridge they frequented, but I was eager for a lifer nonetheless and took my chances. While clear skies were evident when I left, but the time I reached the site large, fluffy snow was falling fast and my hopes were dim. Dim only for a few moments, however, because as we drove up to the ridge where the birds were noted, a suspicious lump on the side of a telephone pole resolved itself into the dark, upright shape of a woodpecker.

Only a quick glance would have been necessary to prove its identity, what with the beautiful pink plumage of the bird's underparts and the bold gray collar on the neck, but I was instantly entranced and stayed in the snow until my hair was wet and limp, my teeth chattering, and my binns protesting the poor weather. All the same, I was rewarded with spectacular views and even clear chitterings and chatterings to listen to as the bird called to its compadres, perhaps to let them know the foraging was fine, even if the snow was thick.

It is my hope that this will be only the first of many lifers I manage to add to my list this year, and I have a goal in mind - "mopping up" many of the Utah species I've not yet seen. There are quite a few to go, but if the Lewis's woodpecker is any indication, the chase will be well worthwhile. If only all the birds could be so easily counted...

Hawks-A-Plenty

I haven't posted in the past month not for want of bird action to share, but for too much to choose from. Amid new lifers, birding travel, and new species in the backyard, though, one constant has remained my companion - the backyard hawks.

Both sharp-shinned hawks and Cooper's hawks regularly visit this neighborhood, and both have found the bounty of my backyard feeders. The larger, more taciturn Cooper's hawk will stake out a spot in the yard and sit for long periods, hoping for prey to come inquisitively, incautiously, close. The sharp-shinned hawks, and I do have more than one, are less patient and will move from fence, to tree, to feeder looking for the best vantage point for dinner. I've even seen them dive into the bushes while hunting, but the bushes are thick enough to deny them dinner.

A lot of birders prefer to shoo away hawks to safeguard their more colorful, friendlier backyard birds, but I feel much the opposite. Raptors, even small urban hawks, will not visit a yard that is not a thriving environment for birds - otherwise, they'd have no prey to find. I'm always delighted to see them visit, and in the past week I've seen a pair of courting sharp-shinned hawks in my willow tree, so it's likely I'll be seeing much more of them in the weeks to come.

I hope so.

Last Year Lifer

The holidays flew past faster than sparrows chased by a hawk, but before the year ended I managed to add one more lifer to my list, taking me to a grand total of 254. About an hour's drive to the north, at a small park with a lush pond and a thriving population of domestic ducks, mallards, and wood ducks, there lurks a trio of what I believe to be the most beautiful ducks in the world - Mandarin ducks.

While it might have taken awhile to get to the park through the I-15 construction corridor and other assorted road projects along the way, it didn't take long at all to locate the ducks as Beus Pond. There is a small dock jutting out into the pond, and just to the south, a stand of rough shrubbery. On the drab winter day I visited, a short look into that shrubbery revealed a riot of color that shouldn't have been among the gray sticks and murky mud, but there it was, a Mandarin drake nestled in for a winter's nap.

He, and his two companions, didn't stay napping for long. When another visitor arrived toting a bag of bread, all the ducks and geese on the pond, including the Mandarins, made for that dock and their share of the bounty. While I don't condone feeding ducks bread, there are no laws against it at this location and it was helpful to bring these beauties out of hiding and into a better position to see their brilliant plumage. They're smaller than I'd pictured for ducks with such grand colors, but there's no missing the rainbow they portray.

Quite the satisfactory lifer to end 2011. All told, I only managed ten new lifers in the year, what with selling a house, buying another, moving, computer difficulties, work shake ups, family crises and more, but 2012 is going to be a year I put more birding on my map. Though belated, Happy New Year to you all, and here's hoping there are more birds flying into your year as well!

Three Years Already?

Last week I celebrated my third anniversary of becoming the About.com Guide to Birding / Wild Birds, and I can't believe how the time has passed so swiftly, and how the site has grown and developed. In the past three years, not only have I provided hundreds of articles on bird species, feeding birds, attracting birds, birding travel, conservation and more, but I've also done weekly newsletters, range maps, photo galleries, weekly forum contests and now the latest addition, a monthly bird photo contest.

When I took this job three years ago, my biggest worry was that one day I might grow bored with birds and that I wouldn't be able to come up with enough new information and new ideas to keep writing about with a frantic fascination. I'm astonished, however, that today I have an even longer list of "must-dos" than I had three years ago, and without exaggeration, it seems as if each week I have more ideas I can't wait to put into practice. In the coming year I hope to add even more detailed bird identification diagrams, more comprehensive lists of related content, more highlights of birding hotspots around the world, and in general just more, more, and more about birds.

Even more astonishing, however, is that each day - whether I write an article, help a reader identify a bird, respond to a forum post, or plan out my next piece - I'm always learning more about birds. I'm so glad I started on this crazy flight, and I can't imagine ever wanting to land.

Don't miss your chance to enter the December 2011 Bird Photo Contest!

No Junk Here

I always know it's getting near to winter when the dark-eyed juncos make an appearance at my feeders. In previous years at the old house, I might only see these sleek little sparrows a few times during the entire season, but this year at the larger, more bird-friendly abode they've made an early appearance and are now regulars. As ground-feeders, they often prefer either foraging around my deck feeders and slightly under the deck, or else they're poking about near my office window, which peeks out at ground level under evergreen shrubs near a sunflower feeder.

Feisty and perky, these are quick, agile birds that don't hesitate to flash their white outer tail feathers just to let everyone know this is their feeding area. I love to see that quick glimpse of white, knowing that they'll be around to brighten up many winter days. I've seen as many as three or four at once, both males and females, and I hope they continue their visits - the feeders will stay full, just in case.

My juncos are the Oregon variety - see the gallery of all junco species!

Golden Days

These are the golden days of autumn, and while much of Utah's migration has concluded, the birds that remain are gilded in fantastic light and beauty. I saw this firsthand a couple of weeks ago when we visited a local park that is home to a generous flock of ducks, including mallards and a wide range of hybrids. Just at the right time of evening, the setting sun washed over the pond, and even those very common, very ordinary birds can be extraordinary.

Too often we overlook the birds we see everyday in favor of finding something new, exotic, rare, vagrant, or otherwise "special" and we fail to see what is special about the birds we already know well as they blend into the background of our birding consciousness. Every bird has its own personality and uniqueness, and as we observe them closely in every season, we learn their quirks and what makes them stand out even in the largest flock.

As birders, if we can appreciate these golden days of autumn and the beauty of all our birds, we will have an even richer connection to every feather.

Make the most of autumn with these fall birding tips!

Screech of Delight

Last week, I had the most amazing birding experience, completely by accident. As my husband and I were making popcorn in preparation for watching Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, I turned toward our large kitchen window and saw what looked to be a large leaf flutter upwards and out of view. That might not be so unusual given the season, except it was not windy enough that night for any leaf of that size to be blown upwards. Curious (and more than a little hopeful), I stepped onto the deck and into our yard to take a peek at what I believed would be a neighborhood bat.

I never expected what I saw; perched above the kitchen window, neat as you please, was an owl. I do believe my heart actually stopped, and I watched him for a moment on the roof before he winged to a nearby tree, giving me another great view from less than 20 feet away. It was only a minute later, when he flew off to the north along the property line, that I realized I'd been too shocked to take the requisite mental notes for proper identification. But what an experience!

Two hours later, after the movie (not too bad as anthropomorphized bird movies go), I couldn't resist bundling up against the freezing temperatures, grabbing my field bag, and heading into the neighborhood for a bit of hopeful owling. Once I got outside, though, I really didn't know where to start, so I went back to the beginning, where I'd seen the owl earlier. Even before I lit my flashlight, I saw a suspicious lump above the kitchen window, and lo and behold, it was the same owl, in the same spot, with the same mildly disgruntled look to give me. Again he perched on the roof for a few moments before flying to another tree, but this time, I was able to observe him from only a dozen feet away for several minutes - enough time to note the brilliant yellow eyes, gray and black streaked plumage, rounded tail, and overall field markings that positively identified him as a western screech-owl.

Not only a remarkable new yard bird (well worth the cost of moving, in my opinion), but a tremendous new lifer I'd never have expected. And all because I saw a "leaf" outside and opted to investigate. Never miss an opportunity to look for birds, no matter how unlikely the situation might seem - you never know what might be flying by.

Do you know these 20 Fun Facts About Owls?

Return to the Field

What with home selling and buying, moving, work changes, health concerns, and more this year, I haven't been into the field to enjoy birds in months, but this past weekend I took two hours to reacquaint myself with the joys of binns hanging around my neck, my field bag and camera bag bumping on opposite hips, and the feel of cold fingers in the autumn breeze as I fiddled with a focus wheel. I'd forgotten how good it truly feels to be out birding.

I felt I was rewarded, though with only spotting six species on one of my favorite loops in Provo Canyon, other birders might not agree that it was a productive morning. Still, the birds I saw were most memorable...

• American Dipper: Dipping along in the river, and falling off a rock in its haste to secure what must have been a very tasty morsel.
• Black-Billed Magpie: Elegantly flying through the picnic area of the park where I began my walk, sunlight glinting off its regal plumage.
  
• Song Sparrow: Twittering back at me and eagerly responding to simple pishing as it hopped and skittered through thick brush.
  
• Belted Kingfisher: Irately buzzing along the river in a never-ending quest for food, strong wing beats giving it both power and speed.
  
• Black-Capped Chickadee: Frantically foraging for insects in the last remaining autumn leaves, never sitting still for an instant.
• Spotted Sandpiper: Walking and probing along an exposed sandbar from the drained reservoir, meticulously pacing the shore while foraging.

No matter what birds you may or may not see, it pays to get out into the field to enjoy them all. I won't be so long away from the trails, paths, forests, fields, and feathers again.

Flick and Flack

While I'm still adjusting to the new house and yard, it is always sheer joy to see a new bird species visit. Earlier this month I had a special visit from a pair of northern flickers (red-shafted as they are in the west), and these large woodpeckers spent quite some time foraging around a series of decaying stumps near the back fence. They would peck around the ground, cling to the sides of the stumps, and perch on top while looking for the next morsel.

At this point, I don't have many woodpecker-friendly features in the backyard, but soon enough the suet feeder will be out for them to enjoy. In the meantime, the flickers - now at least three - have visited several times and seem quite content to have a browse along and beneath our honey locust trees. Once or twice I've also spotted a downy woodpecker in the vicinity, and I hope he sticks around as well. I might only get a quick flick of a view, but the woodpeckers are always welcome.

Like woodpeckers? Learn these 15 Fun Facts About Woodpeckers!

Growing Up

Seeing as I haven't been in the new house for many months and the yard is not as bird-friendly as it could be as yet, I'm thoroughly enjoying the "easy" birds that visit. Some of the most treasured are the California quail; large coveys live in the neighborhood and may visit my platform feeding area several times a day.

In the past few weeks I've delighted in watching the chicks mature; from fluffy balls of down, now they're getting closer to their adult size and their markings are starting to be apparent. They know much better how to feed now and happily kick up seed and corn just like the adults, and they're quick to flee from any perceived danger. They still stick closely together as a brood, and it won't be until next spring that they'll seek out mates of their own. I'm taking great care to keep the feeders full so they will adopt my yard and deck as a reliable food source, and hopefully I'll have even more broods to enjoy next year. Of course, with as many as 15 or so quail crowding the feeders at once, I'd best stock up on cracked corn, black oil sunflower seed, and white proso millet to sate all their appetites!

The visits from the quail have made me rethink part of my landscaping plans, and I'm glad I haven't blundered too quickly into making changes. Many times, the brood has taken shelter under the deck itself - most notably one time when the neighborhood hawk was hunting in the yard. I had planned to block off the underside of the deck and make it inaccessible, but I've seen firsthand how even that type of artificial shelter can be beneficial for birds. I may still block it off to keep cats or other animals from taking up residence, but I'll be sure the birds always have that safe spot for a fast retreat. And when I need a retreat from the stresses of life, all I have to do is remember the joy my quail bring. May your birds bring you the same.

Examining Birds

I'm happy to announce that earlier this month I took on a new role in the online birding world - I'm now the official National Examiner for Bird Watching and the local Utah County Bird Watching Examiner on Examiner.com. This gives me the opportunity to explore even more local birding as well as share my experiences with a wider national audience, in addition to my work as the About.com Guide to Birding / Wild Birds. It may seem repetitive or redundant, but there is always more to learn about birds, and the more ways we have to share what we learn, the more we can share our love of birding with others. Furthermore, the two sites are quite different - my work on About.com is much more robust, while the Examiner.com pieces are a faster read. Please be sure to tune in to whichever interests you most! Of course, I hope to continue with this blog as well - my backyard birds will always have a special place here, as will all my birding adventures - locally, nationally, and worldwide. Always more to learn about birds, always more birds to see, always more birding to be done - I wish you as much success with your birding endeavors as I have been experiencing!