Sandhill Cranes
I went looking for these guys one other time & didn’t find them. So, I went back to look again. This time I saw hundreds, maybe thousands.

2 Snow Geese

2 Tundra Swans

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Ring-billed Gulls

Greater White-fronted Geese
The last bird I get to add to my list are these geese that flew over.

I did it! I found 6 new birds! Happy day! That’s 2 more than my goal. And, all these birds were found within a couple hours from our house.

I was getting very nervous that I was going to be so close, yet not quite reach the 100 birds. I was sure I actually had seen 100 different bird species. The problem was being able to identify them correctly.

The reason I set this goal for myself was to learn about the many different birds. I enjoy taking pics of birds & I want to be able to identify them in my photos.

I did learn a lot. I learned the names of birds that I had never heard before. I learned we have far more great blue herons & bald eagles around than I ever knew. I have much more to learn, but this was a great start.

This was a fun goal to pursue. Sometimes I was able to explore on my own, usually my kids came along & a couple times even the hubby tagged along. It didn’t cost any money & it was a great excuse to get outside.

Part of me is relieved this is over. The other part of me wants to get back out there & find the birds I know are there that I haven’t identified yet.

Reaching my goal is a great way to end the year!

BIRD SPECIES SEEN IN 2013 = 102 of 100!

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Varied Thrush

Steller’s Jay

Fox Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

Spotted Towhee

Northern Flicker

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow & Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

One more week to go & I still need 4 new birds…

BIRD SPECIES SEEN IN 2013:

SEEN SO FAR = 96 of 100

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The Bald Eagle that I almost walked by without seeing.

Ring-necked Duck

A rather angry looking Wood Duck.

Bufflehead

*new bird!* Hooded Merganser

Look at that long neck.

American Wigeon walking across the ice.

Red-winged Blackbird on an icy pond.

Brewer’s Blackbird

Great Blue Heron

American Robin

The ducks found a hole in the ice.

Red-tailed Hawk

This Red-tailed Hawk &American Kestrel were having a little tiff.

12 more days until the end of the year. Can I find 4 new species to make my goal?

BIRD SPECIES SEEN IN 2013:

SEEN SO FAR = 96 of 100

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Lots of birds. Mostly American Coot, American Wigeon & Northern Pintail.

Northern Pintail, male

Northern Pintail, female

*new bird!* Golden-crowned Kinglet

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Song Sparrow

*new bird!* American Pipit

BIRD SPECIES SEEN IN 2013:

SEEN SO FAR = 95 of 100

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Thankfully, one of my kid’s is crafty & likes birds as well. He made two feeders for the birds. One is a plastic cup filled with birdseed. The other is simply a piece of corn. He made sure each feeder had a perch for the birds. The birds loved the plastic cup feeder, but I haven’t seen even one bird try the corn.

Steller’s Jay

Western Bluebird

BIRD SPECIES SEEN IN 2013:

SEEN SO FAR = 93 of 100

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Ring-necked Pheasants

BIRD SPECIES SEEN IN 2013:

SEEN SO FAR = 93 of 100

The post Birds of 2013: Week 44 appeared first on .

Double-crested Cormorant

I was glad to see a few pelicans were still there.

American White Pelican

I was so excited to see this bird flying around. I thought for sure it was one I hadn’t logged yet. But, dang it, it ended up being a kingfisher, which I have logged. I guess I’ve only seen them sitting in trees & never flying around in search of lunch.

Ah, but this is a new bird!
Western Grebe

The kids took pics. too.

Thousands of geese are migrating.

Many coots were at the wetlands, as well.

I often see hawks. But, I’m terrible at figuring out exactly which species they are.

Occasionally I see an American Kestrel, but I haven’t been able to get a pic this year… until now.

Northern Flicker

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Hundreds of Northern Shovelers were around that day. They aren’t the prettiest bird with their huge bill & head always hunched in the water.

Ruddy Duck

Great Blue Heron

BIRD SPECIES SEEN IN 2013:

SEEN SO FAR = 92 of 100

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The view while driving around the island was lovely.

Double-crested Cormorant

Common Merganser

Belted Kingfisher

While on the island we stopped at a pumpkin patch, which had many birds flying around.

It seemed fitting to have a bunch of crows flying around on a fall day at a pumpkin patch.

House Sparrow, male

House Sparrow, female

Large flock of American Goldfinches in the dying sunflowers.

Black-capped Chickadee

BIRD SPECIES SEEN IN 2013:

SEEN SO FAR = 91 of 100

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Here’s a few pics from my walk at a wetlands area last week.

Black-capped Chickadee

It was a beautiful day, even with a few rain cloud above.

Mostly Mallards & a Double-crested Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorants, 2 Mallards & a rodent called a nutria.

Great Blue Heron perched atop the post.

Double-crested Cormorant

BIRD SPECIES SEEN IN 2013:

SEEN SO FAR = 91 of 100

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I also spotted this flycatcher one day. I see them occasionally around our house.

I’m getting nervous about hitting my goal. I’m so close, yet not to 100. If the weather ever gets better this fall, I’ll have to explore a new birding area or two.

BIRD SPECIES SEEN IN 2013:

SEEN SO FAR = 91 of 100

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