GBBC Day Two

Pamela and I spent another half hour counting birds on Saturday but bagged it Sunday and Monday (I was emotionally spent due other things going on in life). I issued Pamela the certificate above for spending an hour of birdwatching. I thought you might be interested in seeing the sheets we used to scaffold her identifying birds:



Saturday's highlight for me was photographing the tufted titmouse. Titmice, like chickadees, usually snatch sunflower seeds from the feeder in a hit-and-run and fly to a hiding spot in the tree to open it and eat the nugget. I find them hard to shoot for that reason. These are not the greatest pictures, but they leave no doubt that we have at least one titmouse visiting the feeder. They are so cute with their black button eyes and fan tails.


As of Saturday, ours were the only two observations from our town. I just checked the results submitted as of today, and I am delighted to know many other bird watchers in my town posted what they saw, too!



Here is what we reported last Friday:

1 Mourning Dove
1 Carolina Wren
1 American Robin
5 Chipping Sparrows
2 Northern Cardinals
2 Common Grackles
2 House Finches
1 American Goldfinches15 Total

Here is what we reported last Saturday:

1 Carolina Chickadee
1 Tufted Titmouse
1 Carolina Wren
1 Northern Mockingbird
7 Chipping Sparrows
1 Northern Cardinal
3 House Finches15 Total

Here are two videos of us watching the birds real-time and reviewing pictures after the count:




Yesterday, I took a cool picture. During the count over the weekend, I noticed that my neighbor's camellias had visitors, but I did not get a good shot of them. I snapped one of an American goldfinch hanging out in these gorgeous pink flowers. God made blooming flowers and colorful, melodious birds to cheer our hearts even in the dead of winter.

And as I stood, and cast aside mine eye,
I was ware of the fairest medlar tree
That ever yet in all my life I seye,
As full of blossoms as it mighte be;
Therein a goldfinch leaping prettily
From bough to bough; and as him list he eat
Here and there of the buds and flowers sweet.

By Geoffrey Chaucer