Jericho Take Count Dec 19-20 : Christmas Birds

Jericho & nearby towns 

Take Count 

reports from residents

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Observations 

From the Morse Family

Hey Bernie-

Here's our family's data.  Thank you for championing this event and being so kindly and inviting.  Give Maeve our best too!  These are the birds that we saw in Jericho and recorded over both the 19th & 20th per your guidelines.  Let me know if you have any questions:

5 Dark-eyed juncos

4 Black-capped chickadees

2 White-breasted nuthatches

2 Tufted titmice

1 Downy woodpecker

7 American crows

1 Barred owl

2 Northern cardinals

1 Blue heron

My 6-year old granddaughter, a Daisy Scout from NYC who sold 500 boxes of Girl Scout cookies last year and LOVES the great outdoors, and I discovered a bird's nest on the ground that must have blown down out of a tree over night.  Not sure if you might be able to identify what species of bird made this nest?  Attaching a photo of Ruthie and the nest beside the trailhead sign to her path...

and also the Barred owl-  my wife Maura and I were surprised by the wingspan when it suddenly flew off. 

[Measurements from Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

Both Sexes

Length: 16.9-19.7 in (43-50 cm)

Weight: 16.6-37.0 oz (470-1050 g)

Wingspan: 39.0-43.3 in (99-110 cm)]

Steeplebush birders:

Our son Joe Morse

His wife Aryn Morse

Their 10-year old son Kieran Morse

Their 6-year old daughter Ruthie Morse 

(all four on loan from NYC for about 1 month)

My wife Maura Morse

Myself

Best regards and Happy holidays!

Michael Morse

 PS, I got excited this morning when I heard what I thought was a pileated woodpecker down our road...  It turned out to be a Suncommon work crew installing solar panels on our neighbor's roof!

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Barred Owl photos and comments from Jim Carroll of Jericho

What is fascinating is that it is actually looking the other way, turned its head 180 degrees. It was hunting there 4 an hour or more. I just love the natural phenomenon of how does a 180-degree head turn still have a 100 % feather match up. 

It comes around and is very self-confident. I have been trying to get a pic of the Hawks. No luck yet.

They are so magnificent. ~Jim Carroll

                            Looking North

Looking East

 Looking West

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From Bert of Jericho

Recently at our bird feeder, we have seen:

up to 30 mourning doves

6 blue jays

male Pileated woodpecker

3 Downy woodpecker

2 Hairy woodpecker

dozen chickadee's (of different types)

4 - 6 juncos /starlings

male & female cardinal

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From Angelike of Jericho

Hi,

 I had expected to see more, but here's what I came up with at our homes in the Foothills Devt, Jericho on Dec. 19/20. 

3 Cardinals

1 Bluejay

3 American Crows

1 Downy Woodpecker

1 chickadee

The blog posts look great with what everyone else found this weekend!

Angelike Contis 

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From Louanne of Jericho

Bernie and Maeve,

Nice spotting of a Black-tipped Tail Weasel.  Yesterday, I saw a Red Fox, but it was in 

Williston on my CBC route which I'll bird tomorrow,

I was home in Jericho all day and watched my feeders.  Not a lot of activity and I 

didn't report it to eBird.

Here are the sightings: 

2 Downy Woodpeckers, 1 m, 1 f

2 Hairy Woodpeckers, 1 m, 1 f

2 Blue Jays

1 American Crow - flyover

8 Black-capped Chickadees  (seen at one time)

1 Red-breasted Nuthatch

1 White-breasted Nuthatch

1 American Goldfinch

2 Cardinals, 1 m, 1 f

Thanks for doing this and the tabulations.

Louanne

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From Bob of Jericho

I saw a flock of 20 pine grosbeaks in two places, Jeri hill apts, and river road by the school. Also, hairy and downy, tree sparrow, b c chickadees, crow, blue jay, m. Dove, pigeon, junco, cardinal. Missed turkey and nuthatch, which are usual suspects. 

Bob Weber

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                             From Andrea of Westford

We had lots of birds, as usual, but we had an owl & a pileated woodpecker that’s been hanging around for the last couple of weeks. 

 Here is the owl :)

Andrea Sprague

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Bernie and Maeve observed the following on Dec 19-20 in the backyard.

1 Northern Cardinal 

6 Black-Capped Chickadee

7 Mourning Dove

9 House Finch

2 American Goldfinch

7 Blue Jay

3 Dark-Eyed Junco

2 White-Breasted Nuthatch

1 Tree Sparrow

2 Tufted Titmouse

1 Downy Woodpecker

1 Hairy Woodpecker

& 1 Ermine

Bird Count Captures surprise visitor

While watching and counting birds, Bernie spotted a small white creature, about 7 to 13 inches long with a black-tipped tail - coming out from under the snow. I did not get a photo - she sure moves about quickly. But you can see the same kind of creature I spotted by watching this youtube. So cute! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgTA6b6A10U

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Here are some of the birds Maeve and I have observed in our backyard in November this year. 

White-breasted Nuthatch

 

Downy Woodpecker

Note the black flecks in the outer tail feathers of the Downy Woodpecker (photo above). Bill is about half the length of the head.

Note the outer tail feathers of the Hairy Woodpecker photo below) are pure white. Bill is almost as long as the head.

 Hairy Woodpecker

Red-breasted Nuthatch 

(They seem to particularly like unsalted peanuts)

White-breasted Nuthatch 

(They also seem to particularly like unsalted peanuts)

Black-capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

House Finch

Covid Haircut

Mark the dates: Dec 19 & 20 and send Bernie your counts, photos, comments after Take Count Day(s).

Cheers, 

Bernie & Maeve

"We put our minds together as one and thank all the birds who move and fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them the gift of beautiful songs. Each morning they greet the day and with their songs remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The Eagle was chosen to be their leader and to watch over the world. To all the Birds, from the smallest to the largest, we send our joyful greetings and thanks.

 Now our minds are one."

From Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Also, read my story, Her First Bird, at https://jerichovermont.blogspot.com/2019/03/her-first-bird-by-bernie-paquette.html

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Dec 19-20 Jericho 

and surrounding towns Bird Count

Last year a group of us joined ranks for a first trial run of a Jericho/Underhill Christmas Bird Count. The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a census of birds in the Western Hemisphere, performed annually in the early Northern-hemisphere winter by volunteer birdwatchers and administered by the National Audubon Society.

There will not be an official CBC in Jericho this year. However, we are inviting you all to join us in observing and recording birds in Jericho/Underhill - be it in your backyard or elsewhere in either town for an unofficial Jericho/Underhill 'Take Count' on December 19 & 20. Then send us a list and (optional) photos as well as anything you would like to share about your bird count experience. We will publish the results on this blog. 

Here are the guidelines.

1. Observe birds anywhere in Jericho or Underhill any time on December 19 and 20 or either of the two days.
2. Record the highest count seen at any one time for each species observed. For example, if at 10 AM on Dec 19 you see 3 chickadees and 1 Blue Jay, then at 11 AM you see 2 chickadees, and on Dec 20 at 4pm you see 1 chickadee and 2 Blue Jays - Record 3 chickadees, and 2 Blue Jays for the count. Same way with any other species that you see.
3. Send your highest at-one-time count for each species. Note which town (Jericho or Underhill) each was observed in, and your name, to Bernie.paquette@yahoo.com. 
4. Optional: Send in photo(s) of any birds observed during the two days.
5. Optional: Tell us your Take Count two-day experience, bird story, or comments so that we can share with others.
6. We will post the counts, photos, stories, comments on a blog post.

Will you Take the Count for Jericho or Underhill? We hope you will join in the count and share your observations, and of course, enjoy time watching our avian neighbors. 

 by Bernie