BIRDS:
Holiday birding
December
23, 2004
By
E. Vernon Laux
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Winter friends. Photo by Julian K. Robinson
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Happy
holidays to one and all! The weather outside has been frightful
this past week with extreme cold and high winds. Winter at this
latitude and location is a season in which all life forms, plants
and animals, are severely tested as they attempt to survive the
difficult conditions. Wintering birds have a long and perilous journey
in upcoming weeks and months as they attempt to survive winter’s
debilitating freeze. Anyone with food currently in their bird feeders
has an inherent responsibility to keep them full from now until
April as the birds utilizing them are depending on this steady,
life-saving food supply.
‘Tis the season to gather with friends and family, enjoy each
other’s company and for those of us interested in birds, participate
in one or more Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs).These one-day events
provide an opportunity for birders of all ages and skill levels
to spend a day in the field and have a fun time.
They provide a nice change, a diversion from much of the holiday
hustle and bustle. They are interesting not only for birds but for
the social aspect. One of my favorite things is to see old friends,
new birders, first-time CBC participants and lifelong experts, all
walking into some seldom visited thicket, woodland or beach in search
of whatever there is to find. Many acquaintances begun on a CBC
are renewed year after year, some running for many decades, in my
experience.
This past weekend, nearby annual CBCs were conducted. The Buzzard’s
Bay CBC was on Saturday, December 18, and the Outer Cape CBC was
on Sunday December 19. Both counts recorded highly unusual species,
and both revealed a paucity of wintering land birds. The weather
was just OK and birder effort was substantial.
One highlight of the Buzzard’s Bay Count was the discovery
of three Nashville warblers, two in downtown Falmouth and one in
Mashpee. Last year, the national high count on any CBC in North
America was five from a CBC in South Texas. So, the presence of
three individuals so far north in Massachusetts is noteworthy. The
Outer Cape CBC detected the presence of a lingering black-throated
green warbler, a bird that should be in Central America by now.
This is only the second time one of these birds has ever been detected
on a Massachusetts CBC. A marbled godwit and semipalmated sandpiper
were noteworthy on this CBC as well.
The Vineyard CBC is coming up a week from today, Thursday December
30. Anyone interested in participating should call one of the co-compilers,
either Rob Culbert at 508-693-4908 or Susan Whiting at 508-645-9049.
The entire Island is covered on this day by about a dozen groups
assigned to cover a designated area. The goal, a.k.a. “Mission
Impossible,” is to count every bird of every species on and
around Martha’s Vineyard. It is a fun and daunting task that
has variable results from year to year. At the end of the day, at
the compilation, all participants assemble to record the day’s
activities. It is always a fun, always tiring, event.
Ebba Hierta of West Tisbury had an unexpected bird in her yard on
Sunday, December 19 near the State Forest off of Old County Road.
She was startled by a black-and-white warbler that was foraging
up the bark of a tree much like a white-breasted nuthatch. Aware
of the date and the fact that a black-and-white warbler should not
be in the realm of possibility, she studied this familiar bird.
It was absolutely a female type black-and-white warbler crawling
on the bark looking for insect larvae or eggs. Nice spotting Ebba!
Keep an eye on any nearby suet feeders (or peanut butter, or sunflower
without the hull) as this bird will be forced to find more and reliable
sustenance if it is to survive the bitter winter in Massachusetts.
Many semi-hardy lingering birds will be forced to move this week,
as the bitter cold that we experienced with temperatures in the
single digits, just a couple of days ago has frozen out many formerly
available food supplies. Readers who feed birds, especially suet
or peanut butter should keep a sharp eye out for unfamiliar visitors.
Often with the onset of severe cold, species that have been lingering
in a particular spot, see their food or water supply frozen solid.
Their only recourse is to follow other birds in the area to whatever
food supplies they can find. Often this may be your feeder!
If any birds appear that you can not identify, by all means contact
this writer, either electronically or through the miracle of the
telephone. Hopefully, we can get someone over to identify any mystery
birds before the upcoming Vineyard CBC. Better still would be to
take a good digital photo and e-mail it. At any rate have a great
holiday, stay warm and may the birds be with you.
Until next week — keep your eyes to the sky!
To contribute news
about your birding activities or sightings, call The Times Birdline,
508-693-6100, extension 33; or e-mail birds@mvtimes.com.
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