Birds of Tanzania

While in Tanzania, I was able to identify 72  new species of birds for my life list, bringing my life total up to 404 species.  I'm sure the number would have been higher if I had had a birding guide or even just another interested birder on the trip.  Nobody wants to wait for a bird nerd while they are hiking and the nerd is trying to flush out a bird it hears chirping in a bramble.  So it was keep up or get left behind.  Several of the identifications were made after I got home.  I would take pictures on the go to look at later for identifying them.

https://picasaweb.google.com/116153324670792808729/BirdsOfTanzania?authuser=0&feat=directlink

here is a link to a slide show of just some of the many pictures I took...

Correction to My Home Bird Count :

When my sister Karen was visiting recently from the west coast, I was reading her my list of bird sightings for our home, feeling proud of having recorded 100 species.  Much to my chagrin, I found TWO birds which were recorded twice, bringing my number back.  Space cadette. Sorry Mr. Sapsucker. You were just 98.


So this weekend, we were treated to the appearance of our 99th species, a Common Raven.  Humongous bird with a very loud and deep croaking call.  It hung around for a while allowing a few viewings.

Now we will keep our eyes out for the next species to bring us back up to the 100 bird count.

Songbirds in Maine

Confusing fall warbler

I think it's a Magnolia Warbler


 

Red Eyed Vireo

Red Breasted Nuthatch

Northern Parula

young Yellow bellied Sapsucker

American Redstart

Loon families in Lily Bay

Last summer while camping in Lily Bay State Park on Moosehead Lake, there were a few resident loon families hanging around from time to time.  Such a wonderful treat to see the youngsters though my favorite part of all is the serenades at night echoing across the lake. Indescribable.

Crossing Guard

I frequently see a small flock of male turkeys hanging around, scratching for food along the Stoughton side of Bay Road on my way to work. Sometimes, one dude (alpha turkey?) is displaying his stuff, with wings dropped, body feathers puffed up, and tail fanned out in full regalia, all of which seems to double him in size.  This morning, I guess the turkeys decided there might be better scratchings across the street.  Alpha Turkey went into full display and marched out into the street.  His buddies timidly began crossing one by one.  Alpha strutted back in forth in the middle of the road until all his chums had crossed.  He then tucked in his wings, relaxed his tail, and joined the flock to scratch on the Sharon side of Bay Road.  All in a day's work for Alpha, the Crossing Guard Turkey.

Nice start to my day.

cold snap

The recent cold snap has finally caused increased activity at my bird feeders.  The titmice and chickadees are back and forth constantly. Juncos getting in on the action, too.  Overall though, there has been a significant drop in birds coming to my feeders this winter.  I am hoping this is just due to the mild weather we are having and not an indication of something graver affecting the bird population.  Even over the summer I noticed a dramatic decrease in gold finch who used to cost me big money by emptying my thistle seed feeder regularly.  Today I have had one goldfinch hanging around, the first one I've seen in a while.  Last winter I would have up to 9 gold finch at a time hanging around the feeder like workers around a water cooler. 

Other individuals paying visits today have been a Carolina wren, Jack- the red-bellied woodpecker, and a downy woodpecker.