Three large flocks

Three very VERY large flocks of geese or ducks flew over yesterday evening towards the East in North Yelm. Another small flock of about 10 were flying at a much lower altitude. A TWEET from Everette also mentioned seeing a flock of 60 SNOW GEESE headed towards the Snohomish Valley on Jan 19th. I've always thought that these large flocks are being driven by the weather, usually bad weather, and are headed towards a better location.  Most of the larger flocks that I have witnessed were flying or flew over at dusk.  I wonder why?

A few simple answers:

1) FAQ Birdwatchers Digest:
"...Still others, like geese and swans, make their migrations in family groups, led always by an older bird that has made the flight before. There is still much to learn, however, about how birds make such long flights and find precisely the right spot."


2) The Bird Lady
"..The Bird Lady:
Geese are among the few groups of birds that can migrate by day or by night."


3)BWB-ASF Library: Bird Migration Facts


4) PNNL: Science & Engineering - Shurb-Steppe Series: What About Canada Geese?


5)Geese Are Carb-Loading: Green Meditations Blog

FYI - Not everyday can be a good birding day

For those of you who need it ~ today or yesterday or the day before.

Just another sighn.

(typo and pun intended for _____ insert your name here - you know who you are:)-

Cormorants are not woodpeckers

Cliff (Ledge) Nesting Species

Northern Fulmar, Northern Gannet, Brandt’s Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Red-faced Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant, Herring Gull, Thayer’s Gull, Iceland Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, Red-legged Kittiwake, Common Murre, Thick-billed Murre, Razorbill, - "Breeding Season Survey Techniques for Seabirds and Colonial Waterbirds throughout North America, Steinkamp, M., B. Peterjohn, V. Byrd, H. Carter, and R. Lowe", p. 18 of 81.

The Nisqually River does have a cliff like area that possibly may house Cormorants. Pelagic Cormorants, according to Petersons' maps are primary residents of the Coastal areas of Washington.

Double Crested Cormorants are noted to be common in the Puget Sound area throughout the year and nest colonially on rocky islands, sea cliffs, or in the trees at lakes.

See also:

http://www.jstor.org/pss/3536609

Changes in....nesting 2002

http://www.birdresearchnw.org/Project-Info/Project-Background/Double-Crested-Cormorants/Columbia-River-Estuary-Corms/default.aspx

Columbia River Estuary 

http://yelmbackyard.blogspot.com/2009/07/woodpeckers.html 

Woodpeckers 

http://yelmbackyard.blogspot.com/2009/11/possibilities-or-not-of-juv-ivory.html 

Fun! 

A strange band and two Bald Eagles

I have been watching a flock of Oregon Juncos mixed in with a few Slate and Dark Eyed Juncos feed daily here. I have mentioned earlier that I attempted to take a photograph of a Variegated/Varied Thrush, who is quite skiddish. Well, the Thrush flew INTO the flock of Junco's feeding yesterday. Normally, the Thrush feeds OUTSIDE of the flock. This was different behavior from this Thrush in the last week or so! ALSO there is one more Black capped chickadee now for a full set. The chickadee and the Red Breasted Nuthatch have been eating my millet and making quite the mess for the Junco's to eat below and the 4 squirrels to pick up afterwards. I have had much activity here with this flock of 30 or so Juncos all day!

*One note on the Varied Thrush. He has a second dark black band, the same width of his neck band, near his lower breast or tail area.*

There were two Bald Eagles to fly at a low altitude here yesterday. They were playing and calling out to one another - flying very near one another - darting in and out of one another at close range. They both flew Southwest of here.


Cross posted TWEETERS
NOTE: January 6, 2010

Gulls in V formation

Saw a flock of ? what looked like white (Galucous gulls) flying North of Yelm yesterday afternoon, Jan. 5, 2010  AT  4:00 pm.  Rarely do I see gulls around or near Yelm.  I have never seen gulls  inside of the city of Yelm, unlike many larger cities. This flock of about 25  birds was flying in V formation very quietly.  The nearest (w/in 10 miles) waterbodies are N=LEWIS LAKE and the  N=NISQUALLY RIVER.  I have not seen a flock of gulls fly in V formation before.

Cross Posted TWEETERS

Flock of Junco's

Since my December 29th post, the various Junco's have been re-appearing. The usual flock of Oregon Junco's has grown from 12 to 30 + with a larger number of Slate colored and Dark Eyed Juncos in the
mix. The earlier and smaller flock had only two Slate colored Junco's feeding with them. The flock has grown to include 5 or 6 more Dark Eyed Juncos and several Slate colored Juncos. There is a lone Black-capped chickadee that feeds with them and will dart in to feed and fly up into the trees to peck at his seeds - once. I noticed yesterday that the Red-breasted Nuthatch was with them. He is also an infrequent visitor and will dart into the feeders in a rush to grab food and leave to break open seeds high into the trees. A pair of Varied Thrush has re-appeared at least 3 times this week, too. The flock of 20+ Junco's will feed on the North side and then they fly over to the East side of the yard. Their feeding patterns have changed position a little and are moving towards the feeders again. Normally, the Junco's will light on the feeders during the summer or lawn feed further away into the understory of my front yard (lately) and then move to the back, but since their numbers have increased substantially, they are feeding closer to my windows and away from the understory. I've noticed that they will alert one another, have most of the flock fly away, and leave at least 5 or 6 other Junco's to fend for themselves. The 5 or 6 Juncos remain feeding. Then the flock will slowly fly back, one by one and filter into feeding positions. They repeat this pattern several times even while the squirrels are feeding.


Cross Posted TWEETERS