Grey County

[Axeman]

I heard my first robbins on Monday night and saw my first on Tuesday...by the end of the week, there were lots of males displaying and getting into little battles.

New to my feeder this week, a pair of brown headed cowbirds and a pair of mourning doves...in some winters, the doves are around all winter but not this year.

RFI...I found scratching around outside of the spilled seeds, a small sparrow...it had grey on face and a rusty cap plus grey streaks on face...it had brown streaks on breast with a black spot in centre and "belly"...below breast, was cream...I lean towards Lincoln's Sparrow...sorry no pix.

[Ron Luft]

My guess would be a Song Sp. The spot in chest ctr. usually tells. esp if breast streaks abit heavier. Lincoln's has more buff to neck, chest etc. Song's also may over winter and arrive early.

[Axeman]

This guy was an early arrival...

Usually I have an American Tree Sparrow at my feeders during the winter...absent this year...

I would agree with Song Sparrow except for the grey...it was a pronounced grey...which left me choosing between Fox and Lincoln's...and it didn't have size or tail of fox...plus more black....any explanation for grey on a song?

Darn...I kinda thought the Lincoln was a bit of a rare spot...sigh...I never get to see anything good.

                                  :?

[Axeman]

This week in Grey County...the turkey vultures are back in some numbers...as are brown headed cowbirds and robins. The ruffed grouse are moving around more and are visible as they forage...I found a pair of white throated nutchatches at my feeders this week..

I notice the sparrows (song and american tree sparrows) seem to be moving with a flock of juncos...I've heard killdeer...and I saw my first chipmunk...

[Axeman]

This week in grey county...heard the first flicker but didn't see it...and saw my first Mourning Cloak...and...I may well be wrong as I usually am but I think I saw a rough legged hawk...it had a white patch on top around the base of the tail and it was hovering...I am damn sure it wasn't a song sparrow but then again...sigh...and I think I saw a goshawk perched in a tree...very light coloured and very large buteo shaped bird...

My "Lincoln's Sparrow" was in fact a Song Sparrow...and there are a couple along with a couple of American Tree Sparrows moving with a flock of juncos around my feeders...

I'm a little puzzled as to why I didn't have the winter chippy over winter...I usually see them at my feeder in the winter...

I notice that the brown headed cowbird males seem to be hanging in a flock of 5 around my feeder...

And the peepers? LOUD

[Axeman]

This week:

New -- tree swallows and white throated sparrows.

The flock of juncos spiced with american tree sparrows and song sparrows I had visiting appear to have moved off from my feeder.

I have been hearing male ruffed grouse beating their wings (sometimes at 3 a.m.) and today (Thurs), saw a male displaying. I didn't realize that in addition to the tail display, they also display a collar around the neck -- but I guess that's where the "ruffed" comes in. Pretty neat. Poor bugger scared her away though.

Also had to deal with my first tent caterpillar nest of the season.