Hello, and Riverwood + Erindale birds

[Reuven_M]

I have the day off school today, and there were a lot of birds around in Erindale.
The obvious highlight was my lifer rough-legged hawk - a dark morph. Before today I'd had four poor looks at probable rough-legs, but I finally got a good look today.
My total list:

Canada Goose     30
Mallard     12
Red-tailed Hawk    2
Rough-legged Hawk     1
Herring Gull     6
Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
Downy Woodpecker     5
Hairy Woodpecker     1
Blue Jay     3
American Crow     2
Black-capped Chickadee     45
Red-breasted Nuthatch     1
White-breasted Nuthatch     6
Golden-crowned Kinglet     5
European Starling     120
American Tree Sparrow     2
Dark-eyed Junco     5
Northern Cardinal     12
House Finch     60
American Goldfinch     80
House Sparrow     25

[Reuven_M]

A few birds this afternoon at Erindale, the best being 1 red-tail, 1 kingfisher, 1 golden-crowned kinglet, and 12 robins

[Reuven_M]

Very active this morning, maybe they know the storm is coming?
Birds today included:
2 red-tails and 1 sharpie
1 great blue heron flyover
1 kingfisher
9 downy, 4 hairy and 1 red-bellied woodpeckers
loads of chickadees, at least 50-60 total
lots of white-breasted nuthatch, I counted 11
2 brown creeper
2 golden-crowned kinglet
~60 robins in 2 flocks
6 tree sparrow and 14 junco
lots of finches, ~50 house and 40 gold

23 species in all, not bad for winter

[Reuven_M]

I went down to Erindale for a bit this morning, it was surprisingly active:
1 kingfisher
1 pileated and 2 red-bellied woodpeckers (but no downys or hairys!)
2 red and 3 white-breasted nuthatches
2 creepers
1 golden-crowned kinglet
2 robins
3 tree sparrow and 8 junco
lots of finches: ~40 each house and tree

[MEGHAN]

Reuven,

I've been waiting for you to post a Pileated sighting there. I often see/ hear them there or by the campus. They are quite common in that whole area. I'm surprised you haven't seen them more often.
Meg

[Reuven_M]

I used to see them a lot more, not as much recently. A lot easier to find on the trail along the top of the ridge on the University then anywhere else, and I don't usually go there.

[Reuven_M]

Some decent birds today in Erindale, the only new stuff from yesterday were 1 hairy and 5 downy woodpeckers, 2 white-throated sparrows and a sharp-shinned hawk.

[Reuven_M]

4 woodpecker day today! : 1 pileated, 2 red-bellied, 3 hairy and 6 downy
I got a good look at the kingfisher finally, its a female.
Otherwise just normal winter birds (no redpolls yet, but hopefully soon!)

[Reuven_M]

Among the normal birds today was a merlin, my first good look at one for over 2 years.  

[Reuven_M]

Today was highlighted by 3 red-tailed hawks, 3 golden-crowned kinglets and a kingfisher (surprisingly, a male, meaning there are 2 around). But best of all was a great blue heron in the river just downriver from Dundas st.
Still loads of house and goldfinches, and increasing numbers of mallards (43 today).

[Reuven_M]

Very high numbers of finches today (about 130 house and 100 gold), and there were tons of geese yesterday in the field (6-700!)

Also a surprise hermit thrush in the backyard first thing in the morning yesterday. Strangely, one also stopped by for 5 minutes in the middle of last winter, and I never saw it again.

[Reuven_M]

Little activity today, a robin and a red-tail were the most notable species

[Rob'in'To]

Hey Reuven!

I was wondering if you have been to Riverwood lately?  I'd guess not due to no reports since the 7th.  Angie and I are thinking of going there over the weekend at some point.  We'll post our sightings here after our visit if you don't mind.

[Reuven_M]

Go ahead and post. I haven't been to Riverwood since the Christmas Bird Count. I've been to Erindale in the past few weeks a few times, but haven't seen anything worth posting.
Make sure you check out the feeders behind the Chappell House, which is where the redpolls were two years ago.

[angieinto]

We will, thanks!