Towheeblog

Time to view that Bill Murray movie again, “Ground Hog# Day.” And time to tote up the birds who are beginning to do spring musicales: drumming sapsucker, singing flicker and real songs from a few songbirds–robin, Song Sparrow, Bewick’s Wren. I won’t mention meadowlarks except to say they will enthusiastically sing any day the sun shines–season not relevant.

That final image is junco-jay retreating with peanut. He’s been avoiding the camera lately but can’t resist peanuts. No siskins in recent days, eight weeks ago they out-numbered all the other species combined.

#The yellow-bellied marmot is our closest cousin to the eastern woodchuck, i.e. groundhog. Here is photo from south end of Canal Road in Malheur NWR, taken in late June of 2020 on a Field Station field trip. Marmot on mound. Photog: Albert Ryckman.

Click here for report on Texas woman who saw over 720 bird species in lower 48 last year!

954 Ratcliff Drive SE, Marion, Oregon, US
Feb 1, 2022
18 species

Eurasian Collared-Dove  3
Mourning Dove  9
Northern Flicker  1
California Scrub-Jay  X
American Crow  3
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Bushtit  25
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Bewick’s Wren  1     singing
European Starling  3
Cedar Waxwing  X–first of the year here
Lesser Goldfinch  12
American Goldfinch  1
Fox Sparrow  1
Dark-eyed Junco  30
Golden-crowned Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  1

954 Ratcliff Drive SE, Marion, Oregon, US
Feb 2, 2022
16 species

Eurasian Collared-Dove  X
Mourning Dove  X
Downy Woodpecker  X
California Scrub-Jay  X
American Crow  X
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  1
Bushtit  X
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1
European Starling  X
Lesser Goldfinch  X
Fox Sparrow  1
Dark-eyed Junco  30
Song Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  1