Project Feederwatch Summary 2012-2013 Count Period

I just finished entering my 2012-2013 Project Feederwatch data.  If you didn't participate this year, please consider participating next year.  I'll be signing up Donnie's yard as my count site for the 2013-2014 count period.  I expect to see similar results there, and it will be interesting to compare the data from both count sites.  Counting will start again in November.

My maximum species counted for a week was 13, and my maximum number of birds counted for a week was 32.  This year I started spotting and reporting ruby crowned kinglets which I didn't know or report in prior count years.  It's always exciting to get a new high count for a given species or to add new species that I can identify correctly.

Personal Count Summary for 2012-2013 : 27592

Species	Maximum number observed during count period																					Avg group size when seen	Avg group size per count period
Alphabetic | Taxonomic	Nov			Dec				Jan					Feb				Mar				Apr
	13	20	27	4	11	18	25	1	8	15	22	29	5	12	19	26	5	12	19	26	2
Mourning Dove	0	0	1	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	2	2	0	0	3	0	1.9	0.7
Red-bellied Woodpecker	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	1	1.1	0.7
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	1.0	0.1
Downy Woodpecker	2	0	1	1	1	1	2	0	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	1	2	1	1	1	2	1.2	1.0
Hairy Woodpecker	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.0	0.0
Northern Flicker	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.0	0.0
Blue Jay	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	1.0	0.1
Black-capped Chickadee	2	2	2	0	1	1	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	1.4	0.7
Carolina/Black-capped Chickadee	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.0	0.1
Tufted Titmouse	0	2	2	2	2	3	3	2	2	2	2	2	2	3	3	1	3	3	3	0	2	2.3	2.1
Red-breasted Nuthatch	2	1	1	2	1	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	1.1	0.8
White-breasted Nuthatch	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1.2	0.3
Brown Creeper	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	1.0	0.2
Carolina Wren	0	0	2	2	1	0	1	0	1	2	1	0	0	1	0	2	1	1	2	0	1	1.4	0.9
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	1	1	0	1	0	1	1.2	0.3
Eastern Bluebird	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1.0	0.0
Hermit Thrush	1	0	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	1.0	0.4
American Robin	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.0	0.1
Pine Warbler	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	1.0	0.2
Yellow-rumped Warbler	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	1	1.0	0.2
Dark-eyed Junco	3	0	1	2	2	0	0	0	0	2	2	1	0	2	2	0	1	2	1	0	0	1.8	1.0
Northern Cardinal	2	1	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	1	2	0	1.3	0.6
Pine Siskin	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	4	15	3	11	6	0	5	10	6.3	2.7
American Goldfinch	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	5	0	4	3	2	3	1	3	1	2.8	1.2
Total species observed	8	4	12	8	6	7	7	3	4	7	10	13	8	10	11	13	13	8	13	7	12
Total individuals observed	14	6	15	12	8	10	10	4	5	11	14	17	13	17	32	19	29	18	16	17	23
Click on a column heading to re-order table. For example, click on "Average group size when seen" to order table by group size.

I know the table isn't showing up correctly.  It's the best I can do.  Sorry.

Sunday Dinner

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We often have roast chicken on Sundays, and this Sunday was no exception with a high near 60 and wind and clouds.  It turned out yummy.  This is Joey's plate:  a breast with wing, cauliflower mash, and green beans.

Male Bluebird with Worm (Feeding Time)

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Another shot of the father bluebird bringing his babies some food.  Feeding 5 babies keeps the parents very busy.

To answer a few questions from yesterday.
1. Our boxes are about 5' off the ground.  We followed the box hanging instructions on this site.
2. There is a nesting cup in the box that allows me to lift it out for viewing.  We can do things like make sure there are no Cowbird eggs in the box.
3. We wait to inspect the eggs or babies until the parents are out of the box and only are in the area of the box for a few minutes.  The usually watch overhead and then go right back into the box.
4. We'll stop looking in on the babies when they start to get near fledging so that we don't cause them to fledge prematurely.
5. I'll get more pictures this week but our weather is cold, windy, and rainy, so I may have to wait a few days until the weather is good enough to peek in.

Bluebird Babies

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The babies hatched either yesterday or today.  We are very pleased!  Mom and Dad were busy going in and out of the bluebird house feeding them, and I got some pics of them too.

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Yellow and White Iris with Visitor

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I took a pic of these irises about a week ago.  I was back in the area today and decided to take a few more.  I think this bed is SOOOO pretty.  Wish the fly hadn't ended up the shot I liked the comp on the best.  Oh well.

Meatloaf

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When I'm not packing and moving things I am still cooking all out food from scratch.  No processed foods at all.  Now I do make meals that generate leftovers for lunches so I get breaks from cooking that way sometimes.  This meatloaf is made with pork rinds crushed up in place of the breadcrumbs.  Also brussel sprouts steamed and then sauteed in bacon grease.  The veggie on the left is a turnip and carrots mix leftover from a crock pot meal earlier in the week of brisket.  We gulped this down just before leaving for Joey's baseball game.

Bacon Wrapped and Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Asparagus

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Tried this recipe for the first time last night, and the boys, all 3, thought it was FANTASTIC.  I highly recommend you try.