-31 March, 2008 - Salamanders on the move

Tonight is a warm rainy night, we saw 19 salamanders on the road to Holland.  Keep looking...salamander migration is on.

-19 March, 2008 - On the lookout for Salamanders

It was one of the first rainy nights of spring, and some brave souls came out to look for salamanders.  The weather just didn't cooperate, it was less rainy than predicted and it was a bit too cold.  We did find 3 Wood Frogs and after the group dispersed we did find 1 salamander.  Keep your eyes open for the next rainy night.

-16 February, 2008
Brimfield/Holland

It was one of those frigid February mornings, with temperatures in the teens.  Not the kind of day that you would normally see a lot of species.  But this trip was graced with 37 species of  birds.  The birders made their way through locations in Brimfield and Holland and turned up the following:
Hooded Merganser 5
Common Merganser 5
Wild Turkey 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Coopers Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Ring-billed Gull  4
Rock Pigeon 7
Mourning Dove  20
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 
Downy Woodpecker 8
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Blue Jay 25
American Crow 15
Common Raven 2
Black-capped Chickadee 18
Tufted Titmouse 8
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Carolina Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 1
European Starling 30
American Tree Sparrow 6
Song Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 2
Dark-eyed Junco 23
Northern Cardinal  7
Red-winged Blackbird 7
Pine Grosbeak  3
House Finch 20
Common Redpoll 30
Pine Siskin 6
American Goldfinch 21
House Sparrow 23

- 1 January 2008
New Years Day

New Years Day was a great day to get out in the woods to see the birds.  We didn't get that many birds on our New Years list but we had a wonderful day snowshoeing and checking out the birds.  This is what we saw. 
Chickadee, Titmouse, Mourning Dove, Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, White breasted Nuthatch, Cardinal, Junco, Goldfinch, Pine Siskin, Blue Jay, Red bellied Woodpecker, Golden crowned Kinglet, and Grouse tracks.   We also saw quite a few spots in the snow where the deer were digging for acorns.  We also saw a couple of spots where the deer had slept.  All in all a nice walk in the snow.  

Sturbridge Christmas Bird Count Results
Click here for the 2007 overview

Click here to see the spreadsheet
The 2008 Sturbridge Christmas count will be held on
Tuesday December 16, 2008
Save the Date!

-November 2007
Many customers are reporting a large influx of winter finches!  Both Red and White Crossbills, Pine Siskin, Redpolls as well as the Evening Grosbeaks.  We have also seen quite a few Purple Finch and Red breasted Nuthatch.  It should be a good Christmas count this year!

-October 2007
Evening Grosbeaks have been reported in the area.  Be on the lookout!

Bill and Tom Clay braving the Bird-a-Thon weather.  Photo by Bruce DeGraaf.

-August  2007

The Nighthawks have started to migrate.  Look for them in the early evening sky.

The hummingbirds are feeding quite heavily as they are getting ready to migrate.  This year bees have been troublesome to the hummingbird and oriole feeders.  Keep the hummingbird feeders out till mid to late October to ensure that there is food available for migrating birds.

-May 2007

Nesting Ravens seen in the area.  There are at least 2 chicks in the nest. (location on private property, not disclosed per owners request)

The Eagles are back on the nest one Lake Quaboag.

-January 2007
Hawaii

Bill and Nancy's Hawaiian bird sightings included Red Junglefowl, Hawaiian Coot Hawaiian Gallinule, Hawaiian Duck, Black necked Stilt, Common Waxbill, Red-crested Cardinal, Zebra Dove, Spotted Dove, Common Myna, Pacific Golden Plover, Java Sparrow, Red Footed Booby, Japanese White-eye, Chestnut Mannikin, Red-vented Bulbul, Common Fairy Tern, Yellow fronted Canary, and Black-rumped Waxbill.  We also saw a Mongoose and a very cool lizard!

All in all we have 19 new life birds to add to our list.