Target Birds

we birders use an online database for keeping lists. There is a smart phone app as well. See http://ebird.org/content/ebird/

I keep seeing the same birds over and over, and yet some rather common birds have become "nemesis birds". Such as purple finch. I have found the more difficult common redpoll, of birds that show up in winter. The solution is just to go to slightly wooded areas or find bird feeders to follow in winter. It was an easy bird every winter in Wisconsin.

My Lancaster county target list. The 19 and 20 slots are an owl and red shouldered hawk.

Going state wide, a few fairly easy birds appear such as magpie. I have that from Colorado next door in my eBird list.

Winter is coming

An irruption is happening: red crossbills (above) have left their normal areas and are appearing South and East of it.


More waterfowl arrive, these for a month or two till the lakes freeze. A female bufflehead.

Some more winter birds: pine siskins:

Another female crossbill:

Harris's sparrows stay all winter:

Waxwings eating cedar "berries":

A Western grebe:

And a few cormorants may stay as late as possible. They do not mind cold but do need to dive long distances for fish, so the whole lake needs to be ice free. It is drying its wings here.

Even a kingfisher. We have salty creeks where they can fish into December.