Winter Bird Watching Log:

Newest visitor to my feeders is a black and white warbler. Maybe not that exciting to everyone, but it was absolutely gorgeous...the vivid contrast of the black and the white...breathtaking. A minor letdown, though, because at first look I thought it was a downy woodpecker/nuthatch hybrid.

Well, its official that springs almost here.

1 The 50 or so bald eagles have left the Conowingo area and have headed North

2Snow Geese are flying higher and will soon be gone

3saw a bluebird

4saw a bunch of robins (they must be nuts)

Farmerman--

You've noticed the PA weather forecast? These last three weeks of winter may be weary, white weeks.

I've noticed fewer Robins here lately (Central FL), and the ones remaining don't seem nearly as fat as they did earlier in the winter. I love how they waddle about the yard, like little balls with tiny legs. They look so Happy!

BorisKitten--

Turn up the sound and try:

http://www.rienzihills.com/SING/whentheredrobin.htm

Noddy, Im gettin cabin fever also. Fortunately we have our late winter "mud sales" to frequent every weekend until May . They are all over the Dutchland and even as far North as Kutztown. They help make the winter go more quickly.
Soon wil be the time of planting and lambing. Weve had about 35 sets of twin lambs already , so we should be done lambing by Easter.

Farmerman--

If one believes the weather, the snow will be falling at the rate of an inch or two an hour. I am Not Amused.

The lambs are a hopeful sign, though.

Unless someone does somethin really stupid, like let the sheep escape and get mixed up, or if they get into feed bins when they should only be on pasture, most of the year they take care of themselves with just daily inspections. During lambing season , however, its 24 hour duty and we do 4 on and 4 off with intercoms playing. Weve had a bunch more born today and , so far, its all twins from a nice ram, so my wife is rarely in the house.
Weather Channels abit off again. This storm has just been a no- news event

The snow here is heavy.

At present I'm reading Jon Katz, The Dogs of Bedlam Farm describing his experiences with sheep (and donkeys). According to him, the sheep were necessary to civilize his three border collies.

Meanwhile, we're in an inch-an-hour storm.

How many ewes are still pregnant?

Two new birds at the finca today:
Barred Becard and
Andean Solitaire

My goldfinches are coming out of winter camouflage. By the time the daffodils bloom, the goldfinch males will be bright yellow.

I did not know that. I always thought the color of goldfinches was sex linked. WELL, THATS two things Ive leARNED TODAY.

Farmerman--

Only the males will turn gold, but the ladies are much more attractive in their summer green feathers than in the unisex winter camouflage.

Did it! Cheered me right up, too. And how'd you know I ALWAYS have the speakers off? I figure when I want the computer to talk back to me, I'll let it know.

So about Robins, this may be a stupid question, but, um, how far North are our Robins going? Are these Georgia Robins, or Pennsylvania ones? I think they must leave Florida altogether, but I'm not certain even of that.

I never knew Goldfinches had drab winter outfits. Are these pets, like indoors, or yard friends? Would an indoor Goldfinch still change if it was warm inside?

Reminds me of horses, where they left lights on in stables to keep the horses from growing shaggy winter coats (this was FL). Apparently it was the amount of daylight, not the temperature, that triggered fur growth. Maybe birds are the same?

Cardinals live here year-round (and we have A LOT who live in our yard). The boys stay red all year, but in Spring their colors become MUCH brighter. Hasn't happened yet, though.

Cinnesthesia that's an interesting report. I wonder where you're located that you can get a Black and White Warbler in February and at a feeder. They usually glean tree branches for small insects and I never saw them in Missouri untill April. I saw one yesterday but it will be some weeks yet before it starts it's journey northward to breed in the U.S.

boriskitten, yeh photoperiod is usually the trigger for all sorts of seasonal polymorphs. Our barn cats start getting fur thickening in August and they live in a heated kennel building.

The cardinals showed up late here this year and now we have them all over the place and their colors are , well, you need shades.

Female cardinals (and female robins) are very impressed by bright red feathers.

Sumac berries are evidently not terribly tasty. They are around in the late winter and early spring and migrating birds gobble them down. Cardinals and robins who eat a lot of sumac berries have a much sexier color than their peer groups.

Cinnesthesia--

Who keeps the feeders full?

One of the most common migrants in winter around my place is the Blacburnian Warbler