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We spend a lot of time observing feeder birds as part of Project Feederwatch so this week’s focus on winter feeder birds is a perfect way to dig a little deeper. We have developed quite a list of backyard birds as part of this project. You can see our list here: Handbook of Nature Study – December Bird List. We have never seen a chickadee at our feeder but we still did the research as part of this Winter Bird Study Challenge.
- We stared our nature study time focused on Chickadees as suggested in the More Nature Study Book 2 challenge. We pulled out the field guides and looked up to see what kind of chickadees we may see in our area.
- My son also used Cornell’s All About Birds site to read more on the Mountain Chickadee which appears to be the only chickadee we may possibly observe. He completed the advanced notebook page from the ebook using information from the website.
We have heard the Mountain Chickadee on hikes up the mountain but have never actually seen one that I can remember. You can be sure we will keep our ears and eyes alert when we are out in that area again.
Since we didn’t get to observe a chickadee this week, I gave them the option to choose one of our feeder birds to learn a little more about and complete a notebook page recording their findings.
I chose the Mourning Dove which is a regular visitor to our front and backyard feeders. If I see one dove, I always look for the mate. They travel in pairs and seem to look out for each other as they bob along eating seed that has fallen from the platform feeders. I used a coloring page from Cornell’s Feeder Bird coloring book. I always feel so clumsy when I try to sketch a bird so having the simple outline to work from makes my journaling more enjoyable.
There is a past Outdoor Hour Challenge for brown birds including the mourning dove here: Outdoor Hour Challenge- Gray Birds: House Sparrow, House Wren, and Mourning Dove. Our entry for the challenge is found here: Brown Birds.
My son did my Project Feederwatch bird count with me today as part of this challenge. He looked up three additional birds in the field guide to complete his winter bird study.
Haven’t seen any chickadee’s so guess we will do another bird. Should be fun. Thanks!
We were surprised by a flock of bluebirds that passed through on Monday, just before a snowstorm. The juncos have come to stay for the winter, and actually roost in the tree where we hang the feeders!
Juncos are the most abundant bird in our yard right now…many of them to observe.
I love bluebirds but they seem to have come and gone again.
Thanks for the comments.