Hi All
Today I spent a lot of the day birding in Shenandoah National Park and
turned up some nice birds. List is as follows:
Pine Warbler - 6 on Dark Hollow Falls Trail, seen and heard in a small
stand of pines
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 along edge of Big Meadows, I got some nice
photos
WILSON'S SNIPE - 2 flying together fast over north end of Big
Meadows. I was delighted to see them.
All in 1 area (30 yards) in the woods behind Big Meadows observed all
of the following woodpeckers and woodpecker like birds. I found it
interesting that they were all together like that.
Brown Creeper - 2
White-breasted Nuthatch - 2
Downy Woodpecker - 1
it was a really lively 30 yard area with all those birds plus a
squirrel and a chipmunk.
I also saw the regular birds today of course, Red-tailed Hawk, Common
Raven, Turkey Vulture, etc.
On a different note, I'd appreciate some advice for my bird feeders.
I have a bird feeding poll station with 4 feeders on it. It's located
in my backyard a few feet from some bushes and about 5 to 10 yards
from my house. I put it up a few days after Christmas of 2010. It
took several weeks for birds to find it and then 5-10 goldfinches
enjoyed it for a few days being regular visitors. Then, a few weeks
went by where no birds were there. Then, another flock of goldfinches
enjoyed it few days and a Song Sparrow was with them at times. Since
then, birds have been coming very sporadically, mostly Carolina Wren
and Song Sparrow, but I only get a visitor once every 5 days or so.
I've tried many different types of bird seed (sunflower seeds,
peanuts, bird seed mix bought at Rockingham Bird Club, bird seed mix
bought at grocery store) and still not much activity. Any suggestions
on how to get birds to my yard?
Thanks greatly and good birding.
Gabriel Mapel
New Hope Va
Ps. I am doing a "Junior Big Year" birding this year in 2011. If
you'd like to view my progress and learn what a "Junior Big Year" is,
please check out my blog:
www.juniorbigyear.blogspot.com
