Saturday, October 6, 2007

Back yard birds 10/5 and 10/6

White-throated Sparrow numbers are at a high level in the area right now. When I wake up in the morning I can hear several of their chip notes from the back yard and the occasional "broken" and incomplete song. Along with the White-throats have been was a Yellow-bellied Sapsuck and Chestnut-sided Warbler on 10/5. There is now a pair of Carolina Wrens in the thicket that borders my yard as well, here is a digi-bin photo of one below.
Carolina Wren

And...the big news in north central Massachusetts was a Northern Wheatear found by Mike Polana at the Orange, Ma. airfield yesterday 10/5! It sounds like Mike got the news out quickly and many birders have been able see this rare thrush. There are only a handfull of records of this species from the interior of Massachusetts. I may not have a chance to chase this one today, maybe tomorrow if its still present.


2 comments:

Larry said...

You've got some nice yard birds there! I went to see a Northern Wheatear last year at Bradley Airport.Unfortunately the view was distant.One of the birds came up closer and I was able to see the dark markings on the head.I wouldn't mind getting a better look at them some time though.

Tom Pirro said...

Hi Larry, I have had some nice yard birds over the years....I only keep an informal yard list but its some where over a 100 species (see from the yard not in the yard). Jim Baird, a retired ornithologist, has found 2 of the hand full I mentioned in my post. Both where in the town of Petersham, one in the fall another in the spring!