14 November 2015

Cedar Waxwings Appreciate Valentine Berry Tree

A flock of Cedar Waxwings have been seen appreciating an old tree along Main Street in front of the Valentine Public Library. There were about fifteen feasting on the berries during the morning of November 14th. They were obviously relishing the food source on a blustery day. Several would feed but if disturbed by a patron, fly to the larger tree just to the north. Some were seen perching in the north tree. Some were also seen to fly across the street to the City of Valentine office building and cling to the front facade, for some birdly reason.

The birds were first noticed because of their distinctive whistle.

Plans had been to remove the tree in the near term, as it is "half-dead." Upon learning that the waxwings were feeding on the berries, the schedule will apparently be delayed so that migratory birds could eat the ample ripe, red berries.

There were also a few House Sparrows present among the branches of the berry tree.

Something new will be planted in the spring.

10 November 2015

October Avifauna in the Valentine Vicinity

Seasonal record keeping was continued during October in the vicinity of Valentine Nebraska.

There were forty species denoted at the few locales that are along the way. Notes convey some sense of the birdly presence.

¶ Notable was an big increase in the number of Eurasian Collared-Doves about the Valentine Livestock Market, where Rock Pigeons are also numerous over the pens.
¶ Dark-eyed Juncos became numerous towards the end of the month, and continued to occur in similar numbers into November.
¶ The only known occurrence of meadowlarks was along the Cowboy Trail, within the city limits of Valentine.
¶ An osprey continued to linger about the Mill Pond, and utilized a utility line below the dam to watch for fish to eat in Minnechaduza Creek.
¶ Bluebirds were heard more than seen about the shack. Maybe in the coming spring, neighbor Lou will help make some wooden houses for these birds of beauty.
¶ The resident Great Horned Owls were much more prevalent, especially being vocal near the pond. One of the owls could be seen at dusk on a few evening, flying along the gulch north of the shack, and land on a utility pole to look and listen for something edible.
¶ Reliable in their regular occurrence where Black-capped Chickadees and the sublime White-breasted Nuthatches.
¶ Wild Turkeys were beginning to bunch up as noted during the middle of the month
¶ A favorite about the shack was a Lincoln's Sparrow, which was nearly a daily regular but was gone by the end of the month.
¶ Also gone is the diminutive House Wren, which was a regular resident during the first portion of the month. They will be back next season, as Wally has a slew of houses of various sizes and decoration.

The overall number of species observed in this vicinity is 54, through the end of the month.

These are details for the species noted, as designated to a Julian date. The numbers given are an aggregate of the number counted on the particular date, which may include the same species at different locales.

Common Name


274


276


279


282


283


286


287


288


291


294


297


300


302


Canada Goose


1

- -


5

- -


25

- -

- -

- -


8


7


65

- -

- -


Wood Duck

- -


11

- -

- -


6

- -


2

- -

- -


10

- -

- -

- -


Wild Turkey

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


16


14

- -

- -

- -


8

- -

- -


Turkey Vulture


58

- -


16


9


1


16

- -


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


Osprey

- -

- -


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


1

- -


Sharp-shinned Hawk

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


1

- -

- -


1

- -

- -

- -


Swainson's Hawk

- -

- -


3

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


Red-tailed Hawk


4

- -


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


1

- -

- -


American Kestrel


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


Killdeer

- -

- -


5

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


Rock Pigeon


50

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


25


Eurasian Collared-Dove


11


1


3

- -

- -

- -


2

- -


2


3


67

- -


35


Great Horned Owl

- -

- -


2

- -

- -

- -


1

- -

- -


2


1

- -

- -


Belted Kingfisher

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


1

- -


1

- -


Red-bellied Woodpecker

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


1


1


1

- -

- -


Downy Woodpecker


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


Hairy Woodpecker


1


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


1

- -

- -


Northern Flicker

- -


2


2

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


2

- -

- -

- -

- -


Eastern Phoebe

- -

- -


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


Blue Jay


4


3

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


2


2


3

- -

- -


American Crow


1

- -


2

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


2


2

- -

- -


Black-capped Chickadee


2


2


2

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


2


2

- -

- -

- -


White-breasted Nuthatch


2

- -


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


4


3

- -

- -


House Wren


2

- -


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


Eastern Bluebird


14


5


2

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


3

- -

- -

- -

- -


American Robin


5


15


20

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


5


5


2

- -

- -


European Starling

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


1

- -

- -


Yellow-rumped Warbler


2

- -


1

- -


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


Spotted Towhee


1

- -


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


Clay-colored Sparrow


1


2

2

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


Lark Sparrow

- -

- -


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


Lincoln's Sparrow


3


1


2

- -

- -

- -


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


White-crowned Sparrow

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


1


2

- -

- -

- -


Dark-eyed Junco

- -

- -


1

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


2


16


16

- -

- -


Northern Cardinal

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


1


2

- -


Western Meadowlark

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


7

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


Common Grackle


6

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


1


House Finch


45


5


20

- -

- -

- -


9

- -


3


4

- -

- -

- -


American Goldfinch


4

- -


3

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


4


4

- -

- -

- -


House Sparrow


10

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -


10


Continuing to be missed are any ducks other than the Wood Duck and surprisingly the Red-winged Blackbird. Other suggestive sounds need further attention.