FROM PROJECT FEEDERWAtch 2012–13 Focus on citizen science • Volume 9 Winter BirdHighlights Winter npredictability is one constant as each winter Focus on Citizen Science is a publication highlight- ing the contributions of citizen scientists. This is- brings surprises to our feeders. The 2012–13 sue, Winter Bird Highlights 2013, is brought to you by Project FeederWatch, a research and education proj- season broke many regional records with sis- ect of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies U Canada. Project FeederWatch is made possible by the kins and nuthatches moving south in record numbers efforts and support of thousands of citizen scientists. to tantalize FeederWatchers across much of the con- Project FeederWatch Staff tinent. This remarkable year also brought a record- David Bonter breaking number of FeederWatchers, with more than Project Leader, USA Janis Dickinson 20,000 participants in the US and Canada combined! Director of Citizen Science, USA Kristine Dobney Whether you’ve been FeederWatching for 26 years or Project Assistant, Canada Wesley Hochachka this is your first season counting, the usual suspects— Senior Research Associate, USA chickadees, juncos, and woodpeckers—always bring Anne Marie Johnson Project Assistant, USA familiarity and enjoyment, as well as valuable data, Rosie Kirton Project Support, Canada even if you don’t observe anything unusual. Whichever Denis Lepage birds arrive at your feeder, we hope they will bring a Senior Scientist, Canada Susan E. Newman sense of wonder that captures your attention. Thanks Project Assistant, USA for sharing your observations and insights with us and, Kerrie Wilcox Project Leader, Canada most importantly, Happy FeederWatching. Join Project FeederWatch! Anyone in the United States and Canada with an in- terest in birds and a feeder to watch is welcome to join. Help scientists monitor winter bird populations while you learn more about the birds in your neigh- borhood. To join, contact the FeederWatch office in your country. United States Cornell Lab of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Woods Road Ithaca, NY 14850 1-800-843-BIRD (2473) [email protected] www.feederwatch.org Canada Bird Studies Canada P.O. Box 160 Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0 1-888-448-BIRD (2473) [email protected] www.birds.canada.org/pfw.html Focus on Citizen Science Staff David Bonter Editor Diane Tessaglia-Hymes Design Director Bushtit by Scott Clarke. © Cornell Lab of Ornithology 2013 Cover photo of finches by Pam Garcia. 2 Notes from a Project FeederWatch newbie BY SUSAN WIDER nough already. I wasted the entire 2011–12 Project EFeederWatch season and never signed up. This And just like that, 20 minutes into Day One, year I would enroll. Project FeederWatch has offered me a great I still didn’t get to it as early as I had planned, but sense of satisfaction... by January I had phoned, paid, and received my pack- et of materials. And then it sat on the kitchen coun- ter. When I did open the envelope, everything inside settled for “There’s a finch,” even when I knew one looked quite official. There was a tally sheet, an in- of them looked different. Rather than researching the structional handbook, a calendar, a newsletter, and a stranger, I just assumed he was a House Finch made lovely fold-out poster to help with bird identification. redder in the early morning sun. But today I’m doing And then there was the data booklet, which looked important citizen science, and it suddenly becomes so much like a standardized exam staring me in the essential to be sure. face that I put everything right back in the envelope. I The birds help me out when two males land on the did consider trying to sketch—as a drawing exercise— birdbath and a close look through binoculars makes it Larry McQueen’s terrific Blue Jay printed on the out- clear that they are different. I’m an adequate enough side of the envelope, but I wimped out on that as well, birder to use the tools I have to figure things out. It’s and the envelope was soon buried under the evil pile just a matter of taking the time to do it properly. With of ignored mail. a little help from Mr. Sibley, I am able to correctly It was my husband who nudged me into action identify my first Cassin’s Finch. And just like that, 20 through guilt and honesty, which usually works. He minutes into Day One, Project FeederWatch offered reminded me that, a) I had paid a fee—although quite me a great sense of satisfaction because I properly dif- modest at $12—to participate, b) I loved a chance at ferentiated these two birds. citizen science, and c) an idea for one of my children’s Here’s what else I learned on Day One: Have bird nature stories was likely to emerge from the experi- guides and a camera at hand. Expect to feel a sense ence. After that I did my homework. The materials of accomplishment from helping with the project. are well thought through, I learned a lot, and I quickly There are different ways to see the world, and Project realized that this was not onerous in the least. I was FeederWatch is about taking the time to really look. eager to begin. This type of citizen science suits me, and it converted On my first day of counting I reviewed the actual me from someone who glances outside to see what forms to be sure I knew what to track. Then I wrote might be there, to someone who studies what’s really down my start time, took my tally sheet, cup of tea, happening. and binoculars to the big window I had selected for And yes, I do feel a children’s story coming on. observing our feeders and settled in. Right away, I FeederWatcher Susan Wider’s magazine articles for children and discovered that there is a huge difference between adults have appeared in Bird Watcher’s Digest and other maga- bird watching and bird counting. I was accustomed to zines. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. the kind of birding that mostly involved saying, “Oh Cassin’s Finch by David F. Smith there’s a robin,” or “That’s a chickadee over there,” or “I see a hawk.” This was different. I had to be sure of my bird species on a micro level, sometimes using bin- oculars, but I also had to count them on a macro level by scanning the area for multiples. I started out a bit too cocky. Of course I already knew which birds were coming to our feeders. We were regularly seeing 12 to 15 species and I had nailed those soon after moving to Santa Fe. Well, Project FeederWatch humbled me, and on my very first day. For several months I had been lazy about finches. I 3 Notes from FeederWatchers Acorns abound, affect FeederWatch counts Betty Shannon of Placerville, California, reported an abundance of natural food including acorns at her count site last winter. “Acorns started falling in October, and by the end of November the ground was littered.” This abundance meant that the activ- ity at Betty’s feeders changed. “During two count periods I did not see any Western Scrub-Jays—the first time that has hap- pened since my first count winter in 1998–99. And, no surprise, the resident family of Acorn Woodpeckers was also absent from “Goldie” the woodpecker the feeders most of the winter.” At the end of the season, how- FeederWatcher Debbie Mennell from ever, Betty was treated to a surprise as the largest flock of Band- Warrenville, Illinois, sent photos of a tailed Pigeons to visit her yard, some 20 birds, descended on the very unusual Red-bellied Woodpecker oaks to glean the remaining acorns. with yellow-orange coloration in areas Bronze Mannikins establish a foothold in Texas that are typically red. Superficially, the With the Nutmeg Mannikin now established in parts of bird first appears to be a Golden-fronted California, Texas, Mississippi, and Florida, is the similar Bronze Woodpecker (a species typically found Mannikin the next avian invader? Jim Sigmund of Cypress, in Oklahoma, Texas, and points south). Texas, reports that Bronze Mannikins may indeed be next. Upon closer inspection, we believe that “Since March 1, I have had regular visits from up to nine Bronze the bird shows signs of xanthochroism— Mannikins at my feeders. Nutmeg Mannikins have been around meaning that red plumage is replaced by for several years, but these Bronze Mannikins are new.” Native dull orange or yellow plumage. This is a to sub-Saharan Africa, Bronze Mannikins are small finch- rather rare mutation, but generally does es that are often kept in captivity. Based on how the Nutmeg not affect the normal life span of the Mannikins are increasing in number and returning year after individual. year to Jim’s feeders, he predicts that the Bronze Mannikins Debbie wrote, “We have been living will also proliferate. here for 30 years and have always had many woodpeckers in the area, Downy, European visitor in Newfoundland Hairy, and Red-bellied, with Red-headed Louise Butler of Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, passing through each spring and fall. was intrigued when, “a small bird with a light rusty breast kept This is the first time we have seen a Red- appearing along the tree line.” She saw the bird repeatedly, but bellied Woodpecker with a striking plum- it didn’t come close enough to take a picture. On March 12, how- age difference.” They named the unusual ever, she was able to take a picture as it fed briefly under her bird “Goldie,” and she’s a regular visitor main feeder.