Birder’s track the number of bird species seen in their lifetime (a life list), and also keep track of those seen in a given year. Sometimes, a birder sees an incredibly large number of species in a year, which is lauded as a “big year.” This past year, 2017, was my first year of really paying attention to birds. I have sought them out, listened to them, tried to lay eyes on them, and have learned much. And…I am happy to tally 167 species that I have seen in 2017. Not a big year, really, but a fantastic one in my book. I can recall where I saw each of these birds this year; some, but not all, captured on film. I look forward to more birding in 2018.
Here is a pic of a some of my common backyard birds on the fountain today. Temperatures have been in the 20s for a couple of days. Since the pump keeps the water moving, it is the only unfrozen source of water in the yard. I see two female house finches, three male lesser goldfinches, and a female northern cardinal.
And, there they go. You have to be quick to capture the birdies.
Sheila365 