New Buffalo Christmas Bird Count: 29-Year History

The center of the oddly-named New Buffalo (Michigan) Christmas Bird Count (located at ) is actually much closer to the village of Three Oaks than it is to New Buffalo. But by virtue of the fact that the count center is located so far to the east of downtown New Buffalo, which sits on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, the count circle encompasses some of my old boy-hood haunts around the village of Galien. I’ll be covering some of those areas during the New Buffalo CBC this coming weekend. With that thought in mind, I was driven to prepare this historical sketch of the first 29 years of the count.

During the 29-year history of the New Buffalo CBC, some 272,504 individuals of 142 species have been tallied.

Frequency of Occurrence/Yearly Regularity
Twenty-five species (18 percent) were recorded in each of the 29 years, forty-one (29 percent) in 25 or more years, sixty-six (46 percent) in 15 or more years (i.e., on more than half of all counts), forty-three (30 percent) in fewer than 10 years, and seventeen (12 percent) in just one year.

The Top Ten Species: The following species are ranked in decreasing order of abundance based on a combination of three criteria: (a) total number recorded; (b) mean count when detected, and (c) median count when detected. The values for each of these criteria are presented as percentages relative to the highest-ranking species in each category (European Starling;i.e., the median count for Northern Cardinal was 27.3 percent that of the starling). Ranks (overall and for individual critera) are in curly brackets. Each of the species listed below ranked in the top 10 in at least one of the three abundance criteria:

European Starling {1}: (a) 100{1} [n=35,778] – (b) 100{1} [Mean=1,234] – (c) 100{1} [Median=951]

Herring Gull {2.7): (a) 76.8{2) – (b) 76.7{2} – (c) 49.7{4}

House Sparrow {2.7}: (a) 75.6{3} – (b) 75.5{3} – (c) 74.0{2}

Dark-eyed Junco {3.7}: (a) 56.4{4} – (b) 56.6{4} – (c) 58.4{3}

Ring-billed Gull {5}: (a) 45.9{5} – (b) 52.2{5} – (c) 43.7{5}

American Tree Sparrow {6.7}: (a) 32.9{6} – (b) 32.9{7} – (c) 34.9{7}

American Crow {7}: (a) 29.4{7} – (b) 29.4{8} – (c) 37.2{6}

Mourning Dove {9}: (a) 25.5{8} – (b) 25.5{10} – (c) 26.1{9}

Northern Cardinal {10}: (a) 21.1{10} – (b) 21.1{12} – (c) 27.3{8}

House Finch {10}: (a) 20.5{11} – (b) 27.1{9} – (c) 25.8{10}

The 10 species enumerated above accounted for 65 percent of individuals recorded on the New Buffalo CBC. Three of the 10 most abundant species (European Starling, House Finch, House Sparrow) are introduced; collectively, these three species alone account for 26 percent of the total individuals.

29-year Summary:

The status of each species recorded during the 45-year history of the Niles CBC is summarized using the following conventions: Species Name—Number of years recorded (remarks, where appropriate): Median count (High count in Year(s)). Example: Great Blue Heron—26: 4 (15 in ‘98). Names of species recorded fewer than 10 times are italicized. Names of species recorded on more than half of the counts are boldfaced. Names of species ranked in the top 10 in terms of abundance are boldfaced and underlined. For species recorded 10 or more times, high counts that exceed the median by a factor of 10 or more are underlined. Asterisks (*) denote high counts that occurred in three or more years. Years are denoted as follows: ’70 is 1970, ’05 is 2005, etc.

Snow Goose—3: 1 (1*), Canada Goose—22: 165.5 (615 in ’01) {includes “Blue” form—1: 1 (in ‘87)}, Mute Swan [I]—5 (first in ’86): 2 (16 in ’04), Tundra Swan—2: 24 (46 in ’94), swan sp.—1: 6 (in ’98), Wood Duck—7: 1 (3 in ’00), Gadwall—8: 3.5 (18 in ’01), American Wigeon—5: 1 (2 in ’93 & ’94), American Black Duck—23: 8 (46 in ’86), Mallard—29: 168 (738 in ’06), Northern Shoveler—4: 1 (12 in ’97), Northern Pintail—3: 2 (3 in ’03), Green-winged Teal—3: 1 (7 in ’96).

Canvasback—5: 6 (8 in ’96), Redhead—11: 2 (24 in ’99), Ring-necked Duck—5: 2 (4 in ’01), Greater Scaup—20: 8.5 (272 in ’93), Lesser Scaup—17: 9 (133 in ’99), scaup sp.—16: 5 (3,000 in ’98), King Eider—1: 1 (in ’98), Harlequin Duck—1: 1 (in ’93), Surf Scoter—7: 2 (36 in ’98), White-winged Scoter—14: 2.5 (60 in ’69), Black Scoter—8: 4 (23 in ’98), Long-tailed Duck—10: 2 (21 in ’73), Bufflehead—28: 76 (253 in ’94), Common Goldeneye—29: 95 (663 in ’93), Barrow’s Goldeneye—1: 1 (in ’97), Hooded Merganser—15: 2 (8 in ’98), Common Merganser—22: 15.5 (59 in ’95), Red-breasted Merganser—26: 18.5 (1,190 in ’07), Ruddy Duck—2: 1 (in ’75 & ’87), duck sp—4: 30 (500 in ’04).

Ring-necked Pheasant [I]—26: 5.5 (101 in ’73), Ruffed Grouse—4 (last in ’87): 2 (9 in ’71), Wild Turkey—6 (first in ’00): 1 (15 in ’02), Northern Bobwhite—5 (last in ’74): 19 (61 in ’73).

Red-throated Loon—6: 3 (15 in ’06), Common Loon—14: 3 (25 in ’94), loon sp.—3: 1 (1*), Pied-billed Grebe—11: 1 (15 in ’71), Horned Grebe—12: 2.5 (12 in ’06), Eared Grebe—1: 1 (in ’02), Aechmophorus sp.—1: 1 (in ’06), Double-crested Cormorant—2: 1 (1 in ’90 & ’92), Great Blue Heron—16: 2 (8 in ’87).

Turkey Vulture—2: 1 (1 in ’89 & ’92), Bald Eagle—3: 1 (1*), Northern Harrier—24: 4 (23 in ’94), Sharp-shinned Hawk—21: 2 (4*), Cooper’s Hawk—29: 3 (9*), Northern Goshawk—4: 1 (1*), Accipiter sp—7: 1 (3 in ’95), Red-shouldered Hawk—17: 2 (6 in ’98), Red-tailed Hawk—29: 26 (47 in ’94), Rough-legged Hawk—29: 7 (29 in ’94), Buteo sp.—6: 1 (1*), hawk sp.—3: 1 (2 in ’94), American Kestrel—29: 16 (37 in ’91), Merlin—3: 1 (1*).

Virginia Rail—1: 1 (in ’75), American Coot—12: 3.5 (220 in ’71), Killdeer—9: 2 (12 in 87), Pectoral Sandpiper—1: 1 (in ’87), Purple Sandpiper—3: 1 (1*), Wilson’s Snipe—3: 1 (2 in ’72), Dunlin—1: 2 (in ’74), Red Phalarope—1: 3 (in ’87).

Bonaparte’s Gull—9: 3 (29 in ’03), Ring-billed Gull—28: 415.5 (2,739 in ’03), California Gull—1: 1 (in ’04), Herring Gull—29: 473 (6,185 in ’04), Thayer’s Gull—8: 1 (5 in ’04), Iceland Gull—4: 1 (1*), Lesser Black-backed Gull—10: 1 (3 in ’99 & ’04), Glaucous Gull—12: 1 (5 in ’04), Great Black-backed Gull—9: 1 (4 in ’01), Black-legged Kittiwake—3: 1 (1*), gull sp—18: 63 (2,225 in ’04), jaeger sp—1: 1 (in ’00).

Rock Pigeon [I]—25 (first tallied on CBCs in ’73): 167 (298 in ’92), Mourning Dove—29: 248 (1,506 in ’74), Eastern Screech-Owl—28: 4.5 (23 in ’89), Great Horned Owl—26: 2 (12 in ’71), Snowy Owl—4: 1 (1*), Barred Owl—25: 2 (6 in ’96), Long-eared Owl—4: 1 (3 in ’71), Short-eared owl—12: 1 (3 in ’87), Northern Saw-whet Owl—2: 1 (1 in ’89 & ’91), owl sp.—3: 1 (2 in ’97).

Belted Kingfisher—20: 2 (10 in ’71), Red-headed Woodpecker—26: 7 (120 in ’71), Red-bellied Woodpecker—29: 46 (84 in ’94), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker—11: 1 (3 in ’71), Downy Woodpecker—29: 81 (129 in ’97), Hairy Woodpecker—29: 16 (29 in ’71), Northern Flicker—29: 14 (52 in ’69), Pileated Woodpecker—17: 3 (6 in ‘107), Eastern Phoebe—1: 1 (in ’74).

Northern Shrike—2: 1 (4 in ’95), Blue Jay—29: 206 (480 in ’71), American Crow—29: 354 (863 in ’97), Horned Lark—28: 48.5 (676 in ’75), Black-capped Chickadee—29: 161 (372 in ’93), Tufted Titmouse—29: 115 (212 in ’97), Red-breasted Nuthatch—28: 14 (52 in ’95), White-breasted Nuthatch—29: 90 (169 in ’94), Brown Creeper—29: 5 (20 in ’87).

Carolina Wren—26: 4.5 (14 in 03), Winter Wren—17: 2 (10 in ’71), Golden-crowned Kinglet—22: 2 (15 in ’73), Ruby-crowned Kinglet—4: 1 (1*), Eastern Bluebird—26: 26.5 (82 in ’05), Hermit Thrush—5: 1 (1*), American Robin—24: 4.5 (765 in ’98), Gray Catbird—1: 1 (in ’69), Northern Mockingbird—7: 1 (2 in ’70), Brown Thrasher—2: 1 (1 in ’69 & ’71).

European Starling [I]—29: 951 (3,697 in ’73), American Pipit—1: 1 (in ’04), Bohemian Waxwing—1: 14 (in ’95), Cedar Waxwing—23: 35 (207 in ’98), Yellow-rumped Warbler—15: 2 (20 in ’69), Common Yellowthroat—2: 1 (1 in ’75 & 87).

Eastern Towhee—6: 1 (3 in ’88), American Tree Sparrow—29: 332 (1,600 in ’71), Chipping Sparrow—1: 1 (in ’80), Field Sparrow—9: 6 (12 in ’71), Fox Sparrow—5: 2 (12 in ’88), Song Sparrow—29: 34 (91 in ’73), Swamp Sparrow—18: 2.5 (17 in ’75), White-throated Sparrow—17: 3 (12 in ’88), White-crowned Sparrow—27: 8 (53 in ’94), sparrow sp—5: 11 (21 in 01), Dark-eyed Junco—29: 555 (1,902 in ’75) {includes “Oregon” Junco—2: 1.5 (2 in ’71) and “Slate-colored” Junco—29: 555 (1,902 in ’75)}, Lapland Longspur—16: 16.5 (4,141 in ’73), Snow Bunting—26: 69.5 (902 in ’07).

Northern Cardinal—29: 260 (418 in ’00), Red-winged Blackbird—22: 6 (235 in ’01), Eastern Meadowlark—9: 3 (20 in ’70), Rusty Blackbird—2: 2 (3 in ’74), Common Grackle—11: 3 (26 in ’07), Brown-headed Cowbird—15: 5 (224 in ’01), blackbird sp.—2: 1.5 (2 in ‘o4), Baltimore Oriole—1: 1 (in ‘03).

Pine Grosbeak—2: 4.5 (6 in ’87), Purple Finch—26: 16 (56 in ’69), House Finch [I]—22 (first in '86): 245.5 (879 in ’95), Red Crossbill—1: 22 (in ’72), crossbill sp.—1: 12 (in ’07), Common Redpoll—16: 8.5 (400 in ’69), Hoary Redpoll—1: 1 (in ’07), Pine Siskin—23: 15 (90 in ’90), American Goldfinch—29: 188 (552 in ’86), Evening Grosbeak—13: 5 (64 in ’72), House Sparrow [I]—29: 704 (2,709 in ’74).

Swan Crashes into Truck’s Windshield

The following article—posted as a Traffic Brief on page B2 of the South Bend (Indiana) Tribune on Monday, 12/15/2008—caught my attention:

EDWARDSBURG – A Vandalia man escaped serious injury Saturday after a swan flew into his windshield while he was driving along U.S. 12, authorities said.

The Ontwa Edwardsburg Police Department said Merle Ramsey, age unknown, was headed west about 2:15 p.m. when the swan crashed into his pickup truck and went completely through the windshield.

Ramsey refused treatment at the scene for possible head injuries. A passenger, Ali Lynn Scott, of Cassopolis, was not injured.

There was no immediate word on the condition of the swan.

Three species of swans can be encountered in southwestern Michigan at this time of year (Mute, Trumpeter, and Tundra), with the Mute Swan being the one most likely to be encountered. In my opinion, it's highly unlikely that this bird survived a crash through the windshield of a pickup truck.

Niles Christmas Bird Count: 45-Year Summary

During the 45-year history (1961-1978 and 1981-2007) of the Niles (Michigan) Christmas Bird Count (CBC), 275,735 individuals of 132 species have been recorded. I live in the count circle, and plan to participate in the count for the first time next weekend. That has prompted me to prepare this brief summary of the 45-year history of the count.

Frequency of Occurrence/Yearly Regularity:

Seventeen species (13 percent) were recorded in each of the 45 years, twenty-six (20 percent) in 40 or more years, 67 (51 percent) in 23 or more years (i.e., on more than half of all counts), fifty-three (40 percent) in fewer than 10 years, and twenty-one (16 percent) in just one year.

Superabundant Species:

The fifteen most abundant species (underlined and boldfaced in the list below) accounted for 83 percent of the individuals recorded on the Niles CBC. Four of the 15 most abundant species (European Starling, House Sparrow, House Finch, Rock Pigeon) are introduced; collectively, these four species alone account for 30 percent of total individuals.

45-Year Summary:

The status of each species recorded during the 45-year history of the Niles CBC is summarized using the following conventions: Species Name—Number of years recorded (remarks, where appropriate): Median count (High count in Year(s)). Example: Nothern Harrier—16: 1 (3 in ’90). Names of species recorded fewer than 10 times are italicized. Names of species recorded on more than half of the counts are boldfaced. Names of species ranked in the top 15 in terms of abundance are boldfaced and underlined. For species recorded 10 or more times, high counts that exceed the median by a factor of 10 or more are underlined. Asterisks (*) denote high counts that occurred in three or more years. Years are denoted as follows: ’70 is 1970, ’05 is 2005, etc. Introduced species are denoted [I].

Snow Goose—6: 1 (5 in ‘70) {includes “Blue” form—4: 1 (2 in ’70) and “White” form—1: 3 (in ’70)}, Canada Goose—37: 434 (2,297 in ‘07), Cackling Goose—1: 5 (in ’07), Mute Swan [I]—15 (first in ’78): 1 (16 in ‘05), Tundra Swan—3: 1 (1*), Wood Duck—23: 2.5 (21 in ‘75), Gadwall—10: 3.5 (12 in ‘95), American Wigeon—1: 1 (in ’97), American Black Duck—33: 17 (86 in ‘61), Mallard—45: 278 (690 in ‘87), Blue-winged Teal—2: 1 (1*), Northern Pintail—4: 1 (2 in ‘97), Green-winged Teal—3: 3 (6 in ‘65).

Canvasback—9: 1 (16 in ‘74), Redhead—8: 1.5 (3 in ‘06), Ring-necked Duck—6: 1 (44 in ‘99), Greater Scaup—1: 1 (in ’05), Lesser Scaup—3: 3 (6 in ‘74), unidentified scaup—1: 2 (in ’94), White-winged Scoter—1: 2 (in ’98), Long-tailed Duck—1: 1 (in ’76), Bufflehead—32: 2 (13 in ‘07), Common Goldeneye—37: 44 (431 in ‘76), Barrow’s Goldeneye—1: 1 (in ’77), Hooded Merganser—26: 3 (60 in ‘91), Common Merganser—31: 9 (60 in ‘61), Red-breasted Merganser—5: 1 (3 in ’67 & ‘97), Ruddy Duck—4: 1 (4 in ‘06), unidentified duck—5: 2 (8 in ’99).

Ring-necked Pheasant [I]—33: 7 (98 in ‘70), Ruffed Grouse—23 (last in ’93): 3 (10 in ’71 & ‘73), Wild Turkey [I]—9 (first in ’94): 11 (121 in ‘05), Northern Bobwhite [I]—9 (last in ’78): 15 (71 in ‘73).

Common Loon—6: 1 (2 in ’91), Pied-billed Grebe—26: 1.5 (24 in ’75), Horned Grebe—4: 2 (3 in ’74), Eared Grebe—1: 1 (in ’83), unidentified grebe—1: 2 (in ’04), Double-crested Cormorant—1: 1 (in ’03), Great Blue Heron—26: 4 (15 in ‘98).

Turkey Vulture—1: 2 (in ’63), Bald Eagle—6: 1 (3 in ’00), Nothern Harrier—16: 1 (3 in ’90), Sharp-shinned Hawk—33: 2 (7 in ’89), Cooper’s Hawk—39: 3 (10 in ’05), Northern Goshawk—2: 1(in ’88 & ’07), unidentified Accipiter—7: 1 (4 in ’95), Red-shouldered Hawk—25: 1 (5 in ‘04), Red-tailed Hawk—45: 15 (53 in ’95), Rough-legged Hawk—33: 2 (12 in ’94), unidentified Buteo—8: 2.5 (5 in ’95), unidentified hawk—2: 1 (in ’98 & ’07), American Kestrel—45: 7 (24 in ’92), Merlin—1: 1 (in ’82), unidentified falcon—1: 1 (in ’98).

American Coot—22: 10.5 (177 in ’99), Sandhill Crane—1: 4 (in ’05), Killdeer—11: 1 (10 in ’98), Wilson’s Snipe—13: 2 (9 in ’76), American Woodcock—6: 1 (2 in ’73 & ’75), Ring-billed Gull—32: 37.5 (2,253 in ’07), Herring Gull—42: 9.5 (1,446 in ’05), unidentified gull—12: 61 (271 in ’94).

Rock Pigeon [I] (first tallied on CBCs in ’73)—33: 111 (276 in ’95), Mourning Dove—44: 291.5 (1,188 in ’74), Barn Owl—4: 1 (3 in ’76), Eastern Screech-Owl—41: 9 (181 in ’73), Great Horned Owl—40: 4 (41 in ’81), Snowy Owl—1: 1(in ’76), Barred Owl—26: 2 (4 in ’75 & ’92), Long-eared Owl—7: 1 (1*), Northern Saw-whet Owl—3: 1 (2 in ’73), Short-eared Owl—3: 1 (1*), unidentified owl—1: 1 (in ’93).

Belted Kingfisher—40: 4 (12 in ’78 & ’84), Red-headed Woodpecker—38: 2 (34 in ’71), Red-bellied Woodpecker—44: 28.5 (105 in ’04), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker—26: 1.5 (8 in ’69), Downy Woodpecker—45: 62 (119 in ’95), Hairy Woodpecker—45: 9 (22 in ’63), Northern Flicker—43: 15 (56 in ’02), Pileated Woodpecker—12: 2 (7 in ’07), Eastern Phoebe—1: 1 (in ’87).

Northern Shrike—5: 1 (1*), Blue Jay—45: 183 (409 in ’84), American Crow—45: 239 (781 in ’99), Horned Lark—38: 34.5 (388 in ’75), Black-capped Chickadee—45: 131 (478 in ’87), Tufted Titmouse—45: 90 (186 in ’89), Red-breasted Nuthatch—36: 6 (39 in ’99 & 07), White-breasted Nuthatch—45: 85 (181 in ’89), Brown Creeper—44: 6 (25 in ’86).

Carolina Wren—25: 4 (15 in ’05), Winter Wren—20: 2 (6 in ’74), Golden-crowned Kinglet—35: 5 (22 in ’02), Ruby-crowned Kinglet—3: 2 (2 in ’74 & ’87), Eastern Bluebird—35: 14 (103 in ’06), Townsend’s Solitaire—1: 1 (in ’07), Swainson’s Thrush—1: 1 (in ’78), Hermit Thrush—16: 1 (4 in ’02), American Robin—38: 8 (305 in ’98), Gray Catbird—2: 1 (1 in ’74 & ’06), Northern Mockingbird—11: 3 (9 in ’76), Brown Thrasher—4: 1 (1*).

European Starling [I]—45: 561 (4,700 in ’69), Bohemian Waxwing—1: 1 (in 74), Cedar Waxwing—39: 59 (775 in ’90), Yellow Warbler—1: 1 (in ’93), Yellow-rumped Warbler—28: 4 (13 in ’78), Palm Warbler—1: 1 (in ’78), unidentified warbler—1: 1 (in ’94).

Eastern Towhee—15: 1 (4 in ’71), American Tree Sparrow—45: 190 (890 in ’71), Field Sparrow—24: 8 (62 in ’00), Vesper Sparrow—2: 1 (1 in ’87 & ‘88), Savannah Sparrow—1: 1 (in ’71), Fox Sparrow—10: 1 (3 in ’89), Song Sparrow—45: 26 (100 in ’63), Lincoln’s Sparrow—2: 4 (7 in ’63), Swamp Sparrow—31: 2 (16 in ’71), White-throated Sparrow—27: 3 (17 in ’05), White-crowned Sparrow—30: 3 (31 in ’84), unidentified sparrow—10: 5.5 (140 in ’95), Dark-eyed Junco—45: 590 (1,145 in ’75) {includes “Oregon” Junco—5: 2 (11 in ’64), “Pink-sided” Junco—1: 1 (in ’07), and “Slate-colored Junco”—39: 513 (1,745 in ’75) }, Lapland Longspur—8: 2 (5 in ’71), Snow Bunting—22: 51.5 (360 in ’73).

Northern Cardinal—45: 244 (507 in ’89), Red-winged Blackbird—17: 2 (107 in ’83), Eastern Meadowlark—14: 2 (22 in ’69), Rusty Blackbird—2: 2 (3 in ’87), Brewer’s Blackbird—1: 2 (in ’90), Common Grackle—27: 4 (300 in ’06), Brown-headed Cowbird—23: 4 (131 in ’73), unidentified blackbird—1: 1 (in ’04).

Pine Grosbeak—2: 7.5 (10 in ’85), Purple Finch—41: 12 (61 in ’87), House Finch [I]—24 (first in ’84): 274.5 (815 in ’91), Red Crossbill—3: 5 (8 in ’75), unidentified crossbill—1: 3 (in ’82), Common Redpoll—19: 12 (730 in ’69), Hoary Redpoll—1: 1 (in ’93), Pine Siskin—25: 14 (236 in ’87), American Goldfinch—45: 199 (532 in ’88), Evening Grosbeak—14: 10.5 (167 in ’69), House Sparrow [I]—45: 650 (2,000 in ’66).

Jensen Ackles photos and videos

Jensen Ackles has starred as Eric Brady in Days of our Lives, Alec in Dark Angel and Jason Teague in Smallville. He was born in 1978.

Jensen (Ross!) Ackles is an American actor perhaps most famous for his role as Dean Winchester in the CW series Supernatural.





































Jensen Ackles wallpapers (Click for larger image)






















Videos of Ackles




Jensen Ackles YouTube slideshow

Other recent posts:

Videos at hot male celebs

Hi guys, I recently created a video section for my other blog muscle dudes HERE it would be great if you would check it out.

I will add some great videos as I come across them. Categories include gay vids, dude vids, funny vids and music vids as well as most popular and recently added. Also you can add your own fav vids found on the web!

Tags so far include:

adverts bodybuilders cats comedy dancing dudes funny gay male models muscle music politics rap romantic sexy slide show stand up viral weird

Mainly stuff I found amusing, hot or just entertaining. Let me know what you think. Back with more hot dude pics soon, Jas x

Link to this blogs video section HERE

Other recent posts:

Snowbunny Encounter

I had a delightful encounter with a pair of snowbunnies early this morning. No, not this kind of snowbunny (such encounters happened only in my youthful fantasies), and certainly not this kind! My encounter was with a pair of fluffy, furry, cottontails outside our bedroom window in the pre-dawn hours.

Rising from bed in the dark at 6:30 AM, I looked out our bedroom window to check on weather conditions. As my eyes surveyed the scene, I quickly realized that I was looking at the profile of a cottontail outlined against the snowy backdrop. As I watched, a second cottontail suddenly appeared from a nearby flower garden. The two cottontails remained in close proximity for the next fifteen minutes or so. They appeared deceptively large in the darkness.

Temperatures had risen to above freezing overnight, and significant thawing had taken place to the extent that I was able to see tiny patches of lawn starting to peak through the snow. Whether they were feeding on grass blades or on seeds from the overhanging branches of a Sweet Gum tree, I’ll never know, but they had clearly found something to their liking. See, it often pays dividends to rise before the light of day!

I Like Birds!!!

I happened upon this really cool musical video embedded on the blog of the Genesee Audubon Society. Thanks for sharing!



By the way, several versions of this song—including some performed live by the Eels—are available on YouTube, but none as cool as this animated version.