February 2008 Newsletter
Hi, Bird Watchers!
What a beautiful January we had with all the snow! The birds really flocked to the feeders during the bad weather. We counted over 40 Northern Cardinals one afternoon. We even saw some Fox Sparrows feasting on sunflower seed and white millet on our ground feeder alongside the Dark-Eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows. Fox Sparrows are large streaky, rufous-colored sparrows that are here in the winter. We rarely get to see them in our yard and they are really cool looking! We also saw lots of woodpeckers on the suet feeders - Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker!
February is National Wild Bird Feeding Month. It is also a great month for bird watching! Purple Martins start migrating back to Georgia, returning from their wintering grounds in South America; American Goldfinch flocks continue to build in numbers in our area; Eastern Bluebirds start checking out nest boxes for potential spring nest sites; and it’s time for the 11th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count, February 15th - 18th, 2008!
So, get those Purple Martin houses erected! Make sure your bluebird houses are clean and baffled, and stock up on mealworms, suet kibbles, suet pearls and Bluebird Nuggets (now available in Hot Pepper for those of you with pesky squirrels). Fill up your finch feeders, and get ready to count birds!
If you have never participated in a Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), you really should! You can join thousands of people throughout the U.S. and Canada, counting birds in your yard, a local park or a nearby wildlife refuge. Birdwatchers of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to participate. It’s a fun activity for school groups, scouts, and families! Your bird count data will contribute valuable information to science and conservation when you enter your tally online at www.birdcount.org. Last year, participants submitted over 80,000 checklists! Visit the online site before the count to print out a checklist for our area.
The Georgia Wildlife Federation welcomes you to count birds at the Mill Creek Nature Center (MCNC), behind our Buford Bird Watcher Supply Co. store on Saturday, February 16th, from 7 - 11 a.m. MCNC is not yet open to the public, so this is a special chance to visit the preserve and participate in the GBBC. No pre-registration is required, but participants must sign in and out with the coordinator onsite. Look for the green tent canopy and we hope to see you there! If you need directions or have any questions, contact the Buford BWS store at 770-945-9499, or contact Christina Marr at cmarr@gwf.org.
Don’t forget your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day! Bird Watcher has lots of unique gift ideas for that special someone - wind chimes, bird houses, jewelry, books, optics, gift cards and much more! Stop by soon or visit our online store at www.birdwatchersupply.com.
Happy Bird Watching!
Karen Theodorou