Today is the day when even common birds can be new and exciting again – if you keep a “year list” – that is! I had to hide my eyes from the house sparrows and other feeder riff-raff this morning so that my first bird of 2008 wouldn’t be the same as every other year, but was happy enough to settle for this mallard as the first of the new year. The next couple birds were canvasback, hooded merganser, and bufflehead found in the little creek that runs through my hometown.
A New Year’s tradition that I hadn’t managed for the last few years is the annual beach walk around Sandy Hook sponsored by the American Littoral Society – a great group of people who love the coast and work to protect it – plus, they have the best cocoa after a chilly hike through the dunes! That walk added a few sea ducks and a loon to my little list already.
So… what was your first bird of the new year?
A long stream of crows swooping from east to west across my back yard as they headed from their winter communal roost to their feeding territories for the day. Common birds but I really love how they talk to each other as they dip and glide.
Dark-eyed Junco was my first.
I took a morning bird walk but had to turn back early because the rain got too heavy. So my year list is not very long.
A male White-breasted Nuthatch (lifer) at 8am this morning. He has an injured bill! Ironically, it was the first bird I saw on the peanuts this morning.
You can’t take anything away from the beauty of a mallard :o)
That’s a gorgeous mallard!
A mallard graced our pond today, too!
My first of 2008 was one of our cutie-patootie juncos.
Happy New Year, Laura! I am so lucky to know you!
Would you believe, a sharp-shinned hawk, perching close to the feeder this morning. And every bird in the tree froze!
As a titmouse flitted onto the scene, the hawk darted toward it, forcing it to barely bump the window glass–my heart was in my throat–but she got away unscathed.
A sweet little tufted tit-mouse at the bird feeder.
Hmmmm. A year list. Interesting idea!
As is my tradition, I spent part of the quiet morning hours making lists of things I want to (or should!) do this year. Maybe I need to add a list to the list!
The first birds I saw (and heard) were the three crows that come very day. This has been going on for years. Sometimes they bring breakfast with them. Today, there was part of a croissant left by the feeder.
We had heavy snow today, so most of our birds were in hiding. I did see a large flock of doves move from one tree to anothe late this afternoon.
Sandy
Happy New Year, laura. We’re down in southern California, and the first birds we saw today was a red-tailed hawk. After that we saw swallows and crows. Nice idea keeping a year list.
Happy New Year Laura. My first of the year was a Common Raven. They are very playful this year.
Quail, I had set out lots of feed late last night – happy quail. Happy New Year, Laura.
Black-capped chickadees, bunches of ’em, chickadee-dee-deeing about my empty feeders. They’re so demanding!
A blue-jay surveying the new peanut feeder and braving the ice-cold wind.
I love your blog by the way — and it shows up in the strangest of blogrolls. In the world of Kevin Bacon — I think you are no less than three degrees separated from the entire blogword. It is a beautiful and inspiring blog. Best Wishes for 2008!
A host of LGB’s which I posted so my readers could ID them for me.
Lazy me.
Happy New Years!
Steller’s Jay … flying! And yakking for peanuts!
Lynne: Crows are a nice way to start the year, I think!
John: Yeah, that rain – quite a bit of that lately.
Mary: Lucky you to start the year with a lifer!
Bunnygirl: Yes… I think he knew it, too!
Laura: Hi and welcome! Must be the year of the mallard.
😉
Susan: Good to get the easy ones out of the way first!
Nina: Awesome! Did you have pics on your blog?
KGMom: They’re nice any day of the year, I think.
Mojoman: 😉 Probably best not to! Bird lists are the only ones I bother with.
Sandy: You mean they bring breakfast and leave something behind?
😉 Generous crows!
Robin: Hi and happy new year! Any hawk is a good omen, I think.
Dave: I envy you for your ravens!
Jean: Quail? Wow.
Delia: They are, yes – but cute enough that we put up with their demands!
t.r.: Hi and welcome! Blue jays are my favorites at the feeder – so I’d be happy to have them as a first.
Thanks for your nice comments – funny… I have a post in draft somewhere about that whole Kevin Bacon thing as it relates to blogrolls – maybe I ought to dust it off and polish it some! Thanks for the reminder.
😉
FC: Hey! I saw those pics, but all your little birds had already been ID’d so I stayed quiet. Lucky you to have so much color this time of year!
Rabbit’s Guy: Steller’s? Nice!
I kind of forgot to start on time but I believe it was a northern Cardinal.-I should start checking them off before I lose track.
My first birds were 4 buffleheads on the lake – pretty cool first birds!