Fraker Farm Miscellany; Woodford Co; 11/09/09

[frake...@aol.com]

Greetings, everyone --

 

I went out on the Farm today from about 10 am to 12:30pm. The place was surprisingly birdy. I got to spend some more time with my favorite neighbors in the Oaks:

 

http://s545.photobucket.com/albums/hh399/frakerpovc/?action=view&current=P1030442.jpg

 

Interestingly, I clearly heard what I thought to be a Blue-headed Vireo singing in the Oaks, but I could not find the bird. I left this bird unnoted officially. I don't really know what else sounds like the Vireo clan.

 

I also found the years first Long-eared Owl(s?) in their traditional roost at our Pond. There may have been two birds -- as soon as I saw the first, it flew back a bit into the roost, so I retreated and circled around to leave and then had this or another bird flush back. Hopefully these are the beginnings of another Winter stay.

 

I then took a break on the simple dock that comes in to the Pond from the south and when I was sitting down, I noticed a big rise out in the Pond, which is unusual -- I rarely see any rises of any size in this thing. As I then lost myself in painful musings regarding child visitation, I noticed the source of the rise -- it was more likely a "drop". This little Podilymbus puffball popped up fairly near to me, and stayed up:

 

http://s545.photobucket.com/albums/hh399/frakerpovc/?action=view&current=P1030456.jpg

 

It was a timely distraction. Then it further entertained by taking the Pond's honors for biggest fish caught:

 

http://s545.photobucket.com/albums/hh399/frakerpovc/?action=view&current=P1030461.jpg

 

I'm still not sure who had who, but Pied-billed pride won the moment.

 

Denman Creek was also quite birdy -- where the spring fed drainage comes into Denman, I had a Kingfisher, Cardinals, a Carolina Wren, Juncos, Fox and Song Sparrows, a Downy, and a surprisingly late Gray Catbird.

 

And right by this area in the field to the northeast, I heard songs and calls that I didn't immediately recognize; upon some exploration, I found my first American Tree Sparrows mixed in with a larger Emberizid flock going crack happy on Goldenrod seed that included Swamps, Juncos, and this White-crowned taking in some goldenrod:

 

http://s545.photobucket.com/albums/hh399/frakerpovc/?action=view&current=P1030471.jpg

 

The Tree Sparrows were actually doing some singing, which threw me off a bit.

 

Totals for this walkabout are below.

 

Matt Fraker

Woodford Co

11/09/09

 

Location:     Fraker Farm
Observation date:     11/9/09
Number of species:     32

Pied-billed Grebe     1
Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern)     2
Long-eared Owl     1
Belted Kingfisher     1
Red-headed Woodpecker     5
Red-bellied Woodpecker     6
Downy Woodpecker     5
Northern Flicker     1
Blue Jay     24
American Crow     9
Black-capped Chickadee     22
Tufted Titmouse     11
White-breasted Nuthatch     9
Carolina Wren     1
Golden-crowned Kinglet     5
Eastern Bluebird     10
American Robin     1
Gray Catbird     1
Northern Mockingbird     1
European Starling     2
Cedar Waxwing     11
American Tree Sparrow     15
Fox Sparrow     3
Song Sparrow     6
Swamp Sparrow     1
White-throated Sparrow     2
White-crowned Sparrow     2
Dark-eyed Junco     24
Northern Cardinal     7
Purple Finch     1
House Finch     5
American Goldfinch     24