ANNUAL FEEDER COUNT (2/15/03)

As my last column indicated, this year’s feeder count will start February 15 and run through February 22. During that time period, I hope you will have at least one day when you’ll be able to note all the birds that come to your feeder or that are in your yard.

Here are the basics: Please record the MAXIMUM NUMBER of each of the following birds that visit your feeders AT ANY ONE TIME during the survey period. Be as specific as you can by not using terms like "lots" or "too many to count." PLEASE MAIL your survey to "As the Crow Flies," Cape Cod Times, 319 Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, so that I can compile the data and get it out to you in a timely fashion. Please PUT YOUR RETURN ADDRESS in the upper left corner of your envelope to aid me in sorting responses by general area. If you use a commemorative stamp on your envelope, I will see that it gets to the organization that resells them to benefit the bald eagle recovery program in Florida. If you enclose any cancelled ones you have, I will forward them.

After each of the species below, I have added a code letter to let you know which birds I expect will be at most people's feeders or in their yards (C for common), those that are at many but certainly not all (FC fairly common) and those that are quite unusual (U).On the checklist below, I’ve indicated which birds are most likely at a Cape feeder, but observers are quite apt to see waterfowl on an adjacent pond or to have other birds as visitors. Possibilities include: pheasant, turkey, catbird, sharp-shinned or Cooper’s hawks, redpolls and other winter finches. There are lines on the form where you can write in other species. If you are among those who do not keep a yard list of your birds, you should consider doing so. It adds another dimension to being a backyard birdwatcher, especially when a new species shows up.

_____ blackbird, red-winged (U-FC)

_____ bluebird (U)

_____ blue jay (C)

_____ cardinal (C)

_____ chickadee (C)

_____ creeper, brown (U)

_____ crow, American (C)

_____ dove, mourning (C)

_____ finch, house (C)

_____ finch, purple (U)

_____ flicker (FC/U)

_____ goldfinch (C)

_____ grackle (U)

_____ hawk: ____________________

_____ junco (FC)

_____ mockingbird (FC)

_____ nuthatch, red-breasted (U)

_____ nuthatch, white-breasted (FC)

_____ quail, bobwhite (U)

_____ siskin, pine (U)

sparrows: _____ fox (U)

_____ house/English (C)

_____ song (C)

_____ tree (FC)

_____ white-crowned (U)

_____ white-throated (C)

_____ species unknown

_____ starling (C)

_____ titmouse, tufted (C)

_____ towhee, rufous-sided (U)

_____ warbler, pine (U)

_____ warbler, yellow-rumped (U)

_____ woodpecker, downy (C)

_____ woodpecker, hairy (FC)

_____ woodpecker, red-bellied (U)

_____ wren, Carolina (FC)

other ___________, ____________,

___________, _________________