Project FeederWatch

Winter comes to the Sonoran Desert.



It's the middle of December in the Sonoran Desert.  The temperatures have dropped to daytime highs in the 50's and nighttime lows in the 30's.  We've only had one freezing night thus far, but that frigid cold hasn't deterred my iris or roses from blooming.

The mesquite are losing their leaves and the grasses have long gone to seed.  The cold, clear night air here smells clean and fresh. The stars seem to shine more brightly in the winter sky, and there are myriads winking on moonless nights.   The feeling of winter is definitely here, and Christmas does not seem so foreign to our part of the world. Lights have been strung on houses around the neighborhood and our community is even sponsoring a caroling and hayride event. 



Scaled quail feeding.

A winter storm came through a few days ago bringing much needed rain.  Snow now dusts the Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountain peaks.  It is a very pretty scene.   The storm reminded me to put out suet for our feathered friends and to keep my Christmas lights ready in case they're needed to keep my hummingbird feeders warm.


A white-crowned (above) and a black-throated sparrow (below) join the feasting.

I signed up to participate in FeederWatch, a program hosted by Cornell University's School of Ornithology.  FeederWatch collects data from "citizen scientists," enabling professional scientists to monitor bird populations around the world.  I enter data directly into an online database which contains a description of my yard and the number and types of feeders I provide.  I count the highest number of individuals in a species I see at a given time, and keep a log over a two-day observation period.  I enter the counts for each species (only the highest number of each observed at once) along with a summary of weather conditions during my watch.

The project has already been rewarding.  I've learned so much about "my" birds.  For example, I have recorded a total of 21 different species visiting my backyard.  The highest number of Gambel's quail I've seen at once is 33 working over my feeder blocks.  I also have a high of 16 scaled quail, not a species often seen in our neck of the woods...er...thorn scrub.  I have two Anna's hummingbirds (one male and one female) and at least four Costa's hummers frequenting our nectar.  Two gilded flickers (one male and one female) also vie for the sweet treat alongside at least five Gila woodpeckers.  I've also noticed habits for various species.  For example, the scaled quail do not flush when startled like the Gambel's do.  Instead, they freeze, as do the mourning doves, and remain perfectly motionless until the threat has passed.  You can learn more about Project FeederWatch and sign up to participate by going to:  http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/ .  The project runs through April 2013.


A Cooper's Hawk enjoys a drink while watching for dinner.