2010 Birds

I saw a large flock of common grackles right outside my NYC apartment window. Normally I only see flocks like this in the spring and fall.

The remains of the Squidmass Goose. I predict many more good dinners and fine vins.

My first bird sighting of the New Year was a group of American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) and a couple of Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) on the banks of Lake Hollingsworth in Lakeland, Florida, rapidly followed by Common Moorhens (Gallinula chloropus cachinnans), American Coots (Fulica americana), Purple Gallinules (Porphyrio martinica), and a Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps).

As a part of my heritage is African-Egyptian, the significance of the ibis (although specifically the African Sacred Ibis, Threskiornis aethiopicus) is not lost, with it's association with Tehuti (considered as the heart, which, according to the ancient Egyptians, is the seat of intelligence or the mind, and tongue of the sun god Ra) and his consort Ma'at (concept of truth, balance, order, law, morality, and justice.)

The first bird I saw was a winter American Goldfinch at my neighbor's feeder, in Sonoma County, California. I have some significance with it.

As has been the case since 1/1/04 I went on the Cypress Creek Audubon Christmas bird count at the Warren Ranch, a Katy Prairie Conservancy preserve about 35 miles WNW of Houston, Texas. I believe my first bird, after we had an early-morning breakfast at ranch headquarters, was a little brown job flitting through the large trees around the main ranch house where there is a well-stocked feeder. Since I am not a good birder, I show up to watch and learn and serve as necessary as a KPC representative on any KPC preserve being counted, armed with phone numbers for the country sheriff, ambulance, game warden, etc. The bird I remember the best was a bald eagle in perfect profile; my second favorite was a lifer, a Harris's Sparrow (shows you how much of a birder I am). Another favorite of mine is the Blue Gray Knatcatcher,a bird I even see inside the I-610 Loop in the wooded wilderness park along W. 11th Street in the Timbergrove community, a property we saved by organizing and raising $9 million to protect its 22 acres from being cleared for high-density housing. One of our regular KPC counters, who is also a member of the KPC board, appends to his e-mails the phrase "Where there are birds, there is life." And that is what I take away from the Cypress Creek count each year, a determination to oppose the tea baggers, the Sarah Palins, and the general mob of no-nothings empowered by the Republicans to run cover for their looting and industrial trashing of America.

I suspect it was a house sparrow. The first bird I actually noticed, though, was a long tailed-tit. (Or actually, about half a dozen of them.)

No predictive quality, although interesting because long-tailed tits have been frequent visitors in both mine and my parents' gardens since last winter, along with goldfinches, (proper ones, not those pathetic American ones :-)), and I don't recall seeing either of them so regularly in a long time.

JPS: wow, that is amazing. every autumn in NYC, i saw migrating flocks comprised of hundreds of raucous, hungry common grackles as they gorge on acorns, but never this late in the year. i wonder why they are so late?

blf: if i count the first bird species i saw, regardless of its condition, then i believe i saw a hawk-headed parrot first. or maybe a yellow-bibbed lory? or a solomon islands eclectus parrot .. or maybe it was a three-way tie?

David: i LOVE ibis! when i legally changed my name, i chose my last name for a very special bird that is often thought to be a species of ibis (the egyptian name for the phoenix).

[NOTE: of course, it's difficult to name a bird species that i am not madly in love with.]

Selasphorus: shortly after i saw the peregrine, i went out to photograph a field near my flat, and i saw a flock of roughly 20-25 European Goldfinches, feeding on the ground. i tried to get photographs of them but alas, my lens wasn't powerful enough! i already know what i want for my birdday!

biosparite: that does sound like a house sparrow -- which has also been my first bird of the year in NYC for several years running. that species -- being an import -- seemed appropriate NYC, where nearly half of its human residents are also from somewhere else.

SimonG: one day, while walking around with my cameras, i added long-tailed tits to my Frankfurt bird list, too! i was so happy to see them, since i'd only caught a glimpse of this species i helsinki, and had last really gotten to watch them when i was in tokyo.

[Added after moderation: this added note is for everyone whose comments are held in moderation by my blog. i assure you that i do not moderate comments, except for spam. as proof of this, this comment was held in moderation. rather pathetic, huh?]

The first birds I saw was a flock of crimson rosellas. The only significance I attach to that is that the species is not yet extinct.

The first birds of the new year though were those Australian blackbirds - the Currawong. The sun wasn't even up yet and they were going through their songs. Later on in the day there was a large flock of rowdy sulfur-crested cockatoos and a flock of 3 red-tailed black cockatoos. Blue fairy wrens, the mandatory Australian magpie, some pigeon which I never bothered to identify, some kite which I haven't identified, some crows - and I'm sure I've forgotten at least half a dozen birds.

Oh, since people mention the Ibis, I'll have to add the Australian white ibis. I occasionally see a Glossy Ibis, and sometimes a small flock of straw-necked Ibis, but none yet this year. No emus this year either; a place nearby used to be infested with them but I guess the large fires in 2003 toasted them.

I love the peregrine falcon; it's such a gorgeous bird. None here in Australia though, so I'll have to make do with the plethora of parrots. AWRK!

I'm honestly not sure - probably a Seagull of some sort (Didn't have my binocs and I'm horrible at seagulls anyway) but that's what I get for spending New Years in New Jersey...

What I DID see was at least five different beautiful hawks, including a Red-Shouldered on New Year's Day and two Red-Tails, all while driving (Hence why the others are un-ID'd). This is auspicious as 2009 had way too few raptors in general for my liking!

Hi people and a Happy New Year to all. Just back from a New Year break with some very good friends with no internet connection. A walk along the Humber bank ( North Lincolnshire)on the 1st produced a good start with Redshank the first and another 44 species recorded, including Marsh Harrier, 3 Barn Owls, 10 species of waders and a sizeable flock of Fieldfares. This was a traditional day out to start the year (and clear the head!!).

OMG, Adrian. I hope you weren't in Scunthorpe for Christmas.

No Bob, it was worse---- near Immingham!!

OMG, not The Iron at Glanford Park, Adrian?!

No, I'm not an Irons fan, (whisper) I'm from the other side of the Pennines. We spent a very pleasant time in the Brocklesby Ox at Ulceby.

What's wrong with The Iron, eh?

I was brought up near Scunthorpe (Bottesford), but I too came from the other side of the Pennines - the Wirral.

Ha ha! Preston North-End then? LOL! I mean you can't be Reds fans?!

Hi again, I'd guess at Chester City or Liverpool (UGH). I was taken to my first match at the Theatre of Dreams for my 5th birthday and my Dad had to lift me over the turnstile as I couldn't push it open. (Man City beat us 5-1 if I remember correctly)

"us"...? If you're referring to the 1989 Manchester derby you've picked the same year that I followed Fergie down from Aberdeen to become a Man Utd fan (we won't talk about that Leeds game last week!)... re. 'Pool, never was really a fan of cormorants anyway (liverbird)... but no matter what, I will definitely support any team that plays against Chelsea!

I'm from the other side of the Mersey, so I follow the Deadly Submarines (Tranmere Rovers), although I do have a soft spot for Liverpool.

Oh, and the Leeds goalscorer was on loan at Scunthorpe for a season. He should have stayed.

I think you think I'm younger than I am. The team was the Busby Babes!! My favourite was the centre forward Tommy Taylor (note not "striker")