2011 starts here …

Actually 2011 started (and at the time of writing continues) gloomily.  The weather should be clear, bright cold and snowy but this year the snow is thin, the temperature today is above freezing and it’s foggy and grey.  Pretty depressing in fact but at least it means things can only get better.

We were, however, cheered by a huge flock of Goldfinch at the feeders, accompanied by three Pine Siskins, a winter species that has been in short supply recently – but we are still awaiting the Redpolls.  Our records show that these chaps, who used to be regular winter visitors were not seen once in the garden during 2010.  The weather and the subsequent effect on bird appearances is very peculiar and something untoward is clearly going on.

Anyway – the past year saw 47 species of birds in the garden and my Arboretum Big Year (ArBY) produced 97 species (I’ll put the list at then end of this posting for those who like that sort of thing) – it could have been better if I had been able to spend more time working on it as I know that Chris who works there full time as the naturalist managed several more than I did.  There were some goodies on the list, however, including the “it shouldn’t really be here” Red bellied Woodpecker for the third year running, two species of owls and 19 species of warbler.

I’m not planning on setting myself any birding challenges year.  In May I take over the helm as President of Bird Protection Quebec for two years and I suspect that that will eat into the time available for actually getting out and looking at birds – which is fine, as my birding these days is as much about conservation politics as actually listing, fun as that continues to be.

One thing that will be accomplished this year – in fact has already started – is the revision of the birding site information on my www.sparroworks.ca website and a greater attention being paid to actually posting things in this on-line journal – mostly for my benefit, but also for that of those few chums who tell me that they like to read it and so keep in touch.  Thank you all for your thoughts and for not wandering off muttering about me, or at least not within my hearing.

The other task I shall complete during 2011 is to cross the Ts and dots the Is on the family history that I have been working at off and on for some years.  I have my ancestry traced back to a Charles G who was born in the village of Longford, Derbyshire in 1667 and know that two more recent relatives were transported for life to Tasmania for some very petty crimes … no murderers or anything interesting like that however.

Tomorrow is the Hudson Christmas Bird Count again – the first time the alarm clock will have been needed for ten days … And then it’s back to work via a visit to the dentist – and so the world goes on.  Happy New Year everyone.

Now for some photographs from the Christmas just past and a couple from today and we’ll follow that with a list of the 97 ArBY bird species.  Enjoy.

New Year’s Day with unseasonal warmth and fog

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinches

Gertie and Bertie the Birch Creatures join the Christmas welcoming party

The traditional Christmas cake band tune up

2010’s Festive Tree

Floral success this year

Goose – what more needs to be said?

Slumpy the Snowman

Happy New Year

Note the dead Coyote … and a happy New Year from me too