I’m so looking forward to digging out the binoculars, spotting scope and dusting off the guide books. Not this weekend but next, Presidents Day weekend, February 13 – 16 is the Great Backyard Bird Count. It’s easy to participate. Join the people from across North America watching their backyards and reporting their bird sightings to the GBBC.
All the information you need to participate can be found here. You can print out the February check list of the birds species likely to be found in your area here. Just fill in your zipcode. There is also a photo contest with prizes.
My husband and I are planning to spend at least one day down at the refuge during the weekend count, weather permitting. We’ll also be at Presque Isle State Park, Pymatuning State Park, and possibly Oil Creek State Park as well as my backyard. I’ll post my photos of the birds we find. Aren’t we lucky to have so many great birding areas in western Pennsylvania?! We spotted a Northern Shrike at the refuge a couple of weeks ago. I’d love to spot him again for the count….and he isn’t even on the list below.
Since this blog is about the Erie National Wildlife Refuge, I’ll give you the list (below) of birds that could be spotted there in February. List from www.birdsource.org You can call the Erie National Wildlife Refuge (814-789-3585) for more information.
Waterfowl
______ Snow Goose
______ Canada Goose
______ Mute Swan
______ Tundra Swan
______ Wood Duck
______ Gadwall
______ American Wigeon
______ American Black Duck
______ Mallard
______ Northern Shoveler
______ Northern Pintail
______ Green-winged Teal
______ Canvasback
______ Redhead
______ Ring-necked Duck
______ Greater Scaup
______ Lesser Scaup
______ Bufflehead
______ Common Goldeneye
______ Common Merganser
______ Red-breasted Merganser
______ Ruddy Duck
Grouse, Quail, and Allies
______ Ring-necked Pheasant
______ Ruffed Grouse
______ Wild Turkey
Loons and Grebes
______ Pied-billed Grebe
______ Horned Grebe
Pelicans, Cormorants, and Allies
______ Double-crested Cormorant
Herons, Ibis, and Storks
______ Great Blue Heron
Vultures, Diurnal Raptors, and Falcons
______ Turkey Vulture
______ Bald Eagle
______ Northern Harrier
______ Sharp-shinned Hawk
______ Cooper’s Hawk
______ Northern Goshawk
______ Red-tailed Hawk
______ Rough-legged Hawk
______ Golden Eagle
______ American Kestrel
______ Merlin
Rails, Cranes, and Allies
______ American Coot
Shorebirds
______ Killdeer
______ American Woodcock
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
______ Bonaparte’s Gull
______ Ring-billed Gull
______ Herring Gull
Pigeons and Doves
______ Rock Pigeon
______ Mourning Dove
Owls
______ Barn Owl
______ Eastern Screech-Owl
______ Great Horned Owl
______ Barred Owl
______ Long-eared Owl
______ Short-eared Owl
______ Northern Saw-whet Owl
Kingfishers and Allies
______ Belted Kingfisher
Woodpeckers
______ Red-headed Woodpecker
______ Red-bellied Woodpecker
______ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
______ Downy Woodpecker
______ Hairy Woodpecker
______ Northern Flicker
______ Pileated Woodpecker
Jays, Magpies, Crows, and Ravens
______ Blue Jay
______ American Crow
Larks
______ Horned Lark
Chickadees and Titmice
______ Black-capped Chickadee
______ Tufted Titmouse
Nuthatches and Creepers
______ Red-breasted Nuthatch
______ White-breasted Nuthatch
______ Brown Creeper
Wrens
______ Carolina Wren
______ Winter Wren
Kinglets, Old World Warblers, and Gnatcatchers
______ Golden-crowned Kinglet
Thrushes
______ Hermit Thrush
______ American Robin
Catbirds, Mockingbirds, and Thrashers
______ Northern Mockingbird
Starlings and Mynas
______ European Starling
Wagtails and Pipits
______ American Pipit
Waxwings and Silky-flycatchers
______ Cedar Waxwing
Wood-Warblers
______ Yellow-rumped Warbler
Sparrows and other Emberizids
______ American Tree Sparrow
______ Song Sparrow
______ Swamp Sparrow
______ White-throated Sparrow
______ White-crowned Sparrow
______ Dark-eyed Junco
______ Snow Bunting
Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Allies
______ Northern Cardinal
Blackbirds
______ Red-winged Blackbird
______ Eastern Meadowlark
______ Rusty Blackbird
______ Common Grackle
______ Brown-headed Cowbird
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies
______ Purple Finch
______ House Finch
______ Pine Siskin
______ American Goldfinch
Old World Sparrows
______ House Sparrow
