This morning's backyard bird count yielded 19 year round residents, 2 winter residents, and 4 summer residents. We are now seeing more summer residents and less winter residents as they are leaving to go to their summer breeding grounds.
Here is this list. I have indicated if the bird is a year round resident, winter resident, summer resident, or a migrant just passing through. I have also indicated the conservation status of each species.
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
Year Round Resident, Populations declining throughout range
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
Year Round Resident, It is a common bird across most of North America, but numbers are declining in most areas
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Year Round Resident, Populations appear stable, but may be declining in some areas
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Year Round Resident, Increasing across most of range
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Year Round Resident, Common and widespread
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Year Round Resident, Population density and range increasing
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
Year Round Resident, Populations increasing and expanding range northward
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
Year Round Resident, Populations stable
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
Year Round Resident, Populations stable or increasing
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
Year Round Resident, Slight, but significant population decreases across range
Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla)
Year Round Resident, Decreasing because of habitat degradation
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
Year Round Resident, Populations declining slowly throughout range
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
Year Round Resident, There is a slight but significant decline in Blue Jay numbers across the United States, with most of the decline in the East
House Finch (Cyanocitta cristata)
Year Round Resident, Common and benefiting from human development
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Year Round Resident, Populations stable or increasing throughout its range
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Year Round Resident, Populations are stable
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Year Round Resident, Widespread and abundant
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Year Round Resident, Populations slightly, but significantly increasing
American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
Year Round Resident, Abundant and widespread
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
Winter Resident, Declining over much of breeding range
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata)
Winter Resident, Populations stable or increasing in most areas
Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina)
Summer (Breeding) Resident, Common and increasing in some areas
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)
Summer (Breeding) Resident, Populations appear healthy
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
Summer (Breeding) Resident, Populations have increased over the long- and short-term across the continent
Yellow-throated Vireo (
Vireo flavifrons)
Summer (Breeding) Resident, Has disappeared from some small forest areas, but is increasing slightly rangewide
For more information on point counts, visit the Point Count Database: www.pwrc.usgs.gov/point/
References:
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide
I found this caterpillar inside the carport this morning. With the assistance of a few websites, I determined it is a type of "cutworm". Cutworms are considered a garden pest due to their manner of feeding: they tend to cut off young plants at soil line, essentially killing the plant as they eat through the stem. Because most of the plant is not eaten, cutworms can do a lot of damage, attacking and felling new plants nightly.
