At a shack on the northern edge of Valentine, with its country setting, bird seed has been provided to local wildbirds since 28 December 2017. The seed has been provided year-round but the most bird visits occur during late autumn and winter months. There are no feeders but the seed is placed on a 10’ by 12’ concrete pad. A number of species have been obviously appreciating something to eat during the frigid weather at Valentine. February ended and March began with snow cover nearly everywhere.
Keeping track of the species seen has been especially easy. My front door glass is covered with a towel, so peeks can be made without disturbing the 26 species recorded.
- Wild Turkey: a bunch of eight until mid-autumn when they departed to join the local winter flock. A fine flock of sixteen returned in late March and continued to be around in early April.
- Eurasian Collared Dove and Mourning Dove.
- Eastern Bluebird: common during the seasons, but most often seen chasing insects from atop the fence of the horse pens.
- House Finch and American Goldfinch.
- Yellow-headed Blackbird; Red-winged Blackbird: after breeding large numbers throughout the days, making the sacks of bird seed get emptied quickly; Brown-headed Cowbird. Rusty Blackbird: four arrived on December 5, 2018 and two continued to linger at least through mid-March. Also, Common Grackle.
- Song Sparrow; Harris's Sparrow; Dark-eyed Junco: the most prevalent winter visitor; American Tree Sparrow; Chipping Sparrow; and, Clay-colored Sparrow. Northern Cardinal
- Eurasian Collared Dove and Mourning Dove.
Species that have shown up only once include the:
- Blue Jay: permanent resident locally but apparently don’t prefer eating seeds.
- Horned Lark: a rare occurrence was 21 that flew in on 40 m.p.h. winds of the blizzard on March 14th. They didn’t figure out a seed-eating routine immediately, but did soon. Prevalent snow cover meant there were few other places to eat.
- Brown Thrasher: summer resident locally amidst the shrubs.
- Common Starling: a discoverer eventually jumped from the porch rail to the ground and got busy eating. Though only one in front of the shack, but a flock was been seen regularly since at the west trees.
- Lincoln's Sparrow; Savannah Sparrow; and Lark Sparrow. Lazuli Bunting.
- Horned Lark: a rare occurrence was 21 that flew in on 40 m.p.h. winds of the blizzard on March 14th. They didn’t figure out a seed-eating routine immediately, but did soon. Prevalent snow cover meant there were few other places to eat.
Overall the local Valentine bird tally is 152 species.
Other visitors appreciating the seed buffet are roaming deer on occasion to nibble up every seed they can find. Up to six typically occur.
Cottontail rabbits busily scrounge upon any little tidbit present. There is a pair seen jumping around near the hay shed where they will certainly raise a brood. It is quite nice to see them run around outside the north window of the shack. Another rabbit stays closer to the shack and seemingly has a bonanza because of the buffet.
From the tree line to the west a squirrel occasionally ventures forth to the pad, and quickly feeds before running back to its arboreal haven.
A perfect triad is a bunny eating, some doves picking at the seeds and juncos busy getting their daily meal.
Thus is country life at Valentine, a place where many residents appreciate wildbirds and help them survive by providing food daily.