Buchanan County Bird Club Newsletter

Editors Roger & Lynda Mayhorn

                                                     New BCBC Vice President

The regular monthly meeting of the Buchanan County Bird Club was held on February 8. Part of the evening's agenda was the annual nomination and election of club officers. The office of Vice President was vacant due to our good friend and BCBC member, Ed Talbott III, having moved away. Club member Sheldon Woods nominated David Raines for the position, and the vote for David was unanimous.  Congratulations David! We are confident you will do an excellent job.

As for the offices of President and Secretary/Treasurer, members voiced their desire to keep those offices as they were. That meant that I remained as club President and my wife, Lynda, as Secretary/Treasurer. I'm not so sure this was done because of the perceived satisfactory work we had done, or because no one wanted those offices and all of the work that goes along with them :)

                                                                                                  Roger Mayhorn 

                                                                    February Arrivals

An American Tree Sparrow like this one made an appearance at David Raines' feeders at Breaks, VA on February 10. Tree Sparrows are uncommon visitors to the county during the winter months. Sometimes a year or two will go by without one being seen. BCBC members Allen and Mindy Waldron of Raleigh County WV had two Tree Sparrows at their feeder on February 10 and 11. The Tree Sparrow can be identified by its rufous crown, the gray face with the rufous stripe through the eye and the clear breast which usually has a black spot in the center.

February 8 was a good day for David. In addition to the Tree Sparrow he also had a Red-breasted Nuthatch and a White-crowned Sparrow at his place, both of which are also uncommon birds to the area except during migration, or when there is an irruption of nuthatches from the north into the area, usually because of a food crop failure in the their normal territory.

                                       An Eastern Towhee Makes an Appearance

After not having seen an Eastern Towhee for quite awhile Cheryl Thompson at Conaway had one show up in her yard on February 11. For some reason towhees have been very scarce in the county for the last few years, especially since the cold spring of 2006, which was followed by a drought that killed a lot of food plants that in turn lowered the number of insects, seeds and berries that the Towhee feeds on. These birds used to be common at feeders within the county and in the field during the winter months, but only two of these birds were found on the 2009 Buchanan County Christmas Bird Count.  A single male Eastern Towhee has also been visiting the feeders of club members Sheldon and Orpha Woods at Vansant. A lone Eastern Towhee was also seen in Dave Worley's yard in Russell County on February 13.

                                               Rusty Blackbirds in Breaks, VA

On February 11 David Raines found two Rusty Blackbirds at his home in Breaks. These birds are not common in the county but do show up from time to time. Unfortunately, the species seems to be mysteriously dropping in numbers throughout its range.

                                    White-throated Sparrows Invade Rosedale

Buchanan County is usually known for lots of White-throated Sparrows and its neighbor to the south, Russell County, is known to have lots of White-crowned Sparrows. On February 13 that order was reversed as BCBC member Dave Worley found 51 White-throated Sparrows in his yard at Rosedale in Russell County. In addition to other regulars Dave also had a Pileated Woodpecker and a Northern Flicker the same day.

                                                  An Abundance of Fox Sparrows

Tom Hunter found 28 Fox Sparrows in the River Mountain Road area of Russell County on February 13 as he birded the area for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. This is especially surprising since Fox Sparrows seemed to be scarce at feeders in the area this winter. Where were they hiding? Maybe they have started an early migration northward.

A Fox Sparrow also showed up here on Compton Mt on February 12 and was also included in the Great Backyard Bird Count.

                                                                       Roger Mayhorn

                                                           Finally A Pine Siskin

After huge flocks of Pine Siskins descended on the area last winter it was surprising to not see any this year. One hundred ninety-six Pine Siskins were found during the Buchanan County Christmas Bird Count in 2008 and none were found on the same count in 2009. Finally, on February 21 Tom and Laverne Hunter found one in their yard at Lebanon VA.

                                            A Purple Finch on Compton Mt

Purple Finches are usually regular visitors at our winter feeders here on Compton Mt, but this winter, like the Pine Siskins and the Fox Sparrows, they too have been scarce. A male made a couple of appearances at our feeder on February 21.

                                                                                         Roger Mayhorn

                                               Eastern Bluebirds Prepare to Nest

On the week-end of February 20 BCBC members Don and Dawn Carrier of Bristol watched a pair of Eastern Bluebirds checking out the nest box in their yard. They have had the box up for a few years but so far the bluebirds have not used it. Don has changed the location within the yard and hopes that this year will be the year.

Bluebirds have also been seen checking out the nest boxes here on Compton Mt. Unfortunately, House Sparrows, the destructive enemies of bluebirds, have also been looking at the same nest boxes. House Sparrows will kill adult bluebirds, break their eggs or destroy their young. 

                                                                GBBC Birds in WV

During the Great Backyard Bird Count BCBC members, Allen and Mindy Waldron, were asked by the Raleigh County Solid Waste Authority (Beckley, WV) to do a bird count at the waste location. They logged 14 species including 5 Red-tailed Hawks, 25 Black Vultures and 97 Common Ravens, some that were doing aerial acrobatics.

                                                 Wood Ducks in the Breaks Park

Club members David and Ernest Raines often go hiking in the Breaks Park, and they watch for birds and other wildlife as they hike. On February 22 they hiked the Beaver Pond area and were surprised to find 8 Wood Ducks on the water. This species had not been seen on the pond since November. The pond often freezes over during the winter and the ducks are forced to move to areas of open water. Wood Ducks are cavity nesters, often nesting in holes in trees. During summer several Wood Duck pairs nest in  nest boxes put up for them by Breaks Park personnel. In this photo the more plainly marked female is in front.

                                                  An Early Brown Thrasher

A Brown Thrasher showed up at the feeders of BCBC members Ann and Grady McCrae in Bluefield WV on January 5th. and has decided to stay, at least for awhile.

It is a bit unusual but occasionally happens that a Thrasher will spend the winter in the area. On the other hand, this bird might be an early migrant, getting a jumpstart on other returning migrants.

If this bird isn't singing yet, he should start soon, based on the assumption that it is a male.  After listening to the Cardinals, Song Sparrows and drumming woodpeckers it is clear that spring is definitely in the air.