Sparrow slick excavated in snow for attracting ground feeding birds.
For a Big Year birder, it’s all about finding new birds for the year–first of year (FOY) birds. For someone playing the Backyard Big Year game, the game is to find new birds in the yard for the year–Yard FOYs.
Now that ice is starting to melt in the county, birds are on the move and this morning was great with 5 FOYs in my yard–
Green-winged Teal–pair of birds quickly flying to north through trees. These are also NYBs (new yard birds). In a yard far from water, and after having over a dozen unidentified ducks flyby yesterday evening with looks that precluded good IDs, glad to get these even as a quick look.
Rusty Blackbird–at least one flyover in combined grackle/blackbird flock, calling tchek call and slimmer shape and narrower pointed wings than Red-winged Blackbird.
Great Blue Heron–three, possibly four, birds seen flying over the yard when I walked my kids to catch their bus.
When you live by the flyover for your Yard FOYS, you have to take the photos you can get!
Fox Sparrow–one bird seen on edge of tangles in side yard, then briefly under feeders, and later at my sparrow slick.
Killdeer–first detected about 6am by my OldBird21c microphone, but then heard distantly about 10:30am.
One thing I like about the term Yard FOY is that it rhymes with joy. Finding new birds in the yard, either as an all time NYB or as a Yard FOY can bring a lot of joy!
