Last week I led a store-sponsored bird walk to Granite Basin, which happens to be my assigned area each year for the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC). With the CBC right around the corner, it was really nice to spend some time scouting my area.
Granite Basin has been my assigned CBC area for over twenty years, and during that time I have had some really good observations. Two different years I had a lone varied thrush at Granite Basin on the day of the CBC. Another year I had a male black-throated blue warbler on the day of the CBC.
Last week’s bird walk was very productive and gave me a good feel for what I might expect to find on the actual day of the bird count, which is less than two weeks away. Highlights included three species of nuthatches: white-breasted, pygmy, and red-breasted. There were also a lot of red crossbills and Cassin’s finches—species that are considered “irruptive” species.
Many bird species that breed at northern latitudes move south in winter. The southern edge of their winter range is typically north of Arizona. However, there are years where these migratory species irrupt beyond their normal range, and occur further south.
A variety of irruptive species show up here in the Arizona Central Highlands from time to time—not annually, but every once in a while. Seeing Cassin’s finches, crossbills and red-breasted nuthatches in the basin is certainly an indication that this might be an irruptive year.
What does that mean to the average backyard bird watcher? I invite you to be on the lookout for these species at your feeders. Last year was certainly an irruptive year. Not only did I have Cassin’s finches and crossbills in my yard, I even had evening grosbeaks.
Another species that shows up in large numbers some winters (not last year) is the pine siskin. There are years when this small finch species shows up at nyjer/thistle feeders. It is not uncommon for the lesser goldfinches to leave in the fall, only to be replaced by pine siskins.
The next time you see small finch-like birds feeding at your finch feeder you may want to grab your binoculars and check to see whether they are goldfinches or pine siskins—or both!
This is also the time of year when we experience the occurrence of bird species that engage in a migration behavior referred to as “elevational migration”. This behavior is different from latitudinal migration where birds move in a north to south direction in fall.
Elevational migration is much simpler—species that breed at higher elevations simply move down to lower elevations in winter. This is common here in the Arizona Central Highlands with western bluebirds and Townsend’s solitaire. They breed up in the Bradshaw Mountains, but in winter, they move down to our elevation.
Winter is a critical time of year to feed the birds due to colder temperatures and shorter days. Right now, we have less than ten hours of sunlight, meaning we have over 14 hours where most bird species are riding out a long, cold night.
I have noticed a significant uptick in seed consumption in my yard ever since we started to experience freezing temperatures. What types of seeds birds consume this time of year will vary based on habitat. Each day when I fill my feeder, all of the millet is gone, and the black-oil sunflower seeds are left. It might be necessary to tweak what you are feeding this time of year based on what the birds are and aren’t eating.
Until next week, Happy Birding!
Eric Moore is the owner of The Lookout, in Prescott, where you will find a Hallmark Gold Crown Store, wild bird products, and Vortex and Swarovski optics. Eric has been an avid birder for over 55 years. Eric can be contacted at eric@thelookoutaz.com.
