Lady Helen has often made the point that we get very little opportunity to spend quality time together. The old saying “be careful what you wish for” comes to mind. I wonder how many of us will be able to cope with the coming weeks (who knows how many) of quality time with our nearest and dearest?
Staying at home saves lives; that has been made clear. So in solidarity with the heros who are heeding the advice and responsibly remaining aloof, here is the collaborative list as compiled by the beats from their own back yards, balconies and kitchen windows.
Keep safe. Keep your distance.
6 beats contributed during March and between them they counted 99 birds from porches in 5 countries.
But look, no waterfowl. Does nobody keep a moat these days?
| New Zealand Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) |
| White-collared Swift (Streptoprocne zonaris) |
| Vaux’s Swift (Chaetura vauxi) |
| Broad-billed Hummingbird (Cynanthus latirostris) |
| Berylline Hummingbird (Amazilia beryllina) |
| Gray-cowled Wood-Rail (Aramides cajaneus) |
| Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) |
| Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) |
| Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) |
| gull sp. (Larinae sp.) |
| Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea) |
| Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) |
| Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) |
| Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) |
| Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) |
| Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) |
| Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) |
| Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) |
| Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) |
| Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) |
| Lesson’s Motmot (Momotus lessonii) |
| Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphus sanctus) |
| Hoffmann’s Woodpecker (Melanerpes hoffmannii) |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) |
| Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) |
| Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) |
| Yellow-headed Caracara (Milvago chimachima) |
| New Zealand Falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae) |
| Crimson-fronted Parakeet (Psittacara finschi) |
| Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet (Camptostoma imberbe) |
| Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) |
| Boat-billed Flycatcher (Megarynchus pitangua) |
| Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) |
| Tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae) |
| New Zealand Bellbird (Anthornis melanura) |
| Gray Gerygone (Gerygone igata) |
| Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) |
| Yellow-green Vireo (Vireo flavoviridis) |
| New Zealand Fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) |
| Brown Jay (Psilorhinus morio) |
| Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) |
| Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) |
| Eurasian Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) |
| American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) |
| Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) |
| Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) |
| crow sp. (Corvus sp. (crow sp.)) |
| Coal Tit (Periparus ater) |
| Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) |
| Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) |
| Great Tit (Parus major) |
| Blue-and-white Swallow (Pygochelidon cyanoleuca) |
| Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) |
| Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) |
| White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) |
| Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus) |
| House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) |
| Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) |
| Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) |
| Rufous-naped Wren (Campylorhynchus rufinucha) |
| Spotted Wren (Campylorhynchus gularis) |
| European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) |
| Blue Mockingbird (Melanotis caerulescens) |
| Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos) |
| Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) |
| Clay-colored Thrush (Turdus grayi) |
| American Robin (Turdus migratorius) |
| European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) |
| Dunnock (Prunella modularis) |
| House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) |
| Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) |
| House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) |
| European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris) |
| European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) |
| Canyon Towhee (Melozone fusca) |
| Black-vented Oriole (Icterus wagleri) |
| Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) |
| Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) |
| Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) |
| Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata) |
| Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla) |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) |
| Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) |
| Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) |
| Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) |
| Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) |
| Varied Bunting (Passerina versicolor) |
| Palm Tanager (Thraupis palmarum) |
| Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater (Sporophila torqueola) |
| Grayish Saltator (Saltator coerulescens) |
Redgannet worked for more than 35 years as a flight attendant for an international airline. He came to birding late in his career but, considering the distractions, doesn't regret the missed opportunities. He was paid to visit six continents and took full advantage of the chance to bird the world. He adopted the nom de blog, Redgannet, to avoid remonstrations from his overbearing employer, but secretly hoped that the air of mystery would make him more attractive to women. Now grounded, he is looking forward to seeing the seasons turn from a fixed point.
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