Aton Forest Winter Bird Count
December 31, 2016

Species List:
Mourning Dove (17)
Great Horned Owl (1)
Barred Owl (3)
Northern Saw-whet Owl (1)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (3)
Downy Woodpecker (3)
Hairy Woodpecker (2)
Pileated Woodpecker (3)
Northern Shrike (1)
Blue Jay (28)
American Crow (2)
Raven (7)
Black-capped Chickadee (30)
Tufted Titmouse (5)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (32)
White-breasted Nuthatch (14)
Brown Creeper (7)
American Robin (15)
Dark-eyed Junco (2)
White-throated Sparrow (2)
Song Sparrow (1)
Northern Cardinal (1)
Red-winged Blackbird (28)
Red Crossbill (3)
American Goldfinch (3)

The count was done between 4:30 am and 4:00 pm by four groups. Early morning was clear and cold, with a low of 11 degrees F. The day started partly sunny and became overcast with a high of 37 degrees F.

Bear Ends Up Empty Pawed

We put the trail cam out near the driveway facing the bird feeders..a lot of John and Ryan putting up and taking them down. It looks like someone forgot to put them away one day and we caught a bear checking them out. Luckily they were empty.

Bobcat Sightings Galore

Over the last couple of months we've been seeing bobcats fairly frequently.  I myself have seen one, or I think is the same one, on three separate occasions.  Twice I spotted the smaller cat between Benedict Pond and our beaver pond in the afternoon.  The third time the animal casually walked right in front of the window at the office, also in the afternoon, but earlier.  I was lucky enough to get a picture of it, though from a less than desirable angle.  The regularity of this one might be attributed to catching it making its habitual rounds through Aton Forest.  A larger bobcat has also been spotted at least twice on the property in recent times.

- Ryan Williams (Conservation Assistant)

Photo: Ryan Williams