Last Bird, First Bird

American crows coming in to roost near the Cathedral of Learning (photo by Peter Bell)
American crows coming in to roost near the Cathedral of Learning (photo by Peter Bell)

What species was the last bird you saw in 2016?  Which one was your first of the new year?

Mine were the same species.  Black birds in a black sky.  American crows.  Here’s why.

Yesterday was the Pittsburgh Christmas Bird Count.  I counted birds in my neighborhood (best bird: red-breasted nuthatch) and gave tips to Schenley Park’s counter, Mike Fialkovich, on where to find the best raptors.

By noon, Mike had not seen the eastern screech-owl nor the merlins, and he’d only seen one peregrine at Pitt.  Oooo!  I carved out some time at dusk to run over to Schenley and have a look.  Mike did too, but I didn’t know that.

Dusk came early.  At 4pm I raced around by car and on foot to find the owl (yes!) the merlins (yes!! two!) and both peregrines (alas, none).  Interestingly, Mike and I saw the merlins at the same time but did not see each other.

Meanwhile, I couldn’t help but see hundreds of crows coming in to Schenley and Pitt for the night, still flying after sunset.  By the time I got home no other birds were out.  Crows were my Last Bird of 2016.

This morning before dawn they flew over my house on their way from the roost.  American crows were my First Bird of 2017.

Happy New Year!

 

p.s. When I stepped outdoors to hear the crows, I heard an unexpected Second Bird of 2017: an American robin singing his spring song, Cheerily Cheerio.

(photo by Peter Bell)

10 thoughts on “Last Bird, First Bird

  1. My last bird of 2016 & first bird of 2017 were also the same – a Western Screech Owl who winters in my Arizona backyard.

  2. Chickadees & Tufted Titmouse (Titmice?) at the feeder together yesterday afternoon, & the same crew back at it this morning.

  3. Last bird seen and heard just before dark-female California Scrub Jay skreeting at a squirrel (Corvids!). First this morning female House Finch on our railing when I opened the shade. Happy New Year!

  4. I also participated in the Christmas Bird Count yesterday in Allegheny Cemetery and along the Lawrenceville side of the Allegheny River. Best bird of the count was the Eastern Screech Owl. Last bird of the evening for 2016 would have been one of my Project feeder watch birds -Carolina/Black Capped Chickadee. First bird that I saw this morning for 2017-Tufted Titmouse.

  5. Could you post a strategy for finding the merlins and screech owl? I have tried for the merlins a few times and come up empty. Thanks!

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