I've submitted three counts so far - one of my yard for Friday, Feb. 12, one for the local marsh on Saturday, Feb. 13, and one more of my yard for Saturday, Feb. 13. These reports are as submitted (emailed back from GBBC) First Report Locality: 02360, Plymouth, Plymouth County, MA Observation Date: FEB 12, 2010 Start Time: 6:45 AM Total Birding Time: 1 hour Party Size: 1 Skill: good Weather: excellent Snow Depth: Less than 2 in (5.1 cm) Habitat(s): deciduous woods coniferous woods scrub rural freshwater salt water Number of Species: 17 All Reported: yes Checklist: Wild Turkey - 15 Mourning Dove - 23 Downy Woodpecker - 1 Blue Jay - 5 American Crow - 4 Black-capped Chickadee - 1 Tufted Titmouse - 1 European Starling - 3 Song Sparrow - 2 White-throated Sparrow - 4 Dark-eyed Junco - 6 Northern Cardinal - 9 Red-winged Blackbird - 13 Purple Finch - 1 House Finch - 3 American Goldfinch - 15 House Sparrow - 20 Second Report Locality: 02360, Plymouth, Plymouth County, MA Observation Date: FEB 13, 2010 Start Time: 2:30 AM Total Birding Time: 15 minutes Party Size: 1 Skill: good Weather: excellent Snow Depth: Less than 2 in (5.1 cm) Habitat(s): deciduous woods coniferous woods scrub rural salt water Number of Species: 5 All Reported: no Checklist: Canada Goose - 125 American Black Duck - 3 Mallard - 2 Green-winged Teal - 3 Hooded Merganser - 1 Comments ---------------------------------------- Drive by sightings at Shifting Lots Preserve (adjacent to Ellisville Harbor State Park) ------------------------------------------------- Third Report Locality: 02360, Plymouth, Plymouth County, MA Observation Date: FEB 13, 2010 Start Time: 7:15 AM Total Birding Time: 1 hour Party Size: 1 Skill: good Weather: excellent Snow Depth: Less than 2 in (5.1 cm) Habitat(s): deciduous woods coniferous woods scrub rural freshwater salt water Number of Species: 17 All Reported: no Checklist: Wild Turkey - 13 Mourning Dove - 17 Downy Woodpecker - 1 Blue Jay - 13 American Crow - 3 Black-capped Chickadee - 3 Tufted Titmouse - 1 Hermit Thrush - 1 European Starling - 5 American Tree Sparrow - 1 Song Sparrow - 3 White-throated Sparrow - 6 Dark-eyed Junco - 12 Northern Cardinal - 7 Red-winged Blackbird - 5 American Goldfinch - 16 House Sparrow - 25 ***************************************************************************** I have another neighborhood count almost ready to submit for today, but I've emailed a few photos to a local guru for identification. There are some birds I've never seen before and I'm not sure if I've identified them correctly. Claire

Donna: Very nice pic of the red-belly practically doing chin-ups to eat from the feeder. Those aren't perches, they're grab bars. You're really getting the hang of your digital camera, so we expect lots more photos. Claire

We had the same problem. the little guy kept waking us up, and there are holes all over the clapboard... too high for us to get to, so I'm looking for a handy-man with an extension ladder to fill the holes. We haven't had the woodpecker back in over a month. Here's what we did: DH found shiny silver christmas ribbon, and tacked it to the side of the house, along the areas where the woodpecker liked. He left the ends so they'd blow, and woodie doesn't like it. Woodpeckers peck for four reasons: 1) food (we had the pest folks out, and they told us the peckers aren't after anything, but they (the pest control people) will be back out this spring to take care of carpenter bee larvae) 2) nesting 3) mating calls 4) territory. for us, it was territory. And they are very territorial guys! Once they decide they like your house, they are tough to get rid of. Start early, before, like you, they think it's their home and that you have no right to send them elsewhere! Note that woodpeckers are protected through, so you can't just go out and shoot them (as tempted as you might get!) here are some links you might find useful: 1) ehow Prevent Woodpeckers Pecking 2) Living with woodpeckers, and conflicts with people 3) Woodpecker Damage control, and why they "drum" 4) MSPCA Help with Woodpeckers 5) Critter Ridders: Woodpeckers

oh you should post a video!! My feeder came with "bee guards" It limits the size of the hole for just hummers. It works great for the bees. But then I found a different kind of feeder and nothing gets in it but the birds, not even tiny nats.