Data Entry Contest: What’s Your Favorite Feeder Bird?
For the sixth season in a row, Project FeederWatch and our sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited are rewarding registered FeederWatchers with the chance to win prizes. After entering bird counts (data) into the FeederWatch website, participants have the opportunity to share a story, memory, or tip by clicking the “Enter to Win” button on the Count Summary page. This year, we randomly selected two winners per prompt. Our fifth and final Data Entry contest prompt was:
What’s your favorite bird to see at your feeders? Do you wait all season for a glimpse of it, or does it come every day? Share with us what makes that species so special to see at your feeders!
Congratulations to our winners, Susan E. Schellhas and Jill Thompson!
Susan shared:
While watching my bird feeder, I often take pictures of the birds with my zoom lens to properly identify them. This year was special because I found a new species had come to my feeder. At first I thought it was a European Starling, but after reviewing my photos and using the Project FeederWatch website, I identified it as a Brown-headed Cowbird. I learned more about this new species and was happy to add it to my list of birds for Project FeederWatch.
The Project FeederWatch website has many tools to help you identify the birds that come to your feeder. Our Identifying Birds page gives helpful tips on what to take note of, such as field marks, behavioral observations, size, and location. You’ll also find several FeederWatch posters available for download, which serve as quick, helpful references.
Jill shared:
There are so many [birds] that set my heart a-flutter! I’d have to say that this year, my favorite birds have been my first ever Eastern Bluebird couple! I have tried to attract them for the 11 years we’ve lived here, to no avail. Then, earlier this week, I saw a flash of blue among all the brown, black, white and grey! I immediately sent my husband out to buy mealworms and Mrs. Bluebird started feasting. Apparently, she loved the meal enough to come back with Mr. Bluebird. They have come every day this week and I’m over-the-moon every time I see them. The beautiful blue, orange and white colors bring joy, and I love seeing such a devoted couple. I hope they decide to move in to the bluebird house that has housed chickadees and wrens for the past several years! They’d better decide soon, as I saw a chickadee checking the birdhouse out today!
Interested in constructing your own Eastern Bluebird box? Visit Cornell’s NestWatch website to download a construction plan. Here, you can find out more about the Eastern Bluebird’s nesting habitat, nesting range, and some helpful tips for construction and upkeep. If you want to continue doing citizen science in the summertime, consider monitoring your nest box for NestWatch!
Thanks to everyone who participated and shared their stories – we wish we could share all of your submissions! Read the stories from past winners on our blog. Email feederwatch@cornell.edu with questions.
Interested in becoming a FeederWatcher? Join the fun now!
13 comments on “Data Entry Contest: What’s Your Favorite Feeder Bird?”
I am new to the east coast from western Oregon. My fav bird here on the Albemarle Sound is the adorable brown headed nuthatch! Watching them go upside down under my porch railings n down tree trunks always makes me smile.
My favorite bird on the feeder is the Pileated Woodpecker as his big self hangs upside down on the feeder oblivious to other birds waiting for several minutes. I feel like I must mention the Carolina Wren as my equally favorite. They are feisty, energetic birds with antics for days. My favorite is when they left the feeder to hop on every Christmas light on one strand outside.
We have a Black-Headed Grosbeak at our berry bush and at a feeder across the road in Wasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada. This occurred on April 29 and 30, 2022. Thought it was a Baltimore Oriole initally.. Confirmed by 2 other witnesses…
I have a Painted Bunting that has a lot of bright orange. His color is so different from the other Painting Buntings I’ve had. He was here 4/28/2022 at my home in Corbet, TX (50 miles SW of Dallas TX.) Is there a place I can post a picture of him for you to see?
Hello Patricia, Thank you for reaching out. You can feel free to submit picture to our participant photo gallery, located under our community section here.
So useful. Thanks for the site you shared. That’s the tool I was looking for.My favorite bird and want to see in my backyard is the Pileated Woodpeckers. To attract them, I have prepared vertical feeders and suet feeders. Those huge upright feeders have been proven to be the bird’s preference, but they also like long wooden feeders and cylinder feeders.
I stopped feeding the birds this year and I am now seeing more birds than ever, on the ground and in the trees, winter and spring. And not the usual Robins and Chickadees — B&W Warblers, Black-Throated Blue Warblers, Blue Birds, Yellow-Rumped Warblers. We are fortunate to be surrounded by native trees and shrubs that provide plenty of food for birds. If you’re on the fence about whether to feed or not to feed, I encourage bird watchers to go “cold turkey” (sorry about the bad puns). It worked out great for me — and for the birds.
Bobwhite Quail is my favorite bird I heard them less and less
My question is this I put down 16 Robin’s I seen them somebody don’t believe me if happens again I stopping doing the counts this NC NOT NY we have Robin’s and Cardinals all year
Hello David, Thanks for reaching out. A computer (called the review robot) automatically screens all counts. It compares your counts to a series of allowable species/maximum count combinations called “filters.” The filters are based on the counts submitted by past FeederWatchers in your area. Although a species or a high count may not be unusual in your yard, it may be unusual when compared with the reports of others in your area. Congratulations! You have experienced something that others in your area have not. When the review robot finds a count that exceeds the maximum set by the filters, it generates a confirmation message and “flags” the count for review. For more info, please feel free to check out our “Confirming rare birds and high counts” section towards the bottom of the page with our detailed instructions here.
I am in New Jersey, southern and I have robins starting in massive quantities in April, but during the winter
When the cranberry bogs and blueberry fields go bare. They fly back up land from the lower port of New Jersey and flick all over my Holly trees for berries and I put warm water in the bird bath as well as throw berries if different sorts under thick pine trees, because they usually flock right before a snow storm and my cardinals are here all year. I have 3 generations so far and I see them all winter. Obviously east to spot in the snow. I also have blue jays and a huge read tailed hawk that stay all winter, mostly in my yard. I try and grow portions of my yard all natural and never cut down anything for wildlife preservation
My favorite feeder bird is the titmouse. I love this bold little thing, he/she carts off nuts one at a time. Smart too, when I hear the call up in the tree, I pitch sunflower seeds or nuts out there and the titmouse grabs them immediately. My second favorite is the nuthatch, such a beautiful bird. Not as bold as the titmouse. Hangs upside down on the stucco waiting for a chance to grab a nut.
I guess my favorite is a bluebird too, but I have been putting peanuts in the shell in the crook of a tree and bluejays just love them! I know bluejays can be obnoxious but they actually have a sweeter song that they sing to me when I put out the peanuts (I think they are telling me how much they like them) 🙂