This afternoon I looked out the office window to see about 30 Snow Buntings foraging on the railroad tracks near the grain silos on Lincoln Ave in Ada. They repeatedly flew to about 100ft or so and then returned to the tracks. There is a  lot of spilled corn on and adjacent to the tracks there, which attracts the local pigeons, starlings, and Mourning Doves. Throughout the day, an immature Cooper's Hawk worked the tracks taking shots at the doves and starlings. It didn't have any success while I was watching. On the drive home, I spied another flock of 25-30 Snow Buntings and  one Northern Harrier along S.R.309, as well as several small flocks of larks and American Tree Sparrows on Phillips Rd.

The winter yard birds remained as well, although my one Snow Bunting from Wednesday was missing yesterday and this morning. Approximate numbers below:

Morning yard birds in Harrod:
    Dark-eyed Junco 50
    American Tree Sparrow 30
    White-crowned Sparrow 2
    Song Sparrow 3
    White-breasted Nuthatch 2
    Carolina Chickadee 2
    Downy Woodpecker 1
    Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
    Mourning Dove 20
    Northern Cardinal 1
    European Starling 5
    House Sparrow 2

Ada birds:
    Snow Bunting 30
    Cooper's Hawk 1
    Mourning Dove  10
    European Starling 10

On the road (S.R.309, Phillips Rd.):
    Snow Bunting 25-30
    American Tree Sparrow 25
    Horned Lark 25
    Northern Harrier 1

Chris Caprette
Harrod, Allen Co.


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