Great Backyard Bird Count 2022

William Wise Photo Nature Notes is a wildlife, birding and nature photography blog documenting the beauty, design and wonder of God’s creation. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message

Small Ruby-crowned Kinglet bird, Corthylio calendula, bird perched on a branch. Wildlife birding photography in Monroe, Walton County, Georgia USA.

My New Year’s resolution for 2022 was to finish uploading to iNaturalist my hundreds of my older observations that were made prior to joining iNat in 2018. I also resolved to, month-by-month, improve the narratives of older nature journals and post those in the iNat journal as well. In the past, staring at computer folders of thousands of photos and hundreds of unfinished field notes, it seemed it couldn’t be done and only some progress was made.

The only way to get through all those old observations was to not make new ones. There was no way to simultaneously work on the old, and continue to upload the new. Other than an outing to Phinizy Swamp on January 1, and a quick trip to add a lifer Canvasback, I made a sacrifice and really limited my usual backyard photography the first weeks of 2022. But how could I resist the 2022 Great Backyard Bird Count!

For day one of the 2022 GBBC, I managed to slip out of the animal shelter where I work for a late afternoon lunch break. It was sunny with a bit of cloud cover, making for some good lighting for photography. The wind was pretty brisk and chill, which limited the birds’ activity some, but not completely.
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Passing by the spot where my feeders have hung empty for several weeks, I was surprised to find a bustle of activity in the dry, tangled briers below. Several Song Sparrows and White-throated Sparrows flitted about. I gave a little pishing and out popped a very inquisitive Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Down by the beaver swamp, a trio of Wood Ducks whistled off into the air before I even knew they were there. And, of course, the boisterous calls of Carolina Wrens filled echoed across the grounds while dozens of vultures circled in the winds high overhead. In all, a tally of 18 taxa on a 30 minute walk. Not too impressive, but at least I got outside for day one of the Great Backyard Bird County. 

Walton County, Georgia. February 18, 2022.
 - Sunny and windy, with a high near 55. Northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
 - Sunrise 7:16 am; Sunset 6:21 pm
 - Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 6 minutes (+1m 58s)
 - Moon: 95.0% Waning Gibbous
 - eBird checklist: ​https://ebird.org/checklist/S102916624

Small Ruby-crowned Kinglet bird, Corthylio calendula, bird perched on a branch. Wildlife birding photography in Monroe, Walton County, Georgia USA.

Day 2, February 19, 2022

Sunny morning with a bright light blue sky, but a brisk breeze and frost on the rooftops. I filled my backyard feeders, put on a coat and a hat, and sat 30 minutes for a morning count on the back patio for day two of the Great Backyard Bird Count.

Clarke County, Georgia
 - Currently 31°F. Sunny, with a high near 60. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
 - Sunrise 7:13 am; Sunset 6:21 pm
 - Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 7 minutes (+1m 59s)
 - Moon: 91.1% Waning Gibbous

DAY 3, FEBRUARY 20, 2022

Clarke County, Georgia
 - Currently 34°F. Sunny, with a high near 60.
 - Sunrise 7:12 am; Sunset 6:22 pm
 - Daylight Hours: 11 hours, 9 minutes (+2m)
 - Moon: 84.2% Waning Gibbous