Dec 31 
Common Redpolls in Grand Isle on Monday included one large, dark  redpoll --
the GREATER subspecies (rostrata), crunching down black oil  sunflower 
seeds.

Dec 26
Photos taken at another feeder show one COMMOM  REDPOLL feeding 
thistle seed to another -- maybe courtship feeding, but  early?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25681757@N00/8333852108/   

First  bird of 2013, at 07:30.   CAROLINA WREN contact calls,
indicating  that a pair of wrens are present.

Second bird, a pair of late-rising  crows on their morning check of the 
shoreline.

Dave Hoag, Grand  Isle


> Crow Mortality Rate  Study:
>>        They just recently  found over 200 dead crows near Halifax 
>> N.S., and there was concern  that they may have died from the Avian 
>> Flu  virus.
>>        A Bird Pathologist  examined the remains of all the crows, and 
>> he confirmed the problem  was definitely NOT Avian Flu, to  everyone's
relief.
>>         However, he was also able to determine that 98% of the crows 
>> had  been killed by impact with large trucks, and only 2% were killed 
>> by  car impact.
>>        The Province  of Nova Scotia hired an Ornithological 
>> Behaviourist to determine  the disproportionate percentages for the 
>> large truck versus car  kills.
>>        The Ornithological  Behaviourist determined the cause in short 
>>  order.
>>        When crows eat road  kill, they always set-up a look-out Crow 
>> in a nearby tree to warn  of impending danger.
>>        His  conclusion was that the lookout crow could say "Cah", but 
>> he could  not say "Truck."
>>        Now you  know!