MARCHing into our 4th Rosy-Finch Survey Window!
Feeder Count Reminders
We have so much appreciation for you and all that you do. Beyond just our thanks, you have the thanks of the rosy-finches as well! As we march into our fourth count window, they're lucky to have you working for their conservation.
The fourth survey window runs from March 1 - 31, 2022.
Don’t forget to turn in your feeder count via the Survey123 app. If you’ve completed counts during the first three windows but haven’t submitted your data yet, please do so.
A friendly reminder: Please make sure that every survey, standard and opportunistic, is exactly 20 minutes. This is to ensure there we can compare your counts with others.
It is not too late to start doing feeder counts or recruit a friend to join us. Even if you’re just starting feeder counts in March, we’re happy to have you!
**Very Important Notice: Spring Cleaning**
As you prepare to scrub your home in honor of the season, remember that the birds like a clean feeder too!
Feeders can be hotbeds for avian diseases like salmonella that birds can spread to each other. This is why it is important to give your feeders a good cleaning 2-3 times a month.
Steps to cleaning your feeder (2-3 times per month):
Empty all remaining seeds/hulls and take apart the feeder.
Hand-wash with mild dish soap and hot water.
Soak in a sanitizing bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) for at least 30 minutes.
Rinse and let air dry completely before setting back outside.
Rake and clean the ground beneath your feeders, removing any discarded seeds/hulls/fruit.
Make sure you wear gloves and/or wash your hands thoroughly after handling bird feeders.
If you see dead or sick birds, remove all feeders and bird baths for at least one month. This will help stop the spread. It’s okay if you need to cancel a feeder count. We would much rather have living and happy birds!
We work closely with state wildlife agencies and will keep you posted if we hear of disease outbreaks and actions that need to be taken. If you have questions, concerns, or want to report observations, reach out to us at rosyfinchstudy@gmail.com.
Photo by Rob Tolley
Quick Links
Conduct your Feeder Counts! 4th survey window is March 1-31.
Enter Your Feeder Count data in Survey123 or email your datasheet to rosyfinchstudy@gmail.com.
Rosy-Finch Rewards
By participating and submitting feeder counts, you help the birds AND have a chance to win some awesome prizes, like a rosy-finch enamel mug! Here is some info on our latest winners.
Nancy and Rob Tolley - Wyoming
Besides the Rosy-Finch Project, Nancy and Rob have taken part in previous citizen science research. Monarch butterflies, in particular, have them to thank for their wonderful tagging efforts! Their daughter, Kathryn, brought the Rosy-Finch Project to their attention and they have been very helpful.
Nancy and Rob have a history of spotting Black Rosy-Finches. While mountaineering in the Wind River Range in the late 1970s, they saw a nest while climbing Mount Bonneville.
Jim Roscoe - Idaho
Jim is a retired wildlife biologist, life-time birder, and avid supporter of citizen-science projects. He has seen many Black Rosy-Finches and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches in the past in Colorado, Montana, and Idaho. The first time he saw Black Rosy-Finches was in southwestern Montana after a really heavy snowstorm. A large flock of finches gathered on his roof and feeders for a week. There were so many, Jim could hear them from inside the house! He hopes to find some Black Rosy-Finches this summer in the alpine reaches around Salmon, Idaho.
Intern Spotlight
We always have some great interns working with us on the project and appreciate everything they do. Here is a little bit written by one of our fantastic interns, Anders Eckert:
Image from a feeder at Solitude.
"Rosy-Finches are a one-of-a-kind species that bring color to the wildlife on the Wasatch Front. The first time I saw a rosy-finch, my eyes were immediately attracted to the bright pink patches on their wings and lower belly. The conservation and research of rosy-finches are mandatory before climate change and global warming make it harder for these magnificent birds to survive.
As I began work on my bird surveys with Sageland Collaborative to help research where the rosy-finches are accumulating in the winter and spring months, I saw immediately how beautiful and important these birds are for the diversity and stability of mountainous ecosystems. The bird surveys that I have completed so far have been nothing but a great time, and an amazing learning experience.
The reason why we do the surveys at bird feeders is that rosy-finches are known to utilize them especially during the winter months and inclement weather. For my surveys, I am stationed at Alta’s Town Office and Solitude’s Powderhorn lift because they both have RFID bird feeders waiting for rosy-finches to come munch on.
Images from a feeder at Solitude.
After doing a couple of surveys and reading about rosy-finches, I have found that their primary winter breeding habitats are in mountain ranges such as the Wasatch front. The only species of rosy-finch I have encountered so far is the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch. I have also only seen them in large flocks of about 20+ nestled in the steep and rocky terrain of Little Cottonwood and Big Cottonwood canyons.
These birds love to ski just like I do. The Black and Gray-crowned Rosy-finch can be seen at ski resorts in Utah, especially during the winter months of the non-breeding season. I have grown up skiing since the age of two, and I have found my true passion for wildlife during all my adventures on mountains. There is truly nothing more special than skiing on a beautiful mountain and observing the wonderful wildlife that is right underneath your nose.
The next time you take a trip to the mountains, keep your eyes peeled. You won’t want to miss these beautiful birds."
Volunteer Data
Finally, some interesting data about our volunteers.
170 people signed up to do feeder counts this season
87% are using home/backyard feeders
Volunteers are from 7 different states (Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, and New Mexico)
While only comprising about 10% of our total volunteers, Colorado seems to have the most consistent and highest numbers of rosy-finches (some seeing a few hundred birds in just one survey!)
Thanks to our volunteer, Kelly Lynch, and the talented photographer, Tom Howells, for these fantastic images of some rather regal-looking Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches!