Global Big Day

Easy to see why Merlins are considered "cute".

Is today.  It's a day when folks all over the world go out to see how many species of birds they can find. I was thinking that migration was kinda slow getting going this year and maybe this was a little early.

Then over the past week a veritable cascade of new birds for the year started showing up. Looks like good timing! 

Yesterday we found a Merlin in a residential neighborhood in Johnstown...while garage sale-ing of all things....and got new birds here in our home county all day. House Wren, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Grey Catbird on a morning walk.....

Then as I sat at the table here in the kitchen last night, thinking about going to bed, the Chimney Swifts arrived in the kitchen chimney and began twittering up a storm. Nice.

Care for a snack?

This morning I did not want to get up at four. It is still dark. Bed is warm...pillow soft....The dawn chorus is still mostly robins....but I was awake, so I took the doggos out....

and was greeted by the twittering sky dance of an American Woodcock. I hadn't heard one in weeks, but there was no mistaking the feather sounds, and then the peenting from the heifer pasture.

Good start to the day. We have a lot going on today, but I will fit all the birding I can in between the family stuff and chores....who knows what the hunt will bring!

I'm kinda excited.

This Canada Goose is not concerned about the cascade behind him

**Speaking of garage sales...if anyone sees any of those cheap black plastic pots that large plants and small trees come home from the store in for sale, could you be kind enough to give me a shout? I need to get my cannas out and I really don't want to put them in the ground this year. They grow so much better potted.