My Husband took me Parking

My first ever Olive-sided Flycatcher

He does pretty much every day, nice guy that he is.

Of course we don't exactly spend our time in the traditional fashion. Instead we stop by the roadside at one of our favorite ponds or in a state park. I wander off with the binoculars and camera. He sleeps, listens to the radio or reads his farm magazines.

This morning we did just that. Since it has been foggy down by the water we have been visiting a little wide place on a seasonal road up in Charleston, where there is swamp on both sides. 

Over the past few years it has become one of my very favorite places to chase birds as it is about as wild as you can get and stay on a safe surface. However, the whole road has been closed all summer up until about a week ago due to a much needed makeover in the construction department. Used to be you took your life in your hands if you met another car. Now it is nice and wide.

While the boss snoozed I mostly just stood still near the car and listened and watched. For someone who loves the outdoors as much as I do, just watching the morning unfold is a joy. Kind of like church for us wild folks.

Yesterday and today fall warblers were busy. The other night we got two Barred Owls. There is always something.

The bar in the foreground is the roof rack on the car.

Today while I was standing a buck came out right behind the car, stared at me a while, and then slipped back into the trees.

A few minutes later a dark flycatcher showed up on a dead tree. I took about a dozen photos, because, although I was pretty sure it was just an Eastern Phoebe, something didn't look right. There is always the possibility that one of the dozens of phoebes I see will actually be something rarer, right?

I won't tell you how many photos of Eastern Phoebes and Olive-sided Flycatchers I pored over before I finally put it up on What's this Bird? 

And guess what....It was an Olive-sided. Rare enough to get that yellow box on eBird that you have to fill out to report it. A lifer for me. 

Happy dance.

Anyone have any opinion on this unusually Pale Great Blue Heron?

Later we went parking again over at the Sprout Brook Auction. That time I sat in the car while the boss walked around looking at all the stuff. Then we came home and he stored some hay and raked some more. Hope he can bale this afternoon.

A good time had by all.