11 life birds last year. First was a set of Tundra Swans resting near the boat launch at Schoharie Crossing. Exciting for sure.
Then we found a Cackling Goose, also at Schoharie Crossing, a short time later.
Next was a Wilson's Snipe, at the Crossing as well. We didn't find that one but were directed to it by some other birders who were nice enough to let me know it was there. Later we found a spot where there were a good number of them winnowing overhead and calling from a water meadow most of the summer.
Later we found some Least Sandpipers at the Crossing, which well deserves its designation as a birding hotspot.
And Semipalmated Plovers the same day.
Next was a Grasshopper Sparrow, no photo, alas. It was raining and the camera just couldn't pick him out.
And then a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher at a little swamp we visit.
A Swainson's Thrush showed up at Lyker's Pond on the 18th of September.
Our visit to Maine with Scott and Jen and the girls brought awesome sea birds...first a Common Eider
And then a Black Guillemot.
Back to the Crossing for a White-rumped Sandpiper, the last life bird of the year, although not the last GoodBird.
A very GoodBird, a Snowy Owl on a nearby lawn
Posts
5 comments:
Nice finds. I would like to get more into birding, but most of the time I don't know what I am looking at lol.
The thing I miss most in winter is waking up to birdsong at dawn.
We get a fair amount of birders here, mostly in summer. Nice catch on the snowy owl. I've only seen one in the wild. My best GoodBird sighting was a Great Grey Owl about 13 years ago, sitting on a fencepost, not moving, against a backdrop of evergreens. No camera ...
Wow!!! And I gotta look this one up!!
Black Guillemot!
WOW! Each one new to me!
Looks like a very good year for lifers. Most I have never seen before. But my eyesight is so bad, most birds are just dark shapes agains the sky or blurs on the landscape. Probably why I stick to flowers!
Post a Comment