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| Optimistic Osprey |
Birds in one day.
This incorporated rising at 2 AM to go owling and lasted until after eight PM. I'm an early riser anyhow, nearly always awake by 4, although I stay upstairs until 5:30 because Mack barks when he hears me. I hate to rouse the whole house.
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| Broad-winged Hawk |
However, 2 was reminiscent of midnight calf check days, when I stumbled to the barn in boots and bathrobe, pulled a calf if necessary and stumbled back to bed, attempting to open only one eye at a time in the process.
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Upland Sandpiper disguised as a Killdeer |
It is amazing how fast you wake up though when you get a life bird on one of the first stops...at least as far as eBird is concerned. I've seen and heard many Eastern Screech Owls, but all before I started eBirding, so it is going to look new on paper. Score.
It was a long and eventful day, with many new county birds for me for the year, and one I have been looking for for five years in our home county.
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| Eastern Meadowlark |
That was a Virginia Rail calling up a storm on Sara Lib Road in the place that Ralph refers to as "The place where that tree almost fell on your head."
The tree was a small one and still languishes at the edge of the water next to its luckier, still-standing, Red Maple neighbor. It probably wouldn't have done me much harm if it had hit me, but I'm glad it didn't.
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| Through-the-windshield-on a-busy-road Orchard Oriole |
Anyhow, it was an adventure, but we lost that hundred-and-second bird. It was, by its call from its spot hidden in a shrubbery, a Golden-winged Warbler. Alas however, according to eBird review, only possible to be definitively identified by being clearly viewed, as it hybridizes with Blue-winged Warbler (we found lots of those) and both purebreds, plus the hybrids, mimic each other's calls.
It's all right though. I'll take the Eastern Screech Owl, the rail, the bittern, the Orchard Oriole and the like, and be contented indeed.
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| Willie Marsh |
Meanwhile, it is great to be home too.
Note to everyone who lives here...Do NOT close the pony barn door! Barn Swallows are investigating!
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| Strange bird at Yankee Hill Lock |
Hence the pony barn door being propped wide... I already saw them
ReplyDeleteLiz, I am glad.
ReplyDeleteWell now, THAT was a day and its rewards worth rising early for! Good for you! I share your excitement over your finds. I only wish I had clearer eyesight to make birding by eye more possible. At least I recognize quite a few by their songs.
ReplyDeleteJacqueline, thanks, it was fun, although it took me a whole day to recover. My vision, never the greatest at any time, is declining as well, although not horrible yet. However, it is a good thing I can hear reasonably well. If only I had a better memory for songs. I have to relearn a lot of them every spring. It was pretty funny to bird with another birder, something I rarely get to do. We were driving down a little back road, heard a single-note call, and exclaimed, "Hairy", in perfect unison. We needed a Hairy Woodpecker at that point too, so we were pretty happy about that. lol
ReplyDelete