Uppies

 

Clay-colored Sparrow from last year
Didn't get any pics this year, alas

Did something new yesterday. There is a group called Thursday Birders from the bird club to which I belong, Hudson Mohawk Birders. They hit destinations all over the area nearly every week looking for birds of interest. I have always wanted to participate, but between terminal shyness, acute introversion, and geographical ignorance, have watched from afar.

This week they visited our home county and went to two places where we have been stopping for years. They were in search of Upland Sandpipers and Clay-colored Sparrows, a pair of rarities that continue to be found in two areas in the county.

It was great! I have the hardest time screwing myself to the people-meeting sticking point, but I am so glad I tagged along. Both species were found and quickly and gave good views and experiences for all.

For me one of the high points was hearing the continuing song of the sandpipers. Being about half blind I rely heavily on songs and calls to find birds. It helps a great deal in retaining calls to actually hear the real bird, as opposed to a recording of same, in the field, and often. Plus the call is a jungley sort of delight and so enjoyable to me. (If we are FB friends, check out the Cornell video on the arctic songs of the various sandpipers that breed there. You will be glad you did. UPDATE: Here is a link to it.Here is a link to it. )

Also, the question was raised as to whether the fluttering, looping flights with song ongoing were courtship rituals. Although it is late in the season, they did fit the description of courtship in Birds of the World, so....could be....but then again, only one bird was involved so maybe not.

We originally found the Clay-colored Sparrows on Dingman Road back in 2020 but when the field where they were nesting was cultivated for corn they moved up to Salt Springville Rd. I personally could not find them again, but another birder, who is really good at that stuff, refound them last year and they are back in the exact same spot this year. They are pretty little birds with nicely distinctive songs...for sparrows anyhow...and obliged by singing and flying right out to the group.

I was hoping that someone with more experience than myself would find a Grasshopper Sparrow, as both places have had them in the past, but no luck with that. I am kicking myself...the second I got out of the car at the Uppie stop, I heard an insect-like buzzing right next to the car. Why did i not record it right then and there? Dunno, but it was gone when I got back from chasing sandpipers. Oh, well, maybe another day.

Anyhow, it was fun and for icing on the cake the boss and I went up to Hillside greenhouse afterward and bought ALL the flowers. Good Lord, what was I thinking!?! Now I have to plant them all, and the gardens and pots are already full of stuff...but, oh, my, they are so pretty. Ralph even picked out a couple of boxes of marigolds for the front yard round bed (left behind from a kiddie pool the girls bought for Peg. It killed the grass and I jumped right on that handy dandy bit of bare ground.)

Have a good one! It just stopped raining so the garden calls.

Places everyone
Oh, wait, there are no places. lol