The migratory month of May means that birds are on the move and if you live in the United States, you might just have yourself an extra day to mark their passage. So where are you going birding this weekend? Comment below on the excitement you have planned!
Corey and I will be exploring the Atlantic coast for knots, terns, and perhaps Piping Plovers. In addition, I’m sure I’m not the only one who’ll be attending a Memorial Day BBQ, right? Charlie happens to be in North America right now but way on the other coast, out Vancouver way. Can’t wait to see those pics!
Speaking of pictures, here’s a bit of advice for Sky Watch Friday…
Watch the skies for gulls, like this bored Herring Gull (photo by Mike)
Mike is a leading authority in the field of standardized test preparation, but he's also a traveler who fully expects to see every bird in the world. Besides founding 10,000 Birds in 2003, Mike has also created a number of other entertaining but now extirpated nature blog resources, particularly the Nature Blog Network and I and the Bird.
A perfect stunner!
Depending how far you are venturing on the Atlantic coast I may bump into you. I’ll be birding the DE shore on Saturday, introducing my daughter to Red Knots and Horseshoe Crabs, then spending the rest of the week on Chincoteague Island, VA. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on the coast in spring so I’m already twitching!
Have a great birdy weekend, everyone!
– Mike
Marcil Lake, trying to see if the Cackling Geese that have been hanging about are going to show some breeding behaviour so I can expand their range maps… waiting for Thayer’s Gulls to show up, and perhaps a little farther afield looking for Horned Larks and others to start showing up.
We’ll be at Nag’s Head, NC all week and I hope to find a Swainson’s Warbler and a Red-cockaded Woodpecker at the Alligator River NWR …
Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge near Saginaw, MI. My friend and and I are hoping to find prothonotary warblers in particular.
Thanks, Quinttarantino!
Mike, we won’t be dipping that far south. We’ll be on Long Island, starting and probably ending at Jones Beach. Sounds like you’ll be having a grand time.
Clare, have fun with the Cacklers. What subspecies are these geese?
Franz, those are two birds I really crave. Good luck!
Good luck to you too, Lynn. There aren’t many birds as beautiful as a prothonotary warbler glowing against gray water.
fantastic catch, excellent.
Mike, the most logical subspecies would be Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii or Richardson’s Cackling Goose, based on range.
I live in Erwin Tn. I have been receiving phone calls from friends and relatives all over north east tn. The hummingbirds were here and now no one has seen any in almost two wks. My Dad turned 80 today and he said he cannot ever remember the hummers disappearing like this. Does anyone know anything about this? He lives near south holston lake and always has an abundance of hummers. I have three feeders and I haven’t seen any hummers in 12 days! Please let me know if anyone has any info. date: may 23 2008
Amazing capture!
Great! 🙂
Brooklyn! Looks like winds shift to SW after several days of NE on Sunday night… Maybe some great conditions for the North East Coast Areas…
Carolyn, I’m afraid I don’t know a thing about the hummingbirds in TN. Hopefully, another reader can shed light on the subject.
You might not need to wait until Mon, crocodrillo. The wind blowing towards the ocean this morning (Sat) made Long Island excellent for warblers.
A very nice seagull shot:) I really like this bird. It makes me think about summer, sea, beach, icecream, holiday and many other thing I like:)
Petunia’s SFW
Well, for a Silicon Valley, Californian, so far I’ve visited Los Gatos Creek Trail, Palo Alto Baylands, and Shoreline in Mountain View. I took off work a couple extra days (Thurs & Fri). I’m still hoping to get to a few more places this weekend, but not sure where.
Well, last weekend I was in Hawaii celebrating
my 30th wedding anniversary.
This weekend my birding buddy, Barb, and I went
to Doodletown Road, Bear Mountain State Park, in
Orange County, NY. Got a life bird (cerulean warbler)
and some great looks at yellow billed cuckoo, scarlet
tanager, hooded warbler. Never did find the olive-
sided flycatcher that was there earlier in the morning.
I’ll be traveling to NYC May 31st!! Anyone know of a good birding organization that we can hook up with for Central Park tours? I’ll be there May31st-June4.
I appreciate any insight!