Hope everyone of every faith and creed enjoyed a lovely Easter weekend. I myself only observe Hallmark holidays, which means the Easter Bunny paid a visit to my kids. After that, I took them on our traditional hike to spot signs of spring. Along with the early blooms of daffodils, crocuses, and snowdrops, we encountered lots and lots of mud!
My best bird of the weekend was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet hanging around my yard, a sure sign that the birds of spring are on their way to these northern reaches! Corey encountered lots of FOYs this weekend, but the best was a sighting of a pair of Chimney Swifts twittering away over Forest Park on Sunday evening. They were even more welcome then the wood-warblers!
What was your best bird of the weekend? Tell us in the comments section about the rarest, loveliest, or most fascinating bird you observed. If you’ve blogged about your weekend experience, you should include a link in your comment.
I managed to get two new species for my New Zealand list, the Grey Teal and Rook (introduced). But I guess the highlight was the reintroduced Brown Teal I saw there; I had taken them to be Chestnut Teal as I have never seen Brown Teal away from Karori.
There being Te Awanga near Napier, http://10000birds.com/sauvignon-and-seabirds.htm by the way. Brown teal were reintroduced about two years ago.
A lot of FOYs moving in here too, but my best bird(s) were barred owls. Encountered a pair fighting with a cooper’s hawk over a big garter snake, then two days later I literally stumbled into one in a tree cavity at head-height.
Owl/Hawk/ Snake Death Match: http://bit.ly/hqO7u3
The Other Owl: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10962249@N06/sets/72157626448693891/
My best birds were a group of Black-necked Stilts in the pond behind our yard. These guys are beautiful and a lot of fun to watch. Even my non-birding family members were excited about this one. Here is a photo of one – http://blog.whatschirping.com/2011/04/backyard-birding-black-necked-stilt.html
Things were pretty slow going while guiding on Poas Volcano so I would have to say that everything there was climaxed by a pair of Striped Owls calling near the house last night. First I have heard in the neighborhood.
My weekend started early with a bird that, if I’m reading the bird books correctly, is rare in Dallas–a Lazuli Bunting on my back yard feeder. I saw him on two days, and got some (crummy) photos the second visit: http://thainamu.blogspot.com/2011/04/lazuli-bunting-photos.html
And then the Indigo Buntings have been hanging out too–they are gorgeous! More photos: http://thainamu.blogspot.com/2011/04/another-bunting-indigo.html
Besides having a blessed Easter at church (you can do birdwatching during the Easter sunrise service–shh, don’t tell!) my own chicakdees came home from Africa to visit for a couple days so I’m teaching my almost 3-year old granddaughter all the local birds. Life is good!
Finally surfacing here in Chicago! And a jog along a river trail finally brought some non-mundane birds, of which the best (beside a pair of swallows of indeterminate origin) was a common American Goldfinch. I know, I know, it’s a routine bird, but it’s my FOY, and my first “find” in my new home. 🙂
(I go into a little more detail here: http://www.blog5b.com … critiques invited!)
My best birds were two female Black Scoters in Muskegon Michigan. I also saw my first non Yellow-rumped Warblers of the year; four pine Warblers and one Palm Warbler.
… and I thought she on the photo was :).
Happy belated Easter.
Anna 🙂
I would have said Common Tern – because it was near my house, which is not near water or anyplace where a tern should be. But this morning (I know, not technically the weekend), I stepped out of my house, looked up at a tree on my property, ans found a FLOCK of Baltimore Orioles. I have seen individuals before but this was even more stunning.
But far more important than its ornithological significance, it is clearly an omen. THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES ARE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂