Let’s have a show of hands from everyone living north of the Equator: did you barbecue this weekend? Did you want to? (If you’re wondering, yes, I did, and, yes, I wanted to do it some more!)
I enjoyed the opportunity to drag my screen-time loving kids outdoors, which was enhanced considerably by the arrival of a singing male Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Though Corey had a heck of a weekend for birds, especially on Saturday, there was one species that stood out, both because of its inherent awesomeness and because it was color-banded. The Golden-winged Warbler above was easily his Best Bird of the Weekend, though on any other weekend there were at least five other species that would have taken that honor.
How about you? 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.
It sounds mundane I know, but my best was a Swamp Sparrow – or maybe a pair of Trumpeter Swans. We were looking for Least Bitterns but came up empty handed. The Swampy stole centre stage by sitting tight and allowing us to discuss field i.d. and stuff like that. More on my blog by clicking on my name above
A birder-forum friend visited me, just hoping we could repeat my first-time sighting of a Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo in a nearby forest. They teased us by singing undercover most of the outing, but finally, not one but three posed for us at mid-level for a good 10 minutes!!
We climbed a mountain here on the Olympic Peninsula and heard the eerie trumpeting/hooting of a Sooty Grouse, and then saw him! We also came upon two birds I didn’t recognize, until their parents, Gray Jays, flew in to greet us.
Snagged an American Golden Plover in full breeding plumage lingering at Whitefish Point in Michigan. Not bad at all for June…and not driving the whole way to Nunavut.
The orange fluff-balls which are just hatched Coots. Bright orange bill and orangy/rufous overall. Port Aransas Birding Center. Texas.
I think I’ve got Peter Thoeme beat in the “mundane” department with a female Downy Woodpecker, in Philadelphia’s Wickahisson Creek Park.
But consider that the volunteer naturalist and I noticed her when an incessant cheeping caught our attention; we watched her deliver lunch through a gash in a tree … and then a minute or two later we saw Baby Downy poke its hungry head out!
A contender for coolest birding experience of the year.
I’m a pretty big fan of Swamp Sparrows. Definitely an underappreciated bird!
Sooty Grouse! Someday…
And aren’t young birds bizarre?