Phenology is a funny thing (a funny word too, which is neither here nor there.) Every wildlife watcher, no matter how specialized, becomes attuned over time to the ebb and flow of each local plant and animal’s life cycle. With enough observation and experience, we notice slight variations and how those aberrations sometimes ripple throughout ecosystems. Some phenological oddities, however, are blatant enough to catch everyone’s attention. For example, here in western New York, our warm winter and dry spring dramatically impacted many of our fruit crops. Berries burst early and corn came in early. But apples and those who love them definitely suffered most substantially. This weekend, I took my kids apple picking to see first hand how scanty and sour (and expensive) the local fruit is. Has wacky weather exerted any profound impacts in your part of the world?
My Best Bird of the Weekend was probably a perched American Kestrel, a paltry predator I never tire of seeing. Corey’s BBOTW was a Green Heron at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center outside of Albany, NY both because it was reminiscent of the bird that got him into birding and because he got to share it with his mother, who has had a tough week as his father recovers from quadruple bypass surgery. Birding is a healer.
Have you gotten your fix of Green Herons and their groovy necks lately?
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.
I managed a melanistic New Zealand Pigeon, which was unusual in the extreme.
@Dunca: What!? Picks or it didn’t happen!!
My BBotW was a Firecrest in my neighbour’s backyard during his birthday barbecue party here in Heidelberg. They are common but I have not seen or heard one in many weeks.
Well, “pics”, not “picks”, so don’t be picing on me…
Mine was a brown creeper – not rare or anything, just a grumpy-looking bird that always makes me smile.
http://don-tbugme.blogspot.ca/2012/09/macro-monday-creeper.html
I recently discovered this site, and have very much enjoyed getting lovely daily updates drop in to my inbox. Thanks!
I spent most of the weekend inside packing for a trip to the USA – where I do hope to see a green heron, indeed. BBOTW was therefore a beautifully well marked coal tit, flitting about the apple tree in our garden. Bad fruit crops here as well, on that tree and elsewhere – in England it’s down to what was about our wettest summer on record.
Apples expensive scarce and costly western New York? That is just as strange as a snowfree December in Niagara Falls. On another note, I can finally state a sighting that was without a doubt, my best sighting for the weekend and probably the year. It even beats out the male Lovely Cotinga I had near Cinchona in April and the Red-fronted Parrotlet that perched on a telephone wire near my house in July.
My best bird was a lifer Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo shared with two of the nicest clients I have ever guided at Quebrada Gonzalez in Braulio Carrillo National Park, Costa Rica. I couldnt have imagined anything better than watching this rare rainforest roadrunner saunter out onto the trail at my favorite birding spot. It seemed to be curious about us as it raised and lowered its crest and softly clacked its bill. Special bird indeed and one of my top ten birding experiences ever.
Standing at the commode, watching a southbound Kentucky Warbler, debugging one of my Live Oak trees was my BBOTW. So Green.
@Corey: So sorry to hear about your dad. I hope he makes a full and quick recovery.
@Mike: As the Doctor would say, “I see Kestrels now. Kestrels are cool.”
@Duncan and Pat O’Donnell: Congrats!
My BBOTW came I searched in vain for the juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron that’s been spotted along the Chicago River at Montrose Avenue. (Jochen, you can rest easy now.) Instead, I saw a whole flock of my year-bird Golden-crowned Kinglets — total cuties! (And, Jochen, similar in look to your adorable Firecrest)
@Pat O’Donnell- wow!
My best bird was an Anna’s Hummingbird that was feeding at the last of the Honeysuckle blossoms. It just felt like a lovely autumn moment!
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, perched about 20 feet overhead in a mangrove “forest”, Chacahua Lagoon National Park, Oaxaca, Mexico (Pacific coast): so cute, and mysterious as I find all owls to be!
Sorry Jochen, it was literally a blink twice and you’ll miss it situation.
Only a flock of Blue Birds. Didn’t get to go very far from the house. So nothing too exciting.
My best was watching several Broad-winged Hawks flying directly overhead at Golden Gate Raptor Observatory’s Hawkwatch 2012. A life bird for me!