We in the United States just enjoyed (or endured) the most commercial weekend of the calendar year. The extravagant culinary commitment of Thanksgiving Thursday seems modest next to the profligate spirit of Black Friday. The excitement hardly ends there with Small Business Saturday and today’s observance of Cyber Monday. Lucky are those who can find a moment’s respite in nature.
Of the birds I encountered this weekend, the one I was most excited about was the Rough-legged Hawk that claims territory near my mother-in-law’s home some winters. Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend was a Barred Owl in Central Park, the only remaining one from the three that were discovered about a week ago.
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.
Best for me was a tie between been Worm-eating Warbler and Prevosts Ground Sparrow seen during a nice morning of birding near Ujarras, Costa Rica.
Trumpeter Swans. A reliable sighting in the winter around here, and always a treat to see. We have a smallish population of Trumpeter Swans in S. Ontario. They are the result of a re-introduction effort started about 30 years ago. They winter along the west end of the north shore of Lake Ontario and breed within a hundred miles or so on creeks lakes and ponds. More on them at http://www.mybirdoftheday.ca
Best for me this past Saturday were three Buffleheads (two female, one male), two Bald Eagles, and a Great Blue Heron with lots of white from its breast to its head, all in John Heinz Wlidlife Refuge, Tinnicum Township, just west of Philly.
I didn’t see anything rare this weekend, but I enjoyed watching Sandhill Cranes landing in a pond where they were going to spend the night, while streams of Snow Geese flew by, and 2 Northern Harriers hovered over a field. Then, in the middle of all this, a Say’s Phoebe landed over my head with an insect in its mouth.
And then on Sunday we saw 7 Hooded Mergansers, a species I always enjoy
Two year birds, Greater White-fronted Goose and Lesser Black-backed Gull, put me at 396 for the year. 400 is easily attainable, but I just have to find the time to get out and bird. A cool video of the goose calling can be seen here: http://www.thermalbirding.com/2012/11/waterfowl-at-dorney-pond/
I was busy with other things and didn’t get a chance to do any birding but I did see a lovely adult Red-shouldered Hawk perched in a tree along a road on Saturday. They’re always a pleasure to see even if they aren’t rare.
Lapland Longspur, western PA.
Two very noisy Pileated Woodpeckers in Dosewallips State Park, right by the Hood Canal (a fjord) on the Olympic Peninsula. There is lots of evidence of Pileated Woodpeckers in the forests here– their distinctive oval/rectangular holes on tree trunks– but these were the first I’ve seen in a year and a half.
Best for me were two lifers: White-winged Crossbill and Eurasian Wigeon. Both were in central Long Island!