Most people I know focused this weekend on costumes, candy, and celebration of things dark, dead, or weird. Some folks, though, were able to balance the lure of the night with call of the wild. At least around here, nature lovers were rewarded by gorgeous fall weather.
I couldn’t help but foray out to search out new arrivals. Looks like American Tree Sparrows, among my favorite winter birds, have returned! Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend was actually a flock of birds in the form of fourteen Wood Ducks flushing out of the Great Vly in Corey’s hometown of Saugerties, New York. Especially nice was that eleven of the fourteen were gorgeous drakes.
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.
Mine was most definitely my lifer Arctic Tern- long awaited species and unheard of on the coast in Costa Rica. This year, for the first time ever, several have been identified on several beaches. However, the sightings are bittersweet because they probably reflect lack of foraging opportunities in the offshore, El Nino waters.
No interesting avian sightings (other than a Turkey Vulture floating over a strip mall in Jenkintown, PA) but my eyes on Saturday were focused on the Temple (Univ.) Owls, especially at the crazy ESPN College Gameday party in downtown Philadelphia. (Sadly, the Owls fell to Notre Dame, but it was still a fun Owl-oween!)
7 lifers from Buenos Aires this weekend. Striped Owl and Ash-coloured Cuckoo were the favourites.