Now that Winter Olympic fever has gripped the global imagination, I can’t help but wonder why we don’t have more international birding competitions like the International Birding Rally in Peru. You’ve got to imagine that the only thing better than winning a gold medal would be getting the gold AND a bunch of lifers. Who can make this happen?
A Cooper’s Hawk almost killed me this weekend. Well, “almost killed” may be modest exaggeration, but I happened to look out my window at the exact time the hawk was hurtling toward it. This magnificent raptor pulled up short, giving me an incredibly close full-frontal view, before winging to a distant perch. I’m just glad the hawk didn’t crash into the window and wreck both of us! Corey’s Best Bird of the Weekend was either of the two Red-necked Grebes spending their time at Connetquot State Park on Long Island. As the Great Lakes and other freshwater further north have frozen off there has been quite the exodus of waterbirds to the south. The bird in the picture above, with a Common Merganser, is surely part of that exodus.
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.
Lifer Barrow’s Goldeneye on one of the only tiny patches of open water on the whole east shore of Lake Michigan.
Squalls of Snow Buntings, hundreds of them searching windswept fields for food. Horned Larks are with them and just a few Lapland Longspurs. To read more on my blog, click on my name above for stories about them and some recent owl encounters .
Bald Eagle was the bird of the day Sunday. I saw at least 80 at the Croton train station, Croton Point Park, George’s Island Park, and various other spots along the Hudson River in Westchester County, New York. Some participants in the QCBC (Queens County Bird Club) trip swear we had over 100. Though sightings of Bald Eagles have become almost common these days, it brought joy to our hearts to see so many, possibly even a nest. Here’s a typical scene, an adult on the Ice in the middle of the river: http://www.flickr.com/photos/queensgirl/12436672023/
Just like Peter above, Snow Bunting. Seems like everyone in Indiana was posting about them. I was more excited since it was a new county bird. And I wish this never ending CBC weather would end.
http://bushwhackingbirder.com/johnson-county/will-eternal-cbc-ever-end/
A local birder, Bob, helped me to find a Wandering Tattler on a pier in San Francisco.
Keel-billed Motmot in Cockscomb Basin, Belize. What a wonderful bird and a wonderful experience finally tracking it down. 9 miles of steep muddy trails and a half hour hunt to find the perched, calling bird!