As migration advances, most birders have enjoyed the frenzy of new first-of-year sightings. But evolving patterns of both weather and species distribution still promise wonder in the weeks and months ahead. There’s more to see, so keep at it!
I’ve added plenty of new species to my year list, but the bird I appreciated most this weekend was the one closest to home. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a Baltimore Oriole in my yard, but obviously they’re hard to miss when they turn up. With a hundred and ten species seen by noon on Sunday, Corey had a host of birds to choose from for his Best Bird of the Weekend. Oddly, despite seeing a bunch of wood-warblers, he most appreciated being out at Edgemere at dawn on Saturday watching the Willets pill-will-willeting all over the sky.
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 was on a short (one week) family holiday in Italy and if we count friday as part of the weekend, my choice is a group of Pallid Swifts and two Eleonora’s Falcons near La Spezia. If we are being very strict and I have to Name a species seen on Saturday or Sunday, it would have to be the last Italian Sparrows I saw next to the highway in the Po valley.
I was excited to see a pair of Spotted Towhees in the forest on the edge of our property, because I’d never seen them here before.
Birding was a washout (literal) both days, but just when I thought all was lost, a Red-eyed Vireo started calling from the oak tree in my building’s courtyard (and I was able to get bins on it, too). Like Wendy, I’ve never known it to be on our property before.
I was mostly visiting family and friends but I did get out a bit in Melbourne and saw a host of lifers including some Cape Barren Geese, which win for being ancient and weird.