Many birders have places they return to year after year, special pilgrimages promising scenes and species they see nowhere else. Enjoying these locations over time allows us to experience our beloved birding sites in all their multifaceted glory, even when those facets aren’t exactly glorious.
The birding mecca on my mind is Chincoteague NWR, renowned far and wide for avian profusion (and wild ponies!) But storms and heavy winds this weekend suppressed all avifauna smaller than a gull, taking the birds out of my annual birding adventures here. At least I was able to log my first Carolina Chickadee of the year nearby. Corey did not see a ton of birds this weekend as he didn’t want to deal too much with the rainy weather that plagued New York City. He did, however, manage to see a migratory Tennessee Warbler at Kissena Park on Saturday morning and he decided that was his Best Bird of the Weekend.
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 have to go with a Calliope Hummingbird at the headquarters of Malhuer Refuge.