Sometimes, the most memorable bird of a weekend really surprises us. Usually, when I’m kicking around town, a Pileated Woodpecker flyover would make my weekend. However, I happened upon the biggest, shaggiest Red-tailed Hawk I’ve ever seen, one so large that it dwarfed the smaller red-tail trying to shift it from the pine tree atop which it hunched. Red-tailed Hawks are almost as common as crows around Rochester, which is really saying something, but this bird was a wonder! Corey had no time to get out and bird what with visiting relatives, buying a car for the first time in three years, and chasing after Desi, who has found that he enjoys staircases. Still, he found a fine Carolina Wren at his folks’ feeders.
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.
White-fronted Terns in the harbour. A big flock feeding in the harbour was nice.
On Sunday afternoon I followed my wife’s command … er … suggestion to clean the kitchen windows. While I was doing my squeeeak, squeeeak, squeeeaks I started to contemplate … er … celebrate the fact that I had traded the boring life of a world-travelling birder for the adventurous ways of a family man. And then, in a bush a mere three metres away from me at eye level, a fine Crested Tit popped up, offering the best views I’ve had of the species since the winter of 1999 (when I was still a world-travelling birder).
I liked that a lot.
So, cleaning windows isn’t always all that bad – only most of the time.
I had a Greater Scaup had Bald Eagle State Park yesterday afternoon.
Birding while driving is never recommended, but I couldn’t help but watch a red-tail and turkey vulture over the highway. Both were doing acrobatics in the strong south wind. Yesterday, lots of area birders were treated to the sights and sounds of 1000s of Snow Geese heading north. St. Louis MO
@Jochen: Shhhhh!!!!! Or window-washing will be your permanent duty!
Semi-collared Hawk which nearly took Renato’s hat off and then perched on a branch about 30 feet from us. Good thing because much further and we wouldn’t have been able to identify him through all the fog.
@John: I assume your Ecuador trip was a success then?
Sorry to disappoint you Mike, but I wasn’t able to make it up to Croton Point Park this weekend. Too much house stuff to do. (I am contemplating a drive-by before work sometime this week, though.)
Nevertheless, I met my weekly Bald Eagle quota, again while at the laundromat. Strolling the block from the bank to the place where my quarters go into a bottomless pit, I saw two adult eagles soaring lazily overhead on updrafts. This time, there were actually people around for me to say, “Hey, want to see something cool? Look up—Bald Eagles!” They watched the eagles for a good five minutes, even shifting position to do so. It was really gratifylng to show others something so beautiful and wonderful.
A flock of Common Redpolls paid a visit to my feeder. They stayed for about 30 min, then left. No hoaries.
http://onejackdawbirding.blogspot.com/2011/02/invasion-of-redpolls.html
@Hilke: I am sooooo jealous! I am cursed when it comes to Common Redpolls this year.
Finishing up my little Mallard pamphlet, so it was a female Appleyard-type at Reifel.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5300/5462947392_95656549c6_b.jpg
Pretty, isn’t she?
Mine was a simple Northern Flicker but it had found the only patch of clear green in my still very ice/snow covered lawn and it was all puffed up and very pretty.
Common Redpoll. Found it by mistake after trying several places this winter. It was starting to become a nemesis thing, until today. Can’t take credit for finding it though. That belongs to my non-birding wife. I believe her exact words were, “there’s some little ones up there eh?” I was busy drawing shapes in the snow with my son. This is important to get as I’m doing a Big Year this year in Ontario and winter is coming to an end. Check out my progress here.
http://punkrockbigyear.blogspot.com
An Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike! I haven’t seen too many of them for a while but got good views of this one!
I found a flock of 6 FL Scrub-Jays in Ocala National Forest this weekend while camping. The only thing that came close to this was the Sandhill Cranes that were flying about all day right outside my tent.
I saw a Belted Kingfisher and a Brown Creeper while making lists for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Not exotic, but I haven’t seen either of them very often here in Dallas.
I am tempted to say Common Redpoll, ’cause I think a green tinge suits Corey well, but I only saw two (in Gloucester, MA) and they weren’t the GOOD looks I desired. So, the Best Bird of the Weekend award goes to the 18 Red-necked Grebes we saw in Gloucester Harbor on a New England Weekend.