September brings birds in a big way and with every week, the autumn action intensifies. One sure way to heighten the pleasure of a special bird sighting is to brag about it later. Step right up and share your best bird of the weekend.
Although Blue Jays are common all year round in NY, I find them most interesting this time of year as they stream towards the south in large, noisy waves. Corey’s best bird was a small flock of about five (four female and one male) Black-throated Blue Warblers foraging together at Alley Pond Park. But really, none of us got out and about this weekend.
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.
Two Crested Tits on Sunday morning from the balcony (Leimen/Germany) while playing there with my son.
In the UAE, a briefly viewed group of Arabian Babblers. Just because they are great birds, although I wish the views had been better. In Malaysia it has to be the Fire-tufted Barbet, the most hansome barbet I have ever seen.
I’m leaving it to you lot to decide which was my best bird (because I thought they were both awesome). Here are your choices:
* At the hawk watch, an American Kestrel which soared right over our heads
* At the meadow/shore walk, a Merlin who perched at the top of a tree and then circled overhead for a bit
Both birds are new ones for me, and both were incredible to watch.
Undoubtedly the immature Sora we saw at Morris Arboretum Wetlands in Philadelphia, our first Sora in Philadelphia. Sketches and quick watercolor on my blog.
Flocks (or 1 big flock?) of American Redstarts all over the woods near my house in Maryland. Also, the 1 or 2 Red-shouldered Hawks that usually hang around have become many, and there seem to be Cooper’s gathering too. I also positively identified a Hairy Woodpecker, which was a lifer for me.
Things were kind of slow at Quebrada Gonzalez but best birds were probably:
A pair of Dull-mantled Antbirds singing and showing off the normally hidden white patch on their backs, one hyperative female White-crowned Manakin, the uncommon Ashy-throated Bush-Tanager.
My best bird was either a Merlin catching and eating dragonflies at Greenwich Hawkwatch, or the 50 or so Common Nighthawks later in the afternoon there. It was a good day for sharpies, with over 300, but not a great day for broadwings, with only around 200.
My best was a kettle of Broad-winged Hawks (hundreds of them swirling) in western NJ. It was just mesmerizing!!
@Eamon: Wonder if we saw the same Merlin and Nighthawks (mine were in Rye). No wonder our hawk watch near I-684 was a bust … they were all putting on a show for you!
A male Scarlet Backed Flowerpecker on the mango tree right in front of the house. Not rare but not usually so easy to see close up and so beautiful.
I’ve not long found this site but have enjoyed reading some of the information. I’ll try to post more but sadly I do not have a good camera to show off our ‘exotic’ birds here in Thailand.
Mike, as you know, I am not a birder; however, I do have an opinion on Blue Jays! I owned a cabin in Big Bear (ski resort area), and I grew to dislike BJs intensely. I would put food out for the squirrels and for my dogs, and the BJs would scare all of them away and eat their food. Although they are physically beautiful, they are monsters! (my opinion)
My best bird was the Cuban Pewee seen at Everglades National Park….for such a little guy he sure garners lots of attention!!
A beautiful Sage Sparrow sipping water at the McCallum Grove, Coachella Valley Preserve, near Palm Springs CA. Sparrows continue to amaze me in their diversity and beauty.
L ewis Woodpecker. 14th sighting ever in Wahington County. At the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge locates in Sherwood, OR.