I’d love to wax philosophic about January and weekends and nature, but I’m too busy packing. So let’s cut to the chase… I can’t tell you my plans until I’ve asked about yours. What are you doing this weekend and will you be birding? Share your plans in the comments below.
Now that we’re done talking about you, let’s get down to me: I’m going to Ecuador! If all goes as expected, I expect this weekend to be the birdiest of my life. The same can hardly be said for my colleagues. Corey will most likely be parked on his posterior watching the NFL playoffs, though he might get out to Forest Park once or twice. Charlie hopes to look for rare birds, perhaps a starling or House Sparrow, on the Manor patch. I can only imagine a statement like that plays better on the other side of the Atlantic because it sounds somewhat incongruous to this New Yorker!
Whatever your plans this weekend, make time to enjoy SkyWatch Friday. Also be sure to come back Monday to share your best bird of the weekend!
Keep your eyes to the skies for white-winged gulls like Corey’s Iceland Gull
Ecuador! Man, I bet you’re pretty pumped about that, fun fun! Look forward to the pictures and the summary of the trip! The rain is still in the forecast for the weekend, so…no big plans for outdoor stuffs here, blah.
Yes, I know, House Sparrow and Starling must seem odd as ‘wish-for’ birds but I’ve only recorded House Sparrow once here and never seen a Starling on the ground on the whole estate. There are no Collared Doves here either, and believe it or not the only Feral Pigeon I’ve seen here is a Racing Pigeon that got lost and sat on our roof for four days! Marsh Tits every day, loads of rare moths, great plants – but no sparrows or starlings. Go figure…
I’ll be helping with the C&O Canal Count in Maryland.
Have fun on your adventure. Thanks for sharing your photos!
Great photo of gulls!
Good capture.
Super photo, have a great trip!
what fun adventure!
have a great day and a fab weekend ahead!
Come on over and watch my piece of sky with me!
xoxo
fickle
Mike, I hope you have an absolute BLAST in Ecuador! (I’m going to do my best to make you jealous that you won’t be in MA next weekend… but I think I’m going to fail in that!)
Corey, get off your @ss and practice gull ID somewhere – with the photos you’re getting, we expect you to be in top form next weekend.
Charlie, good luck with your (snicker) House Sparrows and Starlings. (with the way they are here in MA, it’s difficult to imagine them being uncommon anywhere.)
I will be out scouting Essex County, MA for our team “The Bloggerhead Kingbirds” for the Superbowl of Birding that takes place next weekend – so I hope to see every bird in Essex County…
http://10000birds.com/bloggerhead-kingbirds-going-back-to-the-superbowl-of-birding.htm
http://www.picusblog.com/2009/12/bloggerhead-kingbirds-were-back-baby.html
This weekend, we’ll be in OC, MD and will be exploring that area and up through Rehobeth, DE area looking for whatever is still in town! Snow geese, brandts, anything! I actually saw Great Egrets in Assateague in November or early December…surprising!
I am preparing to attend the Space Coast Birding Festival at Merritt Island NWR which begins January 27th. Should be good birding around the refuge with lots of winter inhabitants.
Great pic of that bird flying over the sky.
Taxes. Packing.
But I may run out to see the Tucson Red-breasted Sapsucker and to look for a reported Black Brant.
Bosque del Apache south of Socorro, New Mexico.
White tailed Kites have been reported, as well as Aplomado Falcon (whether from the release program on Ted Turner’s ranch or naturally occurring is always the debate), and after seeing Bald Eagles and Black Hawks last week I am feeling lucky. Still need to bag my Pyrrhuloxia for the year.
Hope everyone has nice weekend weather. I’ll take advantage of one nice morning to try and bump my year list up a couple ticks here in Westchester County, NY.