LINKS

Sunrise Birding
Great site for planning worldwide birding trips, and also for year-round educational bird walks along the Connecticut shore.

Wind over Wings
A marvelous organization that rescues injured raptors.

The Recovery Wing
A marvelous organization that cares for injured and orphaned songbirds.

PHOTO ARCHIVE
Species grouped by family

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JOHN SCHWARZ

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NEWS & RECENT OUTINGS

Month of August, 2010

August 21: Today here on the sandbar at Pilots Point we have one addition to the usual daily mix for this time of year - a juvenile Tricolored Heron. With all the many wading birds we get, I can't recall ever seeing this species at this location before. The usual daily mix includes Osprey, Herring, Ring-billed, Great Black-backed, and Laughing Gulls, Common Tern, Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone,Willet, Greater Yellowlegs, American Oystercatcher, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorant, Fish Crow, Mallard, and Barn Swallow, and occasionally Least Tern, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher and Black-crowned Night-Heron.

Month of July, 2010

July 27: Today a family unit of four American Oystercatchers - two adults and two juveniles - on the sandbar here at Pilots Point, Westbrook, CT.

July 24:  Upland Sandpiper along Runway Road adjacent to the Pratt & Whitney complex in East Hartford, CT.

Nancy and I spent July 5 -15 in Colorado and New Mexico. This trip was mainly for visiting and sightseeing, but with effort I managed to find six new species. We landed in Denver in the afternoon of July 5 and drove straight to Fort Collins and then east to the Pawnee National Grasslands, where the first bird photographed on the wing turned out to be McKown's Longspur (1), easily recognized by its white tail feathers with dark tips. The next day we spent five hours along the dirt roads in the vast grasslands, where most good observations can actually be made right from the car. The most  common species was Lark Bunting, quite  appropriately Colorado's state bird; males, females, and fledglings were all present in numbers. Besides more McKown's Longspurs, other grassland denizens included Western Meadowlark, Western Kingbird, Horned Lark, Cassin's Sparrow (not singing), and numerous singing Grasshopper Sparrows. A single Common Nighthawk (2) flew by low to the ground, and Swainson's Hawk patrolled the area from above.  Unfortunately we could not find any Mountain Plovers anywhere, a bit of a disappointment as this is a well-known locale for them.

That afternoon we arrived in Estes Park where we stayed in a lodge along the road to the entrance to Rocky Mountain NP. At the lodge, as elsewhere in the park, garrulous Black-billed Magpies were especially abundant, and there was a Cordillaren Flycatcher working the trees outside of our cabin.

Our plan for July 7 morning was to be at Medicine Bow Curve at the 12,000 foot top of Trail Ridge Road by 6:30 AM. The weather in the valley was dismal, but we set out anyway. There is heavy road construction going on there at present, but we were the only car on the road that early in the morning, and we not only made good time despite a short delay, but were able to stop to photograph a Dusky Grouse (3) perched prominently on the stone wall by the side of the road.

The main target bird up on the high tundra is the White-tailed Ptarmigan. It is advisable to arrive early to hopefully avoid the later-in-the-morning wind that makes things noisy and considerably colder, and also to avoid the later crowds on the trail that make birding impossible.  At 11,000 feet on Trail Ridge Road we broke through the heavy overcast into brilliant sunshine and clear blue sky. As it was, once on the tundra itself, six layers of clothing negated the cold, but in this environment the weather literally changes every few minutes and the wind and mist were a problem. The technique is to walk and stop every so often to listen and to scan 360 degrees to look for any movement at all. After nearly an hour I had all but given up and had just started on the trail back to the car when suddenly there was a brief small flash of white some fifty yards uphill perpendicular to the trail - a White-tailed Ptarmigan (4) that would have gone completely undetected had it not fluffed its wings at the very moment I happened to be looking in that direction! A rare moment; sometimes you just have to be lucky. The only other birds I saw on the tundra were a pair of White-crowned Sparrows and, in different locations, two American Pipits. Despite searching, I found no Brown-capped Rosy-finches.

Before leaving Rocky Mountain NP the following morning, I carefully chose Cub Lake Trail in the Moraine Park area to search for the thus far elusive Virginia's Warbler (5) and also Dusky Flycatcher. I expected to find the Flycatcher but perhaps not the Warbler, but the exact opposite was the case. The higher altitude brushy hillside habitat along this trail turned out to be perfect for Virginia's Warbler, and at least two and perhaps three males were singing from prominent perches. The very same spot also featured Townsend's Solitaire, Green-tailed Towhee and singing MacGillivray's Warbler, and there were several more MacGillivray's further along on the side spur of the Cub Lake Trail.

On July 9 AM I traveled to the Manitou Experimental Forest northwest of Colorado Springs in Teller County especially to search for Flammulated Owl (6).Thanks to the help of Brian Linkhart of Colorado College, I got to see a female in her nest twenty feet up in an Aspen tree. The spot where this tree stood was a mile and a half up a steep forest "road" that was so rutted and full of rocks that it barely met the defnition of "road" at all. It's amazing anyone ever finds this habitually nocturnal little owl.

The trip concluded in New Mexico with two-night stays in B&B's in both Taos and Santa Fe. The feeders at the Cottonwood Inn in Taos had many Rufous, Broad-tailed, and Black-chinned Hummingbirds, and the Randall Daley Audubon Center off the end of Canyon Road in Santa Fe had, among others, good photo ops for Spotted Towhee, Juniper Titmouse, and a female Red-naped Sapsucker.

Month of June, 2010

On June 12 I flew back to Detroit to meet up with members of Miami, Florida's Tropical Audubon Society for a long-planned three-state visit to the upper midwest and northern Great Plains. The trip produced three new species photographed (numbered in red), and six additonal new species seen or heard but which eluded photography (numbered uncolored) . Our first overnight stop was back in jack pine territory - this time in Grayling, Michigan - for another up close encounter early on June 13 with Kirtland's Warbler, still a top target species for the majority of trip members. As in May at Mio, the early morning ranger-guided foot tour brought us within good viewing distance of several singing males. Later that morning, nearby Hartwick Pines State Park was good for Winter Wren, and at the feeders, both Rose-breasted and Evening Grosbeak, as well as a close-up Purple Finch - a species I had previously seen only from a distance. On the upper peninsula side of the Mackinac Bridge we had some Common Mergansers and acrobatic Common Terns, but our first attempt, at a specified spot in Hiawatha National Forest, to find the elusive Connecticut Warbler (one of my especially top target birds for this trip), was unsuccessful.

We spent the next morning in Seney NWR where highlights were families of Common Loons and Ring-necked Ducks, Alder Flycatchers advertising "free beer," a Black-billed Cuckoo, several flying American Bitterns, and the only fleeting look on this trip I was to get of another top target species - a LeConte's Sparrow (1) flying away and presenting only its rear end.

On Rte. 18 just east of Wakefield, MI, we spotted a Ruffed Grouse (2) in the open on the opposite side of the road, screeched to a halt, made a u-turn and were just about to get out of the van when an 18-wheeler roared by and that was that, and we never saw this species again. Shortly after crossing into Wisconsin, an adult Bald Eagle flew across the road and perched prominently in a roadside tree.

Our first destination in Minnesota late on June 15 was the Superior National Forest, not far from the Canadian border, where the best photo-op turned out to be a crisp male Blackburnian Warbler. After a night in Duluth June 16 found us at Sax Zim Bog in St. Louis County, a well-known birding hotspot. Here we had good views of Nashville, Chestnut-sided, and Mourning Warbler, Alder Flycatcher, both adult and fledgling Gray Jay, Clay-colored Sparrow, and lots of Bobolinks, but we cound not find Connecticut Warbler or LeConte's Sparrow. Along State Rte. 7 we had a Spruce Grouse (3) in the open next to the road, but in an almost uncanny and almost unbelievably unlucky "instant replay," a freight train roared by at exactly that moment, spooked the bird, and we never saw that species again either. Along the Hedbom Logging Trail was an Olive-sided Flycatcher singing "quick, three beers", and we also identified the contact call of a female Great Gray Owl (4), although we never saw it.

Once settled that evening in McGregor, we set out after dark to look for a Yellow Rail in nearby McGregor Marsh, one of the country's most reliable known spots for this highly secretive species. This required an orderly group effort. The rail could clearly be heard some thirty yards out in the marsh from the gravel road. Wearing waders, members of the group slogged methodically into the marsh, gradually formed a coordinated wide circle around the sound, and slowly closed the circle. When a flashlight finally highlighted the Yellow Rail (5), the bird actually turned out to be too close for a photo with the long lens, and ironically a simple "point and shoot" pocket camera might well have captured it before it flushed.  As it turned out, everyone in the group managed a good look at this highly secretive species, but we never managed to get any pictures.

The following morning found us north of the town of Palisade and the headwaters of the Mississippi River. In the Willosippi State Wildlife Area we had a flying Broad-winged Hawk, more Bobolinks, and a Sedge Wren singing on a fence. Some 300 yards along a winter snowmobile trail we finally heard the unmistakable "Wenteria, Wenteria, Whit" song of the Connecticut Warbler.

It's little wonder that the Connecticut Warbler (6) is one of the last members of the wood-warbler family on most birders' lifetime lists. Unless one is lucky enough to find one during migration in southeast Florida during the second week of May, or in New England (albeit in non-breeding plumage) during fall migration, one must travel to its breeding ground, which means either Canada, the Michigan upper peninsula, or northernmost Minnesota. Even in these places, the bird is very local and it chooses the most inhospitable of habitats - spruce bogs where the trees are tall, the lighting is suboptimum, there are lots of fallen branches, poor footing due to the uneven and moist boggy forest floor, and the whole place is infested with mosquitoes and ticks. So yes, I finally did at long last get to see a Connecticut Warbler, but I just couldn't get a usable photograph. As they used to say in Brooklyn, "wait 'til next year!"

After playing cat and mouse with ominous clouds and tornadoes in the area, twenty-one of which touched down that afternoon, we finally we crossed into North Dakota, which lowered my remaining "not yet visited" state list to just three (Alabama, Iowa, and Nebraska). First stop was Agassiz  NWR in Marshall County where we had our first Black Terns, a Red-necked Grebe, and Buffleheads with babies.

On June 18 AM we visited Kellys Slough NWR, good for Gray Partridge (1), more Black Terns, Yellow-headed Blackbird, American Avocet. Eared Grebe, Orchard Oriole, and a highly out-of-range male Red-necked Phalarope. Minnewauken along Devil's Lake in Benson County featured Franklin's Gull, Black Tern, Pied-billed and Western Grebes both with chicks, various species of ducks including Redheads with babies, and both the white and blue morphs of Snow Goose. Arrowhead NWR offered a good study of Wilson's Phalarope in flight.

After a night in Jamestown in Kidder County, we set out early June 19 in quest of what for me was the main target bird in North Dakota - Baird's Sparrow.  We concentrated on a particular grassy field just off Rte. 3 between I-94 and Tuttle, where we found not only Baird's Sparrow (2), but alsoChestnut-collared Longspur (3). The surrounding area also featured Clay-collared Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Short-eared Owl, and even a Horned Grebe. In Burleigh County, two miles north of Moffit on Rte. 83 we had a good view of an Upland Sandpiper perched on a wire (I didn't know they did that...), and at Long Lake NWR were Yellow-headed Blackbirds and many Western Grebes among which was a single Clarke's Grebe. Slade NWR in Dawson (still in Kidder County) was home to many American White Pelicans, and along the road to Horsehead Lake WMA we spotted seven male and one female Ring-necked Pheasants, Swainson's, Red-tailed, and Ferruginous Hawks, families of Canvasbacks and Reheads, a flying Short-eared Owl, an American Bittern uncharacteristically standing in the road, and the most unusual mammal of the trip,  a swimming badger.

June 8:  Back in Connecticut for the summer.  An hour before low tide at 2 PM today, I went to check out a report of "seven White-rumped Sandpipers" at Harvey's Beach in Old Saybrook. I did find a group of five peeps at the waters edge, and one of them (not all five) was indeed a White-rumped Sandpiper,  one more new species for these pages.

Month of May, 2010

May 12 -18:  Six-day trip to Magee Marsh in northern Ohio and Mio, Michigan resulted in five additional new species. Magee Marsh, some twenty miles east of Toledo and directly on the southern shore of Lake Erie across from Point Pelee, Ontario, is a funnel point and migratory hot spot especially known for warblers - of which 37 species have been recorded here. This year it held its self-proclaimed "biggest week in American birding."  Hoped-for new species for Birdspix found here numbered Bay-breasted Warbler (1), Mourning Warbler (2), and Black-billed Cuckoo (3).  An entirely unexpected bonus was a migrating Kirtland's Warbler (4) that was discovered on the beach by Ken Kaufman on May 14 and which during that one day provided a life bird experience for hundreds of viewers.

Neighboring Metzger Marsh was a good place to observe Black Terns (5), although they remained consistently on the far side of the marsh from the road and never came closer.

After unexpectedly seeing the Kirtland's Warbler at Magee, we briefly considered punting on the pre-planned side trip north to Mio, MI, to the Kirtland's Warbler jack pine breeding habitat, but we finally did go after all and it turned out missing that would have been a big mistake. Here the Forest Service offers a daily program including a talk all about the Kirtland's Warbler's brush with near extinction, and a brief video, after which a ranger escorts the small group of visitors to a Kirtland's breeding area.  While the public can get to the general area by car, the foot trails are otherwise off limits to the public except on this ranger-led excursion, and only in this manner is one is able to get close-up views of males of this very rare species perched up and singing on territory among the young jack pines. The weather was perfect for photography and we observed three Kirtland's Warblers and heard two more. The tour also included viewing of Brown-headed Cowbird traps.  Other notable species seen in the same jack pine habitat were Nashville Warbler and Vesper Sparrow, and Clay-colored Sparrow was heard but not seen.

Month of April, 2010

April began with arrival in Bend, Oregon on April 1 for several weeks exploring in the high desert and the eastern Cascades. I was fortunate enough to meet up with the East Cascades Audubon Society, whose members were so very cordial, willing and eager to share their knowledge of the region, and who warmly welcomed me along on numerous outings.  Thanks especially to Howard Horvath, John and Anne Gerke, Judy Merdith, and Dean Hale (Deschutes County), and Chuck Gates (Crook County).  This trip produced photos of 23 new species (numbered in red), as well as many better photos of numerous species previously seen elsewhere.

April 1 - 5 concentrated around the Alfalfa area east of Bend. Resident species included Western Meadowlark (1), Townsend's Solitaire, Say's Phoebe, California Quail, Bushtit, and abundant Mountain Bluebirds. Ferruginous Hawks (2) patrol the spacious agricultural fields daily along with the more numerous Red-tailed Hawks and ubiquitous American Kestrels. A pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes were in the river at Smith Rock State Park in Redmond. Hatfield Ponds (near Bend Municipal Airport) is a good site for numerous waterfowl species including Cinnamon Teal, and also produced the trip's first Yellow-headed Blackbird (3).

On April 7 the first of many visits to Entrada Burn on the outskirts of Bend was good for Cassin's Finch (4), along with Red Crossbill and numerous Western Bluebirds. Along the river in town were a pair of Common Mergansers and a sleepy Great Horned Owl uncharacteristically perched atop a small pine tree. Hairy Woodpecker, red-shafted Northern Flicker, and Pygmy Nuthatch are common almost everywhere. 

On April 8 I traveled out to the town of Sisters and its surroundings for the first of many visits. I planned to visit Cold Springs Campground first but encountered temporary blizzard conditions just west of Sisters, so I stopped in town for breakfast. On a friendly tip from Chris the proprietor who made a quick phone call on my behalf, I soon found myself at Camp Sherman where Heidi Fernandez generously allowed me to leisurely photograph the large flock of Evening Grosbeaks (5) that make their home in her yard. This raucous and garrishly-colored large finch has all but disappeared in the eastern U.S. and I had never seen one before. (I subsequently learned that Evening Grosbeak is also among the regular visitors to feeders in the Bend area, along with Cassin's Finch, Western Scrub-Jay, Steller's Jay, House Finch - including its yellow variant which I had not previously seen, Oregon race of Slate-colored Junco, and Pine Siskin, and others.)  By this time the day had turned sunny (it can change ten times in one day here) and at Cold Springs Campground I found, along with several Varied Thrushes and two Brown Creepers, a lone White-headed Woodpecker (6) which posed nicely against a tree that was charred totally black from a previous forest fire.

On April 9 I accompanied Howard Horvath eastward along US Route 20 to Millican Valley and a lek where, albeit from a distance of over 100 yards, we were able to observe eighteen Greater Sage Grouse (7) including 15 displaying males vying for the attention of the only three hens. Nearby at the intersection of Oregon Rte. 27 we first found two more target species - Sage Sparrow (8) and Sage Thrasher (9) - both of which would be seen again in other locales later in the month. The Brothers cinder pit and Hampton Buttes also had Sage Sparrow, and at the Brothers rest stop we spotted a distant Prairie Falcon (10), although good photos would have to wait for another day.

April 10 featured East Cascades Audubon's annual spring excursion some 120 miles eastward to Burns in Harney County. East of Riley along US Rte 20 were a group of five Tundra Swans (11), and Fisherman's Pond west of Burns had a Horned Grebe (12) in breeding plumage, as well as several Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler, and a (unusual for the area) Black Phoebe. We got close views of a Ferruginous Hawk hunting low to the ground in a roadside field. and we surprised to spot a late-in-the-season Rough-legged Hawk on a roadside pole. At Hotchkiss Lane in Burns were all manner of waterfowl, including a small group of Cinnamon Teal that included an unusual Cinnamon X Blue-winged hybrid, but the main attraction was the enormous flock of literally tens of thousands of white geese - both Ross's Goose (13) and Snow Goose - that all simultaneously take to the air in a spectacular gigantic cloud whenever they sense a disturbance, such a Bald Eagle passing overhead. Another large flock of mostly Ross's Geese could be found not far from here in Burns on the lake at the Harney County Fairgrounds.

Early on April 12, Howard and I visited Dillon Falls on the Deschutes River southwest of Bend to observe a pair of nesting American Dippers as they flew back and forth along the rapids, diving to glean insect larvae off the river bed. Nearby Aspen Meadow had some flying Sandhill Cranes and the adjacent woodland trails were good for Red-naped Sapsucker, Townsend's Solitaire, and others. We did not find the Great Gray Owl that via the grapevine had been alleged to be in the vicinity.

Beginning with an early morning gathering stop at Nancy P.'s. in Bend, the usual ECAS meeting place and quite possibly the best bakery west of the Mississippi, the weekly ECAS outing on April 14 found us back in the Sisters area. First stop was the GW Burn, the site of a semi-recent forest fire with sparse vegetation and a lot of partially burned trees. Such habitat is especially attractive to woodpeckers and this site is said to have had as many as eleven different woodpecker species in a single day. Besides the common Hairy WP and Northern Flicker, we readily found American Three-Toed WP, Black-backed WP, Williamson's Sapsucker (14), and Red-naped Sapsucker.  Several miles from GW Burn, at Whispering Pines Campground we we treated to a pair of calling Northern Pygmy-Owls (15) and a Sooty Grouse (16) hen that happened to be by the side of the unpaved road.  At Calliope Crossing I got my first look at a Virginia Rail (17), a reclusive bird that usually stays hidden among dense reeds, and which I had many times heard but of which I had never before been able to catch so much as a glimpse. The final stop of the day was at John and Anne Gerke's home to admire their elaborate system of feeders and flowing water which attract numerous resident and migrating species and allow leisure observation from the comfort of an elevated deck, this afternoon including good photo ops for Cassin's Finch and a sprightly resident male Calliope Hummingbird.

On April 17 I returned to Entrada Burn where neither Lewis's Woodpeckers nor Green-tailed Towhees had as yet made their yearly appearances, but a Fox Sparrow was singing exuberantly on territory along the escarpment. Then I went back to Dillon Falls and spent two fascinating hours photographing the American Dippers tirelessly feeding their newly hatched young in their nest built directly on the vertical rock face along the river bank.

The following morning I arrived early back at the Gerkes' house north of Sisters hoping for the Pinyon Jays (18) that John assured me were regular daily visitors, and sure enough, it wasn't more than half an hour before a group of twelve of these garrulous Jays put in their appearance.  These nomadic birds only stay for a few minutes at a time but do return at intervals during the day. Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, and Cassin's Finches frequent the feeders and there were more White-crowned Sparrows in the yard than I had ever seen in one place. The resident Calliope Hummingbird was seen off and on, and we were surprised by a first-of-season Nashville Warbler (19). Later John and I revisited GW Burn (Black-backed and American Three-toed Woodpeckers), and afterwards Suttle Lake (Common Mergansers), and the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery where we found another American Dipper and counted no fewer than thirteen Barrow's Goldeneyes. After dusk we set out to look for Common Poorwill along the dirt roads but came up empty.  The Gerke's generously offered me an overnight stay to avoid my travelling at night back to Alfalfa, so I was there to observe the feeding stations from the deck again the following morning. The Pinyon Jays, Evening Grosbeaks and others were all back, and there were some brief close-up views of both male and female Red Crossbills at the feeders.

On April 22 John and Anne Gerke and I traveled south to Lake County and Fort Rock, a massive outcropping and known nesting site for White-throated Swift and Prairie Falcon. I climbed up a third of the way to gain a higher vantage point for the swifts and was also rewarded with a close fly-by by a hunting Prairie Falcon as well as several by the more numerous American Kestrels there. The Fort Rock environs was also home to Brewer's Sparrow (21) and Sage Thrasher. From there it was on to Summer Lake and dozens of species including a breeding plumage Eared Grebe, many Cinnamon Teals, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Great Horned Owl, Swainson's Hawk and nesting Cliff Swallows.

Chuck Gates took me on a tour of neighboring Crook County on April 24. We started the frigid morning just north of the Prineville Reservoir unsuccessfully looking for Chukar.  I still had no good photos of Williamson's Sapsucker so Chuck chose a location high up in the Ochoco Mountains where, trudging in six-inch deep snow, we first heard and soon spotted a cooperative male and female pair. Only the sound of these birds broke the absolute stillness. Then we spent the remainder of our outing checking out the general vicinity of Houston Lake, which featured Yellow-headed Blackbird, American Bittern, Cinnamon Teal, Prairie Falcon, Black-billed Magpie, Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler, and a flock of Greater White-fronted Geese.

In the evening on April 25 I was fortunate to observe one of the more amazing birding spectacles one can imagine. From a vantage point by a certain house in downtown Bend just at sundown, a few small birds appeared out of nowhere and began to circle high overhead. These became more numerous until they numbered about 100, and the circle became gradually tighter and lower until the entire flock, within less than half a minute, spiralled steeply down and plummeted directly into the tall chimney. These are Vaux's Swifts and they have been observed performing these nightly acrobatics at this very same address for years. Why just this chimney alone out of all the houses in the area?

On April 26 I made another visit to Entrada Burn to see if per chance Lewis's Woodpeckers (22) had made their annual arrival and found a number of them already squabbling over the best nesting boxes that are maintained there by the ECAS.

Finally on April 30 one final visit out to Calliope Crossing in Sisters found migration in full swing at last. Besides the perching namesake Calliope Hummingbirds, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, and Orange-crowned Warblers and Hammond's Flycatcher foraged in the mid-level brush, a Red-Breasted Sapsucker busily excavated a tree cavity, and a first-of-the-season Cassin's Vireo (23) was singly prominently in the forest.

This bountiful central Oregon visit produced every species on the "reasonably hoping for" list except for Gray and Dusky Flycatchers and Northern Goshawk, all three of which were being reported at Calliope Crossing by the following week.

Month of March, 2010

March 5: Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, FL. Nothing unusual today, but the first time I have seen a Roseate Spoonbill at Wakodahatchee. Always a good place for the kids or grandkids to view some large alligators.

Month of February, 2010

February 6: At 3:00 PM this afternoon I located the female Black-throated Gray Warbler in an oak at the very far end of the Green Cay Wetlands parking lot - exactly the opposite end from where it has most often been seen. The light was good and this time the bird foraged long enough in one tree to be able to get some photos.

February 3: This morning Terry Baltimore and I left for Key Biscayne at 6 AM to look for the La Sagra's Flycatcher first reported at Bill Baggs State Park last week by Robin Diaz. After a stop for breakfast we were at the spot right after the park opened at 8 AM, but for two hours all was quiet. Then from 50 yards away Terry detected the telltale call and for the next hour the La Sagra's Flycatcher put on a non-stop show for us as well as Larry Manfredi and two visiting birders from New Brunswick, Canada. Most of the time the bird was intermittently calling and hawking insects from trees immediately adjacent to the nature trail, affording exceptional views and excellent photo ops. The La Sagra's is the first new North American species of 2010 for birdspix.com.

February 2: One Black-hooded Parakeet on the powerline along Lake Ida Road in Delray Beach.

Month of January, 2010

January 31: This afternoon I was able to get a glimpse of the Black-throated Gray Warbler (unusual species for Florida), currently at Green Cay Wetlands in Boynton Beach, but no photo so far. The bird is in a mixed flock of Pine, Palm, and Yellow-rumped, with a Black & White and a Northern Parula also thrown in for good measure. The flock moves from tree to tree along the north and east edges of the parking lot and never stays long in one place. There is also a resident Sharp-shinned Hawk regularly working the area which doesn't help matters.

January 2: Today we did the annual Palm Beach County, Florida Xmas week bird count in our designated area of West Boynton Beach, Wellington, and Hypoluxo. Like last year we again counted 86 species, and nothing especially unusual. We had one Sedge Wren, a juvenile Bald Eagle, a Wilson's Snipe, and there were good photo-ops for, among others, Eastern Meadowlark, Blue-headed and White-eyed Vireo (all are winter residents here), Ruby-throated Hummingbird, and Snail Kite.

It is worth noting that as recently as 2005 both Snail Kites and Limpkins were hard to find in South Florida, yet now one can see Limpkins, sometimes five or six, along canals by the side of the road, and I can find at least one Snail Kite virtually every time I go out looking for one. What accounts for the difference? Both species depend almost entirely on the Florida Apple Snail (Pomacea paludosa) for their food supply. In 2001, as in other parts of the world, the South American "channeled" Apple Snail (Pornacea caniculata) became (accidentally?) introduced into the South Florida ecosystem, where its population immediately mushroomed. This new bonanza in food supply in turn would seem to readily account for the noticeably increased numbers of both Limpkins and Snail Kites.

Month of December, 2009

December 30: Today Terry Baltimore and I made the four and a half hour roundtrip drive up to Viera Wetlands in Melbourne to look for the male Masked Duck that has been present there for the past week. I had previously photographed a female Masked Duck at the very same place in December, 2006. After half an hour, Terry finally spotted the duck playing hide and seek with the pickerel weed and acting aggressive towards the numerous American Coots in his immediate vicinity. The duck was in cell no. 4 on the north side of the wetlands, so unfortunately the view was into the sun and the photography conditions less than ideal. After the Masked Duck disappeared into the weeds, we decided to make a circuit around the wetlands and try to photograph it again later. At about 2 PM the Masked Duck reappeared and this time came much closer in to shore than where it had first been spotted. Other wintering ducks included Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, Hooded Merganser, Northern Shoveler, and a large number of Blue-winged Teals. Among the numerous additional species were one Crested Caracara, one Least Bittern, and two Sandhill Cranes.

December 26: This week an immature Red-footed Booby is hanging out at Pelican Harbor in North Miami. A seabird of tropical climes and the talisman of Genovesa Island in the Galapagos, the species is not commonly seen in North America.

December 14: Back in Florida since December 3. Today featured participation in the first day of the annual Xmas season bird count in Miami-Dade County, specifically in Biscayne NationalPark in Homestead. Like Dry Tortugas, Biscayne is an unusual National Park in that it is comprised mosty of water. The remainder is comprised of low mangroves and a few small islands (keys). Even today the mosquitoes were pesky, but in the summer they render this area totally inhospitable for humans. From a National Park Service boat, our particular group surveyed the pelagic waters along the park's eastern (all water) boundary. The most significant find was a count of 34 Brown Boobies, a high for the area. Besides the Boobies, the best photo ops were provided by the numerous Northern Gannets, a few Magnificent Frigatebirds, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Biscayne NP, along with Everglades NP, gives Miami-Dade the distinction of being the only county in the United States with two National Parks within its boundaries.

Month of November 2009

November 16:  The Western Kingbird is still present at Hammonasset, now near the East Beach parking lot. A lone Lapland Longspur was among the flock of Horned Larks on the field by the nature center.  The flotilla of Common Eiders at the end of the jetty has swelled to twenty-six, and accompanying them today were four Black Scoters including one adult male (scope view only).

November 9:  Hammonasset State Park, Madison, CT.  Two American Bitterns in the marshes at the east edge of the swan pond. A Western Kingbird, unusual for Connecticut, still foraying for flying insects from a favorite tall tree adjacent to the traffic circle.  At the end of the Meigs Point jetty, 10 Black Scoters (new species for Birdspix, but all females and/or juveniles) swimming in a group with 10 Common Eiders and one Surf Scoter. Also one Common Loon and a flock of 40-50 Dunlins. While I was photographing the
ducks, a very crisp fresh juvenile Purple Sandpiper flew in and landed on the jetty about twenty feet away, affording an unusual opportunity for close-ups of this species.

Month of October 2009

October 24:  The third new site species for this productive past week is a Vesper Sparrow found feeding alone on the ground near the nature center at Hammonasset State Park in Madison, CT. Also present in the nature center field were a pair of American Pipits. The Hudsonian Godwit seen last weekend has persisted all week and is still present in the exact same location at the west end of the park.

October 20:  Pelagic outing aboard the "Snappa" from Point Judith, RI out to Cox's Ledge. Lots of seabirds feeding in the chum lines behind the fishing trawlers.  Besides the many gulls, there were hundreds of shearwaters, almost all of them Greater Shearwaters, although we counted two Cory's.  Also at least sixty Northern Gannets, and at least twelve Northern Fulmars, but the highlight of the outing was the excellent views of four Pomarine Jaegers, another new species here.  Finally the entrance back into the harbor present a good photo opportunity for a group of three Common Eiders.

October 18:  Occasionally during fall migration strong easterly winds drive southbound oceanic migrants onto land.  Such is the case for the past two days with a lone Hudsonian Godwit that turned up yesterday foraging in the rain pools at Hammonasset State Park in Madison, CT. This is a new species for the website.

October 2 and October 4:  Two afternoon visits to Bluff Point in Groton, CT, a favored stopover point for southbound fall migrants.  Lots of warblers here these two afternoons, but limited to Blackpoll (many), Northern Parula, Black-throated Blue, Palm, American Redstart, and of course Yellow-rumped. The most interesting bird (second from left below) appeared different from the many other Blackpolls because of its more vibrant color and lack of breast streaking, raising the question of its being a Bay-breasted Warbler.   Expert input was sought and ten opinions were received and resulted in six votes for Blackpoll and four for Bay-breasted.  This is why first-fall individuals of these two closely related species are sometimes faceciously called "Baypoll" Warblers.  If anyone has a reasoned opinion on this bird, please drop me an e-mail and join the tally.

Month of September 2009

September 13:  One of our local denizens, a female Belted Kingfisher, photographed from our Westbrook, Connecticut deck diving for her lunch in Long Island Sound. Note the female's rust red breast coloring that is lacking in males.

September 6:  Currently there is a male Northern Wheatear taking up temporary residence along one of the runways at the Igor Sikorsky Airport in Stratford, CT. This is a species of Eurasia, Alaska, and Greenland and is only occasionally sighted in Canada or the continental United States.

Month of August 2009

August 19:  Overnight pelagic outing on the "Lady Frances" out of Point Judith, Rhode Island.  The furthest extent of the excursion was to a point some eighty miles from the mainland and seventy miles south of Block Island.  The outbound overnight leg was rough and no one got any sleep, but the day's birding was sunny and pleasant, and the ride back was much smoother. The trip was successful in producing four new species - Audubon's Shearwater, Cory's Shearwater, Greater Shearwater, and Wilson's Storm-Petrel.

July 31 - August 10:  Spent 10 days in California and, although this was not primarily a birding trip, I did have a chance to look for some new species in a number of locales.  The first spot was in the San Diego area on July 31 at Cabrillo National Monument at picturesque Point Loma which serves as high sentinel over all of San Diego Harbor.  This is a good spot for California Thrasher, but although I searched and searched I could not find any Sage Sparrows which were reputed to be here.  The following morning was spent at Lake Murray in east San
Diego where Bullock's Oriole, Bewick's Wren, Black Phoebe, Cassin's Kingbird, and Lesser Goldfinch were present, and Anna's Hummingbirds and Bushtits were numerous, but the two particular target species of Lawrence's Goldfinch and California Gnatcatcher were missed.

On the way up the coast a stop at the historic San Juan Capistrano Mission on August 2 produced a colorful male Allen's Hummingbird in the extensive flower garden, along with more Anna's Hummingbirds and Bushtits.

In the Los Angeles area a morning visit up Runyon Canyon in West Hollywood was good for Hooded Oriole, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Cooper's Hawk, and copious Bushtits.

On August 6 we made the Island Packers boat trip out to Santa Cruz Island in the Santa Barbara Channel expressly to look for Island Scrub-Jay.  The channel is very rough and the day was windy and not at all conducive to pelagic birding and the only non-gulls seen along the way were a small group of Sooty Shearwaters. At Prisoner's Harbor we deposited our gear at a picnic table near the pier and I headed up the trail past the corral and soon heard a jay calling from the deep shrubbery.  The bird was well-seen although not out in the open, and I managed a few photos.  Upon heading back to the picnic table for a picnic lunch of bread, cheese, salami, fruit,and a nice California Cabernet, a second Island Scrub-Jay decided to post itself in a nearby tree to keep a watchful eye on our meal, and the friendly bird was still there when we left some two hours later.  This spot is also excellent for Pacific-slope Flycatcher, which nests here, and we also had a nice view of a fly-over adult Bald Eagle.

We spent August 7 in the Santa Barbara hill country visiting Solvang, Santa Ynez, and Los Olivos.  This is the picturesque area recently featured in the movie Sideways.  Wineries abound here, and we visited several including Fess Parker's.  This area of central California is also home to the Yellow-billed Magpie, a bird found nowhere else. We found a flock of maybe 70 of these colorful birds crossing the highway south of Los Olivos several miles north of the 101 Freeway entrance, and then another solitary Magpie posing by the side of the road just before the turn to the freeway entrance.

Finally, on August 9 I met up with Barbara and Mel, two California friends from last year's trip to the Pribilof Islands in Alaska. We drove up to Mount Pinos, about half way from L.A. to Bakersfield in search of White-headed Woodpecker.  We didn't find the woodpecker, but on the road up at about 7000 feet we came upon a group of nine of the elusive Mountain Quail. We got a fantastic view of them, with their unusual upright head plumes and striking white side bars, but the camera was in the trunk of the car and by the time we could stop and get it out the birds had scurried well away halfway down the wooded hillside, and all I was able to get was one fleeting photo - just enough to document the encounter.  This area also featured copious Mountain Chickadees, Pygmy Nuthatches, and Western Bluebirds, as well as a few Red-breasted Nuthatches and one Calliope Hummingbird.

Month of July, 2009

July 9:  Visited Montague, Massachusetts to look for the Henslow's Sparrow that has been seen there for the past two weeks.  No luck with the sparrow, but a second grassy field across the road held a flock of 30 - 40 Bobolinks.

July 7:  This morning at daybreak there was a mixed group of eight adult and juvenile Black-crowned Night-Herons on the sandbar behind our house at Pilots Point, Westbrook, CT.

Month of June, 2009

Just routine sightings this month.

Month of May, 2009

May 26:    Currently there are several Upland Sandpipers in the large grassy area beyond the pond in the rear of the Cabela Outdoor Store adjacent to Rentschler Field in East Hartford. Photographic access is limited from across the pond, plus the birds are in the high grass.

May 25:   Cerulean Warblers nesting as in the past at Hartman Park, Lyme, CT.

May 22:   On the annual snowbirding drive from Florida back to Connecticut, we stopped overnight in Suffern, NY to visit Sterling Forest in the morning especially to look for Golden-winged Warbler, a species that is generally hard to find in Connecticut but is present in numbers here. Driving along Old Forge Road one can readily discern their "bee bzzz bzzz bzzz" song here and there through the open car window, but a better place for photography is the second-growth habitat under the power lines at the end of Ironwood Road.

May 13 through May 17:   Staying in Tucson, I had the privilege of again exploring Southeast Arizona, this time with Melody Kehl, whose knowledge and experience enabled the observation and photography of numerous extremely local and otherwise hard to find species. The trip produced 18 new species photographed, 2 new races photographed (Audubon's Warbler and Mexican Duck), 6 new species seen but not photographed (Western Screech-Owl, Prairie Falcon, Common Poorwill, Lesser Nighthawk, Northern Goshawk, and Montezuma Quail), and one new species heard but only partially viewed (Virginia's Warbler).

Arizona is in the mountain time zone, but because there is no daylight saving time there the effective time is the same as in the Pacific time zone and it therefore gets light very early in the morning. We therefore set out at 5 AM on May 13 and were able to find the first two of our target birds - Rufous-winged Sparrow (1) and Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (2) - in a dry desert patch still within the Tucson city limits. This spot was also excellent for Bell's Vireo, Lucy's Warbler, and Ash-throated Flycatcher. The rest of the day was spent north of the city in the Santa Catalina Mountains at different elevations from 2000 to over 8000 feet.

On the curvy road up the Santa Catalinas, we searched for but could not locate the Gray Vireo known to be in the area, but an inquisitive Zone-tailed Hawk decided to swoop in and flew low directly over us, even waggling its tail almost as if to extend a personal greeting. Colorful Western Tanagers seemed to be everywhere. A Virginia's Warbler was clearly heard but presented only the briefest fleeting partial view. At the higher elevations on Mt. Lemmon were numerous singing warblers including Olive Warbler (3), Red-faced Warbler, Grace's Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Hermit Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, and Audubon's Warbler. Yellow-eyed Juncos are numerous here, and we got to observe a female Anna's Hummingbird on her tiny nest. Among many other sightings were Warbling Vireo (4), Hermit Thrush, Bewick's Wren, Hepatic Tanager, and a very close flyover Northern Goshawk that was gone almost before I could react.

On May 14 we set off again at 5 AM, this time for the Santa Rita Mountains where we began with a3/4 mile trek up Florida Canyon, where there were good views of Canyon Wren, Warbling Vireo,and Hepatic Tanager.  Costa's Hummingbird was present along the rugged trail, but simply too flitty and quick for photos. At Melody's chosen location we sat down and waited patiently by a small stream, and sure enough by and by a pair of Rufous-capped Warblers worked their way down the hillside to get a drink on the opposite side of the stream where we waited so quietly, and we had a rewarding view of this colorful little bird which is only rarely seen north of the Mexican border. Next was Madera Canyon, where I had spent four fruitful days in 2006. The right side of the road in featured a grassy area before Proctor Road where Botteri's Sparrow (5) was singing. We spent our limited time in Madera at the Madera Kubo Lodge where any number of uncommon species may be seen. "Big Flame," the only known Flame-colored Tanager in the United States, was back here again for his sixth season. The feeders had numerous Lesser Goldfinches and Black-headed Grosbeaks, also Mexican Jay, Lazuli Bunting, Bridled Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Scott's Oriole, Hepatic Tanager, and Bronzed Cowbird. Among the more common Anna's, Black-chinned, Broad-billed, and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, on this day we also had Magnificent and Blue-throated Hummingbird (6), and a White-eared Hummingbird (7) rarely seen in the U.S.

From Madera Canyon we drove south down Interstate 19 which remains the only Interstate in the U.S. where distances are posted in kilometers (but the speed limit incongruously is in miles per hour!) and cut eastward north of Nogales and then northward again to Patagonia where our first stop was the well-known Patagonia rest stop. Here we found the pair of Thick-billed Kingbirds and a cooperatively perched Phainopepla which also afforded some nice in-flight views of its striking white wing patches. No visit to Southeast Arizona is complete without a visit to the Paton House in Patagonia and its numerous hummingbird feeders. This is one of the very few places where Violet-crowned Hummingbird is a regular. Other yard birds here include Lark Sparrow, Gambel's Quail, Abert's Towhee, Mexican Jay, and Lazuli Bunting. Just up the road from the Paton house is an active Gray Hawk nest, and nearby we found a singing Yellow-breasted Chat, and a hollow roadside log which housed a Bewick's Wren nest with four hungry chicks awaiting their parents' return every few minutes. We spotted a pair of partially hidden Montezuma Quail scuttling along in the tall grass, and a Barn Owl flew across the road in front of us. On the road back to Tucson were another pair of Montezuma Quail right in the middle of the main road as we sped by, but we were considerably past them before it actually registered what they had been, and we opted not to turn around. Finally back within the Tucson city limits, Gila Woodpecker and Gilded Flicker, nesting in giant Saguaro Cacti, showed well in the glow of the setting sun. Not a mile from here sits the aircraft graveyard where a thousand or more mothballed jets of every size and description, from A6E Intruders and A10 Warthogs to Boeing 707's and DC 10's, are  parked side by side for eternity, eerily undergoing silent decay.

For a timely early arrival in the Chiricahua Mountains, which lie on the New Mexico border, we got started on May 15 at 4 AM.  One attraction here was a Crescent-chested Warbler (10), another Mexican vistor rarely seen in the U.S. After a bit of a search, Melody located the bird in the canopy at the Pinery Canyon parking area. This was also the sole U.S. spot for Mexican Chickadee (11) with its very prominent black bib - a particularly difficult bird to observe as it stays near the very top of only the tallest trees. We found a second spot with an exuberantly singing Virginia's Warbler, but this one also would not show itself. The Chiricahuas also provided photo ops for Plumbeous Vireo, Painted Redstart, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Yellow-eyed Junco, and at the George Walker House in Paradise above Portal we were amused by a Juniper Titmouse (12) adding peanut butter from a feeder as a condiment onto its green caterpillar breakfast. In the afternoon we stopped at Lake Willcox, where there were a number of Wilson's Phalaropes (13) as well as Mexican (Mallard) Duck, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Eared Grebe, and a juvenile Neotropic Cormorant.

On May 16, we started out at 7 AM in anticipation of a late night.  First stop was the Ash Canyon B&B in the Huachuca Mountain area where the feeders had attracted a pair of uncommon Lucifer Hummingbirds.  Besides Anna's, Black-chinned, Broad-billed, and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Canyon Towhee, Curve-billed Thrasher, and Bushtit were also resident here.  At Fort Huachuca the main attraction was a beautiful Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher (14), and we also had cooperative Plumbeous Vireo and Red-naped Sapsucker, and a Cooper's Hawk on her nest. After a mid-day rest back in Tucson, we set out again at 3 PM for California Gulch, this time accompanied by Melody's husband Eric. Along the unpaved road in leading to the gulch we had a fly-over Prairie Falcon. The last four miles of the rugged road to the gulch takes time and care to negotiate, but the reward is North America's rarest sparrow, the Five-striped Sparrow (15), which is found in no other accessible place.  California Gulch also featured another rare bird - a Black-capped Gnatcatcher (16), the rarest of the four North American Gnatcatchers, and also Blue Grosbeak, Bell's Vireo, Lucy's Warbler, and Varied Bunting.  With almost no daylight remaining we encountered a pair of Western Screech-Owls in the adjacent area where the rare Buff-collared Nightjar is known to reside, but the owls were not photographable, and we opted not to stay until after 9 PM just to try to hear the nightjar.  The recently-arrived nightjar was not settled in yet, and its location was not pinpointed enough to hope for a view, let alone a photograph, so we headed back to Tucson.  A Common Poorwill was seen in the car's headlights, and the first rest stop back on I-19 had several Lesser Nighthawks hawking insects in midair.

On the last morning, May 17, we travelled to the barren Santa Cruz flats near Casa Grande where Bendire's Thrasher (17) is resident  and Abert's Towhee (18) can be found among the scrubby trees. Our final stop was back at the Tuscon outskirts at the picturesque Sweetwater water processing plant, but it is quiet there this time of year. There was a singing Warbling Vireo and a close flyover Harris's Hawk.

The total species count for the five days was 163.

Month of April, 2009

4/22/09:   The past three days have seen migration in full swing here in south Florida. Numerous warbler species can be found almost anywhere where there is a park-like setting with trees, especially fruiting strangler figs. Among the most frequently encountered are American Redstart, Black-throated Blue, Cape May, Northern Parula, Blackpoll, Black & White, Ovenbird, and some Worm-eating.

4/17/09:   This afternoon I visited Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, hoping to find a Swainson's Warbler to photograph with the sun in the west at that time of day. Birds favor the trees and dense vegetation along the canal on the east side of the cemetery, making morning photography disadvantageous. I found a Swainson's Warbler not five minutes after I arrived. It was easy to pick out, making a conspicuous disturbance in the leafy ground detritus as it overturned and tossed leaves about with its bill. The bird was so busy feeding that it remained mostly in plain view for over an hour and was still there when I left. At times it worked its way to within less than ten feet from where I was positioned motionless.

Month of March, 2009

3/17 - 3/22/09:   The Texas lower Rio Grande Valley trip produced photos of 15 new species plus many better examples of previously listed North American species such as this Groove-billed Ani the only previous photos of which species were taken last year in Costa Rica.

First stop upon arrival in McAllen on 3/17 was Santa Ana NWR in nearby Alamo. Although also seen in numerous other places, Green Jay (1) and Buff-bellied Hummingbird (2) are readily found by the feeders near the entrance, while Olive Sparrow (3) and Long-billed Thrasher (4) are resident just past the beginning of the Chachalaca Trail. Garrulous Plain Chachalacas (5) are encountered throughout the reserve. Other birds seen here included Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Least Grebe, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, White-tipped Dove, Great Kiskadee, Black-crested Titmouse, and Orange-crowned Warbler.

Birding the following morning began promptly at dawn at Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco. There was a photogenic (though sleepy) Common Pauraque (6), a pair of Red-crowned Parrots (7), and the trip's first Couch's Kingbird (8). Although a Rose-throated Becard and a Blue Bunting seen earlier in the month could not be located by anyone on this day, Estero Llano Grande had the most variety of any of the visited locales. Just a partial list of additional species here included Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Lesser Goldfinch,White-tailed Kite, Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling Ducks, Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teals, Northern Shoveler, Lincoln's Sparrow, Inca and Common Ground Doves, Savannah Sparrow (grayish race), White-faced Ibis, Harris's Hawk, Green and Ringed Kingfishers (fly-bys only), Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted, Solitary, Least, and Stilt Sandpipers, Eastern Screech-Owl, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, American White Pelican, and Vermilion Flycatcher.

For the afternoon it was only a few miles to the Frontera Audubon Center, also in Weslaco. The striking and valley-specialty Altamira Oriole (9) is resident here, and the tiny Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet (10) can be found along the trails. Also present here were Plain Chachalaca, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Inca Dove, Black-crested Titmouse, Pine Siskin, White-eyed Vireo, and Wilson's, Black & White, and Orange-crowned Warblers. The highly sought-after female Crimson-collared Grosbeak failed to make an appearance, but late in the afternoon an also uncommon female Blue Bunting (11) did come to bathe very briefly in the waterfall pool.

On 3/19 I drove west on U.S. 83 to Salineño. This spot, right on the bank of the Rio Grande, produced the trip's only Audubon's Oriole (12) as well as many of the same other species seen earlier in other locations. Ringed Kingfisher was a fly-by along the river and this also turned out to be one of the best places to photograph Altamira Orioles. I made the thirty-mile drive to Zapata and spent an unsuccessful hour trying to find a White-collared Seedeater behind the library there, but no none else reported it all week either. The area between Salineño and Zapata had Greater Roadrunner, Harris's Hawk, Crested Caracara, Cassin's Sparrow, and many Scissor-tailed Flycatchers.

The morning of 3/20 was spend at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in Mission. Notable birds here again included many of the valley residents, another Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Indigo Buntings, and a group of several Groove-billed Anis. An hour at the hawk watch tower yielded over a thousand Turkey Vultures and a few Broad-winged Hawks, but to my disappointment no Hook-billed Kite.

In the afternoon I moved base eastward to Brownsville and visited the Palo Alto Battlefield (Mexican War) site where I was rewarded with numerous Long-billed Curlews (13) and Cassin's Sparrows in the tall grass. Eastern Meadowlarks abound and White-tailed Kite nests here. Along the Old Port Isabel Road nearby (be sure to have a high ground clearance vehicle) were Gull-billed Terns (14), many Long-billed Curlews (I counted eighteen), two Crested Caracaras, Harris's Hawk, many American White Pelicans, several White-tailed Kites, and lots of ducks (especially Northern Shovelers).

On Saturday 3/21 I arrived at 7:45 AM at Laguna Atascosa NWR in Cameron County, about an hour north of Brownsville. On Saturdays the Reserve offers a guided trip throughout the vast acreage including many of the side roads not open to private vehicles. Highlights of the morning were a female Masked Duck at the alligator pond (good scope view), and a sole juvenile White-tailed Hawk (scope view) which was a life bird, but somewhat surprisingly turned out to be the only one seen on the trip. Before leaving Laguna Atascosa, I spent an hour in the gardens near the vistors' center hoping to find the male Blue Bunting that had been seen here off and on for some weeks. I was just about to give up when the bird suddenly popped out of a large shrub not fifteen feet from where I just happened to be standing. An afternoon scenic drive around the 15-mile loop produced more Long-billed Curlews, some nice aerial views of Caspian Terns and a photogenic Greater Roadrunner.

The final morning (3/22), before the afternoon return flight from Brownsville back to Fort Lauderdale via Houston, I visited San Miguelito Ranch on Hwy 77 twelve miles north of Raymondsville. I realized I was on a Texas ranch when the main house turned out to be five miles from the front gate. This side trip was well worth the effort for the seldom seen Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (15), a pair of which make their home here. Before heading to the airport I traveled the Boca Chica Highway in Brownsville, still hoping to find a White-tailed Hawk and/or an Aplomado Falcon. I must have looked at every treetop, telephone pole, yucca, and fencepost between Zapata and Brownsville, but I never did find the falcon and the only White-tailed Hawk was the distant one at Laguna Atascosa. I also searched many grassy areas for Botteri's Sparrow, but I believe it was too early in the season for them.

Some lower Rio Grande Valley mementos:

3/7/09:  Green Cay has, among other things, a red morph Eastern Screech-Owl roosting daily in a small pine tree although nestled so snugly among the pine needles that photography is impossible. A Sandhill Crane was present here for the first time. Three Sora today were uncharacteristically well out in the open.

Month of February, 2009

2/18/09:  At Green Cay nothing new coming through yet, although there is a clutch of baby alligators with the mother keeping close watch. The Magnolia Warbler has a mate, and there are great views of a beautiful male Northern Harrier "Gray Ghost" patrolling the wetlands.

2/2/09:  Today at Green Cay Wetlands there was a non-breeding male Magnolia Warbler, just beginning its molt into breeding plumage.

Month of January, 2009

1/30/09:  An outing to find life birds for a visitor from Indiana started early in the morning with a study of two female Snail Kites feeding on apple snails. A telescopic view of the bird grasping the shell with one talon while prying the mollusk out with its so specially adapted ultra-curved beak is fascinating. Other highlights were a pair of Hill Mynas at Matheson Hammock Park in Coral Gables and a Bronzed Cowbird in Olympia Heights.

1/24/09:  The fifth new species for 2009 is a female Black-throated Gray Warbler, currently taking up temporary residence in Fort Lauderdale. This western species is not frequently seen east of the Rocky Mountains and is a rare occurrence for Florida. A short drive over to nearby Fern Forest Nature Preserve in Coconut Creek provided a brief view of a Nashville Warbler keeping company with a White-eyed Vireo. Unfortunately this warbler flew off before I could get a picture and I was unable to relocate it.

Test Yourself page 29 is now available.

1/18/09:  The fourth new species for 2009 is a Snowy Plover. They are never easy to find, and in South Florida are most often sought at Tigertail Beach on Marco Island on Florida's west coast. One lone individual however was found this week on the east coast amidst a flock of approximately twenty Piping Plovers at Crandon Beach on Key Biscayne. This group in turn was keeping company with a still larger mixed flock of Semipalmated and Wilson's Plovers, Sanderlings, and Dunlins. Also present were numerous Royal Terns and a group consisting of mostly Laughing Gulls but also including a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

1/7/09:  A third new species for 2009 is a Great Cormorant, perching reliably on the no. 5 channel marker at Port Everglades, the huge cruise ship port in Dania, FL. The view is from the very far end of John U. Lloyd State Park. Unfortunately the small jetty along the channel has been cordoned off, so the bird can be adequately viewed only with a telescope, and photography is distant and via digiscoping.

1/5/09:  About two miles west of Highway 441 in Wellington (Palm Beach County) FL there is still some undeveloped acreage of prime grassland that provides ideal habitat for two reclusive and shy species, Sedge Wren (left) and Grasshopper Sparrow (right). Members of our bird count group noted both of these species there on January 3, but there was no time for photography then so I returned to the spot early this morning. There were perhaps a half dozen of each species present, and some excellent photo ops. Sedge Wren is the second new species of 2009 for this website.

1/3/09:  Today was the date for our annual Palm Beach County Christmas Week Bird Count. Each year this becomes more and more challenging because of the loss of more and more unspoiled habitat sacrificed to human development. For example, in our group's assigned territory, last year's most productive sparrow field is now fenced in and no longer accessible. We did record some eighty species, including Barred and Burrowing Owls, Grasshopper Sparrow, Sedge Wren, Yellow-throated Warbler, many Limpkins, and unusually close-up views of Snail Kite.

1/2/09:   Back in Florida for the winter season. The first new species for 2009 is the Least Grebe, a pair of which has raised two young locally at Yamato Scrub in Boca Raton. This is a species which commonly breeds in Texas and is quite an unusual visitor in Florida.

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