Week 2 Summary

Week 2

2019 Total: 83 2019 Lifers: 1

Highlight Birds: Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bonaparte’s Gull, Merlin, Brown Creeper, Snow Goose

January 6, 2019 (Sunday)

I spent about 5-6 hours at the refuge this day. I got all 3 nuthatches on Sunday, started off being surprised to hear the White-breasted and then even more surprised to hear the Red-breasted. This little Bonaparte’s gull also caught my attention as I was driving to Tom’s Cove. I spent about 2 hours on the Wildlife Loop hoping for a Harrier, but it didn’t show.

Bonaparte’s Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) being hassled by Buffleheads (Bucephala albeola)

January 7, 2019 (Monday)

Average day of birding, nothing too exciting.

January 8, 2019 (Tuesday)

The days that I bird before or after work usually aren’t spectacular. Tuesday was the highlight day of the week though. During lunch, a Merlin zipped past me and landed in a tree. I didn’t have my camera and regretted not taking it with me that morning. After work, I decided to go for another walk to see if the Merlin was still around. The first excitement came with my first Chippie (Chipping Sparrow) of the year that was hanging out with a bunch of Juncos. Then, I heard a Brown Creeper. I stood under the tree for about 5 minutes and then finally saw the creeper fly from that tree to another. Brown Creepers are always such a hit or miss bird for me, I’m glad to have found it in a place that I wouldn’t have considered finding it. Right before I was going to call it quits, I see the Merlin again. A crow scares it off, but luckily it lands on a post not too far from its original spot. Good day.

Merlin (Falco columbarius)

January 9, 2019 (Wednesday), January 10, 2019 (Thursday), January 11, 2019 (Friday)

These days were pretty average. Thursday and Friday were cold and windy.

January 12, 2019 (Saturday)

Today was cold. Ice on the water, cold. I thought I was prepared for it, but I didn’t take my heavier gloves with me and that was a mistake. Freezing hands and birding aren’t a great combo. I did get to snap some great photos today though. The picture quality is not as good as I would like, but I’ve never gotten great flight shots before and these were sufficient.

Anyways, heading towards Tom’s Cove, I see an eagle posted up on the duck blind. Too far for pictures. I turn to the other side to Swan Cove and I start counting the Tundra Swans, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10… 60, 70, 80. There’s a big gap between the first 80 white birds I counted to the next swath of white. I drive closer to count. Nice! These are Snow Geese all hunkered down, about 150. I hop out of the car and try to take some photos of them… nothing great, they’re all tucked in. (Mental note: Wouldn’t it be cool if they all flew up and I got a shot of that? Maybe the eagle will spook ‘em.) I get back in the car and start updating my eBird list and read some texts. Ooo look at that, there’s a bunch of birds flying from Tom’s Cove over to Swan pool. I ready my camera and realize that its about 40 Brants, very nice. About ten more minutes pass, I notice a bunch of gulls flying around. Then the eruption of white. The snow geese got spooked by the eagle like I was hoping. Grab camera, turn it on, open car door, point camera, zoom, zoom, zoom, focus, focus, focus damnit…. snap snap, change shutter speed, focus damnit!, snap, snap… ugh I had bad settings on the camera. It all happened so fast. Lesson learned for next time. Always a cool experience to see that many Snow Geese fly up though.

Brant (Branta bernicla)

Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)

Happy Birding!