Birding Galore!

American Goldfinch

Well, things have changed haven't they.  With the COVID quarantine, we no longer spend any hours every week volunteering. I am over my cancer, but am still at risk for COVID probably, so we keep our distance. My memory is not reliable, so my husband has to be very patient with me. The YMCA is closed, so we don't go to exercise, and if it rains, we can't walk at the Mall. But we try to get in steps on Fitbit every day. We were registered for the Verde Valley Birding Festival in Cottonwood, AZ last week, which got cancelled. But they used their imaginations and did virtual birding instead! I even became a virtual birding buddy with a student from the University of Vermont whose Environmental Studies class had gone online. Audubon asked the chapters to adopt one of these students and talk to them about birding. We looked at Cornell's feeder cam and I explained what we were seeing. Even talked about birding ethics! The neighborhood gets a little boring after 6 weeks, so we try to go to other parks and look for wildflowers or BIRDS! I've even taken the eBird tutorial on Cornell's website and been certified as an eBird user, which I never did before. And I've started posting on this blog more than ever in the last few years.

Solitary Sandpiper

 

This morning one of our birding friends posted that he had spotted a Virginia Rail at Beckley Creek. A few years ago, one was sighted there, and flocks of birder came to look at it. Could it possibly be the same bird? Anyway, we were planning on going there this morning, so I grabbed my camera and we jumped in the car, but no luck with the Rail. It's probably there, but they are experts at hiding in the grass and reeds. While scanning the wetlands, I did spot something quietly moving around. It's a Solitary Sandpiper! I have a terrible time identifying Sandpipers, mostly because I see them so rarely I think. So I carefully compared this one to other Sandpipers on the Cornell website when we got home. How cool!

Baltimore Oriole

One of my favorite birds is the bright orange Baltimore Oriole. I have never heard two of them sing the same song, so the songs on my app don't do much good to call them in. But they like to tee up on the top of a tree and whistle their hearts out, so they aren't too hard to find. You can just whistle the song back to them, and they are very forgiving if you don't get it just right.

Red-winged Blackbird

Red Shoulders hidden - non-territorial

Juvenile

Female

This time of year, if there is any standing water around, you will hear the raucous call of the Red-winged Blackbirds. When you see the red epaulettes, you know he's on territory, saying "Get out! This is mine!" When you only see the yellow line, he's not being so aggressive, at a feeder, for example. The female looks like a huge sparrow, but hides well in the marshy area of her nest. This is the first time I've seen what is obviously a juvenile Red-winged Blackbird. He sang their "chuck" note, but isn't ready to challenge the big birds yet.

Warbling Vireo

This is the second time in a week we have heard and seen a Warbling Vireo. A birder friend once said their song sounds like "blurbieleialdlslakdlaioiieu" rather than some recognizable tune, and that advise has worked so far! Haven't seen/heard any Red-eyed Vireos yet this year. Either it's too early for them, or I haven't been in the woody habitat they like.

Green Heron- skulking

Punk feather-do

After the excitement of the Solitary Sandpiper, I was ready to head out for lunch and to rest my aching feet. But we were right next to the pond, so might as well check it out for anything to add to our list, and Dick saw a GREEN HERON! They are superb skulkers and we don't find them often, even in habitat where we would expect them. This guy walked about for several minutes, flashing his punk feathers, before finally fading into the cattails.

Common Yellowthroat

Here's the one that got away. They were singing everywhere, witchity witchity, but wouldn't come out in the open to visit. So here is one I found at Beckley Creek a few years ago. Total on eBird --30 species!