National Bird Day!

     So, I was planning a Snowy beach walk, but that got scrapped when I learned my office had no heat. Deal breaker- working from home was the way it went. It was pretty darn productive despite a parrot skwalking (loudly) through every phone call and Google Hangout I was on-- but oh, silly me- he was only just reminding me that IT'S NATIONAL BIRD DAY! How could I be so silly?!
     After accomplishing a heck of a lot, even crossing things off my freshly exponentially grown task list for work, I decided I needed fresh air.
     3 pairs of pants, 2 thermal long sleeves, a fleece, all under my jacket, 2 neck warmers, 2 hats, my awesome mitten-gloves, and thermal socks in my Arctic Muck Boots-- after all this talk of this bitter cold-- I was sweating. I was happily warm and the birds and park called to me...
     Prospect was a beautiful winter scene after yesterday' "bomb cyclone," or as I like to call it, a Nor'easter. Yesterday was a windy, snowy mess, today was clear with still some gusty winds- but bearable with the right gear. The sights were satisfying and with a year list to start a new, I was craving any birds I could find!

A ring-billed gull who wasn't looking too hot- came back to check it later and had found it made it's way off.

Most of the lake was frozen over except for two small spaces. Each of these "puddles" was filled with birds. In this one, closest to the shore, there were ring-billed gulls, N. shovelers, American Coots, Canada Geese, Mallards, American Black Duck, Mute Swan, and one little Ruddy Duck. 

Northern Shoveler Drake.

An American Coot with water frozen to its feathers. With the frigid temps, it is not easy out there!

Over the line of trees on The Lullwater bridge flew all these little birds- then this guy came over and perched perfectly. A Cooper's hawk, who just recently flushed the feeder birds. 

#TeamRaptor

Always lovely to see a beautiful adult Cooper's Hawk. I was hoping to see a raptor and this was it, star of the afternoon!

Took a visit to the feeders to see cardinals, house finch, goldfinch, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrows, cardinals, and this guy- a song sparrow.

So super fluffy to stay warm!

Obligatory shot of a male cardinal in a snowy scene.

On the Center Drive was SO HAPPY to see FOX SPARROWS! They are one of my faves, chunky, with that reddish-brown plumage. They are jest beautiful little sparrows.

They were eating something...

This house finch provides a clue as to what they were eating...

A group of re-wing blackbirds and American goldfinch in a sweetgum tree above dropped seeds onto the path below where the sparrows, finch, and mourning doves fed on what they spilled.

Ran into my friend Mary Beth and we discovered a ring-billed gull with a tagged wing.

Oddly, one of my favorite photos of the day!

Crap photo, but this allowed me to get a clear read so I could report the tag. You can report tagged or banded birds on this site: https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/bblretrv/
Then, in time, a certificate will be sent to you reporting the tagger, where the bird was tagged, when it was tagged, and any other incidences of it possibly being seen before.

Also, Mary Beth- this bird LOVED your waterfowl feed.... hah!