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!
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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. |
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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. |
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Northern Shoveler Drake. |
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An American Coot with water frozen to its feathers. With the frigid temps, it is not easy out there! |
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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. |
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#TeamRaptor |
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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! |
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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. |
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So super fluffy to stay warm! |
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Obligatory shot of a male cardinal in a snowy scene. |
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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. |
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They were eating something... |
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This house finch provides a clue as to what they were eating... |
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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. |
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Ran into my friend Mary Beth and we discovered a ring-billed gull with a tagged wing. |
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Oddly, one of my favorite photos of the day! |
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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. |
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Also, Mary Beth- this bird LOVED your waterfowl feed.... hah! |
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