Had a couple of amazing birding days on Thursday and Friday -- not a lot of photos, but incredible bird moments. As I previously posted Thursday started out with a beautiful sunrise and hundreds of ducks flying back and forth across Ninigret Pond - skidding to a stop, floating for a bit and then starting again.
I went on to Moonstone Beach Rd -- where I saw a few new birds -- and a TON of blackbirds. There has been a large mixed flock around there for a few weeks. At one point they swarmed my car! It is a bird moment every time I run into them. As I was about to go home near Trustom Pond a large black bird with white wing stripes flew in front of my car and landed on a nearby tree. A Pileated Woodpecker posed for @10 seconds, then moved to the back of the tree and flew off. Closest I have ever been to one and deeply regret not being quicker on the draw with the camera, which was in my hand. I heard and saw it again today in the same area -- so I still have hope I will capture it's image eventually.
After seeing someone reported both a Long-eared Owl & a Northern Saw-Whet Owl at a local refuge on Thursday night, I decided to watch for Owls on Friday evening. I went to visit my step-dad in NY in the morning, so this evening bird would make up for missing my morning one. Ran into Tim and while he was hiking down the runway trail, I heard the Long-eared. After he came back the owl flew across the trail and the sunset glow as enough for us to see it - what a moment!
I had texted Bill who reported them on Thursday to make sure we were in the right place and realized they had disappeared from his checklist. After we saw the owl, he responded that he had taken them off because someone else using playback (playing owl calls & songs in an effort to get them to sing), that is what he had heard. I'm actually grateful he didn't respond immediately, because if he had we might have given up without hearing/seeing the owl.
Nothing as exciting today, but moments like this remind me why I bird. I love these creatures. Still haven't finished my thoughts on what's up for 2022 -- I have a good excuse.
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