Date: 4/6/24 10:57 am From: Daniel Mason <millipede1977...> Subject: Figures......
Some years ago, when the male vermilion flycatcher was visiting city
lake here in Siloam, I had already seen and photographed it a couple
times. But this one day I was there with another guy and we were able to
get significantly closer than I had previously... and, I forgot the
memory card. :(
This is how it goes sometimes. I guess...
Yesterday was one of those days. None of the birds were extraordinary as
far as rarities go... but, I got out to city lake and, before I even
grabbed the camera out of the van, I remembered I put the battery in the
charger for a while before I left the house that morning... of course,
forgetting it completely. I have a second battery, somewhere, but rarely
remember to have it somewhere convenient. :(
Oh well... birding is birding with our without a camera. Right?
A while later, an osprey showed up. I never got any spectacular views of
that bird that day, but, seeing one show up when your camera is not
ready, it's frustrating.
Other reasons I wish I had that battery...... Goslings. There were 4
goslings on the lake, not far from the blind. There's another pair still
sitting on a nest. And pairs of geese just all over that lake. I
estimated at least 20 birds. It's not a huge lake, so quarrels happen
with some frequency. Arguing over real estate, I assume.
First of season rough-winged swallow for me. I heard but did not see a
white-eyed vireo...
Both my ears and Merlin kept hearing a chimney swift... HOWEVER... based
on where I was and what else I was hearing, I'm leaning very heavily
toward the sound being random chatter coming from the numerous
goldfinches. I'd always hear that chatter in the same area, and never
saw a swift flying over. It's POSSIBLE one was there, but I'm not
betting on it.
Merlin also picked up a baltimore oriole, but I stopped and listened
when it showed that and, I don't know what it was hearing. I overruled
that ID. ha.
Most exciting, for me, and also most frustrating for not having the
camera in hand was a pileated woodpecker that was maybe 10 to 15 feet
away from me tearing up some dead wood near the ground. I was on the
boardwalk, and it was just below. I tried getting pictures with my
phone... wasn't happening well, trying to shoot between the boards from
the other side. At one point I managed to slowly lower myself to a
seated position... and then slowly scooched my behind to the side closer
to the bird... I got there, right in time for a couple of people walking
by to startle it. Oh well. I didn't get any FANTASTIC photo or video of
this encounter, but even without binoculars on the bird, it was just a
fantastic moment. It stayed there for a while, long enough that it was
satisfying. :)
Other year firsts for me included gnatcatchers and parulas.
At home, yesterday and today, high pitched whistles of a broad-winged
hawk... at one point seen landing in a tree in the yard... seen from
where I'm sitting on my bed typing right now.
Imagine a world without windows.... ack...
