1/4 through

Busy fall in Delaware, but the semester has come to a close. The blog is not dead, though it might appear to be... I haven't been birding too much or taking many photos, but maybe that will change in the coming months. I do hope to get into some coastal birding in Boston, find a Snowy Owl, and maybe some northern specialties, as I'll be in Massachusetts starting tomorrow until the end of January.

Here's a Ruby-throated, long gone, but replaced by a few Rufous in this area.


Also, this monster, the babiest Northern Cardinal I've ever seen.

Patagonia

After a frantic but unsuccessful search for the Elegant Trogon that has been seen at Patagonia Lake State Park lately I birded around the lake until dark, finding a brilliant male Vermillion Flycatcher, a few Gray Flycatchers, and a variety of duck-like creatures.

The next day I hit up the Paton's yard early morning, a spot notorious for bringing in great birds to the feeders that are stocked year round.  I saw the usual suspects, but was happy to find four or five Lazuli Buntings tentatively eating seed.

Yellow-rumped Warbler taking a break from the suet.


Bridled Titmouse


I then spend the rest of the morning exploring Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve, where I was greeted by a large flock of Lark Sparrows, a species I'd really only seen a handful of before.

Lark Sparrow


Northern Cardinal


Though not extremely birdy, the two miles of trail I walked were great, showing lots of Abert's and Canyon Towhees, my first Phainopepla*, my first Hepatic Tanager in the US, and more Gila Woodpeckers than I needed.

Hepatic Tanager


Canyon Towhee


One of the fun discoveries here was a small section of stream where I found a Say's, Black, and Eastern Phoebe all feeding within 20 feet of each other.  Though the former two are quite common in the area, the Eastern is somewhat of a rarity and was great to have next to the other two.

Eastern Phoebe


A Cooper's Hawk that was undoubtedly snacking on a Lark Sparrow only moments ago.


My final excitement for the reserve were the two Rufous-winged Sparrows I spotted in the parking lot on my way to my car.  This was a bird I was hoping to see, but was told I'd be lucky to find, but I think they're fairly common at this location and was just lucky to have not passed them off as something else.


Ah yes, and this dummy, an Inca Dove

Easterners

Saw black-throated blue, black and white, and black-throated green warblers today, along with tufted titmouse, black capped chickadees, yellow-shafted flickers, northern cardinals, yellow-bellied sapsucker, and other wicked easterners. Hiked with my bro from Amethyst Brook to Pratt Corner Road on the Robert Frost Trail.