Christmas Bird Count - Always an Adventure

Being soaked alone is cold. 

Being soaked with your best friend is an adventure.

~ Emily Wing Smith, Back When You Were Easier to Love

It was a beautiful day. 

A note for new adventurers (or old "rowdy" ones like me):  Pay attention to fencing and signs. Whenever birdwatching or hiking (or out in the world) one must REMEMBER to go ONLY on public property or property where you have PERMISSION to be. It may sound strict, but without permission you are trespassing. It is against the law.

I wasn't sure if I was going to bring Zelda along on this bird count. It can be a slow day - walking for miles and jotting down the birds you see and then sitting in the car and waiting for just the right bird to show up.*  However, the last time I left Zelda home alone she chewed up a couple of things (including Santa's foot!). It seemed wise to bring her along. And Zelda is always ready for adventure. I could always leave her at home after the first break. [Note: Zelda is a great dog, but she doesn't add much to a birdwatching trip. She is patient while I take photos, but she can't help me identify anything. She only know squirrels.]

How could you tell this girl she couldn't come on the bird count?

It rained overnight, but it was just slightly misty/foggy at the ponds when we arrived at 7:05. It was what I call "eagle weather" and I was not disappointed. The eagle was in its place, although the light was so bad that my first photos were almost unusable. 

THIS is NOT the weather I ordered! My "area" is about 1.3 miles and I did not plan to walk it in the rain. 

The morning brightened up just before the next storm hit. It poured. There would be no more "getting out of the car and calling the birds."  But I continued to take photos through the open car windows so the rain came in - a little. Zelda had a blanket. I did not. My arm was soaked before long. [It rained off and on most of the morning.]

Don't believe me about the rain? You can see it in this photo of a Loggerhead Shrike. It doesn't seem to be happy about the rain either....

Fortunately, the Vermilion Flycatcher showed up early. Once I checked the first "rare" bird off my list I relaxed a bit. We found a spot where the sparrows were eating and tried to identify as many as possible. After a couple of hours we had a good list of birds and needed to head home for dry clothes and something warm to eat.

Vermilion Flycatcher. This bird has been hanging out at someone's house. 

I was also relieved to see the raptors showing up today - Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, American Kestrel, and Merlin (I thought I saw a Peregrin Falcon - which I do see there sometimes - but I was mistaken). A few more birds were checked off the list before the "duck people" arrived. While I did the best I could with the ducks, the CBC sponsor (with my encouragement) has folks "who know ducks" count them in my area. Whew!

Zelda and I took one more break before our last check of the area.

Here is a link to my eBird list for the day:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S77673024

And here are a few photos from the CBC and some follow-up after the count. I am sharing a few birds I have not posted before and some examples that challenge identification:

Eastern Bluebird

Eurasian Collard-Dove

Northern Mockingbird. I have come to love these birds. They have a wonderful territorial dance. They can really sing. And they often are as curious about you as you are about them, allowing for a photo or two.

Another Northern Mockingbird.

Meadowlark

Eastern Phoebe

Sparrow identification can be challenging and not just because the sparrows are small and similar. They often hide in grass and shrubs.

This sparrow's plumage was ruffed up by the weather. [It is a Savannah Sparrow. I only saw Savannah Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows during the count.]

But sometimes you get a good view.

Northern Cardinal. While I was busy looking at the sparrows, this cardinal was "chipping" at me. I finally realized it was there.

Carolina Chickadee. These little birds are FAST and tiny. I was lucky to get this shot.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/66826956#activity_comment_6025142
The curators were confused by this bird and they started messaging each other.
 I posted my observation generally as "Hawks, Eagles, and Kites."  It may be a variety of Red-tailed Hawk. You can check the observation at the link provided.

[AFTER THE COUNT]

Greater Yellowlegs and Killdeer. I love it when there is a reflection!

I cannot believe I have seen this Vermilion Flycatcher every day of the last 4 days! [I read a report that there are two of them here.]

What bird do you think this is?

This is a Bewick's Wren. It came out of cover fussing at me. [Bewick's Wrens and Carolina Wrens look similar, but the Carolina is ruddier. The Bewick's has a lighter colored breast.
Check here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Carolina_Wren/species-compare/

The bright breast of the bird on the right is what drew my eye. After taking the photo I noticed there are two hawks in this group of trees. Both are Red-Tailed Hawks.

American Goldfinch

American Goldfinch - I just had to thrown in another photo. Why didn't these birds show up yesterday?

  MYSTERY - Looking for the Pileated Woodpecker!

One rare bird that is often in this area is the Pileated Woodpecker. It is a very impressive bird - the largest of the woodpeckers in North America (now that the Ivory-bill is considered extinct). The last time I saw the Pileated here was March 5th of this year.  [https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/id#] 

I will keep trying - two more days. So I'll heading back to these ponds and hope.

The following photos are of the "nesting tree" where the woodpeckers often are seen. There was movement at the tree today and so I took a number of photos. I don't know what this bird is. It behaves like I woodpecker, but it was at a distance and in the shade. 

It is NOT the woodpecker I am looked for, but I would like to know what it is. I am waiting for some experienced birders to share their opinions.

What do YOU think?

Could it be a flicker?

The mystery bird at a nesting hole.

I thought it was a Red-bellied Woodpecker at first, but the coloring is wrong.

NOTES:

* At my area I do get out and walk a little, but it was raining so that was almost impossible. I also drive up and down the road slowly. Sometimes I stop and take pictures and notes. Once I have covered the area, I stop and wait for particular birds to show up. It can be a long and frustrating wait. All in all I walked about a mile and drove 40. Zelda never got out of the car. 

**I need to do some raptor identification practice.

*** Here is last year's post for the CBC. The photos are better because the weather was better. Contains photos of the PILEATED WOODPECKER and the WILSON'S SNIPE.  [Last year I counted 29 species. This year I counted 40. I attribute the improvement to learning to identify more birds (and knowing where to look for them.)]

https://walkinthepark-padimus.blogspot.com/2019/12/how-did-they-know-to-show-counting-birds.html

Z was asleep most of the afternoon - in the car...

...and at home.

THANKS FOR COMING ALONG ON THE CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT. I'VE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL THIS YEAR. 

I HOPE WE CAN ALL GO ON THE COUNT TOGETHER NEXT YEAR.