Under Clear Skies

Another chilly but beautifully sunny day in the field that didn’t go totally unrewarded. Unfortunately the highlight birds midweek didn’t get relocated (WW Crossbill, Glaucous Gull) but we did manage to track down a decent assortment of birds including another IPSWICH SAVANNAH SPARROW (that’s three of the estimated 3-6000 seen over the last two weeks) and  a feisty MERLIN that zoomed right past us as it took a typical ground hugging attack trajectory towards the Snow Bunting flock that we were about to go look through (can’t hold it against it too much though as it did perch for perfect views a little later).

Other uncommon species on the day were one immature SNOW GOOSE, one probable LESSER CANADA GOOSE, three fairly mobile AMERICAN PIPITS, 1 or 2 fairly uncooperative PINE SISKINS and one equally uncooperative PURPLE FINCH. We also had a nice flyover of Horned Larks which nicely highlighted the difference in their flight calls from the American Pipits.

All in all a nice day in the field and one on which I got to meet a fellow WordPress Blogmeister, Susan.

Trip Species List

Great Blue Heron,  Mute Swan, Snow Goose, Canada Goose (+ probable lesser Canada), American Black Duck, Mallard, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Turkey Vulture,  Red-tailed hawk, Merlin, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Mourning Dove, Monk Parakeet, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Horned Lark,  American Pipit, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Carolina Wren, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, Blue Jay, American Crow, Northern Cardinal, American Goldfinch, House Finch, Pine Siskin, Purple Finch, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow,  ‘Ipswich’ Savannah Sparrow, DE Junco, European Starling, House Sparrow.