13 October 2009

YERA, etc - 13 Oct. 09

I apologize for the lack of blog-updating lately! Classes and teaching are keeping me rather busy...

However, I thought I would mention that Ashley and I got lucky and flushed ANOTHER Yellow Rail back on 9 October at Harrier Marsh! We tried desperately to flush it a second time but we didn't succeed with that.

We also checked out some sparrows as well. The marsh still had good numbers of Le Conte's Sparrows and Nelson's Sparrows in addition to a couple lingering wrens and a yellowthroat.

Here are a few pictures of some Le Conte's Sparrows:

You want a challenge? Try to photograph a LCSP in flight!

Back on the 11th, we found an early BUFFLEHEAD down at Saylorville in addition to a couple RUSTY BLACKBIRDS. Here is one of them:

Otherwise, I haven't been birding all that much. The yard has been pretty active lately though. In addition to all the stereotypical neighborhood birds, we've had:

Chipping Sparrow (5)
White-throated Sparrow (10+)
Dark-eyed Junco (10+)
Fox Sparrow (2)
Song Sparrow (1)