Hey Birders,
If you want to get out of the house and take a walk with sunshine, please join us on our walks. This morning we started at the soccer fields and walked to Crane Island Park. I heard what I thought was a bunting but the singer turned out to be a beautiful male Blue Grosbeak. As long as I was wrong on songs, I continued my streak on our return thinking we were hearing the Grosbeak again. It turned out to be a male Painted Bunting. In this area that borders the airport we also observed a group of Bobolinks in flight that were mostly females and first year birds. Next was a beautiful first year male Orchard Oriole.On Crane Island we had good looks at Red-tailed, Red-shouldered Hawks and Bald Eagle. A few late warblers also showed up including a Blackpoll and American Redstart.
Please join me on Friday morning at 10 am to see shorebirds at Spoonbill Pond across from Big Talbot Sate Park boat ramp parking area. Recently I have seen a White-rumped Sandpiper, Least and Semi-palmated Sandpipers. A variety of plovers are also present along with a few Black-necked Stilts. A very unlikely bird seen Monday was a short view of a probable Curlew Sandpiper totally separate from other shorebirds. Meet me on the boardwalk at the first bird overlook.
Richard Timm sent me these photos from our trip to Crane Island Park. Normally we think the top bird is the Bald Eagle but the Loggerhead Shrike decided to perch atop a statue of the the Bald Eagle. The Bobolink photo is that of a female or young bird but is atypical in that there is black showing on the upper breast. Some birders have posted that there is a Dickcissel among the Bobolinks we observed. The possibility of a hybrid needs to be considered. The Willet is atypical of the ones we see at the beach in the winter since it has started breeding plumage. The two-toned bill may indicate it is the Eastern subspecies. In Florida both Western and Eastern are seen.
Good birding, Bill George