I must bore the birds!

Tweet Why is it that every time I get lucky enough to see ducks up close, they are always asleep? Many times I have ducks swim up and then just go to sleep right in front of me when I bring out the camera.

These two male Ring-necked Ducks were swimming with some coots. When they seen me, they fell right asleep.

And again it happens, this time with Bufflehead. Only this time, it was kind of comical. A group of three females and one male Bufflehead were swimming just off the shore. Only one female in the group was awake. They kept drifting closer and closer to me as I just stood there clicking pics.

The females all eventually woke up, leaving only the male sleeping. The females started getting antsy as they drifted closer, following the male. Finally, they must have heard a noise, as out of nowhere they exploded off the water. I think they startled me just as much as I did them!

Just down the bank from the Bufflehead, I spotted a male Red-breasted Merganser. Only he was more alert and quickly headed away from me. Such a cool bird.

And, more American Coots swimming around. I think coots are unappreciated. They look cool when seen up close. Coots are always good, cause they are not too weary of people and draw in waterfowl that would normally keep their distance.

Once I had scoped the lake, I headed for the woods and fields to look for land birds. Saw quite a few Red-shouldered Hawks flying around. Here is one that was cooperative.

Nice looking bird for sure!

When I approached the fields, they were initially very quiet. I decided to make some noise via pishing. I heard then noticed a Swamp Sparrow skulking around. I can never get a good shot at one. Always uncooperative!

They are such a nice looking sparrow. Speaking of sparrows, I came across one that originally threw me off. It was in bad lighting and acting odd for the habitat. Then, it decided to fly to a close tree and land right in front of me. Seemed curious about me. Ah, a very dull Savannah Sparrow.

Why can't all sparrows be this cooperative! Odd behavior for a Savannah Sparrow, as it spent more time in the trees then in the grass.

Haven't seen much lately in the shorebird department, so I was glad to stumble upon six Wilson's Snipe hanging out in a wet field just down the road from my house. It was funny to see all the people that kept driving back and forth trying to figure out what I was looking at. Unfortunately, no one stopped so that I could have showed them. I would of gave them one of my new birder cards! ;-)

*****************

Tweet

I just appreciate beautiful things...

Tweet A good deal of my birding is done at East Fork State Park. That being said, I haven't been able to get out and do much quality birding. I like East Fork cause it is close to my home and I can zip by there on my way to other locations.

People with off-leash dogs has gotten to the point that I have been avoiding the areas that I usually bird. One guy in particular brings his two bird dogs down, clearing all birds off the beach and the immediate surrounding area. They are trained bird dogs, and they do their jobs well. The owner has them fitted with a beeping location device that would drive anyone crazy. He also whistles to them his commands when clearing the beach of birds. It kinda goes like this:

I see a Common Merganser up ahead...

And there goes the Common Merganser...

Ah-hah, here comes the dogs...

Look master, no birds to the left...

No birds to the right master...

Too bad that some people have to be self centered and have no respect for others or other creatures. This situation has been brought to the attention of the parks, so hopefully something will be done. I have been venturing out to other locations I don't get out to much. This has lead to some interesting finds!

Decided to venture out to Grant Lake State Wildlife Area in Brown Co. OH to see what I could find. I found a flock of Redhead ducks. I then stumbled across a lone immature swan. I don't see swans often around my neck of the woods. I immediately thought Tundra. Trumpeters aren't native to this area, so Tundra would be the most likely. I still believe this to be an Imm. Tundra Swan.

Comments to ID welcome.

I recently traveled down to the Ohio River to check my favorite spots out. I ended up at Crooked Run State Nature Preserve/ Clermont Co. park. I ran into a couple pairs of Hooded Mergansers in the estuary. I love these birds! They have a big part in my becoming a birder.

The males were chasing and displaying for the females.

Dang wind, messing up my crest!

*****************

Tweet

Sabine's Gull!

Tweet Another Cincinnati area birder, Allan Claybon, photographed what appeared to be a juvenile Sabine's Gull at East Fork State Park on Saturday. I just saw the post on Sunday evening, so since I only live about ten minutes from that park, I headed out for a chance at this would-be life bird.

I got there about a couple hours before sunset and stayed till it started to get too crowded with people (sunset watchers I guess). I was there for about an hour and a half. I waited for about an hour by the resident gull flock for it to possibly fly in. I saw an adult Herring Gull fly in and land. I saw three Bonaparte's Gulls fly in including the one with three legs. Nothing else. More Ring-billed Gulls. and then, I saw something different looking coming in...

Juvenile Sabine's Gull!!

It flew in and landed on the water briefly, then proceeded to the beach to preen. There were people all around the gull flock, approaching it from both sides. I didn't expect the bird to stay long.

The bird was very skittish and was constantly moving. It stayed on the beach for about three minutes before a couple of young men walked close to the flock. It took to wing, flying just off the beach. A young boy then threw a football into the flock, and the gulls scattered and put down on the lake for the night.

This bird looked contented enough to stay here for a little while. It is very skittish though, so lots of activity close to the gull flock will spook it. Hope it stays. Thanks Allan for this awesome find and lifebird!!

*****************

Tweet

A two-billed Caspian Tern!

Tweet I swung by East Fork State Park to check the beach after work today to see if anything new had showed up. Many of the same birds reported from earlier in the day were still there. A Forster's Tern, four Caspian Terns and the juvenile American Golden Plover were still on the beach.

As I preceded closer to be able to see over a small ridge of sand, I noticed that one of the Caspian Terns looked odd. It appeared to have a deformed lower mandible at first. The bird walked closer to me and I was able to determine that it was a growth from beneath the lower mandible. It appeared to be a second bill. The growth was shorter than the lower mandible, so it did not appear to hinder feeding.

The bird behaved normally, with the exception that it would point its head to the ground (I see terns do this often) and plunge its bill in the sand for a few seconds. I always said that it looks like they have a carrot for a bill, but this one actually does!

Very odd! Any comments to the contributing biological causes/factors welcomed.

**Update to the deformed birds. Was talking to another birder, Allan Claybon, who was there earlier in the day yesterday. He photographed this Bonaparte's Gull with 3 legs and another Caspian with the same bill deformity. Weird stuff!

Here is the link to his Flickr photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nsxbirder/6221946174/

*****************

Tweet

The life bird rule

Tweet

Often times I wonder how one can go for years and not see a certain bird, and then once you have seen it, it seems that it is no longer hard to find. Well, that has happened to me again today.

I have found another American Golden Plover this morning at East Fork. I was also able to show it to another birder that I have only talked to on the internet. Always love meeting online birding friends in the field!

This time, the bird is a juvenile. I love the pattern on the back of this bird.

Tweet

Not a gull to laugh at!

Tweet For many years while I was starting out birding, I would simply pass over the gulls without paying much attention to them. I think I was intimidated by all the many ages and the possibility of encountering hybrids. As a challenge, I decided to get to know the common gulls that are regularly seen in my neck of the woods.

Many years later, I am still not where I would like to be in gull identification skills. However, I am glad that I took the time to try to master the local species. I find gulls fun birds to watch behavior wise, as they are always putting on a show in some way.

Here is my favorite of the gulls regularly seen around here, the Bonaparte's.

But the local birding buzz has been from another gull species.

No, not a laughing Herring Gull, but

A 1st winter Laughing Gull spotted by another Cincinnati area birder at East Fork recently. Laughing Gulls are not common in Ohio, however I have seen them at this location before. There are a few other LAGUs currently being seen around Ohio as well.

Laughing Gulls are usually seen along the East and Gulf coasts. They are quite common in Florida.

And, again the bird is starring me down!

*****************

Tweet

American Golden Plover!

Tweet Found an American Golden Plover today hiding behind a tuft of grass while birding the beach at East Fork State Park. This would be a life bird. I originally thought that it was black bellied, but I now see the pics and the back is more brown speckled. Such a cool looking bird!

Again, why do birds always stare me down!

*****************

Tweet