Not a Hunting thread per se

[Johnsfolly]

Since the huting season have wound down for the most part, finally recovering but still not 100, and that the local fishing is in winter lockdown, I have been hunting new birds for that lifelist (the original list that started it all). I really haven't done much birding in the last few years since the multispeies fishing deal takes most of my time these days. As stated earlier, I have rejuvenated that interest mainly after getting details of a rare bird alert on the Cornell Ornithology site - eBird.org. When we lived in Northern Ireland the fishing and hunting privileges were very aristocratic and expensive. So I got into chasing bird sightings all over the country while we were there. That carried over into our first several years in Missouri. We chased tundra and trumpeter swans out in Squaw creek, a snowy owl up near Kirksville, Lincoln and harris sparrows throughout mid-Missouri, etc. That was until the site I was using got shut out by the Missouri Audubon society. 

Last couple of weekends we have seen the following lifers, a snowy owl (Livie lifer), an Iceland gull, a red-throated loon, a harlequin duck (my lifer), and a thick billed murre. Also many bufflehead ducks, long-tailed ducks, white winged scoters, common loons, purple sandpipers, sanderlings, dunlins, red-breasted mergansers, a pied-billed grebe, and many more common species.

It has been fun so far.

I can only get a few photos with my phone.

Red-throated loon

Purple sandpiper

Sanderlings

 

 

 

 

[Johnsfolly]

Today from the Shark River in Belmar NJ

Hooded merganser

Ruddy ducks

[Johnsfolly]

Did some bird chasing yesterday. Missed or overlooked a northern lapwing, a European.plover species that we have seen when living in N Ireland but not here is states. We did end up at a park about 60 miles north. We ended up having a good walk through the wooded park looking for a yellow-headed blackbird a common western species. 

We walked for a while. One thing became evident is that people feed the squirrels. We saw folks with bags of peanuts. Some of the squirrels were absolutely huge. The other is the you can't stand in a spot for too long before one will get right up to you looking for food. So close that you get the idea they may climb up your leg looking for peanuts. 

The last thing is that there is a large number of the melanic gray squirrels. They are also as greedy as the others.

We did see the yellow-headed blackbird. No photos but a lifer for all of us 🙂

[Johnsfolly]

Yesterday had us up in Meyrsville MD to try and spot a painted bunting male that has returned again this year. When we got there it was not to be seen. We struck up a conversation with a birding couple that lives close by. The owner of the yard where this bird frequented for a couple months last year has a large number of feeders including a shelf feeder with a large pile of hulled sunflower kernels. We saw many Goldfinch hitting all of the feeders. They would spook as a grackle or two barged in for the seeds. A couple of house finches visited before the bunting showed himself. We watched him feed and flitter around the yard  then he took off for parts unknown. Though maybe 15 or 20 mins it was a cool encounter for sure.

Here's a photo from 2021

[Quillback]

They are around here, but rarely do I see one.  

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, Johnsfolly said:

Yesterday had us up in Meyrsville MD to try and spot a painted bunting male that has returned again this year. When we got there it was not to be seen. We struck up a conversation with a birding couple that lives close by. The owner of the yard where this bird frequented for a couple months last year has a large number of feeders including a shelf feeder with a large pile of hulled sunflower kernels. We saw many Goldfinch hitting all of the feeders. They would spook as a grackle or two barged in for the seeds. A couple of house finches visited before the bunting showed himself. We watched him feed and flitter around the yard  then he took off for parts unknown. Though maybe 15 or 20 mins it was a cool encounter for sure.

Here's a photo from 2021

               That is a fantastic picture John! Did you take it?

[Johnsfolly]

1 hour ago, BilletHead said:

               That is a fantastic picture John! Did you take it?

No. I don't have a good enough camera. Borrowed it from the other birders watching that bird.

[BilletHead]

4 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

No. I don't have a good enough camera. Borrowed it from the other birders watching that bird.

               Got Ya copy and paste!   

     After seeing the good picture, I googled up the bird to see other snapshots of the lovely specimen. That particular one is all over the internet and I thought maybe you were famous. . Just wanted you to take credit if you took it. 

[fshndoug]

what a gorgeous  bird. I bet he is popular with the ladies

[BilletHead]

43 minutes ago, fshndoug said:

what a gorgeous  bird. I bet he is popular with the ladies

                   Kind of like you in your fancy duds and waders. Looking for a good time below Table Rock dam. 🤣