Saturdays moving birds!
Spring is becoming much more apparent the past few days with the leaves bringing us some green colors on our dull brown hillsides. A thunderstorm pushed through Allegany State Park area in the afternoon and this rain was very much needed after a few weeks with only a few sprinkles. Things are soo dry that my County has posted an open fire ban after many small fires have started across Cattaraugus County. Campers are bummed for not being allowed to burn their firewood but I have been enjoying this weather with many great birds pushing through the area!!
Red House Lake after the Thunderstorm
I started the morning down in the France Book area looking for the Louisiana Waterthrush (CHECK)!! Within minutes I heard my first one of the year and they are sure back in numbers!! While only being able to capture one blurry picture of Louisiana, I had many other great birds flying around like the Swamp Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Blue Headed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Winter Wren, etc….! I didn’t anticipate the arrival of the Blackburnian Warbler (CHECK) and Blue Gray Gnatcatcher (CHECK) but I know there are many others that I could have found (which are being reported on the list servs)!
Red-winged Blackbird taking flight
I had a total of six warblers today; Louisiana Waterthrush, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-throated Green, Yellow-throated Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Northern Parula. I continued birding around the park and came across the House Wren (CHECK) and Brown Thrasher (CHECK) that were other first for the year finds. My photographing opportunities today should have been good with so many vocal birds but these birds wouldn’t stop moving! Just every bird seemed to be flying from branch to branch or hidden in the tree tops. So these two photos were the only two bird shots that I felt were worth posting! Maybe tomorrow will bring me more birdies??
Common Merganser flying at Sunset
 Subscribe to Mon@rch |
All Rights Reserved ©2006-2008 |
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
These are great-I’m sure tomorrow will bring you more birdies-and maybe more co-operative ones?
Red House Lake looks gorgeous-and I love the blackbird getting away from you 😉
26 April 2008 at 11:04 pm
Thanks Marg, I have a meeting in the morning and then do a few hours of work in the afternoon! I hope to be able to do a little birding! Thanks
26 April 2008 at 11:23 pm
How beautiful that picture is of Red House Lake. It looks like a perfect painting! I love that Common Merganser shot. The stupid rain and wind ruined the day for us. We went shopping instead of the bird-watching hike we planned. But tomorrow is another day and I believe it is suppose to be nice.
26 April 2008 at 11:35 pm
Wow, your photos are simply spectacular…that lake is so inviting!
27 April 2008 at 5:52 am
A great day of birding and WOW what pictures. I love seeing the clouds as they lie on the mountains like this. You sure live in a beautiful area.
27 April 2008 at 7:05 am
Very cool, Tom! The birdies sure are busy!
27 April 2008 at 7:38 am
Birds, birds everywhere…wow! Love the shot of the Red-wing. What a beautiful setting to see so many spring arrivals.
27 April 2008 at 8:34 am
That lake photo is stunningly beautiful.
27 April 2008 at 8:37 am
Saw my first Brown Thrasher this past Friday too. It was singing boldly from a high perch. Great to have Spring in the air again!
27 April 2008 at 8:57 am
Great photo’s Mr. Tom. That one photo perfectly captures the “calm after the storm.”
27 April 2008 at 9:11 am
It is so good to see spring appearing at last. I love that you caught that suspended fog in the first photo. Essence of spring.
I’ve never had much luck photographing warblers, either. Mostly I think I could just post a picture of a tree and say “see, there’s a bird in there somewhere.”
27 April 2008 at 9:28 am
Wow you’ve been getting some great birds lately. I’m jealous of your Blackburnian!
27 April 2008 at 9:44 am
I love the capture in the lake photo. Interesting name for the lake too. . . funny how names stick.
27 April 2008 at 10:19 am
@ Linda – Thanks and the rain was very much needed!
@ threecollie – thanks and it was nice!
@ Lisa – Thanks and I this is a wonderful area!
@ Pam – thanks and they sure are!
@ Jayne – Thanks and wasn’t so happy when I first took it! Darn thing wouldn’t sit still!
@ Jessica – thanks
@ Luis – thanks and was great seeing the Thrasher! Wish I could have gotten a photo of it though!
@ Scienceguy – thanks and bet you got hit by the storm also!
@ Wren – thanks and it will be getting colder later this week! Warblers are tough and I have many pictures like that! LOL
@ Rurality – thanks and only wish I could have gotten a photo of the Blackburnian!
@ Bo – thanks and Red House has been the name of this area for a long while!
27 April 2008 at 9:58 pm
Great photos!! I have added a link to your awesome site on my blog.
We are still waiting for our Rose-Breasted Grosbeak .. he has not arrived yet! It was May 4 I believe last year, but everything is earlier this year…
27 April 2008 at 10:22 pm
The photo of Red House Lake is so lovely! I hope you don’t mind me using it as my desktop wallpaper for a while..?
28 April 2008 at 4:14 pm
I’ve been catching up with your posts and see that every day is producing several “Checks” on your 2008 bird list. Great!
Beautiful photo of Red House Lake.
29 April 2008 at 2:36 am
a fire ban so early in the season… I hope mother nature helps you out on that issue. (I got my fingers crossed!) Meanwhile, sounds like you got a lot of birds checked off! right on!
29 April 2008 at 5:44 pm
@ Greg – thanks and will add you with my next updates!
@ Lana – thanks and no worries! I should send you a larger size!
@ Marvin – thanks and many checks for sure!
@ aullori – thanks and it’s more safety more than anything!
29 April 2008 at 7:52 pm