Those Damn Birds...

Search any bird you want on google...seriously just do it now. Is almost every image not some incredible close up with perfect quality with perfect light? Add on...the bird is posing beautifully, as if it weren't moving. Now, does this ever happen to we casual birders in the field? Of course not! However, we all have those moments where the shot was almost perfect. I've had a few of those myself, but my favorite is when I saw a  Black-throated Blue Warbler at The Celery Farm. I was having a great early May afternoon, with multiple warbler species including Magnolia Warbler, American Redstart, and Northern Waterthrush. I came across a gorgeous male Black-throated Blue Warbler. And for those who don't know, warblers are like little laser beams bouncing all around you. In other words, they don't stop moving. This guy was doing the usual warbler thing, singing away and jumping all over. At one point, he stopped and just sat with his head straight. I lifted up my camera ferociously and began to focus on him, seeing the incredible photo opportunity. I was perfectly in focus and the light was awesome, plus he was surrounded by green leaves and pink buds. As soon as I snapped the photo, he turned his head, and continued doing his thing. The photo I got can be seen below. You can imagine my frustration...

Nowadays, I just don't attempt to photograph warblers, it's too much of headache. I just love to enjoy them, but I'll save my absolute warbler obsession for the spring. 

Until next time, good birding!

- Mike

He was definitely laughing at me...

Rarity Chasing: It's a Gamble

The title says it all. Chasing rarities is a complete gamble. Today, I made a probably not-so-smart choice of going to Sandy Hook, over an hour away, after school to try and find a Le Conte's Sparrow that was being seen (I mentioned it in my post yesterday). Well, my mom and I left at around 2:30, and the sun sets at 4:30. By the time we actually got to the Hook, the sun was nearly set. However, with high spirits, we gave it our best shot. After a lot of searching and listening and what not, we were unsuccessful. Although I was highly disappointed, my mom, as usual, managed to lift my spirits during the ride home.

Many people make chasing rarities look easy when they find the bird within minutes of showing up on site. In reality, it can actually be really hard. First off, you have to take the usually long drive to see the bird. Then, you have to get on the bird...which can be very annoying because, well, they're birds. People will tell you "The bird was just there," but they have wings...and legs...so they move. And, although it's nice when someone is already on the bird, it's an even better feeling when you're the one who gets to call out, "I got it!" I know some people who don't even chase rarities simply because they want to find their own. I really admire birders like that, because they are the kinds who just go out and enjoy the birds. If they get a rare one, great, if not, no problem. As much as I tell myself I'm going to start being like this, it never happens...

As my mom told me, we'd be better off buying a lottery ticket than going after a tiny sparrow on a massive dune at dusk. So moral of the story, never chase rarities (kidding).

Good birding, I hope you find something rare!

- Mike

Although we didn't find the sparrow, we did

find ourselves in this lovely rush hour 

traffic jam! 

Franklin's Gull Invasion

There is nothing like a good old rare species invasion to a region. Some last full season, others a mere few hours. Either way, it always gets birders excited. In the last week or so, the East has seen a good amount of rain coming from the West. Once that bad weather cleared, a perfect wind from the northwest moved through, bringing with a good amount of western species to the East. Some of these include Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, and Le Conte's Sparrow. However, probably the most exciting of them were the hundreds of Franklin's Gulls that could be seen at many coastal locations. Flocks of over 60 were sometimes seen, with the heart of the action in Cape May (where else?). The combined total ended up being 315 individuals, and that was conservative. An invasion of Franklin's Gulls to the East like this one has not happened since 1998, and that did not come anywhere near these numbers. Today, they're still being seen in some locations, but the bulk of them have departed. Although I was unable to witness the action, it was still exciting to watch all the texts come in of tons of Franklin's Gull being spotted up and down the coast.

I wasn't super disappointed, I was able to see one when I was in Colorado. One of the other young birders and I were walking in Pawnee National Grasslands, and we looked up and saw a gull high overhead. He and I just passed it as a California Gull, as that was a safe thing to assume. Instead, we watched a kestrel flying overhead, which he photographed. Later on, however, when I was getting my lunch, he came over to me and told me that the gull was actually a Franklin's Gull, as he showed me a photo of the kestrel with a very clear Franklin's Gull in the back. I was very excited, however I knew it wouldn't go over well with the other birders. We young birders tend to be a bit more of counters than birders, and missing a lifer is like missing the winning penalty kick shot a championship soccer game. I'll admit, when I know lifers are a distinct possibility, I get a little intense...but that's besides the point. When they heard this, some were pretty pissed, others didn't really mind as they would have passed it as the same thing. I felt bad either way, but the number of birds seen on that trip probably clouded the fact that many of them missed that (because God forbid you miss ONE bird).

So invasions are cool, whether you're in the action or a bystander. Happy birding!

- Mike

By the way, be sure to check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDLKRpu959tma--2sBRnmSA
I'm starting to take videos of birds on my normal camera.

Franklin's Gull

(Photo from public domain)

Sparrow Flocks: Not to be Overlooked

When we hear the word "sparrow," we immediately think of those annoying House Sparrows that nest in our gutters and take over our feeders. Well, first of all, those aren't even sparrows, they are actually weaver-finches. I think they should be renamed to the Black-chinned Weaver-Finch, sounds much more interesting I think. But anyway, often times, birders overlook flocks of sparrows such as Chipping Sparrows or Dark-eyed Juncos. It's safe to assume that's all that's in there, right? Wrong. You would be very surprised as to what you can find in a flock of sparrows. In fact, especially around now and through the winter, you can find multiple different species. Every time I comb through some sparrows, I can usually pull at least three different species. I've pulled up to seven or eight a few times, it really depends on where you are. A backyard feeder area can usually produce three to five species, while a place with a lot of sparrows like a field, marsh, or woodland edge can produce high numbers. Some rarer sparrows to look out for included Fox Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow (rarity to the Southwest), White-crowned Sparrow (only rare in the East), and White-throated Sparrow (only rare in the West). Even if they're not rarities, native sparrows are still interesting to watch as different species work together to find food and avoid predators.

So never overlook that flock of juncos in your yard this winter, you never know what may turn up. And remember, a cool bird doesn't have to be a rarity. 

Good birding!

- Mike

A video of multiple sparrow species in a flock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0kQDosK8Ic

"Ipswich" Savannah Sparrow 

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park

Unlikely Birds in Unlikely Locations

It always amazes me when I find some randomly uncommon species in an unusual location. I usually just start laughing because I always find it funny when this bird is just rebelling against the avian social norm and being like, "I'm a free spirit, I'll go wherever I want!" A great example is when I was birding at Laurel Hill Park a couple of years ago, and I was looking for Horned Larks in hopes of picking out a Lapland Longspur. I walked up to the river, and all of a sudden, this little bird comes floating along right in front of me. I'm thinking to myself, "wtf is this little...oh hey it's a Horned Grebe." Horned Grebe is a pretty rare species in Bergen County, especially in the dead of Winter. I started laughing because he was just chillin,' riding along the river next right in front of me, in fact, he barely even acknowledged that I was there. It's always great when birds are so cooperative for great photos. It was cool to finally get this guy on my county life list. 

So basically, any bird can be anywhere. They don't need field guides to tell them where to be. Oh yeah, about that Barred Owl in my town...my mom and I tried again this morning. You can guess the out come :( Oh well, I'll break this no owl on my own curse eventually. 

Good birding, leave no place unchecked! You never know what you'll find...

- Mike 

Horned Grebe at Laurel Hill Park

The Headache I Call Owls

Let me make something very clear to you all, I have a total of negative zero luck with owls. I'm not kidding around. I'll give you an example. Two of the best places around my area to see Short-eared Owls in my area are Shawangunk Grasslands and Jakes Landing. It is said that you are near guaranteed shorties if you go to these places at dusk. Let me tell you, I have been to both...and failed both times. What's even better is that each time, less than ten minutes after I left, the owls fly out and start to hunt. I think I might be cursed or something. The only times I see owls are when they are handed to me on a silver platter. I've seen them in a friend's owl box, on birding tours, etc. Well today, I was informed that there was a Barred Owl, a well overdue life bird, in my neck of the woods. When I say my neck of the woods, I literally mean my town. My friend had a Barred Owl in a little woodland patch near where he was working. Even better, it has been there for about a year now...a year...and I had no clue. This only goes to show what you can find close to home, but that's irrelevant. So I rally up the crew (my mom and my friend who knows the trails well), and we head in to find this owl. After a long while of searching with, at best, a potential call that I think was a Great Horned Owl. Finally, as I'm scanning some pines, a large bird comes beasting through the woodlot. I could not tell what it was for sure, but it certainly looked like an owl to me. However, I don't count species if I "think" it was that. Like Richard Crossley said, "even 99% sure still means you don't know." So there you have it, foiled again by those damn owls. I intend to try again in the morning before I go to work. I'm going to break this owless curse if it kills me! 

I'll update you guys if I find it or not, until then, good birding!

- Mike

Female Snowy Owl: For some reason I've had great luck with 

these guys, I'm 2 for 3 for chasing them. 

Flybys: Why Patience Gives Back Eventually

I don't know about everyone else, but I for one despise nothing more than waiting. I've always had little patience and never liked sitting around waiting for something to happen. Even before I got into birding years ago, I hated car rides, plane rides, firework shows, etc. However, when it comes to birding, those who wait are usually rewarded. Hawk watches and sea watches are a perfect example. Down at Avalon Sea Watch, people go everyday. They sit there all day, counting every species that flies by. This means everything from scoters to jaegers to loons, nothing goes uncounted. Like I said, I always love to see cool birds, but after the three thousandth Black Scoter, I would lose interest. However, just this year, Avalon Sea Watch has had multiple NJ rarities including a number of Pacific Loons, a Manx Shearwater, all three jaegers, and (cue drum roll), the second state record Masked Booby. I don't know how the watcher was able to contain himself, I think I would just stop breathing and pass out on the spot if I saw a Masked Booby in NJ. It took a lot of patience, but he got himself one heck of lifer!

Although I've only gone to sea and hawk watches a few times, and the only thing of note I've see is a Dickcissel pair flyby the Cape May Point Hawk Watch, I have some pretty good waiting stories. One of my favorites takes place right down the road from me. I was at my usual local nature preserve (called The Celery Farm, I don't think I've ever mentioned that here) in April sitting on one of the platforms. I was enjoying myself watching Yellow Warblers and Baltimore Orioles flying from one side of the preserve to the other. All of a sudden, a medium-sized group of folks birding joined me on the platform. As soon as this happened, I knew something cool was going to show up...I only have luck in numbers, never on my own. Literally two minutes after I said that to myself, a Common Loon comes flying in. I immediately said, "uh...there's a loon over there," and all the people turned and out their binoculars up like a marching band snapping to attention. The loon landed on the lake briefly, then continued North. It was very cool because that is a rare migrant in my home county. In fact, it was a county lifer. So my casual birding day ended in triumph, all after sitting on a platform for a little too long. 

Moral of the story, don't ever walk away from a platform. I know some tragic stories of people missing mega rarities because they left to find somewhere better to bird. And remember, patience is always rewarding when birding....sometimes it takes longer than you want, believe me.

Happy sitting!

- Mike

Common Loon that flew by the platform,

my county lifer.