Western Tanager, Hamlin Lake 5/5/2022

 

     Around noon today Randy Dougherty noticed a Western Tanager on the feeders at his Hamlin Lake home. Word of the discover got to me through a text from Brian Brosky.  Traveling from different parts of the county Brian and I arrived at the same time at Randy's house. Though not initially present it showed up a few minutes later just as the Wilson brothers got on site.

  This is only the second recorded visit to Mason County for this species. 

It's Broadwing Season 9/13/2020

 

  Friday I had a front row seat for a respectable flight of Broad-winged Hawks passing over my yard.  In just under 3 hours I counted 227 Broadwings. 

  I also counted 24 Red-tails.

  Lately Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have fueling up on the sugar water from the feeders that I have provided.  There had been more sparring than feeding as a fierce competition developed over the rightful ownership of the three feeders that I had in the backyard.  But by moving two other feeders from the front yard to the back, tensions lessened to the point where five could feed together in fragile harmony. 

   Other birds of interest so far this month.....

                                           Purple Finch

                                            Baltimore Oriole

                                           Scarlet Tanager

   There have been a few species of warblers (Magnolia, American Redstart and Black-throated Green) also but I have yet to get any blogworthy photos of them. 

Got My Yard Pelican 5/21/2020

   Since I moved to the lakeshore I've suspected that one day I'd add an American White Pelican to my yard list.  I came close on Sunday when I was leaving my worksite a mile up the road and noticed a group of 6 Pelicans off shore from the plant.  I quickly drove home, grabbed the camera and raced back to work but the birds had left by the time I returned.  At the time I thought if I had headed to edge of my bluff I may have been able to get a flyby shot as the small flock moved on.

White speck to the left of center is an American White Pelican

   This morning I did some yard birding after work. From the edge of my bluff I noticed a large white bird off shore from my worksite.

Cropped version of previous photo

      After just a few moment the large bird took flight and fortuitously headed my direction.

Yardbird  #120

   Also this morning while birding the street-side of my property I noticed a motionless doe with a distressed look.  I initially thought she might be injured but a view through binoculars revealed the reason(s) for her anxiety. 

Doe with one of her two newborns.

   Red-headed Woodpeckers are being seen daily, usually flying over but this one stopped for a snack.

  A couple of other photogenic birds also posed for portraits.

Summer Tanager 5/19/2020

     I was delayed in finding a voicemail from my doctor because my phone had been on the charger. It was not a typical message from a health care provider, rather he had a Summer Tanager visiting his feeders.  But by the time I found the voicemail and drove to the location, the evening overcast light was fading and I had missed the bird by about 10 minutes.  Luckily the bird stayed overnight and I was able to get some photos this morning. 

  I've added 4 new birds to the yard list since the last post and was able to get photos of each one.

Eastern Kingbird (#115)

Cape May Warbler (#116)

Black-throated Blue Warbler (#117)

Yellow Warbler (#118)

Time to Catch Up

  There have been so much bird activity in my yard the past 3 days that I haven't had time to do a post.  Here are photos that I've taken since Thursday.

Philadelphia Vireo

I thought it was a fledgling Pine Siskin

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Friday I added two birds to the yardlist...

Eastern Kingbird #128

and Least Flycatcher #129

Other first of the year birds that arrived Friday

Red-eyed Vireo

and...

American Redstart

 Others that have been hanging around for the whole week....

Gray Catbird

Captain Morgan

   Today the lighting conditions were poorer but it didn't stop the parade of feathered visitors.

Second ever Field Sparrow visit.

Third ever Black-throated Warbler (first was last Friday)

White-crowned Sparrows finally showed up this week...

....as did an Indigo Bunting

Female Scarlet Tanager

Blackpoll Warbler

   The all-time yardlist is now at 129, the year list is at 100 and I've recorded 83 so far this month.

Lack of Depth

 Could have used some more depth of field to get both the hawk and moon in focus.  If I would have focused at 601 feet and stopped down to f/64 I could have had a depth of focus from 300' to infinity.

   More photos taken from the deck today.

Male Scarlet Tanager singing and posing for....

.....a more dignified Scarlet Tanager.

Red-breasted Nuthatch trying to hide

Red-tailed Hawk gaining altitude

Two More Warbler Mornings

Northern Parula

   The last two mornings there has been a continuing influx of warblers in my yard.  Today I had ten species of them, including a first of the year Magnolia(unphotographed) which is the 100th bird species I've recorded in the yard this year. Last year I didn't hit 100 until October 22.  This year I hit that milestone before the first lawn cutting of the season (by six hours).

Chestnut-sided 

Nashville

American Redstart 

Blackburnian

Black and White

  Vireos are also zipping around the yard.

Blue-headed

   I think this next one might be a Philadelphia Vireo.   Please correct me if I'm wrong. Contact info is at the bottom of the page.

   Other birds included

Scarlet Tanager

Blue Jay