Monday, January 05, 2009

Last bird of 2008; first bird of 2009

I got a lifer as my last bird of 2008. I was leaving Target over in State College (the big city) when I noticed a HUGE bird on the ground, pecking at something. This bird was the size of a terrier, with a beak thicker than my thumb. I took pictures with my lame phone camera:

So this is a crummy picture taken on a dark cloudy day. Oh well. The cool thing was that there was just NO MISTAKING that this was a raven and not a crow. This guy was HUGE.

The first bird of 2009, fittingly enough, was a plain old American Crow. No photos, though.

Do you recall your last 2008 bird and/or your first bird of 2009?

11 comments:

Joe said...

We used to have a lot of crows around here, and then West Nile virus pretty much wiped them out for a few years. This past summer we saw a few again for the first time in years.

Patrick B. said...

Congrats! My last bird was probably a Starling or House Sparrow - not sure. My first was a Cardinal crossing in front of my car as I pulled out of my complex to go birding.

Earl Cootie said...

Oops. Wasn't paying attention to the calendar. But since I didn't leave the house, I'd guess that the last of 08 was probably an Anna's Hummingbird and the first of 09 was most likely an Anna's Hummingbird.

John B. said...

My first bird of 2009 was a house sparrow. I don't recall the last of 2008. Quite possibly it was the same.

dguzman said...

Bubs--wow, that's wild. We haven't had much of the West Nile up here... yet.

Patrick--I woke up on New Year's Day to the sound of a crow cawing outside, so I made sure to look at him instead of the three billion starlings and house sparrows all around.

Earl--that would be a lifer for me!

John--see my comment to Patrick. It was only through careful work that I avoided seeing a HOSP or a starling as my first bird.

Kathi said...

Delia: First Bird of '09 was a Great Horned Owl, because I left my house at 7am, before the birds were awake, to start my all-day birding marathon. Even though I went looking for house sparrows, I didn't see one until today, 1/5, as bird #51. Last Bird of '08 was probably the Red-bellied Woodpecker complaining that I was too slow filling the backyard feeders.

Nice raven, and how cool to have a Life Bird to end your year!

Susan Gets Native said...

My first of 2009 was a goldfinch (and Lorelei and Isabelle saw a titmouse and chickadee and they wanted it DOCUMENTED, Dammit!)
My last bird of 2008? No idea. A prairie chicken?
: )

RG said...

juncos ....

Mel said...

Hola Delia,

My last birds of 2008, male 'regular' Vermilion Flycatcher fighting with melanic of same bird... amazing clicking sounds while flying one into the other!

Firsts of 2009, Amazilia Amazilia, beautiful hummingbirds!

Hugs,

Mel

dguzman said...

KatDoc--cool, you do a big day on New Year'? That's a neat idea. Cool birds, too!

Susan--have you seen a prairie chicken? I'd love to! Tell the girls that their FOYs are now officially documented!

Rabbits' Guy--I love them! They're so cute.

Mel--wow... I'm really hoping to see a vermillion flycatcher when I go to Texas in late February. So jealous of the wild birds you get to see down in Peru!

Anonymous said...

Congrats on your Raven! Hurrah!