Bird pics-o-rama!

As almost always happens, my big weekend plans for birding came undone. My girlfriend injured her back, so I spent the weekend nursing her back to some semblance of health. She's much better now.

So last night we went to Millbrook Marsh to really work the birds there. There were many young and beginning birders there too, which was really exciting. We saw the requisite Yellow Warblers and Common Yellowthroats, and we also saw a Chestnut-sided Warbler! I got some great pics of the first two, but none of the Chestnut-sided. Oh well. Here are the highlights from the walk (most can be clicked on for embiggening, though some are small crops of larger pics). A Yellow Warbler impersonating a missile.

An Eastern Phoebe got a little ruffled at me.

The phoebe and a Yellow Warbler preened together.

I drove this YEWA nuts with my BirdJam. But look how nicely he posed!

Overheard conversation between these two Barn Swallows:

"Stop it."
"No, YOU stop it."

"I'm not kidding. Stop it."

"No, YOU stop it."

"I'm gonna kick your--"

"MOM! He's threatening me!"

"Oh gees..."

A Red-winged Blackbird posed for us.


Perhaps my best pics of a Common Yellowthroat!

I love Barn Swallows!

We also saw and/or heard a Swamp Sparrow, a Gray Catbird singing a weird song, some sort of flycatcher, Song Sparrows, Grackles, American Crows, American Robins, Mourning Doves, and some other birds I couldn't ID (grayish brown, small, bird-like...). I think that was everything. It was a nice trip, what with the sun shining and the cool breeze blowing. This is such a nice time to live in Central PA -- when it's not raining, that is.

So the girlfriend and I are going camping with some friends of hers for the holiday weekend. I'm hoping to see Lifer #200 on that trip. At this point, I don't even care if it's my nemesis, the Scarlet Tanager. I just want #200!