Hope your holiday was safe and happy!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Christmas in Texas - updates to follow
Hope your holiday was safe and happy!
Monday, December 19, 2011
The Chase for the Black-headed Gull: FAIL -- UPDATED!
On Saturday morning, Baby G, local birding heroes Alex and Anna, and I went hunting for a Black-headed Gull that had been seen in Moraine State Park near Pittsburgh. Gretchen picked me up at 5:40 a.m.; we picked up local birding heroes Alex and Anna at 6 (after a coffee run), and we were off. Two and a half hours later, in a steady but light snow (tiny flakes), we got to the park and ... we were unsuccessful.
We looked EVERYWHERE. We found a spot near the swimming beach where others had seen the gull; we saw a bunch of Ring-billed Gulls![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPVsoF51r7IgZjQE6sivTfupBBrS0HomjyCAs852XtTDYtsae7q-wZj8tsBufbTF4vvSbWyJaw-jInYG5j4B_qjsdU4PZlTPKlIcnu7u4hp0DWA9loA8eBJ10jEq3rZw36Sl8/s400/P1060808.JPG)
Herring Gulls![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mxonoUmFbRosyvrdr7HhXQDPJ-tQPXofGeis94XeAst_MgMuM9DgnrS1TcuuMyhtsPk8bqTRKX0wlWhn7eMkCB93CxdmkUENe1qy-ciDZXa3Do8spvPS2V-GSe_mLKdre5qV/s400/Herring+Gull.jpg)
and a couple of Bonaparte's Gulls![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs__WAXUZedlx9nBddML-7bLRoixqFy8buBJGAVc5YX0k36gZnh6rMMV60NVeWzs_EDzPjwZ1DGK7uFFL6NebMZLXMMrqDWQ-X_oBRc_pLHkQwigUIPiiZR3VOUosI2a3jI26C/s400/P1060817.JPG)
but no Black-headed Gull
In one exciting moment, however, I did get my first look at a Red-throated Loon! Lifer! He never settled down, though; it's tough to get a good look at a bird when it's flying back and forth about 300 yards out over a lake in a snowstorm. Do you think it counts? Alex pointed out the way he held his head lower with his neck bowed than a Common Loon would hold it, but that was about all I saw distinctive about the bird. Otherwise, I would've been hard-pressed to ID him. I'd much rather see the bird sitting in the water in full breeding plumage. Still -- I saw him! Getting a photo was impossible, though.
Another highlight: Alex lowered his window and it got stuck. Stuck in the open position:
Electronic malfunction. Oops. Good thing he's got that beard to keep him warm!
We also got great looks at a Northern Shrike, only the second time I've seen one:
This is a terrible photo (the light was nonexistent), but in Baby G's new scope we could see the light barring on his breast and his beautiful Liz Taylor-as-Cleopatra-like eye stripes. Awesome.
We also saw a juvenile UPDATED - TRUMPETER Swan! A lifer! With photo!
So I had just glanced at the swan and thought "Tundra? Probably." But Alex pointed out that it's a juvie Trumpeter Swan -- note the bill that's black at the base, as opposed to a Tundra's which would be pink at the base. SWEET!
Here's Baby G and her new peeper:
Very cool.
For much better photos of our exploits, see Alex's blog post and photos.
Gretch and I are pretty excited about our upcoming February trip to Texas -- I don't know if I've mentioned it yet here, but needless to say: there will be posts!
We looked EVERYWHERE. We found a spot near the swimming beach where others had seen the gull; we saw a bunch of Ring-billed Gulls
Herring Gulls
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1mxonoUmFbRosyvrdr7HhXQDPJ-tQPXofGeis94XeAst_MgMuM9DgnrS1TcuuMyhtsPk8bqTRKX0wlWhn7eMkCB93CxdmkUENe1qy-ciDZXa3Do8spvPS2V-GSe_mLKdre5qV/s400/Herring+Gull.jpg)
and a couple of Bonaparte's Gulls
but no Black-headed Gull
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tjVrIQMUVa4W-vUm_ZC9RXxjk6d4DK_Mans3cg9ZofWz3ZLbIbmuoEUSM-A-zz1xFCnEQv2YHittgETbeE0QCxTKTvrzoWJVCKBQBC8f8bkNVy_2VnwqAcQA7Rg1Qj8ZXYaN/s400/NOTHIN%2521.jpg)
NOTHIN'!
We saw Ruddy Ducks, Common Mergansers, Hooded Mergansers, and more -- but no Black-headed Gull.In one exciting moment, however, I did get my first look at a Red-throated Loon! Lifer! He never settled down, though; it's tough to get a good look at a bird when it's flying back and forth about 300 yards out over a lake in a snowstorm. Do you think it counts? Alex pointed out the way he held his head lower with his neck bowed than a Common Loon would hold it, but that was about all I saw distinctive about the bird. Otherwise, I would've been hard-pressed to ID him. I'd much rather see the bird sitting in the water in full breeding plumage. Still -- I saw him! Getting a photo was impossible, though.
Another highlight: Alex lowered his window and it got stuck. Stuck in the open position:
We also got great looks at a Northern Shrike, only the second time I've seen one:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3EVPuhFDacyweiWx6gSFNOzCgsP9GTivYMFyRo3sDpxZcEJQvBcXQxH8MmwlOLtPMUi17Um9z4za4FgHfYPAcSCVROu8SlH5M7TcgY5iXfitQHijJIb_EzRcT4StWe_2YBMT/s400/Northern+Shrike+2.jpg)
We also saw a juvenile UPDATED - TRUMPETER Swan! A lifer! With photo!
Here's Baby G and her new peeper:
For much better photos of our exploits, see Alex's blog post and photos.
Gretch and I are pretty excited about our upcoming February trip to Texas -- I don't know if I've mentioned it yet here, but needless to say: there will be posts!
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