After a doctor's appointment, I did a quick bird walk (before the rain
chased me in) at Frasier McEwen from Rocket Park. I had planned on hitting
two of the sheltered areas since the wind had picked up. However, between
the rain and "walk-away" looks at some birds, I only made it to one.
First gem was the Hermit Thrush...its call alerted me to its presence and
it attempted to eat a small berry (privet??) and its bill wasn't quite
coordinated to keep it once it had it...and lost that one to be
replanted...unfortunately! (non native)
Second gem...a song sparrow gave me a great view as it fed in the grass. It
fed similarly to the Brown Thrasher's housekeeping job I witnessed
Sunday...tossing this leaf here and there...I watched for nearly ten
minutes, soaking in all the details of its beautiful chestnuts mixed with
grayer browns...then the Golden Crowned Kinglets...two... interrupted...one
flying beyond my spot and one remaining, giving me an excellent look.
Rain began but not enough to deter the massive numbers of Robins on the
ground and not enough to deter the red wing from singing and a meadowlark
sang.
Went home and birds were moving everywhere in the drizzling rain on my
road. Not any wonderful looks perhaps but enough to satisfy me, anyhow.
Bedford Lake yielded some, including Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, a few
Hooded Mergansers, a small flock of Juncos...a nice afternoon of the usual
robins, titmice, a phoebe...the usual greeters of this place I've visited
since my early childhood. I especially enjoyed the 3 Barred Owls all
answering each other from a neighboring hill in different directions...a
new concept of surround sound!
Thinking I was through with adding new birds for today as I walked the dog
in the woods while the pair of Pileated Woodpeckers calling from one to the
other, I was greeted with one last gem...a Great Horn Owl swooping for a
rodent in front of my car this evening...
As one of my friends always says....a bad day birding (which I do not think
I had a bad day....) beats a good day working anytime...I tend to agree...
Unsure how to link so pardon, please...
20 Species at Frasier McEwen in Coffee County
Bedford Co:
27 at Bedford Lake (not a huge number of ducks)
17 species from my road...
of course, some of these were repeated...
May you have a day soon where you can bird...and get walk away looks...
Melissa Turrentine
Bedford County
