Best bird(s) of the morning: Empidonax Flycatcher, 1 Orchard Oriole, 12, small flock foraging among the sunflowers left standing west of the cantonment area Both sightings are a sure sign that fall migration has started Complete list: Northern Bobwhite, 7; most in the field where the sunflowers were not mowed down Great Blue Heron, 1 […]

Best bird(s) of the day: Watching a couple of Mississippi Kites work a flock of Cliff Swallows and successfully take one out. Watching the juvenile Swainson’s Hawk learn to fly and feed himself. Complete List: Mallard, 2 Wild Turkey, 4 Northern Bobwhite, 5 Green Heron, 2 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, 2 Turkey Vulture, 1 Mississippi Kite, 7 […]

No best bird of the day; all recorded are the usual breeders. However, the bobcat that walked out of the high grass ten feet in front of me was a pretty good find. He sauntered out from the six-foot forbes where I had just been checking a nestbox. I think I roused him from his […]

Best bird(s) of the evening: White-faced Ibis, 6, flying overhead Cattle Egret, 203, most still in breeding plumage Common Moorhen, 3. Don’t think we’ve ever recorded this species at Lake Ft. Phantom Complete List: Northern Bobwhite, 5 Great Blue Heron, 24 Snowy Egret, 8 Cattle Egret, 203 White-faced Ibis, 6 Turkey Vulture, 2 Mississippi Kite, […]

Best bird(s) of the morning: Well, it’s getting harder and harder to find a best; but the 16 juvenile American Robins flocking together like teenagers was amusing. Their spotted breasts and boldly patterned facial markings were reminiscent of varied thrushes. Others: Northern Bobwhite, 4 Mississippi Kite, 5 Swainson’s Hawk, 2 (only seeing 1 juvenile on […]

Best bird(s) of the day: Cattle Egret, 136 and probably more, most of them in breeding plumage Complete List: Northern Bobwhite, 4 Great Blue Heron, 2 Snowy Egret, 2 Cattle Egret, 136 Green Heron, 4 Turkey Vulture, 3 Mississippi Kite, 2 Red-tailed Hawk, 1 Killdeer, 6 Mourning Dove, 24 Inca Dove, 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 2 […]