We left Vermont to escape the cold for a bit but I’m still birding with frozen fingers in Virginia. The ground is bare and there are a lot of birds about here in Charlottesville and it is parka and gloves weather. This morning, Ginger and I took a long walk and our first bird was an Eastern Bluebird.
Here are a few of the other birds we saw:
Off to South Carolina in the morning.
Early this morning, while walking Ginger, I heard the distinctive chatter of a Belted Kingfisher. The river, which has been frozen over, had opened up after the recent rains but I expected this guy to be in some place warmer. Mid-day, I heard him and was able to get a couple of photos, with the help of a puppy tugging at her leash. We have some real cold weather ahead this week – hope he’s catching a northerly wind and getting out of here.
We are enjoying a nice array of winter birds and looking forward to a road trip to Florida in late January to bird a bit without frosty hands – our first outing with our new birding assistant – Ginger Ale.
The acquisition of a puppy in July slowed up the birding while we focused on Ginger Ale, whose photo I will include at the end of this post.
It’s getting to that time when listings of the best of the year come out for many things. Here are some of my best birds of the first quarter of 2019 – nice to remember on a cold December spitting snow day.
We took an abbreviated trip to Florida and later spent several weeks in Arizona.
One of my favorite places to exercise Ginger is off-hours at the local airport. The parking areas and taxiways are clear of snow and dog-attracting debris and tennis balls roll forever. It was freezing fog this morning but we got a good workout – but also got chilled – so it was back to the car for a little birding.
Just a quarter-mile away is a parking lot for a number of medical groups and more importantly, a good view of birds. Today, I was looking for a species I’ve seen there before — Northern Shrike, and today as I drove in I spotted one in its top of the tree spot. The photo conditions were awful but I rolled down the window, and with warmed-up hands, grabbed a shot. I suspect it will hang around so we’ll return in better lighting. The “butcher-bird” is always a nice winter find.
One of the perks of having a puppy is that it gets you out the door numerous times a day. We live on the North Branch of the Winooski River so part of most of our outings is to stroll through the slush down to see what’s up. My first venture was early and aside from chickadees and a titmouse, not much else was awake.
Later, I spotted two Common Mergansers (likely waiting out the storm to head south) and surprisingly, a Belted Kingfisher. A bit later, I flushed a Great Blue Heron and saw another one stealthily watching us through the freezing drizzle.
Just now, on another trip, I spotted a Bald Eagle patiently perched over the river and I went back, grabbed my camera, and with the dog’s help – straining on a leash – documented this November visitor. Perhaps he’ll stick around.
Ginger and I had a birding venture the other morning which was delightful – there were dozens of young sparrows, many practicing their songs, and the lifting fog, changing colors, and warming temperature just added to the trip.
Most of these birds will head out but the woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, blue jays, crows, and others will be around when we bird this winter here on snowshoes. But let’s not push it.
Like the White Stork, this Grey Heron gets lots of attention. 
