I’ve had Arlo Guthrie’s song in my head for the last day because yesterday, after a nice trip into the city to visit the Museum of Art, we birded part of City Park (Coutuerie Forest) where we saw some nice birds.
City Park is as magical and unique as the city of New Orleans – and the birds like it too.
After a weather front passage, the temperatures dropped to near-freezing and the wind picked up but we got a little blue sky and sun. Here are a few shots I got this afternoon while out enjoying the crisp conditions.
Returning to the campsite, four neighbors looked me over.
There are dozens of Red-Headed Woodpeckers here at Fontainebleau State Park but most of them seem to be high in the trees resulting in photos like these.
Yesterday, we saw several down lower and this one feeding on the ground – quite far off.
He was joined by a Blue Jay and was not very happy about having company.
After a bit of trash talking, the Blue Jay departed and we left the woodpecker to finish up his meal.
After 1600 miles of travel, we are settled into one our favorite state parks — Fontaiinebleu State Park, and enjoying grey skies but warmer weather. Here are some birds we’ve seen enroute and here at the park.
As I was scanning the lake shoreline yesterday, I spotted this guy out in the water and others in costumes with drums going and people on the beach watching the going’s on. A Creole ceremony, a mid-week wedding? I moseyed over that way, met a guy who was watching the equipment tent, and learned that it was a Canadian outfit shooting a music video. The performers and director was from Canada, having flown in that morning, and a local crew was shooting.
In the past week I have seen large flocks of American Crows, Dark-eyed Juncos, European Starlings, and Snow Buntings. In the last post I showed some photos of a 25-bird Pine Grosbeak flock. Yesterday, while looking in vain for a Golden Eagle, we came upon a 44-bird group of Bohemian Waxwings in a line of maple trees.
Shortly later, we came upon a flock of 59 Wild Turkeys foraging in a cornfield. Finding flocks is often just getting out there – and being at the right place at the right time.
While heading to the gym yesterday morning, we came across this flock of Pine Grosbeaks feasting on berries.
About a week ago, a Snowy Owl was reported at the local airport — and then was unreported for several days in spite of many people looking. Then, Christmas Eve morning, as I was readying for a family visit, I heard that friends had seen it the previous day.The airport was on my route so I stopped, looked without success, and then, with the help of my friend John, who is the facility manager, I found the white adult owl perched on a snowbank in the middle of the field.
I returned from my trip today and my spouse and I went up and found the bird again, a little further away, but still a wonderful treat. It has been a great holiday present for dozens of Central Vermont birders.
As I sit here watching light snow fall and the temperature hover around 20 degrees, I think back two days when I was a little peevcd about birding in the hot sun and windy, dusty conditions along Del Dios Gorge Trail, a ten-mile trail popular with hikers, mountain bikers, and runners. The Santa Anna winds were stirring up dust and the birds were laying low — but I knew I’d be back in Vermont in two days so I decided to enjoy the warm walk.
It was tough to steady the camera in the stiff wind but this Cassin’s Kingbird was cooperative.
Later up the trail, I saw a couple of Say’s Phoebes.
This was the last warm weather birding for me for a few months and it was a good outing. After a long trip home, we are once again watching winter birds at the feeder.
Downtown LA is sprinkled with a number of small parks – one of which was just up above Sally’s nephew’s home. So early Sunday morning I took a long walk up to Elysian Park – the city’s second largest (600 acres) park which while dry and dusty, is filled with runners, dogs, and birds. Here’s the first one I saw (and was a little unsure on identity but believe it’s a Hutton’s Vireo.)
There are also nice views of the city although the visibility was limited by smoke from the fires to the north.
There were many juncos and several towhees along the paths.
In a section with more greenery, I saw a dozen Black Phoebes, including this one which looks very light in the morning sun.
Four Acorn Woodpeckers were making their rounds.
I saw a couple of Western bluebirds, many yellow-rumps, and a host of other species. What a treat to find a great birding in downtown LA.
In a lengthy Uber, Airline, Bus, and Taxi trip from LA through Mexico City, we arrived in Cuernevaca to visit a friend. I did some birding, mainly sitting in her back yard in the early morning, listening to strange bird calls and seeing some old avian acquaintances from Texas birding. Here’s the "sit spot."
There were dozens of Great Kiskadees and Great-tailed Grackles filling the morning air with familiar calls.
This large insect – almost hummingbird size, was making the rounds.
I saw several hummingbirds that I could not identify but this one sat, quite a ways off, for a photo. I’m calling it a Violet-crowned hummer.
During our one day there, I also saw a lot of birds that we see at home: Turkey Vultures, House Finches, Yellow-rumps, House Sparrows, and a Red-tailed Hawk. Then it was time to make the long trip back to LA. Note to self: Don’t schedule arrival on a Friday night in LA. Adios amigos.
