Thanksgiving Break

Over my short Thanksgiving break from classes, my girlfriend Brooke and myself did a little bit of what I like to call lazy birding. We were out and about the Sunday afternoon before Thanksgiving, and decided to stop at the local coffee shop and grab a brew. I happened to know the barista that was working, and we happen to be in the same major. We were getting caught up on our bird talk, and she began telling me sightings of ruddy ducks, great egrets, and bald eagles in the area. As you can imagine, the gears were turning as to where would be a good place to make a quick stop and maybe pick up a few ticks from the car, while Brooke's mind was probably gearing towards the American Eagle catalog. As we were leaving the coffee shop, I told Brooke how I'd like to stop at a few of my favorite spots before heading back home. She didn't object, so I took this as a green light and we were on our way to what I thought would be the best place to lazy bird from the car, of course, the DuBois reservoir. As we arrived I saw a lonesome duck on the water, and at first glance said American Black duck. I didn't give the bird too much attention after that, as I was trying to turn ring-necked ducks into scaup, canada geese into cackling or snow geese, and anything flying over into a non-passerine.

 

A good raft of ring-necked ducks, about 125 in this group

Mallards at the reservoir

 

 

Scanning the opposite shore line for anything good, and the middle of the reservoir for maybe a red throated loon, I was getting a little bit discouraged. It took a birder named Mike to park beside us and say black-scoter, and the american black duck dove under water, for me to get a little interested in what was going on. I put the bins on the bird and sure enough, after giving it a serious look, was a female black scoter. Boy did I feel stupid.

 

Female Black Scoter

Female Black Scoter

Female Black Scoter

 

Mike and I discussed the recent sightings in the area, as well as a few exciting experiences of our own. After a few minutes he was on his way, telling me of a spruce stand that was holding good numbers of crossbills that was near the reservoir before taking off. I was familiar with the area, so I had to check it out. After a short drive we arrived at the spruce stand to only find black capped chickadees, ultimately turning the search for the crossbills into a bust. I was happy however with the scoter sighting, and I think that I may be getting Brooke warmed up to this strange "birding" thing.

 

The afternoon of Thanksgiving, Brooke was on her way to work 2-6 at the hospital, and I was on my way to a pine stand on the boarder of Jefferson and Elk counties. I needed to see a crossbill. After spending about an hour in the area, the only thing that caught my interest was this single red-breasted nuthatch. I know birding is typically better in the mornings and evenings rather than afternoon but c'mon....I must really be out of practice..

 

Red breasted nuthatch

Red breasted nuthatch

 

I watched the nuthatch pick at the pine cones for a few minutes before it tired of my camera shutter and nuthatch imitations, and flew off.

 

I didn't spend as much time birding last week as I had hoped and planned, but when do we ever? Saturday I will start a new job, freeing up my day time, and allowing me to get back out into the woods! For now, I'm off to get some looks at the Northern Shoveller and Gadwall pairs that were reported yesterday! I hope that everyone's Thanksgiving break was as relaxing, but perhaps a little more productive, than mine was!