Haven’t had much time for birding. Work and nasty weather made it tough to get out during the week. Friday we went to a Lansing Symphony Orchestra concert. They did Appalachian Spring, one of my favorite pieces and something I have never seen live. Saturday it was catch up on chores and doing errands with Molly.
Today we went down to the Ann Arbor area, mostly chasing snow buntings. They have become our nemesis bird. Everyone else seems to be finding them, just not us.
Still, it was a nice day to be out. A bit breezy but nice and sunny. Lise’s line is, “There is good birding and there is great birding.” Good birding is just being out there. Great birding is knocking off a new species. We got outside had some great views of horned larks, kestrels, red-tailed hawks, and rough-legged hawks, which would have made it a good day. But each of us got a new species, making it a great day. Lise got a Northern harrier and I got sandhill crane. That brings us up to 79 for me and 78 for Lise. Only a pheasant apart. We tried, walking across fields and through standing corn, but just couldn’t scare one up.
Sandhill cranes, off Vreeland Road in Washtenaw County. For full disclosure I have to admit that I saw a flash of brown and said, “deer in the field.”
Spring is definitely on the way. We were in a flock of several hundred male red-winged blackbirds. Right now they are all buddies, hanging out and flying around together. By the time the ladies show up they will be mortal enemies, staking out territories and driving each other away. For now it is one big bachelor party.
One giant red-winged blackbird bachelor party. Hundreds of the boys, waiting for the babes to show up.
Ed's and Lise's Biggish Years 