Hardcore Birding

Today is the first day of really cold weather. Up until now, the temperature has dipped into the 40's here and there. Last night, a blast of really cold air moved in. Tonight will be close to the 20's. That should get the migration moving again. The winter birds moved in about two weeks ago. White-throated and chipping sparrows and dark-eyed juncos are now common. The only new home airspace sighting was a Louisiana Waterthrush on the front stairs. Here's the White-throats invading the front yard.

Starting in 1986 thru 1995, I worked outdoors year round. I was doing home improvements. Mostly vinyl siding, but some roofing and decks were thrown in. I had seen the fall migration of hawks, what was pretty cool, but didn't push me off into obsession land. Thinking back, a cloudy fall morning would mean there would be hundreds of hawks circling overhead. I now know they were kettles of broad-winged hawks trying to find the thermals to keep the migration south going. One day I was leaving work and saw a strange but beautiful bird on the sidewalk. I was so amazed by it I went right to Barnes & Nobel and bought the Audubon Field Guide. It turns out that what I saw was a Northern Flicker. It likes to eat bugs on the ground, which it was doing. I was hooked.