Nemesis No More

I got the call at twenty after noon from Bruce Troy that he had re-found the Northern Shrike in the field across from his house. I was out at Plains Flats where there was a Horned Grebe, some Green-winged Teals and Ring-necked Ducks, and a couple Wilson’s Snipes I had kicked out. Once I heard the news I was off and literally running to my car to get my winter 08-09 nemesis. It was not a comfortable run as the ground sucked my boots down at every step plus I still have a cracked rib I got at hockey a couple weeks ago. But sure enough, I arrived to find Bruce watching the Shrike thru binoculars.

I got to watch it out in the field for about 20 minutes. It was too far for truly good photos. But at the end the bird flew right over our heads and into the tree in Bruce’s front yard— right by us! I didn’t have a chance to get it in the digiscope, I should have had my slr on me. But I did get a perfect look thru the binoculars. What a lifer!

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NOTE: Any post that begins "REPORT:" is something I'm passing along and will include date, while all other posts will be my sightings from the field and should be considered from within a half-hour of the post.

Countdown to 300

After re-entering birding in June 2007 and subsequently throwing away my life list, I am finally approaching 300 species on my new life list. So I’m going to countdown the last ten.

#290 Arctic Tern
Lake Wallenpaupack, PA Oct. 24, 2009
After a crazy storm pushed down lots of seabirds. Not accepted by PORC but I didn’t get a photo. But I’m positive of ID.

#291 Common Eider
Sandy Hook, NJ Nov. 8, 2009

#292 Lapland Longspur
Sandy Hook, NJ Nov. 8, 2009

#293 King Eider
Sandy Hook, NJ Nov. 8, 2009

#294 Ivory Gull
Cape May, NJ Dec. 6, 2009
Seen on my first true “chase” of a single bird.

#295 Cackling Goose
Harvey’s Lake, PA Dec. 9, 2009
Weird to see this on my list after a mega like Ivory Gull, but I wasn’t very aware of this species since it wasn’t it’s own species when I originally birded. Then I haven’t crossed paths with it since studying up on the ID until now.

#296 Brown-headed Nuthatch
Lewes, DE Apr. 2, 2010

#297 Little Gull
Lake Wallenpaupack, PA Apr. 10, 2010
This was on my most wanted list for a while. Now on to Black-headed Gull.

#298 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
PPL Riverlands, PA June 14, 2010
In county lifer. Nice.

#299 Black-headed Gull
Bombay Hook, DE August, 21 2010
One of my most wanted birds. Check.

#300 Clay-colored Sparrow
Forty Fort, PA September, 16 2010
The fight is over! And it ends in what is my most birded locales!!