Great day for birding!
Today, I saw the cheery chickadee, telling me once again to go down by the creek. I watched the chickadee bathe and preen. Then I noticed another bird down in the creek. Speckled breast, flicking tail - is it a song sparrow? It flew but it returned. I studied it again. I didn't have my binoculars so I stayed very still and studied it. It walked, rather than hopped, and it's tail was just "a bobbin" I thought, "Wow - that certainly isn't a song sparrow." It had white bars above its eyes and it was kind of brownish, grayish and it had a speckled breast like a thrush. Hum...I've got to look this one up! I ran up to the house and got my field guide. A Louisiana Waterthrush! Bird number 128 on my life list!
And so, because I was so drawn to the creek, I went back down about an hour later, this time with binoculars in hand. I looked again for the waterthrush - no sign of him. But I watched across the creek and a cardinal flew into the bush, then a gray catbird. I studied him for a while - looking for insects and looking at me. Then I spotted another bird. At first I wasn't sure what it was - more white eye brows, another semi speckled breast, perfect semi circle brownish circles under it's eyes and I studied its beak. Hum....could it be a female, rose breasted grossbeak? Again - I ran up to the house - yep! Another great bird today! I've never seen a female before, only the male, and that was about 18 years ago. Cool. I just love my creek!
I think that I really don't need to travel very far this year to add birds to my life list. All I need to do is open my eyes! Happy Birding!