A red, white and blue day...

Tweet Since I had to work most of this holiday weekend, I didn't make any plans other than to watch birds (not too surprising there).  I had Sunday off, so I decided to spend almost all of it outdoors.  The temperature was not too bad either, with a high around 70 and low humidity.  The cooler temps had the bird singing all day.  Since it is Memorial Day weekend, I thought I would post some patriotic birds that I have seen today.

I decided to go far back on a very wooded trail.  I could hear Acadian Flycatchers, as they were everywhere.  I did hear a Cerulean Warbler, but I could not find it.  I hear less and less of these birds every year it seems.

I could hear Indigo Buntings calling from an open spot in the canopy where a large tree had fallen.  I have Indigos in the yard, but I can never see them, I only hear them. I could see this one.

I continued pishing, and saw some red movement up ahead.  It was a tanager.  Then I heard chick-burr.  

I can see you!

This is very near where I seen the Scarlet Tanager in my previous post, but this one is a different male.  In this bird, you can still see some of its immature plumage (the yellow blotches).  The other bird did not have this.  

The other evening before sunset, my girlfriend and I saw a Summer Tanager very near the road at East Fork Dam area.  This bird has been reported as very cooperative by other birders, and they weren't kidding.  I showed a nonbirding couple the bird as well.  Many people are surprised to know that there is a red bird around here that is redder than a cardinal.   They were very interested in it - would make a nice spark bird!   If you live near SW Ohio, this bird is right next to a parking lot going down to the spillway.  Just park and listen, as he is always singing around dusk.  Today, I tried to spot him earlier so I could take his picture.  I heard and then found him as soon as I got out of the car.  

This Yellow-breasted Chat flew by and landed on a weed right in front of me.  I guess he wanted his picture taken too.  He was very noisy (love their sounds!) and very cooperative for a chat.  

I bet you are now wondering where the white is at.  Well, I didn't exactly see a WHITE bird today.  But I did see a bird with white in its name.  Can you guess what it is?

Here it is - a White-eyed Vireo.  A cool bird it is.  Love its song.  (It has a white iris)

Next post will be about butterflies, as the East Fork Butterfly Count is coming up.  Some butterfly pics from the US as well as elsewhere will be shown here.  I love lepidoptera too!

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