Purple is for kings

Tweet The weather has been very winter like as of late, which usually means that good birds are going to show up.  The Franklin's Gulls that I wrote about in the previous post were just the beginning of what was to come bird wise.  Thanks to the gulls, they brought more birders to East Fork.  I always like to see birders from the west side of Cincinnati here on the east side.  As I was not going to go birding Wednesday, Oct. 23rd due to other commitments, I am glad that a west side birder friend of mine did.  He got lucky and hit the jackpot at East Fork!  The rest just seemed like a blur...

As I was checking the Cincinnati Birds website, I got a call from another birder friend who said that three Purple Sandpipers were currently being seen to the left of the south beach at East Fork.  As that would be a life bird, I dropped what I was doing and grabbed my camera and out the door I went headed to East Fork!

When I got there, there were about five or so birders watching them.  The weather was very cloudy and windy with spitting rain.  I knew they must still have them in view.  I raced down to where they were and was pointed to the birds.  WOW!  A Purple Sandpiper in SW Ohio is a big deal, but 3?  In October?  This would even be early up on Lake Erie.  Even though the lighting was tough, they were still just beautiful birds. They say that purple is for royalty, and this bird is definitely a royal shorebird!   Life bird!

Just awesome!

I went back Friday and could not find the birds.  Later that evening, a local birder friend refound one bird in the same spot.  I watched it with another birder until dark.  A stray cat came down and stalked the bird, and me and the other birder chased it far away.  

Saturday, the sun was shining, so I was hoping to get some better views and pictures of the Purple Sandpiper.  It is such a nice looking bird, plus I was wanting to see a hint of that purple sheen.  The one lone sandpiper was still there and very cooperative.  

It walked kind of funny sometimes.  I love shorebirds.

There were other birds around as well, including a couple of Dunlin.  

Sunday, I was back at East Fork.  The Purple Sandpipers could not be found.  A good number of birders were there.  I love seeing all the birder action down here.  I met a lot of new birders, always fun.  I was even asked by one for an autograph!  That was a first.  I love sharing my knowledge and love of birds with others on my blog and out in the field.

While talking to a newly made birder friend, a small bird popped up and back down in some vegetation very near the rocky beach edge.  

I had an idea as to what it is, but I couldn't see enough for a positive ID.  Then a couple with a dog came very near and the bird popped out for about 3 seconds.

Vesper Sparrow!

I see them in the spring, but not often during fall migration.  Pretty bird.

As the weather seems to be in a lull, another powerful cold front is slated to slam into here with wind and rain Friday.  I wonder what goodies this one might bring?  If you are a birder in Ohio or near Ohio, make sure you bird after these cold fronts, as you never know what might show up!  Good birding and have fun! 

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