Despite a muggy morning, the day has mellowed nicely to become cool and slightly breezy. I’m engaging in my favorite activity, sitting on the deck watching the robins in the yard and listening to the frogs pluck their vocal cords. There’s one funky sounding waterfowl I can’t see well enough to identify, but at first thought was a horse whinnying -> suggestions welcome.
In honor of Mr Wren’s birthday, we spent last weekend with his family, aka my wren-laws, in Cleveland. We drove, despite the gases prices, because it’s the only thing that makes sense. It’s not a bad drive from here, but it’s almost entirely flat, straight expressway and hence boring. Even with the top down, flat is flat and boring is boring.
So to amuse myself and occupy my mind (you try reading in a convertible at 70 mph even if you aren’t driving) I started noticing what birds I was seeing. No lifers, not surprisingly, but a nice selection including great blue herons, great egret, red-winged blackbirds, mourning doves, starlings, grackles, goldfinch, crows, barn swallows, canada geese, definitely ducks most likely mallards, turkey vultures, possibly a robin, a couple of accipiters, and two red-tailed hawks on a fence. I also saw a herd of deer on the way back and the usual assortment of horses and cows.
Okay, so it wasn’t exciting as birding ventures go, but it beats the heck out of playing the license plate game. No photos from the trip, but here are a few I’ve taken at other times of the birds I saw in transit.
{ 12 comments }
rurality – yes, I did, and while I was sure that was it, I did go and listen to the screech owl as well. Clearly sounded like the sora.
Did you listen to a Sora recording to see if that was it? I wouldn’t have thought to describe the Sora call as a whinny, but I guess it is, after listening to it again… I haven’t heard one in a while! The only other thing I can think of that really sounds like a whinny is the Screech owl!
babooshka – thank you & thanks for visiting
anonymous – I’m so glad you enjoy – it’s much more fun when I can share
I’ve enjoyed viewing your ‘birds in transit’!
Birds in flight are always a winner woth me. Fantastic capture.
PS kathie and hugh – I am distraught. The sora rail would have been a lifer for me. < --sheds tear-->
science guy – thanks, it’s one of my favorites, too.
hugh – love me, love my vultures
robin – the same thing happened to me. I still regret not having the camera that day
kathie – now ‘fess up: do you bird only when you’re the passenger
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bfk – thank you, and welcome. You have seriously great photos on your blog.
Nice shots Wren, I really like the vulture, what a head they have, thanks for stopping by and linking to my blog I will return the same for you. !!
Wren, there is a healthy crop of robins here in CT also. I’m with you for counting birds out the window. I do it all the time. As for your whinny-ing bird, it could be a Sora. That is how they describe the sound in the bird guides. I have heard them myself and they sound that way.
It’s nice to see that you photographed the vulture. We drove by six of them sitting on a fence. I so wished I had the camera.
Nice vulture!
Perhaps the mystery waterfowl is a Sora Rail. They whinny.
The last shot of the egret (I think) is very nice.
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