Consolation Prize (12May2014)

Update 13May2014 - This is the photo I took with Harry's camera, much better than my camera, see below for comparison.

Greg and Harry invited me to go to Lodge Rd. with them at the crack of dawn Monday to look for Bitterns and other goodies.  Well I was up about 30 minutes into the drive when I got a call from Greg saying they got to the gate and were told the road was closing for the summer today!  That was a bummer, I will have to travel much further to find a Least Bittern.  However, after birding the Marina for a bit, we decided to check Sutton Lake.

I got to the Lake first and once we got to the dirt road, I waved Harry up to chat and see where we would bird.  As they pulled up I immediately heard a Bobwhite calling and Greg confirmed.  We pulled over onto the shoulder and after a while Greg spotted it on a mound.  We all took pictures although mine were the worst.  Harry had his 400mm rig and got some great shots.  Mine are just good enough for identification.  Harry let me grab his camera and snap a few photos which he sent me for my photographic big year.  No one said it has to be my camera! In fact the Rebel I use isn't even mine (thanks Lauren and Steve).  I will post Harry's camera picture later when I figure out how to upload it.  For now, here is the crappy shot from my camera.

Northern Bobwhite.

Can you see him in the middle of the frame?

All that and I still got home in time for my first Teleconference of the day.

Another bonus, my Great Crested Flycatchers are back!  They have been flying around but I have not seen them get into the box yet. I am pretty sure its the same two that had a brood last year.

Great Crested Flycatcher.

Most of the "easy" birds are done now.  I have a couple left but things will be much slower now unless I get on some good pelagics which will not happen for a little while.

Great Times.