Chirps and Cheeps

Several Eurasian Wigeon are beginning to pop up across the state and, twice, I caught up with the handsome male that Mike Tetlow found out in Hamlin. What a gorgeous bird! This duck is very similar to an American Wigeon but has an orange head instead of the green that an American Wigeon has. I got one flight shot my first time seeing him and then a couple of mediocre shots of him in the water the next day.

Since I was in Hamlin, I decided to pop over to Braddock Bay and see if I could find a Saw-whet Owl. On my way in, I admired a flock of Snow Geese that flew overhead, after which I was treated to a close encounter with a Red-shouldered Hawk. This visit was already off to a good start!

I was happy to find two of the little owls, once inside the woods. One was pretty difficult to find as he was well tucked-into a dense area so I was happy to have noticed it. Unfortunately, I shared its location with a couple of women who got right up into the little guy's face with their iPhones and flushed the nervous owl!  Ugh!  I was so sorry I showed those women where he was. Lesson learned! Not everyone knows that we need to give the Northern Saw-whet Owl some space.  This owl's defense strategy is to remain stock still, but we shouldn't mistake that for being calm when we are near; he's actually very scared.

A little bit closer to home, Joe Mitchell found a Ross's Goose in Akron and I was happy to finally catch up to one (I had tried several times for a Ross's this year and failed each time!). The goose was with many Canada Geese out in a cornfield and I just got a few record photos in before he flew to the back of the field.

On the way home, I stopped to admire a gorgeous Merlin who gave me beautiful views. I can never see too many Merlin!