Friday Evening Birding

I got out of work early today and decided to take advantage of the first sign of sun I have seen in over a week. My plan was go walk one of the power lines and do about 3 miles to get rid of some of the energy I had due to being cooped up all week because of the rain. Wouldn't you know right the minute I got there, we had a thunder storm.

So off I went to Dunkin's for my Turbo and off to St. Philips in Grafton to see what was there because you can do some birding in your car at that location.

The Chipping Sparrows were everywhere including the one in the pictures above perched on a branch and trying to dry off.

A lousy shot of another one trying to dry off (I had a coffee in my hand so couldn't make my camera steady w/ one hand ;o) ). So cool though watching it shake it's feathers off like that. Such a cute little bird.

I also found a Cedar Waxwing nest with mamma on the nest no less. It made identifying the nest much easier of course!

When I first got to the cemetery, I saw a bird that totally confused me (what else is new). It looked rust colored even to my eye so I decided to get some pictures of it from my car despite the downpour

This is I believe a Northern Mockingbird but I can't explain why it's colors are the way they are. There must be something in the drinking water at St. Phils as I always get birds w/ weird and out of the ordinary plumage there, very weird! I don't know what else it could be though. Such a weird color though. NOTE ADDED: Hap from New Hope thinks its a juvie European Starling. It would make total sense as it was acting more like a Starling than a Mockingbird due to how it was foraging on the ground. The eye mask totally throws me off though as the pics I have in my guide book of a juvie Starling does not have it.

An Eastern Phoebe, waiting out the storm under the cover of trees.

An Eastern Bluebird faces the sun to dry off after the thunder storm.

Birds were easy to find in the rain as all you had to do was peek your head in the bushes and there they were. They seem as depressed by all the rain we have had recently as I was.

My first Eastern Kingbird of the year on my mulberry tree. They were there last summer too bu this is the first time I have seen them there eating berries this year. This is my 10th species of bird on the tree this year that I know of. The photo came out lousy because I was taking it through a screen.

I took this picture through a screen too, but couldn't resist! So cute! I still have over 1/2 of the mulberries on this tree so I have at least another two weeks of constant bird and squirrel activity. Of course my neighbor can't wait until they are all gone as the birds have taken a sudden liking to crapping all over his car so he is always washing berry stains off of his windshield. ;o)

Have a great 4th of July weekend!