Hot Tub Birding
After birding in the wind and rain most of the day, watching this Merlin eat his meal in the hot tub at Mary’s (us in the hot tub, not the merlin) was quite copacetic!!!


After birding in the wind and rain most of the day, watching this Merlin eat his meal in the hot tub at Mary’s (us in the hot tub, not the merlin) was quite copacetic!!!


Here’s a couple of very nice pix by Dennis Palafox taken at the coast recently.
I believe virtual sparrow fest is free this year. https://www.friendsofbalcones.org/event-4122116. Sign up and see what Dr Birdy and friends can find on the refuge. Try googling sparrowfest 2021 if link above doesn’t work.
Dacha bird #145 flew over yesterday: eastern meadowlark.
I enjoyed Cin Ty Lee’s presentation on Empids at TOS!! He’s got some good material on his website: http://www.cintylee.org/#/guiding-services/ I also notice that Butter Butt’s are scarfing down crushed pecans in the street in several locations.
Here’s a comparison of Semipalmated with a Least. So I think we can see actual black legs here on this sandpiper. It’s a short-winged bird; wings are just atop tail. Bill is short and pretty straight. Overall coloration is fairly pale, not brown. Baird’s and Least are brown-hued birds. Both also have a chest coloration…
Here’s a reminder for Eastern Empids. Any one want to reevaluate the Empid I had at Dacha?