I sorted by date as I always do, and the very top bird on the list was Vermilion Flycatcher. I almost didn't bother to look up the location on a map, but I decided to check, just in case it was close enough to chase.
I typed in the location on google maps, expecting it to say something like "3 hours 57 minutes away", so I was quite surprised to find that it was only a 33 minute drive. I wanted to chase it then, but it was raining and I had schoolwork to do, so I was forced to wait until the next day.
This morning rose bright and sunny, a welcome change, as it had been raining almost every day for two weeks. I impatiently waited all morning to leave, and we finally set off at 12:30.
We arrived at the nursery at 1:07, and I immediately set out to look for the flycatcher.
It took us a while to find it, but we eventually found her down by the irrigation pond, where we had excellent views of my life bird #275 for nearly an hour, as she flew around to different perches around the pond.
I had seen earlier that there was a Loggerhead Shrike about a mile away from the Vermilion, so after leaving the nursery, we headed over to where it had been seen. Several other birders were already there, and one of them let us look at the Shrike through his scope. I was very excited to get this one so easily, as LOSH is a nemesis for me (I've chased them about ten times over the past two years). Unfortunately, we didn't have time to bird all day, so when the Shrike flew to a perch farther from the road, where it was barely visible, we decided that it was time to leave.
Overall, it was a very exciting day. I had gotten two lifers (something that doesn't happen very often anymore): one a rare vagrant (4th for MD), and the other a nemesis bird.
I believe that this was the perfect way to end 2015.
It took us a while to find it, but we eventually found her down by the irrigation pond, where we had excellent views of my life bird #275 for nearly an hour, as she flew around to different perches around the pond.
I had seen earlier that there was a Loggerhead Shrike about a mile away from the Vermilion, so after leaving the nursery, we headed over to where it had been seen. Several other birders were already there, and one of them let us look at the Shrike through his scope. I was very excited to get this one so easily, as LOSH is a nemesis for me (I've chased them about ten times over the past two years). Unfortunately, we didn't have time to bird all day, so when the Shrike flew to a perch farther from the road, where it was barely visible, we decided that it was time to leave.
Overall, it was a very exciting day. I had gotten two lifers (something that doesn't happen very often anymore): one a rare vagrant (4th for MD), and the other a nemesis bird.
I believe that this was the perfect way to end 2015.