Chirps and Cheeps

Yesterday, I had a very unexpected sighting of an American White Pelican as it was flying over the city of Buffalo.  I had just finished walking through Times Beach Nature Preserve when I saw some raptors kettling over the Erie Basin Marina.  As I was looking them over with my binoculars, I had a huge, white bird fly through my field of vision!  It had black on its primaries and secondaries (sections of its wings) and a massive bill.  Wow!  It was an American White Pelican!  This species hails from the mid-west and you just don't see one every day around Buffalo, New York!

Then today, I was very glad I stopped by the hawkwatch to learn whatever I could from the legendary Alec Humann, today's official counter.  We were later joined by Kevin, who came on his lunch.  All of a sudden, Alec began yelling for the two of us to get on a raptor that was coming our way.  "Swainson's Hawk!!!  Swainson's Hawk" he started shouting.  "Photos!  Get photos!"  I quickly jumped into gear and tried to get a focus on the bird with my camera.  I think I was a bit in shock and precious seconds were passing before I eventually got some distant shots.  Ugh!  I'm still kicking myself about not getting a focus sooner.  BUT - this light morph Swainson's Hawk is photo-documented and, as it turned out, it was a brand new bird for the entire county of Erie.  This species is from much further west and doesn't wander all that often - another big WOW a second day in a row!

The month of April can sure bring unexpected sightings and it's a month I'm becoming particularly fond of.