Chirps and Cheeps

I had been debating on going to see the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, a very rare visitor to NYS, for close to a week.  Against all odds, reports were coming in that the bird was still being seen each day; I had been expecting it to leave the day after it was found!  Well, thanks to the gentle prodding from my good friend, Celeste, I finally got out there in time to see this southern vagrant before those northerly winds took it back home.

It didn't take us long to find the bird once the 4+ hour trip got us to Krumkill Road (yes, Krumkill!) in Albany County.  We found the very long-tailed flycatcher perched nicely on a white fence just a little further down the road from where it was originally found.  The bird was very cooperative and fanned that beautiful tail for us a few times, we saw it flycatching and eating its prey, and we watched it flit from the fence to a tree top and back again several times.  All in all, it was a wonderful experience that I'm so glad I went for.  It was a thrill to add this long hoped-for bird to my life list and Celeste got to add it to her state list.

In the meantime, back near home, a Western Kingbird had been found.  I didn't think there would be enough daylight left by the time I got there to be able to see it but, as luck would have it, I ended up making it in just enough time.  The western flycatcher was out in a field, kind of hunkered-down due to the cold winds and the first snow fall of the season.  I'm sure he was regretting whatever mishap brought him to the cold Northeast!  I spent a few minutes watching him sit there, grabbed a few record photos, and finally went home after a very long - but very fulfilling day!