The cosmopolitan family Cuculidae contains some of the world’s weirdest and most wonderful species of birds. I am not shy about my fondness for cuckoos, and over the years I have enjoyed a number of incredible encounters with this tribe during my travels around the globe. Fantastic creatures like Greater Roadrunner, Squirrel Cuckoo, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Pheasant Cuckoo, Little Bronze-Cuckoo, … Read More
Too many rarities and *barely* enough time
Chasing Florida State Vagrants in January 2020 Birding has many facets, as many of us know. It gets us outside, exploring new and fascinating places we wouldn’t normally visit. It connects us with people we may never interact with otherwise. But one part of the hobby that really drew me in nearly 11 years ago and continues to do so … Read More
*MEGA* Elegant Tern in Buffalo
Well, Christmas came early this year for Western New York. Almost instantly after I post about the early influx of awesome gulls into our fair city, then by golly an ELEGANT TERN decides to show up along the Niagara River. First spotted by Vicki Rothman and later confirmed by Jim Pawlicki on the 20th off of Beaver Island State Park, … Read More
Western Spindalis – Key West Botanical Gardens, FL
On December 28th, 2012 Carl Goodrich and Jacob Cooper discovered a female Western Spindalis at the Key West Botanical Gardens, on the Florida Keys. The bird was seen at the gardens almost daily until the first week of January, when reports of the spindalis were only appearing on eBird every 10 days or so. My friends and I were trying … Read More
Three Western Kingbirds at Fort Hill, Massachusetts!
After a successful morning of chasing Rhode Island’s Mountain Bluebird and the Bridgewater, Massachusetts Northern Lapwing, my friends and I shot over towards Cape Cod. While crossing over the Bourne Bridge, we noticed noticed about 250 Common Eiders floating beneath it so we pulled down around for a better look – what a great way to kick off our time on Cape … Read More
Washed-up Razorbill – Florida
This afternoon, the Marine Science Center at Ponce Inlet, Florida received an immature Razorbill into their bird hospital. The bird was found washed-up on the beach in New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County. There have been probably fewer than 10 state record for the Razorbill in Florida, with the only other eBird record from Pinellas County, on the Gulf Coast of … Read More
Townsend’s Solitaire – Bedford County, Pennsylvania
On Saturday, October 13th my friends and I conducted a ‘Big Sit’ at the Allegheny Front Hawkwatch. This was my third year doing a Big Sit at this location and I plan on writing up and posting a full report of our day soon, but I had to get the following information out as soon as possible…… At 10:30am on … Read More