Barred Owl Photo Shoot

While hiking through the Patuxent River Park off of Governor's Bridge Road in P.G. County I kept hearing BARRED OWLS hooting down by the river. After some exploring, I found a trail that led down to the banks of the Patuxent. That is where the OWL made it's presence more visible. But first, this frog. What species is it?Anyone have the answer, hmmm? WHO WHO WHO knows about this frog? I could look it up, but I will instead await word from you... the frog expert. One thing I do know is that my lovely wife Emery 'cooked for me' tonight! Oh, it's just a bad BARRED OWL joke. Get it? I'll move on.If you ask me, in this next photo... well, it looks as if this BARRED OWL was up all night.This BARRED OWL was quite cooperative and up until the time that we were aware of each other's presence, this nocturnal predator was quite noisy.

Here are a few other birds that were seen this afternoon. There were several BLUE GREY GNATCATCHERS, WHITE-EYED VIREOS and NORTHERN PARULAS. However, two year birds (an ORCHARD ORIOLE and a PRAIRIE WARBLER) didn't pose long enough for a worthy photograph!As the weekend approaches, the migration season continues. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and if you see a great bird... let me know.

Okay, fine... here is the ORCHARD ORIOLE. It was 7:30PM when I got this photo. I wasn't expecting much and I hope you weren't either.

-Dan

Signs of Spri.... HAAA CHOOO.... of Spring. Pass the tissues?

Last week I thought that I'd developed some sort of 'adult allergies' or something rather terrible like that. Good news!!! It's just a plain old, run-of-the-mill frustrating cold. My head is stuffed, my body aches and I could whine about it all night long. But I will do no such thing. No, me... I'm delighting in the fact that my old friend the oak tree, the spring flowers or that little bit of Goldenrod is NOT causing all this torture. Lucky me, someone probably sneezed on me somewhere, sometime last week.But some awful cold is not enough to keep me from a blog. And to put your minds at ease, Declan and Mom Emery are doing great. For that matter, the entire Haas Family had a wonderful Easter weekend and we hope yours was fantastic as well.

Chris Murray and I dropped by Waterworks Park in Annapolis just prior to our trip Emery's folks home in Bethesda for Easter dinner. Emery, Declan and I spent the morning at my folks home here in Annapolis. After a brief nap, I figured that a little birding couldn't hurt before dinner. My sniffles and coughing are telling me otherwise.

Here is an EASTERN PHOEBE. It was one of five seen at Waterworks during our brief visit. We also had two BARRED OWLS calling while we hiked around the reservoir.

"Who Cooks For You? Who Cooks For You All??," asked the BARRED OWLS. Lucky for us, my folks had fixed a scrumptous breakfast and Emery folks were busy making dinner!The Cornell Lab of Ornithology informs us that, "In 1804, the Eastern Phoebe became the first banded bird in North America. John James Audubon attached silvered thread to an Eastern Phoebe's leg to track its return in successive years." I suppose that would mean that this bird was one of the first to shed light on that wild MIGRATION thing? If so, the PHOEBE gets my nomination for "Spring Sign of the Week."

And finally, a photo of the GREAT EGRET patrolling the cove at Greenbury Point. This photo was taken last week, but it says 'spring' to me. I trust that you are enjoying the season.Ths is my favorite photo today of the better 2/3rds of my family. I love my wife's facial expression here. She is so adorable when she growls like a bunny.-Dan

The Return of PABU & Hanging With Mr. Cooper

This edition of the Nervous Bird's blog title reads like tonight's movie listings, right?

True, there is nothing on the TV.

Even the HOUSE SPARROWS look interesting.

Instead of being out from 6:30AM until 8PM birding around Cambridge and Blackwater with my friend Bill, I decided to stay home with my wife Emery and our wonderful son Declan.

THE RETURN OF PABU!

An email arrived around 9AM from T-J informing me that the PAINTED BUNTING had returned! The colorful bird was observed yet again in Arnold around 8 this morning over a cup of coffee. Well, not literally anyway. Note to all: when enjoying your morning beverage (coffee, juice, tea or even a bloody mary), take some time to have a look outside. You'll never know what you're going to see out there!

So around 10:30AM, I kissed my wife and son goodbye (they went to the mall... poor boy!) and ventured over to Severna Park to check on the BIRDCAM. I didn't see the bird, but noticed that those hilarious squirrels had flipped my motion-sensitive camera upside down. I downloaded the photos, but no evidence of the PABU's return (just that wonderful little squirrel). Luckily, when I returned home this evening, T-J emailed me the day's photos. Success.

This PAINTED BUNTING has been working the B&A Trail this winter.

After fixing the camera, I ventured off with Western Maryland's finest birders J.B. Churchill and David Yeany II for a tour of Annapolis' Greenbury Point. Later, I paid a solo visit to Waterworks Park near Annapolis Mall. This afternoon the birds were either asleep or hiding. I did hear a BARRED OWL deep in the woods at Waterworks. Several raptors made their presence known and the CEDAR WAXWINGS were in abundance as well. Aside from that, it was just another wonderful day in and around town.

My birding-bonus upon returning home: right outside my front door I saw...

COOPERS HAWK

HUNTING SPARROWS

NOT REALLY TRYING TO HIDE

Our resident sparrow hunter was quite pleasant and obliging this evening. I simply walked up to it and took these photos. This accipiter was peering into an evergreen loaded with HOUSE SPARROWS (who were all probably scared stiff). No meals were consumed whilst the neighbors and I were observed the bird, but I'm sure this hawk won't go to bed hungry. We have a surplus of HOUSE SPARROWS in West Annapolis.

Good Birding,

Dan