My Earth Day 2024 morning was spent at the Sardis Lake Waterfowl Refuge. I chose the best day and place to collect new species for my files. Many of these are FOY birds.
I’ll start with the singers and work toward the unusual. The video below includes both the male and female Orchard Oriole with an interesting twist at the end. I’ll have a few of the unseen singers after the video.
32 second video
When I spotted the Green Heron, it had a typical stance atop the post. I noticed it was in full breeding plumage. Here is my first photo along side a juvenile in non-breeding covering.
The post was commandeered by a Great Blue Heron soon after the Green Heron departed.
39 second video
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A few of the species I saw were not singers but were certainly enjoying the day. Here are some of those individuals but I’d like to highlight this pair.
I saw a few birds on the way back to the truck. These were keeping a close eye on my movements. The Brown Thrasher was not a FOY bird, but gave a warning alert that I was in the area.
I even found my Bug of the Day there. This is a Georgia Wolf Spider. These large (up to 2 inches long) arachnids live in leaf litter and dine mostly on insects that cross it’s path.
It is fun to think that I have so many new species in my first four months of the year. I am sure there will be a slow period soon (let’s cal it Summer). Then there should be an uptick when migration starts in the Fall.
Since time periods vary, you may will find your own new species in the coming month of May. Feel free to share any of your own sightings.
I will join you as soon as I get home from work today.
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