Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2010 10:39:56 GMT -8
Hi, everyone.
Thanks for all the kind comments. Really it was just a matter of taking time for a second look at a bird-like object on a distant branch, and it happened to be something out of the ordinary. I've looked at a lot of similar objects that were just cottonwood leaves hanging on.
It's just great to know that everyone is getting to see this bird. When you find and report something like this, you take a chance, because you never know if it will stick around or if it will be gone the next day and everyone will travel to the site for nothing.
For me, I think the most satisfaction was first when I saw Mike Toochin's post on bcvanbirds that it was still there first thing the next morning (yesterday), and then when I arrived at the site around 9:30 to find that there were already lots of birders from out of town there and they were all getting good looks at the bird. That means more to me than just getting it on the count, although that was pretty exciting too.
It was moving around between the cottonwoods on the west side of the RR and the hazelnut orchard on the opposite side of the RR, sometimes out of sight in the orchard for a while, sometimes difficult to track moving around high in the cottonwoods, but most of the time it was findable with a little patience. So far, it has consistently stayed in the same small area, so if you do go, just be patient and you should get to see it.
When it flies into the orchard, it can often be seen feeding down low in the hazelnut trees or even on the ground. Note also that sometimes you will hear its calls, sort of a rolling growling-laughing very distinctive call. Occasionally it will perch near the top of a hazelnut tree and flycatch.
When it flies from one area to another, look for the undulating flight typical of woodpeckers, and the obvious flashing white patches in the wings. Note that it can also fly with a more dipsy-doodling, bat-like or butterfly-like flight that we don't normally expect of woodpeckers.
No one knows for sure, of course, but in the morning this bird was seen peering out of a cavity, high in one of the cottonwoods near where I first saw it, where it could well be roosting snugly overnight, and it has a plentiful food, grit and water supply right there, and so it could well hang around for a long time. I hope it does!
Stan
Thanks for all the kind comments. Really it was just a matter of taking time for a second look at a bird-like object on a distant branch, and it happened to be something out of the ordinary. I've looked at a lot of similar objects that were just cottonwood leaves hanging on.
It's just great to know that everyone is getting to see this bird. When you find and report something like this, you take a chance, because you never know if it will stick around or if it will be gone the next day and everyone will travel to the site for nothing.
For me, I think the most satisfaction was first when I saw Mike Toochin's post on bcvanbirds that it was still there first thing the next morning (yesterday), and then when I arrived at the site around 9:30 to find that there were already lots of birders from out of town there and they were all getting good looks at the bird. That means more to me than just getting it on the count, although that was pretty exciting too.
It was moving around between the cottonwoods on the west side of the RR and the hazelnut orchard on the opposite side of the RR, sometimes out of sight in the orchard for a while, sometimes difficult to track moving around high in the cottonwoods, but most of the time it was findable with a little patience. So far, it has consistently stayed in the same small area, so if you do go, just be patient and you should get to see it.
When it flies into the orchard, it can often be seen feeding down low in the hazelnut trees or even on the ground. Note also that sometimes you will hear its calls, sort of a rolling growling-laughing very distinctive call. Occasionally it will perch near the top of a hazelnut tree and flycatch.
When it flies from one area to another, look for the undulating flight typical of woodpeckers, and the obvious flashing white patches in the wings. Note that it can also fly with a more dipsy-doodling, bat-like or butterfly-like flight that we don't normally expect of woodpeckers.
No one knows for sure, of course, but in the morning this bird was seen peering out of a cavity, high in one of the cottonwoods near where I first saw it, where it could well be roosting snugly overnight, and it has a plentiful food, grit and water supply right there, and so it could well hang around for a long time. I hope it does!
Stan