Monday, May 16, 2011

Gray-Crowned Rosy Finch (Feb 20)

Had no idea it was going to be soo windy yesterday :shock:
Decided to drive out to Harrison Hot Springs to try for the Gray-crowned Rosy-finches that have been reported by many this last little while. Looked to be a nice day and a potential North American Lifer is always worth a drive.
Coming up on 5 years as a birder and bird photographer and i'm finding the new birds just don't come as quick as they used to :lol:
Anyways, after searching in what i call Arctic winds the whole 1 1/2 hours i was out and very nearly having my fingers fall off from the brittle cold (i still haven't bought a good pair of gloves yet) i finally located them, on the far side of the gravel boat launch parking lot, on a dirt bank hidden in heavy shadow.
I was on the way back to the car and happened to notice someone photographing the lake and mountains beyond. He was standing on a dirt bank and then i noticed a little dark shape flutter just below him :o
Sure enough, and 5 of them in all.
best of all was that 2 other groups of birders out the same time as i also got a chance to view them.
Michael Klotz was one of the birders and had driven up a number of times already unsuccessfully.
We were all quite relieved to finally see them and watched as the birds worked some seed that had been scattered on the bank until 2 cyclists wizzed by scattering the birds.
We watched as they flew high up in the air and towards the mountains to the east of us.

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bonus bird (and my consultation prize if i dipped on the finches) was this approachable Snow Bunting on the lagoon walkway.
Fingers were seriously freezing while shooting this bird :lol:

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Thanks for looking :)

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The Waiting Area

The Waiting Area