Day 8 - I love it when a plan comes together!

Do you remember George Peppard leading the A-Team? Or maybe you're a millennial and had your first dose of "Hannibal" Smith with Liam Neeson?  Either way, you should be familiar with his catch  phrase.  Often jovially spewed while a cigar hung off his lips, Hannibal always (almost) had a plan. You knew this while you watched but you never quite knew all the details till his schemes were being executed.  I feel like this is how birding is--and a big year on a grander scheme is a drawn out plan.  And boy do I love it when a plan comes together!



Last night I schemed up my plans for birding today.  I was out the door and headed to a local watering hole where I found exactly ZERO of the birds I had hoped to check off for the morning. I decided to check out a nearby park  and come back to the water later to see if things had turned over.

The park was quiet at first but soon I started hearing Chickadees calling; followed by a few flyover American Robins; and lastly a couple of calling American Goldfinch.  Nothing new, but birds none-the-less.  Then I heard the shrill cry of a Smokescreen! Year bird #70.  There were actually 2 or 3 around but they were staying high up in the trees out of sight.


I thought I heard the call notes of a Fiery Elitist, but wasn't sure if it was my mind playing tricks on me.  That was until a small flock came zipping past, followed by a few pairs moving around calling all the while.  I don't know if they had just arrived, or just woken up, but for the remainder of my walk, I could hear them as they moved form tree to tree in search of breakfast.  I didn't find any of my other targets, but these two were definitely worth the stop.

I headed back to where I started my day and found that a few birds had moved in, but my target birds weren't there.  Just as I was about to leave a flock of Bobbers came winging past.  As I scanned them I picked out one of my targets--a lingering Wandering Bobber! This was at the top of my list of must-gets today so I was thrilled.  I wrapped things up shortly after the excitement passed and called it a morning.  My plan had come together for the day, and I simply love that.

New birds today: 3
Year List: 72

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