Okaloosa County Birding

Kirk, Kelly, and I went birding on Eglin Sunday evening. The sun was setting with a golden light, and the birding was good.

Two Prothonotary Warblers sang to us in this swamp.

The Longleaf Pine Woods were pretty magical at sunset.  We got to see a Red-cockaded Woodpecker and a Bachman's Sparrow.

I got a nice look at a Blue Grosbeak.  Several were singing for us, so I could work on learning the song.

Kirk spotted this nighthawk perched. Many nighthawks were doing their 'booming' display, which I had never heard before. It is a very impressive sound.  Later, we got to see several Chuck-wills-widows perched and flying.  They sang for us through the night.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

We got our 44th bird species at our feeders this week, this gorgeous male Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  I was pretty excited.

Bird Grab Bag

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were singing for us along a stream south of Moweaqua, Illinois.

A Scarlet Tanager in a very dark canopy on the north side of Indianapolis.

A Dickcissel sits on a Musk Thistle at Conner Prairie.

An Orchard Oriole was feeding in a White Mulberry tree along the White River at Conner Prairie.

A Summer Tanager was singing a way in an oak tree in Fayette County, Illinois.

An Indigo Bunting in the grass in Marion County, Illinois.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

I saw these two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks near my house.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

It was very cool to see RBGs all over the place up in Michigan. They are such a pretty bird. This was at someone's feeder in their front yard.