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Expecting the unexpected

When I set out to go birding on Monday March 5, 2018, I didn't know what I might find. Some target birds included Wilson's Snipe, Eastern Phoebe and possibly a vagrant waterbird such as Eurasian Wigeon, a species which has been reported in the norther tier of the state this month. As I birded Fernald I had discovered several species of birds, including many species of waterfowl, all of which I've seen already this year. I scanned carefully in a loose raft of American Wigeons for an Eurasian, but none were found. The last time I saw what I thought was an Eurasian Wigeon at Fernald turned out to be a hybrid American X Eurasian Wigeon in 2014. No luck with rarities or the more expected snipe and phoebe. However, on my way out of Fernald, as I drove past Lodge Pond, I saw a rich orange buff ball of fluff by the side of the road. Quickly recognizing this as an American Woodcock, I backed the car up slowly to view it and remembered that I had the camera in the seat next to me so I snapped a few photos. Moments earlier while walking the Lodge Pond trail I missed a shot at a close female Northern Harrier because I had left my camera battery on the charger in the camera bag, which was in the trunk. I had charged the battery overnight and grabbed battery and charger, still intact, and placed in my camera bag as I headed out the door in the morning. Lesson learned and I'm so grateful for that missed harrier shot or I would not have had the battery in the camera for these shots of the woodcock.

American Woodcock is #104 for the list.


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