Oh God, I forgot my camera chasing a lifer

Barrow's
GoldenEye 

 Last night I got a message from my friend Danielle Stebbins that a MacGillivray's Warbler (from now on just Mac) was seen during a Christmas Bird Count in Raynham, MA. It was still being seen yesterday. So we made plans to go look for it today.

Mac's are western birds. Even when they migrate south they stay west of the Rockies. So yes, this one is lost. One was seen last year in Providence and I chased it but dipped. When I got there, at least ten birders who had seen it were still there. I saw the movement in the brush but never actually saw the bird. From me on, no one else that showed up saw the bird that day or ever. That sucked.

    Danielle and I pulled into the parking lot at the same time this morning. When I got out I realized I left my camera at home!!! Not much I could do about it but I felt naked. We had the bird fairly easily, it called most of the morning and between us and a New Bedford birder, one of us would hear it every few minutes. It is the nature of a Mac to stay hidden and this one put on a clinic. I saw the bird about seven times. But never once other than flying quickly across the path did I see the whole body at once. All of my looks were for less than two seconds and only once did I see the head. Still al lifer because if you played the game Operation before, all of my sightings did add up to a full bird and it was beautiful. Even if I had my camera I never would have gotten a photo. It was too elusive.

   However, not having my camera lead to another dilemma. Did I want to continue birding without it. I had hoped to find some other good birds but I wanted my camera for proof photos. I went anyway.

 

Northern
Shoveler 

  I went to Buttonwood Park in New Bedford where there was a Northern Shoveler and a Cackling Goose. I found the Shoveler before I got out of the car but couldn't make any of the Canadas into a Cackling.

  Next I went to the harborwalk in New Bedford and spent way too much time looking for but eventually finding the Barrow's Goldeneye. Another western bird that summer's in Alaska, but a couple do show up every winter.

   Lastly I went to Fairhaven and heard Clapper Rails that have been around for months. Another easy bird. I hoped to go to Newport and look for the Ross's Goose or to Westport and look for Snowy Owls but time got away from me today. I was pissed I left my camera at home but glad I got some good birds.