A Cat and a Chick

I've added four new birds to my list…the common nighthawk, the brown thrasher, the palm warbler, and the gray catbird! I was expecting to see the thrashers; they visit front yards around the 'hood. The Stokes guide says they're here year-round, but I only have seen them in the spring. Anyway, the other day I looked out at the feeders and -- !! -- immediately realized there was a gray catbird trying to get suet. I did get a few crummy shots thru the glass…

Also, about a week ago, I drove hubby to work in the early AM…as we were creeping down a gravel road in the park (did I mention he's a state park ranger?), the headlights caught a familiar, unique shape nestled down on the road…the bird promptly flew off. The shape was unmistakeable, it was a common nighthawk. The nighthawk is a permanent resident of the park. There's a slight chance it was a Chuck-will's-widow, but most likely a nighthawk. This, from the park's bird check-list I found on-line. Hubby's got strict orders to acquire a hard copy for me…many birds I haven't seen! Yes, yes, I need to get seriously serious! The #1 to-find has been, all along, the FL scrub jay…but there's also buntings, L. shrike, WE vireo, BG gnatcatcher, RC kinglet….!!

Ok I just looked outside at the feeders and the gray catbird was back…took more photos, still crummy! Stokes guide says they do not come to feeders (no feeder symbol) but this guy seems interested in the suet…they winter in FL so maybe he needs fuel before heading north...

Finally, a thank you to Laurence B. for the info re: my "chipping sparrow" that you believe is actually a  morphing palm warbler! Woo-hoo! I thought it was "off" for a chipping…looked up many images on Google and it does match the morph male palm warbler, which winters in FL.

This shot's blurry, obviously…but you can see the reddish-brown patch under the gray catbird's tail...

And there's the black skull cap...

…Does it just figure my clearest shot is of the back side...

Along came a Carolina chickadee while I was trying to capture the catbird…you can see the mealworm feeder above it…all crumbs…someone's eating them but not the bluebird, ARG! At least, not as far as I know…I've seen other birds checking it out.