One week to prepare

Well, a little less now, because I’m posting this later than I should, but next Saturday, May 13th, is World Migratory Bird Day for the Americas, so make your plans now. For once, we have no traveling that falls around that weekend, though my own schedule flanking it is a little booked, so we’ll see what happens.

pair of double-crested cormorants Nannopterum auritum perched on pilings
It’s not like I don’t get the chance to photograph migratory birds on other days anyway – you’re about to see a bunch more shortly – but maybe I can slip in something more than photography. So for now, we have some images from the past few days: a pair of female double-crested cormorants (Nannopterum auritum) above, and a chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina) below.

chipping sparrow Spizella passerina with captured spider prey
I got a bit lucky with this one, seeing it foraging in the shadows near sunset yesterday, and tracked it until it entered the low golden light, whereupon it snagged a spider for a meal. But we also have to see the details of the body plumage:

back plumage of chipping sparrow Spizella passerina
Isn’t that slick? I wonder if I can find a jacket like that…

Anyway, you have a week, kinda. Make some plans and have at it!