Damon's Birds for the Week of March 10 - March 16

Last week I was shut out. Was I shut out again this week?

Not even close.

I took a trip to southern New Jersey, but sadly did not get any birding trips there. Yeah, it has beaches and wetlands and lots of birding things, but not for this trip. But that did not stop me from seeing new birds! I saw a red bellied woodpecker while my kids were playing at a park and a bunch of boat tailed grackles on the walk back from the park. I was excited; I hadn't seen any grackles at all this year. I eventually saw hundreds of boat tailed grackles later in the week. I added to my grackle collection when I also saw a common grackle (just one more to go!).

I also have to make sure I don't get jaded with eagle sightings. Sure, I think they are great and I appreciate being able to see them after never seeing them growing up, but I saw bald eagle on four consecutive days, and they were all different individuals. That's ok, I'll still appreciate them as well as the osprey I saw this week (even though I proceeded to see a half dozen more osprey over the next couple hours of spotting the first one).

I'll have stories later in the week about where I went on the weekend, but I did take a trip back to where I grew up and visited some nice wild places there and picked up birds that are close to the water (the Chesapeake Bay helps).  Also, I am already guaranteed to not be shut out this week.  With a good week or two I might take back the lead, especially since I think it is snowing all week where Paul is.

41; Red-Bellied Woodpecker; 3/10/13; Caldwell Park, Palermo, NJ
42; Boat Tailed Grackle; 3/10/13; off Stagecoach Road; Palermo, NJ
43; Chipping Sparrow; 3/11/13; Tyler Arboretum; Media, PA
44; American Tree Sparrow; 3/11/13; Tyler Arboretum; Media, PA
45; Common Grackle; 3/14/13; Off PA 452; near Aston, PA
46; Wood Duck; 3/15/13; Christina River; Wilmington, DE
47; American Kestrel; 3/16/13; Off US 301; Middletown, DE
48; Osprey; 3/16/13; Off US 50/301; Near Stevensville, MD
49; Belted Kingfisher; 3/16/13; Terrapin Park; Kent Island, MD
50; Lesser Scaup; 3/16/13; Terrapin Park; Kent Island, MD
51; Green Winged Teal; 3/16/13; Terrapin Park; Kent Island, MD
52; Eastern Towhee; 3/16/13; Terrapin Park; Kent Island, MD
53; Yellow-Rumped Warbler; 3/16/13; Terrapin Park; Kent Island, MD
54; Bufflehead; 3/16/13; Chesapeake Bay; near Kent Island, MD