It Pours.
This morning it was storming and teeming!
Nice weather for ducks.
Also maybe for geese. There was a Greater White-Fronted Goose spotted yesterday amongst a large Canada flock. That is how they show up here – rarely more than one at a time.
With 14 days left of my Big Year, I wanted a new bird.
That bird.
When I got word mid-day that it had been spotted in a local field I took a late lunch and went to see if I could score.
I arrived to find my neighbor Dave, who told me about the find, scanning the field for over 100 geese for the GWFG.
He hadn’t found it.
He forgot his bins.
I started scanning as well – looking for those bright orange legs. A quick scan yielded nothing.
Just as the local who reported the Goose showed up the geese started to fly.
Sometimes that happens with just a small group, but this time it was all of them. I won’t kid you it is a pretty loud and impressive sight. Then we realized there was a big bird still on the ground.
“Is it a hawk?”
Nope, I said, it’s an eagle and I don’t think it’s a Bald Eagle.
Local called it – An immature Golden Eagle.
Now that was exciting – I grabbed the camera and started snapping away at the bird who had by now taken flight. It was kind of far away and the light wasn’t great, but I think I got some good shots. I am still far from certain.
The local is not – he said 95% certain.
Then I spotted it again flying over the trees, closer this time.
Camera up, shutter clicking.
Too busy taking pictures to be sure.
Contacted my Go-to for IDs I’m not sure of, processed the photos – zoomed in, lightened up. Yes, I think it’s a Golden.
30 minutes later I posted on the RI Rare Birds Group Text.
My Go-to reprimanded me for not posting sooner. Take a photo of the back of your camera and post it. Better not to wait.
My lack of confidence in my ID skills stopped me. That was a bad thing. Another birder could have been passing by and gotten there quickly enough to see the bird.
I feel great that I actually found a bird that hasn’t been reported on eBird in Rhode Island since 2016. As a novice birder this is a singular experience.
I am sad that my hesitancy may have cost other birders the opportunity to see the bird. I still have a lot to learn and I am grateful every day for those who are willing to teach me.
My fondest wish at the moment is that the bird is still around and someone will get to see him today.
Zen birding lesson of the day: She who hesitates is lost.
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