August 26, 2008
Five Points birding
The third and final leg of my US trip took me to Athens, Georgia. I was based in the wooded neighbourhood of Five Points, and was thrilled when a walk around the block yielded a Brown-headed Nuthatch, my first since 2002!
The standard eastern stuff was present in the backyard - seemingly endless Cardinals, Carolina Wrens and Blue Jays, plus an inquisitive young Eastern Phoebe.
The road runs close to the Middle Oconee River, over which was hunting a flock of about 50 Chimney Swifts. A Ruby-throated Hummingbird was working the riverside vegetation.
Many dragonflies were patrolling the riverfront. Among those I was able to (tentatively) identify were Blue-fronted Dancer,
Common Whitetail
and Slaty Skimmer.
On the walk to nearby Memorial Park I added Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Tufted Titmouse and Eastern Towhee.
The park has a miniature menagerie, and I was finally able to see a Barred Owl... behind bars. Note the evil red eyes.
I had several unsuccessful attempts to see this species over the course of this trip, and have now dipped it in at least 5 US states - definitely my no. 1 bogey bird!
The lake held a single Great Blue Heron, here in the process of swallowing a sizeable fish.
Eastern Chipmunks were abundant.
I ran into what this attractive butterfly, which I first identified as a Spicebush Swallowtail on the Birchmore Trail. In fact, it is a Red-spotted Purple, a swallowtail mimic - thanks Joel.
Dead hawkmoth found at the roadside - thoughts on the ID welcome!
