GrebeOrGrackle
Member
I spent the afternoon up at the National Refuge in Belle Fourche South Dakota. I checked off 3 new birds. Upland Sandpiper. Sharped Tailed Grouse and the Western Meadowlark. I also got very close to a Spotted Sandpiper.
The highlight for me was the Western Meadowlark. I had been seeing many Eastern Meadowlarks over the past 3 weeks. I posed a question here on the forum about how to distinguish the 2. By song. He was perched up high in a meadow and I had him in the binocs crystal clear and I was noticing that I thought his cheek was lighter in color than the eastern bird. Then I realized his song was much different. He wasn't singing like the eastern bird. Roger Tory describes a double Chupp and that's all he was singing. Chuup chupp. Chupp. That locked it up for me. I was so happy.
This was the first bird that I used the song, or chatter, to identify the bird. I have never checked a bird off going on song alone. It's a rule of my own.... Ya gotta see it with the eye.
And I have to say.... The Sharp Tailed Grouse was a good find for me too. Not to mention the Upland Sandpiper. So ya, I had a great day. What will tomorrow bring.??
The highlight for me was the Western Meadowlark. I had been seeing many Eastern Meadowlarks over the past 3 weeks. I posed a question here on the forum about how to distinguish the 2. By song. He was perched up high in a meadow and I had him in the binocs crystal clear and I was noticing that I thought his cheek was lighter in color than the eastern bird. Then I realized his song was much different. He wasn't singing like the eastern bird. Roger Tory describes a double Chupp and that's all he was singing. Chuup chupp. Chupp. That locked it up for me. I was so happy.
This was the first bird that I used the song, or chatter, to identify the bird. I have never checked a bird off going on song alone. It's a rule of my own.... Ya gotta see it with the eye.
And I have to say.... The Sharp Tailed Grouse was a good find for me too. Not to mention the Upland Sandpiper. So ya, I had a great day. What will tomorrow bring.??
