Yellow headed blackbird and bobolink in CR (1 Viewer)

[ManakusCR]

Yesterday an AOCR member posted an alarm on yellow headed blackbird at Coto 47 (again Coto surprising us with quality birds!) So my friend Roy and I (unfortunately my wife who is a trooper couldnt go today) went today to try to find the bird based on directions provided by Leo Garrigues and other fellow birders who found it yesterday, and after some exhaustive search we found something almost as good, Bobolink! A rare passage migrant for CR.

https://manuelantoniobirding.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/compartir.jpg?w=604&h=359


After a while we went to a well known spot for a recent panama invasive specie; sapphire throated hummingbird which Roy had not seen yet, and we got to see! Then we returned to the spot and there was the blackbird! How amazing has our luck been!

https://manuelantoniobirding.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/yellow-headed-blackbird.jpg?w=604&h=453

https://manuelantoniobirding.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/fb.jpg?w=604&h=507

Full story http://manuelantoniobirding.wordpre...-headed-blackbird-and-bobolink-in-costa-rica/

 

[Birdingcraft]

Wow, you guys are getting some awesome birds down that way! I need to get down there. I was wondering when that blackbird would show up again. Thanks for sharing the info. Speaking of info/birding gen, I got a pretty nice one for AOCR Bird Alarm- will post it later today.

 

[ManakusCR]

Thank's Pat! yes I saw your report, that was such quality bird you guys got! Regarding to the Bobolink it has been confirmed by J.Z, K. Easley and others that our "bobolink" was indeed a young/juvenile type red-breasted blackbird, oh well! but the experience was ok, now thanks to their great experience we now know what to look for if a bobolink shows up! BTW, yellow backed oriole still on Portalon, I was there today, and the Y.H Blackbird seems comfy where he is, good time to get down here man! No striated heron, the habitat had changed, we looked for it yesterday and today.

 

[njlarsen]

So for those of us not subscribed?

Niels

 

[Birdingcraft]

Hi Niels- This is the bird

The AOCR Bird Alarm is on Facebook- good place to join to hear about rare birds in Costa Rica.

 

[Birdingcraft]

Shame about the non-Bobolink. Maybe one will show there anyways! That really is an overlooked ID challenge. A few differences but that plumage is very similar to Bobolink and has made me take a very careful look more than once!

 

[Hamhed]

That's a beautiful bird, Patrick!

Steve

 

[njlarsen]

Pat, thanks for uploading it here also! I am not on facebook (mainly because I fear another time-thief) so cannot follow the link there.

So is October a better time for this bird than other parts of the year?

Niels

 

[Birdingcraft]

That's a beautiful bird, Patrick!

Steve

Yes, kind of like a quail-dove! Shame that it isn't more common.

 

[Birdingcraft]

Pat, thanks for uploading it here also! I am not on facebook (mainly because I fear another time-thief) so cannot follow the link there.

So is October a better time for this bird than other parts of the year?

Niels

Ahh, I see. Yes, Facebook is a terrible time thief. I don't think anyone knows if there is a better time of the year for it. Most sightings seem to be linked to seeding bamboo and in this case, there was seeding bamboo near there.