Winter Zooties!

The last three Saturday mornings, I have gone to one of my favorite birding haunts near Arlington along the Ninnescah river.  This is an incredible place for wintering birds.  The combination of running water, thick brush, and marshy areas really draws the birds in.  There is also a strong El Nino this year, and although I don't have hard evidence, I believe that there is a direct correlation between that and some of the out-of-season birds I've been seeing there.

The only place we had seen a Pileated Woodpecker in Reno, until last December, was Cheney.  Now, there is a resident along the Ninnescah River. 

I have managed to call a Virginia Rail out of a marsh for three weeks in a row.  They are hard to see, but I did manage this one trash picture.  These are normally only around in the summer.

This Eastern Phoebe is another summer bird that showed up.  The previous late date for these in Kansas was January 4th.  I've seen this guy the past two weeks I was there. 

One of the many Yellow-rumped Warblers that winter there.

Lincoln's Sparrow, a normal migrant that is rare in the winter.

Hopefully I will turn up some more good rarities this winter!

Andrew