We have the good fortune to occasionally have flocks of blackbirds visit our farm, and this time of year there are often Rusty Blackbirds mixed into those flocks. I was just heading out to other parts of Union County today when I noticed that some blackbirds were in the trees near our house. Scanning with binoculars, I quickly saw that one of the Rusty Blackbirds was a bit unusual. I was able to get pictures of normal male and female Rusty Blackbirds, and a decent picture of the aberrant male Rusty, quite a handsome bird. The picture are here:
http://blakemathys.com/unusualrusty.html

I visited various locations around Union County today and found the continuing Red-necked Grebe and Oldsquaw on Lake Corazon (the grebe was on the lower part), as well as a good collection of ducks various places and my first Eastern Phoebe of the year. While hiking Ironweed Trail at Glacier Ridge, I saw a Red-shouldered Hawk catch and eat what appeared (from a distance) to be a snake. It seems cold for a snake to be out (it was cold enough for me to have some ice in my beard), but maybe the warm temperatures from the early part of the week encouraged a few to venture out into the sun; I wish I would've been closer to be sure of what I was seeing. 

Today's birding puts my 2014 Union County Big Year list up to 82 species. I hope to be at 100 by the end of March.
http://blakemathys.com/BigYear2014.html

Blake Mathys
http://blakemathys.com/

                                          
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