Two more birds!

Violet-green Swallow

Well, yesterday started off nicely while we were in Portland, Oregon, when we were getting the trailer loaded, about 5 Violet-green Swallows appeared. To my surprise they actually perched for me, so I was able to get a few good shots. New year bird as well as a new lifer for us! 

Hooded Merganser

Then after we got our load and had left Portland far behind us, Simon thought he had spotted and owl or different hawk perched on a snag. He pulled over on the shoulder and went out to get a shot of the bird, but the bird saw him first and flew away and never saw again. I had joined him and he told me to take a look at what was in the pond; Hooded Mergansers!!! Alright finally we found the Hooded Merganser! That brings our Big Year number to 232! As some of you may have remembered from last month Simon and I set a personal goal for the month to reach 200 and we made it to 205! This month we wanted to make it to 230 and we have surpassed our personal goal yet again! We thought this month might slow down a bit just because we have gotten a lot of common birds, but as we go it will only get harder to find new birds! Migration is helping us out along with the area that we have been trucking; mostly out west. The farthest east we have gotten this month in Minnesota. 

There was also a pair of Cackling Geese, Ring-necked Ducks, Gadwalls, American Wigeon, and Mallards along with a Red-winged Blackbird and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Cackling Goose

Gadwall

Ring-necked Ducks

Ring-necked Ducks

Happy Birding!!