Rare Bird Alert!

A Hooded Oriole is fairly common in Texas, but this isn’t Texas.  Well, one showed up at a personal residence near Lawrence, and the home owner was very gracious and invited people to see it.  I had to go see it.  I’m told that this is the first report of that species ever being documented in Kansas.  Jim Malcom and I hit Shunga Trail Saturday morning and found Gray-cheeked Thrush, Swainson’s Thrush, White-eyed Vireo, Northern Waterthrush, Sedge Wren, and Yellow-crowned Night Heron.  A quick trip to Perry State Park this evening quickly yielded calling Chuck-will’s-widows and Eastern Whip-poor-wills.  It was another super day to be outside.

A Hooded Oriole seen at a personal residence near Lawrence, Kansas.

This Ring-neck Snake was in my front yard.

An Orange-crowned Warbler getting ready to take a bath in my stream and goldfish pond.