Burlington ON. April 9 2020. A day will come when readers of this might wonder about the circumstances of today’s bird. But just about every one of the 7.6 billion souls on this planet will know why it is that I’m stuck at home today.
The birding is not great from my office window, but at least I have a window and I look out onto back yards with trees and shrubs, – and it’s spring. So, there should be new birds passing through. Well there are, and today as I sat at my computer fidgeting listlessly, I saw some quick bird movement outside: something a little elongated in posture apparently and with luck, something out of the ordinary. I grabbed my binoculars (always within reach) and looked, but whatever it was had flown. Hmmm.
Then this Common Grackle arrived to within just a few yards of my window and looked enquiringly around. I think this was what I just missed, certainly it’s an elongated bird. It seemed to be scanning the skies, perhaps for kith and kin, perhaps for danger overhead. Whatever the reason, it was there long enough for me to admire it, something we tend not to do very much with grackles. But in the sun its iridescent blue head was eye-catching – almost splendid.
Happily, it stayed surveying the neighbourhood long enough for me to grab my camera (also always within reach) and get a few shots. Taken through winter-grimed glass the best impression is lost a little, but it’ll do. A visiting Common Grackle My Bird of the Day.
My only backyard migrant so far this spring is a Song Sparrow. It hung around for a few days and wore itself out singing before moving on.