Chasing rare birds...

Photo by Greg Lavaty

One of the fun things about birding is trying to find birds you've never seen before. When you first start birding, this is easy. Just about every bird you see is going to be new! But after a while, it gets more difficult, and usually requires travel, as different birds are found in different places. I've really enhanced my life-list with my recent trips to California, and I'm sure I'll continue to do so.

But every once in a while, a bird shows up at home that is unexpected. This is a real treat! Last year there were several state record birds in Louisiana. I got to see a couple of them (Gray Flycatcher, Fork-tailed Flycatcher). There are a couple more special birds hanging around right here in the Baton Rouge area, and I was lucky enough to see two of them today.

The first was a Broad-billed Hummingbird. This bird is native to Mexico and Central America. Normally the northern most part of its range is southeastern Arizona! So for one to come this far east is pretty unusual! This particular bird is an immature male, but it's molted into most of his adult plumage by now and is looking pretty spiffy!

Click here to see a video of the Broad-billed Hummingbird


Photo by Greg Lavaty

The second rarity is an Ash-Throated Flycatcher. It was spotted close to the Capitol Lakes in Baton Rouge during the Christmas Bird Count. Now, if I had seen this bird, I would have called it a Great-Crested Flycatcher because I'm familiar with them, this bird looks an awful like one, and the GCFC are found in this area. Yes, I know they migrate...but like the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and the occasional Green Heron or something I would have just figured it had decided to hang around for the winter. It's a good thing someone other than me found it! The Ash-throated Flycatcher is normally found in the west --the closest to us is West Texas -- but is a "rare but regular vagrant" to the east. I think if I had paid attention I would have figured out that it wasn't a Great Crested Flycatcher because it certainly didn't act like it. It stayed low to the ground for the most part -- GCFC are almost always up high. It even hopped along the ground at one point! It was quite entertaining to watch as it foraged. It tried to intercept some berries from a tree being guarded by two mockingbirds, but they weren't having any of it -- it was chased off repeatedly.

Click here to see video of the Ash-throated Flycatcher!