Perfect birding weather! I elected to go to Sandy Point State Park this morning in my usual search for migrants. I talk about the weather a lot, because it affects everything you do when you’re in the field. Although I used to, I probably wouldn’t do much birding today without a camera, and expensive cameras need protection from extreme weather and precipitation.
Pictures have their own beauty, and some approach works of art, but they also have value in sharing your experience. While a picture of a hawk flying or a chickadee foraging is informative, it only comes close to the actual experience.

I’ve seen Great Blue Herons wading, flying, in trees and on the shore, but this is the first I’ve seen one on a park bench.

You don’t have to watch a Downy Woodpecker for long to realize how assiduously they search for food.