A Weekend Trip That Turned Into a Birding Detour
My last Feathered Friends adventure took me through Ohio. My latest lifers came from Alexandria, Virginia. This was another unplanned weekend trip for a family emergency, this time for my partner’s relative. The hospital had a strict two‑visitor limit on Sunday, so instead of scrolling on my phone, I decided to habit stack. I wandered the hospital grounds to get steps and see if any new birds would appear.
I turned on Merlin Sound ID and thought I hit the jackpot. Familiar backyard birds from North Carolina were singing loudly. Robins and cardinals were everywhere. Then the first of two new lifers appeared on the screen. The song sparrow was not only nearby but easy to spot in the parking lot and trees. I snapped photos and confirmed quickly.
The Mystery Bird That Was Not What It Claimed
Then things got interesting. Merlin kept alerting me to a white‑throated sparrow in the bushes. That would have been rare for the area that day. As I moved closer, another rare bird appeared on the list. The Eastern Wood‑pewee. My excitement skyrocketed! I thought I was about to collect several new lifers in one hospital parking lot.
But then the chirps I was following flew out of the bush and landed on a light pole. I thought it was a common grackle. Merlin Sound ID now said brown‑headed cowbird. My eyes said European Starling. I had seen one the day before in Lewisburg, Virginia, and the yellow bill gave it away.
Sure enough, after I snapped a photo, the visual ID confirmed the European Starling. Since the rare birds only appeared when the starling opened its beak, I did a quick search. I learned that European Starlings can mimic other species because they have a dual‑chambered syrinx. They can produce two sounds at once. This little troublemaker had been throwing its voice like a feathered ventriloquist. I uttered “that little shit” under my breath.
This is why you cannot rely on Sound ID alone. But now I must watch for European Starlings on future adventures. These little tricksters are talented, chaotic, and dramatic.
Better Photos, Familiar Birds, and a Growing Wish List
During this trip, I saw many song sparrows. I also captured better photos of the American goldfinch and the house finch. My North Carolina photos were not great due to heavy zoom. I need a better camera. If I want to consider The Big Year in 2027, I must upgrade my gear. Potato quality images are not going to do it!
After watching the documentary Listers, which I mentioned in my last post, I followed it with The Big Year starring Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson. I am glad I did not watch it fifteen years ago. I would not have appreciated it the way I do now.
A Trip That Was Not About Birds, Yet Somehow Was
This weekend was not planned for birding. Yet the hospital grounds gave me four species to document, two new lifers, and one starling with a talent for deception. Even on unplanned weekends, nature finds a way to surprise me. I never know what I will discover next. But I do know that I will keep wandering, watching, and documenting every unexpected moment.
Feathered Friends Series
- Post #1: Chipping Sparrows and My MS Journey to Sharper Focus
- Post #2: From Chipping Sparrows to Cooper’s Hawks: My Latest Bird Finds
- Post #3: Carolina Wrens, New Lifers, and a Mother’s Day Adventure in Saxapahaw
- Post #4: A Baby Robin, Roadside Discoveries, and Chickadee Shenanigans
- Post #6: West Coast Birding on the Pacific Coast Highway
- Post #7: Three Gulls and a Road Trip: Waterbirds of the Pacific Coast Highway
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