June 5, 2010 (Breakfast)

I had got in the habit of keeping a box of Poptarts in my truck as I often found myself rushing out the door to go birding and forgetting to eat. In the preceding week, however, I failed to replenish my stash, and with a short outing in mind I was not worried. Birds are lucky in the fact that food for them is usually readily available. As I was pondering my lost opportunity, I came across this Northern Mockingbird getting ready to enjoy his breakfast of fresh caterpillar.



Under an overpass near the same spot I noticed that an Eastern Phoebe nest, which had been "knocked down" a few days before, was back up. Two phoebes as usual were perched on the fence just outside the overpass.

As activity settled down, I decided to walk across the park to small meadow on the other side. On one side there were a few trees with a good amount of shrubs grown up around the base--ideal habitat for some good birds. I did not have to get that close before I could hear the vireos and see the buntings.



Among the Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Painted Buntings, and Carolina Chickadees sharing this spot, I could hear a call that was distinctive among them and different from the White-eyed Vireos I heard earlier in the morning. Soon, from relatively deep in the foliage, I spotted the BOTD--this Bell's Vireo. Sorry for the poor photo, but it never did feel comfortable coming farther out.



I hung around for another 30 minutes hoping for a better shot. I even tried the old "look away and pretend I don't care" technique, but had no luck.