Day 17.218: Birding surprises

Our birding walk was unlike any other today - few of the usual sightings of bluebirds and phoebes on gravestones, chipping sparrows close to our feet etc. This is how it went instead:

After looking at some trees and seeing very few birds (except a few fly-bys), we found ourselves seeing a mass of varied bird action in one spot in the corner of the cemetery.

Juvenile bluebird on the flag pole rope

Another one perhaps wondering how to do the same trick

Also seen in the trees (but not photographed); red-eyed vireo, tufted titmouse, ruby-throated hummingbird, white- and red-breasted nuthatches, American goldfinch. Just standing still, we saw so many varied birds, including odd couples like this:

A female northern cardinal eyes a male Baltimore oriole suspiciously

We did see a few more normal bird sights:

Finches high in some dead branches

Finally! a bluebird on a monument

We also had a passerby let us know about a red-tailed hawk perched nearby. It was still there when we arrived, but didn't stay long enough to be photographed:

We heard it from time-to-time after that, but I suspected it had retreated to the woods, but as I was leaving it called again and I spotted that it was on another very visible perch.

I even caught it in the act of doing its call:

I'll save some other fun non-bird nature observations for another day.