Continuing the strain of posts about state-birds for me:
31. Empids-I need a lot of these babies. Yellow-bellied and Acadian Flycatcher are going to be difficult for me to get this far west. Acadian breeds in the far east, so I can probably get that some time. Yellow-bellied passes through in small numbers, so I'll have to be at one of the migrant hotspots in the East. I don't have any plans on doing that any time soon (although it would help me with a lot of state-birds), so I'll have to get extremely lucky to get this bird...like really lucky. Alder, Willow, and Least are all migrants through the entire state although Alder and Least are more numerous in the East. If I were a betting man, I would say that I'll probably get Willow and Least this Spring. Eventually, I'll get Alder. Dusky--and a few other western flycatchers--are birds that I hope to get some time, and I probably can get a few of them in Morton County. As I said before, I really would like to travel down there during Spring of Fall migration this year.
32. Ash-throated Flycatcher-Lifer! This is a rare bird in the SW, but one I have a real shot at getting if and when I go to Morton.
33. Cassin's Kingbird-Lifer! This is an uncommon migrant through the extreme SW. This is a bird I would love to get. I have a decent shot at it if I go down there. I don't know why it seems so appealing to me, but it just seems so much cooler than its cousin the Western Kingbird.
34. White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated, Philadelphia, and Red-eyed Vireo- White-eyed is one of my favorite birds. Those white eyes just make the bird seem so intelligent, more human-like. It's an uncommon migrant and rare breeder in the East. I could get it in Rooks, but it is not to be expected here any time soon. Yellow-throated and Philadelphia are much more likely to be seen in the East. My best shot would be a trip during migration although Yellow-throated does breed in the state. Both are possibilities in Rooks but probably casual. Red-eyed...well, I don't want to jinx it, but I should get Red-eyed during Spring. Knock on wood.
35. Fish Crow and Chihuahuan Raven-I'll get them eventually, but it will take a trip to the SE for Fish and to the SW for Chihuahuan. The Fish Crow's voice is cool (very nasally), but otherwise it just looks like an American Crow. I've never seen Chihuahuan, but for some reason it's a lot easier to get excited about a raven than it is about a crow. I wonder why that is?
36. Carolina Chickadee-An easy bird to get as long as you are in the bottom tier of counties. Again, I'll get it; it will just take a trip down there. Chickadees are just so cool. I'd be more excited about this one, though, if it wasn't so similar to Black-capped.
37. Tufted Titmouse-How do I not have a Tufted Titmouse in Kansas? Well because I haven't done any birding in the East. The farthest east I've birded is Quivira and Cheyenne Bottoms. Maybe I'll get to go birding the next time we are visiting family in Wichita or McPherson. I'll pick it up then.
38. Bewick's, Winter, Sedge, and Marsh Wren-I'm determined to get Winter Wren this Winter. I know that at least one is around because Mike Rader and his daughter called one up on the CBC. I've got a place that I'm almost positive has to have one; I just need to go there with my speakers. Sedge Wren is just a cool bird. They are fairly common during migration in the East, but I'm willing to be I could pick one up in Rooks or the surrounding counties (perhaps with a Le Conte's Sparrow?). Marsh Wren I will pick up sometime this year. I am determined. Finally we come to Bewick's. This population is just weird in Kansas. It's supposed to be more common in the South, but you could pick it up anywhere almost at any time. They are cool birds and if I don't get one this year I'll try to make a trip to the South to pick it up with some other specialties.
39. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher-I should find this bird during Spring or Fall migration. It's definitely more common in the East, but it's not rare anywhere in the state.
40. Ruby-crowned Kinglet-Another bird I should find during migration. I hate to count on birds, but this is one that is to be expected.
To be continued....
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