I’m shocked that this hasn’t been shared here yet, but an apparent pair of ABERT’S TOWHEES is frequenting Murphy Hill Park in Grand Rapids. They have been reliably seen since their discovery by Shawn Conrad yesterday.
Directions for viewing by Shawn: “If you walk halfway up the mowed hill from the gravel alley on the SW corner of the park, they have been primarily moving between the yards on the north side of the park and the dense finger of trees and shrubs on the east part of the park. One was briefly in a yard to the south. The male sings regularly and they both call (call is a squeak). There isn't any need to disturb neighbors, play calls, or get close. Just know what you are listening for, walk halfway up the hill or so, and wait. This is a quiet neighborhood, but the birds are relatively easy to find if you just go to the public park and listen/look from the open area. Parking is a bit limited. The gravel alley can probably take 5 or 6. If more show than that, you may have to find a side street and walk.” This species doesn’t have a pattern of vagrancy and has a very small distribution in the southwestern United States, making this record quite exceptional. Good luck for those who try for them! Alyssa DeRubeis Magog, Quebec ---- General information and guidelines for posting: https://moumn.org/listservice.html Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
