Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Gray Kingbird

I have a fascination with certain birds that visit our coast. One of those birds is the Gray Kingbird. It arrived a little early this year around April 17th. It is not a wildly colored bird. In fact it is multiple shades of gray and white with a black patch around the eye. As I go on and on about this wonderful bird the folks around me are generally looking around for some more interesting bird. But think about it this bird spends it winter in the Caribbean then it comes to spend the summer here on Jekyll. Gray Kingbirds have been coming here since 1981. Every year I can count on this species spending the summer here. This is about as far north as it gets. The last few years it has started nesting in Savannah so it is moving north.
Well I look at this bird sitting on the wire or in the live oak around the shopping center every chance I get. When my friend and new birder, Debbie Mumford, sent me a picture of a Gray Kingbird in Brunswick I was stunned. A bird I thought I knew so well looked different. It was the great angle she got on the bird. Look at the bill! I always see it up high on a wire or a limb. She was in her truck right at eye level. Great Shot! Thanks for sharing.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

No kidding!! If you hadn't started your post with the name, I would have wondered, 'what the hell is that thing with the massive bill!'.

Very cool new perspective on the Gray Kingbird. thanks.

Lydia said...

Yes that angle really make you stop and think. It just goes to show that there is always something new to see and learn in birding. Great photo Debbie.