The woodcock begin their displays at dusk, usually right around the time it turns dark enough to not see things very well. The show is mostly auditory.
Right now, Hermit Warblers should be in tropical wintering grounds in Mexico or Central America, but one little vagrant was spotted in Connecticut in February.
While we may be able to predict which species, how many, when, observing birds in the wild is still at heart about the sheer pleasure of their unpredictability.
Indigo buntings are easier to see than many birds, because, in addition to living in open habitats, they like to find the highest perch and stay there, singing.
I aimed the cold-water spray through the trellis wire to the outer row, swinging the hose slowly, deliberately. Into the midst of my concentration on the task, a ruby-throated hummingbird flew, suspending its colorful little body in the spray I was creating.