Keith Rutter

🎉CONGRATS🥳 to @pogoinvestigates.bsky.social Senior Investigator @ziembavision.bsky.social, who won a Military Reporters & Editors award www.militaryreporters.org/2026/10/mili... for her May 2026 story on the fight to hold a military housing company accountable www.pogo.org/investigates...

A few First of the Season arrived with the front that came through. Had a Hermit Thrush, Junco, and Creeper in the neighborhood this morning.

We just turned on the AC. Over 20 years in our current house and never before turned on the AC in October, but when it hits 83F inside we had to give in. 10/14/26

Chimney Swift still hanging around. 🌈

A random Towhee is so nice

This morning is at least the third time in the last five years or so that I swear I’m hearing one short call of a screech owl. Never enough to feel confident that there really is one in the neighborhood but enough to give me hope that one day there will be one.

On this day 5 years ago I saw my first Kirkland’s Warbler- in Maryland! What made it even better was I saw it with @jerutter.bsky.social

Just had a Chimney Swift overhead — October 9th. Might be a personal record for so late in the season. Have to go look at my files.

Dave Grohl’s wearing a Hawkeyes T. Sick burn

Rootin’ for UT today!

Just had a pair of coops flying side by side. They were on a mission. Kids things are moving

A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker just came to town. And by town I mean my neighborhood.

Had a thrush in the neighborhood this morning. Was binocularless. Merlin said it was a Swainson’s Thrush. Surprised it was a possibility. For some reason I thought they should be gone by now.

A Common Yellowthroat Warbler graced our garden this morning. Very nice!

A Yellow-billed Cuckoo on the walk this morning was a nice way to start off my Wednesday

Had a Chimney Swift this morning before 6:30 am. Can’t remember the last time I had a Chim so early.

A late July Wood Thrush in the neighborhood is a nice way to start the day

Got a Scarlet Tangle in the neighborhood this morning. Very fun. Very fun.

Blue Day in the neighborhood. 9 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and 15 Bluebirds. I know it is the season for fledglings to be out but those numbers are pleasantly surprising

Got my Kentucky Warbler this morning on the train tracks in Wheaton. Now I need a Hoodie . . . And Canada . . . And a . . .

Historically I had 207 birds for May 13th, so I’m thinking there’s nothing short of rare that I need today. Nope. I wuz wrong. Scored me a Tennessee and Cape May Warbler. 209!

Winter coats for warbler watching??? 42F at 7:30 AM.

I hit 150 birds for the year today. Now I’ll spend the next 7 months trying to get the next 50. Perspective. 🤪

Just had a Common Yellowthroat in our fern garden. 🚡

We have a Red-Shouldered Hawk in the neighborhood who like to vogue.

Blue-winged Warbler Ding Ding Ding!!

Saw this one the walk this morning. So I have that going for me.

So many Butter Butts (Yellow-rumps) in the neighborhood today. I lost track at 15.

Redstart in the backyard. Ahhhhh!

18 birds by 6:15. And for some reason people are still sleeping?!

The Wood Thrushes are back in the neighborhood!

No Juncos today. Guess this heat got them to get out of town until fall.

Heard a Blue Jay doing their best Red-Shouldered Hawk. Let me tell you this Blue Jay really practiced a lot. It was very convincing.

Chimney Swifts are back

Is it me or are there more Purple Finches around this year? :)

This morning’s bird dawn chorus had 16 participants by 6:30 am. Just a wonderful time of year

34F in April is not as cold as 31F in January.

Im lucky to get one Purple Finch in the neighborhood each year. So far this year I’ve had up to three on one day and I’ve seen them three of the last five days.

No coat Light jacket Sweatshirt Winter coat Repeat Spring can never make up its mind

Wood Duck flyover! Great day

And the barn swallows are back too.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher! Welcome back to the neighborhood! You are a sight for sore eyes.

Just checking - everyone knows you got to pre-game before the Seder, right?

9 birds by 6:30 am. We are getting there.

Good boy!

This morning I saw 3 black vultures and a turkey vulture flying in a line across the row. I bet those miscreants had been hanging out smoking cigarettes and eating carrion.

Corey Lewandowski reportedly ran a DHS contracting pay-to-play scheme, partly through a DHS contractor called Salus Worldwide Solutions @pogo.org & @motherjones.com have published two major investigations of questionable DHS contracting with Salus www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Finally got my butt out to Great Falls and saw the Red-flanked Bluetail today. I greatly appreciate how long it has stuck around especially given the weather we’ve had since it’s been found.