The Blue-collar Birder

CACKLING GOOSE IN RENSSELAERVILLE

2011-10-02T21:20:00.004-04:00

So there I was, cruising down the highway in the Town of Rensselaerville when I spotted a flock of geese in a recently harvested corn field. The two Snow Geese that were there had caught my eye so I decided to get out and take a look at them.

Most Snow Geese sightings in our area are made as they fly high overhead during migration. This was a nice opportunity to get a close look at them as they foraged in the field. It had been raining intermittently during the morning and that combined with a low cloud ceiling and fog must have forced the flock to the ground. As soon as I stopped the car the flock started to move back further in the corn stubble and adjacent field.

Sharp looking birds.

After I was done admiring the Snow Geese, I scanned the rest of the flock. Some of the geese had wandered over to the nearby hay field. It was at that point that another goose caught my eye. I was shocked to discover that there was a Cackling Goose among the flock. The size difference was significant when compared to a Canada Goose. The short bill, dark breast and neck collar were all there.

The fact that these birds were on dry land made it even easier to compare the size difference.

I can't tell you how many thousands of Canada Geese I have looked through in previous years looking for one of these birds. A rare find for this area. I began to realize that this flock must have been from up north......way up north!

As I watched the little goose, another very vocal flock of geese flew overhead. The Cackling Goose actually called 5 times in response to the airborne geese. It's voice was very squeaky and high pitched compared to a Canada Goose call. Just as it should be.

I stopped back later in the afternoon and every single goose was gone. There had been some breaks of sun and the flock must have continued it's journey.

WILLET AT COHOES FLATS

2011-08-27T19:52:00.002-04:00

I headed down to the Cohoes Flats today to see if the previously reported Willet was still there.

Arriving at dawn, I had the whole place to myself.

I didn't take long to find the Willet. It was out on the dam with a flock of Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers.

Standing quietly on the wingwall of the dam, I was able to get some great looks at some of the Least Sandpipers feeding.

There were also some Semipalmated Sandpipers mixed in (upper right).

Semipalmated Sandpiper Cohoes Flats Aug. 27, 2011

One of the Semipalmated Sandpipers was hopping around on one leg. It seemed to be feeding O.K., however judging by the plumage, it was having some trouble preening out it's molting feathers. Looked kinda like it had a "5 o'clock shadow" or something.

Hard to say if it was actually injured or born that way.

Oh yeah, back to the Willet. It seemed to be having some traction problems as it tried to go as high up on the dam as the smaller peeps. Sometimes having a higher center of gravity can be a real disadvantage. Sure got that little peeps attention.

A young Bald Eagle flew over and everybody scattered. I thought for sure that the Willet was outta there.

As luck would have it, it circled around and landed right below me. How conveinent.
My shutter finger was busy.

The bird eventually worked it's way back out to the rocks below the dam. By then some coffee clatchers and sleepy-heads were showing up to see it also. Time for me to exit stage left.

The American White Pelican flew in from the west just after dawn as well. This bird has been putting on quite a show the last few weeks, and made quite an entrance this morning as it circled the Flats.

Burnt-Rossman SF and Partridge Run WMA

2010-04-03T21:08:00.004-04:00

I headed over to Burnt-Rossman SF first thing in the morning to check on the Red Crossbill nest.

The female was still on the nest and you can actually see her tail hanging out in the above photo.

A little further down the road a few were found gritting in the road.

Incredible how tame these birds can be.

As I was watching the crossbills I happened to notice a large bird approaching from the south.

It was a juvenile Golden Eagle. Heading back up north on today's southerly winds.

As it came closer, the small white ovals at the base of the inner primaries were visible.

You can also see the "serrated" trailing edge of the wing. Another juvenile trait.

Back at Partridge Run WMA, I found a group of River Otters in one of the ponds that the ice was finally starting to go out on.

The fishing looked to be great and they were stuffing themselves with fish.

An adult Bald Eagle flew over as the otters fished below.

River Otters do very well in this area. It's tough to get a good look at them most of the time as they are very wary of people. These shots were fairly distant.

They also took a break to roll in a patch of snow and play around a little bit.

After their break was over, it was back into the water to do some more fishing.

They would occasionally hop back up on the ice and then slide back into the water. This one actually has some vegetation around it's neck. It sure didn't slow it down at all.

A good mammal sighting for today.

I stopped by the Common Raven nest. Sure enough, a couple of the eggs had hatched and now we have nestlings.

And then on to the Northern Goshawk nest. The nest has been under construction the last few days so I figured I'd check on it. The female was busily working on it when I got there. I watched her carefully adding another stick to it and trying to weave it into just the right position. Everything was fine until she realized I was watching her. I got the "evil eye" and I'm probably going to pay for this in the future.

ONE MORE SHRIKE

2010-03-19T21:49:00.011-04:00

I stopped at 5-Rivers on the way home from work. It was a fantastic late winter day. Mild, sunny and just a slight breeze. I spotted a Northern Shrike not far from the main parking area and was lucky enough to get some great looks at it. At this time of the year there is no doubt that this bird is heading back north. I knew this would probably be the last one I would see until next winter. Below are some pictures I managed to get of this bird as it hunted from a couple of perches.

NORTHERN GOSHAWK

2010-03-16T21:09:00.015-04:00

It was a sunny, late-winter day, so after work I decided to take a short hike and see if the Northern Goshawk that I had run into a couple of days ago was still there.

I've done a lot of snowshoeing this winter and it is a very enjoyable way to bird. I still use a traditional pair that I bought years ago. They're a pair of modified "bear paws" made by Iverson. Much quieter and buoyant than the new neoprene and aluminum shoes out there.

It didn't take long for the bird to find me. It's obvious at this point that it has set up a territory and plans on sticking around.

Judging by the size and coloration of this bird, I'm guessing that it's a male. The flight feathers are dark (almost black) and the upper coverts are lighter giving the uppersides of the wings a two-toned appearance.

One look at the powerful legs and talons of this bird and you realize that once prey finds it's way into this hawk's grasp - It does not escape!

The clear blue sky today and the late afternoon sun made for some great pictures.

The red eyes put a nice touch on this fierce predator.

Some more vocalizing and then I figured it was time to leave.

This is a Goshawks territory.

As I left the woods and the sun was setting, I had a feeling I'd be back here quite a bit this spring.

SIGNS OF SPRING?

2010-03-14T19:53:00.011-04:00

We still have quite a bit of snow on the ground. It's amazing how long it takes for for a snow pack of 5 feet to melt. Winters in this neck of the woods can be long and I have found that the best way to survive them is to stay busy and use the snow and cold to ones advantage. I really enjoy snowshoeing and this has been a great year for it. Not only is it great exercise, but it's actually much easier to get around the woods when there is a thick blanket of snow on the ground. All that underbrush that one gets tangled in during the summer is half buried and a lot easier to walk over. I picked a very remote area in the town of Berne today to do some snowshoeing. It's an area that I rarely visit and thought it would be fun to explore.

I was a couple of hours into my journey and so far things had been fairly quiet. I was moving along the edge of a stand of conifers and thought I caught a glimpse of something quietly moving through the trees. Whatever it was, it was shadowing me along my right side. I finally stopped and was able to get my bins on who was watching me.

It was a Northern Goshawk! Whoa.... Not everyday that someone gets a good look at one of these birds. They're not all that uncommon up here during the winter as a few usually decide to stop and hang around as they were migrating south from their more northern environs. Usually they give just brief views as they fly from a perch on the side of the road or are spotted flying overhead.

What happened next really surprised me. The bird flew closer, perched overhead and started vocalizing. They sound a lot like a giant, hen Wild Turkey. A loud, squeaky "Kek, Kek, Kek, Kek...".

It soon became apparent that this bird was not at all happy that I was there. Goshawks are know to be very territorial and this bird was showing all the signs of it.

They also really fluff up there undertail coverts during the breeding season as is shown well in this photo.

The vocalizing continued and it was obvious that this bird had no intentions of going anywhere. A nesting Northern Goshawk in this area is fairly uncommon. To find a territory and then a nest is even rarer.

I had to remind myself not to think too far ahead as so far only one bird has been spotted, and just because a bird is being territorial does not mean that it has found a mate or has decided to nest. I will certainly be stopping back in the future.

Later in the day I took a ride down to check on the Common Raven nest. The female was still on the nest incubating the eggs. All the snow and cold weather that we have been having have not slowed them down a bit. Some great signs (albeit small) of spring today.

MERLIN AT 5-RIVERS

2010-03-08T20:34:00.009-05:00

I stopped by 5-Rivers this afternoon after work. It was an incredible late winter day. Not a cloud in the sky, mild temperatures and a light breeze. As I approached the Sunfish Pond I spotted a bird that was a little smaller than a crow sitting on a dead snag. It was a raptor with long wings and it certainly had my attention. I was looking right into the sun and couldn't get a real great look at it. It finally turned it's head and gave away it's identity. It was a Merlin. Now the question was if the bird would sit still until I walked around the pond and got my back to the sun. It did.

Merlins are one of those birds that have become more frequent in our area during the winter months and migration. When I first started birding they were very uncommon at at any time of the year.

I was really hoping that this bird would head out to the big field and do some hunting.

A Northern Harrier was also spotted.

AN AWESOME WINTER DAY

2010-03-06T20:49:00.031-05:00

I was over at Burnt-Rossman this morning when I spotted two birds flying through the woods. They were a pair of Red Crossbills that were unusually quiet.

The female was peeling wood fiber off of a dead limb on a Red Oak.

She was silent, intently working on the limb.

Once she had a small bundle, both birds flew off out of sight.

I had a feeling as to what was going on, so I stayed in the area to see if they returned. A short while later both birds returned and the female this time perched on the end of a branch and continued to gather material.

Once another mouthful was collected, both birds flew off again. Red Crossbills can nest at any time of the year so it was becoming obvious that the female was gathering nesting material.

The male remained within a few feet of the female at all times, occasionally preening and even breaking out into song a few times. It did not however appear to be helping with any of the nest building activities. The whole process was continued a few more times and I was able to follow them(on snowshoes) through the woods; each time a little further in the hopes of locating the nest. I think I'm zeroing in on it. It's only a 10,000 acre forest.

A Northern Goshawk was spotted taking a mid-morning soar.

The bird was gaining altitude quickly.

When they soar like this, it's easy to see how sometimes they can be mistaken for buteos.

The bird did not really leave the area and just seemed to be out on a reconnaissance flight.

Later in the day, some additional Red Crossbills were found.

What a winter it has been for these birds.

A Common Raven flew overhead. The sign of an awesome day!

SOME WEEKEND RAPTORS

2010-02-14T21:10:00.026-05:00

This weekend was a real surprise when it came to the diversity of raptors that I was able to spot. It started off looking for a bird that had been reported by a fellow birder named Randy. He had reported a Golden Eagle hanging around in the Town of North Harpersfield in Delaware County. I was already over in Schoharie County doing some birding so I figured why not hop over the county line to see if I could find it. I drove up and down Rt 29 three times with no luck. After a snack break at a local store, I decided to give it one more try. I'm glad I did.

A large bird powered off the ground from a field full of saplings as I passed a farm. Even with just a quick glance while driving there was no doubt as to what it was. I was very happy to discover that my vehicle is still able to come to a very rapid, screeching stop and was out the door in an instant.

There it was. An incredible view of a Golden Eagle that was soaring around at a fairly low altitude. It didn't seem to be in any big hurry to leave the area and just soared over the road.

The low sun angle of the winter sun made the lighting less than ideal, but I was thankful just to be looking at it.

It was obvious that the eagle had no intentions on leaving the area and eventually started circling lower and lower.

It eventually wheeled around right in front of me and gave the best look yet. I was in complete awe at this point. One thing that the pictures don't do justice to is the size of this bird. It was big, real big and had quite a presence.

It then perched in the woods behind someones house. Now that's a good yardbird! Over the years I have been lucky enough to see them soaring above during migration, but this was the first time that I had ever seen one perched. They sure do blend in very well. Quite an experience.

On the way home 3 immature Bald eagles were spotted soaring.

Not quite as exciting as a Golden Eagle, but you still have to admire them.

This Rough-legged Hawk was spotted over in Rensselaerville on the way home. Not that many have been in the area this year compared to last. Probably due to rodent availability or something like that.

I'm sure they get to see plenty of Golden Eagles on their summer range.

On Sunday I headed down to the valley to do some birding. This American Kestrel was hanging out at 5-Rivers.

I was watching a Northern Harrier hunt over one of the fields down at Papscanee when it suddenly dropped to the ground.

When it didn't come back off the ground right away, I knew that it was successful. So I just stood still and let it enjoy a meal.

The harrier didn't waste any time and started devouring it's catch right away.

It looked to be a mouse or vole. There is no snow cover down in the lower elevations of our area and this has to be making things a lot easier for them.

Dinner was over in record time and then it was back to hunting.

Quite a weekend.

DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW

2009-12-13T21:04:00.029-05:00

The winds finally stopped blowing up here last night so I decided to head over to the Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest to check on the Red Crossbills that were there and after that take a ride through farm country to see if anything intersting was going on. The weather forecast was for some accumulating snow in the afternoon and that was just what I was looking for.

Burnt-Rossman is an intersting piece of state forest. It's considered large for a piece of state land outside the Adirondack or Catskill forest preserves. It's difficult to find much information on it as there are no kiosks or maps and I litterally stumbled upon it one day years ago while out driving and have enjoyed birding it ever since.

Even the DEC isn't quite sure how big of a parcel it is, as these two signs are about a mile apart from each other. This is the kind of thing that drives surveyors nuts. One thing is for sure, the taxman knows exactly how big of a parcel it really is.

One of the first birds that I spotted was this Ruffed Grouse strutting around on a snow covered forest road. Another bird was on the edge of the road and that was probably why he was acting so territorial. It's not unusual to hear them drumming or see them acting territorial in the winter.

It didn't take long to find the crossbills. They were in the same general area where they had been hanging out for the couple of months. Not a lot of them, that's for sure. Last weekend my curiosity was really piqued when I found a pair and the male actually was singing. They have an incredible song that is quite elaborate for a winter finch.

There was actually some sun out during the early morning hours and this female was spotted in a nearby hardwood.

3 more were spotted across the road on top of a Norway Spruce. It's always amazed me at how quiet crossbills can be when they want to. You get the feeling that someone or something is watching you, so you turn around and there they are. These birds were completely silent and did not make a sound until they eventuall flew back deeper in the forest.

This is what I really wanted to see. In the past few months I had only observed them feeding on the cones of some of the European Larch that is planted there. According to what I've read, larch is not the prefered food of the larger billed Red Crossbills as it is very hard for them to manipulate such a small cone with a beak that is designed for larger cones. I was happy to see that this crossbill had found some of the abundant White Pine cones in the area and was feasting on them. There is an excellent White Pine crop in the area and perhaps this will encourage them to stick around.

I think this guy has found what he was looking for. Time will tell.

I found this Northern Shrike along the side of the road once I had left the state forest. It was clouding up in a hurry and the lighting wasn't that great.

And then it was off to farm country as the storm approached. When the snow finally arrives, the fieldbirds come out to the edge of the road to try and find something to eat.

At one intersection, I found a group of "snowbirds" frantically foraging.

The flock was mainly Horned Larks, but after some careful scrutiny I was able to find a Lapland Longspur in the group.

A few moments later I realized that there was another longspur in the flock. It was snowing pretty hard at this point and the birds seemed to be frantic.

It sure is hard to get a decent picture with so many snowflakes in the air.

Longspurs are very abundant on the arctic tundra in the summer. Hard to believe that they come down here to the "sunny south" to spend the winter. I think I would keep heading south!

A little further down the road, I spotted some geese in a field on top of a knoll. It was snowing so hard that at first I thought there were just some Canada Geese in a field with some clumps of snow behind them.

A closer look revealed that there was actually a flock of Snow Geese on the top of the hill. They were probably grounded once the heavy snow began.

I wish the visibility was a little better, but then again the reason that the birds had landed was the snow. Guess I shouldn't complain.

There were both adults and immatures mixed in the flock. I looked through the flock as best I could given the conditions. Nothing but Snow Geese were found and I decided to move on and stop back later once the fast moving storm had stopped. I stopped back about an hour later and all that was there were the Canada Geese. Just a short delay in their plan and they were off again.

SHRIKES ARRIVE

2009-11-11T21:04:00.012-05:00

Another real nice morning up here in western Albany county. Brilliant blue sky and mild. I went for a ride over to Rensselaerville to see if anything was going on.

It didn't take long to find a Northern Shrike. It was in a dense stand of saplings and I figured this would probably be the best picture I was going to get. Shrikes can be less than cooperative when it comes to offering great photo ops. I was in a good spot to park and wait. So that's what I did.

The bird eventually went back to actively hunting and came a lot closer.

The sun was at my back and the incredible blue sky made a nice backdrop. The wind was messing up it's feathers a bit.

This is actually the second shrike that has come my way this year. I was lucky enough to spot one in my own neighborhood on October 31st. Could be a great year to observe them in these parts. On the other hand, as unpredictable as they are, this could be the last one that I see this winter. Time will tell.

AN AFTERNOON AT THE COXSACKIE GRASSLANDS

2009-10-18T20:18:00.008-04:00

I was in the area today so I stopped down and visited the Coxsackie Grasslands. A very unique area that consists of a managed grassland in the midst of a growing commercial area. A great oasis for migrating birds that was created and is being maintained through the dedicated efforts of local individuals.

As I walked along, I flushed a couple of sparrows from the ground that flew up into the adjacent hedgerow. I noticed that one of the birds had a lot of white on the edge of the tail as it flew away. Once it perched and I was able to get a good look at it, I realized that it was a Vesper Sparrow.

The other one was also a Vesper Sparrow and perched a little further down the hedgerow. Quite a treat as this species of bird is getting harder and harder to find in our area. These birds are probably migrants, but with all the positive grassland habitat modification that is going on at the Coxsackie Grasslands, they may just nest there someday.

The bold eye-ring, buffy flanks and white edged tail give this sparrow a very unique look. It's a shame that not many nest in our area due to habitat loss.

Once I had stopped gawking at the 2 Vesper Sparrows in the hedgerow, I spotted 2 more of them on a nearby berm. I had all 4 of them in sight at one time and was reminded of a similar encounter that I had a few years ago in the town of Knox. It was also in October when I spotted a small flock of them migrating south.

At one time they were actually called Bay-winged Buntings as they are fairly stocky for a sparrow and have a heavy bill. As time went on it was discovered that they were actually sparrows.

A Northern Harrier was also out over the grasslands looking for a meal.

A great place to observe them.

A Common Yellowthroat was spotted along the one of the edges of the fields.

And a Palm Warbler as well. A great place to spend a relaxing afternoon.

SCOTERS AT LAKE MYOSOTIS

2009-10-14T20:54:00.014-04:00

I stopped in to Lake Myosotis today to see if anything was going on. As soon as I got out of the car I noticed that there were a few small rafts of ducks on the water.

One group formed a relatively straight line and the other was an active cluster further back.

The group that was continually swimming in a small, nervous group were Black Scoters. It was obvious that they were not comfortable. Scoters migrate at night like many species of birds and when the sun comes up they search for the first quiet, secluded area that they can find. Over the years, I've never even seen one of them dive or feed as all they are looking for is a safe place to rest until it is dark and they can continue their journey to the ocean.

It was a beautiful fall day so I hung around and watched them for a while. Every once and a while the entire flock of Black Scoters would take off and fly a lap around the lake, and then return to the same spot. They seemed very itchy to get going.

The other group of ducks were Surf Scoters. The above picture shows a female with a couple of juvenile birds that were there.

The Surf Scoters seemed much more relaxed and spent most of the time napping and resting up for the night ahead of them.

When they did wake up, there was a lot of wing flapping and preening.

I remember in my first Peterson Field Guide that one of their nicknames were "skunk ducks".
Easy to see how that name originated.

As the sun was setting, I couldn't help but thinking where these guys would be by morning. Would they make it to the Atlantic by sunrise? I'd like to think so. They are always one day wonders at Lake Myosotis.

10/03 5-RIVERS

2009-10-03T21:39:00.027-04:00

Not only was it a foggy morning up here on the hill, but it was the first official weekend of small game hunting on the state land. So I made a pre-dawn drive down to Five Rivers E.E.C. to see if any new migrants had arrived. It was worth the trip.

There was a lot of bird activity along the paths and trails. Most noticeable were the numbers of sparrows in many of the hedgerows. Two White-crowned Sparrows were spotted in with a lot of White-throated Sparrows and Song Sparrows.

A Lincoln's Sparrow was also spotted along a gravel road. Nice to see one out in the open for once.

Lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers were also flitting about. Very resourceful birds. They're not fussy eaters and will eat berries, insects, seeds and anything else they can find.

Still some Palm Warblers mixed in with the yellow-rumps. Only 5 were spotted today compared to last weekends abundance.

"Chipping" and wagging their tails. That's what they do best. They always seem to be in such an upbeat mood.

I couldn't quite figure out what this one was doing. I don't know whether it was trying to catch some kind of insects that were on the branch or actually trying to eat some of the lichen.

I heard some Purple Finches flying over earlier in the morning and finally caught up with one. Not unusual for them to stop by in the fall as they look for wintering areas. This was a very distant picture.

A Black-throated Blue Warbler was checking out some of the local berries. Migration is the only time these birds can be found at lower elevations.

A Nashville Warbler foraged in some of the lower vegetation.

Nashville Warblers also mainly nest at some of the more northern latitudes such as the boreal forests in Canada. In our immediate area small numbers do nest at the higher elevations.

Blue-headed Vireos are always good company on a cloudy, damp day. As is the case with most of them, this bird was singing along like it was the middle of summer. They seem at times oblivious to the weather.

A Green Heron was intently looking for something to eat at the Research Ponds. Getting late for them to be around.

An Eastern Meadowlark was spotted on the way home in Rensselaerville.

This young Turkey Vulture was spotted in a field a little further down the road. Vultures are somewhat of an anomaly in the bird world due to the fact that they actually have a sense of smell. I like the way you can actually see through this birds nostrils.

A Ruby-crowned Kinglet was foraging along on of the forest roads near home.

When I finally got home this Northern Flicker was on the lawn looking for ants and other insects. It flew up on a branch and posed.

SUNDAY 9/27 AT FIVE RIVERS

2009-09-27T19:58:00.021-04:00

September is usually a dry month in these parts, however this year it has been exceptionally dry. Rain finally moved in last night and it was still drizzling at daybreak. I was actually kinda looking forward to some inclement weather as this tends to slow fall migration down a bit and causes the birds to suspend their southerly progress. It was very foggy at the house so I went down in the valley to 5-Rivers to see if anything was going on.

One of the first birds I spotted at daybreak was this Wilson's Warbler. They are very active and this one was no exception. It disappeared very quickly.

Once I started walking the trails, it didn't take long to realize that something interesting was going on. The first thing I noticed was that there were a lot of Palm Warblers "chipping" and wagging their tails.

They were all over the place and were a lot of fun to watch as they foraged along the paths. I stopped counting at 25 and there were probably a few more than that.

We only get to see them during migration, so there must have been a major movement of them out of Canada. Watch out for that spider web buddy!

Almost stepped on this one. They can be very tame and curious.

There were also quite a few Yellow-rumped Warblers mixed in. They also make a "chipping" sound while in a flock feeding. Their numbers continue to build during migration, but a few can be found in our area all summer long. There was actually a male found singing at 5-Rivers on June 19 of this year. Uncommon, as they usually stick to the higher elevations.

Now that looks like fall!

A Lincoln's Sparrow popped out of the foliage and gave some nice looks. There were a lot of sparrows around, mainly White-throated.

This is the same bird in a little better light. Another was found a little further down the trail.

A Bay-breasted Warbler was found along the edges of one of the ponds. This bird was fairly well marked and had quite a bit of bay coloring along the flanks.

Blue-headed Vireos are a lot of fun. This little guy was singing away in the drizzle and even came down out of the tree tops to see what I was up to. If you have the chance to get close to them, they actually make some very interesting sounds. Lots of soft chattering and murmurs.

It can be tough to crawl out of bed on cool damp mornings like this. This morning it was well worth it.

NOW WE'RE COOKING

2009-09-05T20:59:00.020-04:00

Went out at dawn to see if migration had really kicked into gear yet. The weather has been very favorable for the migrants so I figured I would stay close to home in Partridge Run WMA.

This Bay-breasted Warbler was found in an alder thicket just after dawn. I was actually trying to get a picture of a Northern Waterthrush that was lurking in the dense cover below.

Sure makes it easy to identify them when they still have that much "bay" on them.

Found this Northern Parula in a clearing a little further down the road.

This Magnolia Warbler is the first of many to pass through the area this fall. Judging by the numbers we see here, they must be a very common bird in the boreal forest of Canada.

A Black-and-white Warbler checking out a dead snag.

During fall migration, Black-throated Green Warblers are one of the most prevalent birds one can expect to see while in the field. Plenty more of these birds to come.

Even from below American Redstarts are easily recognizable due to their unique tail pattern.

Found another Bay-breasted Warbler basking in the early morning sunshine.

It will be interesting to see how many are spotted this fall as there has been spruce budworm outbreak for the last few years in Canada.

A first fall female Black-throated Blue Warbler hanging out in the shade.

Spotted two birds hanging out on a broken branch laying on the side of the road. I was surprised to see a Palm Warbler here this early. The Yellow-rumped Warbler may or may not be a migrant. One thing is for sure, migration is definitely underway.

AUGUST 23 - PARTRIDGE RUN WMA

2009-08-23T20:42:00.031-04:00

The morning started out warm and humid with a light rain falling. I couldn't resist going out and seeing what was going on. August can be a month full of interesting finds when it comes to birds, the past few trips out into the field certainly proved that. I stayed close to home today and birded the Partridge Run area of Berne.

White-throated Sparrows nest up here at the higher elevations and then head down into the valleys to spend the winter.

At one of my stops I spotted a Great-horned Owl keeping a close eye on me. Daytime sightings of owls are always are always a great opportunity to study these nocturnal birds a little closer.

So there I was, looking over a Least Flycatcher making sure it wasn't a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher when I saw another bird flitting around in one of the old apple trees that the state had planted years ago. I would have loved to have seen how wide my eyes got when I finally focused on it and realized what it was. It's a Cape May Warbler! What made this one especially nice was that it was an adult male in it's fall plumage.

It was lightly raining at this point and it would have been nice if the sun was out, but I sure wasn't about to complain.Cape May Warblers only pass through these parts during migration, they nest up north (mainly Canada). They nest in spruce bogs and their breeding success is directly tied to their favorite food source the spruce budworm.

The bird was very cooperative as it slowly and methodically searched the apple tree for food. Fruit trees such as this are usually loaded with insects and this year looks to be a banner year for apples as well. The deer must be licking their chops.

By mid-morning the rain had stopped and things started to brighten up a bit. This Scarlet Tanager probably felt right at home in the moist humid forest. It will soon be leaving for the tropical rain forests of central and south america to spend the winter.

I spotted this Nashville Warbler in an alder thicket. It was busily catching bugs and caterpillars to fatten up for the long journey ahead of it. Hard to say if this is a migrant or not as a few do nest here on the state land.

AUGUST BIRDING IS HOT

2009-08-16T20:20:00.014-04:00

It was forecast to be a warm and humid summer day so I decided to head out early and do some birding over at the Burnt-Rossman Hills State Forest. As usual, it was well worth getting up before dawn and making the trip.

I found this Mourning Warbler in an area that I wasn't really expecting. It was fairly deep in a mature forest. It was not singing and it was in an area that I had birded in the previous months and not noticed one. I had to wonder if it was a bird that was either unsuccessful at breeding or had finished it's breeding responsibilities and was already meandering south.

They have a very distinct chip call and this bird gave me an opportunity to study it some more.

A while later I heard the sounds of a fledgling begging for food. It turned out to be a young Blue-headed Vireo.

The parent birds were close by and once they started to scold me I knew it was time to leave.

And here was one of the reasons I decided to spend some time at Burnt-Rossman today. Having spotted Red Crossbills a couple of weeks ago near my home, I was curious if they had also found their way here. They sure had. I found this bird in a stand of larch. I had a tough time getting a decent view of it as it was about 60ft up in a dense stand. I was content with the few limited views that I got and moved on down the road.

I was attempting to get some pictures of a less than cooperative juvenile Yellow-rumped Warbler, when two birds flew out of a stand of White Pine and landed on some electrical wires.

I walked around them to get a little better lighting. They kept looking down to the ground and I knew what they were after. It seemed so surreal to be looking at two of them on a 80 degree day perched on an electrical wire. I guess anything is possible.

The crossbills eventually descended to the dirt road below and started to search for grit.
When you spend all day eating pine and spruce seeds, you need tiny pieces of stone and sand in your gut to help with the digestive process.

Not only do Red Crossbills have unique bills that allow them to pry open cones and extract seed, but they also have specially evolved tongues that help them with the process.

When you get an up close look at them you realize just how rugged a bird they are.
A plump, stout body combined with muscular legs and feet. And lets not forget that vice-like bill. Quite the coniferous cone wrecking machine.

They both are actually first year birds and you can see some small patches of red starting to show on the male in the background. The female has a lot more gray on the neck and back.

You have to wonder what these two birds will be up to in the coming months if they stick around.

A little while later I spotted this adult male Red Crossbill in a different location. This picture sums up one of the problems they are facing. Lots of cone on the pines and spruce, unfortunately none of it is ripe... yet.

NOT BAD FOR AUGUST

2009-08-15T21:32:00.019-04:00

I went out early this morning to see what was going on in the neighborhood. When you live in the middle of a 5000 acre state forest, there are plenty of birds around this time of year.

This Blue-winged Warbler was actively foraging at first light. They have stopped singing now and are some of the first to start heading south.

I couldn't quite figure out at first what this Ruby-throated Hummingbird was up to. It kept trying to fly while holding on to the stems of some of the leaves.

Then I realized that it was taking a bath by using its wings to splash some of the water droplets onto it's body.

This is a great time of year to get some nice looks at Nashville Warblers. They forage a lot closer to the ground now and can be very inquisitive.

They also have gone silent and are trying to fatten up for the long journey ahead.

If your an adult Chestnut-sided Warbler and it's August, it's time for your prebasic molt. This one had already lost it's tail feathers and was busy preening and trying to dry out a bit. The don't loose their flight feathers at this time, so they are still able to fly. Within a week or two this bird will look quite different. It will lose the yellow crown and black mask in exchange for a more drab appearance.

There are usually a few pair of Yellow-rumped Warblers that nest in the area. This year was no exception and this is one of the juveniles that were produced.

This first fall Magnolia Warbler was out and about looking for some tasty arthropod to munch on.

This is probably one of the locally hatched birds. An endless stream of these birds will pass through the area in September and October.

Ovenbirds are a lot of fun this time of year. They finally go silent, but they seem much more curious and don't spend as much time foraging on the ground.

During breeding season they rarely leave the dark shadows of the forest floor. That sun must feel great.

This adult female Black-throated Blue Warbler was busily looking for some food for it's nestlings. They are some of the last warblers in the area to actually finish nesting.

THE DOLDRUMS???

2009-08-01T18:05:00.033-04:00

I'm always amazed when some refer to July and August as the "doldrums" when it comes to birding. I've always found this time of year to be quite the opposite. Let's do some simple math. A couple of birds show up in appropriate habitat, set up a breeding territory and raise a brood of offspring. Their in no hurry to migrate yet, so it stands to reason that there are more birds in a given area in the months of July and August then May or June.
The main factor that has allowed this time of the year to be labeled as "slow" is that our own lives become more involved with things such as picnics, vacations and firewood (it's actually the time of year that I try and get my wood for the winter split and stacked). Hardly seems fair. The dog-days of summer are not as birder friendly as the spring months are.

This female Common Yellowthroat brings home some tasty morsels for some hungry nestlings nearby.

This young Golden-crowned Kinglet was curious as to what I was up to.

It was a nice opportunity to snap a few pictures. Not often that they sit still for long.

No golden crown yet. That will come as the bird matures this fall.

A young Ruby-throated Hummingbird warms itself in the morning sun.

This was probably the most interesting observation of the day. It's a Canada Warbler (on left) and Nashville Warbler (right) travelling together. The nashville was a juvenile bird and was following the adult canada around. The young bird was actually making begging calls as if it was trying to get the canada to find it some food.

Its not that unusual for adult birds of one species to feed a begging fledgling of another species. Instinct is a powerful thing. At least they have matching eyerings.

And here was the surprise of the day. After some morning birding, I went home and was doing some things around the house. I heard something coming from the spruces next to my house that really caught me off guard. Jip, Jip, Jip ...... Jip, Jip, Jip. I ran to a spot where I could scan the top of the spruces from and managed to see a couple of Red Crossbills noisily flying away. Wow! Wasn't expecting that. I headed back out into the field, checking some areas that I thought would be attractive to them. I found some more and was able to snap some pictures.

Red Crossbills are some of the great nomads of the birding world. They can literally show up and nest anytime and anyplace. It will be interesting to see if they stick around.

I had a tough time today considering them winter finches.

August birding is so boring... Yeah right!

5-RIVERS & AN OLD FRIEND

2009-05-11T21:11:00.017-04:00

It was an incredibly nice day out there today so I just couldn't resist doing some birding on the way home. The first stop was 5-Rivers.

A female American Kestrel was spotted along one of the larger fields.

They manage the fields at 5-Rivers by mowing them at set intervals. This seems to work out well for the Bobolinks. A female is pictured above.

The male Bobolinks were busy trying to set up territories and attract females.

One of the fields has some small saplings in it and Prairie Warblers can be found there. This bird actually looks to have a band on it's right leg. They do research at 5-Rivers and perhaps this bird is part of it.

Pine Warblers have also returned. This guy just wouldn't stop singing.

This was a nice opportunity to get a look at one. Once they set up territory and start nesting, they spend most of their time high up in the pines.

After I left 5-Rivers, I stopped at the Bennett Hill Preserve in Clarksville. I wanted to see if an old friend had arrived yet. I walked up the trail and as I neared the spot that I wanted to check, a bird flew low across the trail. This Hooded Warbler has been at the preserve for the past 3 years. It didn't look quite right and was acting much different than it had in the past. The bird was silent and that was strange since it usually sang constantly. The fact that a bird like this can find it's way to wintering grounds some 3000 miles away and then find it's way back to the same small patch of woods is incredible. I've read a lot of attempts to explain how birds navigate during migration and never really found any that convince me 100%. I think it's one of those mysteries that mother nature still has not revealed. Welcome back old friend!.... and how the heck did you do it?

5/3 PRWMA

2009-05-03T21:43:00.026-04:00

The morning was overcast and seasonably mild for early spring. Things got off to an interesting start right at first light. I was standing in a small clearing when I was shocked to see a large falcon flying due east at a relatively low altitude. Fortunately, I already had my camera on and was able to get off a quick "hip-shot".

Even without binoculars it was obvious that it was a Peregrine Falcon. The first one that I had ever spotted up here in Partridge Run and was completely amazed. The bird was flying like it was on a mission.

The nearest known nest sight for these birds is about 25 miles away in Albany and I knew this certainly wasn't one of them. During spring migration peregrines usually migrate north along the Atlantic coast and are rare inland. I'm thinking that this bird somehow got a bit off course yesterday and once the sun came up, it was headed east towards the very distant ocean. Quite an early morning wake up!

Here's an interesting anomaly that's been hanging around the area. This bird has returned to the same general area that it occupied last year. It sings a Golden-winged Warbler song most of the time, but it sure does not look like one.

It doesn't resemble the typical Blue-winged Warbler as it has a lot of white on the underparts, white cheeks and a lot of gray on the back and neck. This is a hybrid between a Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warbler. They call these birds Brewster's Warblers and as interesting as they are to look at, they are being created at a high price. The Blue-winged Warblers are taking over much of the traditional nesting grounds of the Golden-winged Warblers in our area. This is probably due to habitat succession as well as the blue-wings being more aggressive. This combined with the fact that the two species hybridize regularly, has led to a serious decline in the number of golden-wings in our area.

Nashville Warblers have also arrived in the area and a few are staking out some prime territory. You can actually see of the rufous crown feathers on this bird that are often difficult to see.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have also arrived. A great bird to look at as well as listen to.

I spotted this female Hooded Merganser on a small pond. It reminded me that last year I found 2 pair of them, that successfully nested just down the road. Seems to be an increasing phenomenon in our area.

Back at home the Pine Siskins are still inhaling as much thistle seed as possible. Are they ever going to leave?

5/2 PARTRIDGE RUN WMA

2009-05-02T20:49:00.027-04:00

May is one of my favorite months of the year. For a birder in this part of the country it is a very exciting time of the year. Birds that are going to nest in the area begin to arrive and set up territories. Some birds simply migrate through the area and others are year round residents. There's something for everybody.

The local Raven nestlings are doing just fine. Their feathers continue to grow in and their vision seems to be improving as their eyes develop.

Blue-headed Vireos have been here a while now. It's not unusual to spot them up here when there are still patches of snow on the ground. The first one that I found this year was on April 10 and their numbers have been increasing since then as 6 of them were spotted today.

An Osprey was spotted migrating through the area.

We are fortunate to have a lot of flowing water up here on the state land. This Louisiana Waterthrush was spotted looking for aquatic insects in a stream. Sometimes they can be hard to get a decent look at so I was fortunate to find this one right out in the open.

This Chestnut-sided Warbler seems to be finding plenty to eat. These are probably one of the most numerous species of warblers found here in Partridge Run.

A Spotted Sandpiper was found on one of the water control structures that the DEC built years ago to create one of the ponds. They normally don't stick around in this area so we'll call this one a migrant also.

Solitary Sandpipers are also migrating through the area. This one was breaking tradition as it was joined by another one. Not that unusual.

Another Louisiana Waterthrush was found in a rocky creek. This bird has been in this area for a couple of weeks now singing away. Nothing says spring like the song of a waterthrush.

Always a crowd pleaser, this Black-throated Blue Warbler was singing and setting up territory in an area that they nest every year.

This bird here is a classic example of "if you build it, they will come". Those chestnut streaks on it's back give away it's identity.

A few years ago the DEC cleared an area and left some rows of underbrush behind. They mow between the rows each year and it has created exactly the habitat that these birds are looking for. This Prairie Warbler has set up a territory right in the middle of it.

This is one of the few that I have ever seen on the state land and I really enjoyed hearing it's unique song.

My own nickname for the Prairie Warbler is "the turbo bird". When I worked down at the quarry I realized that it's song sounds exactly like the sound that the turbochargers on a Caterpillar 992G loader make when it is put under full load. I'm sure you all have heard that sound... Right? O.K. maybe I was reaching a bit on that one.

RAVEN UPDATE

2009-04-23T21:43:00.004-04:00

Meanwhile back at the Ravens nest things are progressing. The nestlings are rapidly growing in size. It's always amazed me at how fast the nestlings of all species of birds grow. It takes a constant supply of food for them to obtain such a rapid rate of growth.

I was happy to see that there were still 4 nestlings there. Ravens are one of the species that will sacrifice nestlings if there is not enough food for all. Doesn't seem to be an issue here.

Not a bad life that they have. Just sleep and preen until your parents show up with something to eat.

4/22 Papscanee and 5-Rivers

2009-04-22T21:25:00.018-04:00

I stopped over to the Papscanee Island Nature Preserve on the way home.

I was able to locate 4 Savannah Sparrows. This is one of the few spots in the area that a few of them will stay for the winter. In January there were a few still hanging around as one would expect. They eventually disappeared (as did most of the other sparrows) due to the fact that a couple of Merlins had taken control of the skies over Papscanee. Their numbers seem to be increasing now and it's great to hear them singing.

The next stop was a quick visit at 5-Rivers. I spotted a Palm Warbler foraging along one of the main paths.

Another was spotted in a Norway Spruce. A much more appropriate background as they are probably heading for the boreal forests of Canada to nest. A few also nest in the spruce forests and bogs of the northern U.S.. Unfortunately they just migrate through our area.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

2009-04-17T19:32:00.005-04:00

Even though spring migration has not kicked into high gear yet up here on the "hill", there is still plenty of bird activity to observe. Here are some highlights of the past week.

I found a pair of Long-eared Owls not far from my home in early March. I was out one evening doing some owling when I stopped at an area that looked like it might have some potential. I was standing in the dark, in a very quiet and desolate area, imitating the call of a long-eared when suddenly there was a loud crack about 30 feet above my head. It scared the hell out of me at first and when I looked up into the starlit night I could make out the silhouette of an owl circling above me. It gave me another wing clap and then flew into some nearby conifers. The bird started calling and then some other vocalizations started. It became apparent that there was another bird in the trees. I remembered reading that long-eared owls only give wing claps when they are defending a territory. I stopped by again the next night a dusk and watched one of the owls come out and hunt over a nearby field. I've stopped back quite a few times since then and I took the above picture early in the week at dusk. Not the best shot of one of the owls going out to hunt. Hopefully some better ones are to come.

A Fox Sparrow showed up at the feeders on the 12th. Nice to see some kind of migration going on.

Down at the Ravens nest things are progressing nicely.

There are actually four nestlings now and man are they hungry. The one that is not visible is quite a bit smaller than the others as it was hatched last. I like rooting for the underdog so I hope it makes it. The above picture was taken on 4/11.

This picture was taken on 4/15. Incredible how fast they are increasing in size. The adult birds are constantly in motion as they are hustling to find food to feed them.

I spotted this Ruffed Grouse on the state land near my house. It was feeding near some garbage that some inconsiderate dirt bag had dumped on the side of the road (unfortunately this is an all too common occurrence). When I took a look at the grouse I noticed there was a thin metal wire sticking out from it's neck. Then I noticed the small transmitter around it's neck and realized it was one of the grouse involved in the NYSDEC research project.

I stopped down at the Raven nest on 4/16 and was actually able to get a picture of one of the adults at the nest with the young.

This nest has been a great opportunity to watch these birds develop. It is situated so that one can actually see down into the nest instead of having to look up from the ground and only imagine what is going on.

LOCAL SIGHTINGS 4/5

2009-04-05T23:07:00.006-04:00

A Common Loon on Myosotis Lake today.

Another hungry mouth has shown up at the Raven nest.

BACK ON THE NEST

2009-04-03T20:11:00.010-04:00

I stopped downed to the Ravens' nest today to see if there were any more developments. The female was back on the nest and I had to wonder what was going on underneath her. One nestling already had shown itself and hopefully there will be more to come.

I left after a short while. At this point it's probably critical that she stays on the nest.

A NEW RAVEN

2009-04-02T20:55:00.015-04:00

I stopped at the Ravens nest on the way home from work today. The female was not on the nest and I noticed that things looked different. The soft material that formed the cup of the nest had all been pushed to the front. "That's strange", I thought to myself as I looked things over. Had there been a problem? Did a predator somehow manage to get to the inaccessible location? Where was the female?

My imagination was running wild at this point.

After a while I got the answer I was looking for. One of the eggs had hatched! The nestling was already instinctively begging for food and the female must have been out searching for some. She finally returned, spotted me and I knew it was time to leave. Hopefully there will be more pink beaks pointing towards the sky in the days to come.

On the way home I spotted a Cooper's Hawk in the town of Berne.

Very brazen, just hanging out by the side of the road. Judging by the size it is probably a female.

Wilson's Snipe have returned to the fields at the Papscanee Preserve. Their cryptic coloring makes it hard to spot them until you look closely. I took these photos yesterday on the way home.

They can be found there each spring during migration.

The birds took to the air when one of the high-speed Amtrac trains went by. It made for some interesting photos as they circled around and returned to the field.

LONG-EARED OWL AT FIVE RIVERS

2009-03-31T21:24:00.000-04:00

It was a nice spring day so I decided to stop by 5-Rivers on the way home. There was not a cloud in the sky and this combined with calm winds gave the sun some spring warmth.

One of the first birds that I spotted was this White-winged Crossbill. It was just hanging out in a dead tree by the Beaver Pond, basking in the brillant sunshine. I thought it might be possible to get a little closer to get some nice pictures, when all of a sudden....

....an epic Canada Goose fight broke out nearby. This confrontatation was incredibly loud and brutal. It lasted quite a bit longer that most and in the end one of the combatants was left visibly injured. The crossbill flew off when the ruckus started and I continued on once it had died down.

The main reason I had stopped by today was to see if this bird was still there. I had found a Long-eared Owl in a stand of White Pine yesterday and sure enough it was in the same general area.

The bird was still quietly roosting and seemed to be doing very well. The Crows and Jays were not bothering it and judging by the amount of pellets in the immediate area, it was eating good and had been there a while. I contemplated whether I should let some folks know about this bird, but in the end I decided against it. After seeing the way that some of the Snowy Owls in our area had been treated this winter, I just couldn't do it. This would end even worse as the bird was on public property not far off a well traveled trail. I decided to let the bird enjoy it's seclusion and kept mum about it. It was the right thing to do.

WEEKEND OF 3/21-3/22

2009-03-22T17:58:00.017-04:00

Not a bad weekend. It's officially spring now and the weather seems to be cooperating. I spent the weekend birding close to home as there was quite a bit going on for this time of year.

As of Saturday the female Common Raven was still on the nest. The only time that I have seen her leave is on the rare occasion that the male is there perched next to her. The male Raven quickly spots me approaching and then takes off. She follows him only to return a short time later once I am out of sight. If she is there by herself, she never leaves and sits tight. It's a smart strategy as the nest blends in very well by itself and once someones attention is drawn to that area due to a bird flying away, its harder to spot an empty nest compared to one with the female sitting on it.

She remains motionless and silent, but that beady black eye keeps a close eye on me.

I stopped over to the Franklinton Vly on Sunday. Had a nice look a Gadwall that was there.

There was also a Bald Eagle there. Always great to see them.

Also spotted a Northern Shrike in the Town of Berne. It's getting near the end of their stay now and this could be last I'll see of them until next winter.

You know it's getting late for them when the Red-winged Blackbirds have arrived. The Shrike flew down next to a small pond and was hunting from a willow. A red-wing must have already set up a territory and seemed quite distressed by it's presence. The shrike completely ignored the blackbird and continued to hunt.

SPRING IS SO CLOSE

2009-03-15T21:16:00.013-04:00

We've almost made it to the first day of spring and the weather is really starting to cooperate. The days are becoming noticeably longer and the sun is getting a little bit of warmth to it.

As I was walking around I heard some soft tapping from above. A Red-breasted Nuthatch was working on this hole. This tree was right next to a stand of pines and the Nuthatch made a hasty retreat once it realized I was watching it.

An Eastern Chipmunk was also spotted sunning itself. Now that's a true sign of spring.

A small flock of Purple Finches was also found today. They had found a Crabapple tree
that still had some fruit on it. Probably an important find for them as there is not a lot of other food around this time of year.

They were completely silent as they worked on the dehydrated fruits.

I took a ride over to Schoharie county in the afternoon. While hiking through the state forest I realized that there was something else in the stand of Hemlock that I was in. There were 2 Barred Owls keeping a close eye on me. From the way that they were acting it was a male and female that were getting ready to nest. I was only able to get photos of what I believe was the male. The other bird stayed further back all the while making some interesting vocalizations.

The black, beady eyes of the Barred Owl give it a unique and as some would say, a mystical appearance. From my own experience they are the most aggressive species of owl in our area.

A Red-shouldered Hawk was also spotted. A pair usually nests in the state forest. Hopefully this one will be successful.

PLENTY OF BLUE SKY TODAY

2009-03-14T22:33:00.017-04:00

I was out watching the feeders a bit this morning and everything seemed to be normal, when this bird showed up.

Sharp-shinned Hawks are no strangers to "feeding" at bird feeders. This one was very bold and downright brazen. I was standing about 15 feet from it as it intently studied what was going on at the feeders.

After a short while the birds in the yard realized what was going on and flew for cover while sounding the alarm.

The hunter eventually took to the air and circled the yard a few times before heading back into the woods. I'm sure it will be back.

Golden-crowned Kinglets are always a lot of fun to try and get a picture of. The rarely sit still and this one was caught hopping between branches.

I stopped down to the Raven's nest. "Big Daddy" spotted me as I approached the ravine. He didn't seem very happy about me being there and put on quite a display. Hopefully he'll get a little more comfortable with me in the weeks to come. The female was still on the nest and I left rather quickly.

Turkey Vultures have returned to the area. They don't have the curb appeal of most birds, but you have to give them credit for being natures clean-up crew and they have certainly mastered the art of riding thermal updrafts.

On the other end of the spectrum is the Bald Eagle. Stately, impressive, noble and distinguished are just a few of the words that come to mind to describe this bird. This one was spotted in Westerlo today.

NESTING COMMON RAVENS

2009-03-11T21:01:00.006-04:00

I stopped by the spot that the Common Ravens had built their nest. I came in from a different direction and was able to get a better look. The female was now on the nest today and appeared to be incubating the eggs. Incredible that they start this early and are able to keep the eggs warm as the temp tonight is forcast to be in the lower 20's. I didn't stay long and will return in a few days to check on the progress.

SIGNS OF SPRING THIS WEEKEND: PART 1

2009-03-07T21:55:00.003-05:00

Winter finally seems to be loosening it's grip on the area. There are still plenty of Siskins and Redpolls at the feeder, but a few things caught my eye today that remind me that spring is right around the corner.

Still doing a brisk business at the thistle feeders. The Redpolls were a pleasant surprise this year and even bigger numbers should return next. I better start saving for thistle seed now.

American Kestrel numbers are also increasing as they slowly return to the higher and more windy elevations.

I stopped down to the ravine that is located on the state land not far from my house. I saw this Common Raven cruise by. The bird was silent and that's usually one way you can tell that they are up to something.

Ravens have nested in the ravine before, so I took a few minutes to scan the rock face on the other side. Sure enough, a nest had been built. Nothing elaborate for the construction, just a pile of sticks and some softer material on the top to form a cup. I didn't want to disturb them too much, so I left and made a note to check on them in a few days.

As I was driving home I spotted this Ruffed Grouse in full display on the side of the road. Some folks consider them just game birds that are kinda plain. I don't know, maybe it's just me but this bird looks very impressive as it struts it's stuff. The sad part of this situation is that this is how many grouse meet their demise. They get very territorial during mating season and will challenge anything including motor vehicles. If you'll notice, this bird was actually standing on the white line along the edge of a county road. When they are in this state of mind, they usually don't move out of the way of an approaching motor vehicle. This guy eventually settled down and returned to the woods before any vehicle approached.

SNOWBIRDS

2009-02-22T17:36:00.017-05:00

It was a Sunday and there was a storm approaching from the South. The weather was predicted to get worse as the day went on and the heaviest snow accumulations were to be to the south and east. So I decided to head out to farm country in the morning before things got too bad.

It was already snowing, and the plows had been out scraping and salting. The wind was blowing at a pretty good clip and the most of the field birds came out to the edge of the road to see if the foraging was any easier. When your driving down a quiet country road and you see something like this, you realize that something is definitely going on.

There were Horned Larks all over the place. I ran into quite a few flocks of them and estimate that I saw 350+ along the edges of some of the roads. I wish I could have taken more pictures of the flocks, but some of them were along busier roads and it just wasn't safe to stop.

One of the flocks that I did stop to look at had a Lapland Longspur in it. Always great to see these sometime elusive birds. Nice to see one out on the road and not scurrying about amongst the corn stubble.

A while later I found another large flock of birds that was just flushed by a passing vehicle. I parked on the side of the road and waited as sometimes a flushed flock of snowbirds will return to the same area. The flock eventually returned and I was busily scanning the flock as it foraged along the side of the road. When I finally took a break and put my binoculars down for a moment, I couldn't believe what was standing all by itself about 25 feet from my vehicle... It was a female Lapland Longspur in near breeding plumage.

I snapped as many pictures as I could as I knew this would probably be the closest I would ever be to one of these birds. I was very tame and was frantically trying to find as much as it could to eat.

This bird was beautifully marked and I watched it as long as I could before another passing vehicle flushed it deeper into the field. Hard to believe that these birds are already starting to move back to the North. It seems like they just got here.

THE END?....

2009-01-10T14:56:00.001-05:00