Owls & Others of Essex, MA

Screech Owl

2012-01-22T05:25:00.001-05:00

January, 21, 2012

The 1st real snow of the year fell this week with a few inches coming down today. One of the benefits of the frozen precipitation was the arrival of the 1st Screech Owl to use the nest box in the back yard for 2012 .

It sat in the hole for a brief time mid-afternoon only to be chased back into the box by several scolding Chickadee and Titmouse which can be heard in the brief video below.

It came back out a bit later and sat in the hole until leaving for the evening around 5pm.

Cooper's Hawk

2012-01-19T19:54:00.001-05:00

January 19, 2012

Another Cooper's Hawk sat long enough for several photos this morning. This one a young hawk, less than a year old.

I use my Toyota Corolla as a portable blind when the conditions allow and today was no exception. The shot above was taken at a fair distance allowing the hawk a bit of time to get used to the car. I drove a bit closer for the next shot.

Or should I say, backed up a bit closer, as this was the best approach without spooking the hawk.

No the hawk isn't yodeling in the image below. This was just one of the many poses I saw prior to it regurgitating a pellet.

Just after dropping the pellet as it pulled itself back together and tucked it's foot back in.

A look at it's eye in the image below and you can see the nictitating membrane or 2nd eyelid as it begins to pass over the eye.

And one more look prior to my driving off, leaving the hawk where I found it. I love it when I can pull that off!

Raptors - 2012

2012-01-16T20:09:00.001-05:00

Monday, January 16, 2012

It's been a fairly quiet winter for most species of owls here on the North Shore of Massachusetts, other than a large influx of Snowy Owls which are always a treat to see. I've yet to catch up with one for any decent images with all I've seen to date either very distant or in poor light.

But today may mark a change in my luck with owls for 2012. A stop along Stackyard Road in Rowley found a Short-eared Owl actively hunting alongside the road well before dusk. Perched up below:

and just before pouncing on a vole.

Both of the Short-eared Owl images were taken at quite a distance but I'm happy with them non the less!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

It was bitter cold on Sunday with a high of 16 and the day starting out at 5 degrees, wind gusts topped out at 22 mph. Finding birds was a bit of a challenge but once located, like the Cooper's Hawk in the images below, they were cooperative subjects.

A large, adult female Cooper's Hawk sitting in a hedgerow along Rte 1A in Salisbury

and a pair of head shots taken from inside the car as she kept an eye on the lens sticking out of the window.

A truly beautiful hawk, most likely a 3rd year bird with the orange eyes that start out yellow and end up red as the bird ages.

Earlier in the day, just after sunrise, did I say it was cold...:) the young Cooper's Hawk seen below had just made a run at the feeders in the backyard. Another try and no breakfast to show for it.

And lastly a stop in Seabrook, NH found an adult Glaucous Gull roosting in the parking lot along Rte 1A just before the Hampton bridge. A beautiful gull that we see infrequently in it's adult plumage.

Falcons

2012-01-09T08:10:00.000-05:00

A stop in Rockport at Camborne Pond, a.k.a. Pebbly Beach off of Penzance Road found the Peregrine Falcon seen in the two images below sitting on a low telephone pole.

Once a jogger and several cars passed without spooking the falcon I moved a bit closer for these shots. A spectacular adult falcon, very large, un-banded and in great light!

Perched on the weather vane atop the Gloucester City Hall this adult male Peregrine Falcon looks tiny. The early morning light added some nice color to the scene.

Early January Birds 2012

2012-01-05T08:01:00.000-05:00

It's been an interesting few days, at least in the bird department, as we make our way through the 1st week of 2012. Mild temperatures greeted the 1st and 2nd with open water and lingering birds.

The Townsend's Warbler seen below (which should be in South America at this point in the year!) is coming to a feeder in Ipswich and made it through the recent cold snap.

This is Clark Pond on Great Neck in Ipswich which was completely open on the 2nd and all but frozen over on the 3rd. Lots of American Coot, Gadwall and Mute Swans

I was a bit surprised to see a Great Egret still hanging around the frozen edges of the pond. It is going to warm up for the next few days but I don't think we'll see ice free ponds anytime soon.

Cherry Hill Reservoir in West Newbury was also ice free on the 1st. Many Ruddy Ducks like the one below were still using the pond. The Barnacle Goose had been seen on the pond and the Cassin's Kingbird was still in the area as of the 3rd.

Camborne Pond in Rockport held a few dozen Mallards and the Northern Shoveler seen in the two images below on the 2nd. I'm certain the single digit temps the night of the 2nd and 3rd froze this little pond solid.

Gulls and Falcons - Xmas Day 2011

2011-12-26T08:23:00.002-05:00

Brace Cove in Gloucester, MA had a Black-headed Gull (1st winter) and several Iceland Gulls feeding along the shoreline. Here's the Black-headed Gull below.

The Black-headed Gull in the center with 3, 1st winter Iceland Gulls to its left and above, a Bonaparte's Gull on its right and a Ring-billed Gull leading the way in the lower right.

A near adult Iceland Gull.

The United Methodist Church on N. Main St. in Ipswich had a pair of Peregrine Falcons roosting on its steeple mid-morning. A swing by on the way home around 8pm found one of the Falcons spending the night.

Hawks, Cranes & Kingbirds

2011-12-05T17:47:00.001-05:00

Great birds were the order of the day on this fifty degree 5th of December. The Cassin's Kingbird is still putting on a great show along the northern edge of the Cherry Hill Reservoir in West Newbury.

While along Rte 1A in Rowley a pair of Sandhill Cranes are entertaining the masses with their habit of feeding quite close to the road.

They came close enough to allow for head shots at one point.

Hey... who are you looking at!

The pair performed several dances in the short time I was there. These help to keep a firm pair bond between these beautiful Cranes that mate for life.

A Merlin was perched close by. This shot was taken as it watched a Red-tailed Hawk fly by quite close.

Salisbury Beach State Reservation was fairly quiet when I visited around noon today but this Northern Harrier made up for the lack of bird life.

Cassin's Kingbird

2011-11-27T19:20:00.001-05:00

A Cassin's Kingbird, a bird I saw on several occasions on it's home turf in Arizona this past September, found it's way to the Cherry Hill Reservoir at some point over the past few weeks.

A couple of images from November 28, 2011. The Kingbird was foraging in the Xmas Tree Farm at the southern end of the Reservoir today.

and a new video clip with the Kingbird calling - a single call repeated 3 times.

This 25 second clip is the one call I recorded. The call is repeated as I copied the 5 second clip end to end 5 times. Turn up your speakers and try to listen through the tractor that was working nearby.

This is the best of today's attempt to capture this bird at quite a distance and 1000mm. "Click" on any image below for a larger 1440 x 900 version.

A 2 1/2 minute video clip with the Kingbird flying out and returning to it's preferred hunting perch in the second half.

It made several flights, coming back with a tidbit after each trip. Here it's just swallowed the bug seen in the image above.

Between flights a bit of time to check out the many birders that stopped by.

Another return to the preferred hunting perch.

Just prior to sallying out for another bug.

and back again.

The Goose and The Odd Call

2011-11-16T07:03:00.001-05:00

Barnacle Goose - Rogers St., West Newbury - Nov. 14, 2011

A visit to Rogers Street on the morning of the 14th found the Barnacle Goose feeding in the field across from the Artichoke Dairy. It ranged all over the field during my 2 1/2 hour stay and allowed for shots of it with one of the 5 Snow Geese that recently joined the flock.

and a dark fronted Goose that appears to be a good candidate for "Dusky?" Canada Goose, seen in the top center below.

Left of the Barnacle Goose below.

and again, left of the Barnacle Goose.

Odd Call and the Subsequent ID - Nov. 13, 2011

The morning of Sunday the 14 found me out the door at 5:55am heading off to meet my nephew for a bit of "hawking". I only made it as far as the car when I heard a loud call from the nearby edge of the woods. A sharp single note, something that I hadn't heard before!

I headed off in the direction of the call, minus my binoculars, it was still pretty dark, but with my IPhone in hand hoping to record the call. A few minutes later the, at least 2, birds moved off leaving me scratching my head to their identity.

Here's a shortened version of the recording to point out which call got my attention. Odd Call 11-13-11 short

and the 1 1/2 minute recording with several White-throated Sparrows and a Hermit Thrush "chucking" in the background. Odd call 11-13-11 long

After puzzling over this for a day and consulting with friends I sent it off to Jeremiah Trimle, e-birder extraordinaire and Curatorial Associate - Ornithology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University who replied in very short order. Hermit Thrush, no not some rare bird like I hoped for but just as exciting, for me at least, a new call, a new piece to the puzzle and information shared within this great community we call MassBird.

Jeremiah also sent along a fabulous resource for bird calls that certainly made it into my bookmarks and will be visited often http://www.xeno-canto.org/ Thanks Jeremiah!

On a technology note, being in my mid 50's and having tried at least a dozen different recording devices over the years I find my recent purchase of an IPhone 4S and the Audio Memo app nothing but spectacular. Non of the previously acquired devices come close to the quality and ease of use this little phone that will always be with me attains.... Just sayin'.....:)

Lesser Black-backed Gull

2011-11-15T21:52:00.001-05:00

Lesser Black-backed Gull - Salisbury Beach State Reservation - Nov. 14, 2011

I was pleasantly surprised to find an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull roosting in the last parking lot at Salisbury Beach State Reservation on the 14th during high tide. There have been several recent reports along the coast in the past few weeks from the NH border down through Cape Ann.

A brief video as it moved around the parking lot and preened.

At one point a couple with a dog, on a leash!, moved the gulls from the last parking area to the next further north.

The yellow eye, legs and bill along with the dark gray back and wings make this gull stand out among the others. It's size is comparable to a Herring Gull, making it much smaller than a Great Black-backed Gull.

Once in the northern parking lot, with fewer cars and people the gulls were much more easily approached.

Allowing for a few closeups of this winter plumaged adult.

It appeared quite bored with the whole thing...:)

Dickcissel - Essex

2011-11-12T17:50:00.001-05:00

Dickcissel In The Yard (again...:) - Essex, MA - November 12, 2011

Dickcissel, which breed in North America's prairie grasslands, then winter in central Venezuela and surrounding countries, turn up along the east coast each fall in varying numbers year to year. Those that make it to the coast tend to hang around with flocks of House Sparrows, something I have plenty of at my feeders.

Today saw the second or third Dickcissel of the fall at the feeders. I managed a few photos and a brief video with the 1st two images taken in the morning at the platform feeder 16' or so from the window I shot from.

For an idea of how often these colorful migrants have visited the yard through the years:

Date	# of birds	# of days

Oct. 20, 1999	1	1
Nov. 03, 2003	1	12
Nov. 09, 2007	1	4
Sep. 03, 2008	1	1
Oct. 18, 2008	3	11
Dec 17, 2008	1	5
Oct. 22, 2009	1	12
Dec. 12, 2009	1	2
Aug. 17, 2011	1	1
Sep. 06, 2011	1	3
Nov. 12, 2011	1	1

I hope today's Dickcissel sticks around for several more days!

The brief video and the shot below were taken through the kitchen window this afternoon as the Dickcissel fed a few feet away in the window box I use as a feeder through the winter months.

Not too shabby for shooting through two panes of glass!

Essex Screech Owl

2011-11-11T18:57:00.001-05:00

End Of The Day Screech Owl - Essex, MA - Nov. 11, 2011

A Blue Jay alerted me to this Screech long before it sat in the hole of the box at the end of the day. Songbirds point out roosting owls to each other quite often, it's just a matter of paying attention to the sounds around you, picking up on their calls and then tracking down what has them all worked up. The Blue Jay was screaming at the box from 20' away at 10 this morning, just an empty hole at that time but later in the afternoon, poof, the cause for the alarm appears.

A brief video of the owl surveying it's surroundings on this windy afternoon.

End of the day lighting is always tough and these shots are no exception having been taken at 4:30pm. You can see the darkening skies reflected in the owls eyes in the larger version.

Screech Owl Color Morphs

2011-11-11T08:19:00.001-05:00

Screech Owl Color Morphs in Eastern Massachusetts, a very unscientific look.

Richard Pegler of the UK and founder of The Owlers’ Blog http://owlersblognetwork.blogspot.com/gave me a poke recently asking what the breakdown was for red and gray ScreechOwls, more red, more gray, in eastern Massachusetts? I’ve pulled together information from a couple of sources to try and answer the question.

The Birds of North America, a wonderful (subscription required)online resource that I use on a regular basis and available at: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna states“ No other North American owl has such distinctive plumage differences” and“Fluctuating morph ratios represent balanced dimorphism during warm-wet (rufousmore frequent), cold-dry (rufous less frequent) climatic cycles”.

For an unscientific look at the question, I’ve used Birder’s Diary http://www.birdersdiary.com/ to trackmy bird sightings for the past 11 years and have pulled my data together for Eastern Screech Owls.

As of Nov 09, 2011 I’ve recorded a total of 589 Screech Owl sightings. Of theseI noted the color morph on 513 of the sightings of which 370 or 72% were red -124 or 24% were gray and 19 or 4% were brown.

A number of my sightings are ofthe same birds over several days so the data is a bit biased but I'd say thered morph is the most common in eastern Massachusetts.

Another feature within Birder’s Diary allows you to create “AbundanceCharts” tracking my sightings on a bar graph through a year’s time as seenbelow.

This really tells the story for my sightings of Screech Owls, plenty in thelate fall, winter & early spring and next to non in the summer months. I’veseen very few young Screech Owls, with one look at a family group when I wasaround 12 years old over the house at the old homestead in Wenham, another whenI was asked to rescue an owlet that decided to sit on a homeowners lawn afterfledging (I got there before the cats did) and photos of a youngster sitting inthe nest hole a few years back in Rowley as seen below.

With the addition of several nest boxes in the area I’m hoping to change myluck with Screech Owl sightings in the summer months. Time will tell!

Sharp-shinned Hawk

2011-11-10T13:08:00.000-05:00

An adult Sharp-shinned Hawk spent several minutes in the yard this morning, allowing for a bit of video and a few photos out the 2nd floor window. A songbird of some sort was silly enough to land above the hawk which quickly took off after it. I didn't see the outcome.

A brief video of the hawk surveying the yard.

Just prior to take off.

I see very few "Sharpies" in the yard always wishing more would stop by, they're such a colorful raptor.

Barnacle Goose

2011-11-06T15:28:00.000-05:00

November 09, 2011 - There is some discussion of there possibly being 2 Barnacle Geese in the Newbury / Newburyport area with the feathers around the eye and forehead on the second bird being "splotchy". I've added two head shots from the West Newbury goose below and hope to see photos for comparison from others.

A brief video as the goose fed ans preened in the field along Rogers St.

A few shots of the Barnacle Goose from Monday, November 07, 2011. The goose was still being seen along Rogers St, West Newbury in the same field.

You talking to me?

and the field from the road.

Poking around West Newbury this morning, Nov. 06, 2011, found 200 - 300 Ruddy Ducks on the Cherry Hill Reservoir with a few quite close to the road.

but the bird of the day was just down the road on Rogers Street across from the Artichoke Farm, a Barnacle Goose, usually found just a bit north and east of here in Greenland.

Originally seen in the field across from the farm, all of the geese moved to the Artichoke Reservoir with the close passing of a Red-tailed Hawk.

The hawk gave me the opportunity to check the legs for bands as the Barnacle moved to the water.

No tags on the wings.

and no bands on the legs, it looks like a wild goose!

After spending 20 - 30 minutes on the reservoir the geese moved to the back fields of the Artichoke Farm. A check with the folks working on the farm found access not allowed so please respect their wishes.

Screech Owl - Essex

2011-11-05T20:35:00.002-04:00

The gray morph Screech Owl that spent the day in a box in the yard yesterday moved away from the yard today to a box on the edge of the woods behind the house. I didn't know it was there until a few White-throated Sparrows, chipping their displeasure at the owl, pointed it out around 5:30 p.m. as I closed up for the day.

A bit of video with a pair of Northern Cardinals and several White-throated Sparrows chipping their displeasure in the background.

But the real fun didn't begin until it left the box just after sunset when it perched on the branch of a Sumac Tree just under the box.

The owl was a bit buried in the foliage so I moved my portable blind (aka a Toyota Corolla) for a better view.

The owl stayed in this location for a good 20 minutes, scanning the area and stretching before heading off for the night. All of these images were taken after dark, manually focused, utilizing mirror lock-up on the camera with an iso setting of 12,800 and a shutter speed of 0.3 seconds at 700mm. A good bit of clean up was necessary with each image before posting them here. This shot shows what happens if the owl moved. Not much of a shot with no available light.

Out of the 60 or so images I took after he left the box 8 were usable, not bad from where I'm sitting!

I hope to have this chance again this fall, photographing Screech Owls in the dark is an interesting challenge!

Screech Owl - Essex, MA

2011-11-04T19:57:00.000-04:00

The 1st Eastern Screech Owl of the fall season found it's way into one of the boxes in my backyard today. It sat in the hole a few times though the day but was chased into the box several times by both Blue Jays, Chickadees and a few Tufted Titmouse. These were taken at the end of the day just before dusk.

A brief video of the owl as it watched both me and the birds in the yard. 1st at 700mm and then at 1000mm from the kitchen window with a curtain hiding my movements from the owl.

A close up as it watched the lens move in the kitchen window

and one last shot in the fading light before it headed off to hunt for the evening.

Saw-whet

2011-10-31T19:13:00.001-04:00

It was a very pleasant day along the coast in Massachusetts today, we suffered few of the tremendous problems folks in the western portion of the state are contending with. The snow has all but disappeared and the 50 degree mid day temps found lots of birders out and about. I headed for the Parker River NWR with hopes of seeing a Rough-legged Hawk that has been reported in the area for a few weeks now. A stop at the North Pool Overlook and there it was.

I had stopped along the road just south of the Overlook to take this image as the hawk flew over and while taking it I heard several Black-capped Chickadees sternly scolding something a few hundred feet behind me along the road. A bit of searching and poof... there's the culprit.

An adorable little Northern Saw-whet Owl!

All of my views were obstructed but damn... these owls are cute!

Though I don't think the Chickadees feel the same...

A brief video as it roosted along the road.

A stop further down the Refuge at Hellcat found a Clay-colored Sparrow in very poor light.

and Emerson Rocks at Lot #7 was once again full of shorebirds, this Hudsonian Godwit was most cooperative.

Yet another great day in the field!

Yellow-rumped Warblers

2011-10-30T19:20:00.000-04:00

A stop at Salisbury Beach State Reservation this morning found a few dozen Yellow-rumped Warblers feeding along the road just out of the wind.

Bayberry, a favorite of these Warblers

The yellow rump - hence the name.

A late Rose-breasted Grosbeak was spending its time eating Cedar Berries when not being chased by the Northern Mockingbird that thought they were all his.

My Brother Dave who lives just off of Rte 1A in Beverly assisted with my Screech Owl addiction today, allowing me to place two boxes in his backyard. I've seen Screech Owls in the neighborhood and have high hopes for a nesting pair in these boxes next spring!

The Red-tail & The Falconer - Oct. 29, 2011

2011-10-29T11:11:00.000-04:00

This is year two of my nephew Pat's apprenticeship as a falconer. This years hawk is a young male Red-tail and much different from last years easy to get along with female though Pat and the hawk appear to have come to some sort of mutual understanding (the hawk no longer bites his hand every time he goes near it..:)

We were hoping to jump some ducks on the marsh this morning but nothing doing, the ducks were few and far between. This is Pat with the hawk on a painters pole to give it a better view of the many creeks that bisect the marsh.

The hawk tends to fly from the raised perch, heading for a nearby stand of trees.

Pat uses tidbits as bait to get the hawk to come back to his glove. Here's the hawk coming in.

and then with the reward for coming back.

Hoping for some action in one of the creeks.

It was a beautiful morning on the marsh with little wind and non of the impending snow.

After letting the hawk fly for the last time Pat brings him in to the lure which has a large portion of food on it, it's a magnet for a well trained hawk and Pat's done a great job with this years youngster.

As if asking... More please....:)

Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk - Hamilton, MA - Oct. 28, 2011

2011-10-28T19:21:00.000-04:00

I went out this morning hoping for a Screech Owl or two roosting in the sun after last nights rain and snow, well that didn't happen, not an owl to be found but on my way to the bank I came across a large white bird flying over Rte 1A in Hamilton, MA. I quickly turned around and found a partially albino or leucistic Red-tailed hawk perched in a Pine Tree a fair distance from the road.

Quite a beautiful Hawk!

A brief video of it perched in another tree nearby.

Several more shots showing the yellow feet and mostly white wings.

Another showing several red tail feathers making this an adult and most likely the same Hawk I saw back on March 12, 2011 along the Hamilton / Ipswich line just a few miles from today's location.

A shot of it facing me.

and a few more as it flew towards me heading north along Rte 1A & Rock Maple Ave. in Hamilton

As I said this is the 2nd time this year I've come across this bird. The 1st was back on March 12 a few miles north of today's sighting on the Hamilton / Ipswich line. Here's a few images from that encounter.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Parker River NWR - Oct. 24, 2011

2011-10-26T14:50:00.000-04:00

I had the great pleasure of stumbling on a small group of people that were watching this Yellow-billed Cuckoo as it rested and foraged along the edge of the North Pool on the Parker River NWR.

A brief video showing just how much work goes into eating a caterpillar which is a large part of the Cuckoos diet.

There's no mistaking how this bird acquired it's name. This is one of the brighter Cuckoos I've seen.

The Caterpillar loses it's bristles before the Cuckoo tosses it down the hatch.

Another bug the Cuckoo quickly found and ate.

and lastly a close up of the bill and that very yellow eye-ring.

Parker River NWR - Shorebirds ++ - Oct. 23, 2011

2011-10-26T08:23:00.001-04:00

Seen prior to my visit to Plum Island, this Eastern Screech Owl has just started to use the hole in this tree to roost as the leaves come off the trees.

A visit to the Parker River NWR never disappoints and this past Sunday was no exception. The young Common Tern below was roosting at Sandy Point with a couple dozen Forester's Terns.

A young Bonaparte's Gull, one of several dozen that were roosting in the area,

The salt pans just before parking lot #3 held a few hundred American Wigeon and two drake Eurasian Wigeon with one seen below on the left.

The shoreline just north of Emerson Rocks, parking lot #7, is currently alive with shorebirds on a falling tide as they feed on all sorts of goodies just below the surface. Hudsonian Godwits, as seen in the next two images, are always a treat to see.

Sandy Point, the state park at the southern tip of the Parker River NWR, also held a nice collection of shorebirds that were roosting, preening and feeding as the tide began to fall. A Red Knot in winter plumage roosting on one leg.

A Sanderling doing the same.

A Semipalmated Plover.

and a White-rumped Sandpiper.

Another White-rumped Sandpiper along the wrack line in very fresh and bright juvenile plumage.

I'm already looking forward to next weekends visit for my next shorebird fix before they head south, leaving the beaches to the Sanderling and Dunlin.

Sparrow Identification - Chipping / Clay-colored - Oct. '11

2011-10-20T14:59:00.000-04:00

The recent, very informative sparrow identification discussion on MassBird , Chipping Sparrow vs Clay-colored Sparrow, led me to put together a few images of the two to illustrate the differences in the eye-ring that David Sibley pointed out in his post to MassBird on Oct. 20, 2011

Prominent white eye arcs, broken by the dark line through the eye on the Chipping Sparrow on the left

and the "open faced" look on the Clay-colored Sparrow from the lack of the eye arcs and dark eye line on the right.

"Click" on any image for a larger photo..

I've always had a hard time with Chipping Sparrows that are a bit paler than the norm but this field mark should help with that! Thanks very much for pointing it out David!

Here's both birds as seen in the field. Chipping Sparrow, Salisbury Beach SR - Oct. 17, 2011

Clay-colored Sparrow - Wardens, Parker River NWR - May 14, 2011

As other have stated, MassBird with all of the folks that continually contribute is a fabulous resource that I and thousands of others greatly enjoy and appreciate on a daily basis.

Gloucester Peregrines - Oct. 16, 2011

2011-10-19T08:07:00.002-04:00

A pair of adult Peregrine Falcons are back on the Gloucester City Hall clock tower. Hopefully they stick around and entertain us through the winter months, though I'm certain the Pigeon population would rather they winter in sunny Florida!

The male with breakfast.

and the female with her full crop from eating a bit earlier in the morning.

A brief video of the two with several gulls and crows harassing the female from a distance.

A stop at Salisbury Beach State Reservation on Monday, Oct. 17 found a Blue-headed Vireo foraging along the sunny edge of the pine grove.

and a Double-crested Cormorant preening at the boat ramp

The Parker River NWR had many roosting shorebirds at various stops along the beach like the pair of Dunlin below.

Along with many dozens of Northern Gannet foraging just off shore.

With the one captured below just prior to entering the water with its wings folded back. I'd hate to be the fish that sees that coming!

Least Flycatcher - Parker River NWR - Oct. 18, 2011

2011-10-18T08:53:00.002-04:00

Least Flycatcher is the general consensus on this late empidonax flycatcher that's currently calling lot #1 home. Thanks for the help with the id to all that responded from MassBird!

The flycatcher found by Jonathan Center across from parking lot #1 on the Parker River NWR on Sunday, October 16, 2011 was seen again this morning hunting from low perches along the road in the same general area. The low light, overcast & early, made for tough conditions for photos at 700mm but here's a few.

"Click" on any image for a 1440 x 900 photo.

A brief video (included only for the call) taken just after dawn when the flycatcher was

calling continuously, it was distant so turn your speakers up.

Lark Bunting and Other Great Birds - Oct. 10, 2011

2011-10-10T17:16:00.001-04:00

A bird I saw hundreds of in Arizona made it's way to the coast here in Massachusetts recently and is still being seen at Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, MA. Brian Harris found this Lark Bunting foraging at the edge of the parking lot on Oct. 8 and the bird has been entertaining birders since.

A brief video of the Bunting.

Other birds seen in the area included this Lapland Longspur feeding in the short grass.

and several Palm Warblers that came to close to focus on in the small dump at the end of the parking lot.

Fall Rarities - October 09, 2011

2011-10-09T20:02:00.000-04:00

A bit of time at Salisbury Beach State Reservation this morning found a very cooperative Hooded Warbler foraging among the pines near the parking area for the Pine Grove. Both shots were taken in the dark under one of the pines. The warbler spent very little time in the open or in the sun.

A male Summer Tanager has been around for a few days and was seen in the same area as the Hooded Warbler. Bob & Bonnie Buxton kindly tracked me down once they re-found the Tanager. Thanks again you two!!!

A very fresh Monarch Butterfly perched near the Hooded Warbler for this shot.

A stop on Parker River NWR found one of the two Ash-throated Flycatchers foraging near the Wardens parking lot. And the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker working a Birch Tree right next to the boardwalk along the marsh loop in Hellcat. Again both of these birds were pointed out to me by Bob & Bonnie Buxton. Thanks again and keep up the great work you two!! Great birds on a fabulous day!!

1st Fall Screech Owl of 2011 - October 07, 2011

2011-10-08T13:36:00.000-04:00

A bit early for Screech Owls to be roosting in holes in trees but this individual was fun to see. This is my earliest fall "Screech in a hole" to date. The trees are still full of leaves which is usually enough to hide them from both predators and scolding song birds. Maybe the chilly overnight temps pushed it to roost in the cavity.

A visit to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge this past Tuesday found several Wild Turkeys roosting at the Hellcat parking lot along the fence.

While further down the road towards lot #6 this Blue Grosbeak perched up for a few moments.

St. Louis - October 2 & 3, 2011

2011-10-08T13:26:00.001-04:00

A 2 day trip to St. Louis, MO found several of the expected species with the Eurasian Tree Sparrow seen below the reason for the trip.

Another life bird seen at the same location as the Tree Sparrow was several Carolina Chickadee. Their slightly higher call notes and subtle plumage differences from our Black-capped Chickadee were rewarding to hear and see.

I tagged along on this trip with Steve Grinley, Margo Goetschkes, from MA, Derek & Jeannette Lovitch from Maine and Joan Frisoli from California.. Steve, Derek & Jeannette were in St. Louis for a suppliers convention. Margo, Joan & I for the birds... Here they are at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

and here's Derek setting up for a group shot at the same location.

and Steve, Joan & Margo looking for a Winter Wren the night before.

One of the tugboats along the Mississippi. These boats are enormous and must have mucho horse power to push the enormous barges up and down the river.

One of our early morning stops produced a Cape May Warbler that was good enough to hold still for a moment.

and finally a shot of the Mississippi River from the plane as we left St. Louis on Tuesday.

and a shot as we landed in Boston, just south of the runway.

Sierra Vista, AZ - Sept. 13, 2011

2011-10-02T04:05:00.001-04:00

Swainson's Hawks were easy to find on this trip but non were more cooperative than this beauty perched along the road just outside of Sierra Vista.

A brief video of the Swainson's Hawk in the early morning light just outside of Sierra Vista.

One of my 1st stops when I arrived in Tuscon was at the Sweetwater EOP, a waste water treatment plant with trails and loads of birds. I had a close encounter with a pair of Tropical Kingbirds, the only two I saw on the trip.

American Avocet - Hampton, NH - Sept. 26, 2011

2011-10-02T03:57:00.000-04:00

A stop at the Fisherman's Coop along Rte 1A in Hampton, NH last weekend found this long staying female Avocet roosting along the shoreline.

A brief video of her preening:

She was most cooperative

The bill on these birds are quite something. They swing them side to side through the water, snapping shut on whatever prey they come across.

Las Cienegas NCA - Sonoita, AZ - Sept. 14, 2011

2011-10-02T03:43:00.000-04:00

Las Cienegas NCA in Sonoita, AZ is 46,000 acres of open grassland with several roads allowing access to the many birds (and cattle...:) that call it home. This was my first visit, it took 3 hours for me to drive through with much exploring, birding and photography.

Clay-colored Sparrow. There were literally thousands of these throughout the conservation area.

One of the many cows that were free to roam as they wished.

A Dickcissel that popped up.

Lark Buntings were everywhere on my 1st visit and very hard to find a few days later.

Lark Sparrows were out in numbers on each visit.

Prong Horned Sheep, I only saw a few.

A dark Red-tailed Hawk along the road.

Swainson's Hawks were moving through in good numbers.

Another Swainson's Hawk as it perched on the post.

and finally Yellow-headed Blackbirds were seen in several locations.

Mt. Lemmon - Tucson, AZ - Sept 15, 2011

2011-09-29T14:55:00.002-04:00

A trip up the 27.5 mile long road that leads to the 9550' summit of Mt. Lemmon was an interesting and in lots of spots an exhilarating ride. It is a wide & well maintained road with guard rails at all of the appropriate spots but some of the inclines and drop offs will get your heart pumping unless you encounter something like this on a regular basis..... I certainly don't!

The view from one of the many pull offs.

and another looking at Tucson in the distance.

Some of the birds encountered at the summit included Hermit Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Bridled Titmouse, Common Raven and Townsend's Warbler as seen below.

Pygmy Nuthatch

Mountain Chickadee

and my favorite Yellow-eyed Juncos seen in the next two images.

A brief video of a Junco feeding

There were feeders along the road on the ride down that attracted both Rufous Hummingbirds

and Magnificent Hummingbirds as seen in the next two shots.

All in all a ride I won't soon forget and one I hope to repeat in the years to come.

Arizona - September 11 - 18, 2011

2011-09-21T19:18:00.000-04:00

A week of birding in south east Arizona turned up 143 species. Out at sunrise and back at dusk each day while covering just under 1200 miles over the 8 days. Lots of varied habitat and beautiful scenery can be found in the mountains and canyons around Sierra Vista, I always enjoy my visits and hate to leave.

Taken outside of Sonoita, near Elgin along Rte 82

Something you don't see here in the east.... Open range!

Mary Jo Ballator's "Ash Canyon Bed & Breakfast" is a great place to see loads of Hummingbirds and others like this Acorn Woodpecker that was coming to suet in her backyard.

She has Lucifer Hummingbirds coming to her feeders through late September.

along with Rufous (seen below), Anna's, Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Broad-billed & Magnificent Hummingbirds and several others as regular visitors to her yard.

Mexican Jays frequent her feeders as well.

The Paton's Hummingbird Haven in Patagonia hosts several Violet-crowned Hummingbirds as well as most of those listed above.

A Cooper's Hawk made a run at the feeders while I was there and hung around for several minutes contemplating its next move.

A Ladder-backed Woodpecker coming to the suet and posing in a nearby perch was a treat to see.

I'll continue in another post with stops at other locations around Sierra Vista.

Dickcissel Continues - Sept. 08, 2011

2011-09-09T06:26:00.001-04:00

The female Dickcissel continues at the feeders allowing for photos & a bit of video in the continuing rain.

A closer look at the rather large bill of this wayward seed eater.

A brief video of it on several different perches around the yard and at the feeder.

Time spent at the platform feeder is not without its hazards as you can see here with a Mourning Dove giving the Dickcissel a sharp bite as it successfully muscles in.

This is nothing out of the ordinary with birds continually jostling for their place at the feeder. The Dickcissel was soon back at the feeder after spending a bit of time watching from nearby.

Before joining back in....

and nearly getting lost in the sea of House Sparrows.

Another visitor, a hatch year Northern Cardinal was molting fairly heavily around its head. That's its ear hole just below its eye, something we rarely see.

With a closer look below. For those interested, an image showing a replica of a Cardinals skull created by Bone Clones can be seen at: http://www.boneclones.com/images/bc-167-lg.jpg

Dickcissel - Sept, 06, 2011 - Essex, MA

2011-09-06T20:01:00.000-04:00

A female Dickcissel visited the feeders during this mornings showers. I had another visit back on August 17. Hopefully the visits become a bit more frequent.

A brief video of the Dickcissel preening. The Sora calling in the middle of the video is just my phone letting me know I have a voice mail...:)

Another shot of the before it was gone for the remainder of the day.

Storm Tossed Birds - Hurricane Irene - A Week Later

2011-09-05T17:27:00.000-04:00

The phone was abuzz on Sunday the 4th, several great birds put in an appearance in the Newburyport area and my good friend Steve Grinley of Bird Watcher's Supply & Gift (aka "Bird Central") kindly kept me in the loop as to what was being seen. The 1st of the day was a young White Ibis found by Christopher Ciccone on Plum Island and later relocated by Steve & Margo along the Plum Island Causeway. Though feeding at quite a distance the youngster was unmistakably a White Ibis, seen below feeding with a Great Egret.

While watching the Ibis Doug Chickering called from Salisbury Beach State Reservation where he had come across an American Avocet feeding in the marsh. A quick ride to the Reservation found the Avocet still there!

I headed back to Newburyport to check the harbor at low tide only to be called again by Steve. A Caspian Tern had come in to roost for a bit back at Salisbury Beach. Back in the car for the drive north and voila there was the Tern.

Easily picked out below with it's bright red bill.

Also roosting near the Tern was an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. A bit distant but the yellow legs can be clearly seen.

and a shot as it flew in to roost on the rocks.

Earlier in the morning I had stopped at Sandy Point for a brief visit. This Great Egret landed quite close by.

and yet another Common Tern coming in for a landing. All in all a fabulous day of birding!

Terns to Toads With a Few Hummers For Good Measure

2011-09-03T19:14:00.006-04:00

A trip to Sandy Point State Reservation on August 29th found loads of Terns

roosting at high tide. The young Forster's Tern below was nice to see.

But the Black Tern just off center in the image below was especially nice to come across.

Young Sanderling were feeding quite close at times.

Closer to home... well... in the yard at home to be a bit more precise... the young Hummingbirds have taken over the yard. At least 5 youngsters chased each other around the yard with this one checking out the Butterfly Bush before joining back in the chase.

Another youngster checking me out from within the Trumpet Creeper

A Grasshopper managed to stumble into this Spiders web just off of the deck. That's quite a prize for a spider so small!

Another visitor to the yard today was this one eyed Toad.

But I must say.. the one eye it does have is quite spectacular!

Hawks & Hummers to come..... August 28, 2011

2011-08-28T19:37:00.001-04:00

A young Red-tailed Hawk that flew over the house this weekend, screaming for food from its parents. Raised in the neighborhood with its sibling that I've seen on several occasions, I hope they stick around for the winter.

A late blooming Cone Flower with its attendant Bumblebee is always a welcome subject in front of the lens

A closer look at the not so little pollen gatherer.

I'll be making a return trip to Arizona in a few weeks and am looking forward to the many Hummingbirds that I'll encounter in the southwest portion of the state.

With any luck maybe I'll run into another White-eared Hummingbird.

I'll most likely see several Magnificent Hummingbirds like the youngster below.

and with any luck a few adult males like this beauty.

Dickcissel In The Yard - August 17, 2011

2011-08-17T08:24:00.001-04:00

A female Dickcissel sat in the Trumpet Creeper for a few minutes this morning, calling softly.

The brief video below has her calling a few times before flying out of the yard, heading south. I'm hoping she makes several return trips to the yard.

Falcon, Terns & Bugs - August 16, 2011

2011-08-16T18:17:00.000-04:00

Some time at Sandy Point State Park in Ipswich this past Sunday found this Peregrine Falcon zipping around the point on several occasions. I reported the band data and learned that it had fledged from a building in Cambridge, MA earlier this summer.

The Least Terns appear to be weathering all of the recent rains with several recently hatched chicks stretching their wings as they wait for the next meal to arrive.

This youngster just wanted to finish its nap.

While these two were hoping for lunch to be served.

Nothing like Mom's body warmth to keep the youngsters cozy and warm.

Wait... I want to get back in!

A bit of time around the yard found several cooperative subjects for the macro lens,

This Jumping Spider held still just long enough to get all of its eyes in focus.

The Ruby Meadowhawk Dragonflys were a bit easier to approach as they waited for their next meal to fly by.

My, my Grandma..... what big eyes you have...:)

This one found a snack and it appears to be a mosquito(?)

Least Terns - Sandy Point - Ipswich, MA - August 08, 2011

2011-08-09T07:28:00.000-04:00

Sandy Point, at the southern tip of Plum Island, is still playing host to many Least Terns at this "getting to be late" point in the breeding season with many either on eggs or brooding recently hatched young as seen below.

A brief video shows a couple of nests and their contents.

Here's a youngster much further along as it eyes the guy with the camera and decides I'm not a threat after all.

A female(?) still on eggs.

and a few shots of the adult with the chicks and a chick alongside it's sibling that's still in the egg.

Hummingbirds in the Rain - August 07, 2011

2011-08-07T17:00:00.000-04:00

A bit of rainy day macro photography with the Hummingbirds just outside the kitchen window as the subjects. With the rain gauge measuring 1.47" of rain today it's a wonder these birds aren't soaked through.

You can see some of the rain bouncing off this males head.

and a white fly hitching a ride on his bill in this shot.

The lone female that came by today didn't seem to wet for all the rain that had just stopped coming down.

and a bit of a wing shot as she drinks and runs....

Late Summer Hummingbirds - August 6, 2011

2011-08-07T07:02:00.000-04:00

A few hours photographing the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds coming to the window feeder found 4 adult males still frequenting the yard and 3 adult females stopping by for a sip. Also seen but not coming to the feeder were 2 hatch year males for at least nine different Hummingbirds hanging around just prior to migrating south.

Male #1 with his rather small white eye spot.

Male #2 showing a larger eye spot and molting a few feathers on the back of it's head.

Male #3 is just a mess. I see a few of these heavily molting males each year around this time.

Male #4 with a larger eye spot and no apparent active molt.

And now the ladies. A smooth billed, clean looking female.

Another female showing a heavier, many grooved bill.

And the third female with her larger eye spot and again a smooth bill.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Young Male - August 03, 2011

2011-08-05T08:07:00.000-04:00

The young Hummingbirds of the year are starting to arrive in the yard with 2 males and a single female joining the 3 or 4 adult males and several adult females that are still visiting the flowers and feeders with great frequency.

This young male decided to try and take over the yard on the 3rd and succeeded for most of the day before being pushed off by the adult male that still claims it as his. Not the best of shots but you can see the 2 or 3 red gorget feathers that have come in along his lower throat.

The 7 minute video below shows this youngster sitting on the branch I added to the deck, preening, flying off to chase others from the yard and returning for a bit more feather maintenance. This was shot at 1000mm from inside the house through the kitchen window.

Sandy Point - Least Terns - August 04, 2011

2011-08-05T07:57:00.000-04:00

Several hours at Sandy Point State Reservation at the southern tip of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Ipswich, MA yesterday found Least Terns, in all stages of growth from eggs to adults, to be both plentiful and most cooperative subjects.

From adults flying by.

To young running along the beach with some almost ready to fly.

and others just off of the nest.

It was a fun filled, almost fall like morning with the most Least Terns I've seen to date on this spit of sand that sticks out into Ipswich Bay. Several adults were still sitting on eggs, certainly 2nd attempts at nesting this season.

While others were standing by after delivering food to a youngster.

Also plentiful, with one pair nesting at Sandy Point this year but most coming from offshore islands to the north, were Common Tern chicks in various stages of growth. This youngster is very recently off of the nest.

Flowers in the yard - July 30, 2011

2011-07-30T19:53:00.001-04:00

Cone Flowers, of which I have several varieties around the yard, make for fun subjects whether in full bloom or just getting started.

Cone Flower

The Bumblebee in this image isn't quite in focus but was a bonus as it flew in just as I was attempting to photograph this peach colored Hollyhock.

A few more Passion Flower photos. My daughter sent me these 5 plants from Logees in Connecticut, 4 of which are currently in bloom.

Passion Flower

Hummingbirds, Flowers, Bees & a Cool Sky! - July 23, 2011

2011-07-26T09:52:00.001-04:00

The adult male Ruby-throated Hummingbird that has called my yard home for the past few months is still trying to keep all of the other Hummingbirds from partaking in the bounty the yard offers. That's him below perched on the twig I added to the deck for just this purpose.

and here is in a 3 minute video shot from inside the house at 1000mm!

Best viewed "full screen"

The 1st young Hummingbird of the season showed up at the flowers on the 23rd of the month. It doesn't understand why the adult male is always trying to chase it off, the interactions are long and humorous to watch.

A Sweat Bee on a Purple Coneflower in the yard.

and another on a bloom that's just opening.

Stamens on a Day Lily awaiting the bees with it's load of pollen.

One of a dozen Day Lily that grace the yard.

Salvia "Hot Lips" for the Hummingbirds...

A Sweat Bee on the Indian Pink.

A new plant for the yard this year, Passion Flower, this is the 1st bloom of the season.

We had a few thunder storms go through early on the 23rd and just before they did this is what the sky looked like in Essex. Pretty cool if you ask me!

and another...

Dragonflies and Flowers - July 15, 2011

2011-07-15T07:17:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again... Dragonfly Season is upon us! These winged bug crunchers are seemingly everywhere on warm summer days and my yard is no exception.

This is an Eastern Pondhawk that was foraging from the deck last evening, allowing close approach with the 100mm macro lens. Here's a look at it's face straight on, that's it's smiling little mouth outlined in black.

A shot from the side showing the huge eyes.

A bit further away and you can see how they hang onto both their perch and the bugs they capture with the hooks on the end of their legs.

and lastly a look at the 1 1/2" long Eastern Pond Hawk as it rests on the Impatients I keep in the window box along the deck.

An addition to the yard this year that I hope takes hold for several years to come, "Indian Pink" or "Spigelia marilandic" a rather small Hummingbird favorite with it's white and red blooms. Purchased from Avant Gardens in Dartmouth, MA this slender perrenial should grow to 1' to 2' tall and 2' wide.

Barred Owl & Orioles - July 10, 2011

2011-07-12T07:32:00.000-04:00

A stop by the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary on the 10th found a large group of folks camping near the parking lot, I hope the Owls serenaded them for a portion of the evening! The Mulberry Tree still had plenty of fruit and Red Squirrels but few birds. My rather hasty retreat from the Sanctuary was rewarded with a Barred Owl flying in front of me across the road within a mile of the Sanctuary. It posed just off the road for the image below.

A return home later in the afternoon found a young Blue Jay loudly begging while it sat inches from the food supply the adult was shoveling into it's mouth...:)

The Orioles are still visiting the feeders with the youngsters just now starting to quiet down and feed themselves. Several years of offering oranges and jelly through the nesting season have increased the number of visitors each year with a recent count of 14 Orioles being the highest to date.

The male below must have reached the end of his patience with this youngster, or maybe it wasn't his offspring, either way the youngsters visit to the feeder was short lived.

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary - July 04, 2011

2011-07-05T07:11:00.000-04:00

A stop at the Sanctuary this July 4th found dozens of birds feeding in the Mulberry Tree that abuts the parking lot. The Cedar Waxwing below was able to get this berry down after a bit of a struggle.

The Tree Swallows are almost done nesting for the season. This is also in the field next to the parking lot.

A Common Yellowthroat scolding me for walking through it's territory.

and a couple of Scarlet Tanagers feasting on the Mulberries, a young female below.

and an adult male with his striking breeding plumage.

Hummingbirds via a Macro Lens - June 23, 2011

2011-06-28T20:09:00.002-04:00

The recent rainy days found me at the kitchen window behind a macro lens attempting to capture the rather damp Hummingbirds that were visiting the feeder with great frequency. As the images below reveal I didn't have much luck with the photography end of things but a bit of video... with a 180mm macro lens.. well, I liked the results and will be trying this again before the season ends.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Macro - June 23, 2011 from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

The male Hummingbird, in the video above, has a bug of some kind at the base of his bill, is it a missed opportunity for a meal or a hitch hiker looking to move to the next flower?

The female has her troubles as well as another female attempts to dislodge her from the feeder.

This is what I was hoping to capture, taken in the summer of 2009...

Better luck next time....

Baltimore Orioles at the feeders - June 26, 2011

2011-06-27T20:06:00.000-04:00

Baltimore Orioles are a joy to have in the yard each summer. I look forward to watching their antics around the feeders and especially enjoy the young birds when they appear each June. Here's a brief video of one of the youngsters at the jelly feeder this Sunday.

Baltimore Oriole - June 26, 2011 B from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

as well as a few shots of the parents and the youngster.

Hummingbirds in the yard - June 24, 2011

2011-06-24T21:39:00.000-04:00

A bit of early morning fun with the Hummingbirds that visit the yard. The overcast conditions

with off and on showers were not conducive to decent photos but worked fairly well for

a bit of video seen below.

A pair of videos from this morning, pre-work in the drizzle.
The male below is on a perch I added to the deck, he's watching the feeder
just outside the kitchen window, of course I'm inside, out of the rain, looking back.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - male - June 24, 2011 from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

A female at the window feeder, the object of the males attention but at this point in

the season she's got a pair of mouths to feed back at the nest. The number of females

coming to the feeders has risen dramatically in the past few days suggesting more

mouths to feed in the neighborhood.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - June 24, 2011 from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

The Fisher and The Goshawk - June 20, 2011

2011-06-20T20:35:00.002-04:00

I stopped by a wood lot that I frequent each year and was surprised to find a Northern Goshawk calling nearby. Further investigation found the Goshawk both screaming at and attacking a Fisher that was most likely sleeping at this time of day.

The Fisher wanted no part of the Goshawk as it flew at it several times. The brief video below shows some of the action.

Fisher - Goshawk Encounter - June 20, 2011 from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

The Fisher at 4 - 6 lbs far out weighs the 2 lb Goshawk. Both of these were females, the Fisher being on the small side and the Goshawk was just huge. The Fisher wanted no part of the event, running or leaping to other parts of the tree with each attack. I left them after 12 minutes or so to work it out among themselves.

A stop later in the day at Bradley Palmer State Park found a Common Yellowthroat carrying food to it's young.

and an Eastern Kingbird keeping an eye on it's nest as it hunted over the marsh.

and lastly a stop at McDonalds for a late afternoon snack found this Red Squirrel out-working the Ring-billed Gulls for the fries people were sharing.

Newburyport Wood Ducks - June 19, 2011

2011-06-20T20:19:00.001-04:00

A visit with Patsy and her fabulous yard on Father's Day found her Wood Ducks most cooperative. There were a dozen youngsters and the female that came quite close as I sat quietly by the pond.

One of the youngsters came in for a closer look as well.

and here's the female keeping an eye on her brood.

a back lit Painted Turtle kept a watchful eye as well.

A stop at Bird Watcher's Supply & Gift found this Pine Siskin visiting Steve's feeders.

Plum Island Mink - Revere Beach Shearwaters - June 13, 2011

2011-06-15T07:21:00.001-04:00

A drive down Plum Island on Monday found the Mink seen below running along the edge of parking lot #6. She stopped several times appearing to be in search of a prey item, on closer inspection once home I noticed this is a nursing female, perhaps it was her youngsters she was running off to.

Revere Beach has been hosting a number of Manx Shearwater along it's shore for a few years now. I stopped this past Sunday and came across 16, a high count for me. 11 can be seen in the image below.

They spend a fair amount of time close to shore affording excellent views at times. Here's four in flight.

Young Peregrine Falcons - June 2011

2011-06-12T19:11:00.000-04:00

I had the privilege of spending an hour or so with a family of Peregrine Falcons earlier this month. The three young falcons have fledged and are now spending their days practicing their flight skills under the watchful eye of both adults, that is when there not begging for food from atop one of the many storied buildings spread out around the city.

The youngster on the left above was the last to leave. He can be picked out as you scroll through the photos below by the amount of down feathers he had yet to molt and yes that is him below.

and again here....

and here practicing for the big day.

The older birds, by a few days, appeared more confident along the edge of the building.

While this guy seemed a bit skittish about approaching the edge...

it's siblings were more than ready to go..

and appeared ready to leave at any moment.

Almost daring a gust of wind to come along and push him off...

He appears to be saying, that's it I'm out of here... but today was not the day.

There was more preening to be done before heading out into the world.

Though I thought he would leap from the ledge at this point.

One of the adults had dropped off a tidbit which this youngster pounced on several times.

Here's the adults just prior to delivering a pigeon to the youngsters. The female is on the left.

Lynn Beach - Little Gull - June 12, 2011

2011-06-12T15:20:00.003-04:00

An adult Little Gull has been hanging around Lynn Beach near the Nahant line for the past few weeks with a few dozen Bonaparte's Gulls. A bit smaller than a Bonaparte's with a hood that extends farther down the neck this beautiful gull is a rare but annual visitor to the east coast.

A head shot showing the white feathers this near adult has retained.

The dark underwing also helps to pick it out from the Bonies.

Red-tailed Hawks - Cambridge, MA - June 05, 2011

2011-06-10T21:33:00.001-04:00

A pair of Red-tailed Hawks nested on the ledge of the building at 185 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge this spring and these are photos of the two that remained in the nest on June 5th. The third young hawk had fledged the day before and was roosting in trees nearby.

Red-tailed Hawks, Cambridge, MA June 05, 2011 from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

Watch... I'll show you how it's done....

See... just like this....

A bit more practice....

O.K..... it's your turn now...

Cliff Swallows - Newbury, MA - May 30, 2011

2011-05-31T18:26:00.000-04:00

Seeing Cliff Swallows flying above one of the many small streams in Newbury caused me to stop and take a closer look. With the birds flying under the bridge I decided to look closer and found several quietly building their nests for this years batch of youngsters.

The brief video below shows the pair adding "real estate" to their soon to be completed nest.

Cliff Swallows - Newbury, MA - May 30, 2011 from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

One mouthful at a time they bring the mud to the nest, placing the current beak-full on top of the last. That's a lot of trips!

You can see the recent work outlined as darker mud in the image above. This nest just needs an entrance hole like the one shown below and it's ready for eggs.

Great Horned Owls - Mt Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, MA - May 22, 2011

2011-05-28T08:53:00.001-04:00

A few more photos and two videos of both the young and adult Great Horned Owls that nested in the Mt Auburn Cemetery this spring. First a photo of one of the adults sitting in the Dell with a rabbit in it's talons, breakfast for the young owls?

A brief video showing the owl above and it's mate being mobbed by a dozen or so Crows as it watched the nest from a few hundred feet away.

Great Horned Owls- Adults - Mt. Auburn Cemetery - May 22, 2011 from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

An image of one of the young owlets sitting just outside of the nest as it preens.

and a brief video of the two young owlets with myself and several other photographers, birders and generla public chatting in the background.

Great Horned Owls - May 22, 2011 - Mt. Auburn Cemetery from Phil Brown on Vimeo.
A pair of young Great Horned Owls spent their days in a spike filled Hawthorne Tree. This was shot a few days prior to the leaving the nest. The 2nd owlet is at the end of the video, sitting 20' higher in the tree than it's sibling.

2011-05-24T21:09:00.000-04:00

A stop this morning along J.B. Little Road in Groveland turned up a Common Moorhen calling alongside the road

Warblers and Others - May 22 and 23, 2011

2011-05-24T06:36:00.001-04:00

Cherry Hill Reservoir in West Newbury had dozens of these curious Yellow Warblers chasing each other around it's brushy shores.

The restrooms at Hellcat were alive with warblers on the 23rd. This Chestnut-sided Warbler stopped just long enough for a quick shot.

An empidonax flycatcher, silent and moving slowly through the brush, added a bit of muted color to the scene.

and hanging around the parking lot at Hellcat was this Wild Turkey, as if waiting for hand outs it sat on the railings in the parking lot. Truly a face only a mother could love...:)

Salisbury Beach State Reservation had few birds but the Fox Kits were awfully cute.

Great Horned Owlets - May 22, 2011

2011-05-24T06:28:00.000-04:00

A stop in Mt Auburn Cemetery this past Sunday found both of the young Great Horned Owls still hanging around nest tree. The photos below are of the owlet that was still staying close to the nest. It's sibling was 20' or so above it clamoring around the tree.

A parting shot of the owlet as it stretched it's wings.

Bird-a-Thon 2011 - Plum Island Fallout - May 14, 2011

2011-05-15T07:02:00.001-04:00

May again... must be time for the Massachusetts Audubon's Bird-a-Thon!

It's annual fund raiser and day of great birding for the teams involved each year.

Our team, working with the MAS Joppa Flats Sanctuary, was comprised of Steve Grinley,

Margo Goetschkes, Joan (visiting from California), Linda Ferraresso and yours truly.

We started quite slowly at Crooked Pond in Boxford but managed to find the

Louisiana Waterthrush and a Barred Owl among others. Our travels eventually

lead us to Plum Island after several calls about the Yellow-throated Warbler

and Clay-colored Sparrow being seen on the island.

Yellow-throated Warbler found by Bonnie and Bob Buxton at Hellcat. Way to go!!

The island was literally hoping with birds, with loads of warblers working their way north

along the road. The Clay-colored Sparrow in the following images was feeding in

the small shrubs and on the ground at the Wardens.

Perched up along the road at the salt pans were several Scarlet Tanagers in their

striking spring finest. This male was at eye level, working the trees just off the road.

1st Screech Owl of May - Are Young Close Behind?

2011-05-06T18:36:00.003-04:00

I'm hoping this is the first of several sightings of this Screech Owl over the next few weeks

and that the young owlets make an appearance some time soon!

It could be a roosting male and this a one time thing... Time will tell....

Hummers are BACK! and a Gray / Red Squirrel - May 05, 2011

2011-05-05T08:11:00.002-04:00

An early female Ruby-throated Hummingbird at the feeder - April 30, 2011

One of several Baltimore Orioles just back for the breeding season

A red-tailed Gray Squirrel that's been visiting the yard. A 1st for me!

2011 State Of The Birds Report - Dept of the Interior

2011-05-05T07:20:00.000-04:00

The full report is available at www.stateofthebirds.org.

U.S. Department of the Interior

AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS: Secretary Salazar Releases 2011 State of the Birds Report

Report Shows Public Lands and Waters Crucial to Birds; One Out of Four Birds Species on Public Land in Peril

05/03/2011

Contact: Hugh Vickery, DOI (202) 208-6414
Alicia F. King, FWS (571) 214-3117

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman today released the 2011 State of the Birds Report, the nation’s first assessment of birds on lands and waters owned by the American people. The findings indicate tremendous potential for bird conservation: these publicly owned habitats support at least half of the entire U.S. distributions of more than 300 bird species.

The report concludes that America’s public lands and waters, ranging from national wildlife refuges to national parks to national forests, offer significant opportunities to halt or reverse the decline of many species. More than 1,000 bird species inhabit the U.S., 251 of which are federally threatened, endangered, or of conservation concern. The report provides a scientific tool to help public agencies identify the most significant conservation opportunities in each habitat.

“The State of the Birds report is a measurable indicator of how well we are fulfilling our shared role as stewards of our nation’s public lands and waters,” Salazar said. “Although we have made enormous progress in conserving habitat on public lands, we clearly have much more work to do. The good news is that because birds so extensively use public lands and waters as habitat, effective management and conservation efforts can make a significant difference in whether these species recover or slide towards extinction.”

“The 2011 State of the Birds report reflects significant achievement by public agencies and all of our long-standing partners in improving bird habitats,” said Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman. “The USDA programs are innovative and creative. Over the last two years, the Natural Resources Conservation Service has played a critical role in working cooperatively with landowners to conserve migratory birds in the Gulf of Mexico, sage grouse in the great plains, and others. The Forest Service has developed a draft Forest Planning rule that will ensure our National Forests support birds and other wildlife for decades to come.”

The report assessed the distribution of birds on nearly 850 million acres of public land and 3.5 million square miles of ocean. It relied on high-performance computing techniques to generate detailed bird distribution maps based on citizen-science data reported to eBird and information from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Protected Areas Database of the United States.

The report highlighted the wide variety of bird habitats on public lands. These include:

Aridlands: More than half of U.S. aridlands are publicly owned. Thirty-nine percent of aridland bird species are of conservation concern and more than 75 percent of species are declining.
Oceans and Coasts: All U.S. marine waters are publicly owned and are home to 86 ocean bird species and 173 coastal species. At least 39 percent of U.S. bird species restricted to ocean habitats are declining and almost half are of conservation concern, indicating severe stress in these ecosystems.
Forests: Public lands include some of the largest unfragmented blocks of forest, which are crucial for the long-term health of many bird species, including the endangered Kirtland’s warbler, which has 97 percent of its U.S. distribution on public lands.
Arctic and Alpine: Ninety percent of boreal forest, alpine, and arctic breeding bird species in Alaska rely on public lands for habitat, including 34 breeding shorebird species of high conservation concern. There are more public lands in Alaska than in the rest of the U.S. combined, offering huge potential to manage lands for conservation.
Islands: More birds are in danger of extinction in Hawaii than anywhere else in the U.S. Public lands in Hawaii support 73 percent of the distribution of declining forest birds. Among declining Hawaiian forest birds on Kauai, about 78 percent rely on state land. Four endangered species in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands are entirely dependent on federal lands.
Wetlands: Wetlands protection has provided the “gold standard” for bird conservation. On the whole, 39 species of hunted waterfowl have increased by more than 100 percent during the past 40 years as nearly 30 million acres of wetlands have been acquired and management practices have restored bird populations.
Grasslands: Grassland birds are among our nation’s fastest declining species, yet only a small amount – 13 percent -- of grassland is publicly owned and managed primarily for conservation. Forty-eight percent of grassland-breeding bird species are of conservation concern, including four with endangered populations.

The 2011 State of the Birds report is a collaborative effort as part of the U.S. North American Bird Conservation Initiative, involving federal and state wildlife agencies, and scientific and conservation organizations. These include the American Bird Conservancy, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the Bureau of Land Management, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Department of Defense, the National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, the National Park Service, the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

The full report is available at www.stateofthebirds.org.

Birders needed to assist with Citizen Science Project in Boston and the North Shore, June 2011

2011-05-05T07:11:00.003-04:00

The University of Massachusetts, Amherst and the Urban Ecology Institute are looking for 4-6 birders to conduct point counts in Boston, and 6-8 birders to conduct point counts in the North Shore. General locations in Boston include residential streets in Roxbury, Dorchester, East Boston and South Boston, and three urban parks: Franklin Park, Stoneybrook reservation, and the Arnold Arboretum. General locations in the North Shore include residential streets and conservation areas in Danvers, Ipswich, Burlington, and Woburn.

Our study is investigating regional bird diversity and how it varies at different levels of urbanization. Birding sites are located in residential parts of the city and towns, and in large urban parks and conservation areas. The point counts will be conducted during the month of June, 2011. Time commitment includes 2- 4 mornings, depending on interest. (1-2 mornings in early June and 1-2 mornings in late June) and the schedule is relatively flexible.

Please contact Rachel Danford (rachelsdanford@gmail.com) if you are interested in volunteering for this exciting project. Please indicate which locations you prefer (Boston or North Shore or both), and level of commitment.

Background

We conducted a pilot study in June 2010, focusing exclusively within Boston neighborhoods and three large urban parks. We documented a total of 37 species (20 species in the neighborhood sites and 26 species in the park sites). Highlights included an Eastern Kingbird nest building in a very urban residential site. For the urban parks, highlights included a number of Wood Thrushes, a Pine Warbler, Indigo Buntings, and Scarlet Tanagers.

If interested please contact Rachel Danford with your preferred location (Boston, North Shore, or both) and level of commitment.

Email: rachelsdanford@gmail.com

Waterthrush & Fox Kits - Salisbury, MA - April 25, 2011

2011-04-25T19:20:00.004-04:00

A stop at Crooked Pond in Boxford found the recently arriving Louisiana Waterthrush in full song just past the 1st stream crossing. Though I didn't manage any photos of the bird on this dreary day I did record it's song with the stream and an occasional Pine Warbler signing in the background. What I like about the recording is the lack of car noise, something that is hard to get away from in Massachusetts.

1 minute Louisiana Waterthrush recording

(use your browsers "back button" to return to this page)

Ron Grant of Salisbury pointed me in the direction of a Fox den this morning and much to my delight the kits were out playing in the light rain that fell most of the day. One of the few shots I managed of the foursome that was at this den.

A brief video of the kits playing in the dune grass.

Red Fox Kits - April 24, 2011 from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

Another pair was seen a bit further west. Wish there had been a bit of sunshine!

THANKS RON!

White-faced Ibis - April 24, 2011

2011-04-25T19:11:00.004-04:00

The White-faced Ibis reported from Plum Island just west of lot #3 was present on Sunday morning and paused for a moment for the image below.

Of all the improbable things to happen.... A Peregrine Falcon killed and ate the White-faced Ibis on Tuesday April 26, 2011 and even more incredible... Michael Blust, Professor of Biology at Green Mountain College in Poultney, VT had his class on Parker River NWR, not only watching the entire event but video taping it as well. The take down of the Ibis by the Peregrine can be seen on You Tube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyqijh2sMao

A stop in the Industrial Park in Newburyport on Easter Sunday found a male American Kestrel making a meal out of a meadow vole. He disappeared shortly after catching it, I'm guessing he took it to the female as she sits on their nest.

A Green Heron was back on territory in a small pond just north of the Parker River along Rte 1 in Newbury. All in all a very pleasant day of birding with temps in the 60's and the reported showers not materializing.

Rainy Day Yard Birds - April 23, 2011

2011-04-23T19:11:00.003-04:00

A check of the feeders after work this afternoon found a Swamp Sparrow watching the many Blackbirds that visit for several weeks each spring. The newly emerged grass made for a colorful out of focus background.

A bit of video of the Swamp Sparrow as it watched all of the feeder birds.

Swamp Sparrow - April 23, 2011 - Essex, MA from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

Another brown capped Sparrow that visits through the summer while nesting in the yard arrived a few weeks ago. Chipping Sparrows are a regular visitor for 3/4 of the year.

A bit of selective black and white applied to the next image gave this American Goldfinch a bit of pop on this otherwise gloomy day.

Cox Reservation - Island Road, Essex - April 22, 2011

2011-04-23T08:05:00.001-04:00

A few stops along Island Road in Essex this week turned up several American Kestrel, stopping for some food and a brief rest before heading off to continue migrating to their breeding grounds. A half dozen Glossy Ibis were a treat to see as well.

A bit of time spent on the evening of the 22nd at the Cox Reservation along Eastern Ave. in Essex did not find me spending any quality time with the pair of Osprey that appear to have taken up residence on the nest platform placed along the marsh. They can be seen below in this very distant image (1/2 mile or more) as they had a bite to eat atop the poles in the top right.

Though they did eventually flyby the platform they appeared to be heading inland a bit to roost for the evening. Some of the other birds that passed by while I watched included 20 Great Egret heading to roost just off the coast at Kettle Island in Magnolia.

and a pair of Eastern Bluebirds that have taken over one of the many nest boxes for this years season. The female stopped long enough for the image below.

Earlier in the week I was given a tour of the Merrimac Woods by Merrimac's very own Bonnie Buxton with the Broad-winged Hawk, seen below, being one of several highlights. Thanks Bonnie!

Yellow-legged Gull (probable) April 17, 2011

2011-04-17T19:39:00.000-04:00

A stop at Kalmus Beach in Hyannis this morning found the probable Yellow-legged Gull in the parking lot for several minutes. It gave it's long call once which can be seen and heard (with quite a bit of noise from the 20 - 25mph winds) in the 8 second video below. A larger version can be seen on Vimeo at: http://vimeo.com/22531129

Proable Yellow-legged Gull - April 17, 2011 from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

A few photos of the gull

Recent Arrivals - April 2011

2011-04-14T19:08:00.001-04:00

A stop in Winthrop this past weekend found 4 American Oystercatchers noisily flying around Snake Island. This adult was just coming on for a landing.

Island Road in Essex is a great spot to find an early Snowy Egret or two. This one is showing it's breeding plumage off to several others nearby.

The office has quite a few spring flowers that come up early each year from the heat the raised foundation holds. The Daffodils are a favorite of mine.

Burrowing Owl and Crested Caracara Video - March 2011

2011-04-05T20:06:00.004-04:00

A visit to Cape Coral, FL in March of 2011 afforded a visit with several Burrowing Owls at their burrows situated on vacant lots around town.

Burrowing Owl - Cape Coral, FL - March 2011 from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

A 2 minute video of a Crested Caracara as it feeds on a road killed Armadillo along Rte 80 outside of Fort Myers, FL in late March 2011

Crested Caracara - March 2011 from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

Great Horned Owls - April 03, 2011

2011-04-03T21:21:00.000-04:00

I visited a Great Horned Owl nest in Hamilton this afternoon, one adult & 2 youngster, and was amused by their indifference to the very windy conditions. That's quite a ride as you can see in the brief video below.

Great Horned Owls In The Wind - April 03, 2011 from Phil Brown on Vimeo.

and a still shot of the threesome as they sit approximately 40' up in a White Pine

Ding Darling NWR - last few hours of vacation - April 02, 2011

2011-04-03T05:47:00.005-04:00

An early morning stop at Ding Darling prior to my flight home found the tide and birds in sync for the 1st time since my arrival 10 days ago. Spoonbills in flight, loads of awesome reflections and way too many birds in motion at once, nice problem to have!

American White Pelicans & Roseate Spoonbills

Roseate Spoonbill

Tri-colored Heron

White Ibis

Roseate Spoonbill

White Ibis - Roseate Spoonbill

Tri-colored Heron

White Ibis

A few shots of what the waders were dining on.

Great Egret

Roseate Spoonbill

Reddish Egret

White Ibis

and a few more Burrowing Owl images from the night before.

What a fabulous end to a very enjoyable vacation.

Owls & Others of Essex, MA

Screech Owl

Cooper's Hawk

Raptors - 2012

Falcons

Early January Birds 2012

Gulls and Falcons - Xmas Day 2011

Hawks, Cranes & Kingbirds

Cassin's Kingbird

The Goose and The Odd Call

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Dickcissel - Essex

Essex Screech Owl

Screech Owl Color Morphs

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Barnacle Goose

Screech Owl - Essex

Screech Owl - Essex, MA

Saw-whet

Yellow-rumped Warblers

The Red-tail & The Falconer - Oct. 29, 2011

Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk - Hamilton, MA - Oct. 28, 2011

Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Parker River NWR - Oct. 24, 2011

Parker River NWR - Shorebirds ++ - Oct. 23, 2011

Sparrow Identification - Chipping / Clay-colored - Oct. '11

Gloucester Peregrines - Oct. 16, 2011

Least Flycatcher - Parker River NWR - Oct. 18, 2011

Lark Bunting and Other Great Birds - Oct. 10, 2011

Fall Rarities - October 09, 2011

1st Fall Screech Owl of 2011 - October 07, 2011

St. Louis - October 2 & 3, 2011

Sierra Vista, AZ - Sept. 13, 2011

American Avocet - Hampton, NH - Sept. 26, 2011

Las Cienegas NCA - Sonoita, AZ - Sept. 14, 2011

Mt. Lemmon - Tucson, AZ - Sept 15, 2011

Arizona - September 11 - 18, 2011

Dickcissel Continues - Sept. 08, 2011

Dickcissel - Sept, 06, 2011 - Essex, MA

Storm Tossed Birds - Hurricane Irene - A Week Later

Terns to Toads With a Few Hummers For Good Measure

Hawks & Hummers to come..... August 28, 2011

Dickcissel In The Yard - August 17, 2011

Falcon, Terns & Bugs - August 16, 2011

Least Terns - Sandy Point - Ipswich, MA - August 08, 2011

Hummingbirds in the Rain - August 07, 2011

Late Summer Hummingbirds - August 6, 2011

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Young Male - August 03, 2011

Sandy Point - Least Terns - August 04, 2011

Flowers in the yard - July 30, 2011

Hummingbirds, Flowers, Bees & a Cool Sky! - July 23, 2011

Dragonflies and Flowers - July 15, 2011

Barred Owl & Orioles - July 10, 2011

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary - July 04, 2011

Hummingbirds via a Macro Lens - June 23, 2011

Baltimore Orioles at the feeders - June 26, 2011

Hummingbirds in the yard - June 24, 2011

The Fisher and The Goshawk - June 20, 2011

Newburyport Wood Ducks - June 19, 2011

Plum Island Mink - Revere Beach Shearwaters - June 13, 2011

Young Peregrine Falcons - June 2011

Lynn Beach - Little Gull - June 12, 2011

Red-tailed Hawks - Cambridge, MA - June 05, 2011

Cliff Swallows - Newbury, MA - May 30, 2011

Great Horned Owls - Mt Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, MA - May 22, 2011

Warblers and Others - May 22 and 23, 2011

Great Horned Owlets - May 22, 2011

Bird-a-Thon 2011 - Plum Island Fallout - May 14, 2011

1st Screech Owl of May - Are Young Close Behind?

Hummers are BACK! and a Gray / Red Squirrel - May 05, 2011

2011 State Of The Birds Report - Dept of the Interior

The full report is available at www.stateofthebirds.org.

U.S. Department of the Interior

AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS: Secretary Salazar Releases 2011 State of the Birds Report

Report Shows Public Lands and Waters Crucial to Birds; One Out of Four Birds Species on Public Land in Peril

05/03/2011

Birders needed to assist with Citizen Science Project in Boston and the North Shore,­ June 2011

Waterthrush & Fox Kits - Salisbury, MA - April 25, 2011

White-faced Ibis - April 24, 2011

Rainy Day Yard Birds - April 23, 2011

Cox Reservation - Island Road, Essex - April 22, 2011

Birders needed to assist with Citizen Science Project in Boston and the North Shore, June 2011