More than Warblers and Sparrows

I would do an injustice to the wide diversity of birds in eastern Massachusetts if I did not post photos of more than just Warblers, Sparrows and various shorebirds. Here are some recent sightings.

These are Mallards that flew close to us with the sun in a good position. The males are very distinctive but the females can be confused with other species, especially American Black Ducks. The blue speculum with white borders is the most visible mark to identify them.

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These are a female Mallard (front) and a female Gadwall. Note the white patch on the Gadwall.

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There are few, if any, Snowy Egrets left in our area. There are still a few Great Egrets though. This one just grabbed a small fish.

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The following are all year round residents. The Black-capped Chickadee is bold and a bit sassy. It is a favorite for most of us.

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Cardinals (this is a female) and House Finches visit our feeders.

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We think of the Eastern Bluebird as a summer bird but they do stay around for the winter.

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I was walking through an old orchard when I heard a flock of Crows making a huge fuss. I know that often means that they are harassing something so I headed toward the commotion. I just managed to catch this Red-shouldered Hawk taking off to get away from his tormentors.

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Winter is approaching and soon my posts will be dominated by wintering ducks. Hopefully we also have a lot of visits by Snowy Owls and Bald Eagles.