Author Archives: birdsinmyviewfinder

People who have been on my site before may not notice the new photograph on my home page. It is from the series of photos that included my previous post of the Northern Harrier. I thought I would share it here so you don’t miss it!

Northern Harriers breed a bit further north than my location but they begin to return to the marshes to hunt voles and mice as the summer ends. They hunt by flying low over the marsh while watching and listening for their prey.

Mallards, like all ducks, are meticulous in taking care of their feathers. The female in these photos is using her head and bill to spread the oil from glands near her tail that provides waterproofing and insulation. Both are vital for survival in the cold waters of winter. Fluffing everything up at the end.

Champion fisherman.

Is this Peregrine Falcon looking me over as it flies by? Maybe it likes posing.

Two very different birds using the same hunting technique. They use one foot to stir up the muck and flush out small fish and invertebrates.

The male American Goldfinches are still decked out in their bright gold and black plumage. They will change to their much duller winter plumage later in the fall. The appearance of the bright gold plumage is one of our signs of spring.

Our smallest bird, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, has a bold nature. The one below flew up next to me while I was photographing some wrens and hovered 2-3 feet (less than a meter) away to look over my shoulder. It was too close for my long lens to focus on it! After a bit, it flewContinue reading “Snapshot: Tiny, but Bold”

Another photograph of a Peregrine Falcon escorting an Osprey from its hunting grounds. Part I was posted previously.

This is what I assume to be a territorial issue between two birds of prey. An Osprey flew over a large pool with a fish that it had caught somewhere else. Suddenly, a Peregrine Falcon that had been hunting shorebirds at the pool started chasing the Osprey. The Osprey is too large to be preyContinue reading “Feathered Action: Falcon and Osprey”