Author Archives: birdsinmyviewfinder

Two male White-winged Scoters flashing their distinctive wing patches.

Broad-winged Hawks are a small hawk and a long distance migrant. Flocks, or “kettles”, of these hawks can consist of hundreds, even thousands, of individuals. Their breeding range is southern Canada and the eastern half of the US. They migrate to the southern tip of Florida, Central America and northern South America for the winter.Continue reading “Found in the Clutter: Broad-winged Hawk”

The Great Black-backed Gull on the run has just snatched the other gull’s clam. The victim had dropped the clam from a height in order to crack the shell. But the thief flew in and grabbed it before he could swoop down to pick it up. A younger bird is following the action to seeContinue reading “Feathered Action: Gulls”

Skip this post if you don’t like spiders! This is actually a tiny spider but it looks pretty ferocious in a close up. The second picture has a definite Halloween vibe. Boo! Happy Halloween.

Black Guillemots are a type of alcid, birds that spend most of their lives out on the ocean. Alcids include Guillemots, Auks, Murres and Puffins. They nest in cliffs overlooking the water but are not found on land otherwise. Black Guillemots live in the waters of the Arctic and northern regions of North America, EuropeContinue reading “Black Guillemot”

These were way, way down in the piles of photos (figuratively). They were taken 9 years ago when I was first moving from snapshots to taking up more serious bird photography. It was a lucky happenstance that this female Belted Kingfisher didn’t notice me and perched relatively close by. Three generations of camera body haveContinue reading “Found in the Clutter: Belted Kingfisher”

Wooly Bears are a sure sign of autumn in New England. These fuzzy black and rust colored caterpillars start appearing this time of year as they eat their fill and then find a spot to hide for the winter. They are the larva of the Isabella Tiger Moth. Folklore says that you can tell theContinue reading “Non-Avian Guest: Woolly Bear”

My last post featured a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Here is the other North American kinglet. Golden-crowned Kinglets don’t hide their crest like the Ruby-crowned Kinglets do.

Ask anyone who observes or photographs Kinglets and they will tell that they almost never stop moving. I managed to catch this Ruby-crowned Kinglet as he dove deeper into the bushes to look for insects. They keep their “crown” concealed until they use it display to rivals, potential mates and intruders. Look carefully and youContinue reading “Feathered Action: Ruby-crowned Kinglet”

This is a juvenile Yellow-rumped Warbler posing for the camera. But another Warbler chased it away from my photoshoot. Jealous?