Author Archives: birdsinmyviewfinder

I was with a group of birdwatchers who witnessed an intense skirmish between a Northern Harrier and a Red-tailed Hawk recently. The action lasted for more than 30 minutes as the harrier harassed the hawk while leaving the scene periodically and returning to continue the battle. It was a battle of agility versus size. ItContinue reading “Raptor Battle”

Long-billed Dowitcher photographed at San Carlos Bay, Florida. These stocky, long billed shorebirds summer on the northern coasts of Alaska and Siberia. They spend the winter on the southern edge of the US and in Mexico.

I missed this shot when I went through some photos during summer but noticed it when I was recently culling photos in the folder. Sticking her tongue out at the photographer. Pretty sassy.

Some photos of a Belted Kingfisher in action over a small pond. Females have a chestnut band in addition to the blur-gray one so this one is a male.

Things can get a bit rowdy at my little avian diner. A Dark-eyed Junco grabbed an open spot at the suet cylinder. One of the Eastern Bluebirds seems to be doing a little trash talking.

Hooded Mergansers are small diving ducks that use their thin bill to catch aquatic insects and small fish. They have a prominent crest that looks like a hood when they raise the feathers. Males have a black and white hood, while females and immature birds have a cinnamon hood. Photographed on the icy cold banksContinue reading “Hooded Merganser”

A Northern Harrier on the hunt for rodents as it hovers low over the fields looking and listening. Photographed at the Parker River NWR before the latest snowfall.

An American Black Duck landing on the ice and starting a butt slide across to the open water.

Two Gadwalls flying in to join the flock.

A favorite bird to spot and photograph when on the southern US coast is the Roseate Spoonbill. It is the only one of the six species of spoonbills that resides in the Americas. In the US, they live along the Gulf coast of Texas and in the south and southwest of Florida. It’s a large,Continue reading “Roseate Spoonbill”