Author Archives: birdsinmyviewfinder

Sharp-shinned Hawks are an Accipiter, a large group of hawks generally called “sparrowhawks” in Eurasia and includes goshawks. They have short, broad wings and a long tail that make them highly maneuverable. The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a forest hunter and uses this maneuverability to hunt down small birds. They are a small hawk. The malesContinue reading “Sharp-shinned Hawk”

I was with a small group of birdwatchers and photographers on a cool but sunny fall morning recently. We had a number of nice sightings, including what was a first time bird for many of us. There are two species of Kinglet, a tiny bird that summers to our north and winters just south ofContinue reading “Sunny Fall Morning”

My walks are becoming even more interesting as more birds migrate through the area. These photographs are from a pleasant walk on a cool early fall morning. We are on the very northernmost edge of the winter range of the Yellow-rumped Warbler and may see a few even in the winter. These photographs are ofContinue reading “Migrants – A Variety”

It has been a quiet few weeks but Wood Warblers and other passerines are starting to come through our area in greater numbers. Spring and fall migration are quite different. The birds are in breeding plumage in the spring and arrive in bursts of big mixed flocks. They are heading for their breeding areas andContinue reading “Migrants – Warblers”

It’s not just warblers, hummingbirds and shorebirds that we observe migrating. Hawks, eagles and falcons migrate into, out of and through eastern Massachusetts as well. These are some photographs of recent sightings. Peregrine Falcons are long distance migrants, although a few do reside here year round. But those are the exception as most migrate fromContinue reading “Migrants – Raptors”

The Northern Flicker is a year round resident, although some may migrate a bit further south in the winter. They are an unusual woodpecker in that they are often found on the ground where they search for their favorite snack: ants. They have a brown back, light brown and gray head and neck, a blackContinue reading “Northern Flicker”

Sanderlings are those little birds that run along the edge of the water just barely keeping out of the incoming waves. They look like they are having a fun day at the beach as the group zips along. They also look for food in the sand exposed as the tide goes out. These pictures wereContinue reading “Sanderlings Can Be Tough”

Two types of shorebirds that migrate through our area have something in common. Each has two species that are very hard to differentiate in the field. There are two species of Yellowlegs, Greater and Lesser. The Greater is larger and its bill is longer in relation to the head. Size is hard to judge unlessContinue reading “Migrants – Yellowlegs and Dowitchers”

The American Avocet that should be in New Mexico, Colorado or somewhere else on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains has spent the entire summer at one spot in the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. It has been mingling with the Yellowlegs for so long that it seems to be part of the flock.Continue reading “Adopted?”

This is a follow up to my previous post about Night Herons and Bitterns. They are quite good at disappearing into the vegetation but they do have to fly to get around. They aren’t so stealthy when they do. This is another juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron. It was hard to miss when it flew acrossContinue reading “Not So Stealthy”