Author Archives: birdsinmyviewfinder

The eastern population of the Willet breeds in the salt marshes along our coast in the summer. It’s a large shorebird with a long bill, long legs and a short tail. Unlike the smaller shorebirds, Willets are often alone when they are hunting for crabs, worms and other prey. They are constantly making their “pill-will-willet”Continue reading “Willet”

These are some photos of migrating Short-billed Dowitchers, along with two traveling companions. Long-billed Dowitchers, which are hard to distinguish from the Short-billed, are not very common here. A smaller Stilt Sandpiper joins the Dowitchers to forage for food. In the next photo, two Dowitchers are resting the background while a Black-bellied Plover does someContinue reading “Dowitchers”

Sea Ducks only winter here in Massachusetts. However, many fresh water ducks breed here with Mallards probably being the most numerous. One of our other local breeding ducks is the Gadwall. This is a male displaying the small white patch on the wing. Mute Swans, on the other hand, are an invasive species. They wereContinue reading “Waterfowl: Local, Invasive and Rare”

I like to take photographs of birds in flight. It’s fun and challenging. But more often it is just a necessity. Birds aren’t out there trying to pose for me after all. Here’s a few examples starting with a Belted Kingfisher. I heard the chattering call coming closer and was hoping it would land somewhereContinue reading “Early Summer Birds – Part 2”

Sharing some recent sightings as migration slows and the residents settle in for the summer. This is a Cedar Waxwing carrying nest materials. People really like the soft colors with a couple of bold accents, the yellow tail tip and the red wax on the wings. The crest and black mask are a final touch.Continue reading “Early Summer Birds – Part 1”

We do see other Terns on rare occasions, but the resident Terns are the Common Tern and the Least Tern. Both breed along our coast. Least Terns nest in the same beach areas as the Piping Plovers on and near Plum Island. The smaller Least Tern has a yellow bill with a black tip andContinue reading “Terns”

The following photographs were taken at Sandy Point, Plum Island on the Plum Island Sound. This is a Massachusetts park and people are allowed in during the summer. But there is a large marked off portion of the dunes that are off-limits and reserved for nesting Piping Plovers and Least Terns. The first photo isContinue reading “Photos from the Shore”

I have been collecting photographs of other birds during this Warbler migration season. This a Swainson’s Thrush. Like all Thrushes except the familiar American Robin, they tend to be pretty secretive. This one was deep inside a thicket. Another bird that tends to be in deeply wooded areas is the Veery. I could hear thisContinue reading “Recent Sightings, Including a Hummingbird”

I participated in a group walk organized by Massachusetts Audubon with a dozen people recently. It was an overcast morning and a bit foggy when we started at 6:30 in the morning. But the Warblers were everywhere and we spotted or heard 18 different species in a three hour span. This long post has picturesContinue reading “Foggy Morning Warblers”

Warbler migration is extremely popular among bird watchers and photographers. There can even be traffic issues around well known sites. There is a short period in the spring, mostly mid-to-late May, where large numbers of Warblers in colorful breeding plumage appear. This makes for a frenetic time. But there are other birds migrating and residingContinue reading “Not Warblers”