Author Archives: birdsinmyviewfinder

Shorebirds continue to migrate through the coastal marshes and beaches. I photographed seven different species in one location. And I would not be surprised if I missed a species or two. Some species look very much alike. Also, these are very active birds that move around a lot. The smallest sandpipers that we see areContinue reading “Shorebirds and Friends”

I have been trying to spot a Scarlet Tanager all season and finally spotted not one, but two. The males are a vivid red with black wings and tail. I think they are even brighter red than Cardinals. Here are some other recent sightings. This Northern Flicker, a large woodpecker, was looking for his favoriteContinue reading “Successful Capture”

It was a cloudy day but I got a chance to photograph some shorebirds. I’ve been seeing lots of Piping Plovers since they nest on the Parker River NWR. Now other shorebirds are migrating through the area after breeding in northern Canada. But before I get to the pictures, I have a tern picture toContinue reading “Shorebirds”

Life can be tough sometimes. Courtship has an unhappy ending on occasion. Least Tern courtship is initiated by the male bringing a fish to the female that has caught his eye. Romance ensues if she is impressed by him and his gift. But it is a sad day for this male when she rejects hisContinue reading “Rejected”

Breeding season is in full swing and we have spotted several mother Mallards with their broods. Mallards lay 12-13 eggs and we are seeing some mothers with 7-9 ducklings in tow. There will be some attrition to predators, including large fish. But the large number of offspring ensures that there will be plenty of newContinue reading “New Ducks and Swallows”

June ended with a long heat wave but I was able to find some bird activity, even with temperatures passing 90F (32C) before the morning was over. We watched a Willet chase a Killdeer (top photo) on an access road to a kayak launch. I am not sure what the row was about. Then theContinue reading “Closing out June”

Most of the following birds are only in Massachusetts during the summer. They come in the spring, raise a family and then head for warmer places in the fall. They are the original “Snowbirds” emulated by some humans from the northern US who head for Florida, Arizona or some other warm place in the winter.Continue reading “Some Summer Residents”

These photographs capture some behavioral aspects of the birds around me. There are two Cuckoo species in my part of the world. Both are uncommon and very reclusive. They tend to stay deep inside dense undergrowth, eating caterpillars. I heard one calling close to the trail I was on so I stopped and waited quietlyContinue reading “A Recluse, Unwitting Foster Parents, The Chase”

I returned to the Red-bellied Woodpecker nest that I have been watching for a few weeks now. It is still occupied. The occupant is a bit sassy and stuck his/her tongue out at me. New fledglings are appearing everywhere. This young Catbird was a little shaky with his early flying attempts. He was sitting inContinue reading “Latest Sightings”

Despite the overcast skies, I tested the teleconverter on a new body. It ups the focal length but cuts the light to the sensor so it was hard to get many good photos under the poor lighting conditions. But there was some success. These three Glossy Ibis are fairly sharp and show some color againstContinue reading “Cloudy Days”