Author Archives: birdsinmyviewfinder

The ducks featured in my previous post were not all resting at the mouth of the river or diving. Some were flying in from the ocean and some were just moving from one part of the raft to another. Ducks are a big part of the winter bird scene here in Massachusetts so I willContinue reading “Ducks in Flight”

We are having a huge influx of wintering ducks. Thousands of ducks are being seen at the mouth of the Merrimack River. This photo shows a few more Black Scoters flying in to join the carpet of ducks that extends 1/3 mile or 600 meters by my estimate. This little section of the raft ofContinue reading “Ducks Take Over The River”

I returned to Gloucester and while I was there I checked to see if Long John Silver (see previous post) was still around. There were no fishing boats at the pier and there were almost no gulls around as a consequence. It appears that Long John and his fellow pirates set sail to raid someContinue reading “Return to Gloucester”

I went to the Jodrey State Fish Pier while in Gloucester on my recent visit. There were Mergansers and Eiders swimming near the pier. And hundreds of gulls. No surprise there since the pier is home to seafood facilities and fishing boats that deliver fish and pick up fuel and bait. I want to spotlightContinue reading “On the Pier…A Spectator and a Pirate”

I went searching for birds along the coast in Gloucester. These photos are from Eastern Point and Bass Rocks. The stars of the day were the Buffleheads but there were other notable residents. This is a pair of female Common Eider. They have a nice chestnut color that shows nicely on the head of theContinue reading “Gloucester Birding”

Moving from the inland areas to the shore. A few shorebirds stay along the coast all winter here but most migrate through as they head for the southern US, Caribbean or Central and South America. This Black-bellied Plover and these White-rumped Sandpipers are migrants who have lingered a bit. The Dunlin toughs it out withContinue reading “November Sightings, Part 2”

Bird photography has been a bit challenging for me this month. The days I get out with my camera have generally been overcast, foggy or rainy. My low light photography skills need some work so I guess I can’t complain about getting practice. These are some shots that I managed to get in between theContinue reading “November Sightings, Part 1”

The Harlequin is that well-known medieval comic character attired in a brightly colored costume. There is a brightly colored duck named after the Harlequin that winters off the New England coast. And it is a favorite visitor for all duck fans. There were large numbers of Harlequin Ducks at Cape Ann, Massachusetts this week andContinue reading “Harlequins”

Cape Ann on the Massachusetts coast north of Boston attracts a large number of wintering birds, including ducks, loons and grebes. A visit to Rockport last week was rewarded with lots of sightings on an unusually warm November morning. It started off with a pair of Hooded Mergansers in a flooded quarry at Halibut PointContinue reading “Cape Ann Ducks”

We have been experiencing a run of cloudy, foggy, misty, rainy days lately, culminating with about 3 inches of snow. But the camera and I don our raincoats and head out anyway. (My K-70 is weather sealed but I don’t push it when there is a chance of significant rain!) The birds are out thereContinue reading “Gloomy Weather Birding…Better Weather Memories”