Author Archives: birdsinmyviewfinder

Each fall I have to relearn my sparrow ID skills. It’s a bit easier over time but they can be tough to identify in the field until you get a lot of experience. I’m working on it! These are some of the sparrows I have seen lately. And a pair of House Finches. The maleContinue reading “Sparrows and a Finch”

Egrets are moving out but there are still occasions where large flocks pass through. This flock numbered over 100 and filled the trees and marsh for a time as they stopped to rest. Half of them were already on their way within a hour. A lone Great Blue Heron joined the group for a bit.Continue reading “Cormorants. And More Egrets.”

The numbers of egrets and herons are rapidly diminishing as they migrate to warmer places and plentiful food. Some parting photographs:

Here are some recent photos of smaller residents and migrants. I got wrapped up in the action series that I just posted and have been neglected these guys. Dark-eyed Junco ================================================================== Flycatcher =================================================================== Red-eyed Vireo ===================================================================== Swainson’s Thrush ================================================================== Yellow-bellied Sapsucker =============================================================== Northern Parula =========================================================== Ruby-crowned Kinglet ====================================================================== Chipping Sparrow ===================================================================== White-throated Sparrow ================================================================== SavannahContinue reading “Some Small Bird Portraits”

A birding buddy and I witnessed a real avian donnybrook the other day. We emerged from the woods next to a marsh and heard Blue Jays making a racket. Then we spotted a commotion in a big dead tree about 100 meters away. At first glance it appeared to be a raptor chasing another bird.Continue reading “This tree ain’t big enough…”

Kingfishers are a tough subject, at least for me. They seem to detect me with some early warning system. I will spot one sitting in a tree near the water and just as I get ready to take the shot, zoom! Off they go to the other side of the pond/swamp. They wait until IContinue reading “Kingfishers”

Bird activity has increased as the summer wanes. The youngsters have fledged. The adults have finished their seasonal molt. Migrants are preparing to leave, passing through or moving in. Here is some of the action I captured a few days ago. Various shorebirds continue to congregate as they pass through the area. Two common speciesContinue reading “Birds on the Move”

I went out with a Massachusetts Audubon group recently. We followed the new Covid-19 protocol: maximum 10 people, masks, distancing, no shared equipment and no carpools. And we were always outside, of course. The morning started in the fog. It made identification difficult and photography even more difficult. This is what it looked like fromContinue reading “Foggy Morning Birding”

Large groups of shorebirds are migrating through the area. They stop in Massachusetts to rest and grab some food on their way from the Arctic to their winter homes. This is just a very small portion of a large flock, mostly Semipalmated Plovers, resting on the beach at Sandy Point on Plum Island. More birdsContinue reading “Plovers and Friends”

I watched two Ospreys fishing last week. They were unsuccessful but I took some photos before they moved on to better fishing grounds. They were about 600 meters (660 yards) away, if I read the Google map correctly, when I took these shots: The Double-crested Cormorants in the last shot seemed to be interested. TheContinue reading “Ospreys”