Author Archives: birdsinmyviewfinder

We had a nice break in the dismal weather and I managed to get out on a particularly sunny morning. It was great to have some blue sky in the background of my photos. My first encounter was a flock consisting mostly of American Goldfinches getting seeds from pine cones with a few other speciesContinue reading “Sunny Day at Last”

We’ve had several days with cloudy and stormy weather. Not ideal conditions for photography but I continue to head out anyway. These two photos aren’t the sharpest but I think they capture the conditions on a dark morning with snow flurries in the air. First, a Snow Bunting sits on some gravel in the snow,Continue reading “Dismal Weather”

My first post of 2021 is pretty big, 22 photos from the last week of 2020 and New Year’s Day 2021. Apologies to subscribers for the extra big email. We’re starting off 2021 in a bit of a hole but I sure hope that it will turn out as bright as these birds. I wasContinue reading “Welcome 2021”

There has been no end of interesting subjects on the Merrimack River this winter. And not just ducks. Seals like to sun themselves on the rocks near the mouth of the river. I really think that they are watching us on the opposite shore. They may be wondering how we survive the cold without blubber!Continue reading “2020 Finale – On the River”

Continuing on in the State Reservation campgrounds, here are some more sightings. Black-capped Chickadees are the Massachusetts state bird, and for good reason. They live here year round and tough it out with us through the winters. They are active, bold, a bit sassy and one of our favorite birds. There were several species ofContinue reading “2020 Finale – Other Campground Birds”

This is first of a few posts to close out 2020. And if there ever was year to close out, 2020 is it. Every few years, when the pine cones are extra plentiful, Crossbills flock to our area. The campgrounds at the Salisbury State Reservation are a popular spot for them. They are somewhat rareContinue reading “2020 Finale – Crossbills and Buntings”

A more accurate title would be “Gull vs Crab” but I like this one. “Gull and Crab” sounds like a good name for a pub. Maybe one near the waterfront with gulls filling in for pirates. The following sequence of photos show a gull trying to “prepare” a crab for a snack. Those claws areContinue reading “Gull and Crab”

I watched a small raft of Common Eiders on the river as they went through their courtship rituals. This was the day with wind chills around 9F/-13C so I guess love conquers all! The males make a soft cooing call and chase after the females. Both sexes perform wing flapping, head bobbing and other displays.Continue reading “Eider Courtship”

I went to the coast on a relatively cold day when the temperatures were right around freezing. The wind near the shore made it feel a lot colder though. One thing I recorded was some more Long-tailed Duck action. A female and a male were swimming fairly close to shore. I got a shot ofContinue reading “Cold and Even Colder”

My number one lens decided it needs some R&R after four years of hard work. So its backup is stepping up while it gets some well deserved “spa treatment”. I don’t use the backup very often so it feels a bit strange in my hand but I think it did well, as evidenced by theseContinue reading “Backup Lens at Work”