Category Archives: Uncategorized

This photo of a Northern Shoveler preparing to land shows the colorful speculum (secondary wing feathers) that is common in ducks with each species having its own distinctive pattern. The Shoveler has a powder blue, white and green speculum that is quite striking. The photo was taken at Bosque del Apache in New Mexico.

The Javelina, or Collared Peccary, resides in South and Central America. It is also found in the southwestern US. This pig-like mammal lives in desert and grassland environments. It stands about 2 feet (60 cm) high and weighs up to 55 pounds (25 kg). They are herbivores that will also eat lizards and rodents givenContinue reading “Non-avian Guest – Javelina”

There are two Bluebirds that are year-round residents of New Mexico. The first is this Western Bluebird photographed at the Randall Davey Audubon Center in Santa Fe. The other is this Mountain Bluebird photographed against a nearly matching clear sky at Santa Fe Community College.

Continuing on with photos from a trip to New Mexico, these shots of an American Kestrel were taken at the Bernardo Wildlife Area in Bosque, south of Albuquerque. The Kestrel is the smallest North American falcon at about 8-12 inches (22-30 cm) in length. They hunt insects and small prey in open fields from aContinue reading “American Kestrel”

A single genetic mutation produces this uncommon color variant in the normally white Snow Goose. Some far more common all white geese are sleeping inn the background. Photograph taken at Bosque Del Apache NWR, New Mexico.

Coots are a plump duck-like bird that feeds on aquatic vegetation. They look more chicken-like when they are on land. They are poor flyers and are require a long running takeoff to get airborne. This one was swimming close to a boardwalk at Bosque del Apache NWR. It was close enough to see the smallContinue reading “Snapshot – American Coot”

This was a nice sight on a very cold day. Golden-crowned Kinglets are a small songbird that have a rounded body, no apparent neck and a tiny beak. The cold makes them fluff their feathers and they look even rounder. They are very active, move erratically and are hard to photograph. But they are funContinue reading “Golden-crowned Kinglet”

What are these two female Long-tailed Ducks up to? It may look like a race but it is apparently a sort of social interaction within a flock. Courtship displays involve a lot of head bobbing and vocalizing, something these ducks were not doing. Was it posturing for pecking order within the flock? Just for fun?Continue reading “Duck Racing”

The Marbled Godwit is a large shorebird with a long, slightly upturned, bicolored bill. It uses its rapier-like bill to probe the sand for invertebrates and plants. They primarily breed in the northern prairies of the US and Canada. There two satellite breeding areas, one in southern Alaska and another at the southern end ofContinue reading “Marbled Godwit”

This is the third of three posts featuring the three species of scoter that winter here in New England. This is an immature male Surf Scoter photographed at Cape Neddick, Maine. As he matures, his beak will become even brighter and he will develop white patches on his forehead and the back of his head.