Category Archives: Uncategorized

Snow Buntings breed in northern Canada and Alaska and then migrate to southern Canada and the northern US for the winter. They are a handsome bird and we all look forward to seeing them, especially in the dull days of winter. We see them close to the beaches here in Massachusetts since they like openContinue reading “Winter Visitor – Snow Bunting”

Ducks are migrating into and through my area now. The numbers seem a bit lower than usual but it has been an exceptionally warm autumn. Maybe they are in no hurry to travel since nothing has started to freeze yet. These are some photographs of freshwater ducks that I have observed recently. The most numerousContinue reading “Early Season Ducks”

Migration is slowing down but some birds are still making their way through my area. Kinglets have appeared in past post but they are an interesting little bird so I am happy to post about them again. They are very active, tiny birds. They are only about 4 inches (10 cm) long. They hunt forContinue reading “Migrants – Kinglets”

Seeing an Osprey this far north in November is unusual. So is the the temperature today: 75F/24C. The first photograph in this post is not one I would normally post but it is part of a story. I was with a group looking for ducks on a large reservoir when we startled by an unexpectedContinue reading “Late Season Osprey”

The American Bittern is a medium sized heron, 24-33 inches (60-84 cm) in length. This is larger than a Crow but smaller than a Canada Goose. They are stealth hunters that lurk in the reeds and wait for their prey, which includes small fish, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and insects. They are very hard toContinue reading “American Bittern”

Green-winged Teals are the smallest dabbling ducks in North America. They have small bills and a short neck. This adds to their petite look. Their breeding range is Canada and the very northern US. There is also a small breeding area here in northeastern Massachusetts so we see them in the summer. But they areContinue reading “Migrants – Green-winged Teal”

Many shorebirds migrate through our area. Black-bellied Plovers breed along the Arctic Ocean and then migrate to as far south as the Caribbean and South America. We in Massachusetts live just a bit north of their most northerly wintering area so seeing one after late autumn is a rare sight. This is a young PloverContinue reading “Migrants – Black-bellied Plover”

Sometimes things just come together for a nice photograph. I like to catch birds in action but it is difficult when small birds are actively flitting around in the trees and shrubs as they search for food. The majority of the photographs are partially visible birds, a feathery blur or an empty branch. Most ofContinue reading “Serendipity”

In my previous post I said that I watched two birds fishing close to shore and put up some photos of Northern Gannets diving for fish.. The second sighting was of two Caspian Terns. Caspian Terns migrate through our area and are not common. These were the first I have seen other than on theContinue reading “Gone Fishin’ (Part II)”

I had a chance to watch and photograph two different seabirds fishing while on the south end of Plum Island, Massachusetts. The first were Northern Gannets. These birds are usually far off shore and we identify them by their shape and fishing technique. This day there were dozens of them fishing fairly close to shore.Continue reading “Gone Fishin’ (Part I)”