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Flocks of Red Crossbills (with a few White-winged Crossbills), Common Redpolls and Snow Buntings have taken up winter residence in the large campgrounds of the Salisbury State Reservation on the north side of the mouth of the Merrimack River. The winter populations of these birds vary from year to year and they are high thisContinue reading “Crossbills, Redpolls and a Hungry Loon”

These photos are from two recent trips to Cape Ann (Gloucester and Rockport MA) I made in the past week. The first was with a regular birding companion. It was a cloudy morning and we just beat the rainstorm that started around noon. There was a lot to see despite the gloomy conditions. Red-breasted MergansersContinue reading “Return to Cape Ann”

The tide was almost full on a sunny morning and the result was a chance to get some photos of ducks in flight. White-winged Scoters were flying out from the river and heading for the ocean in pairs or small groups and their flight path took them close to the shore where we stood. TheContinue reading “Aerial Show”

I did a post last month that featured a Glaucous Gull with an injured left leg who I dubbed “Long John Silver” after the one-legged pirate in the novel Treasure Island. A bit whimsical but not entirely silly. Gulls as pirates is a common theme among bird aficionados, professional and amateur alike. I quote fromContinue reading “Gulls Being Gulls”

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”