Florida Birding sans camera

Posted on February 6, 2020 by Richard

We are enjoying good weather and birding in Cedar Key but an extra leash tug from Ginger ended up with a dropped camera and a jammed lens on my SX60 Canon. So it’s iphone time and the birds here are out there a ways.

We’ve been enjoying pelicans, ibis, oystercatchers, ospreys etc from our back deck and going on some nice outings, but missing the Canon.

We have an Osprey who spends hours on a post just behind the cottage. Here’s a shot of him – sorry about the quality.

Right beside him this morning was a yellow-crowned Night Heron.

We drove out to the little airport today and found hundreds of shorebirds whirling through the wind and alighting on the tarmac. There were hundreds of Semipalmated Plovers, and many dowitchers and sanderlings. Who knows what else was huddled in that avian mass?

A storm is coming and birds are seeking shelter. Here are a lot of Royal Terns huddled on a roof.

New camera time when we get home.

Posted in 2020 SE Trip, Florida_Birds, iPhone, Labradoodle, shorebirds | Comments Off on Florida Birding sans camera

Chilly but birdy

Posted on January 30, 2020 by Richard

We left Vermont to escape the cold for a bit but I’m still birding with frozen fingers in Virginia. The ground is bare and there are a lot of birds about here in Charlottesville and it is parka and gloves weather. This morning, Ginger and I took a long walk and our first bird was an Eastern Bluebird.

This guy had some companions who were spooked by Ginger.

Here are a few of the other birds we saw:

A couple of geese ignored the dog but she was pretty interested.
A few Red-bellied Woodpeckers were noisy but stayed up high in the trees.
Dozens of Dark-eyed Juncos lined the walking path, exciting the dog to no end.
This Northern Mockingbird ignored us as we walked closely by.

Off to South Carolina in the morning.

Posted in 2020 SE Trip, road trip, Virginia Birds | Comments Off on Chilly but birdy

Hanging Around

Posted on January 14, 2020 by Richard

Early this morning, while walking Ginger, I heard the distinctive chatter of a Belted Kingfisher. The river, which has been frozen over, had opened up after the recent rains but I expected this guy to be in some place warmer. Mid-day, I heard him and was able to get a couple of photos, with the help of a puppy tugging at her leash. We have some real cold weather ahead this week – hope he’s catching a northerly wind and getting out of here.

Posted in Backyard birds, Kingfishers, Local Birding, Winter Birds | Comments Off on Hanging Around

2019 Birds (September-December)

Posted on December 12, 2019 by Richard
Grey Heron – ESP
White Stork – ESP
Eurasian Hoopoe – ESP
Purple Swamphen – ESP
Common Moorhen -ESP
Bald Eagle – VT
Northern Shrike – VT

We are enjoying a nice array of winter birds and looking forward to a road trip to Florida in late January to bird a bit without frosty hands – our first outing with our new birding assistant – Ginger Ale.

Posted in best birds of year, Spain Birding, Vermont Birding | Comments Off on 2019 Birds (September-December)

2019 Birds (July-September)

Posted on December 10, 2019 by Richard

The acquisition of a puppy in July slowed up the birding while we focused on Ginger Ale, whose photo I will include at the end of this post.

An Eastern Meadowlark – VT
Common Yellowthroat -VT
Great Blue Heron -VT
Bald Eagle -VT
Monarch Butterfly in early September – VT
5.3 pounds of energy when we got her.
Now 19 pounds and still full of pep.
Posted in best birds of year, Vermont Birding | Comments Off on 2019 Birds (July-September)

2019 Birds – (April-June)

Posted on December 8, 2019 by Richard
Northern Cardinals: in the crisp April morning air – VT
Canada Geese out back – VT
Tree, Barn, and Bank Swallows coming and going at Berlin Pond _VT
Black-necked Stilt – San Elijo Lagoon – CA -June
Long-billed Curlew -CA
Ridgeway’s Rail _ CA
What’s not to like about a Red-winged Blackbird against a blue June sky? VT
Posted in Backyard birds, best birds of year, Birding_trips, CA birds, Vermont Birding | Comments Off on 2019 Birds – (April-June)

2019 Birds – (Jan-March)

Posted on December 6, 2019 by Richard

It’s getting to that time when listings of the best of the year come out for many things. Here are some of my best birds of the first quarter of 2019 – nice to remember on a cold December spitting snow day.

We took an abbreviated trip to Florida and later spent several weeks in Arizona.

Loggerhead Shrike at Fontainebleau State Park
Anhinga catching the rays.
Great Egret in Louisiana.
Broad-billed Hummers posing in the sun at Madera Canyon Lodge.
A Bewick’s Wren.
Vermillion Flycatcher.
Acorn Woodpeckers are raucous and fun to watch.
This Rivoli’s Hummingbird was a life bird
Elegant Trogon
Violet-crowned Hummingbird
Posted in 2019 SE Trip, best birds of year, Birding_trips, Louisiana State Parks, Photography, Vermont Birding | Comments Off on 2019 Birds – (Jan-March)

Northern Shrike

Posted on November 27, 2019 by Richard

One of my favorite places to exercise Ginger is off-hours at the local airport. The parking areas and taxiways are clear of snow and dog-attracting debris and tennis balls roll forever. It was freezing fog this morning but we got a good workout – but also got chilled – so it was back to the car for a little birding.

Just a quarter-mile away is a parking lot for a number of medical groups and more importantly, a good view of birds. Today, I was looking for a species I’ve seen there before — Northern Shrike, and today as I drove in I spotted one in its top of the tree spot. The photo conditions were awful but I rolled down the window, and with warmed-up hands, grabbed a shot. I suspect it will hang around so we’ll return in better lighting. The “butcher-bird” is always a nice winter find.

Posted in Local Birding, Vermont Birding, Washington County | Comments Off on Northern Shrike

Crappy Weather, Nice Backyard Birding

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Richard

One of the perks of having a puppy is that it gets you out the door numerous times a day. We live on the North Branch of the Winooski River so part of most of our outings is to stroll through the slush down to see what’s up. My first venture was early and aside from chickadees and a titmouse, not much else was awake.

Later, I spotted two Common Mergansers (likely waiting out the storm to head south) and surprisingly, a Belted Kingfisher. A bit later, I flushed a Great Blue Heron and saw another one stealthily watching us through the freezing drizzle.

Just now, on another trip, I spotted a Bald Eagle patiently perched over the river and I went back, grabbed my camera, and with the dog’s help – straining on a leash – documented this November visitor. Perhaps he’ll stick around.

Posted in Birding With Ginger, Local Birding, Vermont Birding, Winter Birds | Comments Off on Crappy Weather, Nice Backyard Birding

Youngsters

Posted on October 9, 2019 by Richard

Ginger and I had a birding venture the other morning which was delightful – there were dozens of young sparrows, many practicing their songs, and the lifting fog, changing colors, and warming temperature just added to the trip.

Early fall mornings in Vermont are cool and lovely.
This young Northern Flicker thought he was hidden.
Just one of probably 25 juvenile Song Sparrows.
Nearly every morning I’ve birded the reservoir, this local attorney is taking his pre-work workout.
I love hearing White Throated Sparrows trying out their voices, with varying degrees of success.

Most of these birds will head out but the woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, blue jays, crows, and others will be around when we bird this winter here on snowshoes. But let’s not push it.

Posted in Birding With Ginger, Labradoodle, Local Birding, Vermont Birding | Comments Off on Youngsters