Bunny
No new bird species today but did see my first cottentail bunny today. Whoot, spring must be coming closer (sorry bunny photo was taken in 2006).
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Eastern Bluebird
Highlight this weekend was a Eastern Bluebird flying around (CHECK). He was my first bluebird of the year!! I am up to 38 species for 2013 now.
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Northern Shrike
When do you expect to find Northern Shrikes? They are always seen when you least expect them and that is exactly what happened to me today. I happen to look to the left (CHECK) Northern Shrike. My co-worker said how did you find that bird. Sometimes we just get lucky!! (Photo is from 2007, sorry not the best photo).
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Winter Scenes
View from Christian Hollow Trail, Allegany State Park
By: Pat Coate
It has been a winter wonderland in WNY with the 20+ inches of snow we have received since Christmas. The cross country ski trails at Allegany State Park have been awesome as have some of the other area state forest lands. After skiing only once during last year’s very mild winter, we’ve been out about 10 days so far this year.
Common Redpoll
Up to 21 species now and the highlight was finding Redpolls at the Administration Building this morning (CHECK). Yesterday had a Golden Eagle yesterday at the entrance of the Park (CHECK). Did get a photo of it flying but not really the best in the world.
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White-breasted Nuthatch
Another great start to the season with the White-breasted Nuthatch in trees (CHECK)!
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Common Merganser
If you haven’t noticed, one of my New Year resolutions is to make an effort in posting things on the the blog more often and one of the ways to do this will be going back into keeping a year list. So far I have 15 species already this year and while going into town this morning, added European Starling, Rock Pigeon and Common Merganser to the list. 2013 is going to be a great year!!
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Pileated Woodpecker
New Birds for the New Year!! Lots of common sightings like the Junco, Blue Jay, Crow . . etc. . . Highlight was seeing the Pileated Woodpecker fly across the road!
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Common Redpoll
Common Redpoll
By: Pat Coate
Nice to start the new year off with a new bird – the common redpoll is a lifer for me. We’ve had a pair at our feeders this week. These little finches seem a bit mixed up as they have chosen to winter in WNY where we have a beautiful 18 inches of snow on the ground. In the arctic regions, where common redpolls spend their summers, they have been known to burrow into the snow to sleep (and better maintain their body temperature) and have survived temperatures well below zero (-65 degrees!)
First bird of the Year
Happy New Year everyone . . . . First bird of the Year . . . “Black-capped Chickadee”!! CHECK
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Hurricane Sandy and the Power of Nature
By: Pat Coate
Recently back from spending 2 ½ weeks working with the American Red Cross on Long Island (there were a couple hundred volunteers assigned here). Many of us, including me, spent the time working at a (client) shelter for people displaced by Hurricane Sandy. The Red Cross provided food and ran the shelter, while a combination of agencies (Red Cross, FEMA and Social Services) worked with clients on moving forward to rebuild or relocate. Many other Red Cross volunteers served as crews on the Emergency Response Vehicles delivering meals and supplies to residents affected by the storm.
While most of my group’s time was spent at the client shelter at Nassau Community College, we did see some of the coastal areas hit hard by Sandy including Long Beach, Atlantic Beach, and Breezy Point. This allowed us to see firsthand the overwhelming power and physical impact of this storm.
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstone
By: Pat Coate
Always seem to catch these birds in non-breeding plumage. Photos from Myrtle Beach.
White-tailed Deer
The Regular Deer Hunting Season is almost over. I have been wondering if I will be seeing any other deer this year besides scrub bucks or doe . . . . . . only have my buck tag left. Guess I am ready to call it quits for the season.
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Bear Claws
Bear Claws on Beech Tree
By: Pat Coate
While hiking this past fall in Ontario I came across these beech trees that appear to have bear claw markings. I have occasionally seen bears while hiking in this general area and I am happy to report that they were good bears and ran off without incidence.
Huntington Beach SP – The Beach & Gators
Willet
By: Pat Coate
This is the final posting on Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. The park is a birders’ wonderland containing many habitats including saltwater marsh, freshwater lake, beach and wooded areas. Today’s pictures are primarily from the beach and freshwater lake.
There are about 3 miles of beach with a jetty at one end. While walking out to the jetty I came across the willet pictured above. It was interesting to watch him (or her) with his prey. First, it kept running away from a second willet that was trying to move in on its dinner. Then, when it got a moment’s respite from the competition, the willet would drop the fish into the water and pick it right back up.
Huntington Beach State Park – Saltwater Marsh Life Birds
Semipalmated Plover
By: Pat Coate
This is Part Two (of three) on Huntington Beach State Park located near Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. As I mentioned last week, one of the highlights of the park is the causeway you cross as you enter the park. On one side there is a freshwater lake and on the other a tidal marsh (pictures of the causeway below).
While enjoying the many birds and alligators along the causeway, I was able to add three life birds: black-bellied plover, semipalmated plover and clapper rail.
The semipalmated plover is a fairly common shorebird during migration. (Dad, this is the ‘fake’ bird you took a picture of on your trip to New England). This bird breeds in Alaska and many of the northern most Canadian provinces. It is an active feeder, walking about and pecking here and there for food.
Huntington Beach State Park (SC)
Great Egret
By: Pat Coate
While in SC, I spent some time at Huntington Beach State Park near Murrells Inlet. What a great place! It has three miles of beach with nesting Wilsons plovers and lots of sea and shore birds. But what’s really fun is the causeway as you enter the park. On one side is a freshwater lake complete with alligators, osprey and eagles, and the other side is a very active tidal salt marsh.
Today’s pictures are from the salt marsh – many of birds fishing at low tide.
Birdie Blog
The Gang (minus one): Vicki, Tina, me, Chris, Jo, Brenda
By: Pat Coate
Great girls’ get-away in Myrtle Beach. Trip co-ordinator Brenda got us great deals at terrific and challenging courses (Founders, World Tour, Prestwick) and most of us did manage a birdie somewhere along the way. I don’t think it ever rains there as we had gorgeous weather every day – though Hurricane Sandy may soon change that.
Birds seen along the courses included great egret, great blue heron, pileated and red-bellied woodpeckers, Carolina chickadees, fish crows, mallards, mute swan, yellow-rumped warblers, boat-tailed grackles, double-crested cormorant, blue jay, cardinal, turkey vulture, mourning dove, gulls, hawks, eastern phoebe, and mockingbird.
Evening Grosbeak
Very exciting . . . watch this time of the year for Evening Grosbeaks and Pine Siskins! Had a huge flock at the Admin Building in Allegany State Park this morning!
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Ravens 2 – The Original Quidditch Games?
Trying to snatch the Quaffle?
By: Pat Coate
As mentioned last week, there was a group of about 20 ravens hanging out near where I stayed in Ontario. It was amazing to watch this group soar and play. I really think that J.K. Rowling got her inspiration for the game of Quidditch from watching ravens. Quidditch is an aggressive, somewhat contact sport played by teams of wizards/witches flying on brooms in Rowling’s wildly popular Harry Potter series. The teams represent the four houses of Hogwarts, a school for wizards and witches. Furthering my suspicion that Ms. Rowling drew her inspiration from ravens, I note that one of the four houses is named Ravenclaw.
Quidditch is played with a Quaffle, or enchanted ball, that is used to score points by shooting it through a hoop. In the raven version of quidditch, it seems that a pine cone or twig serves as the Quaffle.
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Ravens 1
Raven in silhouette
By: Pat Coate
While in Ontario a group of ravens were usually hanging out nearby and when the winds were right they put on quite a show right above me.
Most of the photos are silhouettes. This one here shows a couple of the key field marks of ravens (versus crows): deep, slim “fingers” at the tips of the wings and the wedge-shaped tail.
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Swimming Buck
8 pointer
By: Pat Coate
Was lucky enough to spend some time at a cottage on a beautiful lake in Ontario recently. I looked up from my breakfast one rainy morning to see a brown blob swimming out from the bay. I thought “Hmm, that’s an awfully big bird”. When I got the binoculars on it, it was quite clear that it was not a bird at all!
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Happy Autumn
Fall beginning to bloom
By: Pat Coate
The calendar, cool nights and the landscape say that fall is upon us. The Enchanted Mountains are such a beautiful and inspiring place to live – gorgeous in all seasons, but especially in the fall.
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Shorebirds along Lake Erie in Northern Ohio
Greater Yellowlegs
By: Pat Coate
Here are a few shots of shorebirds seen while visiting some of the northeast Ohio birding spots along Lake Erie. I made stops from Magee Marsh to Sandusky. Hopefully I have made the correct IDs.
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