April BOS Count 2009
Woodducks
Sunday was the annual April BOS Count and I truly enjoyed the most beautiful spring day looking for all these birdies! I ended up with 54 species and 441 different individuals observed within the Allegany State Park’s area of Section 24. What was even more exciting was the nine first of the year birds that I located.
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Mid April Arrivals
Green Heron
My morning started with me flushing a Green Heron (CHECK) off from a beaver pond in France Brook as it flew up into a dead snag! I had thought for a second it could have been a Bittern but was only a Green Heron!
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Ring-billed Gull Courtship
Ring-billed Gulls
Birdies are in love this time of the year and showing many different courtships and displays! . . . . at times I think its contagious!
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American Woodcock Display [Video]
The Cattaraugus County Bird Club
Today the Cattaraugus County Bird Club had a field trip to watch the display of the American Woodcock in Allegany State Park. We started a little after dinner searching for spring migrants but the main purpose of the trip was to find the American Woodcock.
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At Lake Erie (Wordless Wednesday)
Double Crested Cormorants
Took these photos with Young Naturalist J yesterday at Lake Erie State Park.
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Caspian Tern
Caspian Tern
I took advantage of this sunny day to do some bird watching with Young Naturalist J since he is off from school this week. I told him that my target species was the Caspian Tern and after being on the road for about 15 minutes . . . . we found this group of Caspian Tern (CHECK)! This was a year bird for both of us and YN-J had also capture a few other first of the year birds throughout the day! He’s growing up everyone . . . I think soon that I will have to start calling him “Teen Naturalist J”! I had a wonderful day with him leading me around to all the birding hotspots in his neck of the woods! Cheers . . . we found the Caspian Terns!
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Nature Haiku [Nine Loons]
Common Loons on Red House Lake
By Young Naturalist C, Young Naturalist E and Adele
Nine Loons
Nine Loons on the Lake
Fishing for their favorite food
Ooo da loo da loo
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Pre-Easter Birding
Common Snipe on a telephone pole
This morning I went out to do some birding and enjoyed finding the birdies most everywhere!
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Random Chincoteague Photos
Red-breasted Merganser
I promise these are my last Chincoteague photos!
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Non-birds at Chincoteague
Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is known for its ponies and its migratory birds but having such outstanding habitat on the island, you would expect to find some other hidden treasures!! The first hidden treasure can be easily locate on Chincoteague and called the Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel. This squirrel has been recognized as a subspecies of the fox squirrel and is listed on the endangered species list. I found it interesting that the Delmarva name come from where these squirrels had first originated: Delaware, Maryland and Virginia! I think they are adorable little squirrels to me!
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Greater Snow Goose at Chincoteague
Greater Snow Goose in flight
Chincoteague Refuge was originally established in 1943 to provide habitat for migratory birds (with an emphasis on conserving Greater Snow Goose), today it provides habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, and song birds, as well as other species of wildlife and plants. (Taken from the Chincoteague brochure)
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Ponies at Chincoteague [Video]
Chincoteague Ponies
Who doesn’t visit Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and not want to see the Chincoteague Ponies? I assume this is every little girls dream to see these horses Ponies!! I have never read any of the Misty books but they sure have impacted many people’s lives when they were kids. I feel that I must have missed something after visiting this amazing place!
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My Birds at Chincoteague
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Below is the list of birds that I observed at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge last weekend. I ended up with 70 different species, 23 first of the year (FOY) birds and 7 Lifers.
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Greater Yellowlegs at Chincoteague
Greater Yellowlegs!
These Greater Yellowlegs had truly put on a show for me while visiting Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge last weekend. I had many opportunities for photographing them and these were my favorites!
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Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
It appeared that the Great Blue Heron were in abundance at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge last weekend. They were not like my local heron that are very skittish when approaching with a vehicle . . . these guys were very cooperative.
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More Spring Arrivers
Eastern Phoebe
Since returning from Chincoteague Island, the birds have been quickly following me northward into the Western New York area. Yesterday while assisting with the stocking of Trout along some of the Steams, I finally heard my first of the year Winter Wren (CHECK) who was singing its beautiful complex song. Later in the evening I observed the American Kestrel (CHECK first of the year) as it was wagging its tail at me! Finally this morning I got my first of the year Eastern Phoebe (CHECK) was proudly yelling fee-bee . . . . fee-bee around the office! (((SMILE))) I just love this time of the year! (more…)
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge [Day 2]
Foggy Lighthouse Showing the Way
Saturday morning started with Marg and I showing up to the 6:30am bird walk and the walk being obviously canceled due to the down pouring rain. Quickly the heavy fog rolled in for most of the day and I struggled with spending my available birding time capturing photos in the fog. It was still a great bird day with many first of the years birds and another lifer to add to my list!
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Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge [Day 1]
I arrived in Chincoteague late last evening around 11pm and it had been raining cats-and-dogs the whole trip. I quickly jumped into bed after a quick phone call to Patty, anticipating what Day 1 would be like! In the morning I woke up and opened the patio door . . . . . within minutes I heard this raspy crow call and instantly said “FISH CROW”!!! CHECK . . this was my first lifer of the day! I always wondered what these guys sounded like!
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Nature Haikus – Salamanders
Spotted Salamander
By Young Naturalist C, Young Naturalist E and Adele
Salamanders
Slick salamanders
Roaming in the wet, wild woods
Looking for their love
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The Osprey have returned
Osprey photo from 2008
Sometime this morning our first Osprey for 2009 (CHECK) finally arrived. I have been looking for these guys along the Allegheny River for days and so excited that they finally arrived.
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Searching For [Wordless Wednesday]
Mourning Cloak
These are a few things that I have not seen yet and I am still searching for . . . . but is only a matter of time till they appear!
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Inner Beauty of Nature [Book Review]
The most recent book that I was asked to review is the “Inner Beauty of Nature: X-Ray Photography” who was written by Bert Myers, 2007. The beginning of the book discusses the history and techniques used regarding X-Ray photography and how the author started his interest in this kind of photography. The highlight of the book is the multiple X-Ray photos captured in black and white, then includes some of these images being processed with color.
By Bert Myers
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 