Long-tailed Ducks
Happy New Year! We hope you are flying into a wonderful 2016 like these gorgeous Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis), and we at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History wish you a happy and healthy New Year. Good birding to you and good luck assembling your Big January list this month. Share your sightings and your stories as you tally your list and get outdoors with your friends and family. Don’t forget your Peterson Field Guides, of course, and be sure to show us how much you are putting them to use!
Read MoreOrange-crowned Warblers
As I mentioned previously my first bird of 2015 was the Blue Jay, one of the most well-known species in all of North America. They even have their own team thanks to Toronto. On the opposite end of the spectrum would be a bird like the Orange-crowned Warbler, an uncommon warbler even in some of the more common parts of its range, and a tough one to find in the Northeast in the winter (or any time, really!) regardless of their seemingly higher than average numbers this year. The species has a rather quiet and unassuming behavior and appearance with mostly drab colors, the orange crown being...
Read MoreFirst Species of 2015
What was your first bird of 2015? The Blue Jay was my #1 New Year species. It is definitely a repeat winner given that their screaming and screeching calls can be heard indoors with the windows closed – I did not even have to get out of bed! Thanks for all too typical “alarm”, guys and gals! Are you planning on a “Big January” to see how many species you can find? If you have yet to decide on a birding game plan for 2015 I would definitely recommend trying a geographical challenge and largely restricting yourself to birding in your own town or city. You will end...
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