Deer Overbrowsing
I may not be an expert on vegetation, especially ornamental, but something seems…not right…here. You have probably seen similar sights in the last couple of months now that the ice and snow have fully cleared as White-tailed Deer did a number on anything they could eat in the Northeast. Everything just above their head is bright and green, and parts below are bare and brown. Our overpopulation of deer wipes the forest floors clean to the point where they must pick at what we could call scraps like these in our neighborhoods. Some people may object to wolves in their backyards,...
Read MoreEastern Towhee Pair
There have been many, many Eastern Towhees (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) moving through in the last few weeks, some likely scratching away at your yard and feeders. Both the black male and brown female shown here, as recently photographed in Jamestown, New York, really do have lovely shades! Drink your tea…towhee! And Happy Mother’s Day to you and all the soon to be mothers like this one out there.
Read MoreHidden American Woodcocks
March is the month for the American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) as the species heads north to (hopefully) unfrozen earth, with males arriving as quickly as they can to set up on the best territory for their legendary display flights. This year’s polar lock on the region may slow them down as feeding will be very difficult, if not impossible, for another week or two at least. Open fields and meadows adjacent to wetlands, marshes and scrubby/shrubby lands are good places to wait for their evening aerial dances later in the month. I photographed these two birds in the early winter, long...
Read MoreRed Fox Entering Snowy Den
I had a split second to raise my camera, aim, and shoot at this Red Fox on Wednesday before it quickly darted back into its den. I included the first photo of it looking at me despite the fact I unfortunately focused on the grass that covered its eye, bah! If my aim had been a fraction of an inch to the side, or that one blade was not in the way, I would have been a very happy man. That is the nature of…nature…photography when you often do not get a second chance for a great shot. Nevertheless, I loved the red and brown colors of this animal contrasting against the still...
Read MoreField Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
One of the more rare visitors to winter feeding stations, the Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) may turn up in your yard if you have a sizable and active bird community and put some seed on the ground. They will seek you out in a hurry if they are nearby and snow suddenly covers their fields and grasslands. Their bold white eye ring and such clean brown colors are very attractive.
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