Yellow-throated Vireo
The Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) seen here did plenty of singing and foraging for me on a recent spring morning while his mate tended to their new nest. They were located, as always, on the edge of a large forest, and while they love the cuts they do need sizable, unbroken woodlands. If you take a look at them from afar you may wonder why they have such a plumage…but if you look at some of my photos you may not have to ponder that anymore. What a perfect camouflage, especially in the spring! I have no doubt those looks help the species coax their insect prey into easy...
Read MoreSong Sparrow
What is one thing nearly all of the sparrows have in common? Those special earth tones, with varying shades of brown making up a lot of their appearance because they are ground-based birds. This Song Sparrow was showing that off with its camouflage working wonderfully and apparently letting it feel comfortable enough to let me shoot these close-up photos. They really are brilliant little birds, and I mean that for all the many subspecies of Song Sparrow in the world. One wonders how many of these would or will evolve to completely different species over time. Even now it is vital to always...
Read MoreLoch Ness Monster?
Loch Ness Monster? Ut oh, it’s surfacing, and it’s looking directly at me! Or maybe not…but close enough in look and unfortunately somewhat in status. Horned Grebes (Podiceps auritus) are listed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species as “Vulnerable”. We often do not get to enjoy them close-up like these views I was afforded last week. While their wintering plumage is meant to camouflage them in the water, their piercing red eyes are a bright beacon on even the dullest of late winter days. Keep an eye out...
Read MoreField Sparrow
Why do they call them Field Sparrows again? Oh, right. Way to blend in! It appears to be simply a more mobile assemblage of some brown blades of grass…late sparrow migrants are still on the move, so keep an eye out for them along with Vesper Sparrows and all those Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows.
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